Do you love me?

We got into town late, I couldn't believe I was back in this cursed place. Killian and I got out and looked at the quiet homes and shops on Main Street. Henry was asleep in the back seat.

Hook took the moment to replace his hook The prosthetic hand annoyed him. "That's more like it. Isn't it Swan?

I frowned at him. "How are you going to explain that to him?"

He shrugged, "That's more your concern… perhaps this will jog his memory."

"Or give him nightmares." I said to him." Last time, this curse took away everyone's memories. This time?"

He shook his head. "We don't know what it did." He stated.

I nodded. "Then I'll find out." I looked at my child and Headed down the street "Stay here and watch Henry. Don't wake him, or scare him… or just… Let him sleep."

"Aye," He answered. "Where are you going?'

"To talk to my parents," I stated and headed to the Loft.

When I get to the third-floor landing I knock on the door. This place brought back so many memories. Dad opened the door, Shock evident on his face. He looked at my face, and my body, his eyes focusing on the bump then back at my face.

"Hi," I said. He was so shocked I wasn't sure whether she really knew it was me or not. "Don't close the door. I said quickly. My- My name is… "

"Emma!" He finally breathed out. I sighed in relief, He remembered me.

"David?" I said. And ran to hug my Dad. He held me the way he always did, as If I was a baby the most precious child he'd ever held in his arms. I didn't know how much I missed this.

"You remember!" He said in shock.

"You remember…" I said.

"Of Course, Where…" He said looking me over again. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, Hook found me," I said. As he led me to a chair. I didn't have the heart to say I was tired of sitting. "He brought me here, He said you were cursed."

"Yeah, we're back, or we never left. Or…" he tried to explain. "Well, we don't know. But we're trapped again."

"But you know who you are," I stated.

He shook his head. "Emma this curse… We don't know who did it or why. All we know is our last year has been wiped away."

"Wiped away?' I asked.

"All we remember is saying goodbye to you." He said. "It feels like Yesterday."

"But if you can't remember, then how do you know it's been a…" I began to ask, but then I heard Mom in the loft.

"Emma?" She said and came out of the loft. Her belly was even more swollen than mine.

"Year…" I finished my sentence my eyes trained on the bump. Her eyes trained on mine. She held me and I hugged her back.

"As you can see, a lot has happened." Dad stated Pulling Mom into a side hug."

"Yeah," Mom said. "We just don't know what. The whole year is gone." She said

"Who the hell would have done this?" I asked in concern. I reached for her belly, My mother feels about full term. At least three weeks ahead of me.

I shook my head and looked at my parents. They looked like they were dying to ask about my love life. Seeing as I was in the same situation. "This is my dead husband's child," I answered.

"Oh." Mom said. I realize that they didn't get the full Alison story, but I don't have the time or inclination to explain the process right now.

I had to get Henry settled. "I'm going to go get a room in the B and B and Get Henry settled. He still doesn't remember anything yet."

"What did you tell him?" Mom asked.

"I am here for a… case."

"Oh, are you a Bailbonds person like that?" They asked about my belly.

I took a breath. It was time… "I am a Diagnostician and Epidimiologist."

"You're a doctor?" Mary said in shock. "That's why you were feeling my belly?"

I opened my mouth and closed it. "I'm not that kind of doctor… but we all get training in that."

"You never said…" Mary Margaret stated.

"Emma Swan was never a doctor. Alison Cameron, however… "

"You changed your name?" She asked.

"I resumed a former life," I answered. "It was the best thing I could do. Henry and I lived in New York where I practiced before."

"I want to see him." Mom said, "I missed you both so much."

"Okay, I have to talk to Regina anyway."

I took a few minutes to take Henry to the Inn and settled him in the room. I came down to the living room where my parents sat "Henry is up in the room asleep. If he wakes up, you two are helping me with the case, okay?"

I sat on the couch across from Mom. "So what the hell happened here?" I asked, "I mean, besides the obvious." I looked at Mom's belly. I can't help but feel a bit jealous of the baby.

