Emma realized as the time passed, stuck in Neverland, that the company she most enjoyed was Regina's. She was the person, aside from herself, that wanted to save Henry the most. Snow and Charming were very protective of him, as they thought of him as a grandson, but it was different, Emma and Regina were both Henry's mothers, that was a different kind of love. Emma was still having a hard time with Snow and Charming being her parents, knowing that people who loved each other so much, and believed so much in true love, could send their daughter away. She could have had perfectly capable parents all along. Hook was fun to flirt with, and perfectly admiring, but she wasn't feeling it.
The others had all fallen asleep and she hadn't even tried to lay down yet. She saw Regina sitting on the ground leaning against a tree and wondered if she was having issues sleeping or if she was going to do something mischievous. Emma stood and sat next to Regina.
"I'm sorry, Regina," Emma said.
"Sorry? What are you sorry for?" Regina asked, her voice cold as ice.
"I know this is hard for you, too. I don't think anyone considers how much so."
"And why do you?"
"I know you're Henry's mom. I'm his mother, don't you discount that, I love him too. But you're his mom, and I acknowledge that."
"Good." Emma rolled her eyes at the woman. Regina spoke again, "I'm sorry, too. I know this, like most everything bad that happens, is my fault."
"Maybe. I can't blame you the way Mary Margaret and David do."
"And why is that, savior?" Regina mocked.
"Because without the curse, we wouldn't have Henry."
Regina softened. "I know, that's true."
"You could be more gracious, Regina."
"Right, I'll work on that," she retorted.
"Can't you just... let go for five minutes?"
"I'm sorry, you're right. I've wanted nothing more than to break you since you've entered my life. Henry, I can acknowledge that he's yours, too, but he's mine. You love him, I can see that, and he loves you back, and if I admit anything, that bothers me, but I'm glad he has someone else that loves him almost as much as I do."
"Regina, he loves you so much, too. You must see that, he wouldn't let anyone hurt you, and he didn't want to leave you, before."
"I'm the person who messes everything up. The Evil Queen. I'm not certain how much I can be loved."
"Your father, he loved you."
"And I destroyed him." Emma didn't know how to respond, so she quieted. She put her hand on Regina's upper arm and squeezed. Regina stiffened, so Emma let go. "I'm going to try to sleep," Regina stated, standing and walking away.
Emma rested her head against the tree behind her. She heard Regina clear her throat from behind her. She turned around and Regina was facing her, several feet away."
"Goodnight, Emma."
"Night, Regina."
The next day, the five, along with Tinkerbell headed out to search. Regina was back to pre-conversation Regina, having her strictly business attitude back on.
"Emma, I'm telling you, our magic could work. The combination of good and evil and our love for Henry, we can make it work." Regina was half begging.
"Regina, no, Pan already was pissed we cheated before with magic, we can't do it again, what if it angers him and he takes it out on Henry?"
Regina sobered, as though she hadn't thought of it at all as a possibility. "I guess you're right."
Hook took the opportunity to join. "Yes, she's right. She understands Pan better than you, Queen."
"Shut up, pirate."
"Regina, I can't tell you to be patient, because I understand what you're feeling, but we need to do this the hard way."
Regina was angry. Using magic, she made things lift from the ground; twigs, rocks and dirt. They spun around her, like a tornado, creating a barrier between Regina, and Emma next to Hook. Emma shouted to her.
"Regina! Regina, stop. I understand you're angry and you don't know how to control it without destroying something with magic, but stop!" Regina wouldn't listen, so she covered her face with her arms and jumped forward, through the swirling objects, in front of Regina. Regina had her arms raised to her sides, palms out, controlling the magic around her. Emma raised her hands to place them on either side of Regina's face. "Regina, stop," she whispered. Immediately, Regina's arms dropped and so did the twigs and rocks and dirt.
"Leave us, pirate," Regina ordered.
"You aren't my queen."
"Hook, just go, please," Emma sighed.
After he had gone, Regina stepped forward toward Emma to see if she would move back. She didn't. "How did you do that, Emma?"
"Make you stop?"
"Obviously."
"I don't know, I just told you to."
"You used your magic."
"I did not."
"I tasted it, Miss Swan. Do not lie to me!" Her voice was rising, and becoming angrier.
"Regina! You had to have only because you know my magic, because you've felt it. I swear, Regina, I did not use magic." Regina's dark eyes were becoming darker, like tar.
"Why would I believe you?"
"Here, take my hand."
"What for? You want to hold hands? How cute."
Emma rolled her eyes. "Just do it, Regina."
Regina lifted her hand, facing her palm forward toward Emma. Emma put her hand up, palm against Regina's palm. A red glow radiated where their hands met. Regina inhaled sharply and Emma's eyes widened. She saw images of Regina at a younger age; she felt Regina's happiness as she stood across from a man. Regina saw images of Emma with glasses and Neal. Regina dropped her hand.
"What did you see, Emma?"
"Why, what did you see?"
"You, with glasses and a smile."
"Did you see me with Neal?"
"How did you know?"
"I saw you happy and young. You were with a man, in a stable."
"I don't understand. How did that happen? And why did you see me with Daniel?"
"And why would you see me with Neal?"
"I don't know, Savior. We can discuss this further when the pirate isn't lurking around."
Emma nodded; she felt her mood darken for the rest of the day. She was less optimistic about finding Henry, which was already fairly lacking as it was. She thought more and more of Regina's idea, of using magic to save Henry, though always thinking herself down. Regina kept coming up with ideas, helping Emma lead, not leaving her side all day as though she couldn't let go of the magic they had created that morning.
"Do you feel it?" Regina asked. Snow came up behind them.
"Feel what?" Snow asked. Regina ignored the question, rolling her eyes and walking ahead of Snow and Emma, leading the group. When the path split Regina headed to the left. "I'm sorry, but Emma is our leader, what if she wanted to go to the right," Snow asked.
"Well, excuse me. Savior, did you want to go to the right, then?"
Emma gave a confused look. "No, the left was good." She stepped forward to walk alongside Regina again. Emma set her voice to a whisper and asked, "Feel what, Regina?"
"I'll explain later."