Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any unrecognizable characters and dialogue.

"Regina?" Mary Margaret's voice was gentle when she called to her former step-mother. When the older woman continued staring across the room, Mary Margaret followed her gaze. "Oh."

Evie and Harry had overtaken the loveseat tucked into the far corner of the downstairs. Harry's face was hidden against Evie's neck, his long arms wrapped tightly around her waist and torso like a weed. His broad shoulders had stopped shuddering, though if she squinted she could still detect a faint tremble that went through him with every shaky exhale.

Evie's gaze was downcast, painted lips parted as she soothingly carded her fingers through her boyfriend's dark hair. Whatever she said to him was too low for anyone to hear and, fearing she was intruding, Mary Margaret turned her attention back to Regina.

Clearing her throat, Regina wrenched her gaze away from the pair herself and met Mary Margaret's stare. "Thank you," the older woman muttered, unable to meet the eye of her former step-daughter or the woman's husband. Every part of her body, all the way down to her bones, ached horribly. According to Mother Superior, had they not managed to remove the magic suppressing cuff Hook had tricked her into putting on, the trauma from Greg's torture would have likely killed her. "For saving me."

"Like it or not," David sighed and crossed his arms. His concerned eyes swept from Regina on the bed, to his shell-shocked daughter on the stairs, then finally to where Evie and Harry sat curled around one another. "We're family."

Regina knew better than to think David's heartwarming claim was on her behalf. Evie and Henry's presence and belief in their mother had gone a long way to smooth over the jagged edges of their makeshift, messy family. "How touching." She paused, hating to add more problems but unable to hold off any longer. "I hate to break up this tender moment but unfortunately, we have bigger problems."

"They have the trigger."

All three turned to see Emma standing at the foot of the bed, her eyes flat. it wasn't exactly a question, but Regina answered all the same. "Yes."

"How do we stop it?"

"We don't."

Swallowing thickly, Regina avoided eye contact. She wouldn't apologize, fully aware it would fall on deaf ears. Her decision making when casting the Curse had been, in hindsight, rather shortsighted. But unfortunately, it couldn't be helped. Without the magic beans - thanks to Greg, Tamara and Hook burning own the fields - they were powerless to escape the destruction of Storybrooke.

"What about Henry?"

Evie's quiet voice cut through the tension in the air, though it truly did little more than add to it. She sat up, Harry still clinging to her like a limpet. He'd raised his head though, and his bloodshot eyes were fixed on the group across the room. 'What happens to him?"

Regina's mouth opened, though only a faint, trembling breath was able to escape. Alarmed by her reaction, Emma pulled herself together and attempted to ignore the fresh, bleeding wound that was Neal's death. "First things first, we need to go and get henry before we make any decisions."

Leaving Evie and Regina back at the loft, Harry joined Emma and the Charmings to go and collect Henry from Granny. As they all squeezed into David's truck, Harry turned to David. "Did you see my da, by any chance?"

He'd kept an eye out when he'd been crawling around the cannery for his erstwhile father, though hadn't seen any trace of him. Which, given his current inclination towards violence, was probably for the best.

"No," David replied apologetically. Having a parent betray you was a hurt he wouldn't wish on his worst enemy, let alone his would-be brother-in-law. "No, we didn't."

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