A/N: I'm sorry that this took so long. Life's sometimes a pressing matter and then writing has to take a back seat - and I hate that as much as you do. Well, I hope you like this one.

The first thing that could be heard in the room after several breathless seconds was a chair being pushed away from the table. Everybody looked up at David who stood and then walked over to the windows with a stony face.

Almost everybody looked after him as he stood there with his hands on the sill; there was only one pair of eyes which looked irritated at Neal and when he became aware of it, he exclaimed:

"Don't look at me, Hook. Wasn't me this time."

Killian looked at Emma who had turned away from her father and towards Regina. For a moment, he seemed ready to make a snide remark but then his expression changed into one of sudden understanding:

"The Evil Queen... who would have thought? Intriguing, though," he said.

"You didn't know? Where've you been the last couple of months?" Emma asked surprised.

"I was catching up on some tv - seeing that I never had one. There's pretty wild stuff going on there," he said shrugging.

"Not as wild as here, though," Neal commented and earned evil stares from his ex and her lover.

"A magical baby," Hook contemplated.

"I don't see how that's even possible. I mean... with two women," Grumpy said.

"Use your imagination, short stuff. It's not rocket science," the pirate gave back before anyone else could say anything. The two men engaged in a staring match that the taller one won easily.

"But you're not sure yet?" Snow asked her daughter. She seemed conflicted about this news. Her eyes glistened hopefully but then they looked sadly from Emma to her husband and it wasn't very hard to detect where her conflict lay.

"Not yet but... we're hopeful," Emma said with a smile.

Snow nodded and tried a smile of her own, it seemed bitter-sweet.

"I think it's great," Ruby said.

"Is there going to be a wedding?" Tink asked excitedly.

Emma looked at Regina barely able to conceal her excitement over the fact that some people were actually happy for them.

"Yes, there will be," she said lifting her hand and showing off her engagement ring.

"Now, that's what I call a ring," Granny exclaimed taking a closer look at it.

"It's beautiful," Snow told Regina who smiled proudly.

Not everyone was happy or thrilled for Emma and Regina, most kept their mouths wisely shut, either to not insult their king and friend or because they were not so happy about this development themselves.

Emma, however, ignored Neal's disapproving frown and Grumpy's hostile stare. She basked in the acknowledgement of forgiveness and hopeful prospects for the future. Her right hand was still held by Regina's but now they were lying on the table for everyone to see.

"There's really no limit, is there?" David interrupted the mostly cheerful mood with his louder than usual voice. He had turned from the window and was taking some steps back toward the table, staring at Regina.

"No, there's really no limit to how much I love Emma," the mayor answered. Her face was turned openly up at him, her eyes were looking unwaveringly into his.

David shook his head.

"No, there's no limit to how far you will go to destroy this family," he said.

"David," Snow pleaded but he ignored her.

"I know it's difficult for you to understand but... not everything is about you, Charming," Regina told him, emphasizing the last word sarcastically.

"Right, because you didn't curse everyone to get back at Snow and me. Tell us, Regina, when has your life not been consumed by hatred and thoughts of vengeance against Snow since she was 12?"

"Dad, don't do this," Emma tried but she didn't get through to him either.

Regina rose from her chair so as not to have to look up at David.

"I didn't say that our lives weren't... unhappily entwined. We've hurt each other so much... I'm not sure we'll be able to come back from it but I'm willing to try - for Emma, for Henry and... for the children we'll be having in the future."

"There won't be any children! You will never be part of this family! Never..." but there were no more words to be heard, not for Emma and Regina. There may have been a small flame growing from Regina's palm but Emma put her hand on it, reclaiming her hand and turning Regina toward her. There was a bubble around them, drowning out the voices from outside and this time they were both aware of it. Emma looked around, slightly confused.

"What did you do?" she asked.

"It wasn't me, savior," Regina answered. She tried a small smile but Emma had seen the anger in her face followed by a second of confusion, then shame. The dark-haired woman wasn't able to conceal her emotions, not from Emma.

"I did this?" Emma asked.

Regina nodded.

"Your magic is all wonderous instinct. You're probably the most gifted magical creature I've ever met."

Emma smiled sheepishly.

"I'm sorry about... almost losing my temper. I... I'm still feeling the side-effects of Rumple's shop but that's... no excuse. I almost barbequed your dad."

"You wouldn't have," Emma said. She pulled Regina closer by their combined hands.

"Because you... kept me from doing it."

"No, because you wouldn't have. I trust you, Regina. And I trust that your love for me, for Henry and...," she lay Regina's hand flat against her tummy. "... for the family we're going to have, will always be stronger than your dark side. I know it'll always be there, I'm not afraid of it. And neither should you."

Regina closed her eyes for a moment, seemingly contemplating what Emma had said. She smiled even before she opened her eyes to look at her love.

"You're right, it'll always be a part of me. I'm not as confident that I'll always do the right thing as you are, though."

