Regina stormed out of Granny's Diner, holding her head between her hands, shaking her head in disbelief. She stopped on the patio. She wanted to run away, but a part of her wanted to see if Emma would come outside after her. Not that she wanted to hear anything she had to say, but for some reason, it mattered. She held in her breath and tears. As predicted, she heard Granny's doorbell ring and it was Emma coming out. Regina let her breath go, stood up straight, clenching her jaw, and prepared herself for whatever pathetic thing Emma had to tell her. She should just leave, but something in her wanted to hear Emma out.

"Regina, I am sorry. I didn't mean to cause you pain."

Regina quickly turned to face her. "But that is EXACTLY what you did! Emma the Hero!"

"I'm not going to apologize for saving someone's life..."

"Of course you couldn't help yourself, you had to save her from the villian…ME," Regina told her sharply.

"You're not…"

"But I am! Even when I am not trying to be, my past always comes to rob me of my happiness. It clearly doesn't matter how hard I work to build a better future, because it will be taken away. Whatever I had with Robin, soul-mate or not, is gone," Regina said, wrapping her arms around herself, the anger in her face turning to defeat.

It pained Emma to see Regina in pain. "You don't know that..."

Regina scoffed, "You brought back his dead wife!"

"Regina, I said l'm sorry for that. What can I do to make it up to you?"

Regina laughed indignantly. "Ms. Swan, don't. You've done enough. There's nothing you can do to fix this."

The conversation was going in circles. There was nothing Emma could do, and her apologies were worthless. Regina was about to leave when Robin came out.

"Wait Regina, please. Meet Marian."

Marian timidly followed her husband while holding her son. Robin grabbed Regina's shoulder and turned her around. Regina's face was hard as she looked at Robin. Emma decided to stay where she was, worried about how this encounter would affect Regina. Looking at all of them made her feel even more awful than just a moment ago. This was all her fault.

"Marian, we all need to talk," Robin gestures for all of them to sit down.

Marian erupts into a loud voice, "Why? What is going on? She's the Evil Queen, she was going to kill me!" She looked between Robin and Regina with tears welling up in her eyes. Then it suddenly dawns on her. "Wait! Are you two TOGETHER! She is the Evil Queen! All the terror she has inflicted, how could you..."

"That's not who she is now," Emma stepped forward, reaching for Marian's arm to try and get her to settle down, but Marian pulled her arm away, looking at Emma in disbelief.

The doorbell rang again. Snow, David and Henry step outside.

"Is everything?" Snow asked rather firmly.

Henry rushed towards his mom, "Mom are you okay?"

Marian looked at Henry with the same look she gave Emma. "Seriously! What is going on!" Marian yelled. "Why are you all defending her? She's a monster!"

"Hey! That's enough!" Emma yelled at Marian.

Regina, unable to take any more, stormed off.

Robin whined, "Regina! Comeback!"

Emma glowered at him as he stood on the patio, watching Regina cross the street like a tied up dog watching his owner go inside the market. If he wasn't going to go after her, Emma would. She started to run after Regina. "Regina, wait!" She called out, but Hook came from nowhere and stopped her.

"Let her go love."

Emma shook from his grasp and looked at him very upset.

"Nothing good comes from pushing that one," Hook replied.

Emma was annoyed, even more annoyed that he was right. Regina needed space, especially from her.

"Henry, please go to her," Emma asked. Without hesitation, Henry nodded at her and followed his mom.

--

Regina went directly home. Henry walked beside her in silence. When they got home, Regina went upstairs directly to her room. Henry followed her upstairs.

"Mom, do you want to talk?" Henry asked softly.

Regina gave him a weak smile and nodded no. She entered her room and slowly started to close the door.

Just before the door closed, Henry said, "I love you, Mom."

She gave him a quick glance, smiled at him, and said in a cracked voice, "I love you too."

Henry saw the tears streaming down her cheeks and it made him feel helpless. He went to his room and texted Emma.

We are home. Mom went to bed. I'm going to stay here. I love you.

Regina woke the next morning, leaving Henry sleeping in. Her night was sleepless as she tried to quell her mother's voice in her head, berating her for giving into her feelings. She left for the Mayoral office to drown herself in some work.

It was a mistake. Robin came to her office to talk. At least he was without Marian.

