Once Upon a Time 1. Prologue

DISCLAIMER:: just borrowing characters for my own creative expression. no profit recieved.

SUMMARY:: Light and Dark forces battle for possession of Princess Emma, the one weapon that could tip the scales in their favor. She's fortold to be the saviour of them all but who will save her. The one woman who can was lost many years ago.

A/N:: so this baby has been incubating for a while after i caught my mom watching a movie that sparked my creativity. so i stole the movie concept and tweaked it to fit my story. i have since found out that there is a show with a similar concept but that was after i started writing, so any similarities to the show fall under the disclaimer above. i just have bits and pieces written of the chapters to follow because i haven't yet decided if henry will be included in this little gem. anyways, i would greatly appreciate reviews. they are love and i'm more concerned about how this story is going to go over than any of my other stories for OUAT so far. let me know what you think.

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**-Prologue-**

She had dreaded the swelling of her stomach. She wasn't opposed to children. Far from it. If she had her say she'd have the halls of the castle filled with the laughter of children. But it was too dangerous to breed in these times. With the threat the Evil Queen had so gloriously lobbed at her on her wedding day always hanging over her head, she knew the life of this child would not be an easy one.

Going before him, asking anything of him was absurd, but she had no choice. The Evil Queen had become too powerful to stop by conventional means. Her magic could not be bested except by one who's magic was greater. Only one such individual existed. Unsavory as he was, he had become the lesser of the two evils she faced. With her choices vastly limited, she found herself standing in the cave deep below the surface without remembering how she'd gotten there. The only thing that fueled her was the **why**.

She wasted no time trying to hide her presence from him. History had served in teaching her that he already knew she was there the moment she entered the cave and she didn't want to show her fear to him. He would just exploit that particular weakness and she didn't want to allow him to have any more leverage than she could handle.

His head was tilted curiously to the side as he studied her swollen stomach with a fevered curiosity. His mind had been lost with the death of the one woman who could possibly have saved him. Belle had been her name. She had heard the tale from a weary traveler who had sought relief in their castle on his way to distant lands. He had told of how the little creature had retained her as a prisoner and how their fondness for each other had grown over the weeks that followed. But the poor dear, after being released from his custody, had been turned away by her family and faced unspeakable things. If the traveler was to be believed of course.

"I want the Evil Queen gone." She didn't see any point in hiding her intent for being here. She wanted something and, at least in this case, she was willing to openly bargain for it.

"Don't we all dearie?" His eyes didn't shift from her stomach even as he addressed her and she shivered slightly, for the first time starting to question her decision.

"Can you make her disappear?"

The man tilted his head back and forth as if weighing out exactly how much power it would take him to accomplish this. He shrugged dramatically. "I tried to help you murder her once, and you failed, I will not do it again." He leaned through the bars, his eyes sinking back to her stomach. "However, I will help _her_."

She flinched. "Help her how?"

"Your daughter will be the saviour of all. There are big things in the future, dark things, and your daughter is destined to be the light in the darkness. I will help contain the Evil Queen."

Involuntarily, she took a step forward, his words calling to something in her, or rather, someone. "Contain her how?"

"That is not your concern, dearie. All you need to know is that the only one who'll be able to set her free is the child which you now carry."

She touched a hand to her swollen abdomen. Her daughter kicked out against her hand and she smiled. She had known from the moment she found out she was pregnant that her child would be destined for great things. Sure, saviour of all was a bit of a stretch, but she knew her daughter would be important one day. "What is your price?"

"Freedom dearie, and my kingdom, as well as that of the Evil Queen restored to my possession."

She shook her head. "You would just come after us. My family, my friends, would be in just as much danger as we are with the Evil Queen."

The man conceded with a tilt of his head. "A magical contract then, preventing me from directly attacking your family or friends, with an expiry date of twenty eight years."

Her brow furrowed. This creature had never once broken his contractual obligations. In fact, he was famous for keeping his end of a bargain no matter what. It was always the other party that failed to hold up their side. Twenty eight years was a long time, but why twenty eight, why not thirty? It seemed like an odd number, but who was she to question the desires of a madman? It was either agree and have twenty eight years of happiness out from under the threat of the Evil Queen, or refuse and face a horrible and certain fate at her hands. Finally she nodded. "Deal."

He clapped his hands together in delight. "On the day of her birth," he looked pointedly at her stomach, "the Queen will be watching. The moment she beholds the Princess, she will fall into a slumber so deep that no mortal means can wake her. Though I'm sure many will try, all will fail."

"Don't tell me true love's kiss will awaken her?" She didn't like the idea of everyone in the land lining up to try their chances at kissing Regina and risk one of them actually being able to revive her.

"A very powerful cure for most curses, to be sure, but not for this one. The Queen will stay, balanced in the unknown between life and death, no matter who's lips seek hers."

She nodded. It was enough for her. "Very well. I will have the contract drawn up by the fairies. The moment we have confirmed Regina's incapacitation, you will have your freedom." She turned to go, but then looked back over her shoulder. "May I ask you a question?" She didn't wait for him to respond for fear he'd refuse. "Why twenty eight years? It seems so odd a length of time."

The man hopped up to the bars of his cage. "Let me feel one kick and I will answer your question."

Her feet were moving her forward before her mind had even decided. Then she was at the bars and his dirty hand was pressed firmly against the swell of her belly. His eyes caught hers. "On her twenty eighth birthday, you're child will make a decision that will affect the rest of her life."

She was so enraptured in the magical man's words that she didn't see the magic seeping from his hand into her abdomen.

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"The baby's coming!" The genie's face appeared in the mirror, startling her, though she had learned long ago to not let her shock show. She looked over at him calmly, but her eyes were hungry and bright.

"How long?"

"A few minutes at most."

She stood up, the skirts of her dress pooling out around her. She had been on edge for nearly a week, waiting for this moment. The birth of their daughter was when she had decided to enact the curse. She had everything she needed, except for her father's heart. That had to be fresh. But she had wanted to make sure their child was in the world before she let the magic loose. Although it would be horrible for Snow White to be nine months pregnant for the rest of her life, it would be much more satisfying to take from her the most precious thing in her life. "Show me."

She watched with an excitement that was quite uncommon to her as her nemesis struggled to push the baby out of her body. The whole thing took less than five minutes, but it seemed much longer, the anticipation drawing out each moment. And then the nursemaid pulled out a squalling little infant. The little being kicked and screamed, acting very un-Princess-like and she couldn't hide the smile that somehow found its way to her face. That little girl would be hers before the night was through.

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She appeared in a swirl of smoke in the nursery. It had surprised her how easy Snow's wards had been to dispel. It was as if they were practically inviting her to come into the palace. Her muscles tensed, ready for an attack. She had her men on the inside relaying information to her all day. But her spies had informed her that the new parents had given the guards a light schedule in honor of the baby's birth. That was so like them. If she was the girl's mother, she'd be more responsible than that. That girl would be the most precious thing in her life and she'd increase security ten fold to protect her. It was better really then, that the girl would be coming with her. She'd bring her up in this new world, and they'd be so happy together. She felt the closest thing she'd felt to happiness in a long time at the thought.

She walked over softly to the basinet. She saw the small tufts of dark blonde hair, so soft and baby fine, peeking out from above a blanket. The embroidered letters on the blanket answered her question as to the girl's name. Emma. She smiled to herself and tucked the blanket down, exposing the little face sleeping peacefully. She held back a gasp at the surge that passed through her body. She stroked a soft cheek with the back of a finger. "You are magnificent, aren't you?"

She lifted the small infant from her basinet and held her up, staring at her in wonder. Her innocence was so pure. It gave her a large sense of pride knowing she was going to spare her of having to grow up with that betrayer and her lap dog husband. It was the most generous thing she'd ever done. She folded the girl into her arms and as she did, the infant woke. She didn't cry out or scream, just stared up into the eyes of the woman holding her.

For a moment, her breath caught. Emma's deep green eyes seemed to penetrate deep into the very heart of her. There was something so… _familiar_ there, as if she'd seen it before. Suddenly feeling tired, she stumbled over to the nearby rocking chair and fell into it, her eyes never leaving those of the infants.

She ignored the warnings firing off in her brain, choosing instead to put all effort into wordlessly communicating with the newborn. Slowly, a smile crept across her face. "I never believed I'd find you."

The little infant smiled at her and the Evil Queen slipped off the edge and into darkness.

The door burst open and Snow stormed in, pulling Emma from the unconscious woman's arms. She motioned the guards forward once the baby was free of the woman's grasp.

A guard stepped forward cautiously and shook the Queen's shoulder but she didn't awaken. He checked her pulse. "Just as you said Your Majesty. She's alive, but she won't wake."

She finally let herself breathe a sigh or relief and smile. "Good. Take her away. The dwarves have provided us with the enchanted glass coffin I was once housed in. Put her in that. They will take her and hide her away in a place where no one will ever lay eyes on her again."

She clung her daughter closer to her chest as the men hauled the woman out of the nursery.

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Outside the cave that housed Rumpelstiltskin's cell, a woman in a white cloak waited. She had put up a cloaking spell to prevent her from being seen by the guards that continually patrolled the grounds. He would be released tonight.

Right on schedule, a rider on a horse came and spoke with the guards at the entrance of the cavern. One disappeared inside as the rider and the other guard waited. A few moments later the guard reemerged, leading the Dark One by a rope pull around his hands. Once they were clear of the cave entrance, the guard turned and started to untie his hands as the rider spoke to him of his agreement with the young Queen.

She watched as the creature took a copy of the formal agreement and pranced off. Once he was gone, the rider took off back towards the castle and the guards disappeared into the cave, probably to play a game of cards now that they had nothing left to guard.

"Eavesdropping isn't nice dearie."

She tensed for a moment. She had known he would sense her presence. She turned and came face to face with his insane smile. "They should never have agreed to let you out of captivity."

He shrugged. "There was no other way to take care of Snow White's problem. You certainly didn't offer _your_ services."

The woman in the white cloak felt the prickling of her temper. It wasn't something easily ignited, but she was a force to be reckoned with when it was.

"Things happen for a reason. I choose not to trifle with fate."

"Especially not _her_ fate, hmm?" He seemed delighted that he'd pressed her buttons so easily.

"You used magic on the child. What did you do to her?"

The man seemed to consider his answer for a long while before he offered it to her. "Let's just say I gave the dark side a fighting chance."

Her hands clenched into fists. She'd have to right this wrong somehow. Without knowing the exact curse he'd put on the babe, there was no way for her to reverse it. But maybe she could find a way to mollify the effects.

