A 5 year old Regina ran down to the edge of the water, running back to her father when the cold ocean water touched her toes. Henry chuckled and wrapped her in his arms, letting her stand on his feet as he walked back to the water and let her get used to the temperature. She squealed and splashed around.

"This is so much fun, Daddy."

"It's beautiful, isn't it, Princess?" He asked, watching his child fondly as she ran and splashed around in the water, throwing it everywhere. He didn't even have to turn to know that his wife was just behind him.

"This is a waste of time." Cora said, coming to his side.

"She is just a child. Let her be a child while she can still be one."

"She is to be queen one day." Cora retorted. "Playing in the sea will not help her achieve that." Henry said nothing more as Regina continued to play and have fun. Cora allowed it for a few minutes more before she called her daughter to leave.

"Do I have to?" Regina whined.

"Yes." Cora snapped. "We need to get you out of those wet clothes and into a hot bath. You'll be smelling like the sea for the rest of the night if we don't."

The little girl hung her head, but obediently rose to do as her mother commanded. "Can we come back again?" She asked hopefully.

"Perhaps." came the reply.

Regina went to take her father's hand. "Come on, Daddy." She said sadly, pulling him after Cora.

"Cora, why don't we-"

"I said we're going home!" Cora roared, rounding on him. Regina cowered in between his legs, shaking as her mother magically constricted Henry's throat. "I make the decisions, Henry. You would do well not to defy them."

"Not in front of Regina." He gasped.

"She should see power at its finest. What she could obtain once she learns to wield power like I do."

"She is not you." Henry said, wishing for all the world that he and his daughter could be free of this witch. He wished that he were stronger, that he could protect her. But he was weak, a coward, and his daughter would suffer for it. Cora's eyes widened momentarily. "Put it back in, and you would know that."

"DO NOT EVER SPEAK OF SUCH THINGS AGAIN!" Cora roared angrily.

Regina screamed and ran off down the beach, covering her ears.

Cora released him and he collapsed to his hands and knees, gasping for air. "Go get her." She disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke and Henry looked up, but Regina had all but disappeared. He resigned himself to the task and set about following the tiny footprints in the sand.

/

Regina whimpered, huddled in the small sea cave she'd managed to find. She held her hands against her ears and pressed her knees against her chest, trying to block out what she'd just seen. There was a pool of water not far away and she heard a splash, but she didn't turn to see what it was. A soft, wet hand touched her own, pulling her hands away from her head. She looked up into steel gray orbs, framed by a small little face and a mass of wet golden hair. "Who are you?"

"My name is Raya. Are you alright? Why are you crying?" The blonde looked extremely concerned, looking her over to see if she had any injuries.

"It's nothing. Where did you come from?" Regina looked curiously at the girl who wasn't much older than she. She wore a long shredded skirt and some kind of bra of the same scaled material, both of which matched the bright gold of her hair.

"I came from the sea." Raya smiled. She turned and dove back into the water before resurfacing. There was a bright light beneath the surface and Raya lifted her legs out of the water. Or what used to be her legs. They were replaced by a long golden tail. "See, isn't it beautiful?"

Regina smiled as she crawled to the edge of the water. "Can I...Can I touch it?" She asked.

"Of course." Raya raised it again and Regina reached out to touch it and immediately yanked her hand back.

"Ew! It's all slimy."

"I just brushed it with kelp and jellyfish." Raya replied, letting her tail flop back in the water and pulled herself onto the edge of the sand. "Why were you crying?"

"My Mommy and Daddy had a fight."

"Did they hurt you?"

"No. I ran."

"I'm really sorry." Raya looked down at the water. "Would you like to go for a swim?"

"I can't swim."

"I'll teach you. All I do is swim."

"Regina." Henry peered into the cave and spotted his daughter. Raya quickly slid back into the water, hiding as a groaning Henry made his way down into the cave. "You shouldn't have run off like that."

"Mommy was being scary."

"I know, but we have to go now." He suddenly looked around in confusion. "Wasn't there another little girl in here?"

"Yeah, my new friend, Raya. She's a mermaid. Can I come back to see her, Daddy?" Raya raised her head out of the water, dipping her head respectfully to Henry.

"I don't know. Let's go, before Cora decides we're taking too long." He turned to leave and Regina sighed as she started to follow.

"Wait! You never told me your name!" Raya called.

"Regina!"

Raya smiled. "Regina."

