Chapter 7

Ruby looked from Emma to Regina and back again. She saw the flash in Emma's eyes and knew that she should leave. It didn't matter how bad that she wanted to stay. This was a discussion that they needed to have in private. Ruby caught the look that Emma gave and she bowed out of the way. Ruby left them outside to hash things outs. She knew that it might take a while, but she smiled, knowing that it was about time they admitted to each other how they felt.

Emma waited for a good two minutes before she said anything. She just watched Regina and then stared at the door for a second to make sure that Ruby wasn't there. She also wanted to make sure that Ruby hadn't sent anyone else to check on them. They needed this moment, however fleeting it was, alone. She pushed the adrenaline down, hoping to stay calm, but her body was itching to move.

"Is there something that you would like to tell me?" Emma asked her.

"How much of what Ruby and I were discussing did you actually hear?"

"That isn't what I asked. Can't you just answer the question? Gah, Regina, why are you being so difficult? What is going on? First you drop the bomb on me that Coraline is your daughter, because she got hurt. So, I think that if you want my continued help with this, you better start talking."

"I'm sorry," Regina offered.

"Don't apologize. Tell me everything and don't leave anything out. I need to know everything if we are going to help her, Regina. Don't shut me out now. Help me, help you find Coraline. Tell me what I need to know. We can deal with this shit. We've dealt with a lot. Just talk to me...Please." Emma stated, ending with the plea.

Regina's head snapped up and her eyes met Emma's. Dark chocolate melted upon seeing the depth of emotion in the viridian. Emma shook her head and Regina watched as her blond hair moved slightly against her shoulders. The whole look that Emma was giving her was a mixture of pain, curiosity, and something that Regina couldn't quite identify.

"I don't know what to tell you."

"The truth would be good. What do you know? Can you tell me that much?"

"You already know everything that I know."

"Then, how come I didn't know that I was her other mother?" Emma retorted.

"Because I didn't either."

"Come on, Regina. Tell me the truth. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because, I didn't know."

"Bullshit! You have kept the fact that she was your daughter a secret for days. If she told you that she was yours, why wouldn't she have told you that I was the other parent? What the Hell is going on?"

"I didn't know until yesterday. I had my suspicions about who the father might be, but trust me when I say that you weren't on that list. It wasn't until yesterday that I even entertained that she was a product of magic. She was always very cryptic about her parentage expect for pertaining to me. She always referred to you as 'they.' It wasn't until I realized that she acted like you and her eyes flashed green that things starting falling into place," Regina explained.

"Like what?"

"The fact that she didn't really look that much like me. She favors you more. She also, as Ruby has pointed out, has Snow's chin. That should have been enough for me, but it wasn't. I didn't want to think about the fact that we shared a daughter as well as a son," Regina told her.

"Am I really that bad, Regina?"

"No, Emma. It isn't that…"

"Then what the Hell is it? What was Ruby talking about that you needed to tell me? What is so wrong with us sharing another kid? Do I not love Henry enough for you? Have I not proven myself to you?"

Regina sighed. She looked down at the gravel and concrete below her feet. She sagged her shoulders in defeat. Emma could feel the air change around them, but she was still waiting for Regina to reply.

"You have."

"I have, what?"

"You have proven to me over and over again that you are good mother," Regina replied.

"Then, what is it, Regina? What aren't you telling me? Is it really that hard to just tell me?"

"Yes, it is," she replied just above a whisper.

"For fuck's sake, Regina, really? You know what? Fine, I don't care. Let's just go find Coraline. I am going to call Will back and see if she's found anything out in Boston yet," Emma stated, reaching for her cell phone, as the ice in her voice penetrated Regina's heart.

"I care for you." Regina said barely audible.

