"I don't know what to make of her," Fenella remarked, pouring herself another glass of wine before refilling her wife and Regina's. "She's such an enigma."

"You're pessimistic," Sherry gently chided. "She told Regina a truth that could have gotten her killed. That's not an enigma. That's strength, and a strong conscience."

"It is," Henry agreed, glancing at his daughter, who seemed almost entirely detached. "Regina? Are you alright?"

She startled, almost as if she were bracing seconds before a fight. She seemed almost caught in a trance. Her thoughts had been wandering the last few days. How could they not? Everything felt wrong, in one way or another, and, more than anything else, she needed to feel human. That seemed to grow more and more elusive with every damn day that passed. She tried not to think about her most intense, impulsive moments. They didn't matter. They didn't impact Lynn. They didn't impact her father. They didn't truly impact herself, or those few she held close. Those were the only people that mattered. Everyone else was expendable. Everyone else could be replaced. And, for the people who couldn't be replaced, they were tokens for revenge. To even the score. There really was nothing short of unbridled anger bubbling up in her whenever she remembered what Snow had done. She was still out there. People were keeping her out there. People were protecting her. It was unconscionable. It was disgusting. And it was something that anyone who had her and did not hand her over would pay a high price for.

"Regina?" Sherry eventually pressed. "I'm rather curious…how are you feeling about everything to do with this…Red?"

Regina raised an eyebrow. "At the very least, I happen to be quite happy about her telling me where Snow and that man she's with are," She laughed a little. "I didn't tell her, of course, she's far too tired and fragile right now, but part of my guard is already on their way to Leah and Stefan's kingdom. They won't have time to think."

"Regina -" Henry started, unable to hide his shock.

"I'm looking forward to bringing her to justice," Regina smirked. "It's the very least she can do after everything she's done to me."

"It is," Fenella paused. "You don't think Leah and Stefan would be stupid enough to try and hide them, do you? At the very least, they aren't stupid enough to try and hide Snow…right?"

Sherry frowned. "I hadn't thought of that," She admitted. "But I doubt it. They already saw what happens when you get in the way of bringing someone like that to justice. If they have a shred of self respect -"

"Self preservation -" Fenella put in.

"- they won't do something like that," Sherry finished. "They already have their poor sweet Aurora to think about. They aren't going to risk anything else."

"I wouldn't put it past them," Regina bitterly remarked. "Though you're correct. If they have any semblance of self preservation, then they won't do something like that."

"It's just about suicidal," Fenella said with a shrug. "But it's their call. Their kingdom is small, and largely poor. They aren't going to risk doing anything they can't win."

Silence.

"Regina," Henry stared at his daughter, barely able to hide his disbelief and slight horror. "You already cursed their child. You can't possibly think there's much worse you can - or, more importantly, would - do to them!"

"I am doing what is necessary to ensure that Snow is forced to face what she's done," Regina snapped. "She found it to be not enough to ruin my life, but to try and rip my daughter away from me as well! How else am I supposed to act?"

"I don't contest any of that," Henry said, his voice wavering when his daughter scowled at him, her eyes almost appearing to be on fire. "But I do contest as to whether or not it makes you happy."

"What will make me happy," Regina hissed. "Is Snow White's suffering. Is that hard to understand?"

"It's not," Sherry said, twisting her hair in her hands. "And you're exactly right, Regina. She does need to be brought to face what she's done. If she's going to try and execute justice by kidnapping and traumatising a child…then she has put herself up to be brought to see justice for what she's done."

"Red!" Lynn perked up when the woman stepped into the room. "You stay here?"

She laughed a little and picked her up when the little princess began to stumble towards her.

"Lynn," Red steadied her in her arms. "Be careful. I don't want you to get hurt, okay?"

Lynn pouted. "I want play!"

"I know," She said, tapping her nose. "But you're still sick and you need to take it easy for a little, okay?"

"Okay…" Lynn stared up at her, eyes wide. "Can we play?"

Red hesitated. "How about we take a walk around outside on the manor grounds?"

Lynn considered that but then nodded. "Fine," She rested her head on Red's shoulder.

Red glanced at the little princess and shifted her in her arms. Lynn was becoming harder to carry, but, then again, she was getting a little taller, and she was no longer emaciated. She was, however, still very much weak. Red tried not to think too hard about what they - no, she - had let happen. She could barely believe that she hadn't realised what the problem was until Regina, Fenella, Sherry, and Henry noted that Lynn seemed afraid to eat. Everything came crawling back. Lynn's panic attack after seeing Snow and Charming hunt. Her refusal to eat anything that she hadn't watched Red find and prepare for her. Her fear of animals. It all made horrible, uncomfortable, sense. Awkwardly, Red pulled the little bit of her cloak that was under Lynn out so that she could drape it over her. Lynn was still shivering. Every damn time she was outside, she was cold, even when she was dressed warmly. Red swallowed hard, hoping the little princess wouldn't notice. She had been through enough already. She deserved to have as normal a childhood as possible. She didn't deserve to have the additional trauma of knowing what was happening among the adults. The feelings. It was almost too much for them. It would certainly be too much for her.

"How has your day been?" Red finally said. "Did you sleep okay last night?"

Lynn nodded. "I have momma."

"Good," Red paused. "Lynn…are you sure you're alright?"

The little princess stared at her, almost looking confused by the question. Then she shook her head.