/

/

/

It was another week before Cora allowed Regina to go back to the beach and she made at once for the sea cave. "Raya? Raya?!" She flicked the water a few times, waiting for her friend to reemerge. There was no answer and she started to think that her friend didn't want to wait for her. Then she heard a splash and was hit with a wave of water. Raya was smirking at her.

"You came!"

Regina laughed and wiped her eyes. "I told you I would. Come on, you promised to teach me how to swim."

"Then you have to get in the water. Don't worry, I've got you."

Henry watched with a smile as Regina and Raya swam around in the water and played tag on the beach. It amazed him how quickly a child could form such a bond in so little time. Raya was careful to keep his daughter from hurting herself, and made sure she was able to keep up in swimming. It warmed his heart to see Regina so happy. All too soon, Cora appeared beside him and watched the two children.

"That girl is a mermaid." She pointed out the obvious and he wanted to comment on it, but he didn't dare at this point. "Her tail is golden though, not blue. Interesting. Call them." She commanded.

He sighed. "Regina! Come here, darling."

Regina smiled, racing back to her parents.

"Who is your friend?" Cora asked sweetly, gesturing to where Raya had taken refuge in the water.

"Her name is Raya. Can she come eat with us, Mommy? Please?"

"How can I say no to such a pretty face?" Cora asked, overly sweet, but Regina was ecstatic as she raced back to her friend.

"Raya, Mommy said you can come eat with us. She's being really nice today."

"Angelfish are nice until you cut them open and see the ugly guts inside." Raya retorted, looking over her friend's shoulder. "I don't want to."

"Please?" Regina pleaded.

Raya sighed. "Fine, but can we do it not far from the beach? I don't like being away from the ocean for long."

Regina nodded and held out her hand. Raya took it as her tail turned back into her legs and lead her up the sand to her parents.

"Hello there." Cora greeted, extending her hand.

Raya looked down at it.

"You shake it." Regina whispered.

"Why?"

"It's just what you do."

Raya still looked confused but took Cora's hand and shook it. "It's nice to meet you."

"A pleasure." Cora smiled. "Come with us and I'll prepare us a feast."

"Wait, Mommy, we can't go far from the beach. Raya needs to be near water."

Cora shook her head with a little laugh. "Of course. We can eat over there at the tables." She waved her hand, conjuring a picnic table laden with food. "Dig in."

Regina squealed happily and pulled Raya over to the table. The little mermaid sniffed the food before taking a bite and burst into a grin as she started scarfing down food. Regina helped her, and under Cora's curious eye and Henry's worried one, the two new friends enjoyed their meal, laughing and talking as though old friends.

"I want you to make sure Regina keeps contact with her." Cora said softly once the two girls had finished eating and gone back to playing.

"Why?" Henry asked.

"The girl is clearly not your typical mermaid. She's something...unique. And I would like to know why."

"You think that girl is gonna open up to you?"

"Of course not. But I am patient."

Henry sighed. "So be it. Whatever you're plotting, don't hurt them."

"If I chose to, it's not as though you could stop me." Cora replied. "Have Regina back by nightfall." The witch disappeared and Henry turned back to watching over his daughter. Cora was right. He wasn't strong enough to protect either child from her wrath, neither was he brave enough. Regina was so happy playing with Raya, the happiest he'd ever seen her. Because of Cora's constant guard over their child to make sure that she remained Regina's only influence, friends were scarce for everyone in the Mills Estate. He desired only for his daughter to be happy. For now, she was. The girls spent the rest of the day playing on the beach and collecting seashells, but Henry told them to get ready to leave

"Where will you go, Raya? Do you have a mother?" Regina asked.

Raya nodded. "She should be coming soon. But I'll see you again?"

"Of course. We have to see each other again."

Raya smiled and hugged her newfound friend before returning once again to the ocean. Her little tail flicked into the air momentarily as she dove, but it was followed by a massive dark purple tail that could only belong to her mother.

Regina waved and returned to her father's side, looking up at him expectantly. "We're coming back, right?"

"Of course we are, Princess." Henry smiled.

Regina smiled then and they returned to the carriage to be taken home.