"Well, there are few people who always do the right thing, love. We all make mistakes... even Prince Charming," Emma said and sighed.

"He better not try and come between us because that would be a mistake... he would regret," Regina answered in a deep, threatening voice.

"I want you to do something for me, Regina."

"That sounds ominous. Will you tell me what or will you have me promise to do it without even knowing what it is? Because I would... because I trust you, too," Regina said. Her eyes seemed to beg Emma not to ask the impossible and Emma smiled at her lover.

"I want you to go to the Enchanted Forest with David, have a look around, see what has changed, see if it's safe," Emma asked of Regina.

"I'm pretty sure that David won't go with me, even if I were willing."

"Which you're not?"

Regina shook her head and smiled over how easily Emma could talk her into pretty much anything.

"I will go. It's probably the last time I'll see... my home. There might even be something I want to bring back from the castle," she contemplated.

"Thank you," Emma said.

"That doesn't mean you'll be able to talk your father into accompanying me, savior. I hear he can be pretty stubborn."

"He'll do the right thing," Emma gave back.

Regina merely shrugged.

"Should we rejoin the others?" she asked but the blonde detected a reluctance in the question.

"We should but... Regina?"

"Hm?" Regina looked up and into Emma's deeply green eyes.

"Going back to the shop... alone was... brave but also... stupid. I don't want you to take risks like that. I know why you did it but next time... at least tell me where you're going. I might be the one who is pregnant - maybe - but you're a parent, too. I don't even wanna think about if I ever had to tell Henry...," she didn't finish the sentence, the tears forming in her eyes told Regina enough.

"I was careful," Regina said cupping Emma's cheek. "And I wasn't alone."

For a moment, Emma looked puzzled but then she seemed to remember something.

"Rumple? He... he was there?"

Regina nodded.

"I didn't want to say anything... I'm still not sure if we should tell."

"We have to tell them. Belle and Neal, they have a right to know that he's alive," Emma argued.

"I know," Regina said but didn't look like she would want to deliver the news.

"Alright, we should really...," Emma started saying.

"Yeah, really," Regina agreed but then pulled Emma to her. She kissed the blonde and was rewarded with an enthusiastic response.

The silencing bubble that had surrounded them vanished but it was still quiet as the council members watched Emma and Regina kiss.

"I don't know about you all but I could really do without...," Grumpy started saying.

"Shut your trap, Grumpy, or you can find a new place to eat most of your meals from now on," Granny interrupted him.

"Sorry about that. I had to talk about something with Regina," Emma apologized for their temporary absence from the general conversation. "Since I can't go through the portal, I asked Regina to and she has agreed."

"Well, I guess it's you and me then, luv. A good chance to catch up and you telling me a little bit more about... that baby-making business, eh?" Hook said wiggling his eyebrows.

"While I would love to go to the Enchanted Forest with you and ignore any further requests from you to describe naked Emma in great detail, I don't think that anyone here would trust the two of us going off alone to anywhere near their future homes, Hook. Give these good people a break," Regina told the pirate. "Who wants to go to hell with me?"

She was looking at David, in fact, everyone was looking at David. He was the most logic choice, and everybody could see that he knew that and hated the fact.

"I'm not going anywhere with you," he said through clenched teeth.

"I would promise not to say anything about Emma being naked to you," Regina baited him and Emma put a hand on her arm. They looked at each other.

"Not helpful," Emma said.

"I can't help it, I get annoyed when people are being stupid and your...," but she didn't finish the sentence. She simply smiled sweetly at Emma and took a deep breath. Before she could reason with Charming, however, Snow pulled him a little away from everybody else and spoke in low tones to him.

"Please, David, go with Regina."

"How can you even ask that of me? She could kill me, you know. She was about to just minutes ago," David told his wife.

"I don't think she would have done it. And Emma wouldn't have and didn't let her. David, this is not about you and Emma and Regina, this is about... everybody. You promised to get them home, remember? Now we have a way but we have to make sure that everybody will be safe," Snow reasoned.

And this time she actually got through to him. She could see it by the way he looked around the room, the veins standing out on his neck because he couldn't turn himself away from this truth. She asked him to do the right thing for everybody - at a high personal cost. But how could he refuse? He was the hero of their story and he couldn't let everyone down, he couldn't let himself down.

"I'll do it but I won't talk to her. And I'm gonna take my sword and if she as much as looks at me funny..."

"You won't harm her, David. Promise me. Emma loves her," Snow pleaded with him.

"I don't wanna hear it."

"I know it's hard, Charming," she said and put both hands to his face. They looked at each other, probably for the first time in days, maybe even weeks. "I know but... nothing we do will change how Emma feels. Nothing your father did ever changed how we felt, did it?"

"I'm not like my... like George!" David practically spat out.

"No, you're not. You're a far better man and you know how strong love is," Snow said.

"Their... nothing Regina feels can come close to what we feel for each other, Snow," he insisted.