"I don't want lose momma," Lynn whimpered. "Bad dream."

"Last night?" Red pressed.

Lynn shook her head.

Red chewed at the inside of her cheek. "But recently?"

Lynn sniffled. "Snow take me. Man hurt momma. Bad man."

Damn it, Charming. I told you we shouldn't have been talking about the possibility of executing Regina around Lynn. Even Snow thought it was a bad idea.

"She's going to be fine," Red tried not to start swearing, terrified of scaring the little girl more. "No one is going to hurt you again, and no one is going to hurt Regina."

An eye for an eye, isn't that what he said? Snow told him it was cruel, unnecessary…what could he have possibly seen in Regina to make him think she needs to die? She's not the most reasonable person, or very kind. She's certainly not ethical…but she does seem to be fair. And she does love people…and she is also always…sad. She's just sad. It's hard to watch.

"He hurt," Lynn told her, clutching onto Red's cloak. "He going hurt momma!"

"Who is?"

Red almost screamed, but just barely maintained her composure, if startled by the queen's shockingly calm voice. Regina eyed her strangely for a moment, and then sighed. Red delicately handed Lynn to her mother, and the little girl held onto her for dear life.

"Lynn, dear, calm down," Regina told her, lightly scratching her behind her ears, the one thing that always seemed to soothe her. Then, she turned to Red. "What on earth is she talking about?"

Red hesitated.

"I don't like to repeat myself."

"She's been having nightmares."

"I know that full well."

"About what happened, that is."

"And?"

"And she's scared the man Snow has been travelling with will…" Red trailed off. "He…" She eventually forced out. "He said a couple of times that he thinks you need to die."

Regina flinched, and held her daughter tighter against her.

"Interesting," She remarked, a brief hint of menace in her voice. "Lynn," She almost immediately softened. "You have nothing to worry about. I promise. Nothing is going to happen to either of us, or," She looked to Red, and smiled. "Or to Red."

"Okay…" Lynn choked out, crying.

"You never cease to amaze me," Regina stared at Red for a moment. "It's almost unbelievable, but, then again, that is what happens when you start to see things for what they are."

"And of people?" Red whispered.

"That's more difficult," Regina replied. "But, then again, there are things that are as simple as they seem and this…this is one of them."

"Snow!"

Stefan ran into the gardens, looking completely terrified and worried. She turned around suddenly, startled, and gently touching his arm to calm him down when he stopped running. He let out a heavy sigh, catching his breath, and the worry did not abate. Her stomach sank. This was worse than the look she had seen when he and Leah talked about Regina and what she had done to their daughter. It was horrifying. Had Regina done something? She had already hurt them enough. What else did she have she could do? Kill their daughter? Who would kill a baby? Who would curse a baby and then kill it? The thought made her sick. She looked up when Leah and Charming came out, too. Aurora was in Leah's arms. Suddenly, everything felt much worse. Was she here? Regina. No. How was any of this worth it? How could she justify any of these things? So many people had already died because of her. So many people were already dead because Regina just couldn't seem to care about anything but getting revenge on her. It was heartless.

And it was why Lynn suffered every day of her life.

Snow bit the inside of her cheek, trying not to cry.

How can she always say she does this for Lynn when all she does is hurt her?

"Snow, you both have to get out of here," Stefan said, his voice shaking. "Regina's personal guard are coming. They're…they're -"

"They're coming to capture you," Leah's voice broke, and, then, her entire body shaking, she handed Aurora to Charming. "I don't want to risk her harming Aurora again," She whispered, coming over to Snow and hugging her tightly. "She's going to be with them, I'm sure of it. Please," Tears started to fall down her cheeks. "You were so good with Lynn, and you've been so sweet with Aurora. Take care of her. We can't let Regina harm her like she has harmed you and Lynn."

Snow looked between them, and, without realising it, was starting to cry herself.

"Your majesties, I…" She trailed off. Words. There were none left.

"You two are good people," Leah shakily let her go. "There's no one else we'd trust more with her."

"Of course," Charming bowed, holding Aurora securely in his arms. "We will uphold our duty. And we'll ensure she is able to return to you. That is a promise."

Leah nodded, brushing some of her tears aside.

"You two will find a way to keep her safe and put an end to Regina," Stefan said, taking one last desperate look at his infant daughter. "She needs to be brought to face everything she has done. All of the lives she's destroyed, all of the people who have died…she is a monster."

"The evil queen…" Leah's voice hardened, nothing but pure hatred coming to the surface, an emotion none of them had ever seen of her before. "How can she live with herself?"

"That's a question I doubt anyone will ever have an answer to," Charming shook his head. "But we will do our best to ensure she won't be able to hurt anyone ever again."

"Please be safe," Snow added, swallowing hard. "We can never repay you for all you've done for us. I hope our care for Aurora will be a small step in that direction."

"It is more than enough," Stefan replied, then turning to the guard. "Prepare them for their journey with haste."

Replies To Reviews:

Sammii16: Red and Lynn definitely have developed an almost mother-daughter bond, something that even Regina sees and respects.

barratajennifer: thank you so much! i'm so glad everyone has been enjoying this story as much as i've enjoyed writing it!

jasouatfan: she really does; Regina has her two friends, Lynn, and her father, and that's it. the fact she and Red are beginning to understand each other is definitely something she needs, even if she doesn't see it.