/

Years passed and Raya and Regina were almost inseparable. They were best friends, their missing other half. As they grew older, their friendship grew stronger. They met as often as possible at the beach, collecting shells, swimming and riding the hippocampus, Raya's beloved sea-horse. She used magic so that Regina could swim with her beneath the waves and showed her the beautiful undersea world in which she lived. Regina in return, brought Raya to the estate and showed her her home and the stables and the nearby town. Cora's plan to try and abuse Raya's power backfired one day when she came with Regina to the beach, trying to pry into Raya's life. The mermaid had refused to answer and Regina didn't want to reveal any of her friend's personal information, so naturally the witch tried to force it out of her. She had no idea that Raya's mother was Amphitrite, the sea goddess, who rose out of the water to protect her daughter, placing a powerful spell on Cora so that she could not harm either girl with magic again. With the threat of physical punishment from her mother removed, Regina began to neglect most of her lessons and spend all of her time down at the beach with her father and her best friend. Henry was not immune to Cora's wrath however and Cora used his safety as a blackmail measure to keep Regina in line. But her daughter was rebellious and Henry swore to bear the pain so she could be happy.

Regina was 16 when she walked down to the beach one night, silently trying to muster her courage. She had matured much since she first met Raya, and she loved her friend with all her heart, but lately she'd begun to feel differently towards her. She saw Raya in a new light, a light that had never shone upon anyone else. Raya had grown in beauty so that she was breathtaking to the young princess. She carried herself as the future queen of the sea should, but there was one thing that had changed. As a child she often wore a bra-like band to hide her breasts, but as she grew older, she neglected to wear it most of the time and Regina could hardly contain herself from trying to sneak a peek at what her extremely long hair always seemed to be able to hide. She thought that Raya might've been having these strange feelings as well because she was very protective of Regina, sometimes even possessive maybe when they were around the other teenage nobles.

She was still terrified of what she so desperately wanted to do to her friend as she climbed down into their sea cave. It was decorated with sparkling seashells and clams and pearls hanging from the short ceiling. Regina kept some sleeping provisions there though she'd yet to actually spend the night. Her mother would probably kill her. Or her father. She tapped the water of their little pool and pulled out a blanket to spread over the sand and sat down. The water rippled and Raya arose out of the pool in all her mermaid glory. She'd really matured over the years as well, growing stronger and more beautiful. Her tail was now nearly too big to fit in their little pool, so she changed to her legs and ran to nearly dive on top of Regina, welcoming her friend to their safe haven. Raya had long ago enchanted the cave so that no one could enter without permission, and that included Cora.

"Hey Gina." Raya smiled. "Look at what I made for you."

Regina watched her get up and move around the cave. She almost growled in frustration as Raya's hair continued to perfectly obscure her breasts from the brunette's sight. They'd gotten so much bigger and it was all she could do to control herself. This was her friend, not some barmaid whore to lust after. She was still battling herself internally when Raya sat back down next to her and presented her with a pink pearl necklace.

"Raya, this is gorgeous. But you really didn't have to get something like this for me."

"Don't be silly. You're my best friend. And if I can make you a gift, then I'm gonna make you one. Besides I live in the ocean, it's not like it was expensive or anything. These things are literally everywhere in the pearl fields." Raya scoffed. She made a motion with her hand for Regina to hold up her hair, which she did, and put the necklace on her beloved friend. "See? Beautiful." Regina smiled, touched by the gesture. "Something's on your mind. What is it?"

Regina sighed, annoyed and touched at how the well the blonde knew her. "I was just wondering...have you ever had your first kiss?"

"No." Came the immediate answer. "Why?" Followed by the curious question and confused expression. Raya tilted her head. "Have you?"

"No." Regina nervously rubbed her arm, which Raya, already aware of her little quirks, stopped immediately.

"There must be a reason you were wondering this besides idle curiosity. "

"There was. I just...I also wondered what it would be like...to have my first kiss with you." Regina looked down in attempt to hide the reddening of her cheeks. "I'm sorry I brought it up, but I couldn't stop thinking about it." She glanced back up and was shocked when Raya suddenly kissed her. There was a rush of desire through her body as she felt the near magical electricity between their lips. She didn't want to stop and quickly pulled Raya back when she tried to pull away. Raya actually moaned and opened her mouth for Regina's tongue to explore. Regina wasted no time in doing so. It felt strange, but wonderful at the same time.

When they finally managed to pull away, Regina found that she was laying on top of Raya. Both of them were panting heavily. Regina licked her lips and looked down at Raya, whose eyes were black as night.

"Sorry." The mermaid whispered.

"You don't have to be. I wanted it." Regina gulped, eyes straying downwards to the mass of golden hair that continued to hide Raya's breasts. She could only imagine how beautiful they were.

