Thanks again for all the great feedback! It is so much more fun to write knowing that people are interested and enjoying this story. I know a few of you were hoping for more Regina/Snow interaction, so I really hope you like this chapter. Let me know! :)

Chapter 5 - Not the Queen

Regina sat alone in the garden for almost an hour, thinking over everything that had happened and trying to decide how she would respond. When she finally returned to the large hall, the lamps had been dimmed and many of the townspeople were asleep or whispering quietly amongst themselves. Snow, David and Phillip we're still sitting at a table at the other end of the room, leaning over what appeared to be a large map.

Regina paused when she saw them, knowing that she needed to make a decision. Snow and David had openly and enthusiastically invited her to join with them, but should she? What other options did she really even have?

She considered this for a moment, looking around at the quiet room from where she stood in the doorway. A sudden rush of determination enveloped her and, steeling herself, she walked as confidently as she could across the spacious room. The princes and princess looked up as she quietly approached the table and Snow quickly moved over to give her stepmother a clearer view of the map.

"Ah, Regina," she said pointedly. "We were just trying to decide which road would likely be the safest for the journey back to the White Isle. What do you think?"

Regina moved closer to the table and sat down, turning to face the other woman directly without uttering a word of response. Something passed between the two women as their eyes met, however, something very unfamiliar. Regina smiled softly as she turned from Snow's beaming face and began to examine the map more carefully.

The following morning, the former queen found herself mounted upon a beautiful black horse and riding slowly through a familiar area of the forest. The caravan of Storybrooke's former residents stretched hundreds of yards behind her as she followed a few paces behind the newly restored prince and princess. Phillip had also decided to accompany them as they trekked toward the remains of the White Kingdom, which Regina and then Snow and her Prince Charming had ruled in turn so long ago.

This is so surreal, Regina thought to herself as she surveyed the surrounding woods.

They had been gone for almost three decades, but the land they were riding through looked almost exactly as it had when they left. The trees were a bit larger and the road had become overgrown, but the horses, wagons, and those on foot were still making good time. Regina had been surprised to learn from Phillip and Aurora that the curse had also frozen this land in time, but she quickly decided that they were lucky it had. It would be much easier to repair one year's worth of damage to the kingdom's infrastructure than 30 years' worth.

Lost in this contemplation, Regina did not notice that Snow had turned and paused until their horses were side by side. The princess cleared her throat quietly and Regina jerked suddenly around to face her. She was still trying to get used to being on good terms with all of these people, especially Snow, and she couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive around them.

"You know," Snow began with a small smile, "I was just thinking about that first day in Neverland, just before Emma fell into the water."

Regina was a little surprised by this topic of conversation, but listened attentively as the other woman continued.

"I had forgotten this until just now, but I distinctly remember you asking me if we should try to win the mermaid over with my 'rainbow kisses and unicorn stickers.'" She smiled coyly as she glanced sideways at Regina, who had actually snorted in spite of herself as the memory of that argument flooded back into her mind. She smiled mischieviously back at Snow, who was grinning openly now, and replied. "Oh yes, and if I remember correctly, you punched me right in the face shortly afterward."

"Right, sorry about that," Snow replied sheepishly. "To be fair, you did get some decent hits in as well."

Both women were now laughing openly, much to the wonderment of those following behind them, and it took a moment for Regina to compose herself enough to respond.

"Well I suppose after everything that had happened between us, a good, old-fashioned cat fight was bound to happen eventually."

"Yes," Snow sighed as her laughter finally subsided. "I suppose you are probably right." She turned and looked back at the trailing crowd of people, wagons and animals and quickly brought her mount to a halt before sliding off. "I think I am going to walk for a little while and stretch my legs," she said to both Regina and her husband, who had turned to see what she was doing. "It has been quite a while since I've ridden and I think this horse and I could both use a break."

Regina hesitated but then quickly followed suit. "I'll join you, if you don't mind," she said as she dismounted gracefully. A small part of her regretted this move, only because it had felt so good to be on horseback again, and she patted her horse's neck fondly as she fell into step beside her stepdaughter. She had been looking for a chance to talk more privately with Snow and she supposed now was as good a time as any.

Snow welcomed the company with another smile and began to speak again. "Of course not. In fact, I wanted to tell you how glad I was when you rejoined us last night. I take it that you've made a decision about the proposal David and I made yesterday."

She finished this last sentence as more of a question than a statement and looked hopefully over at the woman walking beside her. Regina paused for a moment, choosing her words carefully as she answered.

"I have been giving it some thought, yes," Regina began. "I'm not sure exactly what you both had in mind, but I would like to help." Snow listened quietly, sensing that the former queen had more that she felt she needed to say.

