( continues...) at the faces on the wall, the snapshots of decades and decades of police. Some were old, black & white. Others had that odd off color that photos from the '60s and '70s had. He didn't know what he was looking for in all of these strangers' faces, but he knew he'd know it when he saw it. And then he saw it, and was so startled he yipped. Etta, not far off heard and asked what was wrong.

“This picture,” I said, looking at what looked like an old '70s print – judging from the color and the collars. I pointed to the large man in the center of the shot.

DCI Hunt. Looking the exact same then as he did now.

chrismg, I continue to be intrigued by your story. Keep up the good work.

It's Already Here Chapter 6

Content note: past emotional abuse

Regina healed the sailors injured in the escape, those that would let her, and this seemed to win back some goodwill from the crew. She and Emma took the same cabin again, but Jan insisted on pitching a hammock down in the hold with the crew. After an exhausted night and a rough breakfast, the three of them gathered in the cabin to talk.

"Queen Elsa vanished ten years before I was born," Jan began. "It's always been just Mother and Father."

Regina raised her eyebrows. "Ten years without an heir?"

"For a long time, Mother was hoping her sister would come back. I think she felt..."

Emma waited as he trailed off, then said, "Felt like having an heir was admitting she wasn't coming back?"

He nodded, then looked up after a moment. "i never felt like she blamed me for anything. She used to say-" he paused and smiled slightly. "She'd say that if she knew what it would be like having children, she wouldn't have waited nearly as long."

Emma glanced at Regina and caught her with a faraway look in her eyes. "Yeah. We know that one." Regina glanced at her, then nodded slowly.

"So I was born, and then Illyana four years later. And for a few years, it was really good. We were happy, or at least that's how I remember it. And then....."

"And then," Regina said slowly, "her powers manifested."

"Yes, and...not exactly." He hesitated, struggling for words. "With what I saw later, I can look back and see, maybe, things weren't quite right for a long time. Maybe even before I was born."

Emma frowned. "What do you mean?"

He hesitated, then went on slowly, "The older servants would talk about how she used to be. They'd tell stories about her...throwing herself into things, dealing with the consequences later. But when I started getting a sense of who she was...you know, more than just, "Mother"...er, if you follow?" Emma and Regina nodded. "She was...not timid, really but she didn't seem to trust herself much. She'd make jokes about how often she made mistakes, and Father....he wouldn't contradict her. He'd laugh, and tell her he loved her, and that she should trust his judgment."

Emma bit her lips hard. Pattern recognition, she thought, her pulse pounding in her ears. "Ah," was the only sound she found she could make.

After a moment, Regina said softly, "And after Illyana gained her powers?"

"He started... focusing on her. He'd tell her how much he loved her, and that Arendelle was lucky to have such a powerful princess like her."

"Powerful?" Regina's voice was very dry.

"In-" Emma cleared her throat. "Interesting word to use about your daughter."

"Yes." Jan stared at the floor.

After a moment Regina prompted him again. "What about your mother?"

"Looking back, I'm pretty sure she knew something was wrong, but..."

"It's hard to look at someone you love, and see...what's really there." This time her voice was barely above a whisper.

He nodded. "So she started...paying attention to me. She worked with me on studying to be a ruler, started encouraging me to go out, learn about the people out in the country." He shrugged. "I was happy enough. It got me away from Father, and made me feel like I was really getting ready to rule."

"To replace him?"

Jan gave her a sharp look. "She never said anything like that!" He hesitated and settled back on the bench. "And I won't be of age for more than a year. But...Father's been leery of letting me out since Mother disappeared. I sometimes wonder if he's afraid of me...gathering popular support."

"Ugh." Emma scrubbed at her face. "Sounds like the exact opposite of a happy family, by this point."

"So what did happen? Did she leave deliberately, or....."

"I'm....not entirely sure." Jan ran a hand through his hair and gave the ceiling a faraway look. "One night she came to my chamber and asked...what seemed like just some random questions. All about how I felt about the kingdom and what I was prepared (continued...)

( continues...) to do for the people...I...don't actually remember what I said, but it must have been what she wanted to hear. She told me to remember she would-" he colored slightly, "She would always love me, and left....and that was the last I saw of her."

Emma frowned. "And there was no sign leading up to that? Nothing that seemed....strange, or different, beforehand?"

"Not really. She'd been spending time away from the castle too. She'd ride out for hours, two or three times a week, and always come back happy. The people always loved her, they still do."

"And you think she went to this Corona place?"

Jan nodded. "Queen Rapunzel and she were very close. They visited back and forth many times." He frowned. "Come to think of it, it was like Father was discouraging her from traveling too..."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Emma held up her hands. "Rapunzel? Like with the hair and the tower?"

Jan looked surprised. "Yes, that's her. That all happened decades ago, of course. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised the tale has spread to the Enchanted Forest."

Emma and Regina exchanged a look.