"You do know where they're sending her?" The man gleefully grinned at her, his eyes giving away the words he didn't say.

She shook her head. "They wouldn't dare!"

"Oh, but they would. It's the only way to ensure the Princess will never lay eyes upon her." His grin only widened. "If you hurry dearie, you might be able to stop the dwarves."

Panic gripped her and she leered at him. "This is not over."

"It never is."

She threw one last look of disgust his way before she disappeared in a burst of white fire.

Proud of his work, the man flounced away towards his newly acquired kingdom.

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She found the dwarves pulling a cart with the glass coffin down the road. She knew she didn't have much time. They were almost to their destination. She mumbled a spell under her breath and time seemed to slow to a near halt. She walked in between the dwarves, leaning down next to the one they called Grumpy's ear. "You're going the wrong way. You already delivered the Evil Queen, remember?" She repeated her words to each dwarf in turn. She walked back to the coffin and placed a hand on it. A second later, both it and her were consumed by the white flames and had disappeared.

Time resumed and the dwarves glanced around at each other, puzzled. "Why are we going back the way we came? We already dropped her off." Grumpy grumbled and turned back to lead the way home.

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The fire had transported them into an empty room. It looked as if it had once been presentable but had long since gone to ruin. The walls were cracked and broken in some places, the floor as well. There were no windows in this room. She wouldn't risk anyone knowing where she'd stashed the Evil Queen. She mustn't be discovered until the time was right. Everything had been set into motion. There was only one thing left for her to do now that the first domino had been knocked over and that was wait, and watch over the Princess, until the time came for her to save them all.


	2. Welcome to Storybrooke

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: sorry it took a long time to update. had it written all the way to chapter 5 and two days ago decided to throw all the chapters out and start fresh. i'm so happy i did, because this is sooooo much better than what i originally had. i now have a better idea of where i want to take this. this chapter might seem a little confusing considering where the prologue ended, I AM AWARE. but fear not, for it all will come together soon. right now, be blissfully ignorant, and enjoy. oh, and bonus points if anyone can guess the movie and/or show. no one has guessed correctly yet. enjoy and review.

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-**Chapter One: Welcome to Storybrooke**-

Emma Swan sighed and sat up. Her apartment stretched out around her, plainly welcoming her back to Boston once more. She tossed the blankets aside and ran a hand across her face. She moved over to the window and looked out at the morning sky winking brightly back at her, almost as if it were mocking her. She was coming up on twenty eight; she'd need to leave Boston soon. She'd been here too long as it was. She turned away from the window with a disgusted sigh. Time to go to work… time to hunt.

An hour later, her mood had improved considerably, just as it always did after she'd had time to adjust from waking up. She stepped out of the brick apartment building and she wrapped her red leather jacket closer around herself. It was time to retire the well worn article of clothing but she couldn't bring herself to part with it. Not for sentimental value of course, with the exception of her necklace and baby blanket she cherished nothing material, but because it had become a calling card of sorts. Hawaiians saw a blonde mullet and a dark SUV and they instantly knew Dog Chapman had found them. In the same way, Bostonian's only had to see a red leather jacket and a yellow Volkswagen Beetle to know she was on their tail. Her father had always told her she had quite a gift for the hunt… well, in a way he had.

There were benefits to living downtown. She could always find a suitable bar within walking distance of her apartment, a dive joint at which she could sit back and forget this particular life. And the sounds were somehow comforting. Here, she needed the noise. The sounds that were so distinctly Boston. She needed the constant reminder that this was the real world. Silence…peace… they didn't happen here. She had to remember that. But the downside to living downtown was having to park a mile away everyday.

Half a block ahead she saw her run down little bug. She pulled out her keys and unlocked the driver's side door. She pulled on the handle but the door didn't budge. "Ah, come on, not today. I'm already late as it is." She threw her weight against the door and the whole car shook with the impact. She tried again and it still refused to give even an inch. "Please, please don't stick me with public transit." She slammed into it again and this time when she tried it, the door popped open as if it had heard her desperate plea, but not without a loud groan of protestation. She slid into the black leather seat and started the car. With another sigh she pulled out into the morning traffic of downtown Boston.

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"What took ya so long Swan?" Tony raised a dark eyebrow as she strolled through the front door of McKinley-Dizonti Bail Bonds.

"Counting the minutes until you saw me again, eh Diz?" It had become a common pastime, this playful teasing between them. One half of the founding party of her current place of employment, Anthony Dizonti was tall, tan, and rather handsome. He was only a few years older than her and he'd set his sights on her the moment she'd walked in looking for work. The other bounty hunters, including fellow co-founder Bobby McKinley, all said she and Tony were a perfect match, but she had no interest in pursuing him romantically. She didn't let herself have any interest in anyone who might cause her to establish any sort of roots.

"Louie came in early, snagged Darren Graybill."

"No!" Emma silently cursed her car. "I've been waiting for that case! You were supposed to slide it aside for me."

"Hey." Tony held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "I tried, but Bobby was in when he asked for it and you know how he feels about me doin' you any favors. He already thinks I give you too much special treatment. He only puts up with it because you get results."

She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Please tell me that he left me _something_?"

Tony tossed a file across the desk. "It ain't much, but it's something. Jumper out of Brookline. Wanted for fraud."

"Is it too much to ask for a little variety? Let me guess, the girlfriend put up his bail?" They always stuck her with the ones where she had to seduce the guy to get her mark. It was a legitimate hunting technique and she'd never claimed to be above it, but it just got old after a while.

Tony grinned. "Actually, his _boyfriend_ put up the bail. That enough variety for ya?"

Emma's eyebrows shot up. She chuckled to herself. "Be careful what you wish for, right?" She held up the file as she backed towards the door. " Bet you one hundred bucks I take him down in less than three hours."

Tony grinned again. "You're on Swan. Family hasn't seen him in months. He's off grid. You just paid my gas for the month."

Emma smirked. "We'll see." She pulled her sunglasses down off her head and onto her face before pushing open the door. As she stepped out into the mid-morning sunshine, she glanced at the warrant in the file. "You may not need to see your family Mr. Limon, but I bet there is something it isn't so easy for you to hide from."

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Emma walked into McKinley-Dizonti two hours and fifty-six minutes later, tossing the file onto Tony's desk with a flourish, a triumphant grin on her face. "I believe you owe me one hundred bucks."

"In three hours? I think that's a new record." Tony stared at her, torn between amusement and wonder.

"Actually, two hours and fifteen minutes. I stopped at Luso's to have a bear claw and burn the extra time; winning is always much more enjoyable when I push the clock and let you get a false sense of security."

"You're a cold bitch sometimes Swan, you know that?" He reached for his wallet and counted out the bills, handing them over.

"Aw, I like you too Tony." She put a hand over her heart and batted her eyelashes. She caught sight of two fresh files on his desk. "Those just come in?"

"Yea. You want one?"

Emma picked them both up and browsed the warrants. They were both fairly simple marks. "I want both."

Tony frowned. "You know Bobby don't like when you pull double duty Swan."

"Come on Diz! Louie is gonna be gone all day on Graybill. I need the money!"

"Why you so hard pressed for cash all of a sudden?"

"I'm saving up."

"For what?" He looked at her with genuine curiosity.

Emma wanted to tell him the truth. She always opted for honesty when she could manage it, but Diz was the closest thing she'd had to a friend in a long time and she couldn't bear to hurt him by telling him she was leaving Boston. It was better to save the goodbyes until last minute, where feelings couldn't change minds that had already been made up. So instead she adopted her usual teasing smirk. "I'm going to get you one of those mail order brides. I want to invest in your future Diz!"

"Ha! You're so funny Swan. Now get out of here before Bobby gets back."

Emma tucked both files under her arm and set out, a smile on her face. It faded the second she was out the doors. Boston had been good to her. She was going to miss it. But, as always, with a little time, she'd get over it. She'd move on. She always managed to.

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She stared up at the brick building fondly. It had been her residence for the last six months now; it was one of the best places she'd ever had. She opened the door and headed straight for the stairs, taking them slowly. Her third and last catch of the day had been a runner. She'd had to wear heels to get his attention, leaving her boots behind in the car. It had been hell on her calves and once again she cursed the old apartment building for its lack of an elevator. By the time she reached the fifth floor, she was dead on her feet. This would be one night of sleep she'd welcome. She trudged around the corner and found her way blocked by something or, more accurately, _someone_. There was a small boy sitting in her doorway. He had brown hair and green eyes. He had a backpack slung across his shoulders and a huge brown book in his lap that looked rather dated. He was wearing some sort of school uniform. He must be from one of those Catholic private schools over in Beacon Hill. What was he doing downtown? And in her doorway of all places? "Hey kid."

The boy looked up and her breath caught for a brief moment. It seemed as if he were staring back at her with her own eyes, but that was impossible. She shook the feeling off.

"What…um, what are you doing in front of my door?"

The boy quickly got up. He looked eager and excited though Emma couldn't possibly fathom why. "You're Emma Swan?"

Emma raised an eyebrow and a frown crept onto her face. "Depends on who's asking." She stepped past him and unlocked the door.

"I'm Henry Mills."

Emma turned around, her hand on the doorknob. "Listen kid, does your mom even know where you are?"

Henry nodded. "Considering you are my mom, I'd say it's a safe bet."

Emma's jaw dropped. She closed her eyes and shook her head. "I'm sorry. I could have sworn you just called me… you said… mother?"

Henry nodded once more. "You gave me up ten years ago."

Emma looked around the hallway. She could care less if people gossiped about her but she didn't really want to advertise her past mistakes to her neighbours. "Come on inside kid." She opened the door and let him go in ahead of her. He strolled straight into her kitchen and took a seat on one of the stools by the island.

"Do you have any juice? They wouldn't let me have any on the bus."

"Bus? From where?"

"Maine."

For the second time since this kid showed up on her doorstep, Emma's jaw dropped. "You rode a bus, _by yourself_, all the way from Maine? Are you crazy kid? You could have been killed!"

"Ugh. You sound just like _her_." He spat out the pronoun in disgust.

"Who?"

"The Ev…." He seemed to search for the right words before glumly admitting, "my mom."

"So you do have a mom?" Relief washed through her.

"Actually she's my adoptive mom."

"Kid, she's your _only_ mom."

Henry didn't seem the least bit deterred. "You're my mom too."

Emma opened her fridge and got out the apple juice she always kept on hand and poured Henry a glass. "Listen kid, I'm not mom material. I lead a… _complicated_ life."