"You can't spend the night. Cora will be upset." Raya said, running her hands down Regina's sides.

"I'm sorry, i-"

"i want to, Regina. But Henry might be hurt because of it."

"Why can't your mother just protect him as well?"

"She's on the migration. I wanted to stay here with you." Raya answered.

Regina smiled and leaned down to kiss her friend again. Raya purred and Regina raised her hand to touch the mermaid's neck, gently caressing the skin as they kissed. She swallowed hard as she brushed away Raya's hair and tore herself away to take in the sight of her breasts, perfectly sized and rounded with beautiful stiff nipples. She quickly leaned down to take one into her mouth and sucked hard, enjoying the moan that escaped her friend's throat.

"Aah! They're sensitive, Gina." That only made her want to suck harder, kiss and caress her even more. Raya panted and managed to push her head away. "Take it easy, Gina."

Regina waited impatiently for her to catch her breath, eyes still glued to Raya's body. "I want to stay tonight. We'll tell my mother that Amphitrite needed us for something. She can't argue with a sea goddess."

"It's too dangerous."

"Please? She'll never know."

Raya thought for a moment. "I suppose it is better to ask forgiveness than permission."

Regina grinned at all the things she planned to do with her friend tonight. It would be her first time, and Raya's, and she felt a sense of pride knowing she would be Raya's first. She bent down to slide off Raya's skirt.

"You want to start now?" Raya asked incredulously.

"Why wait?" Regina replied, hurriedly removing her own clothes. Raya smirked as she presented herself proudly and claimed her lips for her own.

"You're beautiful, Regina." Raya whispered.

"So are you." Regina was excited. Raya smiled at how she kissed her belly feverishly.

"Regina, we have all night. Relax, and slow down. It's our first time, we shouldn't rush." Raya said, gently touching the top of Regina's head. The brunette nodded and switched up her pace. She really just wanted to devour the blonde all at once, but since it was Raya's first time, she wanted it to be special too.

"Come here." Regina quickly pulled Raya to her feet and pushed her into the corner. "Close your eyes." Raya obeyed and she quickly ran around the room, pulling the candles out of her pack and setting them up and lighting them. She pulled out the bedroll from her supplies and unfolded it and smoothed it down. "Okay open."

Raya opened her eyes and gasped. "Regina, you didn't have to-"

"No, I did. This night must be special." Regina assured her. "Now, milady." She bowed and held out her hand. Raya giggled as she took it and sat down. Regina leaned over her, capturing her lips again. "Tonight is all about us."

/

A few hours later, Regina was laying in a content blissful haze with Raya laying on her back next to her in the same wonderful state. "This is afterglow?"

"I suppose it is." Raya chuckled. "Regina?"

"Yes?"

"I'm in love with you."

Regina rolled over back on top of her. "I think you're my soulmate, Raya. My True Love."

Raya smiled. "I think my breasts are your true loves."

Regina grinned and looked down at them. "They're amazing! I love them."

Raya laughed and kissed her lips. "We should get some rest. I'm gonna be sore for days."

Regina gave herself a pat on the back as she rolled onto her side so she could sleep with her arms around Raya. She held the mermaid close all throughout the night. She could face the wrath of Cora in the morning and she wouldn't even care. Raya was hers now.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Raya swam out to her mother's grand castle rising out of the sea. She changed her tail into legs and raced inside, navigating the long hallways made of sea rock to find Amphitrite in her bedroom, sitting on her terrace. "Mother?"

Amphitrite smiled when she spotted her daughter. "Raya, come in, love."

"Regina and I consummated our relationship, Mother." Raya said happily as she knelt next to her mother. "I love her. I want to be with her."

"Really?" Amphitrite asked.

"Yes. She is everything I could ever want, Mother. She is beautiful and smart and loving. I want you to show me a spell so she can live with us underwater. Cora is still trying to force her to do her bidding and Henry remains in danger. I want both of them to be free, but I'm not strong enough to do it on my own."

"What if Regina's heart does not lie with you?" Her mother asked. "I know the two of you care about each other deeply, but-"

"She called me her soulmate and her True Love." Raya said. "Please mother. Please help me help the woman I love."

"The spell is not perfect." Amphitrite explained. "She will walk among us but will never truly be one of us. It will take some time prepare. The necessary ingredients are quite far and wide in terms of location."

"I don't care. I will do anything for her."

The Sea Goddess looked into her daughter's eyes. "So be it."

