Prologue
Somewhere only we know...

The moonlight shone bleakly, a gentle flutter of white light glittering across a still, calm river was the only source of illumination the thick forest offered. Emma stood solemnly, her shoulders slumped down, facing the water. Quiet tears slipped from her closed eyes and tumbled down her cheeks in hot, deflated streaks. Her heart beat a shallow rhythm as she felt the muscle creak and groan after months of an aching, and a wanting that was constantly unresolved in her waking life. Here, in this forest, deep within the trees of her mind, was the only place the blonde could remember a semblance of the truth; where the memories that were forcefully taken from her seemed to come back to life, and revitalize her saddened soul.

Regina; the name left her lips, unconsciously, in a rush of a breath, as if she didn't fully understand the meaning behind it. But, the way it felt on her tongue, and sounded within her ears caused Emma to open her eyes slowly, blinking. A second, heavy breath left her lungs as her green eyes widened further, a sob straining in her chest, causing her to shake. The blonde quickly turned around and began moving through the forest, as if moved by an unknown force. She raced through the branches that seemed to materialize out of thin air, and continued to obscure her path, as if trying to stop her from going any further through the trees. Yet, Emma was determined, and clenched her teeth together in frustration, as she began to fight her way through the thick leaves, and heavy foliage.

For as long as the blonde could remember, she had the same dream every night: finding herself deep in an unknown forest, staring at a lake, with unusual thoughts floating in her mind. It was here, in this gloomy forest, where Emma began to remember her parents, and the curse that had torn her, and her son away from them. And it was when these memories began to resurface, that she started journeying through the forest, as if the further she traveled, the further she delved into the forgotten fragments of her life. That is, until she awoke, and then everything she had gained deep within her dreams would be lost. Tears would fill her bleary, tired eyes as the fantasy from the evening before fully dissolved within her mind and into a secret part of herself that she could never seem to reach, and she would be left with a heavy sadness, and a craving for something that she could never fathom, nor understand.

But, this night was different, new feelings were emerging, emotions that threatened to suffocate Emma in their painful grasp. Flashes of dark hair, and honey brown eyes fluttered behind her focused gaze as she hacked, and fought against the restricting forest. Her heart was beating rapidly now, her chest filling with heat, and a tingling sense of anticipation as the blonde broke through the last barrier; the name: "Regina," whispering through her mind as she gasped, falling to her knees as all of her lost memories came rushing back to her.

Clutching the ground with shaking hands, Emma spluttered, as she felt bile rise in her throat, her pale limbs quivering as her gaze grew skewed and blurry with fresh tears. Choking on her memories, the blonde raised her hands and dug her palms into her temples, trying to quell the raging headache that pounded within her brain. A small whimper left her lips, as the pain engulfed her entire system, her current state allowing the footsteps behind her to go unnoticed, until a soft, comforting hand found its way onto her shoulder.

"Emma?" Regina whispered quietly, her fingers gripping the blonde's shoulder tighter, "Emma, are you alright?"

"Regina?" Emma sighed, her voice wavering as she cocked her head to the side, allowing her gaze to fall onto Regina's face; concern, and worry etched across her beautiful features. "Is it really you?"

Nodding slowly, the brunette's eyes widened as she watched Emma turned around, and fell against her chest, the blonde's fingers digging into her back as she clutched Regina closer to her. Regina felt her heart stall in her chest, as she allowed her arms to encompass the blonde, holding her. Tears welled up in brown eyes, as she lowered her head, and rested it on Emma's shoulder. She had been waiting so long for the power of the blonde's magic to lead her here, to lead her back to Regina. But, as she felt Emma sob against her, grasping onto her, Regina allowed herself to finally realize that she hadn't only missed Henry, but she had missed the blonde just as much.

"I remember you," the blonde suddenly breathed, pulling back and staring into the other woman's weeping eyes, "I remember everything..."

"I know," Regina said softly, a smile coming to her lips as her tears continued to glitter within her eyes, "I've been waiting for you..."

Suddenly, the forest floor began to shake, and shift, as trees became uprooted and fell to the ground. Green eyes tore away from Regina as the blonde gazed along her surroundings, watching everything crumble and fall away around her. Panicking, Emma reached forward and grabbed Regina's hand, squeezing the slender fingers tightly in her grasp. The brunette wrapped her fingers between Emma's, running her thumb along the top of her hand in a way of trying to comfort the obviously distraught blonde.

"Regina?" Emma questioned, fear causing her voice to crack. "What's happening?"

"You're waking up, Emma..." Regina cried, her tone rising as violent torrents of wind whipped around the two women, threatening to pull them apart.

"Do something!" The blonde yelled, her eyes shifting back and forth from Regina's face, to the total collapse of the forest. "I can't leave you, not yet."

Full, red lips frowned, quivering as the same pain that had been inhabiting the brunette for the past year, flooded her veins. Taking her free hand, Regina wrapped it around the blonde's other hand, holding her still, as if trying to keep her from evading the magical land the two women had created unconsciously. Although, deep down, the brunette knew that no matter how tightly she held onto Emma, no amount of might, nor magic, would allow the blonde to continue to inhabit this world while she was awake. Biting down on her bottom lip, Regina closed her eyes, allowing tears to slip between the closed lids. Her fingers slowly brushed over the blonde's hands as she forced herself to stop holding on, and allow herself to let Emma go.

"No," the blonde screamed, lunging forward, trying her hardest to grasp onto Regina as she felt her body slipping away, "Regina, please...I don't want to forget."

"There's nothing I can do!" Regina cried, her yells full of an unbridled anguish that she could no longer seem to hide. Opening her eyes, she looked to Emma, whose form was beginning to flicker and fade away. "Tomorrow night," the brunette whispered, crawling closer to Emma, "find me tomorrow night. I'll be right here..."

Before, Emma could respond in any form, she closed her eyes as she felt her body jolt violently. A scream echoed within her ears as she felt herself sit up right, her green eyes sliding open as her chest heaved with gasping breaths. Looking around frantically, the blonde allowed her body to relax back down into her mattress as she realized she was safe in her own bedroom. Scrubbing a cold, shaking hand over her face, Emma breathed a sigh of relief, before turning on her side as she heard her door open quietly. Her son's face peeking in through the crack of the door, an expression of worry, and fear alighting his eyes as he pushed the door open further.

"Whose Regina?" Henry asked quietly, walking into his mother's bedroom, his eyes wide, and his shoulders drawn back, "you kept screaming for her..."

"Regina? She's..." Emma closed her eyes, trying desperately to remember, but merely frowned as she watched the vision of dark hair, and honey brown eyes dissipate from her memories. Sitting up, and pulling the boy into her arms, Emma shrugged away the strange emptiness that seemed to encompass her suddenly, and said, "...no one, she's no one, it was just a dream."

A/N: This is a small series that I've decided to start. Once the winter finale ended I knew I needed to fix my own broken heart, and I decided to do that by writing. This is a random, spur of the moment idea I got from somewhere deep within my strange little mind. I hope you like the beginning of what's to come. If you have any thoughts feel free to leave them as a review! :)