Chapter 14

The King and Queen's Castle.

After spending the week at the Summer Palace, Emma and Regina returned back home with David, promising him to keep silent over the fact that he had left them for a few days unsupervised. Not that anything happened. The occasional kiss, but as far as the rest goes, neither woman felt ready and just wanted to spend time getting to know each other more. Walking up the steps, the Princess is immediately engulfed into a hug by her smiling mother after she releases her hold on David, having said hello to her husband, while Henry gives a shy wave and giggle towards the young brunette who stood and watched the interaction. Still being caught off guard, Regina's eyes then widen feeling Snow's arms suddenly wrap around her into a welcomed hug.

"I want to hear everything about your trip but first, may I speak to Regina in private?"

The blonde frowns at her mother while the Queen simply stares at Regina waiting for a response from either woman. "Mom, you are not going to ask Regina to leave are you?"

Seeing the panicked look upon her daughter's face, Snow shakes her head. "No I need to discuss a matter regarding her family.."

"Oh.."

"Well then your maje-..Snow, you can tell me in front of Emma, she knows all about them, I have no secrets" the brunette replies as the pair begin to follow the Queen inside while David sees to the carriage.

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Entering the main hall, Regina looks to Snow apprehensive as Emma glances over to the brunette and reaches for her hand, slowly entwining their fingers to calm her. Stopping by the table, the Queen looks between them then directly at Regina. "Your..sister has been here..."

"I know, Emma told me about the box..and what she had said"

"No. Regina, honey I mean..she has since been here again, she wanted to prove herself to you for being a bad sister and she appeared to feel so guilty, blaming herself for it all. I had hoped that I could help her and while you were away, I invited her in to work, but I fear I may have touched a sensitive spot regarding your shared childhood and she got upset, told me to give you all of her earnings and left..where, I do not know"

Looking shocked and confused, the brunette frowns while gripping on the blonde's hand for support. "I..don't...I.."

Feeling bad for her, the Queen explains more to help the woman come to a conclusion of her own. "It seemed like she wanted you two to be sisters again like you were when your father was still here..and I am also concerned over the conclusion that I have jumped to that maybe..this sudden change also has to do with the behaviour of your mother changing towards her.."

Regina looks back at her worried. "You think she may have hurt her?..mother I mean, hurt Zelena?.."

"I cannot be certain but she did seem fearful of your mother when mentioned"

Biting her lip uncertain, the brunette nods. "Thank you for telling me.."

Snow nods while concerned for the young woman stood in front then smiles towards her daughter briefly before leaving them to it. Returning to their chambers, Regina begins to unpack her belongings then sits down with a sigh on the edge of her bed, clutching her wooden box. Opening it up again, the brunette lifts out a small silver necklace with a heart shaped pendant, clearly small enough for a child. Clasping it between her fingers, Regina raises her stare towards the door seeing Emma walk over and sit beside her, not saying a word for she knows that at a time like this all the brunette needs is for the blonde to be with her and let Regina speak first if she wanted to talk.

Looking back to the chain, the brunette lifts it up to show her. "My father got me this..Zelena one too because we were so close when we were young..Neal has always been on mother's side but it was like for us we stuck together, just..sisters"

Placing a hand on Regina's back in comfort, the Princess nods understanding. "Then when your father..was gone, everything changed"

Frowning, the brunette fists her hand together with the pendant in between. "Yes..I sometimes think that maybe it was because she was also scared of mother..and decided that if she showed her, she was on her side and not mine, she would be safe"

Slowly reaching her hand up, the blonde guides Regina's head to her shoulder before using her hand to run through the brunette's dark locks. "Maybe you're right.."

Blinking at the tears forming in her eyes, the brunette takes a deep breath before confessing. "I need to find her.."

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The Mills Estate.

Standing outside the worn down house, Zelena grips her hands either side of herself and stares up nervously. 'Maybe if I just beg and say I'm sorry, that I will do anything, she will be okay..leave everyone else be..' Taking a shaky breath, the redhead walks up to the door and reaches for the handle. Suddenly feeling a hand wrap around her mouth, Zelena gives a small screech scared as she is pulled to the side of the house. Being turned around she stares across at the person in complete shock as she is released. "...fa..father?!"

Henry smiles and grabs at her again, this time pulling her into a tight hug. "Zelena, I have been hoping that you were safe child"

"I was just..I was coming back from checking on Regina..I." Pulling back, the redhead looks wide eyed at her father before questioning. "..you're..you're supposed to be dead..mother said that..how it is..possible..it's been..six years!"

Shaking his head, Henry looks apologetic. "I'm sorry..but Cora..planned the whole thing and until this day I do not know why. Just that she told me to never come back and it was like I couldn't find my way back. Even though I knew I was going in the right direction, I never found home..never found my girls until now because of some..help shall we say"

Looking teary, Zelena hugs him again and gets upset. "I'm sorry father, I'm really sorry for how I've treated Regina, I know I should never have taken mother's side but she made me guilty and I felt worthless unless I did as I was told..Regina never deserved any of it"

Gripping tightly to his daughter, Henry sighs. "I know you are..but you do need to make it up to her. What do you say we go see her? Together?"

Zelena nods against him then stiffens. "What about mother?"

"Leave your mother to me.."

The redhead pulls away again, this time taking hold of her father's arm as if checking that he is really real then walks away with him to head back to the castle.

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The King and Queen's Castle.

Looking up at the large doors in fear, Zelena glances over towards Henry. "Maybe I should talk to her first? Otherwise, if we both go in together, it might make things worse?"

The man nods and steps back to allow her entrance first then follows as far as the guard would let them. Walking up to the pair, another guard nods and gestures for them to follow him up the staircase. "Your majesty informed me that you might return Miss and to let them know when you do"

"Oh please, not yet! Just let me talk with my sister first..it's important" Zelena pleads then smiles when the guard nods again before knocking on a large door.

From inside the chamber, Emma, who is still holding onto Regina looks up. "Come in.."

Taking a deep breath, the redhead then gulps as the guard more or less pushes her forward, encouraging her to walk in. Stepping inside, she looks guiltily at the Princess and bows her head. Shocked, the blonde nudges the brunette who looks up with a raised eyebrow seeing Zelena before standing up.

Zelena gives a small smile feeling awkward before speaking. "...hello.."

Keeping her head up, Regina nods in welcome. "Zelena.."

Cringing slightly at how formal her sister is being, the redhead rings her hands together, briefly looking at them for a mini break from her panic then looks back up meeting her sister's eyes. "Regina..I..there's a situation"

"I don't care. Zelena if..what you said to Snow and David..if you want to change..to prove yourself..I accept that but..anything else, I do not want to know"

Nodding, the redhead looks to the door where their father stands behind then back to the two woman by the bed. "I understand fully and I respect that and thank you for the opportunity but I really feel that you need to know what is going on-"

Shaking her head annoyed, Regina cuts in. "Zelena! I have just told you that I don-"

"..my sweet girl?..."

Stopping mid sentence, the brunette blinks, looking past her sister at her father standing just inside the doorway. Eyes widening, Regina looks speechless before glancing at her sister for confirmation, gaining a small smile in return. Turning back to Henry, the brunette's lip trembles as she runs over, launching herself into a hug with him. "Daddy?.."

Emma raises an eyebrow completely confused and watches along with Zelena as Regina hugs her father while Henry smiles at the embrace and kisses her head.

A/N: somehow I do not think it's going to be all happy?