Hey guys! We're making some progress in this chapter, things are picking up as we get closer to the end. I've planned out the rest of the story, there should be 10 chapters overall, so three more to go!

I hope you guys enjoy this and as always, thank you for the reviews and follows! They are deeply appreciated :)

"I found something!" Elsa's excited voice came from the foyer where Regina assumed she had just poofed to. She and Henry shared a happy glance as Elsa moved into the room, gently holding a necklace with a snowflake at the end.

"That's great! We just made the locator potion."

"I helped!" Henry said cheerfully, "It was super cool! It made me feel like I was at Hogwarts in Potions class."

"You were the best helper I've ever had." Regina said, smiling at her son.

"Can we do it?" Elsa asked, anxiously. Regina nodded and held the potion vial out toward the blonde. Elsa took it and poured it over the necklace. It glowed as it lifted itself into the air and began floating toward the door. The trio began to follow it, Elsa nervously wringing her hands as they exited the house and began walking toward the docks. Henry walked alongside Regina,

"Making those potions was really fun, Mom."

Regina figured her heart would never stop skipping every time he called her that. Not since she knew what it was like to have him think of her as the Evil Queen and reject her presence in his life. Reject her as his mom. Those days were a couple of years ago, but she had lost him since then. Neverland, then Pan's curse and her sacrifice. When she saw him again and he didn't know who she was, looked straight through her, it had to have been the worst kind of pain she had ever experienced. And she had experienced a lot.

"I'm glad you think so, sweetheart."

"Do you think you could teach me more?" He asked eagerly. She looked at him, the shock on her face not well hidden. While Henry's days of fearing and shunning her magic were also long behind them, it wasn't a secret that he didn't care for it. He had tried to destroy it at one point!

"Why the sudden interest?"

"I really liked learning about it. We can use it for good."

Regina fixed him with a look, she knew him well enough to know that there was something he wasn't saying, "What else?"

"There's nothing else. I like being able to do that kind of thing with you. Mother-son bonding time." His eyes held carefully-crafted innocence that didn't fool Regina.

"As much as I love spending time with you, that's not the only reason you're asking me this," She placed her hand on his shoulder, "Henry, you can tell me."

His expression shifted and Regina caught the all-too familiar glint of insecurity, "I figured that if I could learn how to make potions and learn the theory and concepts of magic, I could help you guys more. I don't have magic like you or Emma, I don't know how to sword-fight like Grandpa, I can't shoot a bow and arrow like Grandma. I'm just the kid that needs to be protected and who fails when he wants to be a hero. I figured that if I could help you like that, I'd fit in."

Regina felt a sharp pang in her heart at her son's words, "Oh Henry. You do fit in. I promise." She caught his look, "I'm not just saying that. You have the heart of the truest believer and that means something. You are there to encourage us and you have faith in us. That is so much more important. At the end of the day, we could have all the powers in the world, all the strength and skill to defeat the threats against us, but if we don't believe in ourselves, in our abilities, if we don't have people who believe in us- we wouldn't be able to accomplish any of it."

Henry shook his head, "You're just saying that. I tried to help. The heart of the truest believer," He spat bitterly, "That's all Pan wanted me for, so he could live. I believed him because I want to see the good in everybody. I caused you guys to suffer because of it."

Regina shook her head, "You made a mistake. One mistake. There's nothing wrong with wanting to see the good in everybody. It does pay off in some cases. I'm an example of that. I'm probably the strongest example of how much good you do because of who you are."

"You're my mom."

"Exactly." Regina stressed, "You believed in me when no one else did. You supported me and had faith that I could change. And I did. Then, you believed that I could do light magic. The Evil Queen, with light magic? It sounded so absurd to me, so utterly unfeasible. But you believed I could, you encouraged me. Look what happened, I defeated my sister. Not only that, but because I had been given a second chance, because you believed that there was good in me, I was able to do the same to Zelena. That's what matters. She didn't take it. Pan didn't deserve your faith. But giving it in the first place," She held his gaze, "That's what matters. That's what makes you a hero. The best one out of any of us."