"Father had agents in place all over, from when they were searching for Queen Elsa. I assume he put them to work looking for Mother, but I don't think they ever found anything...." He hesitated.

Emma eyed him. "But....."

"I, ah, had a private conversation with Rapunzel a couple years ago. I'm... fairly sure she indicated she knew where Mother was, and that she was safe." He scratched his head. "...Or possibly not, she can be a bit hard to follow."

"Well..." Emma looked over at Regina, who shrugged.

"Once again, we find ourselves without better options. We'll have to hope this Queen can point us the way forward."

"Since when do you believe in relying on hope?"

Regina gave her a sour look. "Clearly, I've been spending too much time with you Charmings."

• **

The three of them tossed ideas back and forth for a while longer, but finally decided they had to wait to meet Rapunzel to work out what the plan to find Queen Anna was. Jan said they would reach Corona's main port town tomorrow or the next day, depending on the winds, so, as the three of them went to sleep that night, Emma was getting the feeling things were almost back on track.

The first indication she got that she was wrong was Regina's arm smacking her in the nose.

Emma yelped and jerked upright, looking around wildly. The room seemed to be tilted alarmingly, and she could hear a groaning noise coming from the gap between the cots. She peered down at the floor. "Regina? What are you-" she broke off with another yelp as the room suddenly swung back the other way, nearly dumping her onto the floor as well. She abruptly realized she could hear a chorus of alarming creaking, groaning noises from the walls, and behind it a dull roar of water.

Regina clawed herself upright. "That does not sound like the ship's in a good way."

Emma got her feet on the floor and felt for the door-handle. "Must be another storm passing by. Let's get up there and see-whoa!" The door swung in and a rush of cold water washed into the room.

" What are you doing?" Regina staggered to her feet and glared, water dripping from her clothes.

"...Okay, maybe it's worse than last time." Emma stuck her head out the door. Seawater was splashing down the stairs to the deck accompanied by sprays of rain as the ship lurched back and forth. "Yeah, it's worse."

The two of them staggered up to the deck and looked around. Rain fell in great sheets from the black sky, driven across the deck by a fierce, gusting wind. The ship was tossed back and forth by huge waves, lurching up one side of them and then pitching down the other. Emma was staring up at the sails, trying to tell if they were set or just flapping wildly, when someone grabbed the doorjamb next to her ear. After a moment she realized it was Captain Klaus, hatless and soaked to the skin. He leaned closer.

"Can you do anything to help!" Emma looked over at Regina, who (continued...)

( continues...) was staring up at the sky. After a moment she shook her head.

"It's too strong! We couldn't even clear a path, it's swirling about too much!"

Klaus cursed and staggered away. Emma could faintly hear him shouting about bilge-pumps. After a moment Regina grabbed her shoulder and pointed. Peering through the spray, Emma spotted Jan hauling on a rope with the sailors, trying to keep the ship pointed into the wind. The two of them began making their way over the deck. Just as they reached him, the ship pitched wildly to one side, then seemed to drop away like it had fallen over a cliff.

An instant later the deck leaped up and smashed into them. Half-stunned by the impact, Emma heard a deep, horrible cracking noise from beneath her, and the ship seemed to lurch and spin wildly. After a second, Regina staggered over to Jan and hauled him to his feet. She could tell Regina was shouting something, but between the storm and the ringing in her head she couldn't make out a word.

As she climbed painfully to her feet and lurched towards them, Regina pushed him away. He stared at her a moment, then turned and made his way across the deck. Regina grabbed onto a rope still secured to one of the masts, then grabbed Emma's arm.

"I've sent him to get his bags, and ours out of the cabin!"

"What!? Where are we going to go?!"

"No time! You have to do this before he gets back! Cup your hands in front of you, and let the magic flow down into them!"

Emma stared at her a moment, then hooked the rope under one arm and stretched out her arms. After a second, she could feel power flowing down and gathering between them.

Good. Emma could feel Regina's mind touch hers. Now this. A compact, interwoven pattern appeared. Concentrate on how you want to help the crew.

Emma took a breath and focused, trying to draw the energy into the pattern Regina showed her, and keep the urgency of the crew's need in her mind. After a moment, the construct in her hands began pulling her magic into itself, drawing on her concern and need to help. She opened her eyes and stared; there in her hands was a gleaming, spinning knot of light, glowing stronger and whirling faster until-

It burst like a fountain, sending streamers of light into the air. The storm seemed to pause as the light split and split again, ribbons fragmenting to sparks, motes of light that settled on the crew, outlining them briefly in a white shimmer. The sailors stared around, wondering if this meant salvation-

And the storm closed back in with an almost audible slam, wind and wave lashing the hull. The crew seemed to shudder in unison, then resumed the desperate struggle for the ship.

Emma staggered and swung back around to face Regina. "What was that !"

"A good-luck charm."

There was a pause. " What !!"

"It's all we can do at this point!"

