Something has changed. Neither of them can put a name to it, nor can they really explain what it is, but there is a softness to the way they look at each other now, a sorrowful understanding. Like two women in mourning, they come together and apart like magnets, brushing by each other as they move about the crypt, slowly packing up all the items within, but always drifting back to each other with gentle touches to the arm or back. Not a word is said, just the softest sounds of their breathing in the cool, stale air, and the soft tinkling of items being placed into a large muslin sack.

Finally, when all the jars and containers of ingredients and the most useful of books and artifacts are crammed into the sack, Emma ties the opening shut with a length of rope, sealing the items away in silence. She's loathe to break the silence first, but can't quite bear to leave the crypt yet, either.

"That's all of it," Regina says quietly from just behind Emma, her voice rough and cracking from her earlier sobs. Her dark, sad eyes are examining Emma from this angle, from the way blonde curls drape over slumped shoulders and hands hang listless at her sides. Similarities aside, it's moments like these that remind her that Emma Mills and Emma Swan are not the same person. Emma Mills was a dream, a girl play-living the happy childhood she'd always wanted yet never had, indulging in something good that was never hers to keep. Emma Swan is so much older, wearier, tired yet determined. She's a survivor of a long and less than ideal life, hell-bent on fighting for what she believes in no matter how bleak it seems. No matter how many times she's turned her away.

"Emma," she whispers, and the blonde twists around immediately like a puppy hearing its master's call, alert and attentive, her green eyes wide and hopeful in the dim light. 'Miss Swan' sets this look of defeat upon the woman's face; 'Emma' makes it look as if she's just been offered the entire world.

"Yeah?" the blonde whispers back, hoarse. Regina takes a step forward, then another, sliding into Emma's personal space as if it were entirely natural for them to share that space, and her hands settle on either side of Emma's face to cup her ever so gently, dark eyes examining the woman's features. The strong jaw, the softened dimpled chin, the pronounced cheekbones and furrowed brows. The solid green eyes, devoid of laugh lines from a life devoid of laughing, and the thin pink lips, so often pursed into a tight line, unused to smiling. She looks less and less like the little girl she remembers. Like an older version from a bizarre alternate universe.

"Come along, dear," she sighs out softly, thumb stroking across Emma's cheek before releasing her and moving towards the exit. Emma slowly hefts the giant bag over her shoulder and follows, shivering briefly in the cold night air as they step out of the mausoleum. Regina shuts and locks the heavy door behind them before heading back to the car, nodding at August when he gives them both a concerned look. Emma clambers into the backseat with the bag, resigned to a painfully silent ride back.

And it is silent. Except a hand had slipped between the seat and the door to reach back, fingers outstretched, and Emma had linked her fingers with Regina's and felt the brunette give her a squeeze, holding onto her all the way back to Mifflin.

"You'd best take the bag to Snow, she'll know what it's for," Regina tells August quietly, who nods and pats her free hand in a gesture of comfort. She smiles briefly, bids him goodnight, and steps out of the car. Emma tumbles out after her, clutching to the open car door, craving some word of acknowledgement before the older woman retires for the night. Not missing a beat, Regina steps into her chest, hugging her lightly, her head fitting into the space between Emma's neck and shoulder.

"Goodnight, Regina," Emma whispers into dark hair.

"Goodnight, Emma." And then Regina's gone, disappearing into the house, and Emma slumps back down into her seat in the back, pulling the door shut with a soft thud.

"You okay?" August ventures, gazing at her while he twists around in his seat to back out of the driveway. They pull onto the road and Emma smiles softly.

"I'm getting there."

"This is it?"

Blue's voice is shrill and Emma hates her already, and it's only nine in the morning.

"Yeah, that's it. We brought everything that might be useful."

"So there's more," Blue presses, eyes narrowing, and Emma glares.

"We brought you everything of use. That's it."

"You can't leave her anything, Princess. She can't be trusted—"

"Don't call me that," Emma growls, because only August has that right. "And you don't talk about Regina. I trust her. She said this is everything of use and I believe her."

"I think she's telling the truth," Snow quickly cuts in when she sees Blue puff up indignantly. "Regina has no reason to mess with us anymore, Blue. Surely there's plenty here for you to work with."

"I suppose," Blue sniffs, picking through the many items they've laid out on the table, and Emma bristles at the thought of the moth touching Regina's things, even if Regina had freely handed them over.

"Is that all?" Emma asks pointedly, and Snow gives her a warning look to calm down while Blue starts putting everything back into the bag.

"I will see what I can do with this," Blue tells Snow and David, hefting the filled bag with her towards the door, "and will let you know immediately if I come up with something."

"Of course. Have a good day, Blue." They wave her off, shutting the door behind her before Snow sighs exasperatedly at her daughter. "I know you don't like her much, Emma, but can you try to be more civil?"

"She's arrogant and conceited and, frankly, shady as fuck."

"Emma!" Snow scolds softly, as David turns away from his wife and tries to hide his snicker. "David!"