Henry tilted his head, as if in thought of her words, "That makes a lot of sense."

"You've done so much good, Henry. You're a true hero and believing in people is what you bring to the table. That's the most important thing. Your own superpower." She said, nudging him playfully. Her grin faded into a more serious expression, "With that said, if you still want, I can teach you about magic. I can teach you how to make some potions. It'll be limited in what you, individually, can do but we might be able to find a way around the magic steps in the potions or at least find some version of your magic that could help you actually make all of those potions. I'd have to look into it." She trailed off thoughtfully.

"Really?" Henry's eyes were wide, glimmering with excitement.

"Yeah, it would be very helpful. You'll probably know more about magic than Emma ever will within a week."

"Are you teaching her magic?"

"I'm trying."

"That's really good of you, Mom. Considering everything that's happened." He said softly, as if he didn't want to tread on open wounds.

"Thank you, Henry. It wasn't Emma's fault, what happened. She didn't know. While I stand by the incomprehensible stupidity of her decision to bring Marian back. Traveling in time and actually bringing someone back- but she didn't do it to hurt me."

"It definitely wasn't her best moment."

Regina chuckled, "True. But Roland has his family back, Robin has his wife. There is some good that came from it. As long as I can find a way to unfreeze her."

"You will. I believe in you." A smirk played on Henry's face.

They had gotten to the docks, however, instead of walking to the port, the necklace started floating down to the beach.

"Where would she be here?" Elsa asked.

"I'm not sure, there's no houses or buildings here." Regina said, "The closest building to the docks is Storybrooke Cannery Company. Where the fish business is." Regina felt memories of Greg's hot, angry breath over her as she was strapped to the table, electricity surging through her, like lightning had hit her a thousand times. "But I doubt Anna would be there." She said in an effort to snap herself out of echoes of her pained screams, the hopelessness she had wrapped herself in because she figured no one would find her. Why would anyone look for the Evil Queen? The resignation that this would be how she'd die.

"Where is she?" Elsa's hopeless tone drew Regina out of her mind.

"We will find her. It's kind of what we do." Henry said comfortingly. Elsa gave him a soft smile before turning her gaze back to the necklace. They were on the beach now, Regina scrunched up her face in distaste as her heels sank into the sand. She was not wearing the right footwear for this and the sand might ruin her favorite pair of black heels.

To her luck, the necklace halted before they had to walk even further on the sand. Regina furrowed her eyebrows, this didn't make any sense. Why would it lead them here?

Elsa voiced her thoughts, "Why did it stop? Anna isn't here."

Realization dawned upon Regina, "This is the closest it can take us to her."

"She's not in Storybrooke." Henry added.

Regina saw Elsa's face crumple. Her blue eyes were shaded with sadness, her entire posture drooped, and her skin went paler. Something Regina didn't know was possible.

"Where is she then?" Elsa's voice was little more than a whisper and it wasn't hard to hear the tremor, or how each word was ladened with a certain sense of hopelessness.

"I don't know," Regina said, placing a comforting hand on Elsa's shoulder, "But we will find her. I promise. Like Henry said, that's what we do best."

Elsa nodded slowly and Regina could tell that she was losing faith in their promises, "I miss her." She reached out and took the necklace, holding it delicately, running her slender fingers over the snowflake, "I gave this to her to wear for her wedding." Elsa paused before adding, "We haven't had it yet- the wedding."

Regina honestly didn't know what to say. There was only so many times someone could offer up seemingly empty comfort. Elsa's sister was missing and there was nothing they could do about it right now.

"I just wish she was here." Elsa choked out, a tear making its way down her cheek. Regina reached out to give her a hug when there was a flash of light that emitted from the necklace and suddenly there was a trunk bobbing on the waves toward them. Henry and Elsa had equal faces of shock on their faces as they all looked in the direction of the trunk.