"We don't know," Mom answered. "We watched you drive over the town line with Henry. Regina started to cast her spell to take us all back to the enchanted forest, and then…everything went black."

"The next thing we remember is waking up in our beds like it was any other morning in Storybrooke." Dad finished for her."

"Except it clearly wasn't." Mom continued.

"Almost Harvest time, but you can't remember the planting," Killian said to Dad. "That's bad luck, mate." Mom looked like she could punch him.

"Clearly a year has passed. I was in New York, I know that It did." I said.

"And we don't know where the hell we were," Dad stated. "We don't even know if we left Storybrooke."

"Aye, you did. I was with you all." Killian stated.

Mom perked up. "In the enchanted forest?"

Regina's spell brought us back." He continued. "We spent a brief time with a prince and princess named Phillip and Aurora. But I wasn't feeling the community spirit so I ventured off on my own." He shifted. "Last I saw of you lot, you were making your way to Regina's castle."

"And now you're cursed. Why doesn't that surprise me?" I said in disappointment. I really thought Regina had changed. The disappointment was real at that moment.

But Mom shook her head. "Regina seems as clueless as the rest of us. I'm not sure she was involved in this."

"So she says," I stated.

"I don't understand," Dad stated. "If you left the enchanted forest before the curse, how did you know to find Emma and come to Storybrooke."

"As I was sailing the realms, a bird landed on my ship's wheel with a note. Instructing me to retrieve Emma and bring her back here." Killian answered. "There was a small vial of memory potion tied to its leg."

Who sent it?" Mom asked.

"I assumed you did." He answered. The rest of us looked at each other and nodded. It tracks. Suddenly two of the dwarfs come barging in. talking about lost townies.

"Wait, What is going on?" I interrupt.

"Thank god You're back sister," Leroy stated they went on to explain that ever since they woke up people began to disappear. The townies are being picked off one by one. And no one knows exactly who is missing." I asked for Neal, there is no one I would trust to keep Henry safer other than Regina than Neal… But Neal was missing.

As I listened to this I stood.

"There's only one way we're going to figure all this out." I started. "We need to get your memories back."

"How?" Mom asked

"By figuring out who took them in the first place."

The next morning I introduced Henry to his grandparents. They looked at him as if he were a Christmas gift… just too happy to see him for a pair of strangers… They really need to work on their acting.

"Are you helping my mom with the case?" He asked.

They stare at him dumbstruck not knowing what to say.

"Yeah, they are, I stated and stood to let Mom sit in my chair. I don't know why, I'm just as pregnant. "They are just old friends," I stated.

"Friends from where?" Henry asked.

"Phoenix" Mom answered. I glared at her.

"But I thought you were only in Phoenix for… being in that place," Henry asked careful not to mention my record.

"Right, We were Cellmates," Mom answered

I looked at her, then at Dad… what?"

"Really?" My kid perked up. "What were you in for?"

"Banditry," she answered and I looked at her trying to keep a chuckle in. I sat down and said nothing. "People make mistakes," Mom said trying to get comfortable. "The important thing is to find a way to keep moving on."

"Did you know my dad?" He asked.

But Dad interrupted the questioning by calling Ruby over to order. Then I heard a cup fall to the ground. I turned and noticed her standing there. Her shock and awe at seeing her grown little boy sitting at the table. Her eyes then traveled to me, and my bump and her mouth closed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," Regina said clearly not knowing exactly how to approach the situation.

"Oh um… That's okay." Henry said. And looked down at his menu.

I stood and waddled toward her. "We need to talk," I whispered

She turned her shock still lingering in her body. I followed her to the inn. She turned to me and whispered back. "He looked right through me."

I reached for her, cupping her face with my hands. "He doesn't remember."

"You remember me…" She said anger simmering beneath being grateful that I remembered I loved her. "Why are you here?"

"Storybrooke, a new curse, missing year, What do you think?" I answered.