"What? She's not wrong." David gives a wry chuckle, rubbing at the back of his neck. "Come on, Snow. Blue's never been the most forthcoming person. I mean, she never told us that the wardrobe could take two people. She'd kept Pinocchio close by and was ready to send him through with Emma."

"She had no choice," Snow says with a grimace, looking troubled at the reminder of the brief but uncomfortable conversation they'd had with Blue after the curse had first broken. "Gepetto made her promise, otherwise he wouldn't have built the wardrobe. Besides, August took good care of Emma."

It's a sore point that everyone has avoided talking about thus far, something that had been overlooked during the initial chaos of everyone having her memories back and trying to reunite with their families, but Emma's face darkens and she scowls.

"Yeah, I love him, but you know what? I could've grown up with a mom, or a dad. One of you could have stayed with me, instead of August and I both suffering through the system. I can't believe you'd fucking gloss over that like it's not a big deal just because everything turned out okay."

"Emma—" Snow starts, dismayed, but Emma is already shoving her feet into her boots and grabbing her coat.

"Save it. Blue is an asshole and you should really reconsider who you call a friend."

She yanks at the door, hearing a satisfying slam as it shuts behind her, and hurries her way down the staircase and out into the brisk morning. The pale sun reflects brightly off the snow covered streets and she squints, heading off at a quick pace towards town center.

The diner is quiet this morning, most people more interested in enjoying the bright weather and playing in the snow. Emma drops down at a stool by the counter and smiles as Ruby approaches, the brunette twirling red-streaked hair around a finger and snapping gum.

"Morning Ems," she greets, looking pleased. "Your usual?"

"Yeah, thanks."

Ruby puts in the order and slips off to clear a vacated table, leaving Emma to sip a mug of coffee while she waits. A moment later and Granny appears from the kitchen with a small plate in hand, setting a bearclaw in front of the blonde.

"How'd you know it was me out here?" Emma asks, grinning as she immediately picks up the sticky pastry and takes a bite.

"You're the only person who orders a grilled bacon and cheese for breakfast," the older woman scoffs, reaching across the counter to pinch Emma's cheek like she used to back when Emma was a round-faced child. "How are you, munchkin?"

Like August calling her 'princess,' Granny's the only one she allows to call her munchkin, though she still rolls her eyes fondly in exasperation every time.

"I'm fine, Gran. Starving, though."

"You're always hungry," Granny snorts, heading back towards the kitchen while Emma finishes her bearclaw, licking her fingers clean with careful precision. Ruby returns behind the counter and quirks a brow at her.

"Would you like to lick the plate clean, too?"

"Piss off," Emma laughs, swiping her damp fingers on a napkin as Ruby takes the empty plate away and returns a moment later with a large take-out bag and a tray with two drinks. "What's this?"

"Your usual and Regina's usual," Ruby says casually, shrugging. "On the house."

Emma blinks. She's been wanting to return to Mifflin ever since they left last night, but she's never visited during the day.

"Rubes..."

"You should go, Em. August told me what happened last night." Ruby grabs her hand on the counter and gives her a reassuring squeeze. "I bet she'll appreciate it."

Considering it, Emma stands up and purses her lips as Ruby shoves the food and drink tray into her hands.

"Really. Go bring her breakfast."

"And tell her to start getting her ass back in here. Town's quiet again and I miss her," Granny shouts from the kitchen. Amused, Emma shakes her head and moves towards the door.

"Will do. See you later Rubes, Granny!"

What confidence she'd gained from the diner fades the closer she gets to Mifflin Street, but she's already come this far and something keeps pulling her onwards, eager to see the other woman again. The property is quiet when she approaches; with the town having calmed and become complacent again, August and Ruby don't linger during the day anymore, only coming round at night. The newly installed security cameras glint from their various places around the mansion and Emma checks them all with a nod before carefully knocking at the door with her boot, her hands full.

A solid minute later, there's a quiet "Who is it?" from further in the house, as if Regina were wary of getting too close to the front door.

Emma grins. "August installed the security monitor in the foyer for a reason, Regina."

There's the soft click of multiple locks, followed by the door opening just a few inches, dark and hesitant eyes peering out at her from the narrow gap.

"Emma?" she says, surprise and disbelief in her tone, though it's soft and relieved, too. "What are you doing here?"

Holding up the bag and drink tray in her hands, Emma tilts her head and smiles lopsidedly. "I brought breakfast."

Regina hesitates, eyes widening, and Emma forges onwards before she has a chance to decline.

"Granny made your favourite."

Seemingly swayed by the offer of a fresh frittata from Granny's, Regina pulls the door open the rest of the way, stepping aside as Emma thumps inside and toes off her boots. The front door is shut and securely locked again before she turns to give the blonde an assessing look, waiting for some sort of... confirmation, perhaps. That the night previous hadn't just been some fever dream. Emma assuages her fears immediately by stepping forward to embrace her ever so carefully, cheek resting lightly against the side of Regina's head as the brunette sinks into her.