Henry opened the book and flipped it around on the counter so it was facing her. "You're the White Knight. You're supposed to save Storybrooke!"

"What's a Storybrooke?"

"It's where everyone is trapped by the Evil Queen!" He tapped his finger on the open book for emphasis. "All the fairytale characters."

Emma chuckled. "I know a thing or two about fairytales, and I can assure you, there is no such thing as the Evil Queen."

Henry shook his head. "There is! And she's trapped Snow White and everyone else here with a curse! A curse you're destined to stop!"

The smile dropped from Emma's face. "Did you just say Snow White?"

Henry nodded. He pulled the book back to him and flipped through the pages until he found the one he was looking for and pushed it back towards her. "The Evil Queen cursed her!"

Emma stared down at the illustration. She'd read every version of Snow White, seen every movie and none had gotten her quite right. There were many that had come close, but it was never all there. Something was always mixed up or missing. But this…. She let her finger trace the woman's outline. It was almost as if it were a photograph. "This… Snow White, she's in Storybrooke?"

Henry blinked and stared at her in wonder. "You believe me?"

Emma shrugged. "I'm not all the way there, but let's just say I'm open to the possibility."

Henry leapt off the stool. "So you'll come home with me?"

Emma stared down at the book. She had to know for sure. "Sure kid, let's take you home."

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She spent most of the drive in quiet contemplation while Henry told her all about the curse. She only listened with half an ear, giving input when he asked her for it directly. Otherwise her mind went adrift in the ocean of her memories. It wasn't often she took the time to just… remember.

"We're almost there." Henry pointed to a sign on the right up ahead.

**Welcome to Storybrooke.**

"Now remember… my mom might seem nice. She always is around people she's still trying to get a feel for. But don't be fooled Emma! She's the Evil Queen! You have to be careful."

Emma rolled her eyes. "I got this kid. Don't worry. How do I get to your house?" They had pulled onto Main Street and were passing several shops and other establishments. It seemed a quaint enough place to grow up. Too quiet for her tastes but she also felt an odd draw that she couldn't quite peg. Almost as if something inside her recognized this place. She shook it off and followed the kid's directions towards his house.

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"Just take a left up here. It's the white one." He gave a casual flick of his wrist towards her final turn.

With the nonchalance that Henry's tone had contained while indicating his house, it surprised her when she pulled onto the quiet residential street and saw his place. It was like pulling onto Pennsylvania Avenue and the President saying 'it's the white one'. The place was a mini mansion, with an enclosed but sprawling yard. A black Mercedes was parked on the winding driveway so Emma pulled to a stop on the street and parked in front of the small gate that opened to a brick walkway that led up to the front door. "Is your mother a hot shot attorney or something kid?"

Henry looked uneasy for the first time since they'd met. "She's the mayor."

Emma stared at him. "You're the mayor's kid?"

He nodded. "I would have told you but I was afraid you wouldn't come if I did."

Emma grimaced. "And you would've been right." She got out of the car and Henry followed suit.

As they approached the front door, it burst open and three people filtered out, two women and a man. One of the women, beautiful with dark brown, almost black hair and piercing dark eyes rushed forward. Her face was caught somewhere between relief and anger. "Henry?"

"What's Miss Blanchard doing here?" He deflected his attention from the woman who was obviously his mom to the other.

The second woman, obviously Miss Blanchard, stepped forward.

Emma's heart seemed to stop in her chest. Snow White. The kid hadn't been lying. She really was here. She was different though. Her hair was cropped short. It wasn't her usual wild curls, but it still suited her almost as well. She was dressed in a knee length dress and cardigan that gave her an air of innocence that, under normal circumstances, Snow White would never wear. But it was her.

"I noticed something missing today." She frowned down at him, though even her frown was not unkind. "When your mother called to ask if you had showed up at school today, I put two and two together easily enough."

"Henry, did you steal Miss Blanchard's credit card?"

Henry downcast his eyes and pulled the card in question from his pocket, handing it to the schoolteacher. "I'm sorry Miss Blanchard."

"I'd be glad to reimburse you for any charges he accumulated Miss Blanchard. Just send a list along to my office tomorrow."

Miss Blanchard nodded. "I'm glad you're okay Henry." She ruffled the boy's hair and then took her leave with a quick glance in Emma's direction.

"Where have you been young man?" The mayor turned her full attention to Henry the second the front gate closed behind the other brunette.

"I went to find my _real_ mom." Henry pushed past her and ran into the house.

The man, who until this point had remained stoic and silent, held up a hand. "I got him." He turned and followed Henry inside.

Finally, as if realizing for the first time that there was another present, the mayor turned to Emma. "You're Henry's birth mother?"

Emma took a deep breath, or more accurately, a sharp intake of breath. This woman's eyes…. Emma's own eyes fell closed as a flash of memory overtook her. _This woman, staring down at her with eyes that held so much, a brilliant smile crossing her face. "I never believed I'd find you."_ Her eyes shot open and she nodded.

"I'm Regina Mills, Mayor of Storybrooke." She extended a hand.

Emma took it and instantly felt fire dance across her skin. She could tell by the look of wonder that crossed Regina's face that she'd felt it too. "Emma. Emma Swan."

Regina was the first to pull her hand away. "May I offer you a cup of cider Miss Swan? I make it myself."

Emma nodded.

Regina led the way inside where the man was just coming down the stairs.

"Mr. Mills?" Emma raised a questioning eyebrow.

The man visibly paled and shook his head. "Sheriff Graham Hunter." He glanced at Regina. "Henry's tucked in. I should get back to patrol."

"Thank you Sheriff."

With a nod to them both, he disappeared into the night, shutting the door behind him.

"Shall we?" Regina led the way into a small parlour off to the right.

"You have a beautiful home." Emma took a seat in one of the chairs. "Is your husband around?"

Regina got out two tumblers and poured cider from a decanter into each. She handed one to Emma and then sat on the couch opposite the blonde. "My husband passed away many years ago, long before I adopted Henry. I'm a single mother."

Emma frowned. "I'm sorry for your loss."

Regina nodded. "And I'm sorry about Henry's actions; I'm sure they caught you rather off guard."

Emma chuckled. "A little."

Regina smiled, taking a sip of cider, and Emma could tell that the brunette didn't allow herself to genuinely smile that often.

"He caught me out of sorts with all his fairytale talk, but he seems like a wonderful kid. You've obviously done a fine job raising him."

Regina stared at her, the smile vanished. "I'm sorry… what fairytale talk?"

Emma shrugged. "You know, how he thinks everyone in this town is a character from his book?"

"I'm quite sure I have no idea what you're referring to."

Emma shook her head. "It's not that important, just a kid's imagination run away with him."

Regina nodded but she was no longer meeting Emma's eyes. She was too deep in thought.

Emma stood. "I don't think I should drive back tonight. It's already pretty late. Are there any hotels in town?"

Regina nodded, her gaze finally returning to Emma, sending another rush of fire through the blonde. "Yes, of course." She stood, leading the way to the front door. "Just off Main Street. Granny's Bed and Breakfast."

Emma smiled. "Thank you for the cider, Madam Mayor. As well as for raising Henry. He turned out… better than I could have hoped." _Better than he would have been with me._

Regina opened the door. "Have a safe trip home Miss Swan. Thank you for returning my son safely."

Emma nodded and went to her car. It wasn't difficult to find the bed and breakfast and procure a room. By the dusty look of the keys, it appeared that no one had stayed at the establishment in quite some time.

Henry had left the book on her passenger seat, whether on purpose or by accident, she wasn't sure. But she was grateful. She took the book upstairs with her and once she had relaxed onto the comfortable bed, she opened it to the first page and began to read.

Nearly an hour later, Emma Swan fell asleep on the book, ironically opened to a page where the Evil Queen stared out regally, daring the reader to challenge her.


	3. The Ripples of True Love Lost

DISCLAIMER:: not mine yada yada.

A/N:: only posting this because it was already all uploaded and edited. the updates for this and all my stories will be few and far between as unfortunately my mother broke one of my fingers and i can't type effectively. i have to do that chicken peck typing with my opposite hand, my non-typing hand, and it's very slow going. thanks to everyone who's shown any intrerest in this story. after this chapter it should be pretty clear what movie this is modeled after, as well as the parallels between that other show. either way, i'll tell you at the end of the chapter their names, just in case you want to check them out. that is all. enjoy and review.

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-**Chapter 2: The Ripples of True Love Lost**-

"My Queen? My Queen you must come down from there!"

Emma awoke with a start, hard wood at her back and underneath her legs. She looked down at the cords tied around her brown leather trousers, securing her to the thick branch of the tree. She'd fallen asleep while out hunting yet again. When she had been a Princess, none of that had mattered, but now that she was older, and a Queen, it wouldn't do if someone stumbled across the Queen asleep in a tree.

"My Queen?" Emma looked down to the ground where a familiar face stared back up at her. Daniela had been with her for a very long time, her mentor, best friend, and closest confidante. Her long brown hair was pulled up today as it almost always was, making her look older than she did when it was down. Funny that the woman had been with her since her toddler years and yet she still had a face much like Emma's own. She never seemed to age a day and it was something, if she were at all vain, Emma might envy. Her dark blue eyes stared up at Emma meaningfully. "The King has been asking for you. He wishes to speak with you regarding the matter of… your father."

Emma frowned. Were they to rehash this argument yet again? It really was growing quite tiresome. With a sigh she unbound the cords, pushing them away from her legs and leapt down from branch to branch until her boots gave a healthy crunch as they landed on fallen leaves and other debris from nature.

"How many times have I cautioned you against venturing into the woods so late in the evening? You know better my Queen. With the sleeping sickness, I fear one day you will not make it to the trees and the wolves will stumble upon you."

Emma waved off Daniela's concern. "You caution is endearing but ill placed Ella. You know I have decent control over it now. Besides, I have had twenty seven and a half years of practice. I know when it's coming." She led the way back through the woods in the direction of the castle.

"How was your day?"

Emma didn't need her to clarify; she knew the woman was talking about her day _there_.

"It was… quite different actually. I… met a boy."

"I thought you agreed that you were going to stop these pointless trysts?"

Emma rolled her eyes. "Not that kind of boy. An actual boy. It was him Ella, my son. He… he found me." She grinned over her shoulder at the woman.

Daniela's eyes shot open wide. "And… how does that make you feel?"