--

Regina's heels echoed as she stormed down the hall, into the basement of the hospital where she placed her "special" patients. Coming here was the only thing she could think of after Robin left her office. He wanted to express to her how much he still loved her, but Marian was his wife, and he lived by a code, so he had to be honorable and stay with his wife. He hoped she understood. Regina understood nothing but the wound that had been opened in her heart. Love is weakness and she gave into love once again.

It was best to try and fix the situation herself. Emma was an idiot who already did enough damage. How could she think that she could fix this? The only thing that could fix this would be to make Marian go away. She would have to remove Marian, and she was the only one who could do what needed to be done, with a little help.

The nurse opened the cell door and Regina walked in. "Hello, Sidney."

Later that afternoon, Henry found Emma out for a walk with her parents.

"Hey kid! How's your mom?"

"I don't know. I slept in, and mom left before I woke up. She was pretty upset last night."

Emma sighed. "I've been calling her all morning." She pulled out her phone from her pocket and looked at it.

"No offence, Ma, but I'm sure you are the last person she wants to hear from."

Emma takes one last look at her phone before putting it back in her pocket. "I'll check on her later."

David catches Henry to hang back with him because Snow wanted to talk with Emma. They stop in front of the General Store and peruse the window display.

"Emma, I am really concerned about Regina."

Emma looked back to make sure that Henry was not within ear shot. "I don't know what to do. I know this is my fault, but there has to be a way for me to fix it."

"I took away her first true love, now you take away the second. She didn't respond well the first time around. I'm afraid this might make her evil again."

"I don't think so. She has worked too hard to get where she's at. She did it for Henry. She wouldn't throw that away."

Snow looked at her with scared eyes, "I hope you are right. It seems like true love is hard to come by for her. Speaking of loves, how are you and Hook?"

"Shhhh," Emma blurted out and looked behind her. David and Henry were way behind them now.

Snow looked back with her. "Oh! Henry doesn't know?"

Emma side eyes her mother. "There's nothing to know."

"But you have been seeing each other, no?"

Emma shook her head and shrugged her shoulders, "I dunno. We haven't even gone on a date, and frankly I'm not sure if I want to."

"Swan!"

Emma heard a familiar voice and looked somewhat annoyed. She refused to look back. "Speak of the…" she tells her mother.

Hook catches up with Emma and walked alongside of Emma. She said to him, "Hey..."

"I checked Regina's mausoleum just now, and she's not there."

"Thanks." Emma said rather unconvincingly. She wasn't sure why Hook was looking for Regina. There was no love between them.

Hook picked up her tone, and her reluctance to look at him. "Swan, are you avoiding me?"

Emma turned to her mom. "Give us a minute please?"

She pulled Hook around the corner. "I'm not avoiding you, I'm dealing with crisis stuff."

"Crisis is this town's middle name, but I'm guessing this so called crisis is Regina? There isn't anything more you can do for her, Swan. Yes, you made a mistake. You can't expect her to forgive you, if ever. It's who she is. You need to move on and live your life."

Emma snapped at Hook. "Regina is hurt, but not heartless, I know we can work this out, I have faith in her event you don't!"

She was about to walk away when Grumpy came up to her screaming "We're under attack!"

Grumpy and Sleepy rapidly explained that they were attacked last night when driving home. Someone froze them inside their car, and they just escaped on account of the ice melting. They didn't see who it was, but it was apparent it was a malicious act. Emma wanted to dismiss their story, since she had seen Grumpy leave Granny's last night drunk, but Sleepy was his designated driver, and he confirmed Grumpy's story. However, Grumpy pointed out that there was some mysterious ice on the sidewalk that they should take a look at.

Sure enough there was an out of place frozen patch of ice that stretched down the sidewalk and down an ally. Grumpy and Sleepy hung back as Emma followed the ice. Hook followed her. The patch went into an unlocked gate of a loading dock, continuing behind some storage. It appeared to be a dead end.

Hook grabbed Emma by the shoulder. "Careful Emma, you don't wanna corner them, it."

Emma stopped in her tracks and turned to Hook. She whispered, "Then how do you suppose we figure out what's there?" Soon, there was the sudden appearance of snow above them. The both of them backed up from the corner and watched as the snow began to thicken and turn into its own centralized blizzard. As the snow turned denser, it started to take shape. Soon, they were staring at an eight foot tall snow monster.

The Snow Monster belted out a growl that was as big and intimidating as itself, revealing sharp, jagged teeth. Emma pulled out her gun and began shooting at the monster to no avail. It cried out once more and ran past her and Hook, jumping over the gate and down the alley. Hook and Emma ran after it, and watched as it barreled its way across down, not caring what was in its path, kicking cars and tearing down power lines. Most people in Storybrooke saw it, and if they were unaware, Grumpy was running down Main Street, screaming "SNOW MONSTER!!!"