Emma dropped her hands, but still held her cell phone in her hand. She stood stark still, waiting for Regina to explain her statement further. She knew that she cared for the woman, in a fashion more than friendship, but after everything that they had been through, she never dared to speak about it. She was still afraid of Regina's wrath when it came to Henry. Henry was truly Emma's only weakness, just as much as he was Regina's. He was the one thing that they could use against each other. Emma was glad that they had finally gotten past all of that, but this...this was something new.

"I'm sorry, what did you just say?" Emma questioned, quietly, not sure that heard Regina correctly.

"I care for you."

"That is what I thought you said," Emma replied, almost smugly.

"Emma…"

"I am not going to push for more, right now. I know how much it cost you to say that to me. But, what does that have to do with Coraline? Why didn't you just tell me when you thought you knew that she was OUR daughter? That is what I don't understand," Emma stated.

"I was scared of how you would react."

"Why? Why are you still so afraid of me? I have never done anything to threaten you, outright."

"Because…"

"Yes?"

"Look, can't we just go ahead and go to Boston."

"No!"

"Why not?" Regina asked, her anger flaring.

"Because, 'we' aren't going anywhere until you tell me what is really going on. I know that you have some sort of suspicion about what is going on. I want to know what you think. I need to know what you think about this. I am trying to understand it all and none of it is making any sense to me."

"It isn't for me either, Miss Swan."

"I think we are past that," Emma slated.

"Past what?"

"My name is Emma. Call me, Emma. Dammit! Or, you can go find Coraline in Boston all on your own. Talk to me, Regina. Tell me what you are thinking, right now."

Regina just stared at her. She didn't dare say out loud what she was thinking. It wasn't appropriate.

"Regina, listen. Don't over think it. Just say it. I'm not going to run away. I am trying to help. Let me help. I can only do that if you trust me enough to tell me the truth."

"Fine, but I warned you."

"Duly noted." Emma quipped.

"The only thing that I didn't tell you about her story is that I can control her. So could you or Snow. She bears the tattoo of the elite guard on her right bicep. It is blood magic tattoo. It seems that Belle found some of my ink or someone did. She decided to get the tattoo to support the throne, even though she knew that it was her throne to rule. She told me that the only three people who could command her were the three queens of the Forest."

"Three queens?"

"Yes, it seems your mother and I split the kingdom. In whatever happened to cause the split, it was not done in animosity, but in choice. You chose to come with me, as did Henry. He was to be king in both kingdoms after our demise. Unfortunately, the events of her life it didn't happen that way."

"Meaning?"

"We all died and she lived. Ruby and Belle raised her to the best of their ability but she still bears some ill will towards us as her parents. She is mad that we left her. Rather, I think that she is angrier with me than you. She actually seems to hate me. I don't want her to hate me."

"Sounds like we need to go to Boston and find our daughter."

"Thank you...Miss...Emma." Regina replied.

"Don't thank me yet. This discussion is far from over. I'm gonna call Will. Then we're going to talk, even if it is in the car on the way there. I think we both need to do this."

They walked back into the diner. Emma followed Regina back in as they sat back down at the booth. Snow and Belle gave them a questioning look, but didn't say anything. Ruby just smiled at them.

"Mom, I need you to do me a favor," Emma started, clearly a little unsettled.

"Anything," Snow answered quickly, happy that her daughter was asking her for help.

"I need you to watch Henry for us," Emma answered.

She could feel Regina's unhappiness about the situation, but they had no other choice. They were going to Boston and Henry needed to stay with someone. Henry would be fine with his grandparents. Emma was glad that Regina didn't voice her disapproval in Snow watching him. She also knew that they had forgiven each other to a degree and were civil to each other, now. It was still a stretch to give them time with Henry without asking Regina first. She knew that she didn't like the "idiots" parenting him. It was their best choice and she knew that Regina knew that, too.

Emma stepped away and called Will back. She got the information she needed and gave Regina a knowing look. She turned back to her mother, Snow, and smiled.

"Going somewhere?" Ruby asked them, after Emma got off the phone.

"Boston," Emma said with a finality.