"Good morning," Emma murmurs into dark hair. Regina hums in acknowledgment, soaking in the younger woman's warmth before slowly pulling away and leading her to the kitchen. They grab plates and dish out their food, settling across from each other at the breakfast bar like they used to, and it's strange but also oddly therapeutic to be in this moment as equals now rather than an adult and a child. Emma slurps at her hot cocoa and takes another large bite out of her grilled cheese, and Regina can't quite resist a wry smile.

"You eat like a child."

Emma blushes, licking up crumbs from her lower lip as she grins and swipes a napkin across her mouth, mumbling, "Sorry, Gina," and Regina's smile wavers with a touch of mourning, but her eyes are warm like melted chocolate and her fingers rest briefly over Emma's on the granite island top. Neither say anything more than that, content to eat in companionable silence, but it feels like a new step in their path to acceptance, and for now, that's enough.

In the weeks that follow, their nightly routine slowly transitions to daytime visits, less and less time spent on opposite sides of the backyard window, instead replaced with breakfast deliveries and hot coffees, or quiet dinners followed by glasses of wine in the living room. Emma's presence in the Mills mansion edges its way back to the way it used to be, much to Snow's chagrin, and Ruby and August's patrols outside lessen as it becomes clear the town has lost interest in the fallen Queen, as self-absorbed as they are.

They may not dare to call each other friends quite yet, but they're still family, despite all that's happened.

It's with that in mind that Emma suggests a trip to Granny's one morning, when she arrives empty handed and earlier than usual. Regina's usually soft demeanor goes rigid at the idea, scowling at Emma as if to say, how dare you change this pleasant routine we've fallen into?

But Emma is stubborn and Granny hasn't stopped pestering her about bringing Regina around again, and besides, she's hungry, so after ten minutes of pleading and whining and bringing out her best puppy-dog-eyes—which are still entirely effective, thank you very much, regardless of her age—Regina finally gives in and throws on a coat, her irritation softened by the affectionate roll of her eyes.

It is another one of the many things they don't talk about, but Regina has grown to—dare she say it—love this version of Emma too, even if that affection is forever tinged with mourning. It gets easier to think of this Emma and little Emma as two separate people, even if they will forever be entwined.

"Absolutely not," is the first thing Regina says when they step outside and Emma moves towards her beloved yellow Bug. The blonde pouts, but Regina promptly ignores her and heads for her Mercedes, refusing to get into the ugly death trap she'd believed to be August's for so long. Besides, Emma Swan had been a six year old child not that long ago, she doesn't trust her driving even if she's an adult now.

Emma circles the car, automatically going for the backseat before staring through the window at the booster seat that was never removed, her hand wincing away from the handle. She slides into the passenger side for the first time instead, feeling odd as Regina settles in next to her and starts the vehicle. Regina twists around to back out of the driveway, eyes landing on the booster and wavering briefly before she focuses on driving.

Neither say a word, too lost in memories to mention the elephant in the car.

The drive to the diner is quick and they slide into an empty parking spot out front, having just missed the worst of the breakfast crowd. Still, there are enough people inside who go silent at their entrance, Regina avoiding eye contact and allowing Emma to lead her to their usual empty booth in the back. No one says a word, especially not at the warning glare Emma shoots everyone, and Ruby is the only one who looks delighted to see them out and about.

"Emma! Regina!" She nearly jumps the counter in her rush to get to them, happily pulling both women into a group hug before they have a chance to sit. Regina flushes at the display of affection, more so when Granny hustles out of the kitchen to join in the greetings.

"Look who finally decided to grace my diner again," Granny teases, daring to pinch Regina's cheek. There are gasps among the lingering breakfast crowd, horrified to see what the Evil Queen might do in retribution, but Regina simply ducks her head and chuckles low, leaning forward to hug the elder woman. She's missed Granny, especially as the woman's been busy with the diner and hasn't visited her nearly as often as Ruby has. "Good lord, you've gotten skinnier. That won't do at all! Let me whip you up something filling. Your usual greasy fare for you, Emma?"

At Emma's nod, Granny hurries back into the kitchen like a woman on a mission, humming happily under her breath. Ruby is quick to bring over their usual drinks as Emma and Regina settle into their booth, Emma purposely taking the bench facing the rest of the restaurant so that no one can sneak up on them. With a town full of fairytale characters who grew up in a medieval world, she knows the potential for trouble is high, and she's not about to let anyone ruin Regina's first day back out on the town.

"I've missed this place," Regina admits after a long moment of quiet contemplation, smiling even as she turns up her nose a little at the peeling laminate tables and the old tarnished decor. The place is stuck in the 80's despite Storybrooke slowly catching up with the modern world, but this very booth also holds many precious memories of her time together with little Emma.

They could come here more often, Emma thinks, but she doesn't try to push it just yet, instead responding with a quiet smile as Regina slowly relaxes in her seat and sips at her coffee. Their food arrives minutes later, two large combo plates nearly overflowing with hot food, and Emma tucks in just as eagerly as always while Regina eats primly, hiding her smile ever so often when she has to point out ketchup smears on the edges of Emma's lips, which the blonde hastily swipes at with sheepish grins and twinkling eyes.

