I looked behind me to Emma, "What just happened?" I asked, my voice shaky.

"I don't know, kid."

Mary Margaret cleared her voice, "I might be able to clear some of the confusion up." When we all looked expectantly to her she continued on, "All I know is Regina has met that witch before. When Daniel died, Regina did everything she could to get him back, she even asked Dr. Frankenstein to. . . repair his heart. That didn't work, and out of despair she hunted down Boo - the hag, the witch, the one everyone claimed was crazy. Regina didn't think she could actually do it, but she was desperate to get her true love back. When she found Boo, Boo gave her the same instructions; 'Fate be changed, look inside, mend the bond torn by pride'." Mary Margaret looked around us at all to make sure we understood, and when we nodded in unison, she continued her tale, "All Regina had to do was befriend her own mother, but after what her mother did, Regina was not apologetic at all. The second sunrise came and went, but Regina hadn't completed her task, and when she hunted the hag down, Boo told her she had failed and that was the last time she was seen, she disappeared and never helped Regina. Regina failed."

"And do now she has to do it again?" David cleared up.

"Yes, but not with her mother this time." Rumple said.

"So who?" questioned Emma, thinking.

I looked from person to person also thinking. If Regina had been the evil queen, then I'm sure she has a lot of bonds she needs to mend.

"Do you think Regina knows?" Everyone looked at me and I shrugged my shoulders, "I was just wondering, sorry."

"No, dearie, I don't think she does." Gold said, shifting his wait to his other leg.

"I'll go find her." I offered.

I went to follow her when I noticed out of the corner of my eye, David made a move to stop me, but Gold put his cane against David's chest, clearly saying let me go.

I opened the door and shut it behind me. Where would she have gone? This was going to be hard.

I walked out of the tavern and saw a man selling eggs on the corner. I made my way threw the loud, obnoxious crowd, "Excuse me, sir, did you see Regina walk by?"

He looked down at me, irritated, "Are you going to by any eggs? They are great scrambled."

His voice was monotone and nasally, "Umm, no, sorry, sir, I just wondered if you've seen Regina walk by and which way she went?"

"Move along then, girl. I don't need you holding up the line."

I turned around to apologize to the person behind me, but nobody was there! I looked back at the man who stood under his hat, glaring at me with his beady eyes.

"Look, I just-"

"I said be gone with yourself!" His mustache twitched with anger and repulse, and I gave him the dirtiest look I could muster before I turned around and walked away.

I made it to a bench when a woman tapped me on the shoulder, "Excuse me, m'lady, but I couldn't help hear what you were asking that retched man. I saw the queen head off in the direction of the woods." She gestured with her head and her blonde hair fell in front of her eyes.

"Thank you so much! And yes, he was a putrid man, wasn't he?"

She nodded in agreement and we both looked back at the man. He was still glaring into the crowd of people.

"You should be on your way now, she left at a pretty brisk pace," offered the blonde.

I nodded my head and took off to the woods.

When I found her, she was furiously pacing back and forth like a lion. Every now and then she would snap her head up and look around, yelling insanities directed for Boo. She picked up a rock that she stumbled over and threw it far into the trees.

"Regina?" I called softly.

She stopped, frozen.

"Regina?" I stepped into the clearing but kept my distance.

She turned on me, scowling, "This is all your fault!"

"What?" My voice was just a small squawk.

"You made her do this." She marched towards me, her gaze bore into my soul.

"I'm, I'm sorry." I stammered out.

She had reached me and her hand drew up. I felt her hand clamp around my neck and restrict my breathing. My hands flew up to her wrists, but I couldn't remove her deathly grip. She shoved me backwards and I gasped for a breath. Hands were around my neck again and she moved me against a tree. My skull made a sickening crunch as it hit the truck of the tree and I lost sight of her face as everything went black momentarily.

Regina moved her face in next to my ear. I could feel her breathing warm air against my shoulder, "This is all your fault, Alex." Her hand clamped harder, "All your fault."

I began to scratch at her wrists, I was losing my sight and black dots were appearing at the edge of my vision. Her nails bit into my neck as she was squeezing harder and harder.

"I hate you," she said venomously into my ear.

I used my last amount of air, "Why?" I asked wistfully.

Suddenly, her hands were gone and a flash of blonde brushed past my face.

I fell to the ground gasping for breath. My own hands went up and held my throat. I began to cry. I heard a noise come from behind me and arms wrapped around my torso, holding me tight. Kicking and elbowing, I tried to defend myself. I connected hard with a rib cage and heard the wind leave my attacker's body.

"Alex! Alex! It's me! It's Mary Margaret!"

I stopped fighting and whipped around. I fell back on my hands and butt, but sure enough, Mary Margaret sat there with outstretched arms, waiting.