Emma never got another clear shot; not that her bullets did a thing. The Snow Monster made its way towards the forest, and disappeared.

"Now that is what I call a crisis. It's heading towards Robin Hood's camp."

--

Regina took Sidney back to her vault to share with him the reason for bringing him out. He was very eager to please and Regina found that slightly annoying.

"I knew your Majesty wasn't done with me. You kept me alive because I still can be of service to you," Sidney bowed.

"Yes, Sidney. I do need your help."

"Anything, just say the word."

"I need to remove an enemy."

"Ah! I understand. You can never get your hands dirty, but I can and will do the deed for you. Who is it?"

"No, Sidney, I am not talking murder. Even if I don't kill her myself, I will be the main suspect. This job requires more finess than that."

"I don't understand."

"Emma brought back Robin's dead wife, Marian, from the past. She rescued her from me. If I could see the moment in which I arrested her, then maybe I can go back and have her executed before Emma appears."

"You don't remember her?"

Regina looks at him with a raised eyebrow. "I arrested so many….and, frankly, she is very vanilla, why would I remember her?"

"I still don't understand how I am to help you…"

Regina waved her hand, and with a cloud of purple smoke, Sidney disappeared. She heared him shouting, fist pounding behind the mirror. He cried out, "NOOOOOO!!!!"

"Oh, stop being dramatic. It's temporary. I need you to show me the moment I arrested Marian."

Sidney looked at her with sadness, and sighed. "Very well…"

Once Regina saw the moment, she remembered her. It was her mouth that got her the death sentence.

Sidney's face returned in the mirror. "By the way, you may want to know that Marian is currently in harms way, as well as Robin, as we speak. Emma is there, but I do not think she will be able to vanquish the beast."

Regina alarmed, immediately poofs away.

When Emma and Hook reached Robin Hood's camp the Snow Monster was already there, and Robin and his men were already attacking. The Snow Monster growled, yelled and swiped at them. The men slung arrows at him which were just as effective as Emma's gun. What was this thing, where did it come from, and what did it want? They joined the men to help fight it, or at best, chase it away.

The Snow Monster came at them boldly as if it finally realized that whatever weapons they had couldn't harm it. Hook turned to Emma, "What about your magic?"

Emma nodded. She put her hands up, glowing white light centered around her palms. She closed her eyes in concentration, but knowing she had only a few moments to come up with something effective. She really regretted at this moment not taking more lessons from Regina.

A blast of light emitted from her hands and struck the Snow Monster in the chest. It caused him to reel back, but it did not knock him down. Suddenly, like the Hulk, it screamed in anger and clenched its fists. As it did, icicle shards sprang from its broad shoulders and down its arms. Everyone facing the Snow Monster was knocked to the ground by its loud cry, except for Emma. It took a swipe at her and knocked her to the ground. It was about to stomp on her when Marian, who was hiding to the side, stood in front of the monster with her bow and arrow and shot at it. It took a swipe at her too, knocking her to the ground.

Just then, Regina appeared and put herself between Marian and the Snow Monster. The Snow Monster looked surprised at Regina's sudden presence. Regina was completely calm as she stared at the monster. They held each other's gaze. Regina turned around to look at Marian on the ground. Marian looked more afraid of Regina than the monster. Regina then poofed away. Marian scrambled to get back on her feet, feeling certain that the monster came from Regina, meant to kill her.

The Snow Monster did move towards Marian, forgetting that Regina was just there. But then, it stopped and doubled over in pain, grabbing its belly. A red glow started to grow and spread throughout its body. It shot up, arms outstretched, and cried out just before it burst into pieces of slush about the camp. Marian looked up and saw Regina with her arm outstretched. She just vanquished the beast with a fireball.

Everyone got up, wiping snow off of them. Robin got up and ran to Marian. "Are you ok?" He embraced her.

Marian's eyes were glued to Regina. "You saved me…"

Robin saw Regina and said her name softly.

Regina kept her eyes steady on Marian. She refused to look at Robin embracing her. Her work here was done. She turned away from them, about to poof herself away when she heard her name, "Regina!"