Emma shrugged. On one hand it made her deliriously happy. She had never wanted to give Henry up, not by a long shot. Those green eyes that had seemed to stare into her soul as she held him in her seventeen year old arms. She'd wanted him with every fibre of her being. But it wasn't in his best interests and she knew… mothers must sacrifice for the good of their children. She'd learned that lesson long ago, but it was one that was constantly on her shoulders. Henry would have had no life with her, none at all. So she'd given him his best chance. And still, he'd found her. In a world where she made it a point to never retain any sort of permanence, he'd found her. It seemed fated. And yet, there was that small voice in the back of her mind that reminded her that she could still not offer him the life he deserved. She couldn't be a part of his world, never fully at least. Not while she was also a part of this one. "I've taken him home to the woman who adopted him. I'll linger a few days, see that he's settled and he won't attempt to find me again. Then I'll leave. I packed the locket and blanket in the trunk of the car, so I won't even bother going back to Boston. I'll just head for…" She ran through cities in her mind. "Minneapolis."

Daniela was quiet for a time. "You want to stay with him, don't you?"

Emma nodded. "The town… I know it sounds crazy, but… everyone there is from _here_."

Daniela paled, shaking her head in disbelief. "What do you mean?"

"It's odd. But the Huntsman, that man for hire out of the pub down in Peppergray, he's the Sheriff and Widow Lucas runs the inn and a small dining establishment, with the help of Red of course. And then… _she's_ there."

"Who?"

Emma slowed to a stop, her eyes haunted and downcast. "Mother."

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Emma paused outside the door of the tower room. Once this had been one of her favorite places in the castle. It had been a place of solitude, of peace. But no longer. Now all she felt when she stepped into the room was the culmination of all that had been lost to her, all that had been taken. With a sigh, she pushed open the door.

It hadn't changed since the yesterday of this world, not that she ever expected it to. She glanced around the walls where the drawings and paintings glared back at her, her mother at various times in her adulthood, short lived as it had been, all of which she looked happy. Emma felt the familiar pangs of love lost swirling in the abyss of her soul and she had to steel herself to fight against it. The sharp pains of her guilt always felt the most intense here in the tower. But she couldn't bear to seal the tower off. No, because even though this was the place where Snow White still lingered, it was also _his_ place. Her hell was his sanctuary.

"I've brought you lunch Daddy."

James was no longer the Prince Charming of old. He'd fallen apart before her very eyes after Snow's death and Emma knew that without Daniela, she would have been lost. James had lost his true love and this was what remained. A broken man locked away in a tower cell, by his own hand, trapped in the prison of his memories of a love that would never again exist.

James didn't even look up from his seat at his canvas. He was drawing again, always drawing. Whatever image he'd seen of her in his dreams, he must recreate it, lest he forget her face. It was sad seeing her father reduced to this, the part of a once whole soul that still remained, doomed to remember its other half. When one doesn't know their incomplete, the cannot possibly miss the feeling of being complete, of being one with another being. That's why Emma herself had married for practical reasons, not for love; she preferred to remain blissfully ignorant. True love was not worth the destruction it left when it was destroyed.

"I dreamt of a curious town last night Daddy. This place, called Storybrooke. It's run by the woman. Regina... that was her name. She…"

The charcoal fell from James's hand and collided with the floor with a thud that seemed to reverberate through the room.

"The Evil Queen." James's voice was barely above a whisper, as if in his years of silence and solitude, he had almost forgotten how to use it.

"Daddy?" Emma set the tray down on the bedside table and rushed forward, standing next to the easel so she could look her father in the face.

James looked lost in thought, alarming Emma. She hadn't seen anything but numbness in him for so long. His eyes moved to hers and it was as if he was seeing her for the first time in almost two decades. And slowly, a grin spread across his face, and Emma saw in his eyes, hope.

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"Where are you going?" Daniela entered the stable and raced over to where Emma was helping the stable boy saddle her prized steed, a mahogany stallion named Freedom.

"I ride for the dwarves, the ones who helped my mother in her time of need. My father said they were the last to see her."

"See who?"

"Reg… er, the Evil Queen. They were carrying her to a drop off point but word is that they never reached it. It's not much but it's the only place I have to start."

"You're going after the Evil Queen?"

Emma froze. She regarded Daniela in a new light. "You know of her?"

Daniela nodded. "There are those who, before the Battle at Fallen Tree would have claimed she was the worst thing to ever happen to this land. As they now know, evil existed long before her and it will continue to endure long after."

Emma bit her lip. "Will you come with me?"

Daniela smiled and inclined her head. "Of course, my Queen."

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"Will you tell me of her?" Emma glanced over at Daniela, riding on a black mare, next to her. They had another three to four hours ride before they reached the cottage where the seven dwarves resided.

Daniela regarded Emma with caution. "What would you like to know?"

Emma shrugged. "Everything, I guess."

Daniela frowned. "The Evil Queen was your mother's sworn enemy. They spent many years bent on each other's destruction."

"Why?"

A smile tugged at the side of Daniela's mouth. "Why indeed. You know, not many people bothered to ask that in those times. They saw your mother as their brave and beautiful leader and that left the Evil Queen to fall into the roll of villain. No one ever questioned why, or where it all started. They weren't born hating each other, the story is much longer and more complicated than that. They loved each other once, quite dearly, but they were manipulated by an evil witch, a woman rotten to her very core."

"Will you tell me the story?"

Daniela gave a quick incline of her head. "Regina came from a family of high regard and nobility. She was hauntingly beautiful, from a very young age. She had many suitors, but none of them struck her fancy. She had her eyes on someone else, a…stable boy." She paused for a brief moment but before Emma could think on it, she launched back into her story. "Her father, a slave to her whims, just figured she was picky and let her have her freedom from an arranged marriage, but her mother, a woman who had sacrificed quite a great many things to raise from her peasant beginnings to a position of nobility, was more suspicious. Regina was careful, she treated the stable boy crossly in the presence of her mother to throw suspicion else where."

Emma was enthralled. She didn't see much of true love at work in her day to day life in either world. She'd certainly never experienced its effects. Her closest brush with it was merely the witness she bore to the downfall of her father. She'd only seen the aftereffects of loss, rather than the benefits. The subject fascinated her. "So what happened?"

"One day, while meeting with the stable boy, a spooked horse, dragging a young girl came speeding by. Regina hopped on her own steed and gave chase. She rescued the girl from being trampled or thrown, saving her very life. The girl, as it were, was a young Princess, the King's only daughter, only child."

"My mother?"

Daniela nodded. "Snow White was visiting with her father, who was making the usual rounds of the high nobles. When the King heard of Regina's deed, he immediately sought Regina's hand in marriage at Snow White's behest. She worshipped Regina from the moment they met. And Regina did love her so. Still, Leopold was not where her heart lie. But it is quite one thing to refuse a Duke or Lord, it is quite another to refuse a King. Regina had no choice but to agree. Still, she made plans to spirit away with the stable boy. She knew a life in squalor in the presence of love was far better than having everything you could ever ask for in the prison of a loveless marriage." Daniela looked at Emma pointedly and the blonde shifted under her gaze.

"I care for Hadrian."

"Caring is a far cry from true love, my Queen."

Emma frowned. She had married Prince Hadrian because it was the proper thing to do. Like every Princess she had her fancy ideas of true love, of the one who would sweep into her life unannounced and just… settle there. But she was almost twenty eight and she never felt even the briefest of stirrings… not until last night. She remembered the feeling of fire that had caressed her skin as it had made contact with Regina's and a smiled crossed her face. But she quickly pushed it back down below the surface. She could never have Regina, all things in that world were fleeting. True love didn't exist there. "Please, continue. Tell me what happened next."

Daniela sighed. "I'm afraid this is where the tale turns dark. The young Princess caught Regina and the stable boy kissing. Regina was able to catch her and swear her to secrecy. Regina taught Snow White the meaning of true love that night. But, Regina's mother was very manipulative. She exploited Snow's weakness, appealing to her desire for a mother. The young Princess told all, tossing away Regina's secrets for a mother's love. It was… wrong, and yet, how can you blame her?" Daniela looked forlorn.

Emma frowned. "Because it's a secret! It's a vow of trust between two people." She shook her head. "She should have kept it."

Daniela inclined her head. "Maybe so, but she didn't all the same."

"So, obviously Regina married Leopold, or else she wouldn't bear the honorific of Queen. But what of her stable boy? Surely he would have fought for her."

"Yes, he would have…" Daniela's brow furrowed and she seemed to struggle to find the right words. "No one but the three people who were there that night- Lady Cora, Lady Regina, and the stable boy- could tell you the exact events that transpired in the stables that night. Rumour has it that Cora used her powers to rip the heart from the stable boy's chest and crush it, still beating, until it was reduced to dust, its owner dead. Others claim that the stable boy was offered a hefty sum and ditched Regina for the payout, that he never truly loved her at all. And still others claim that the stable boy waited in the wings for his chance and they're off somewhere together now, all these years later, living as true love promised them they would one day."

"Which do you believe?"

"That matters not, my Queen."

"It does to me."

Daniela regarded her for a long moment. "I believe there is a thread of truth around which all rumours are wound. So I imagine, part of each theory is true."

Emma nodded, accepting the answer. "Poor Regina."

Daniela smiled. "You do not grieve for the pain your mother suffered at her hands."

Emma shrugged, navigating Freedom around a nasty piece of root that was jutting up from the trail. "Until her last day, my mother led quite a wonderful life. What sort of existence has Regina led? It's easy to grieve for the ones who are close to us, the ones we love, but in that we tend to forget the broken ones, maybe the ones who need our love and support far more. My mother had no lack of friends. From what it seems, Regina had no one on her side."

"Of all the things in the world the Evil Queen felt, loneliness was most certainly chief among them."

Emma felt a pang in her heart. She had no clue if Regina was still alive in this world. Maybe she had run away with the stable boy; maybe she was off somewhere living her happily ever after. But Emma felt an inexplicable need to know, for sure. Because, Emma was starting to realize, though she wasn't quite sure why, that Regina's happiness was detrimental to her own. It was an odd feeling, wanting happiness for a stranger, especially one with such a shadowed past, but she would go with it. For now.

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"Oh boys!" Emma rode into the clearing, a huge grin on her face. She had spent a great deal of time in this cottage as a child. The seven dwarves were like her uncles, her mother's best friends since before she was born. They'd looked out for her, taught her to appreciate diamonds, and, once when Sneezy sneezed a little too hard and blew some fairy dust on her, they'd chased her flying form for miles. That had been an experience.

"Look who it is."

She grinned down at Grumpy and dismounted. "Gather your brothers; I have news."