It's not the same, but it's nice, too.

It is. Until Emma feels the burning sensation of eyes staring through her, and finally drags her attention away from Regina's warm expression to find Blue glaring daggers at her from across the diner where she sits alone.

She stiffens, immediately defensive, and Regina notes her mood change in an instant, her smile dropping into one of concern.

"What is it, Emma?" she asks, one hand landing atop Emma's on the table with a comforting squeeze as she twists around, casting a quick glance around the diner. She hasn't spotted Blue yet, but the nun has caught the movement of their hands momentarily clasped on the table and her disgust makes itself evident in the way she curls her lip and narrows her eyes.

"Nothing," Emma says quickly, tugging on the fingers entwined with hers and pulling Regina's baffled eyes back to herself. She flutters her free hand in the air as if swatting away a fruit fly. "Just a bug. Nothing to worry about."

It's childish, but she says it clearly enough that Blue can hear her, the other woman gritting her teeth and silently sweeping out of the establishment, Regina none the wiser. This is the first time Emma's gotten Regina to leave the house during the day and she refuses to let Blue ruin it with her petty feud.

Regina, meanwhile, has already become distracted by another small smudge of ketchup on the edge of Emma's mouth, because really, the blonde is incapable of eating slowly like a civilized human being. She makes a tapping motion on her own face to alert Emma, and the younger woman swipes at her face a few times, still missing the spot that's right there.

"Honestly," Regina huffs, reaching across the table with a napkin to get it herself, but Emma's bright grin is mirrored and she cannot hide the glitter of amusement in her eyes.

What they have may not be conventional or even anywhere within the realm of normal, but it's theirs, and they're okay with that.

Some, however, are not nearly as accepting of things they don't understand. Take one mother superior, otherwise known as Blue, or Ruehl Gorm.

"I don't understand," Snow says, fingers twisting together in an unusually nervous display, her brows knit together into a frown as Blue digs through the piles of books and artifacts spread across her desk at the convent. They're the things Regina had willingly given to them for their research into a way back to the Enchanted Forest, and even Snow does not feel fully comfortable watching Blue fiddle with them now in this angry, eerily cold manner of hers.

"She has bewitched your daughter," Blue snaps, finally finding what she'd been looking for and clearing a space on her desk for what looks to be a vial of transparent green liquid. "Why do you think Emma wants to stay here with her, instead of returning to her rightful home with you? How has she convinced you, rightful Queen of the Enchanted Forest, to remain in this cursed town with her?"

Snow winces, ashamed at once. She'd tried not to think of it before, how she and David were willing to stay here with Emma while the rest of the population either traveled out of Storybrooke or returned to the forest without a queen—if that was even possible, considering their inability to find a way back so far—but Blue is right. This isn't the life she wanted, not for herself or her husband, and certainly not for Emma. Was her daughter's desire to stay here truly her own, or was it because of Regina's influence?

"You know I'm right," Blue continues with a sniff, throwing books aside until she finds one she wants, and she sets it next to the vial of green liquid and starts flipping through the pages, searching and somehow knowing exactly what she's looking for. Snow is too caught up in her own turmoil to notice it. "Luckily for you, I know exactly how to fix this."

"What? How?" Snow looks up with wide eyes, startled by the fairy's blunt proclamation. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to remove the problem." Blue seems to find what she's looking for, smiling down at the page in a way that makes Snow nervous. Has the tiny woman always been this intense? Snow isn't sure she's ever seen her like this before.

"You're... you're not going to hurt Regina, are you?" She can never forgive Regina for what she's done, for what they've all gone through, but a part of her has always wished the woman could find her way back to that gentle young girl who'd saved her from a spooked horse. The woman who looked at a child version of Emma with so much motherly love, who had given Emma the childhood she'd never had, if even only for a short while. Snow hates that she's missed out on Emma's life, hates that Regina got to mother her daughter for a time, but these past months have proven to her that Regina doesn't deserve any more pain or suffering in life. She could be redeemed.

She could be good again.

"I don't want to hurt Regina," Snow says a little louder, more certain. Even if Regina is somehow responsible for Emma turning her back on the Enchanted Forest, there surely must be a way to stop this nonsense without violence.

"We don't need to," Blue says, sitting back in her chair with her fingers steepled together, a pleased look on her face. "All I need is a hair from Emma, and something of hers from when she was a child in this town."

"It won't hurt Emma either, will it?" Snow blinks, momentarily appalled at herself for even insinuating that Blue would ever do something that could hurt Emma... and yet, she cannot help but wonder.

"Of course not, dear Snow," Blue says, her face suddenly sympathetic. "It's going to help Emma. It will help her overcome her unusual obsession with the Evil Queen. Don't you want to help your daughter, Snow?"

Of course she wants to help her daughter. At the very least, she wants to make sure that the choice to stay here in this world with Regina is Emma's choice, her real one, and not one borne of witchcraft. And it's with that in mind that Snow had delivered a strand of Emma's hair and the cute miniature red leather jacket she'd stolen from the back of Emma's yellow bug, taking the now-darkened green potion from Blue after the fairy had made the necessary alterations to it. Her stomach roils with guilt and uncertainty, but she needs to be sure Emma is thinking clearly. If Emma still wants to stay in Storybrooke after this, then she'll respect that decision. That's fair, isn't it?