It was Emma. She was apparently fine and safe. She glanced behind her and saw Emma coming toward her. Regina started to walk away. Why must Emma chase her? She hesitated, wondering if she should talk to the blonde who had been blowing up her phone all day. She couldn't endure another apology that would go nowhere. Regina poofed away, but not before she heard Emma yell "Regina, please, wait, we need to talk…"

Emma wished she knew where she poofed too. She would go after her, but she had not mastered poofing. Emma grabbed a ball of snow and threw it at a tree.

"Crisis averted!" Hook said happily.

"It's not averted," Emma said irritatedly. "Someone created that thing, and we don't know who."

"Ah, but we have a quiet moment now, so let's enjoy it while we got it."

He came up to Emma for a hug, but she pulled back. "Not now, I gotta do something"

"Right. Of course." He waited for her to say more. When she didn't, he waved his hand at her, "Go. But don't tell me you're not avoiding me because this is avoiding me."

"I know. I am. I feel guilty"

"Over Regina!?"

"I changed her life. I took away her happiness."

"What does that have to do with us?"

Emma said nothing.

"There's more to this than just Regina, isn't there?"

Emma thought about that. She wasn't even sure what she felt, but she knew there was more feelings towards Regina than just guilt. Hook was behaving as if they were dating, when in fact, she never really had given him a clear sign of how she felt. She wasn't sure if he was someone she wanted to be intimate with. Her parents were all for it, so was she leading him on just to please them? He certainly tried hard, but she felt no guilt whenever she rejected him. She stepped forward, and thought about giving him a kiss to quell his insecurities. But instead she reached out for his wrist, "I gotta go."

Emma Swan didn't have to answer to no one.

Emma left the forest, swinging by Regina's mausoleum to see if she was there. She wondered what made her know to find them in the forest and save their butts. She wanted to thank her, she wanted to talk to her, although all she had to say was sorry, over and over. In the forest she saw the pain in her eyes when she looked at Robin and Marian. Emma wanted to embrace her, tell her how deeply sorry she was, and beg for her forgiveness. At this point, she might just do anything Regina asked of her to gain her forgiveness.

Emma didn't find her at the mausoleum. On her way to Regina's mansion by way of the main road through town, she passed City Hall. She went to check the Mayor's office. City Hall was dark and void of people, but in the Mayor's office, Regina's desk light was on. Emma quickly went to open the door, but it was locked. She peered through the frosted windows, trying to see Regina's silhouette at her desk. She noticed she had a fire going in the fireplace.

"Regina!" She called out, but no response, nor was there any movement.

She tried the door again. When she touched the door knob this time, she suddenly could feel Regina. She tried to reach out to her with her magic, but being that she had had little lessons, her attempt did not work as she hoped. Still, she did feel something familiar, and was sure it was Regina.

"Regina, please open the door. I know you're in there." Emma sighed. "You can't hide forever. I know my sorry doesn't change the fact that I have taken away your happiness. But our son brought me back to this town and it's my job to make sure that everyone gets their happy ending. So I am going to work extra hard to help you get yours, just like in his book." Emma went silent, hoping she could hear any movement from Regina in the office. She heard nothing. She leaned up against the door with one hand. "Come on Regina. You're a fighter. This hiding isn't who you are…" Emma knocked on the door and waited. "Ok...for now this is you. But I will keep fighting for you in the meantime."

Regina could hear Emma leaving. She was sitting just on the other side of the door with her knees pulled into her chest, head down, trying to keep her sobs quiet. But Emma showing up to call her out infuriated her. Just what the hell did she mean she was going to try and fix this? She can't fix this, she royally fucked up her life, just like her mother, Snow, fucked up her life all those years ago. Pain spread through her body as she tried not to fall into those dark emotions. That isn't who she was anymore. She made a promise to Henry to be better and she had risen above her old self.

Damn Emma coming in here and babbling about happy endings just like in Henry's book. Henry's book was so black and white–heros and villians. No matter how much she had risen above, the pages of the book had not shown her progress. Robin's true love was Marian, just as the book said. Going back in time to kill Marian wouldn't matter, because it would be a villain thing to do, and Marian would just show up some other way. It wouldn't work. The book had sealed the fate of its characters.

Self-defeat started to bury its way into Regina, making her feel more down and hopeless when a thought crossed her mind. Who wrote that book? She had been thinking Marian was her problem, but in actuality, it's the book, or rather, the person who wrote the book.

She quickly got up from the ground and to her mirror. "Sidney!"

He appeared and said sarcastically, "Yes, your Majesty?"

"Change of plans. We are not going back in time to kill Marian. We need to find out who wrote that book."