Regina hesitated before continuing, "I don't want to be the person I was the last time I was here, and I think you're right. Henry would want us to work together." Her voice broke at the thought of her son, and Snow placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I am so glad to hear it Regina," Snow started to say, but Regina held up a hand to stop her.

"Wait," she said quickly. "Before you get too excited, I do want to say one more thing. I want to help, but I - I don't want any official position or title." She finished in a rush and looked over at Snow, who was a little surprised at this request. "Certainly not 'the queen.' I - I don't think I trust myself."

"Alright," Snow replied. "You can just be 'Regina,' but just know that I trust you. So does David." She smiled kindly at the other woman. Regina was not smiling, however, but had a pained and agitated expression. Steeling herself, she met the princess' gaze with tears in her eyes.

"But why?" she whispered, her voice heavy with emotion. "After everything I did to you here and after all that happened in Storybrooke, how can you trust me? Why do you even want me here?"

Snow looked into the woman's tear-filled eyes and considered her answer carefully before she began to speak.

"Regina, do you remember when you disguised yourself as that peasant girl and I helped you?" Regina closed her eyes in pain and shame as she remembered how that situation ended.

"You asked me what had happened to the woman who saved me from being thrown from my horse and I told you that she was gone, but that I hoped she would be back someday." Regina began to see the point the princess was trying to make as Snow continued.

"Regina, she's back," she said plainly. "I think she has been trying to return for quite a while now and she has finally made it." Snow wiped away the tears that had sprung to her own eyes as Regina considered her answer thoughtfully.

"But how do you know?" the former queen asked with a hint of desperation. "How do you know I won't keep reverting like I did in Storybrooke?"

"Because I heard what you said to Emma at the town line, Regina," Snow answered quietly. "Your gift. You didn't have to do that for Emma, but you did." Regina began to protest but Snow cut her off.

"I know you did it mostly for Henry's sake, but David and I could see that you truly wanted Emma to be happy, too, and we will always be grateful to you for that." She smiled ruefully as she added, "You did more for her then than David and I have ever done."

She turned to her stepmother, who was staring back with wide eyes. "That is when I knew that you had changed. You are not the Evil Queen anymore, you are Regina again."

Regina turned to face Snow more directly and smiled sincerely through her tears. "Thank you, Snow," she said softly.

The two women walked in silence for several minutes, each considering the conversation they had just had. Regina was filled with emotions ranging from fear and self-doubt to hope and joy. Mostly, though, she thought of Henry.

It was actually the thought of her son that had driven Regina to rejoin the princes and princess the previous night. As she stood in the doorway, surveying the crowded hall, she surprised herself with a sudden urge to laugh out loud. Hundreds of people were packed into this room and many had set up tents for privacy.

Henry would love this, she had thought as she looked around at the rows of tents pitched beneath the vaulted ceiling, this is exactly the kind of adventure he always wanted.

This sudden thought of her son had bolstered Regina, giving her the courage and strength she needed. She knew what Henry would want her to do in this situation and, with that in mind, she had walked resolutely back to her former enemies and joined with them. Remembering that experience, Regina smiled sadly and turned again to observe the long caravan trailing behind her.

He would have loved to be here, she thought, marching into unknown dangers as we try to retake the kingdom.

Snow was following a similar train of thought as she walked along beside her stepmother.

"It is so strange to think," she began, turning to Regina, "You and I were family before David, Emma, or Henry even came along." Her eyes were moist as she thought of the daughter and grandson she would likely never see again.

"Henry wanted so badly for us to get along, to be - to be a family, and now he and Emma will have that." Regina nodded sadly as Snow continued thoughtfully, "That day in the forest, when you were disguised, you asked if the queen and I could ever be a family again."

Snow hesitated, taking a deep breath as she went on, "Would - would you still want that, Regina? Could the three of us be a family here, even without Emma and Henry?"

Regina met Snow's hopeful gaze with one of surprise. She looked back at the road before them, considering this possibility for several seconds. Finally she turned back to answer her stepdaughter and, smiling warmly, and replied, "I would like that, Snow. At least to try."

Snow breathed a sigh of relief and, grinning happily, she looped her arm through her stepmother's. They walked arm in arm like this for several minutes, each with a new sense of hope and optimism that felt strange in this forsaken land.

They only paused when David and Phillip halted ahead of them and dismounted. David walked silently back to where his wife was standing and took her free hand. Then he, his princess and the former Evil Queen walked forward around one last bend and stopped, staring up at the ruined castle on the lake.

Snow nodded sadly at the destruction and said quietly, "We're home."