Pacing the loft, she nearly jumps at the rattle of a key in the lock. Giving the potion in her pocket one more pat, she quickly puts on a kettle as Emma enters, the blonde immediately shedding her coat in the warm loft and flashing a brief smile at her mother.

"Hi."

"Hi, Emma," Snow chirps, already too cheerful. Emma misunderstands it as her attempts to reconnect after their last few terse, irritable conversations regarding Emma spending more and more time with Regina, and simply moves to sit at the kitchen island with a nod. If her mother wants to have a pleasant little chat over a cup of tea, she can plaster on a smile and act like this is normal for them.

"What's up? Where's Dad?"

"Out with August," Snow offers, which is the convenient truth. The men have become good friends of sorts, and they work well together, going on patrols and keeping an eye on the town as Emma's unofficial deputies. "Do you like green tea?"

"Uh, sure." Emma picks at the fruit bowl in the center of the island before opting for one of the muffins on a nearby plate, peeling the paper away and stuffing half of it in her mouth. Snow takes longer than usual to prepare their drinks, but eventually turns around with two mugs full of steaming green tea, pushing one across to Emma. The blonde lets it sit for a while, munching on the rest of her muffin while Snow prattles on aimlessly about her day. When she finally deems it a safe temperature to drink, she takes a big gulp to wash down her muffin and promptly screws up her face in a grimace.

"What?" Snow asks, her voice a few pitches higher than usual.

"That's really bitter. Can I have some sugar? Am I allowed to add sugar to green tea?"

"Oh! Of course. Sure." The sugar container is passed over, Emma dumping a few spoonfuls into her mug and stirring it in before taking another tentative sip. Still, despite the sweet addition, the tea tastes off to her. She may not drink green tea often, but she's sure it's not supposed to taste like that.

"Are you sure this stuff is good? Can tea go bad?"

"Oh, this is... Um, it's imported green tea. Extra bitter. I hear it's good for you!"

"Sure..." Emma looks unconvinced, but she politely continues to sip at her tea when Snow makes a show of drinking her own. She's two thirds through the bitter concoction when she first feels it, the mild discomfort bubbling in her belly like a stomach ache. She sets the mug down with a frown, one hand rubbing at her stomach as Snow immediately stops mid-conversation, eyes zeroing in on the movement.

"Emma? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I uh... Just an upset stomach. Must've eaten that muffin too fast. I'm just gonna use the washroom."

She stands, moving to the bathroom. Halfway there, she hunches over with a groan, both arms clamping around her midsection as the weird bubbling discomfort turns into a sharp stabbing pain. Snow is immediately by her side, holding her up as she sways. Up isn't exactly where she wants to be, though, not when the pain grows and makes her want to curl up into the fetal position. As is, she drops down to her knees with a hiss of breath as the pain migrates up her chest like an angry case of heartburn. Except heartburn isn't supposed to feel like it's tearing you into two, and that's exactly what it feels like as Emma smacks her clenched fists to the hardwood and sucks in a pained breath.

"Call Regina," is the first thing she manages to gasp out, the pain growing too large and unnatural for her to care about the hurt look on her mother's face. Regina knows magic, Regina can help. Except Snow isn't moving, remaining in a kneeling position next to Emma and rubbing her back soothingly, and the tugging pain is so all-encompassing that Emma's afraid she's going to throw up any second now.

"What's happening to her?" she hears Snow ask in a frantic tone. She moans, twisting to look up, and finds Blue standing just within the doorway, a smug look on her face.

"Exactly what I said would happen. She's being separated from her connection to Regina. Fear not, Snow. It will all be over in a moment."

Emma would punch that smug look off the bitch's face if she could. She should have known. And, worse is that her mother is apparently a part of it, even though she looks like she hadn't expected any of this to happen. Shoving away Snow's attempts at comfort, Emma tries to crawl further away, though she can't move far without the nausea sending her head spinning. It hurts, the tearing sensation inside of her that only continues to grow, like she's slowly being ripped in half, stitch by stitch. She wants Regina, wants the woman who has made her feel safe and comforted and loved, and tears spring unbidden to her eyes as she realizes that she has no way of getting to Regina, no way of getting Regina to her.

"Emma, Emma, it's okay, it will be over soon," Snow pleads, already in tears at the sight of her daughter curled up on the ground, sobbing in pain. She tries to pull Emma into her lap, to hold her until Blue's magic is done its work, but the blonde flinches away from her touch and only scrambles further across the floor.

"No! Gina! I want Gina!" Emma cries, her voice choked and warbling, too high, too child-like. Snow looks to Blue, stricken.

"What's happening?" she demands, fear rising within her. This wasn't what Blue had promised. This wasn't what they'd agreed on. "You promised it wouldn't hurt her! What have you done?!"

