(I Know) About Us

Chapter 10: Storybrooke Revelations

"I just can't seem to find anything on babies between two women," Belle sighed and closed her book, turning to look at Mary Margaret with an apologetic smile. "I mean, there was one story where it might have been implied – two witches residing in Wonderland – but there's no real account for it."

Mary Margaret furrowed her brow and looked at all the books spread out on the tables in the back of the library. Belle and Mulan – and sometimes Ruby when she wasn't busy at the diner – had taken over at least half of the space, and Belle had notes lying everywhere, comments and reminders scribbled in her neat cursive handwriting. "Maybe it's just our minds telling us something that isn't true," Mary Margaret said with a soft sigh as she took a seat next to Ruby, who was busy slurping her iced coffee. "I mean, perhaps we just want it to be true, so we're making things up?"

"Nope," Ruby shook her head, strands of brown and red sweeping around her, "Nuh-uh, I refuse to believe that. The kid is Regina's, I'm sure of it. The resemblance is too uncanny."

Mulan nodded, "I completely agree. We've just... not found the right explanation yet."

Reaching for a random book on the table, Mary Margaret said, "But perhaps Emma can clear everything up. If they do remember soon. I just don't understand what's taking Regina so long..." She stared at Mulan, eyes beseeching, "Do you know?"

With an awkward shuffle, Mulan closed the book she'd been reading, "I think that... That Regina's been a little reluctant to get the hairs, you know?"

Ruby rested her head in her hand, "Oh really? And why's that?"

"I just think she likes it there," Mulan softly replied, brown eyes turning to look at Belle for a brief second. The other woman was not really listening, buried in an encyclopaedia kind of book about magical places. "It's not... She's lonely, I think, when she's not with them. But she told me that Emma doesn't have a girlfriend and it was all a big misunderstanding. And she says that-"

"She says that what?" Mary Margaret asked, suddenly afraid to hear the answer, because what if something had gone wrong? What if she'd already tried the potions and they hadn't worked? It had been a few days since Regina had last contacted her, too busy hanging out with Henry, she'd said.

Mulan stared at her, eyes shimmering with emotion. "She says that they're happy there. Henry and Emma and Alba. That they have a great life, and that Henry has so many friends. And that maybe she could be happy too," Mulan finished, eyes diving to the table.

Mary Margaret swallowed loudly. "But... she can't do that. Emma's my daughter."

"She knows that," Mulan replied gently, and not for the first time did Mary Margaret wonder what was up with this fierce loyalty that Mulan had suddenly grown towards Regina, "and she'd never not do what we agreed to do, I just think..." she trailed off, eyes coming up once more to look at Mary Margaret, "I just think that she wishes she could be selfish and let Emma fall in love with her despite everything."

Ruby whistled lowly. "The old Regina would've done that."

Mulan said, "She's not the old Regina anymore."

"Neverland!" Belle suddenly quipped, finger pointed excitedly at a page in the book she was reading. Apparently she was at the N's already. "Neverland is a magical place," she continued to say as her eyes looked up from the pages.

Ruby arched an eyebrow, "Uhm yeah? That's kinda how kids don't grow up. And Pan is kinda how we're in this mess to begin with."

Mary Margaret nudged her best friend with her elbow. "What about Neverland, Belle?"

Belle looked back into the book, reciting, "Neverland is a magical realm. It is not known what kind of magic fuels the place-"

"Heart of the truest believer," Ruby interjected.