"Boston?" Belle asked.

"Yes, it seems that Coraline is trying to learn more about the Savior. Somehow she thinks that learning from her and about her that she can stop the Blackness. She didn't feel comfortable talking to Emma by herself yet, it seems," Regina told them.

"So she went to Boston?" Red asked.

"Yes, Will thinks that she found her. Speaking of which I need to call Will back and find out if it was really her. I'll let you know, Regina, but either way I'll be at your house in an hour. Sound good?" Emma asked, but didn't really wait for an answer as she headed for the diner's front door.

Ruby turned to Regina and looked her in the eye. Hazel met brown and neither gave any indication of what they were thinking. Ruby continued to watch her, though, noting the emotional storm that she was going through. She knew that Regina was harboring a secret, but she wasn't going to tell, not now, anyway. She gave a silent acknowledgment to Regina letting her know, again, that she wasn't going to betray her trust when it came to her feelings about Emma.

"If you'll excuse me, I need to go get ready for my trip. Thank you for listening. I hope that we can meet again and discuss this in more detail once my daughter comes back with me," Regina told them, standing to leave.

Like Emma before, she didn't wait for them to say anything, but simply left. Ruby watched her go. Snow was watching Ruby and nudged Belle, who saw the same look in Ruby's eyes that Snow did. Belle scrunched her face up in question.

"What do you know, Red?" Snow asked.

"What are you talking about?"

"What aren't you telling us?" Snow asked her friend again.

"It isn't my place. If you want to know, ask Emma or Regina. That is all I'm going to say for now," Ruby stated standing. "I need to go check on Granny."

"Why do I feel like there is more to this story then they are telling us?" Snow asked Belle.

"There usually is when in concerns them," Belle answered, before taking a sip of her coffee.

Regina sat in her study. She didn't know what to pack or if she needed to pack anything. She wasn't sure of much right now and she didn't like it. She didn't like not knowing the outcome of the situation she found herself in, but that was how this world worked. She wasn't happy. She didn't know if she was ever going to be happy. She had to believe what Coraline told her. It was the only thing that she could hold on to, right now, because of the situation. She had allowed herself to become attached to the girl for the simple fact she wanted to be a mother.

Emma came in the house via a key that Henry had made for her. She knew that it would upset Regina, but at that moment, she didn't care. She knew that Regina was hurting and she knew why. If she stopped long enough, she would admit that she was now, too.

She didn't know what to think. She didn't know what to do. All she knew is that she didn't want Regina to be hurting. She didn't want Henry to freak out about having another sibling, especially one from the future. He had done well with his young Uncle Neal, but this was on a whole other plain of emotion for everyone. Their child, or younger sister, had come back from the future to save them.

How did one not get emotional about that? How did you process it and not freak out? Emma had no clue. She was sure that Regina didn't either.

"Hey," Emma told her joining her at the table.

"Hey."

"You okay?"

"I guess as well as could be expected at the moment."

"I gotcha."

"Do you know how long we will be gone?" Regina asked her.

"I hope no more than a day, but that depends on you and Coraline, really."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because, she has obviously gone to Boston to find out more about me. I've never made it a secret that I was happy there before Henry came to get me. But, it wasn't my home. I didn't have a home until I came here. I don't know what she is thinking. I might understand how she feels but I can't know what she is thinking unless she tells me."

"I know that."

"The same goes for you, too."

"What do you mean by that?"

"It seems our daughter doesn't like to express feelings well. I guess she got that from you. If she had just told me, I would have told her anything...everything. It wouldn't have mattered to me that you were her mother, too. I would do anything for her. You know that. You've seen it with Henry."

"I have."

"But yet, you still hide behind the persona of the queen. Everyone knows that you are flawed, Regina. We all are. It is what makes us human. We are going to talk about earlier. Maybe not today, but it is going to happen. I am not going to push you, even though I want to, because I know that it might be hard for you to talk to me. But, know this. It is going to happen and soon. I need to know, too."