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Six pairs of eyes stared at her, giving the Queen their full attention. The seventh pair of eyes were hidden behind Sleepy's closed lids. To his credit, he had tried hard to stay awake, but Emma's tone had always had the ability to lull him into slumber. Daniela was making lunch for the group in the cottage's small kitchen.

"What's this about?" Doc looked at her with concern. Emma hadn't visited much since Snow White's passing. There were just too many memories here. They always went to her at the palace, and as they grew older, those trips were becoming less and less frequent.

"I need you all to tell me what you remember about the day I was born."

Grumpy's brow crinkled. "You came all the way out here for sentimental story telling?"

Emma shook her head. "My mother entrusted you with transporting a package, a woman, in a glass coffin. I need to know why you never made the delivery. Every detail."

"Why?"

"Because my father has requested that I discover what became of the woman in that coffin."

"Your father?" Doc sat up straighter. They all did. "He spoke?"

Emma nodded. "I fear if I do not accomplish the task that has been put to me, then I will lose him again. So, please, tell me all you know."

Grumpy shrugged. "There isn't much to tell. We were almost to the drop off point and then…" He trickled off, unsure of what to say.

"All of a sudden we were all convinced we'd already delivered her." Doc finished Grumpy's thought. "We simply… changed our minds. And the cart was empty. There was no reason to question it. Only when your mother received word that we'd never showed did anyone become suspicious of magical intervention."

"You think someone stole the body _magically_?"

Happy nodded. "We don't think, we _know_. Your mother sent spell casters and they picked up the remains. But too much time had already passed and they couldn't trace it."

"If someone was trying to protect her, would they have taken her back to her castle?"

"Her castle is no longer hers." Doc shook his head. "It is in the hands of Rumplestiltskin."

"Would he have taken her?"

"He's the one who cursed her in the first place, so I wouldn't see why."

Daniela reappeared, carrying a platter of food. "Anything I missed?"

Emma shook her head. "I don't have any clue where to find her. Someone has either freed her or hid her away. It has to be somewhere no one would think to look or she would have been found by now."

Daniela shrugged. "You currently reside in the summer castle, but Regina spent many years at King Leopold's winter castle. It's at the base of Mount Alda. It's secluded and it's been unoccupied for years. Maybe someone stashed her there."

Emma frowned. It was a long shot. King Leopold and Snow White were both dead. Who else but Regina would know about the winter castle? "It's as good a place as any. I'll start there."

They'd tried to have her stay the night, but it was a long way to the mountainside castle. She'd sleep in the woods, as she had done many times in her life. She was comfortable there and she'd cover more ground that way. With any luck she'd reach the castle by tomorrow night. She had sent Daniela back to care for her father while she was away. She knew Hadrian would not see to Charming's best interests in her absence. He'd never been very tolerant of her father after he'd retreated to the solitude of the tower and abdicated the throne. Hadrian, strong willed as he was, had lost any respect he'd ever had for the former King in the wake of his emotional destruction. Emma only prayed that she'd find Regina fast enough, not just for her father's sake, but also for her own. She just couldn't shake that something was coming her way, and Regina was the bringer of it.

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The woman in the white cloak sat in wait, under the cover of the canopy of the trees. Any moment now the Queen would be heading this way which, consequently, wasn't the right way at all. She'd waste precious days searching a castle that had been abandoned and left to ruin, not to mention the time it would take to travel. No, this wouldn't do. She'd been waiting for this for far too long. It was time to give the Queen a push in the right direction, a magical intervention was in order.

She heard the hoof beats before she saw the horse. It was now or never. She mumbled the incantation under her breath and with a thunderous crack, a thick limb of the tree broke and swung down in an arch. The horse, as predicted, reared up, nearly throwing the Queen and shot off through the trees to the west.

The woman in the white cloak smirked to herself. Now, things were on track. Her work here was done. For now.

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Emma tried her best to calm Freedom, but it was to no avail. He zipped through the trees, deaf to her pleas for him to stop. She could do nothing but duck and cling to the reins, hoping to survive this unscathed.

The trees grew dense and then began to thin out. Finally, they broke free from the woods, emerging in a meadow. Once they were out of the trees, Freedom calmed and slowed down to a trot. She rubbed his neck soothingly, whispering softly too him. Once he had slowed to a complete halt, she looked around. The land was vast, stretching almost as far as she could see. In the distance, she could just make out where the woods began once again. There was a stable not far off, in near shambles. Beyond it, the meadow sloped upwards towards a squat stronghold. In the days of old it might have been considered a castle, but compared to the palaces she'd lived in, it was hardly more than a fortress. It looked like it might serve as the barracks for the royal army if it weren't so far from the castle. It appeared to be abandoned, maybe she'd use it as a place to get away when Hadrian became too overbearing. She clicked her tongue and Freedom set off in the direction of the stronghold.

The courtyard was overgrown with weeds when they entered it fifteen minutes later. A well stood off to one corner and a fountain stood in the middle, though the water it must have once let flow freely had long since run dry. She dismounted and tied Freedom's reins to a wench that had once appeared to operate the portcullis. She pressed her forehead to his nose. "Wait here. I'll be back."

She stepped up to the grand archway that led into the small castle. It took nearly an hour to examine the ground floor, not because it was big, but because there was debris everywhere. A long hall, most likely meant to receive guests had collected layers of dust. The chairs were broken apart and strewn across the floor. No one had been in this place for years, maybe even decades.

Finally, she found herself at the foot of a grand staircase. She ascended to the second floor and was once again met with dust and ruin. With the exception of one room. At the end of the west wing, she opened the last door to find a bed chamber that had been recently occupied. The bed was immaculate and unslept in, the mirror covered in a layer of dust, but the window was mysteriously clear as if it had been recently cleaned so someone could look out. Someone had been in this room not too long before her.

She ran her hand along the vanity, rubbing her fingers together to loosen the dust that had collected on them. She picked up the hairbrush. A few stray dark locks were trapped in its bristles, testament to the woman who must have occupied this room when once this stronghold was alive and thriving. Next to the brush was a hand mirror. She picked it up and used the hem of her riding cloak to wipe the grime of old age off its surface. She stared at her reflection for a moment. When had her eyes gotten so tired? She'd aged in her mother's absence. The responsibility of ruling a kingdom before you even hit sixteen had weighed heavily on her shoulders. She set the mirror back down, no longer able to bear the truth of her reflection.

She glanced over the couch, the bed, the armoire, one door hanging from a hinge, leaving the old dresses inside open to the dust that infected this entire place. She was about to leave, when her eyes caught the tapestry. It hung from the ceiling and down the far wall. It was beautiful, almost hauntingly so, depicting a world even more enchanted than this one could ever hope to be. Horses raced, unsaddled and free, through a wild landscape that stretched out around them. Magic seemed to drift through the air around them. She crossed the room towards it, a smile lighting her face. She ran her hand down the front of the tapestry, tracing her fingers over one of the horses and she felt it. Or rather, she felt the _lack_ of it. There was no support behind this section of the tapestry. She grabbed the edge and looked behind it curiously. An archway stood, hidden, stairs leading upward.

Curiosity got the better of the blonde Queen and she slipped behind the tapestry and up the stairs. At the top there was a solitary door. It called to her, beckoning her forward with unseen fingers. Slowly, with a hitched breath, she opened the door.

The room on the other side was completely devoid of windows, leaving it dim. She wouldn't have been able to see at all were it not for some magically conjured werelights that danced across the walls. There was no decoration, no ornamentation whatsoever, except for the glass coffin in the center of the room. She slowly crossed the threshold toward the crystal box and its occupant. Her hand touched the clear surface and she gazed down fondly at the face of Regina. She was different here, of course, just as Snow had differences when compared to Miss Blnchard, but she was still the same woman as the mayor who'd adopted her son.

Emma gripped the lid of the coffin and pushed. It budged slowly but surely and little by little she was able to slide it free until it clattered to the floor. She winced as glass made contact with stone, fearing it would shatter, but it didn't. The enchantments that kept its occupant in stasis must also protect it from conventional damage.

Regina lay as if in a peaceful sleep, her hands clasped together over her stomach. She was dressed in a dark gown, her long hair half up half down, just as she had been in Emma's brief flash of memory in Storybrooke. Had she met Regina before all this? She realized it didn't matter if she had. It didn't change _now_. She ran her fingers delicately along a cheek, smiling at the softness. She closed her eyes and when she once again opened them and fixed them on the sleeping woman, there was something akin to affection in their green depths. "I never believed I'd find you."

Regina's eyes shot open.

Emma stumbled backwards, tripping over her feet and falling to the stone floor of the tower chamber.

Regina sat up, looking around the room and then looking at her. "What am I doing here? Where's the baby?"

Emma's mouth opened and closed, but her shock prevented any words from actually leaving her mouth, not that she'd be able to answer her questions even if she could utter a coherent sentence.

"Answer me!" Regina's eyes ignited with a fury and she threw out her hand. Nothing happened.

Regina looked down at her hand incredulously. "You stole my powers! Who are you?"

Emma's brain registered that the brunette had finally asked a question that she knew the answer to. "I'm the Queen."

"Queen?" Regina scoffed. "Of what?"

"The Enchanted Forest. Well, most of it anyway." She got up and brushed the dust off her riding trousers. She stepped closer to the coffin.

Regina narrowed her eyes. "That is impossible! I can't possibly have been out for more than a few days, not enough time for a new monarch to take control."

"You've been under a spell for a lot longer than a few days, try a few decades."

Regina looked up into Emma's face for what seemed like the first time since she'd awakened. And as dark brown met sage green, the air seemed to leave the room and an electricity seemed to flow between the two women. Emma stepped closer to the coffin, dropping to her knees next to it, her eyes never breaking contact with Regina's.

Recognition dawned on Regina's face. "It…it can't be." She reached out, without thought to what she was doing, and cupped the blonde Queen's cheek. "_Emma_."

Emma placed a hand over the brunette's on her cheek. "Welcome back Regina." Then she felt the tug, that not so subtle draw towards unconsciousness. No, not now, not when she'd just found her! But the pull just increased and Queen Emma got in one more smile before she crumpled to the floor.

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INSPIRATION:: a gwenyth paltrow movie by the name of 'sliding doors'. as for the show that came into existence after i had already started writing this fic, i believe it is called 'awake'.


	4. As You Invade My Heart

DISCLAIMER:: do not own

A/N:: glad that everyone's grasped that emma flip flops between worlds. it'll be explained better in the next chapter and the ones following that. same goes for finding out what happened to snow in fairytale land. i hope everyone continues to read and enjoy this story, i've been working exceptionally hard on this. that being said, enjoy and review.

