Operation Red Fox

Chapter Two: Welcome Back to Storybrooke

A/N: Hey everyone. Thanks for the love on chapter one. Chapters will probably be longer from now on as the story sets more in motion. I'll try not to pass 5,500 words because that's a lot, even though I'm a sucker for long chapters. Critiques and comments are appreciated. Enjoy.

Chapter Two: Welcome To Storybrooke

Darkness flooded the cool room, her body laying against familiar silk sheets. Eyes tired and body aching, she sat herself up, opening her eyes to find... her Storybrooke bedroom? Running her fingers through her hair, it was short. Only going a little past her shoulders, the ends flaring out.

The last thing Regina remembered was watching the yellow bug cross the town line, her line of sight eventually engulfed by the purple smoke. And now here she was, in Storybrooke. It still existed.

Hopeful the previous day's events were a nightmare and not reality, Regina got out of bed and ran to Henry's room, expecting him to be on the other side sleeping peacefully to the early morning drizzle.

But his bed was empty. And the book, which he had left on the bed, was gone too.

She leaned against the doorway, putting all her weight onto it and beginning to cry both tears of confusion and emptiness. The same emptiness she felt when the dark curse she had been preparing for years finally hit, but left her more unsatisfied than before. Empty. Empty without her father, without someone to love her, without someone to feel and see her pain, to acknowledge her change and see her for who she truly was. Not a villain, but a hero.

The feeling was so oddly familiar.

The phone rang downstairs and only then was Regina able to close the door to the vacant room. Though the ring of the phone was the same as it had always been, this time it seemed to ring quicker. It called out to her with urgency.

"Mayor Mills," she answered with an unpurposeful tone of anger.

"Regina," Snow stated from the other line. Her voice was panicked and shaky as if she had been crying. "You should come over. Now."

"I don't have any answers about the curse if that's what you are expecting. The last thing I saw was Emma and Henry leaving, and then I woke up here. In Storybrooke." It was strange to say. One second purple clouds were taking her to another realm, and then she's back? It didn't make any sense. Maybe the curse didn't work. Though then they would all be dead. Her head began to throb at her thoughts so she pushed them away long enough to finish the call.

"I might have one answer," Snow said.

Regina raised her brows impatiently and tapped her finger on the wooden dresser. "Well?"

"It will be easier to explain if you see it."

She closed her eyes and sighed, biting down on her lip before stating she was on her way.

The streets were gloomier, everything an assorted tone of beige like it had been after the first curse. Though that was to be expected with Emma's yellow car driving around the town.

She knocked on the green door that was chipping as it aged with her gloved hand. Her shoulders were slumped over, an uncommon stance for the former queen. Without Henry, she felt weak. Barely able to keep her head up.

Before her mind was able to wander too far, David opened the door. His eyes were wide as if he had seen a ghost.

"Regina," he said with relief, standing in the doorway.

"What was so urgent it couldn't be told over the phone?" Regina asked, walking past him and setting her bag on the dinner table, looking around for Snow.