Regina looked up at her. She couldn't understand why all of the sudden, Emma needed to know. She figured that she was happy being the dark and just dealing with the status quo. She regarded her son's other mother and her former nemesis, with wonder. What was it about Emma that was just some damn appealing? Was it a sense of danger? That couldn't be it. Were they really that similar?

"What are you thinking about?" Emma asked her.

"You."

"Directness, I like it. At least, I know that you aren't going to sugar coat this, whatever this is," Emma told her as she ran a hand through her hair. Regina watched as her straightened curly hair fell in waves and curls. Emma must have caught her looking, because she cocked her head and completely changed the subject by saying, "I think that we need to leave Ruby in charge while we are gone. She is the only one who has been a deputy and doesn't have any personal agendas about the town. Plus we both know that we can trust her."

"She would be the best candidate for it, I agree. The only question is do you think that she'll do it. She quit working for you because she couldn't handle the blood, remember?" Regina asked.

"I remember, but I don`t think that it was all of it. She wasn`t ready to be away from Granny. Plus, now that Granny has given her more responsibility at the diner she has blossomed into a more mature business-minded woman. She'll do fine. I know that Snow might have a problem with it, but I'll deal with my mother. I'll make her see my point. Besides she'll have enough to worry about dealing with Henry and Neal."

"Why are you planning for things to go wrong?" Regina asked suddenly.

"Because we are responsible adults now, it is what we do."

"But, why, Emma?"

"Because I don't want to have to be worried about Henry."

"Why are you worried about Henry, dear?" Regina asked her.

"I don't know. I just am. But, I think that I am more worried about dealing with Coraline right now."

"She scares you?"

"She doesn't scare you?" Emma quipped.

Regina smiled. There was the Miss Swan she knew. She was turning back into the scared woman that had first come to Storybrooke bringing a runaway Henry home. She found her home here, but it was Henry that brought her back. Now, they were both going after their daughter. They had to be missing something and Emma felt that whatever it was, it was huge.

"Emma, she is our daughter. We can't let her frighten us. We have to be there for her. We aren't in her future. We don't even know when she is born. Whatever happens to her, she is blaming us partially. I will do anything to make sure that OUR daughter doesn't want for anything, including her parents. I would think that you would be on board with that," Regina told her.

"Oh, I am so on board with that. I don't want anyone to have to go through what I did. That is why I am happy that Henry had you. His childhood didn't suck. It was epically fantastic, but it didn't suck. He never knew what it was like to be bounced around from home to home, never knowing if he would ever have a real family, never knowing if he was just a meal ticket or never knowing he wasn't loved."

"You shouldn't have either," Regina offered. "I would change that if I could, but I can`t. No one deserves that, Emma. No child should ever wonder if they are loved."

"You were loved, Regina," Emma replied.

"By a father who sat back and let my mother abuse me and my love for her to get what she wanted and by an abusive mother, who used my want for her love to control me, mold me and break me at her will. Yes, I grew up in a loving home, too, Emma," Regina quipped.

"I...I`m sorry."

"Don't be. If we hadn't had our misgivings as children we wouldn't be who we are today. And on top of that, we wouldn't have Henry. We are who we are so we could have him," Regina told her. "That is our fate. And, now, we share a daughter. A daughter who needs our help against a foe we know nothing about, and as usual we are going in head first into the fray, not worrying about ourselves or what happens to us. We are only worried about our children. I think that makes us pretty good parents, don't you? I know we are doing a better job than our own did with us."

"That is true. We are some pretty awesome parents. Damn it, I hate it when you have a reasonable point. It makes it harder to argue against. But, then again, Snow didn't have to put me in the wardrobe. I don't understand why she still can't understand why that bothers me. Her idea of good parenting was sending me away when times got tough. Guess I learned that lesson well, I did it with Henry, too."

"You did, but it was for the best."

"She'll argue the same thing."