Tears ran down my face and I crawled to the safety her arms could bring. She held me tightly and rocked me back and forth as I cried. I grew stiff as I recalled Regina. Searching around for her, I peeked out over Mary Margaret's shoulder. Emma and Regina were tangled on the ground, fighting. Both were screaming but nobody was winning. Regina used a burst of magic and sent Emma flying off. Hitting the ground hard, she pulled herself back up, but Regina was already on her feet with a balled up sphere of magic in her hand, waiting for Emma to make the first move.

"Love, don't. That wouldn't be wise," pleaded Hook, holding Emma's shoulder. Her chest prominently rose and fell, undoubtedly tired.

David came over to stand beside a kneeling Mary Margaret and myself. Mr. Gold had stayed at the farthest part of the clearing. But one thing was for certain, our eyes were all trained towards the icy Regina.

"Mary Margaret, get her out of here." Hook demanded.

Mary Margaret did as she was told, and dragged me away. I didn't struggle. She held on to me, tightly, supporting me, as we made our way back to the tavern. I didn't say anything and stumbled over my feet.

We reached the door to the tavern and David scooted in front of us to open it. Mary Margaret lead me through it and my legs gave out. We tumbled down, I just stayed there, lying on the cold floor. I saw Mary Margaret saying something, but I couldn't hear her. David's face leaned into my view and I stared into his blue eyes, deaf to the world. I saw him lean over and pick me up under my shoulders. His other arm swooped under the back of my legs and I was swept off the ground into his arms. My face, I let lean against his chest, and I could feel his heart beating gently under his shirt. I could feel Mary Margaret's hand patting my arm, and her face fell into and out of my view. Again, her mouth was moving, but I couldn't hear any words.

Opening our room's door, David stepped inside and stepped next to the first bed. He laid me on the bed and turned to Mary Margaret. She ran to the bathroom and came back with a wet cloth, in which she draped over my forehead. She ran her hand over my neck, and blood was smeared across her fingers. She looked at David and said something.

Mary Margaret turned back to face me. The last thing I saw was her face, and her mouth moving, and it made no sense to me. My head rolled to the side and my eyes closed. I blacked out.

"Do you think she knows that!" Mary Margaret's voice was shrill.

"No! Regina had said she has no clue!" Emma hollered back.

"It's true, the girl has no idea who her mother is." Gold's voice was calm and quiet against the voices of the others.

I rolled over, "Who's my mother?" My voice was groggy and I expected it to come out stronger; demanding. Instead, I glared at them all. They knew who my mother was?

Everyone stopped and looked at me. Mary Margaret came over to me and set her hand on my shoulder, reassuring me.

"Get off me!" I shouted, shaking her hand off my shoulder.

She stepped back. Struggling, I sat up in the bed, "I'm going to ask all of you one more time, and you're going to tell me what you know. Got it? Good." Glaring, I looked at each and every one of them, "Who is my mother?"

"Well, dearie," Gold stepped up, "Regina is your dearest mother." Silence. "If you think about it, you both have the same explosive attitude," he added.

"That's not possible…" I reached up around my neck. "She wouldn't do that to me."

"Obviously she did, dearie, and for that, I'm sorry." His voice was smooth, and he truly meant it.

I swung my legs out of the sheets and placed my feet on the ground. "What happened before? I couldn't hear, or focus, or do anything -"

Mary Margaret spoke quietly, looking at me unsure, "You went into post traumatic shock. Your body shut down."

"Well, that's just great." I eased myself off the bed, standing. I lost my balance for a second and Mary Margaret dove to catch me. Regaining myself, I took a slow step, unsure and awkward. Then another. Once more. I held onto her arm for the first few steps then let go. I made my way to the bathroom and flicked on the light. I was met with my reflection staring back at me. The bruising started just under my chin and led down under my shirt. Darker marks laid where her fingertips were pressed deeply into my skin. Marks of her fingertips were outlined in dried blood where she broke my skin. My hand made its way up to rub the marks. I always envisioned meeting my mother, but not once had I pictured her chocking me to death.

I shut off the light, and turned around. My feet led me out of the bathroom to where everyone was waiting.

I looked up and met Emma's gaze and unwaveringly said, "I want to see her."

Mary Margaret looked over to Emma, "No, Emma."

"Snow -" David began with his hand raised.

"David, no." She turned to face me, "Alex, it's not safe for you. She did it once, she'll do it again."

"You don't know that. And even if you don't give your permission, that won't stop me." I continued, desperate, "I want to see her more than anything now. I just need to know why."

"I'll take her." Emma spoke up. I nodded in her direction, "Thank you."

