AN: Thank you for the reviews, and for your continued support; this chapter is for ChealsP1013 and FlickerFlame8, this chapter will be based on S6 Ep11, but will start at the end of S6 Ep10. It will also be a two part chapter, from Emma's PoV. Read and review please, as it would be greatly appreciated; MysteryFan1997
Disclaimer, I do not own any of the characters from OUAT
Ch35 - Tougher Than The Rest Pt1
I nodded again, as we tried to find a way home...
I still can't believe Regina risked everything, to save me; I guess we're both even now. We walked in a somewhat comfortable silence, through this version of the Enchanted Forest; my mind drifted to my family, and how much I missed them.
Regina cleared her throat, before she spoke.
"Emma, there is one thing; I don't understand..." I turned to face her, silently encouraging her to continue; she looked hesitant, so I spoke.
"Is this about Henry?"
She nodded, before speaking again.
"I just don't understand why Henry exists..." My eyes widened, as she quickly finished her sentence. "In this realm, I mean"
I sighed, before trying to explain.
"From what I gathered, my wish counterpart; was in a relationship with Neal, and we stayed together long enough for me to fall pregnant with Henry. There was a portrait of Neal in the castle, at the time; I was in full princess mode, so I assumed he and I were married. And now I'm not so sure, but just like his Storybrooke counterpart; he's dead"
Regina nodded, before we continued walking; she spoke again.
"So even in this realm, you and Neal were a couple; and just like in our realm, you had Henry. So the only difference is, you raised him; and I was the Evil Queen that got banished by Snow and Charming"
I nodded, before answering.
"I guess so, but now we're going home; and now the question is, how?"
She answered.
It's complicated, but it involves a magic bean"
I smiled, before speaking; confusion lacing my tone, as I did.
"How did you get one?"
She spoke again.
"Trust me, you don't want to know; but let's just say, I know someone. And they can send us back to Storybrooke...Don't ask, who; because you don't want to know"
I nodded, before speaking.
"And we're meeting them, at the lake?"
She nodded, but didn't give away any more information; the journey to the lake, was silent, apart from the slight breeze, and the soft crunching of the leaves under our feet.
When we arrived, at the lake; I spoke again, while trying to explain what I felt, during my time as Princess Emma.
"Storybrooke felt like a dream..."
Regina interrupted me.
"It always does"
I paused, before facing Regina; silently hoping she didn't feel offended, when she smiled, I knew she wasn't. I then continued.
"I...I mean a good dream, the person I was here; just wasn't me. Fighting and the pain, it's...it's what makes me, me"
I looked at the sword, as I spoke again.
"I'm good with that, even if it means my end" I scoffed, before continuing. "Cause you know, that other person; kind of...sucked"
Regina spoke.
"Yeah, and singing Princess Emma...isn't my favourite model"
I sang? Yeah right, there's no way that happened; I spoke.
"I didn't sing. That you saw"
She gave me, an all knowing look; before I realised she didn't imagine it, so I was a real life Disney Princess? My parents are gonna love that.
Regina laughed, before speaking.
"Now, let's go home"
She spoke again, as she looked around.
"Where is he?"
I spoke, again feeling confused.
"Who?"
She sighed, before answering.
"Oh, I sort of made a deal with the Dark One" She did what? So that's why she didn't want to tell me, before it was necessary. She continued. "And let him out of his cage, for a ticket home"
I spoke.
"Regina! What if he's like, razing villages or something?"
She shrugged, while sighing; but before, she could say anything I heard a familiar laugh. We turned, coming face to face with Rumplestiltskin, he spoke.
"Well dearie, on behalf of all Rumplestiltskins everywhere; I'm here to make good on my word"
Regina nodded, while looking at me; as he took the opportunity to move closer. He spoke to me.
"Sure you wanna leave, all this behind Princess?"
I nodded, yeah I was ready; I had a family to get back to, Regina spoke.
"Where's the bean Rumple?"
He gave it to her, as he spoke.
"As promised, just throw it down; and think about where you wanna go"
She thanked him.
"Thank you"
He smirked, before speaking again.
"Off to raze some fake villages"
He disappeared, Regina turned; facing me, as she spoke.
"You ready Emma?"
I answered.
"Yeah, let's go home"
Regina thew the bean, onto the ground; I watched as a green light appeared, she grabbed my hand. I took a breath, just as Regina took one of her own; we moved forward slightly, ready to jump.
We were stopped, as an arrow flew overhead; we ducked, while yelling. Regina spoke.
"What the..."
The person, who shot the arrow; spoke, and we both glanced up.
"Not another step ladies"
Our eyes focused on the person in front of us, it was Robin. Regina spoke, again; this time, barely above a whisper.
"No, it can't be"
Wish Robin spoke.
"This, is a robbery"
I spoke, as Regina moved closer to him.
"Regina"
She didn't acknowledge me, as she spoke again.
"Robin?"
The hurt and confusion, evident in her tone; as she walked towards him, he spoke.
"Let's go! Off with the jewellery!"
I spoke again, while trying to remind her; he wasn't real.
"Remember what you said, he's not real. He's not real!"
She continued walking towards him.
"Robin?"
I spoke, still trying to get her to listen to me.
"Regina, we've got to go!"
I glanced at the portal, as it began to close; I spoke again. "Regina!" I sighed, as it disappeared.
She was still looking at Robin, I spoke; uttering her name again.
"Regina?"
Wish Robin spoke again.
"Come on now, off with it. The jewellery. Now!"
Regina questioned him.
"Robin, you don't know me?"
He answered, sounding even more frustrated; than before.
"Enough talking, the jewels"
I gave him my tiara, as I spoke again.
"It's not him"
He spoke, his tone; slightly lighter this time.
"And the necklace, if you please; my lady"
Regina did as he said, as she handed him her necklace; he thanked her, and that's when I noticed she looked heartbroken.
He turned, when he heard horses approaching; he spoke.
"It appears, it's time for me to go"
I spoke, as he ran off; I could see in Regina's eyes, that her heart was breaking all over again.
I spoke.
"Regina, they're after you"
She still hasn't acknowledged me, I spoke again.
"They're looking for you"
She looked at me then, as we both took off running; hiding behind a fallen log, I heard Wish Henry speak.
"They've crossed the river, hurry. We have to get my mother back. And that witch will pay, for my grandparent's death!"
I heard them leave, before standing up; peering over the log, I spoke again.
"Ok, they're gone" She stood up, sighing as she did so; I continued. "The last thing, we need; is you, in some dungeon, real or fake or...whatever this place is"
She spoke.
"Robin...he didn't age, everyone else here aged. How is that possible?"
I sighed, before answering.
"Nothing is real, he's not real; this place was created on a wish, don't get lost in it. When we get home, this will be just like a dream"
She spoke again.
"And how long, until we get home?"
My gaze drifted towards the log, we had hidden behind; my eyes widened, before I spoke.
"Not long...I think I know, how to get us back"
She looked at me, before speaking.
"How?"
I sighed, before answering.
"An old friend"
Her eyes widened, before she answered.
"You want to ask The Dark One to help us again?"
I shook my head, before speaking again.
"No, and I doubt he'd help us again; I was actually thinking more along the lines of, August"
Regina smiled, as she spoke.
"You mean Pinocchio?"
I nodded, before I spoke again.
"Yeah, he could help us; all we have to do is find him"
She nodded, and I turned to leave; I heard her follow me. I sighed softly, whilst silently hoping that August could help us; and that he knew me...
TBC
Chapter 36 will be published in a couple of days.