Snow White felt her blood run cold as she stared into her father's eyes.

She never thought she'd see him again…

She wanted to throw her arms around him. She wanted to cry, she wanted to tell him everything she'd been through. She wanted to warn him about Regina and what Regina could do…

She wanted him to meet Emma…

But Snow knew she couldn't and that was what hurt. He wouldn't believe her. If she made a move towards him then she'd either be imprisoned or killed and she'd never see her daughter again.

And so she stared at him from her bowed position. She took the opportunity to remember every feature of his face. This was an opportunity that she never thought she would have again. Snow just sort of wished that she was back far enough in time to see her mother again.

But oh gods, she wouldn't trade this opportunity for the world.

Then she remembered Regina was staring at her. And she remembered what Regina did…and she remembered what Regina would do to her.

Oh gods, she stared at that little girl's face and she looked so innocent…it hurt Snow so much to know what was in store for herself.

The milliseconds stretched into an eternity. If a younger version of herself was staring at her right now then why didn't she remember this? Of course a lot of Snow's memories as a child were a blur thanks to the years but if something bad happened to a woman on the street then surely Snow would remember…

"What are you doing in the king's forest?" Regina demanded.

Snow felt her throat close up and she looked at her father pleadingly. She would not answer her.

"Answer the queen!" the guard demanded and she flinched.

Her father held his hand up, "That's enough; you're scaring her."

Snow bowed, she felt so odd doing that to her father.

Her father that had been murdered in cold blood by the woman that was standing a few feet from her. The emotion as she stared into the confused look in her father's eyes made it hard to speak…to even breathe…

"Why are you in the kingswood, child?" her father asked gently.

"We were running, you're majesty," Snow whispered…she was terrified that if she raised her voice any higher then she'd break.

"From what?"

Snow felt a shudder run through her, "The Dark One."

Her father paled and Regina jerked back as if she'd been slapped. The younger version of herself leaned forward, curious and interested when she saw her father's reaction. She wouldn't know who Rumpelstiltskin was until Red told her.

"We must go, husband," Regina said.

"Why is he after you?" her father asked, "Perhaps we can offer you protection.

"I don't think so," Snow whispered.

The bushes behind her rattled and Emma practically stumbled out, the hat in her hands, "I lost him!"

Regina's eyes grew when she saw the hat…Snow watched her and realized that Regina recognized it.

So she had known Jefferson for that long?

Emma looked at Regina and jumped when she recognized her. Quickly Snow pulled her daughter down to a kneeling position beside her, "Don't say anything."

Emma started to argue but stopped when she looked around and realization dawned on her face.

"Perhaps it would be best if we brought them in," Regina said, staring at the hat.

"I wouldn't want to bring your family into our issues, your majesty," Snow said quietly, "We didn't know that we were trespassing, we've been traveling for many days."

"Very well," the king said and gestured to two of his guards, "Give them your horses."

Snow watched as both dismounted and brought them immediately.

Regina narrowed her eyes at Emma but offered no other argument. Her husband was the king and his word was law. His decision was made and Regina knew questioning him in front of his men would make him more resolved to let them go.

Snow bowed again, "We have no way to thank you, your majesty."

"Just go," he told them gently.

Emma held the hat tightly against her and followed her mother.

"Can you ride?" Snow whispered as they came to the horses.

"Not really," Emma muttered, "But I can hold on. How hard can it be?"

Oh great….

Snow climbed up on the saddle, as Emma mounted the other. Snow kicked her horse into a trot and Emma copied her. Emma bounced awkwardly in the saddle, one time she nearly fell off but thankfully they were turning the bend so no one saw it.

"Who was that?" Emma asked.

Snow wanted to cry…it'd been so many years and she'd began to forget what her own father looked like and now she stared at him for what she knew would most likely be the last time and it hurt her…far more than she was willing to show the daughter who had to grow up without parents of her own.

"It's your grandfather," Snow whispered.

Emma was quiet after that. Snow didn't know if that was a blessing or not. She wasn't sure if she could answer Emma if Emma had decided to talk but it would've given Snow a distraction.

Because now, Snow was left to her own thoughts and memories.

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Emma was worried about her mother.

It had been quiet for most of that day. She and Emma had agreed to travel a bit because if they jumped in the hat too soon, then Jefferson could find it. There would always be the chance they had to come back to the Enchanted Forest and everything would be for naught if Jefferson came upon the hat while they were portal jumping and landed right back in Rumpelstiltskin's hands.

So they rode north for the day. Snow snared a couple of rabbits for them to eat.

Emma was not weak willed but watching her mother teach her to skin and cook the rabbits made her sort of ill.

They didn't talk about Snow seeing her father. Emma wasn't quite sure how to bring that conversation up. She knew the story of what Regina had done. She knew that he'd been murdered and that Snow never had the proper time to grieve because he's was on the run for her life shortly thereafter.

Emma gave her mother space. There was a part of her that wanted to comfort her mother because now she knew what it felt like to have loving parents who were ripped away from her forcibly. But she just didn't know how she should.

So she stayed by her mother. She let her mother lean on her strength until they curled up on the grass. Snow offered to take first watch and Emma agreed. She was exhausted from trying to hold onto the horse.

She would never walk the same way again.

She dozed and when she woke up, she heard someone crying softly.

Emma didn't even have to debate with herself. She rolled off the blanket that the guard had left on the horse and sat with her mother by the fire.

And as her mother broke down, she held her hand.