"You did break the curse."

"You cast it."

"I did, and I still don`t regret it. I don't regret casting it at all. It gave me Henry, happiness and finally you. I would have never had any of that back in the Enchanted Forest."

"You still don't have me," Emma quipped, cocking an eyebrow in defiance.

"It was just a figure of speech, Miss Swan."

"Emma...my name is Emma."

"Fine then, Emma," Regina huffed in response.

"That's better."

"Why are you here?"

"I told you that we are going to talk."

"We are talking," Regina stated.

"About us?"

"What is there to talk about, Emma? There really isn't an us. They are just feelings and innuendo."

"I am going to have to call bullshit on that, Regina."

"Excuse me?"

"We have a daughter."

"What does that mean?"

"We created a daughter."

"I know this."

"So there has to be something there more than just feelings and innuendo."

"What are you trying to tell me?"

"How did two people of the same sex have children in the Enchanted Forest, Regina?"

"I don't know. It never really happened. When it did, it was so rare that it was hidden. The only magic that I know is strong enough to forgo the abilities of biology is True Love."

"We have a daughter," Emma stated, again.

"Are you trying to tell me that you are my true love, Emma?"'

"It could be worse, right?"

"Oh, yes, Emma, it could. I will say that you aren't anywhere near the lover that your dear departed Grandfather was. Or, even better, you weren't marked to be my true love like Robin was. Also, I can say that mother can't rip your heart out and crush in front of me, now. Since she is dead, thanks to your mother. It is quite refreshing when I think about it that way, darling. Yes, it could be very worse," Regina mused.

"Well when you put it that way, I am a fucking catch of a lifetime."

"You should be, Emma. You will make someone very happy. I'm sure. Gods know, that you of all of us deserve it more. Especially more than your idiotic parents, I tell you that much."

"Careful, Regina. They are still my parents. I might not love them like I should, but they are still my parents. But, I believe that you got a raw deal, too. You deserve your happiness, Regina. I hope that you find it. I really do. If by some off chance fate decides that I am the person to make you happy, then I will do my best to keep you happy. I can tell you that much, your majesty," Emma told her.

Regina's head snapped up and she stared into her perfect green eyes. Damn, Emma and her Charming blood. She didn't know what to think about what the Savior had just told her. She cocked her head and she was sure that the vein in her forehead was popping like it always did when she thought too hard or was too emotional about anything.

"Stop over thinking it, Regina. You're beautiful. You'd make anyone happy because you love so fiercely. I don't know what you want. It doesn't matter right now. What matters is our daughter."

"But, you just told me..."

"Does that surprise you?"

"But, you're Snow's daughter," Regina said like it explained away everything.

"And, I'll be the first to tell you that I am far from perfect. I am her daughter and her blood, but I don't have her sensibilities. I grew up different. I am a little more accepting than they are. Just saying. I tend to see things more grayly than they do. You should know that by now."

Just then, Emma's phone rang. She pulled it out of her pocket and stared at the caller ID. She couldn't believe that Will was already calling her. This had to be good news.

"We need to go to the diner, before we leave," Emma told her standing up.

Ruby was cleaning off the tables in the front windows of the diner. She looked up just in time to see Emma pulling into a parking space right in front of the diner. She wasn't surprised to see Regina get out of the cruiser, too. She went back to cleaning tables, just wondering why they weren't already on the road to Boston by now. She looked up into Emma's perfect green eyes as she and Regina sat down in the front booth/table combination. She cocked her head in question but didn't say anything.

"Coffee, black and a hot chocolate with cinnamon for Emma, please, Ruby." Regina told her.

Ruby just nodded and went to the counter to get their drinks. She watched them from her vantage point behind the counter. She noticed that Emma seemed tense and Regina was still trying to reign in her emotions. They were definitely off their game. She could have tried to listen to their conversation if she had wanted, but she wanted to give them space. She just wanted them as they interacted with each other. It was almost amusing to watch them trying to not react to each other sitting next to each other like they were.