She closed her eyes and shook the cobwebs out. "What I mean, is how did you know to come back? I gave you everything you ever wanted,"

"Hook found me," I stated. "Gave me a potion and made me remember, there wasn't enough for Henry. "

She sighed. "Well, how convenient." Hostility is clear now. No not hostility, annoyance… and not with me. She looked back at me. "Look I didn't cast this curse, if that's what you're thinking."

"That may have crossed my mind," I said.

"Why would I do this? Why would I erase an entire year of my life?" she asked.

"I don't know, Bad year? You missed me and Henry too much?"

"And have you come back and not remember who I was?" She asked. "Do you think I like torturing myself? I'm not a masochist. If I cast a curse I need to maintain control at all times."

"Hey, I had to ask…" I stated. "I didn't know how much I missed you." I reached to hold her. She held me back allowing herself to melt into me. I turned my head and kissed the lips I hadn't known I missed. "We're going to figure this out…"

Dad, Killian, and I rode out to the town line, There was one of the Merry men that had been taken by a monster, and the dwarfs had been disappearing there too. It all seemed to correlate. "What exactly took him," I asked Robin Hood…

"It appeared to be some sort of winged creature." He answered.

"Sounds like the monster that attacked me in New York," I stated.

"You mean the monster you were gonna marry," Killian said. I rolled my eyes at him

"Wait, "Dad said and looked at me. "You were going to marry someone?" He asked

I sighed as Killian said, "Did you miss the part where I said Monster?"

Robin Thankfully interrupted to refocus the conversation. Seriously what was Dad thinking I was completely celibate. For Christ's sake, I was standing pregnant in front of him… even if this baby had nothing to do with Remy.

I sent him to run a search Grid while I went back to town to hold a meeting. It was time to flush them out. Plus my back was starting to hurt… God I don't remember pregnancy being this draining.

So I went to Regina, and asked her for a favor…

The town's anxiety was at an all-time high. Just like I suspected everyone turned to attack Regina.

Easy target.

I joined my voice to the town folk. I needed to provoke a fight. I knew Regina wouldn't hurt me. Not like this.

"So now you are joining the Rabble?' She asked me. "I thought we'd been through this. I'm Innocent." The town was agitated as I expected. And I watched the crowd for any sign that would lead me to the guilty party.

"That's what you said before but now I'm wondering if I believe you."

The crowd began to gather around her. "Don't come any closer." She said, "Do you remember who you're dealing with?" She sneered and said. "If you all want me to be the evil queen, then fine, that's exactly what you'll get." She said

And raised her hands and caused an earthquake in the room. I stumbled a little and watched as she disappeared. I got up and walked to the back of the room. I went to find Regina. I owed her a little love. These idiots couldn't see that she protected them just then.

I walked into her office and screamed. "an earthquake?"

"I had to make a statement," She looked me over, "And you're fine. Do you think they bought it?"

"Yeah, I think they did," I answered.

"Good," she said coming toward me.

"Nice work, now let's figure out who really cursed this town," I stated and began to get ready for the real villain to show up.

"How long do you think we have?" Regina asked taking out a box from her file cabinet.

"Until whoever cast this curse realizes you're not actually on the run from me," I stated. "But till then no one's gonna suspect we're working together."

She placed the box on the desk between us and paused looking up at me. "I missed you, in case you needed to hear it."

I looked at her. And I know she knows that I didn't. She made me forget. I have not felt any separation. I looked Regina in the eyes. And hers trailed from mine and down to my lips. I leaned forward, and I kissed her again nice and slow. Her hands caressed my face as we kissed and then ran down my back. And my body reacted accordingly.

When the kiss ended she placed her forehead against mine. And we just breathed in the silence. She looked back down at the box placed on the desk between us. Then she looked at me.

"Let's see it," Regina asked and I gave her the vial I had tested before.

"Is that enough?" I asked.

"To use? No," She said looking at the remnants. But to replicate, I think so.

"I can tell you what's in it, but not proportions. I tested it in the lab at work." I stated. Then I listed the components that I had traced in the vial.