The trunk that was opening and two people were climbing out. They were obviously shocked, but in the way that they embraced, Regina gathered that they were happy about the event that had just unfolded. It was Elsa's soft gasp that made the pieces fall into place. Elsa had wished to see her sister and these two strangers had just emerged from the trunk that had appeared mere seconds after those words left Elsa's lips. The girl must be Elsa's sister. Regina would've never guessed that the two were related, Anna had red hair to Elsa's pale blonde strands. Then again, there was little to none resemblance between herself and Zelena and they were sisters. Well, half-sisters, but they were still related. Or had been related?

Zelena was gone.

Regina would never know what might've happened, if they would've been able to reconcile. She had always wanted a sister and it would've been nice to have some actual family in town, family that shared her blood. But those slight wishes had died with Zelena.

"Anna?" Elsa's excited voice was a mix of a whisper and a shout. The couple startled, they had been too wrapped up in each other. The girl turned toward them and Regina saw her face light up.

"Elsa!"

Anna ran toward them, the blonde man trailing behind her, a soft smile on his face as he watched the reunion of the two sisters who were hugging and laughing, whispering sentiments of affection to each other. Regina felt a smile spread across her face as she took in the sight. It was as happy as it was melancholy.

She could've had that with Zelena if her sister had only taken that second chance. They could be the ones who laughed and hugged. Who shared a deep bond that only a sister could provide. Regina knew that Zelena would have a lot in common with herself, they had both been hurt irrevocably by the same woman, their mother. Both hadn't been enough for Cora. Both had lasting wounds from that neglect. They had let the promise of revenge sweep through them, tainting every positive relationship they could've had. Both had been so alone. Yes, they would've had a lot in common and Regina had no doubts about the kind of sisterly bond they might've had if Zelena hadn't-

"Mom?" Henry drew her out of her thoughts.

"Yes?"

"Are you okay?"

She felt herself soften at the concern in his voice as she nodded, letting her son wrap his arms around her in a familiar hug. "Yes, I am. See," She drew back to meet his eyes, "Believing is its own superpower."

"You've proved yourself right once again." Henry smiled, "I feel like I shouldn't even argue at this point."

"Of course not, I'm your mother. I'm always going to be right." She teased. They grinned at each other before Elsa came over, hugging Regina gratefully and made the introductions.

As the group gathered together, ready to head back to Regina's house, Henry tugged her arm.

"Mom, what's that?"

She followed his finger that was pointing to a bottle that had lodged itself in the sand, seemingly swept in by the ocean's tide. Kristoff, the blonde man that had been with Anna, her fiancé, as Elsa had introduced, moved to pick it up.

"There's something in it." He exclaimed, quickly pulling out a long length of parchment. He scanned it and the rest of them watched in baited breath as his eyebrows rose in shock, a small gasp escaping his lips. "You guys are going to want to read this." He handed it over to Elsa. Regina, Henry, and Anna moved around the blonde in order to read the parchment.

"Well," Regina said, once she finished reading, "This changes a lot."

"Can we use it?" Elsa asked hopefully.

Regina ran her finger over the stone attached at the bottom, "Better. We can see it."

Smoke billowed from the caldron as Regina flipped a page, trailing her finger across the next line of instruction, her gaze intent. The letter had been written by Anna and Elsa's mother, about the Snow Queen, who had been her sister. Apparently this was the time for a bunch of sisterly bonds to appear, it was rather ironic. The stone attached at the bottom held the memories of the Snow Queen and Regina had quickly suggested making a potion that would allow them to view the memories, the events that had happened. Elsa had agreed and Regina poofed back to her vault to make it. She had considered letting Henry help her, as his first lessons, but time was of the essence and she would work faster alone.

The potion was nearly done, she dropped a couple more ingredients in before conjuring purple fire and blasted the cauldron with it. All it needed to do was boil at a high temperature for thirty minutes while Regina stirred occasionally. She let out a sigh, the events of today had been a lot but she had felt a seed of hope plant itself in her chest.

Now they might be able to save Marian.

Regina had been unable to find anything, much to her annoyance, but with the leverage that these memories could hold over the Snow Queen, she might be able to blackmail the lady into waking Marian. Regina pulled a stack of books toward her and began flipping through, her mind racing with possibilities of how they could wake Marian. She didn't want to resort to blackmail, that plan had failed last time and it could fail again. It was better to have a second option.