"She's right!" Emma jerked around to see Jan had rejoined them, bags slung over both shoulders. "The keel is broken, the ship's past saving!"

She stared at him, then at Regina again. "What do we do!"

Regina grabbed Jan by the hand and dragged him toward the rail. "Grab that rope and pull yourself up!" She waited, then hauled herself up beside him and reached back. "Emma, come on!"

Emma stared for a second, then grabbed hold and leaped to balance precariously on the rail. "Now what!"

"Wait for the ship to swing back this way, then jump!"

"WHAT!"

Jan gaped at her. "We'd never survive on that sea!"

"Not on it, no!" The ship lurched over, the sea rushing up towards them. "Now!" She leaped forward, dragging the other two with her. Emma managed to get out half a scream, then take half a breath, before the icy water smashed across her face.

There was a dizzying rush as Regina's magic swept through her. Her vision seemed to clear abruptly, and the noise of the storm above took on a strange texture, echoing and sharp at once. As Regina pulled them deeper, she could feel the water flowing over her; her skin was alive with it, from the (continued...)

( continues...) top of her head to the tips of her tailfins-

Emma let out a muffled yell as what she was feeling sank in. She yanked loose from Regina's hand and stared down at herself. What what what! There was a weird ordinariness to it; the smooth skin of her stomach just gave way to a sparkling column of scales. Instead of legs, she could feel a single length of muscle tapering down; the sense of the water flowing over her fins told her there was a weak current pushing on her, and she instinctively flexed her tail ( My tail!) to hold herself against it. "Regina, what the- "

Belatedly, it occurred to her she was shouting, and breathing, underwater. She floated for a second, managing not to clap a clearly unnecessary hand over her mouth, and took a slow, experimental breath. The water flowed smoothly down her windpipe(?) and then out again. She took a second breath, then turned back to Regina and felt her jaw actually drop.

She'd been expecting to see the other woman in mermaid drag; instead she was wearing a strapless black gown, out of which emerged not legs or a tail but a set of long, muscular tentacles. Emma stared, not quite believing what she was seeing. Not that she didn't recognize it; one thing you could always count on finding in a foster home was a stack of Disney movies to try and keep the kids quiet. "...Ursula?"

"No, Regina." She scowled. "Didn't your mother tell you about this?"

"Must...have slipped her mind." Emma stared, then focused past her at Jan, who was now a red-tailed merman, all his clothes gone except his sword and belt. He was staring down at himself, apparently still stunned. Yeah, I know the- waitaminute. She glanced down at herself. Huh. Seashell bra. Figures. "Didn't you get impaled by a ship?"

"No." Regina rolled her eyes. "Are we really going to have this conversation? Shall I go over the real reasons I wanted your mother dead?"

"No thanks." Emma scowled, and looked past her. "Jan, you okay?"

He blinked. "I...think so? Oh...can we do anything for..." he looked up and trailed off.

Emma followed his gaze, and realized the ship had vanished. The surface above them showed only flashes of lightning-lit sky.

"Carried off by the surface currents already." Regina sounded thoughtful. "But the wind was driving them south towards shore, if we head that way we may be able to help the survivors."

Emma gave her a puzzled look. "Sounds good to me."

"Let's get moving, then." Regina headed off, swimming with strong strokes of her tentacles. "This is King Triton's territory, and I'm technically still under sentence of death."

"What for?" Jan asked, startled.

"Impersonating a sea goddess."

TBC

I'm going to ask directly for feedback on this one:

First, as the content note shows, this chapter deals, if obliquely, with a somewhat sensitive subject; Any comments on how I handled it would be appreciated.

Second, I keep thinking I should end the chapter with them jumping into the ocean as a cliffhanger. Any opinions on if that would work better?

Thanks, guys.

chrismg, you have done a fine job of managing a sensitive topic without getting drenched in it. It rang true to this survivor without being dreadfully triggery. (Someone of a different temperment, at a different point in their journey to wholeness might have a different feeling, particularly if unwarned. So yes, I do think the warning is valuable, but also yes I do not think you will be engaging your readers in boatloads of unnecessary pain.) About where your chapter should be divided up, well, it feels fine as is - but once the whole thing is complete, you may well wish to rearrange things for pacing or what-have-you. That could well be a weakness of the practice of posting whatever chunk the author has written at any given time as a chapter in places like FFN. Going back with a fine editor's eye just has so little chance to happen. And it futzes with notifications to readers.

I wish there was an easy way to tell where traffic on AO3 comes from. One of the single-chapter stories I have posted there has five times the number of hits of my next most popular fic, which has seventeen chapters. It's not my best piece and it isn't the smuttiest thing I've ever written. Simply Googling for fic recs mentioning it isn't coming up with anything. And really, the difference in number of hits is vastly out of line with any rec I've had on any other story. Mysterious.

Heaven help me, I think I'm writing another Mentalist fic.