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**-Chapter 3: As You Invade My Heart-**

Emma woke to a knock on the door. She raised her sleepy head from the pillow, her eyes blinking to adjust to the light streaming into the room from the window. She stretched out her limbs like a cat waking from a fitful nap. She sat up, throwing her bare legs over the edge of the bed. Now where had she put her pants? "It'll be just a minute."

"Miss Swan, you will open the door this instant!"

All thoughts of her pants vanished as the sound of the mayor's voice came through the door. What if Regina remembered her other self too? Henry wouldn't because he didn't exist in the fairytale world. Miss Blanchard might not because Snow White no longer did either, but Regina was in both. Did she remember Emma waking her up? Is that why she sounded so angry? She shot to the door, pulling it open to reveal an infuriated looking Regina.

"Hello, Madam Mayor."

The woman ignored the greeting and immediately pushed past her and into the room, her head twisting from side to side, searching. "Where is he?"

"Where's who?" Emma raised an eyebrow. Last she'd checked, she hadn't brought a bedfellow back to the room last night.

Regina leveled her with a glare. "Where is my _son_, Miss Swan?"

Emma glanced at the small digital clock on the bedside table. "It's 8:47; I'd assume he's in school or does it start later in the morning here?"

Regina looked at her as if she were insufferably stupid. "Miss Blanchard called my office; Henry is not there."

Emma nodded, the last dregs of sleepiness departing from her brain as she took in the genuine worry behind the anger in Regina's eyes. "Hey, it's okay. I'm sure he's fine. He had a big day yesterday, we all did. I'm sure he's just playing hookie with some of his friends."

"Henry doesn't really have friends."

Emma frowned. She couldn't really argue that all kids have friends. She herself hadn't had many. She had only had the nursemaids and castle servants in the Enchanted Forest and here she'd only ever had fleeting connections with the other group home kids. "I can see where he gets it from."

Regina looked as if she'd been slapped. She narrowed her eyes. "And just what is _that_ supposed to mean?"

Emma closed her eyes, realizing how that could have been misconstrued. "I didn't mean that like it sounded. I was talking about me. I don't… I didn't have many friends when I was his age either."

"With your impressive personality and your scintillating whit? Shocker."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Was that a joke? I wasn't aware statues were capable of humour."

Something akin to pleasure flashed briefly through brown eyes, the recognition of a worthy opponent. She crossed her arms, a sickly sweet smile gracing her features. She surveyed Emma with new eyes, tracing her features with an almost carnivorous intent. As they traveled south, the predatory gleam in her eyes only seemed to increase. Finally they slid to the red lace that was the only thing covering any part of the blonde's bottom half. A smirk crossed her face.

Emma shifted under the scrutiny, silently thanking whatever gods may be out there that she'd worn underwear that at least attempted to cover her ass.

Regina circled her slowly, a predator surveying her prey. Emma felt the brunette's eyes burning into her ass, but she forced herself to stay still during the probing observation.

"Is this how you always answer the door Miss Swan? Really, it's quite deplorable." Regina's tone said the exact opposite of her words. The hairs on the back of Emma's neck stood at attention. When Regina came back around full circle and stood before her once more though, whatever might have been in the woman's eyes was gone. "If you'll excuse me Miss Swan, I have matters to attend to regarding my son."

"I can help find him." Emma stepped forward. "It is kinda what I do."

Regina's false smile emerged once more. "Forgive me for having my doubts about your abilities dear, though I must say, they're hardly unfounded considering you couldn't even manage to find your pants before answering the door." Regina waved her offer off dismissively. "Besides, Miss Swan, you really should be heading out if you want to make decent time."

Emma frowned. Defiant, she crossed her arms across her chest. "Actually, I'm sticking around for a while."

Regina's entire body went rigid as if someone had replaced her spine with a metal bar, her hand freezing in a clawlike grasp around the doorknob. "I hardly see why that's necessary Miss Swan."

Emma stared at the mayor's back, willing her to turn around, to show the blonde a glimpse of the humanity her fairytale counterpart had just a short while ago. But when she finally did turn around, there was only endless darkness in her eyes. The sight made Emma flinch.

"I was looking for a new place to live anyway; Storybrooke is as good a place as any."

"I caution you Miss Swan, this town is not very accommodating to outsiders."

Emma bristled. "This town? Are you sure you're not referring to yourself?"

Regina's eyes narrowed. "I can assure you, I'm not someone you want to cross."

Emma stepped toe to toe with the brunette. "I know a lot more about you than you might think Madam Mayor."

"You know nothing about me. Leave town Miss Swan. Forget Henry. Forget Storybrooke. I'm warning you. You have no idea what I'm capable of." She turned and yanked the door open. She stormed out of the room and down the stairs.

"We'll see about that, _Your Highness_." Emma said to herself as she closed the door.

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Emma stood outside the classroom door, waiting for the recess bell to sound. In the room, through the small window in the door, she could see an empty desk. Emma was amazed at how acutely she felt Henry's absence and wondered briefly if the mayor was feeling similar pangs of unease. Before she could dwell on it too much, the ringing filled the hall and Emma stepped out of the way just in time for the door to burst open and kids to come running out. She let them pass and then slipped in the door.

Miss Blanchard's back was to the door as she erased some notes on the whiteboard.

Emma cleared her throat and the whiteboard eraser fell from the schoolteacher's hand as she jumped in surprise. She retrieved it, setting it down on the dry erase tray before turning to face Emma. The blonde smiled apologetically. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

"You're the woman from the mayor's house last night, the one who brought Henry home."

Emma nodded. "I'm Emma Swan, Henry's birth mother."

Miss Blanchard didn't seem surprised by the news but Emma reminded herself that, according to Henry's book, the residents were trapped here, they would have known Henry wasn't Regina's biological son.

"Henry's not in school today."

Emma nodded. "I know. I got an unexpected visit this morning from the mayor informing me of that."

Miss Blanchard cringed. "Mayor Mills can come on a bit strong at times but she's always been… _protective_ when it comes to Henry. She means well, but sometimes he gets a little lonely."

"Is that why you gave him the book?" Emma perched on a desk in the front row.

Miss Blanchard nodded. "I've often found solace in fairytales and I thought maybe it might give him an escape. At the time I never realized how much of an escape it would turn out to be." She frowned, her guilt evident. "Mayor Mills and her son had such a complicated relationship before and I'm afraid, by giving Henry the book, I've just made it worse. He thinks she's the…" The woman trailed off as if she still couldn't believe it.

"Evil Queen?"

Miss Blanchard nodded.

"Miss Blanchard…"

"Please, call me Mary Margaret, or just Mary."

"Mary… you spend more time with my son than most… do you have any idea where he might be?"

Mary glanced around as if looking for someone who might overhear top secret information. Then she leaned conspiratorially across the front desk. "Have you tried his castle?"

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Emma parked in the deserted parking lot. This was obviously the forgotten part of town. The pavement of the small ten spot lot was cracked from non-use. There were weeds growing up from the cracks. A pathway led away from the lot, weaving through a sandy wasteland over to the 'castle'.

She exited the car, clutching the book to her chest. She could just make his hunched form out as she started up the pathway towards the forgotten playground.

"Hey kid."

Henry looked up, a smile on his face. "You're still here!"

Emma chuckled. "I couldn't really leave without returning your book."

His face fell a little. "So you _are_ leaving?"

Emma eyed the castle, noting that despite being old, the wood slightly eroded from the salty air coming off the ocean, it did appear to be at least somewhat structurally sound. She jumped up and sat next to him. "I was actually hoping to stick around for a while."

"Really?"

Her heart ached at the hope in his eyes. Regina may have not done anything to qualify her as an unfit mother, but the need for affection, for attention and love that she saw in his eyes… in _her_ eyes, convinced her that the mayor had been sparse at best with how much tenderness she'd shown him. "Yea kid, really."

Henry looked at the book sitting in her lap. "Did you read it?"

Emma ran a hand over the cover. "I did."

"And?" Henry seemed to thrum with excitement. "I'm right, aren't I?"

Emma chuckled and ruffled his hair. "It's a book Henry. I find the truth often gets… lost in translation."

Henry's excitement left in one fell swoop. "You don't believe me either?"

Emma shook her head, for the second time that day realizing how her words could be taken wrong. "I never said that. I just think that maybe the book exaggerates a few points a bit."

"So you do believe?"

Emma smiled. "Yea I believe."

Henry threw his arms around her neck. "I knew you would. You're the saviour after all."

She patted his back affectionately. She'd never admit it out loud but she'd always prayed for this moment, for a time when she could be with the son she'd been forced to give up. Tears stung the back of her eyes but she held back, unwilling to let them fall. She knew in that moment that she'd do whatever it took to be the saviour he needed her to be.

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As they walked up the pathway, hand in hand, the front door burst open. Regina came out, racing to meet them on the pathway, crouching in front of Henry. The boy met her relieved gaze with one of cold indifference and Emma's heart broke a little for the woman. It was amazing to her how backwards this was. His coldness should be directed at her, the mother who'd abandoned him before he'd even known her. Regina should be the one who received his conspiratorial grins and sparkling gazes. She was the one who had cared for and loved him his whole life and yet Emma was the one benefiting from all her efforts. Even Emma saw how wrong this was, how unfair.

"I have homework." With a quick glance at Emma he pushed past Regina and into the house.

Regina's gaze followed Henry until he disappeared inside and then flew to Emma, throwing wordless accusations like knives.

"I… We stopped by the school and got all his classwork for the day."

"I suppose you're expecting a thank you?" Regina's sneer was dripping with disdain.

"No." Emma shrugged. "It would be nice, but I know gratitude doesn't come easily to you."

Regina bristled. "How many times must I remind you Miss Swan? You know _nothing_ about me."

Emma shrugged once more. "You're wrong. I know you question kindness and you believe there is always ulterior motives when someone tries to be nice to you. I know you anticipate betrayal around every corner because you've been burned in the past. And I know that because of all that, you've felt alone for so long that you've forgotten how it feels to be a part of the world around you."

"Are you quite finished?" Regina's tone was infused with venom, but Emma noticed a slight tremble in the woman's clenched fists and she knew it wasn't from anger.

"For now. I'm a patient woman and I have _plenty_ of time." Emma nodded. "Getting rid of me is not going to be that easy _Regina_. I can assure you." She turned and headed back to her car, knowing Regina's paranoia would slowly eat at her all night.