The next morning Raya went straight to the estate to talk to Regina and tell her her plan.

"You're going to be gone for a year?" Regina asked.

"Yes, but not this year. During the migration next year. I can cross the channels faster and you must believe I will swim as fast as I can to be back in your arms as soon as possible." Raya assured her. "You know how to contact me. We can talk every night if you want."

"A year without you." Regina whispered, digging her hands into her hair. "That's too long, Raya."

Raya smiled and kissed her repeatedly, pushing her back onto the bed. She quickly went to close and lock the door and place a spell over it. When she turned around, she slid off her bra top and tossed it the side. She laughed at Regina's grin and approached the bed. Regina grabbed her around the waist and latched onto a nipple, sucking and nibbling hungrily.

"Gods, I love these things so much." Regina moaned. Raya cleared her throat. "Oh, and you of course."

Raya only smiled. In a year she would face a long journey, to the darkest and most feared reaches of the world's oceans. She should've been terrified, but she wasn't. It would take a great deal of courage but any risk was worth taking if it meant Regina could be hers and would be safe from her mother's wrath. When that year came, she was sad about saying good bye to Regina, but it wouldn't be good bye for long. They talked every night as she swam but her connection was quick to fade as she ventured into the deeper, darker waters where monsters and beasts beyond description inhabited the chasm-like depths. There were several near death experiences and one fish managed to take a chunk out of her tail. Another shark almost shredded her fluke. All she had to do was think of Regina and that kept her going. All she had to do was remember that beautiful smile and those lovely dark eyes. The way she laughed, the way she giggled, the way she adored Raya's breasts. It pushed the mermaid to swallow any fears she might've grown as time wore on. It would actually take over 2 years to find all the necessary ingredients for her mother's formula. When she had collected them, she swam as fast as she could back to her and Regina's special cave. But upon her arrival she found it dark and most of their decorations torn down as though Regina had tried to rip the place apart. Raya swallowed and exited the cave, stepping onto the sand, finding Cora waiting for her.

"What do you want? Where's Regina?!" Raya demanded.

Cora sighed. "She was heartbroken, waiting for you for so long."

"I-I told her I would be back for her."

"You told her a year." Cora pointed out. "Not 2 and a half. I'm afraid she's moved on. She's going to be queen in a matter of days."

"My queen." Raya hissed. "Where is she?"

Cora sighed and teleported them away. They appeared in a castle bedroom that had been viciously torn apart. "She's been throwing some temper tantrums lately." The woman said. "Go ahead, talk to her. See if she will go with you." She teleported away just as Regina came bursting into the room and proceeded to slam the door and push the mirror off her vanity, shattering it all over the floor.

"Regina!" Raya ran to her love, only to receive a slap to the face. "What the-"

"Where were you?!" Regina yelled. "You said a year!" The anger that blazed in her eyes actually frightened the mermaid.

"It took much longer than expected, but I'm here. You can leave. Where's Henry? We can go right now."

"He's dead!" Regina roared, shaking with rage and sadness, her eyes betraying her mixed emotions. "I planned to take him away. To find shelter with Amphitrite, until you'd returned and...Mother killed him. She killed him and Daniel."

"Who is Daniel?" Raya frowned slightly. "I don't understand."

"Snow White saw me with Daniel." Regina said, looking down. "I-I was lonely with you gone. He was just a friend. We'd planned to take Henry and run away, anywhere to get away from Mother. Snow told her. That wretched child told her and she ruined everything!"

Raya swallowed, heart bleeding softly for Henry. He was a good man who did not deserve to die just yet. She had hoped to save him as well, but at least she knew that he would want Regina free."Regina, come with me please. I have the ingredients. We can cast the spell. You'll never have to set foot in this place ever again." Raya pleaded. "Please." She reached for the brunette's hand and she smacked it away.

"My father is dead is because of that girl." Regina hissed. Raya had never been afraid of Regina until those moments. Heart broken and spirit crushed, only for a new flame to catch fire. A darker flame, threatening to take over.

"Cora is the one to blame." Raya insisted, but it was like she was talking to a brick wall.

"I will end her. I will destroy her like she did me. I have to. For my father." Regina snapped, pacing the carpeted floors. "For Daniel."

"You fell in love with him?" Raya said softly. "Regina, I almost died trying to save you!"