"She'll be fine in a few minutes, I promise," Blue says, smiling sharply, but Snow has already realized her mistake.

She'd trusted the wrong person, and now something bad is happening to Emma.

"Emma, I'm sorry," Snow whimpers, hovering as Emma continues twisting away from her even as she writhes painfully on the floor. "Please, what do I do? How do I help you?"

She knows the answer, though, knows who Emma will ask for, and she immediately snatches Emma's cellphone from where it had fallen to the floor and calls Regina. It rings as Emma gives out another pained cry, and when Regina answers with a soft, "Hello, Emma?" Snow wants to sob in frustration.

"Emma needs you," Snow says, moments before another wail of pain pierces the air, and there's a sharp intake of air before Regina demands to know where they are. "My loft. Please, hurry!"

The line goes dead and Snow drops the phone, knowing Regina is on her way even as Blue scowls at her from across the loft.

"You shouldn't have done that," Blue says, sneering, but she doesn't look too bothered. "Regardless, what's done is done. Emma will be without that witch's influence in a few minutes, and then we'll see what the Evil Queen has to say for herself. Step back, Snow."

Snow opens her mouth to argue, but one look at Emma has her yelping and pulling back. Emma's entire body is vibrating so fiercely that she looks like a shivering blur, her form unfocused, the lines of her body wobbling as if she's not quite solid anymore. She's hunched over, clutching at herself, hands clawing at her own chest, and suddenly one becomes two as a second body starts to pull away from Emma's torso, a smaller body. Little Emma, Snow thinks in shock, watching as the little six year old girl is forcibly ejected from Emma even as Emma circles her arms around the girl, trying to hold her in, trying to keep her cradled safely within her arms.

"No! Please!" Emma cries out, her voice torn and agonized, her face red and streaked with tears as the weird, blurry glow around her bodies grows brighter. The magic is ripping her in half, taking away the part of her that had been Regina's, the little girl that had gotten to experience love and happiness. She can feel it tearing from her soul as the child is formed, and all she can do is sob and cling to her, not wanting to lose the most precious part of herself. The little Emma finally makes a sound, a high pitched cry as their bodies solidify as two separate beings, and the adult Emma wails with loss.

Snow reaches out, wanting to hold both, but Blue swoops in and grabs the wrist of little Emma, suddenly and quite viciously yanking the glowing girl up and out of Emma's arms. It's then that Snow can really see it, the bright thread coming from both Emmas' chests right over their hearts, the last thing linking them together.

"No!" the girl shrieks, kicking and screaming and fighting off her captor. "Help me! Gina! GINA!"

Emma sobs, struggling to get to her hands and knees, the pain too excruciating and leaving her debilitated. "Please," she begs, reaching weakly for her little counterpart, even as Blue dangles the child from one arm while reaching into her pocket. Blue pulls out a pair of shears, bronze and rusty and archaic looking, and Snow knows there's no going back, knows she will have lost her daughter forever if she allows this to happen.

She curls her legs underneath her and lunges, reaching out as Blue prepares to cut the thread, and she feels the shears slice her palm as she grabs them, pushing the little girl back towards Emma as she and Blue land hard on the floor, immediately fighting for the shears.

"Stop it, Snow!" Blue snarls, her face contorted into one of fury even as Snow wrestles the shears from her, paying no mind to the white hot pain on her palm or the blood they're smearing on each other. "I have to cut the thread and sever the connection before that thing can survive!"

"She's a child!" Snow shouts back, horrified at what her friend has become. Has Blue always been like this? Cold, clinical? Regarding that little girl, that part of Emma, as if she were an inconvenience easily gotten rid of with magic?

As they struggle, Emma and her little half cling to each other, the girl curled into the woman's arms, both crying hard as pain wracks through their bodies. Being forcibly torn from each other has left them in shock, with nothing but the glowing thread between them to reassure them of their connection. The glow of the little Emma is dimming, her body growing more solid, more physical, and small fingers cling to Emma's shirt as the older Emma holds her protectively.

There's no rejoining them. They know it, they can feel it in their very cores. As the little Emma's glow fades completely, so does the pain. The thread between them, the one linking their hearts seems to fade from view as well, but Emma can still feel it there, knows that she is forever linked to the little version of herself in her arms.

There's a cry of pain across the room, and Blue suddenly jumps to her feet, clutching the shears in victory as Snow struggles to stand, clutching at her arm as blood drips to the ground. Emma scrambles up and immediately puts herself between the fairy and her little self, lip curled in an angry sneer.

"Stay back!" Emma growls, fighting the exhaustion and dizziness threatening to topple her. Her little half isn't doing much better, only half conscious as she weakly clings to the back of Emma's shirt, the both of them too worn out from their forced separation to do much else. Blue, however, regards them with disgust, lowering the shears to her side.

"You fool!" Blue shouts at Snow. "Look what you've done! The child has solidified. She could have simply disappeared from existence, but you had to stop me!"

"I would have never agreed if I knew this was what you'd do," Snow says, low and quiet, moving to place herself between Blue and the two Emmas even as she leaves a trail of blood across the hardwood. "I should have never agreed at all."

