A/N So as promised here's a shorter chapter for today.

The flashback in this chapter is actually is a altered version of one I wrote for another fic, (The King Of Redemption, Co-authored with QueenApples) so check it out if it piques your interest XD

I thought I should also address some of the disappointment from the last chapter. I want to make it clear that Regina's anger is focused upon Neal and the fact that she is trying to get her redemption will mean that she will be trying to right her wrongs, which involved giving Owen a chance. I hope this makes sense, and I hope anyone that was disappointed will like what comes next XD

Chapter Fifty-One

"Hey Gina," Aalam smirked, "want to help me pick apples?"

Regina looked over the top of the book she had been set to study with a small smirk playing on the twelve-year-olds lips. Since she could remember, Aalam had been her best friend , and more often than not he had served as a distraction from her studies.

"You know I can't," she replied and the excitable servant just shook his head and sat next to her.

"Your parents have gone into town, my mother said they won't be back till dinner."

Regina threw the book on the desk which was met with a laugh from her friend.

"Why do you want to pick apples?" She asked.

Aalam furrowed his brow, "have you never done it?"

Regina shook her head, and the boy stood up dramatically.

"Let's rectify that shall we, trust me by the end of today you'll love apples more than you would ever have thought."

Regina giggled in disbelief, and proceeded to follow the servant boy to the family orchard.

Two hours of climbing trees and picking the best apples later, the two walked towards the kitchen with two baskets of the best the Mills family estate had to offer.

"You know this means that I'll be behind on my studies now," Regina sighed.

"You had fun for once so who cares?"

"I care deeply," an unexpected voice interrupted.

Each child's face dropped instantly and Aalam cringed.

Turning in a somewhat comical way, they each came face to face with a very angry Cora.

"Mother," Regina choked out fearfully, "you're early."

Cora narrowed her eyes at the girl, "then please forgive me," she replied sardonically.

Regina swallowed hard as she realised her folly, "I'm sorry mother, I just meant-"

Cora help up her hand to silence her and continued,"For this clear insubordination you must be punished."

Regina paled and Aalam felt guilt stab at his gut, "please ma'am-" he began, and Cora looked at him as if she only just realised that he were there.

"Run along boy," she said dismissively.

Regina gave Aalam a slight nod of encouragement, but he simply shook his head, "please ma'am, this was my idea. She was studying before I convinced her to abandon the book."

Cora inspected him again, this time much more critically, "and which one are you?"

"Aalam, I'm the cook's son."

Cora raised her eyebrow at the boy, "okay Aalam and what would you have me do to resolve this situation?"

"Errr...you should punish me instead of Regina," he said, though his confidence seemed to waver.

Regina blanched at her friend, she was sure that nothing could possibly prepare him for her mother's brand of punishment.

Cora looked between the two children, "I suppose that would only be fair," she began as she did a small pace back and forth. "Clearly I cannot have staff who endeavour to distract my daughter from her studies, would you prefer I deliver the news to your mother or do you wish to."

Regina's eyes widened as the implications of her mother's words registered, and in a moment of bravery she said, "please mother, Aalam is my friend."

Cora raised her eyebrow, and inspected the boy intently, "I would like to believe that my daughter could do better," she sighed, "yet another reason that he must leave. I cannot be in fear of you falling behind in your studies each time I leave the estate, you must have no distraction, and clearly this boy is more trouble than he's worth."

Regina looked down at the floor, unable to think of a reasonable retort and just simply nodded.

"I expect you to leave this property by dusk," Cora announced, and then proceeded to grab Regina by the back of her dress and drag her back to the library, the girl got one last look at her friend before she would never see him again.

Regina sat at her desk desperately trying to think of something that she could do.

Owen and his father had finally accepted her offer and they were probably off somewhere being a happy little family, while she wallowed in misery.

The worst thing of all was that she couldn't exactly place what made her most miserable. There was, of course, the fact that her girlfriend wanted nothing to do with her, and she had yet to find out why, and then there was her mother.

She wasn't even sure what the exact issue was.

Cora had clearly become a better woman, she had saved both Emma and Henry, and she had done everything that Regina had asked of her with no catches or back handed deals. But she couldn't help but think back to Greg's words from the previous day. Cora's actions didn't make everything from her haunted past just go away.

It all began when she had Aalam taken from her, which hurt enough, but then not five years later, her mother literally crushed her loves heart. Also she wasn't sure whether the fact that she saved Henry and Emma changed the fact that the woman had kidnapped her son, and put a death curse on the other.

Regina let out a frustrated sigh, and pulled a random form towards her, but as much as she tried she couldn't focus on its words, only vaguely recognising that it was in Graham's writing. Though he hadn't been completely happy about it, he had agreed to be interim sheriff while Emma got better, and Regina had a feeling that he was just trying to give her one less thing to worry about.

The paper only served as yet another reminder of the horrible situation that her life was turning into. It seemed as though that she had fallen into a cycle of somehow losing her love and then the two of them somehow having to 'find each other' again, and honestly it made her feel nauseous. Not only because her life seemed to have literally turned into a fairytale again, but because she was beginning to actually feel sorry for the two idiots for making them feel this time and time again.

At the thought, she dropped her head into her hands and sighed deeply when a thought occurred to her. She knew exactly who could help her, even if he did get his PhD from a curse.

A/N Hope you guys liked it, sorry it was short but it's the only way to update today since I usually don't write after work.

Reviews would be much appreciated, and hopefully the next chapter will be here tomorrow :)