"Emma -"

"No, Mom." Emma turned on her, "It's the least she can have. She needs an answer. If I can help provide that answer for Alex, then I will do everything in my power to help her. When I grew up alone, all I wanted was one simple answer, too." Emma lowered her voice, "Trust me, it'll be okay. I'll protect her."

Hook spoke, "Love, I don't underestimate you, but she has magic." His gravely voice broke her anger,

She turned to everyone, "Everyone has seemed to forgot, I have magic too, thank you."

Emma turned away and walked over to me, "Ready?"

I nodded.

"The answer might not be what you want to hear, though, you know that right?"

Again, I nodded.

"Let's go then."

We reached Her door. I stood there staring at it, afraid of what could happen on the other side. Emma was right, I couldn't go back.

I looked at Emma once more, she laid her hand on the small of my back, "I'll be right here."

I turned the cold brass door knob in my hand and opened the door. Regina jumped off her bed, tissues flying off her lap. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying. She walked around her bed and stood across the room. It was like that for a while, just me and her, looking at each other, not believing that the other one was really there. And then, suddenly she was running towards me with her arms outstretched. And then she stopped, she ran into something and bounced back. Almost like there was a force field.

She looked behind me to Emma, "Ms. Swan," she whispered, "Please."

Emma shook her head and looked away, "Sorry, but I won't stop it. I am here to protect her, Regina. After what you did, you're lucky she's here at all."

Regina looked down at me, and lowered her gaze. "I know you should never forgive me. But I wasn't thinking. My - I - my mind got clouded up and I wasn't … I couldn't control myself. And I'm not making excuses, because I fully know what I did," her eyes fell down to my neck and she cowered away, "I went way to far, and nothing I will ever be able to say or do will change that."

Her legs buckled and she sat there kneeling in front of me, broken. Only a thin sheet of magic separated us, but I felt miles away, lost and scared. Lonely.

I sat down in front of her, still staying inside of Emma's protection.

"Why?"

Regina's brown eyes flickered up to meet mine, "Why did you never come back for me? Why did you just leave me?" I asked, choking up.

"I didn't know my mom kept you. She told me she was going to find someone to 'take care of you'."

"So you just let me go?!" I was growing upset and confused.

Regina stuttered, "Yes."

I looked at her confused.

"Your father was Daniel. And she had killed him. I thought that if I saw you I would only hate you, you would remind me every day of who I had lost. Any other family would be better for you. I was too young, I knew that even if I wanted to, I couldn't take care of you the way you could be cared for."

"And just like that? You just let me go?"

"I wish I could say no, but I did. Only now do I realize that, no matter who I've lost, it wasn't fair to abandon you. It was selfish of me."

I didn't care anymore. I couldn't hate her forever. People mess up, it's in our nature. Strong people are not the ones who refuse to forgive, but the ones who accept the past and look forward to a better future. So that's what I did, I reached through Emma's barrier and opened my arms to hug my mother. She was surprised by my actions, as was Emma, but she opened my arms and pulled me close. I could smell the slight aroma of her shampoo and I began to cry, which only made her pull me closer to her,

"Alex, I'm so, so sorry."

"Is that even my real name?"

I felt her chuckle, "Yes."

I pulled away.

With one hand, I reached into my shirt and felt cool metal brush against my skin. I grabbed the necklace I've always worn and carefully pulled it out of my shirt.

"Was this really yours?"

Regina smiled and reached up slowly for the necklace, "Yes, yes it was. Daniel gave it to me as a promise gift. A few days before he died, actually."

I didn't realize it had so much meaning to her, and I felt guilty for having it, "You can have it back, you know. It is yours."

She held my hand, "Nope, now it's yours, Alex."

I looked at my mother and stood up.

"How long have you known?"

"I haven't until the hag told me yesterday when I was looking for her. That's why I was so upset, because she just told me and it threw me so off guard."

Regina stood up too, and walked over to me. "I can heal that for you." She gestured to my neck.

"You can?" I looked back to see if Emma approved, but she wasn't there.

Regina noticed, "She left a while ago, after you came to me." She cleared her voice, "But yes I can heal that. Please let me, I feel terrible, I really do."

"Okay," I gave my permission and with a sweep of her hand, she made it all go away, so easily, so carefully.

"You know, I do forgive you. Please don't kill yourself over it." I shrugged, saying.

"You might forgive yourself, but I never will, darling."

"Really, it's okay." I smiled at her, her eyes were still red from crying, and I ran the two steps between us and closed the gap. I hugged her and felt the pressure of her arms too.

I finally have my mom back.

"I wonder what Henry's gonna think?" she wondered out loud.

"I don't know, I guess we will just have to find out."

***AUTHORS NOTE*** Drop a review, please, I really want to know what you all think of this chapter and how you liked/disliked how it played out! Thanks! Stay tuned!