Snow White just looked up at Charming with sad eyes and he frowned at the sadness. He knew he was causing it, not Emma's insistance that she loved Regina, not the Evil Queen's insufferable comments about their love life, he had put it there. But he couldn't help it, he couldn't accept this... wrongness. How could a hero ever be in love with a villain? It was not something he could wrap his head around.

"I'll go," he said and she smiled at him.

"And you'll come back safely," Snow told him. "I love you."

"And I love you, Snow."

There was only one pair of rolling eyes at the sight of Snow and Charming kissing.

"I don't get paid enough to watch that," Regina groused loud enough for only Emma to hear.

"Oh, really?" the blonde asked with a saucy smile and a raised eyebrow.

Regina couldn't help but smile back.

"You owe me, savior."

"More like, I own you, woman," Emma gave back.

The next morning, Henry stood in the doorway to Regina's bedroom watching her pack a small bag. He knocked on the doorframe and she turned.

"You're back already? That's a first. Usually you only drag your overly tired body home around lunch time," Regina commented.

"Hansel and I... we kinda had a... an argument and it was a little awkward," Henry said. He made a face and she came over to him.

She lay her hand under his chin and lifted it so that he was looking at her.

"Was it about Ava?"

Henry shrugged but since his mother still didn't let go of his face, he answered her:

"Yeah, he... he kinda guessed that I liked her and... he doesn't like it."

"I'm sorry, Henry." Regina pulled Henry into a hug. It was a short one, as hugs between teenagers and their parents must be. Regina went back to her bed and her packing.

"What's all this?" Henry asked following her.

"I'm going to take a... small trip to... the Enchanted Forest," she told him.

"Really? Does that mean you found a way? Can I come?"

"Well, yes, we found a way to cross realms but... well, this is actually a... security mission. David and I are going to use a portal to go to the Enchanted Forest and see if it's safe for everybody to go back home," she explained.

"You and granddad? Who's gonna be there to protect you from him... and him from you?"

She smiled at him.

"We're going to be civil and try to... work together," she said but even her face was doubtful as to how this was supposed to work.

"It was ma's idea, wasn't it?"

Regina nodded.

"Yes, but... we agreed on this because... she can't go and... well, it's the best solution. I've got my magic, David's got... his pompous sense of self-worth. We're going to be fine."

"If you say so," Henry said but he still didn't look convinced.

Regina sighed.

"Sit with me," she told him and they sat down on her bed. "Emma's very sad that David... doesn't accept our relationship. I know you're worrying about this, too. I don't want you or your ma to feel bad about our family, ever. I'm going to try and talk to David again, see if I can't... reason with him. I hope I can make him see that he's hurting you guys and... that he needs to stop."

"And if he doesn't?"

It lay on Regina's tongue to say 'then only one of us will return' but sarcasm wasn't the best answer right now.

"Your grandparents are going to leave Storybrooke for the Enchanted Forest. They're going to go back home. It's not a solution but maybe if David... isn't living here and doesn't have to see Emma and me together... he'll come around or... as far around as his self-righteousness allows him to."

"But there's a chance that he never will," Henry guessed at what Regina didn't tell him.

She nodded.

"It won't change anything between you, right? Ma and you, you'll still be together?"

"We love each other, Henry. I mean... I can't promise you that... I want to... be with Emma forever. Sometimes things change but... God, I hope we will be together forever," Regina tried to work around her own insecurities but was only marginally successful.

"I hope so, too," he said. "Are you gonna wear that?" He then asked pointing at a simple dress that lay on the bed beside Regina's bag..

"I thought it best not to return as the Evil Queen."

"Are you gonna change... your looks, too?" he asked but she shook her head.

"I don't think we will meet many people... and certainly not many people who knew me so I think it's safe to... go like this. Don't worry about me, Henry. I can take care of myself and... well, David will look out for me, too."

"Do you have a weapon?" Henry kept asking and she smiled at him. "Something like a dagger? You should put one in your boot," he suggested.

"You know, I think you're right," she humored him. "I'm going to pick one up at Gold's shop before we go, I promise." And she intended to keep that promise.

He nodded.

"Good."

They sat for a moment in silence.

"When're you leaving?" Henry then asked.

"At noon. David's going to come here and we're going to use the mirror in the hall to go to the Enchanted Forest."

"Like Alice in Wonderland?"

"Yes, like Alice. We're going to enter my castle from here and then walk to the closest village to... get some information on how things are. We'll probably be back before sunset but maybe we'll have to stay the night."

Henry nodded but he seemed thoughtful.

"We're going to be fine. After all, it's our home, Henry. We have lived there for most of our lives. And David... well, I suppose he has some street smarts and I... I've got my magic. Okay?"

He nodded more enthusiastic but she knew he was humoring her now. He was worried.

She put her arms around him and hugged him.

"I love you, Henry," she said before kissing him on the forehead.

"I love you, too, mom."