"We can start waking people up and figure out who the hell sent everyone back here," I stated.

"And I can make Henry Remember me," she said looking dreamily at the vial. "Thank you," she said to me.

"For what, we haven't done anything yet," I answered.

"You saw how quick this town was to blame me," she stated. "But you believe I didn't cast that curse. I know that wasn't easy for you."

"Sure it was, I knew you were telling the truth," I answered.

"Even though everything that has happened has put me next to Henry? Maybe this was some super complicated ingenious plan."

"It wasn't" I interrupted. "My superpower may not be perfect, But with you, Regina, I always know when you're lying." she looked at me. "This time you're not. You didn't do it."

"Even though you know I can't live without him?" She asked again.

"There you go, telling the truth again," I stated.

"And I find it hard to breathe without you," she whispered. I bit my lip.

"When this whole thing went down, We were just beginning..." I said "There was something missing in my life in New York… And when I took that potion, I found it.

"But you moved on…" She said, looking at the bump. I had noticed that she had been avoiding looking at it.

"Regina…. It's Jay… you told me to remember him." I said.

She smiled. "You remembered…" she looked down at her little chemistry set on the table. "I have one more question for you," she said.

"What's that?" I asked.

"Please be head of medicine in Storybrooke General," Regina stated. "I heard you are a brilliant diagnostician."

I laughed. "You Want me to be dr Cameron?" I asked'

"No, You are Your Highness, Dr. Swan," she said and I laughed. This had been the silliest conversation we had ever had. It took me back to talking in Neverland. How she just made me feel better by listening to my story and taking me in.

I watched Regina's work, It was fascinating, like being back in school. The beaker, cylinders, and distiller all made a tiny black potion, that didn't work. Regina threw the potion across the room. "I can't live in this town if Henry doesn't remember me."

"What if we can still find the person who cursed the town? I asked

"Haven't you been paying attention?" she asked frustrated. "I can't make any more potion."

You don't have to take anything." I said. "We can still catch the person."

"How?" Regina asked.

"We've been running a con by making this potion in secret." I said "But what if we are running the wrong con." I stated.

"I'm sorry. I'm not well-versed in cons. Unlike you, I never spent time in prison." she snarked.

"It's not something I learned in prison. It's an old bail bonds trick." I stated. "You smoke the perp out by making them think you're on to them."

"How does that help us?" Regina asked interested.

"If the person who cast the curse thought we were about to make a memory potion…"

"They'd want to stop us." Regina finished for me.

"And then we set a trap for when they do." I concurred. "We just need to get the word out that you're close to making all this work."

Regina's smile grew slowly. "I know Just who to tell."

Regina and I sat in my bug staking out the town hall to see who would attempt to stop us. Grant it this probably isn't the best thing for a pregnant lady, but if my magic can't keep my baby safe while she is in there… what can. I felt the surge surround me the moment I got into town. I could feel the extra layer of protection over my body. But I still really needed to stretch my legs, especially after the long drive the night before.

Regina sat next to me. She seemed like she needed to talk. So I waited for her to say it. I was in the mood to listen anyway. "So…" She started looking at me. Do we just sit here?" She asked.

"Until the person who cast the curse makes a move on your office," I said quietly.

"Did you really do this for a living?" she asked.

"It was a very different experience than deductive work I did in the hospital… same basic skills less mental Olympics."

"And you don't get bored?" Regina asked.

"I don't know, you find ways to pass the time. Eat. Talk…" I said hoping she would get the hint and tell me what was on her mind already. "Mostly watch, which is what we should be doing."

She takes a deep breath and finally, she asked one of her burning questions. "Does he have friends.?"

I watched her office intently. "Does who have friends?"

"Henry." She answered. I looked at her now. "Does he have any… friends in New York."

"Yeah, he has a lot of friends," I answered. "No girlfriends yet, at least not that I know about."

"So he's happy." She said with a sad smile, And I feel for her because her baby is happy without her. "His life is good there."