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As she trudged tiredly up the walkway towards the front porch of the bed and breakfast, lost in thought, she collided with something soft but solid. Before she could topple backwards, a firm hand grasped her arm and kept her steady.

"Thanks, I should have watch…" She trailed off as she looked up at the person she'd crashed into.

"It's alright." Mary smiled at her. "I'm actually glad I ran into you. I came by to visit you but Granny said you hadn't been in since this afternoon."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "You came to see _me_?"

Mary nodded. "I heard that you're sticking around town, despite the mayor's wishes."

Emma pursed her lips. "Word seems to travel fast around here."

Mary shrugged sheepishly. "It's a small town. Nothing much happens here, so when a stranger comes to town, it's a big deal."

Emma gave a rueful grin. "I've gathered."

"Mayor Mills is hard to get around; she's relentless when it comes to things she wants. If she wants you to leave Storybrooke, she'll do everything in her power to ensure that happens."

Emma frowned. "Thanks for the warning but Storybrooke's illustrious mayor doesn't terrify me."

"I know." Mary gave her a small smile of admiration. "That's what I came to discuss with you. Mayor Mills can, and will, threaten the owners of the two apartment complexes in Storybrooke with building code violations to get them to refuse to rent to you. But she can't stop you from staying with someone else. So, if you're agreeable to it, I'd like to offer you the spare bedroom at my place. It's small, but I have a feeling you don't keep many things close."

"I… I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything. I just wanted to give you an option and let you know that… you have a friend here." Mary smiled. "Goodnight Emma." The schoolteacher hurried off, leaving an ache in Emma's heart, reminders of a void that had been there for quite some time. Now, more than ever, she knew she was meant to stay in Storybrooke, for Henry, for Regina, and for the mother she'd already lost once.


	5. Two Lives, Two Worlds, One Girl

DISCLAIMER:: do not own ::sigh::

A/N:: so hopefully this chapter will clear some of the questions up. there will be more in depth analysis in later chapters as the story progesses. thank you for all the interest in this story so far, it's better than i ever could have hoped. i hope you all continue to stick with this story. also, special thank you to the reviewers, you always make my day. enjoy and review.

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**-Chapter 4: Two Lives, Two Worlds, One Girl-**

When Emma awoke, she found herself no longer in the tower chamber. She was back down in the bed chamber below, the one with the beautiful tapestry. She sat up in the bed, smiling to herself. Regina must have carried her down the stairs after she'd been unable to wake her. Had she been freaked out? Had she been relieved? Emma couldn't say and the dark haired Queen was not on hand to question. She ran a hand through her blonde locks and looked around the room. The dust had been wiped down from most of the surfaces, the armoire's door had been repaired. It almost looked as if it were a proper bed chamber once more. She tossed the blankets off her legs and found that she was still fully dressed, save her riding jacket, which was draped over the back of the small couch, and her riding boots, which were waiting on the ground near the foot of the bed. But where was Regina?

She got up and threw on her boots, lacing them as fast as she could. She left her riding jacket and raced down the hall until she exited the west wing and found herself at the top of the central staircase. She took the steps down in leaps and found her way back to the entrance, barreling out into the courtyard. Her stomach dropped as she saw the wench for the portcullis, Freedom no longer tied there. Of course Regina would have stolen the horse. Why should she even be surprised? Were her mayor counterpart here, she would have left her in the tower room. So why hadn't the Evil Queen? Why had she taken such deliberate care in bringing Emma down the stairs and tiding up the room? It didn't make sense.

Emma heard hoof beats and the neighing of a horse. She ran out through the stone archway to the vast land beyond and she couldn't help the smile that crossed her face. Regina was on Freedom's back, no saddle, jumping him over some half broken down fence jumps off to the east of the stable. She had her long dark hair pulled back in a braid and was wearing complete riding gear. She looked like a professional, a true equestrian.

As she cleared the last jump, Emma smiled and clapped.

As if hearing her, even from that distance, Regina looked up, a smile lighting up her face. She pressed her heels into Freedom's side and he galloped forward. Emma started down the hill from the stronghold to meet them halfway.

"You ride beautifully." Emma smiled as they met at the bottom of the hill.

"It's my favourite thing to do; I've had a lot of practice." Regina dismounted with an easy grace. "I'm sorry for taking your horse. He's a fine specimen; I just couldn't resist a ride."

"I'm surprised Freedom let you. No one but me has been able to tame him before."

Regina smiled, petting his nose fondly. "He must like me."

Emma stepped up to his side and stroked his back. "He has good taste."

Regina smiled. She motioned back towards the stronghold. "Come. We should get a meal into you, and we have much to discuss."

Emma wasn't surprised when Regina grabbed the reins with her left hand to lead Freedom back up to the courtyard, but it did shock her when the dark woman offered up her other hand. Emma reached out and slid her hand into Regina's, feeling a fluttering in the pit of her stomach that she wasn't sure she'd ever felt before.

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Neither of the women could figure out who had stocked the pantry and kitchens, but behind the dust covered cupboard doors there was plenty of food. Neither Emma nor Regina were much worried if someone did return. She was the Queen after all, and if they did return with malicious intent even towards their governing ruler, the stronghold's position at the top of the hill would allow the women adequate time to prepare. So, after they'd finished a small but adequate morning meal, Regina led Emma back up the stairs and then up yet another flight to the third floor, a place Emma hadn't yet got the chance to explore.

Everything up here seemed much as it had on the first two floors, broken and in disarray. Regina led her to the east wing and to a large door. She opened it and inside was a library that nearly rivaled the one at the palace. It was grand, with books lining every free space of wall. It stretched up two stories. Unlike the other rooms, this one's furniture had been draped in white sheets to keep them preserved. Regina set about uncovering them.

"You know your way around this place." Emma studied Regina as she pulled the last sheet away, revealing a grand piano.

Regina smiled. "This was my childhood home before…" A shadow crossed her face briefly and then left. "Before I became a Queen."

Emma traversed the perimeter of the room, her hands traveling along the spines of age old books, some of which she'd read, many she'd never even heard of.

"How old are you Emma?" Regina sat on one of the uncovered couches, her eyes following Emma as she made her round of the room.

"I'll be twenty eight within a moon's turn." The blonde glanced over her shoulder at the brunette.

"Twenty eight years." Regina sounded breathless. It was real now, all the time that had passed without her. The world would be different, just as her childhood home was different, broken and old. And yet, she had remained the same, frozen all these years as she once was.

Emma immediately crossed the room and sat next to the brunette on the couch. "I'm sorry. I would have searched for you sooner, but I was only made aware of your existence recently."

Regina nodded with an almost sad acceptance. "All that I was, all the power I traded my soul to acquire, and still, as with all things, time was my undoing. Even after everything, they don't remember. My castle?"

Emma frowned. "Left to Rumpelstiltskin as payment, for what, I do not know."

Regina nodded. "It's probably him I have to thank for all this, him and no doubt… your mother." Regina's gaze flickered to the blonde's face. "How…what… I mean, you're _Queen_…"

"She's dead." Emma tried to stand but Regina's hand wrapped around her forearm and pulled her back down.

"Tell me." The brunette's thumb caressed her arm, urging her on.

Emma sighed. She hadn't talked about this in over a decade. "I was ten when the war started. My mother never talked that much about how she knew Rumpelstiltskin, but she always talked about how deceptive he could be, muttering about how you should always read the fine print on his contracts. I still don't know what happened, not entirely, but a year into the war, there was a big battle, The Battle at Fallen Tree. They said it was a gorgon." Emma blinked away tears. "They brought back the s…s…stone figure. It's in an enclosed garden at the palace. Only my father and I have a key."

Regina wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pressed a soft kiss to her temple. She couldn't really bring herself to feel sad for Snow White; she still felt her betrayal as deeply as she had three decades ago, but she could feel for Emma's loss. She was surprised to find she could feel a great deal of things for the blonde's sake.

Emma was touched by the silent reassurance of the woman's presence. "My father crumbled and locked himself away. He kept the title of King until I reached my sixteenth name day, then he sent out a letter of official abdication to all the noble families. I became Queen. It wasn't a popular decision. I've never been as well loved as my mother once was, or as charming as my father. Prickly is what my nursemaids used to call me, willful, bold, brash. So, I made a King out of a Prince from a land across the sea."

"Does he make you happy?" Regina almost sounded fearful of the answer.

Emma shook her head. "No. But maybe that isn't what marriage is about."

"It sounds as if you let your people lead you instead of the other way around. You shouldn't let society dictate what's appropriate for you Emma. Their opinions aren't always of merit, believe me."

"I did what was best for my people."

"What about doing what's best for _you_? You need to learn to follow your heart."

"Why do you think I'm here?" Emma turned to Regina.

Regina's hand dropped from around Emma's shoulder and she stared at the blonde, looking for a lie in her implication. "You don't know anything about me. I could be leading you into a trap, making you vulnerable just to take advantage of you."

Emma shook her head. "No, you won't."

"How can you be so sure? I was evil once Emma, there are many things in my life I wish I'd never done, paths I've walked where I've left trails of destruction in my wake. I am not _safe_."

Emma took a deep breath. "There was a prophecy. **And a child, a daughter of pure love, will be born unto this world, and with her will come a great divide**. It told of a child who would split the world. When the child was born, the souls of everyone would split, the 'good' side and the 'bad' side. In one world, one side would remain while in another world the other would be exiled. I am believed to be that child, and believe me, I've already met your less than _nice_ half."

"She didn't destroy you?"

Emma smirked. "Oh, I'd be long gone if she were capable of it. But, luckily, she's in the other world, and magic doesn't exist there."

Regina nodded, soaking in the information. "So, how were you split? Am I sitting here with your better or your lesser half?"

Emma bit her lip sadly. "You get both halves. It was also part of the prophecy that the baby would stay complete, and would be cursed into a dual existence until her twenty eighth name day, at which time, she must pick a side and decide the fate of both worlds."

Regina looked intrigued. "You can go between both worlds?"

Emma nodded. "I'm forced to. I live a day here and then, when I fall asleep, or sometimes, like last night, when that world calls for me, I wake up and relive the day there. Two lives, two worlds, one girl."

Regina frowned. "That must be a heavy burden." She ran a hand through Emma's hair in a soothing gesture.

Emma turned amazed eyes on her. Without thinking about it, she threw her arms around Regina's neck, hugging her fiercely. "Thank you."

"For what?" Regina rubbed circles on her back.

Emma finally let hot tears fall from her eyes. "For caring."