Regina recalled Robin's plea for her help after sadly explaining that when Marian had collapsed, Mary Margaret had been quick to suggest True Love's Kiss, but it didn't work. Regina had comforted him, saying that it didn't necessarily work for all curses. He had quickly countered that, stating that he knew why it didn't work and it wasn't because of that. It was because he was still in love with someone else. Regina recalled, clear as day, the way her breath caught in her throat at the implication. How a mix of emotions had flooded over her.

She had felt a spark of happiness, proof that what Robin had said, that what they had was real, had made itself evident. He didn't share True Love with Marian anymore, because of her.

Because he was in love with her.

That elation had faded quickly as she recalled the fact that he had still chosen her. Still decided to go back to his wife. She was his second choice, not his second chance as he had eloquently said that day in the hallway, both of them in the rush of newfound love. She had thought it was poetic at the time, very fitting that they had both lost their first loves only to find a second chance in each other. She had chalked it up to the whole soulmate, lion-tattoo thing. It was nice, she had to admit, to be with someone who could understand what Daniel's loss had done to her and who wouldn't even try to replace that. Just like she understood what Marian's loss must've done to him. The fact that they were both single-parents just added onto the allure. Put simply, they just understood each other.

That connection had been thrown away and it hurt.

They were soulmates, meant to be together in every way possible. She had looked into soulmate bonds after coming across a chapter about it in one of her books while she was searching for a cure for Marian. Soulmates held a special form of magic, superior to that of True Love since they were the purest form of true love. Soulmates had an unique bond with each other, one that had been forged at birth.

Two souls that had a small piece of each other, a connection that went down the inner being of the individuals. They were destined, if they ever found each other, to hold the purest form of love. Soulmates didn't have to be romantic, it could be true of any relationship, but it was at it's height of power if it was romantic.

Two souls that were alike in so many ways, literally made for each other. With that idea alone, it was entirely feasible to her that what she and Robin had shared, or what they were meant to share- that kind of love would be the most powerful thing. Stronger than Snow White and Prince Charming's epic romance. It was on a different level.

But none of that mattered now. Anything they could've had, any magic that would've come from their love was gone. Robin had seen to that when he chose Marian. She had felt that connection, had felt the kind of love that only he could ever give her. That pure understanding, the sense of belonging that was effortless, and the love that they had shared.

Their so-called great love was over now.

It always would be.

But she was feeling better about all of it, realizing that she had more than just Robin, Roland, and Henry had helped. Knowing that Mary Margaret and Tinkerbell were by her side, and now Emma, it helped to know that she wouldn't be alone this time around. Then she had to go and find out, hear the words come out of Robin's mouth himself, that he still loved her. Loved her enough that it interfered with his affections toward Marian.

And he had still chosen her.

Then proceeded to ask for her help in waking his wife up.

It was torture.

A fitting fate if she was being honest, after decades of ripping other's happy endings away, it was finally her turn to feel that pain. She accepted it with her chin up, she wasn't going to let this break her. Well, more than it already had. She would use it to prove to the town that she had changed. That she was a hero now. Maybe then they would stop thinking of her as the Evil Queen and look at her as Regina.

That's all she'd ever wanted.

To be accepted for who she is, to be accepted as she was.

Not confined to the label of being a lady, punished whenever she strayed from it. Not forced to be a mother to a young girl who had, unknowingly, taken every piece of happiness away. Not forced to wear the mantle of Queen and nothing else, just a mere body that everyone forgot about until they needed her. She didn't have any choice in anything. Not in helping her kingdom that she now had a duty to.

Not in whether or not she had to obey the summons to Leopold's chambers on various nights. Having his putrid breath engulf her, whispering the name of his dead wife as he took the last thing she had left, her innocence. Not when Rumpelstiltskin approached her with the promise of power and the tantalizing whisper of revenge, pushing her into the idea of finally making a life of her own but that had been a lie.

She was just made into an even bigger pawn.