"Yeah," I answered and looked at Regina again. "I almost didn't come back because of it," I admitted to her.

"Then why did you?" She asked me.

Then I looked back out of the window again. "Because he may not remember all this, but I do. And I know what he would say. A hero would come back."

She sighed thinking of her son. "He would say that." We smiled thinking of our son.

"Hey, you sure you don't want to meet him?" I asked her. "We can tell him you're an old friend. Like Mary Margaret and David."

"It would be too hard," she said swallowing back tears.

I squeezed my eyes tight and turned back toward the office. "I can't imagine-" There was a shadow in her office. "We've got them," I said.

The two of us quickly got out of the car and entered City Hall "You sure whoever is in there can't escape?" I asked her

"I sealed the room with a blood lock. I stated. It can keep you out, or it can keep you in."

Regina approached the door gingerly, Then she looked back at me… I know what I'm doing."

We walked into her office, there was a mess all over the place and we saw them in the corner. But she puffed away. "I thought you said that couldn't happen.

"No one can break through blood magic." Regina said looking at the spot the intruder had been standing in."No matter how powerful they are."

"Then who are we dealing with?" I wonder aloud.

I took Regina to meet Henry. She needed to be with him. She needed the joy of being with him again.

The defeatist attitude and the depression she armored herself with are not good for her. We got to the door of the Loft, and she wavered. "Maybe this isn't a good idea." She said.

"It's gonna be fine," I assured her. "Trust me."

I opened the door and headed straight for Henry. "Hey, how was your day?" I asked him.

"Good, " He said coming to me and hugging me. "Storybrook is a weird place." I smiled. "But cool. Did you know there's a library inside the clock tower?"

"I do, I've been there before, Come on I want you to meet someone." I said and pulled him closer to Regina."

"This is Regina Mills." He looked at her and then looked over at me. "She's the Mayor of this town, and she wanted to meet you."

He looked back and forth between us, the tension in the room was thick. And Regina was eerily quiet like she was really trying not to cry. "Is something wrong?' Henry asked.

"No, no. No, Nothing's wrong." She said to him. "Ah, Your… Mother Just told me a lot about you." She said. Hesitating, she can't use the word Mom for me, Mom is her name. " I hear you like school and that you are good at English?" She said.

Um… Yeah." He said and looked between the two of us again He narrowed his eyes… The same way he had looked at Remy… Oh, brother. "Why did she tell you all this?" he asked curiously.

"Because she couldn't be prouder of you." She answered. She took a deep breath and said. "Uh While you're in town, I was thinking maybe I can give you a tour sometime, you know show you around? Maybe we can even stop for ice cream.

He smiled at her. He glanced over to me then looked her in the eyes and said. "Yeah, I'd like that."

She smiled.

"So… Um it's nice meeting you.." he said and stuck his hand out. Regina wanted to hold him so badly but settled for the shake. When Henry walked away, I stepped closer to her. "Are you okay?" I whispered to her.

"It's a start." She said, and I placed a hand on her shoulder just as David barged into the room.

"We need to talk." He said. And I looked at my son on the couch. I sighed and looked for somewhere we could go.

Outside." I stated. The four of us went to the hallway and David told us that the townspeople were being turned into flying monkeys. All the dwarfs and the mery men… "and neal?" I asked."

"We still haven't found him so yeah it's possible." He answered

"Wouldn't be the first flying monkey I've dated," I mumbled under my breath.

Mom and Regina looked at me strangely. Then Regina shook her head. "The person who escaped our trap disappeared in a cloud of green smoke… And now there are flying monkeys in town?" she nodded her head as if she should have known … "I think we know exactly who cursed us."

"The wicked witch of the west?" I asked sarcasm dripping in that comment.

Precisely." Regina answered.

"Seriously? She's real too?" I looked around.

"Says the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming." The pirate says. Killian scoffs as he is beginning to see his role in my life.

I don't get it. It's not like we're in Kansas why would the wicked witch of the West want to come to Storybrooke?

Now that was one to figure out.