"I know that! But I am not leaving!" Regina roared. She sighed and ran an agitated hand through her hair before approaching the mermaid again. "Once I'm done here, we can go away." She said with hopeful eyes. "Once we-"

"No." Raya hissed. "I don't want vengeance or blood. Henry wouldn't want that. Look at what Cora has made you into. Filled you with rage, turned you cold." She barely recognized her friend anymore. How could someone change so quickly in so little time?

Regina said nothing for a moment, merely looked into her eyes. "Do you love me?"

"More than anything. I think the last 2 and a half years proves that."

"Then stay. Help me. Together, what can stop us?"

"I don't want this. I want you to come with me. Right now."

Cora appeared near the doorway. "Well, Regina? What'll it be?"

Regina scowled. She truly had no choice even if she wanted to go with Raya. Cora still continued to control her and now, Raya could see, that Regina was starting to make the wrong decisions of her own free will. She could fight Cora, maybe give Regina some time to escape but there had to be another reason that Regina wouldn't leave. Not just vengeance, not just hatred. It was greed. It was power. Raya knew the sight of it all too well. Someone else had touched her beloved, someone else's influence had taken hold of her. But who? And why? Regina looked up at Raya. Her hesitation was her answer.

"You mean to tell me...that you are throwing away the last 13 years of friendship and love? For this?" Raya asked in disbelief. "For power? For a crown on your head? Because of a child, who knew no better? I thought you were more than that. You swore you would never be like your mother in any way. Look in the mirror! What difference is there to be seen?" Raya teleported back to their old sea cave and fell to the sand, crying over her lost love. She screamed and angrily punched the stone walls and flooded the cave, washing away fond memories. When all was said and done, she got up and walked back onto the beach, where she had first seen a crying little girl run into a cave. 13 years ago Regina had run into her life, changing it effortlessly. It only took 2 for her to walk right back out of it.

Cora suddenly appeared again. She said nothing as she placed a small wrapped cloth in Raya's hand and teleported away again. Raya opened it. Inside...was a magic bean. Cora clearly wanted her gone. She was a mermaid however, she didn't need a magic bean to cross world barriers. Still...it would save her a great deal of energy. She was exhausted from her past journey, having hardly ate or slept on the return, even ignoring rolling stomach pains and a swollen tail. She had used a spell to get rid of it, thinking of it only as side effects from being attacked. It never occurred to her that it could be anything else…

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A couple of days later, Regina spurred Rocinante as fast as he could go down to the sea. Her mother was gone now, banished to another world. One monster had been destroyed, only to be replaced with another as the Dark One took her mother's place, promising vengeance and a perfect world if she would only agree to training and to remain queen. It was an offer that she needed to ponder, but she was free now. She didn't see why she couldn't have the best of both worlds. Revenge for her father and Daniel, and the love of her life. Raya. She had been such a fool, but hopefully the mermaid would forgive her. She made it to the sea cave in record time but she couldn't enter it. A spell shocked her as soon as she tried to go in. "Raya! Raya, please!" She tried the second entrance that only she and the mermaid knew about, the one that would allow her to see inside. There was a great deal of blood that made her heart skip a beat. "RAYA!" She heard a groan and scrambled to find a better looking position. The wind started to pick up just as she found a better viewpoint. Blood was pouring out of Raya's tail as she lay on the sandy floor of the cave, breathing heavily. Then Regina saw it. The tiny little tail sticking out. Raya was...Raya was giving birth. To...their baby… Raya's head snapped up in her direction. Her eyes were cold and sad. Regina had turned away from her when it mattered the most. Regina's lips trembled as she held the mermaid's gaze. "I'm sorry." Raya said nothing as she pulled out a magic bean. "Wait, no!" Regina yelled. The mermaid ignored her as she activated the portal and barely waited for it to open before throwing herself inside it. Regina tried desperately to enter the pull of the portal, hoping that it would dissolve the barrier on the cave. It didn't. Raya was gone. Raya and their baby were gone.

"Sad, isn't it, dearie?" Rumpelstiltskin's voice made her turn around.

"Where did she go? How do I find her?" Regina demanded.

He only made a tsk tsk sound and waved his finger. "A mermaid that doesn't want to be found...will not be found. And besides, why do you need her? You pushed her away and she stole your child. Without even telling you that there even was a child. Sad. So sad."

"It's my fault." Regina sighed, crumpling in the sand. "It's all my fault."

"There is a way to get her back…" The Dark One proclaimed, gaining her attention. "It's just...how far are you willing to go to find her?"

There was no hesitation this time. "As far as it takes."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Read and Review!