Crafted into the very thing she had abhorred, had vowed that she would never ever become. The curse had been her fresh start, even if it had been just another manipulation, just another reminder that nobody would ever accept her for who she was, or wanted to be. She had tried to make the most of it, trying to desperately turn the tables in her favor. Now she was here, faced yet again with the fact that even her soulmate had rejected her.

Her heart whispered that it wasn't the same. He hadn't rejected her, hadn't temporarily used her in place of his wife, only to toss her aside when he could be with his wife again. Robin had been different, her heart said, and the fact that True Love's kiss didn't work was proof that what they had was real. She should understand that struggle that Robin was facing. She had come face to face with Daniel's return, while it wasn't the same, the conflicting emotions were very similar. She could understand, she did understand.

Then her mind butted in, saying that there was no point in foolishly hoping for any variance in the reality she had been thrust in. If she allowed herself to hope, it would only hurt even more. Hoping was for people like Snow White, Prince Charming, and even Henry. The people who deserved the outcome that their hope promised.

Those people weren't her.

She gazed at the table of contents, hoping one of the chapter titles would pop out to her when she heard footsteps coming down the stairs. She looked up and saw Robin approaching her. She stood up, her posture straight and perfect as it had been drilled into her as a child. Now she was using it for her own sake, to act as much like the Queen as possible, she needed that confident and impassive demeanor.

"What are you doing here?" She snapped, allowing the coldness to seep into her voice.

"My mind was in the forest but my heart took me here."

She would not soften, no matter how sweet and endearing his words were. She could not soften. "You need to go. Right now, the only way that Marian will wake up is if you give her True Love's Kiss."

"I know."

She wanted to scream at him but she forced her voice to remain level, "Then why are you here?"

"Honestly, I don't know. I just keep thinking about Marian and I-I don't think I can just fall back in love with her. Not when you're in my life."

"Which is why I can't be in your life."

"You're right but that doesn't change the fact that I don't know what to do!"

"Robin, you have to save her."

"Because it's the right thing to do?"

"Because she's your wife!" She let out an angry sigh, "Look, whatever feelings you had for me, whatever we had, that is gone. What happened between us stopped the minute you chose Marian. Now you have a duty to her, that's why you chose her. It's not fair to her if you're here instead of trying to fall back in love with her."

"I don't think I can." He caught her look and quickly continued, "And it's not that I don't want to or I feel like I can't. She's not the same. I can tell. I thought that it was just because it has been decades since I've been with Marian. Since she's been alive. But then Roland started saying the same things. How she didn't feel like a mommy. I don't know what to do!" He looked at Regina, anguish in his eyes and Regina wanted nothing more than to press kisses along his face, run her fingers through his hair and whisper words of comfort to soothe that look away, "Is it just the time that has passed? Is that what it is, just us needing to get used to her presence again?"

"Robin." Regina interrupted quickly, she could not listen to this anymore. Didn't he know what he was doing to her? Showing up, telling her all about his conflicted heart. Giving her hope. She needed him to leave, "Stop, please. Seeing you, hearing you talk about all of this. It's torture."

"For that I'm sorry. But she really does seem different. The more I think about it, the more I believe that I'm not just making it up. I don't think it's time. I think something is wrong."

"What could've happened?" Regina snapped.

"Maybe when she came back through? Technically she's not supposed to be here. She should be dead."

"Robin…"

"I know. I know. It sounds bad, but it's true. She died. Emma and Hook brought her back to the future. I have to believe that something would've changed. There has to be some cost for that."

Regina bit her lip, he did have a point.

"Is there anything you could do? I hate to ask, I know what this must be like for you and I truly am sorry. I just- if it's anything dangerous, if it's anything that could affect Roland-"

"I understand. I'll look into it."

"Thank you." He breathed, moving a bit closer. Regina knew she should back away but she couldn't bring herself to move. She had missed him so much and even just being in his presence, regardless of the tension or imaginary walls between them, it felt so good. "If there's anything I can do to help, just let me know." He said.

"Well, you could start by telling me what is different about Marian. If I had some effects of whatever might've happened, it would help narrow down the possible causes."