Blue opens her mouth, ready with more scathing words, but it's then that Regina, August, and David burst into the loft.

Their first sight is that of Blue holding a pair of shears and Snow standing there bleeding, and Blue doesn't stand much of a chance when August and David attack, pinning her to the ground and prying the weapon away from her. Regina goes immediately to Snow, eyes tracking the blood dripping from her arm before she grabs the woman's uninjured shoulder.

"Emma," she says urgently, "Where's Emma? What happened?"

Snow turns, wordlessly motioning across the open space to where Emma is curled up on the floor with the child in her arms, and she resigns herself to standing back and watching from afar as Regina rushes to the blondes.

She may have finally done the right thing in the end, but perhaps she has lost Emma regardless. Both of her.

"Emma...?"

Emma looks up, slow and sluggish, her body finally registering all the trauma it's just gone through and leaving her on the cusp of passing out. Still, she cradles her little half protectively in her arms, allowing the small child to hide her face against her chest, her shirt soaking up little tears.

"R'gina," Emma slurs, managing a small, wobbly smile. "S'okay. We're still here. Didn't let Blue take her from me."

"Who— who is that?" Regina asks breathlessly, crouching next to her, her eyes locked on the little blonde head snuggled against Emma's chest.

"Me," Emma says with a satisfied smile. "Blue tried to cut her out of me and get rid of her, but we're still here. We still remember."

It's then that the child lifts her head, tear stained cheeks glistening as she peers up at Regina with big, familiar green eyes, and Regina chokes back a sob at the face she'd never thought she'd see again.

"Hi Gina," the little Emma whispers, blinking tiredly. She uncurls from Emma's arms and reaches out, whining softly, her eyes drifting shut with exhaustion after Regina instinctively picks her up and holds her close. Teary brown eyes meet darker green ones, stunned and questioning, and Emma just smiles peacefully at the sight of the two of them, the little Emma back in Regina's arms where she belongs.

"I'm glad you have her back," Emma murmurs, and then her eyes roll back and she kind of crumples the rest of the way to the floor, unconscious even as Regina shakes her shoulder with a short cry of alarm.

"Emma? Emma!" The child is dead weight in her arms, apparently as unconscious as Emma is, and Regina can only fret over them both until August hurries to kneel next to her, checking Emma's pulse and searching her over for injuries.

"We can take them to the hospital," he says, gaze bouncing between the two Emmas with equal amounts confusion and concern, and Regina just nods, already clambering to her feet with the six year old cradled in her arms. August grunts and manages to pick Emma up from the floor, and both turn to find David trying to tend to an unusually silent Snow while Blue is left handcuffed and gagged on the ground.

"We're taking them to the hospital," August announces unnecessarily, expecting resistance when he notices Snow staring at the child in Regina's arms. But the woman just nods, eyes flickering to the adult Emma with guilt and regret, and August wastes no more time, hurrying on out of the loft with Regina at his heels.

"You should see a doctor too," David says softly, eyeing the cuts on Snow's shoulder and hand. She nods, numb, then glances over to where Blue struggles and glares up at them.

"Let's make sure she's put into a cell first."

"But Snow—"

"She tried to kill that child, David. She tried to kill the part of Emma that had lived a good childhood with Regina. We're putting her in a cell before we go to the hospital."

"Regina... Regina?"

Regina groans, blinking open her eyes to find August peering down at her, a cup of coffee in each hand. It takes her a moment to remember where she is, peering around the dimly lit room and taking note of the private hospital room and the two beds, adult Emma sleeping in one while she lays in the other, little Emma still stubbornly clinging to her even in sleep.

The doctors had declared both blondes to be fine, healthy even, aside from a severe case of exhaustion from whatever magical trauma had ripped them apart in the first place. Both were put on IVs for fluids and left to rest under supervision, Regina and August refusing to leave even after visiting hours had ended. Besides, the little Emma would cry out every time nurses tried to pry her from Regina's arms, and so they remained attached at the hip.

"What time is it?" Regina finally asks after a moment, yawning and stretching out her legs a little. It takes some maneuvering, but she manages to sit up in bed without jostling the child, accepting the coffee from August with a hum of thanks.

"Almost ten. Ruby and Granny are on their way as soon as they lock up the diner." August perches on the side of the other bed, his hand resting on Emma's knee. "I, uh, bumped into Snow and David on my way back from the cafeteria. She was getting her hand and shoulder stitched up."

"Is she alright?" Regina asks. She still doesn't like Snow, but the woman had called her for Emma, and seemed to have been protecting her from Blue when they'd arrived. August's expression grows dark, however, as he relays what Snow had told him, and though Regina looks angry by the end of it, she doesn't look nearly as angry as he'd expected.

"You're not spitting fire yet," he says after a few minutes of silence, watching the way Regina gently runs her fingers through the soft blonde curls of the child in her arms. Brown eyes flicker away, guilty.

"I am mad," she insists, frowning. "But..."