She grabbed both drinks and started to head back to their table. She watched Regina more this time as she scoffed at Emma pulling out her cell phone. She set their drinks down. Emma mumbled something of a thanks and Regina just nodded at her. She could smell the emotions flowing of Regina and decided to go back behind the counter to give them some space. Whatever was happening between them, it was theirs to deal with, but secretly Ruby hoped they would just jump each other soon and get it over with. Everyone, well maybe not Snow, would be happier because of it.

Emma made some quick phone calls. She was amazed at the awareness that Emma still gave the diner even though she was on the phone. It was the first time that Ruby saw her in this mode. It was different, but it reminded her of the woman that had stayed in Granny's that night after bringing Henry back. There was something different in the way she was acting. It was almost as if she was part wolf, too. She was reacting and acting like she was on edge and hyper-sensitive to what was going around her. Her eyes were darting around the diner, while Regina was just staring into her cup of coffee.

Ruby couldn't take it anymore. She grabbed the coffee carafe and crossed the diner. She stopped at their table, silently giving Regina a look asking if her if she wanted more coffee.

"No, thank you, Miss Lucas. I am fine for now. Emma is going to need another soon."

Ruby just looked at her. She didn't know what was bothering Emma so much right now, but she was sure that she wasn't just going to walk away this time. She pulled out the chair at the end of the table and sat down, placing the coffee carafe on the table near her. She noticed that Emma had sat her cell phone on the table in front of her, like she was expecting a call.

"Uh-uh, what's going on?" Ruby asked.

"We need to talk to you, Wolf Pup."

"You need to talk to me?"

"Yes, we do," Emma added, like it explained the entire situation.

"Well, you mind cluing me into whatever it is. Contrary to popular belief, wares can't read minds. So, you wanna tell me what is stressing you two out so much?"

"You already know why we are stressed, Miss Lucas," Regina stated.

"Besides that, Queenie. It is rolling off you both like waves. It's sickening. So what gives? Tell me."

"We are waiting for the rest of them to join us," Emma told her.

"The rest? Who else is coming? And, why can't you just tell me first?"

"Because that would be rude and I don't feel like repealing myself multiple times. I'm sorry, Miss Lucas, but you will just have to wait," Regina told her and then turned lo Emma lo ask. "Was it her?"

"It was. She wants me to call back in an hour. She is trying to talk to her at the moment and she is afraid that if she talks to us longer, it'll spook Coraline," Emma replied.

"Your friend Will already found her?"

"It would seem so, Ruby."

The look that Emma was giving her meant that there was definitely more to this story than she was letting on. She knew also that Regina wasn't going to let her explain anything until everyone else, whoever they were, showed up for this...briefing of sorts from the Mayor and the Sheriff. The fact that she just realized that it was going to be a briefing made the hair on the back start to stand up.

The bell over the diner's door jingled and announced someone was coming in. It made Ruby turn. She had her back to the door so she didn't see anyone approaching. She wasn't that surprised to see Henry, David and Snow coming in and sitting down at the table joining them. However, it was the fact that Belle came in alone shortly after that actually surprised her, followed by Leroy and Doc. They joined the table and sat down. Red stood up, quickly and took their drink orders.

She came back to the table an few minutes later with a round of sweet teas and a few coffees, plus another hot chocolate with cinnamon for Henry. After the drinks were passed around, Ruby resumed her seat in the chair at the end of the table. She noted that Leroy and Doc were standing behind the Charmings and as usual Leroy didn't look happy to be there.

"So, Sister, what's up with the impromptu council meeting, huh?" Leroy asked, obviously agitated.

"There have been some developments in the location of Miss French."

"Uh, hello, Belle is right there," Leroy stated, pointing at her.

"Not, that Miss French, dwarf." Regina hissed.

"Regina…" Emma started.