Robin nodded, "Of course. I think the most notable time was when Roland had a nightmare. The night he spent with you," Regina nodded her head, she remembered that, "He woke up and was asking for you. Marian straight up refused to let him go. She went so far as to yell at him that he couldn't go. He was already crying and upset and she just made it worse."

"Robin, I hate to say it, but there's really nothing wrong with that. My reputation precedes me and she had only been back a few days. Her most recent memory of me is of the Evil Queen. You can't blame her for being wary, especially when her son comes into play.

Robin shook his head emphatically, "That's not who Marian is. She met me at a dark point in my life, she is the one who encouraged and believed in me. She'd be the first person to support you, especially if I and everyone else had told her you changed. If that's not enough, she would do anything for Roland, no matter what she thought about it. She made me promise to always put him first, a promise she made as well. That is not the Marian I know."

Regina tilted her head, "Okay, I can think of a few potions and spells that could cause that kind of effect but none of it makes sense of how it could affect her. She traveled through time. I'll look into it, but there's not much recorded on time travel. That's the first time it's been successful. The best thing to do is to wake her up and figure it out from there."

"How is it going? Waking her up?"

"True Love's Kiss is the only solution right now."

"Which I can't do." Robin said, "I'm in love with someone else."

Regina closed her eyes, doing her best to suppress all the emotions that were rising in her at his words, "You can't be. The best thing for you to do is to stay away from me and find a way to fall back in love with her."

"It's not that simple."

"I know," Regina said, meeting his gaze, "I could help with that. A forgetting potion could-"

"No!" Robin's face contorted, "I don't want to forget you. I won't do that."

"Robin…" Regina sighed, "It's the best way to help Marian wake up."

"And it's out of the question. There is no way I would willingly ever choose to forget you."

"Why? Robin, you chose her. Not me. Now is not the time to think about my feelings or how this might affect me. You threw that out the window a long time ago." She growled, "This is about saving your wife and about doing what's best for Roland. He deserves his family."

"But if Marian's different, if she's dangerous, I can't let her around my son."

"That's if. Right now, Roland deserves his mother."

"Why are you fighting this so much? Doesn't it make more sense that something's different? I know my wife, and she would not act like that. I know something is wrong." Robin said passionately, his blue eyes blazing.

Regina felt her fury grow. He had chosen Marian and now he was trying to find a way out of it. Acting like he cared about her and wanted to be with her. She wanted to scream, or cry, she wanted to do something to stop this. She hated the hope flickering inside of her, hated that it meant she would only get hurt even more because when all was said and done, when Marian woke up and Robin chose her again, regardless of all the things he was saying now. She would be the one left alone. He wasn't thinking about it from her perspective. Wasn't thinking about anyone but him. The town would turn on her so fast. She had worked too hard to change, to prove that she changed and she wasn't about to risk it just because Robin was making excuses.

"Stop being so selfish." She seethed, "This is torture for me and you don't even care. What's Marian going to think when she wakes up and finds out about all of this. How is all of this going to affect Roland? Even if you're right, we can't risk that. I can't risk that. Do you know what the town might do to me if you are? What they are going to think? They would rip me apart, it would just be proof that I will forever be the Evil Queen, incapable of change, so selfish that she only thinks about herself. All the progress, all the hard work that I have done to prove otherwise would be gone."

Robin was looking at her, his blue eyes soft and filled with anguish again. She could see the fight drain out of him, could see that he finally realized how this was affecting her, how it could affect her.

"Regina…"

"Just go." She said, fixing her gaze on the floor. She couldn't look at him anymore, couldn't be around him anymore. She couldn't do this anymore. "Please, Robin. Please go."

It was a second before she heard his footsteps retreating.

She looked up, digging her nails into her palm, trying to suppress the stinging in her eyes. She would not cry. Turning toward the open book she had been looking at, needing something to distract her, she trailed a finger down the chapter titles.

Her finger stopped.

She bit her lip and flipped to the chapter. Scanning the first paragraph she felt a smirk play on her face.

This could work.