"But now there's adult Emma and there's your Emma, and you can't be mad about that," August surmises, smiling wryly when Regina gives him a startled look. "I figured. I know how much you love that little girl."

"I love Emma too," Regina defends immediately, but flushes when she realizes what she's just admitted out loud. She looks to the adult Emma, relieved to find her still asleep, then lowers her voice. "I just... I love them both in a different way. Now that they're both here..."

She hesitates, leaning down to press a soft kiss to little Emma's crown before looking away, chewing on her lower lip. "Is that selfish of me?"

"No," comes a quiet reply, but it's not August's voice that responds to her. She turns, wide eyed, and August looks equally as surprised as they both meet the adult Emma's gaze.

"It's super weird," Emma admits after a moment, smiling wryly as they both stare at her. "Me and the munchkin are still connected, sort of. I can feel her soul linked to mine. We share some memories. But we both love you in a different way, and even though the separation hurt like a bitch, we don't regret it, either."

"Language, 'Mma," the little Emma grumbles without opening her eyes, yawning and stretching herself out a little before sinking back down against Regina with a contented hum. Regina gently rubs at her back and gives the adult Emma a wide-eyed look.

"You mean..."

"I mean she gets to love you as her mother, and I get to love you in my own way," Emma says, before ducking her head and smiling apologetically, sheepish and clearly embarrassed. "If... if you're okay with that..."

Realizing that perhaps he should give them some privacy for this, August stands and promises to be back later, leaning down to press a quick kiss to both Emmas' foreheads before slipping from the room and shutting it behind him. After a few moments of silence, Emma looks up to find Regina regarding her with a soft look on her face, brown eyes warm and glittering in the dim light from the bedside lamp.

"You love me, hmm?" Regina questions, almost teasing. Emma feels herself blushing hotly.

"As if I didn't tell you every single day."

"I didn't realize it was a romantic love."

"I thought we were heading towards that."

"When I was your mother or when I was your friend?" Regina quirks a brow, smirking when Emma chokes on her own spit.

"Regina, eww, oh my god—"

"Gina, stop that, she's all embarrassed," a little voice huffs, exasperated, and both women look down at the child in amusement. "Sides, you're my Mommy, not hers."

Emma rolls her eyes and blushes while Regina laughs, setting down her coffee so that she can adjust the child in her arms and give her eskimo kisses, their noses rubbing together.

"I will always be your Mommy for as long as you want me," Regina whispers, relishing in the way little Emma snuggles against her, accepting her love without hesitation and giving it back tenfold. Her heart feels so full, so ready to burst, so in love with this little girl that her soul has claimed as her own. "I love you, baby."

"Love you too, Mommy," little Emma preens, turning her head to stick her tongue out at her adult half. When Regina finally looks back up with wet eyes, the adult Emma is sitting up in bed, smiling at them with a dopey look.

"Come here," she says, holding out a hand for her. Emma falters, uncertain.

"It's not weird for you?" she asks, almost timid. Regina softens.

"Emma, it took time, but I grew to see you as a different person. I grew to love my best friend. Now that I have my daughter back, that doesn't change. I still love you both. Now come here, please?"

Slowly, Emma slips from her bed and climbs in next to them, relaxing as Regina's familiar warmth snuggles up against her side, little Emma burrowing between them like a kitten seeking the warmest, snuggliest spot. Within minutes she's snoring, tiny little snuffling sounds escaping her as she lays there, small hands clutching both their shirts. The adults cannot help but exchange amused smiles over her head.

"I guess Snow and Blue ended up unintentionally doing us a favor," Emma says quietly after a moment, trying to make light of the situation. Regina knows better, though, and catches the flicker of hurt in those green eyes she adores so much.

"Your mother never meant to hurt you, Emma. She just... she made a mistake."

"Little me was almost cut out of existence because of her," Emma says hoarsely, her anger just below the surface. Mistake or not, Snow had betrayed her.

"Hey, listen to me." Regina reaches up, hand gently cupping Emma's cheek and feeling the younger woman lean into the touch. "What matters is that you're here. You're both here, and we're all okay. Let's just... let's just be happy for a while, okay? We can deal with them later."

"Yeah... Okay." Emma blinks slowly, lifting her hand to rest over Regina's. Their fingers entwine, slowly lowering so that their clasped hands rest over the child on their lap, the magical daughter snuggled up between them. "Could you... could you ever love me? As more than a best friend?"

Regina leans forward, their noses brushing, and Emma feels her own heart skip a beat.

"I'm already starting to, Miss Swan."

And then she's closed the distance, red lips against pink ones, a soft, chaste kiss. A promise.

A/N: Just wanted to say a big thank you to my readers who have stuck with me through the years. Working on TV shows is soul sucking and I don't have the energy to write as much as I want to, so I'm forever thankful for your patience and support. That said, this story isn't over just yet, darlings. There's still plenty for them to figure out, Snow has a lot of groveling to do, and last I checked, Jefferson's still out there. Plus, lots of jealous shenanigans between little!Emma wanting her Mommy's attention, and big!Emma trying to date Regina. Stay tuned!