"I'm sorry, but I believe that we should have already been on the road according to your calculations."

"You're right, but we needed to do this first," she told Regina and then turned back to the crowd at the table. "Thank you all for coming. I know that this was short notice, but my friend in Boston has found Miss French and she is currently trying to convince her not to leave until Regina and I get there. This is where all of you come in to play for the next day or so."

"What do you need, Emma?" David asked the concern in his voice evident.

"I need for you and Snow to watch Henry for us. We are both going and we want to make sure that he is going to be safe and goes to school. We don't plan on being gone long. Hopefully we'll be back tomorrow sometime in the late afternoon."

"So why are we here, then? You don't need us to guard the kid, do you? What is going on that you haven't really told us, Sister?" Leroy asked.

"As you have so graciously pointed out, Leroy, there is more to what is going on right now. Which is why we have asked you all to join us this evening? We will tell you more as it becomes relevant to Storybrooke. Right now, I need to put some things in place before we go. We need to make sure that the town is cared for while we are gone," Regina stated.

"It isn't going to be a problem. We'll take care of things while you are both gone. We've done it before. We can do it, again." Snow said.

"Actually, that is why we are here, Mom," Emma stated, getting everyone's attention by not calling her Snow this time, before she continued to the entire group. "Both the Sheriff and the Mayor will be gone. This means that we will have to name a council member to serve as acting mayor and the head of the town until we get back. We've, both, decided that we would like it to be Ruby."

There were gasps around the table. Ruby just stared at them. She saw the resoluteness in their looks.

"Why me?"

"Because you aren't family," Regina said.

"Because you know more about what is really going on than anyone else here," Emma stated.

"And, because you are you, Wolf Pup," Regina added.

"Excuse me, but Ruby?" Leroy asked bringing them all back from their surprise.

"Got a problem with it, grumpy little man?" Red quipped quickly.

"And, you have teeth," Emma mused, smiling at her friend's easy transition.

"No, I am good," he answered, backing down.

"Now, if no one else has anything to say. We need to talk to Snow in private. Thank you all for coming," Regina told them as they all left.

She knew that it was hard for Snow to hear that Emma would pick Ruby over her for the emergency leader, but it had to be done. Snow and Charming would back her because Emma willed it, even if they didn't agree with the situation. They waited for everyone to leave, but noticed that Henry and Charming hung around. Regina started fidgeting and Emma finally noticed that her father and son hadn't vacated the booth, yet. She gave Charming a silent look. He got the message and leaned over to Henry, whispered something in his ear, and then they both left.

"What was that about, Emma?"

"I need you to calm down, Snow. It wasn't personal. And, it wasn't Regina's decision. It was mine."

"But, why?" Snow asked, obviously hurt.

"Ruby has been both a deputy and a friend. She'll do fine. We didn't want a war while we are gone. Some people still think that you should be ruling town like a queen. This is a democracy and the town bylaws allow us to appoint someone in our absence. I don't know if we are going to be gone longer than a day. I really don't and I need to know that I have your support in this."

"You have it, Emma, always. I am sorry that you felt the need to have to ask me that, but I will always support you no matter what. You should know that. You're my daughter. I love you," Snow told her.

"That is why I have to tell you something that is going to be a bit of a shock."

"Just tell me, Emma. I don't want you to hide anything from me. We were friends before we knew each other as mother and daughter. I would hope that meant that you trusted me enough to tell me anything. I don't want you to feel like you can't tell me something because of your past or my past. That isn't relevant anymore."

"I am glad you said that, Mom," Emma told her. "This isn't going to be an easy conversation for either of us. I just want you to know that up front. I just don't know how else to tell you but bluntly. It is about Coraline."

"By the Gods, woman, just tell her already," Regina huffed. "We don't have time to be wasting. It is getting darker as the day wares on. We need to be leaving."

"I know. I am sorry," Emma told Regina before turning back to Snow. "The thing is, Mom. Coraline is also my daughter."