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It was nearly three hours later when she came back from the village. She had gone to get supplies, but after the stronghold had been abandoned decades ago, the villages around it had failed to prosper. The closest village was Tarry, a town about an hour's ride away. Emma hadn't wanted to leave but they couldn't survive on what remained. There was only so many meals of dried salt pork one could stomach.

When she entered the main hall she heard it, the soft sound of music floating down from upstairs. She pulled off her riding jacket and headed up for the third floor. When she pushed into the library, she was met with a beautiful song. Regina was sitting at the piano, her hands floating across the keys. Emma walked into the room, pulled by the music.

Regina looked up, a smile lifting across her face. Her hands didn't falter as she played the rest of the chords.

Emma slid down next to her on the bench, watching her hands as they flowed like water across the keys, having a grace Emma had never seen, growing up around men and hard working women. Because of the prophecy, she'd never had to mingle at court or attend balls. There was always some excuse for her absence in the beginning and finally, everyone just stopped asking after her. As a child, it had been confusing. Growing up in one world, being hidden away from the eyes of the public, forced into a kind of solitary confinement. It had been a lonely existence. And in the other world, being without them, able to sneak away when she wanted, to connect with people her age and yet she'd find herself confused as to why mommy and daddy couldn't be in both worlds like she was. She had never been able to decide which one was worse, which world she hated more. It was always an unspoken agreement that she'd choose the Enchanted Forest when the time came. There were seven billion people to search through in that world to find the other halves of everyone here. She never thought it would happen. So, she'd always known she'd choose the Enchanted Forest. But now… now there was Storybrooke to consider. And Henry. And Mary Margaret. If you would have asked her yesterday which she'd choose, she would have said Storybrooke. It's where her son and her mother were, and Regina, but her cold half. But now, as Emma watched her fingers dance across the keys, as she watched the contented smiles and the way her eyes sparkled, she realized she wanted that in her life, quite possibly more than she'd ever wanted anything before. She wanted **this** Regina.

"Do you play?"

Emma shook her head. "No, I never really had the patience for it."

"Come here." Regina patted her lap.

Emma slid into it and Regina wrapped her arms around her and placed her hands over Emma's. She began to play with both their hands, starting the melody she had just been playing from the beginning.

"You have to feel the music, let it guide you, tell you when you're playing it wrong."

Regina took her through half the song and then slowly, she pulled her hands back. Emma closed her eyes and just let her hands work of their own accord. The melody they played wasn't spot on but it was better than she'd ever achieved during any of the lessons she'd taken with Daniela as a child. Maybe it was the heat of Regina's body pressed against her back, maybe the feel of the brunette's arms looped loosely around her waist, or maybe it was the chin resting on her right shoulder, but she felt more inspired in that moment than she ever had in her life.

"Regina." She stopped playing abruptly.

"Hmm?"

Emma turned in her embrace, moving around and sitting backwards in her lap so they were face to face. Regina was studying her, but she didn't mind the scrutiny.

"Would you find it agreeable if I were to kiss you?"

Slowly, Regina nodded.

Emma had never done this before, not with a woman, and not with someone she… loved. The realization that this was far more than attraction hit her like a wave, yet as it broke around her, she remained unscathed. A part of her felt as if she'd been waiting for Regina her whole life, and maybe a part of her had. Cautiously, she leaned forward until her lips met the dark woman's.

Fire coursed through her body, erupting through the fabric of every nerve. Her entire existence ignited. This was her purpose, why she existed. It was to love this woman. It was her destiny. She pulled away, utterly breathless. "I feel it." She couldn't hold back the tear that broke free from her eye and made its steep descent down her cheek.

Regina, who looked completely shaken to her very core, still managed to look at her curiously. "Feel what?"

Emma cupped Regina's face in her hands. "I finally feel _awake_." She leaned in and captured the brunette's lips once more.

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It wouldn't be long now. She'd never stayed up past midnight before. The prophecy and the curse it had put on her made sure of that. But as she saw the moon reaching its high arch through the sky, it crossed her mind that maybe that had been her cure. Maybe true love's kiss had once again broken another curse. It was possible, she supposed. She looked down at the woman lying next to her. They'd spent hours just getting lost in the feel of each other's mouths. Nothing more had happened, and surprisingly, she was glad. There'd be time to explore every inch of Regina later. She wanted to get well acquainted with every single piece of her, and that required patience. So, for now, she was content with kissing. She wasn't quite sure she'd ever get used to the rush that exploded through her system every time their lips met, and she was okay with that, because, here, with Regina, she finally felt whole. She looked back to the window and the path of the moon. It had begun its descent towards morning. So maybe the kiss really had….And Queen Emma fell asleep.


	6. But in Your Eyes I'm a Queen

DISCLAIMER:: do not own but wish i did

A/N:: another update for everyone, as i feel bad about neglecting my other stories. but my finger has finally healed enough that i am able to get back to writing brand new chapters, so fragmented should get a new update soon, as well as more updates for this one, and with a little luck the conclusion of never gonna be alone. hope everyone enjoys the chapter, the storybrooke ones are the easier of the two to write... i've always been better with confrontation and angst over romance, but i'm excited to get to the next fairytale land chapter, so without further ado... enjoy and review.

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**-Chapter 5: But in Your Eyes I'm a Queen-**

Emma looked at the empty spot next to her in bed and tried to will the tears away. She touched the empty space, every part of her wishing Regina were there. She sighed and got up from the bed. If she could make it through today, she'd get another day with Regina. She had to look at it that way or else she'd go crazy. She searched the room for her clothes and noted that this situation wasn't going to work. She couldn't live at Granny's Bed and Breakfast forever with only two changes of clothes that she'd thought to throw in the trunk of her car before bringing the kid back.

She couldn't return to Boston either. A part of her feared that now that she'd found Storybrooke, if she left she'd lose it again. She couldn't risk that. Not until her twenty eighth birthday. After she'd made her choice, then she could leave, but not a day before. There was also the matter of her challenge to the mayor. It would ring pretty hollow if she claimed to be a patient woman and then left town the next day. For three and a half more weeks, Storybrooke would have to be her home. All of a sudden Mary Margaret's offer seemed that much more appealing. She decided to make a stop by the school and discuss it with her over lunch after she made a couple other stops first.

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The bell tinkled over the door as she pushed into Granny's.

"Emma!" A small figure slammed into her legs and arms encircled her hips.

"Hey kid. What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in school?"

"We start late on Wednesdays and my mom wanted to buy me hot chocolate." He motioned for Emma to come down to his level. Once she'd bent down, he leaned in close, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I think she's trying to get me on _her_ side."

"Henry, go finish your hot chocolate."

Emma and Henry's heads both snapped up to find the subject of their conversation standing a couple feet away.

Henry looked at Emma and she gave him a nod and a slight nudge. He sulked off back to the booth where his drink was waiting.

Regina's eyes narrowed. "Miss Swan, may I speak with you outside?"

Emma sighed, knowing she was in for it, but she nodded. She turned and exited the diner, the precise click of heels against linoleum her only sign that the mayor was following her. She turned to confront the brunette the second they were both outside, but she was surprised when Regina grabbed her arm firmly, almost painfully, and directed her away from the diner.

"Don't want them overhearing you murdering me?"

"Hardly Miss Swan. I prefer to torture and maim. Ending it quickly isn't quite as gratifying and it doesn't get you any closer to the information you need to know."

Emma frowned, a look of disgust crossing her face. "You're serious? You really are one sadistic bitch, aren't you?"

Regina's deep smirk was her answer. The brunette finally released her when they were two doors down from the little diner.

"Do you mind telling me why you brought me all the way over here?"

Regina crossed her arms across her chest. "I'm giving you an opportunity, Miss Swan. I'm not fond of making allowances, for anyone, let alone strangers, but you've made a point of getting my attention. It is not easy to do and that's earned you a chance to explain."

"Explain what?" Emma raised an eyebrow. "I wasn't aware that I've been anything less than honest the whole time I've been here."

Regina tapped her heel impatiently, but said nothing.

Emma grinned. "You don't want to admit that I'm getting under your skin."

"I'm sure I have no idea what you are referring to."

Emma stepped closer, her grin only widening. "I'll bet you spent the whole night searching your memories, trying to figure out where our paths crossed, cursing yourself when you came up blank. Maybe you thought back even further, to a time _before_ Storybrooke."

Regina narrowed her eyes, but she didn't shy away from the blonde being close to her. In fact, she rose to the challenge, stepping up until their faces were inches apart. "There is no time before Storybrooke, Miss Swan."

Emma smiled. "Keep telling yourself that Madam Mayor. Maybe your so wrapped up in this charade that you truly can't remember where it is you came from, but I do."

Regina's gaze was still searing and angry, but she was searching Emma's face intensely.

"Why don't you just ask me what it is you want to know, Madam Mayor? Ease your fears; I won't lie to you."

Regina finally took a step back, the anger rolling off her in waves. "I am not afraid of anyone Miss Swan, least of all you."

"I didn't say you're afraid of _me_. But you are afraid."

"And what, pray tell, terrifies me so?"

Emma leaned in close, her mouth inches from Regina's ear. "Losing control." She pulled back a little. "You just can't stand it that I know something you don't. Am I here to help you? Hurt you? Or maybe I'm just here to fuck with your head."

"That would not be wise, I can assure you."

Emma shrugged, leaning casually against the wall of the shop they were standing in front of. "You have no power over me."

"Why are you here Miss Swan?" Regina's expression was pulled tight; she was almost to her breaking point.

Emma pushed away from the wall. "Finally, a question. Not exactly the one you're burning to ask me, but it'll do for now. I'm here because Henry wants me here." She held up a hand to stop the objections that were getting ready to fly from the mayor's mouth. "But I'm also here because… I **care** about _you_."

"You don't even…"

"Know you?" Emma smirked. "You're not quite so certain of that anymore, are you?" She glanced over to the clock tower. She wanted to have gotten her coffee and be on her way by now. Well, so much for the caffeine boost. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got errands to run. Please say goodbye to Henry for me, Madam Mayor." She turned and set off down Main Street.

"Miss Swan?"

Emma turned back.

Regina was looking at her with an unreadable expression. Her eyes were black as midnight and distant. "Do you know who I am?"

Emma tilted her head, contemplating the woman who'd made her short time here much harder than it needed to be. Despite all that, despite the void she saw in her eyes, despite all the differences, she still saw the Regina from the Enchanted Forest. She knew they were the same person, just two separate pieces of the same soul. "I do." She nodded. "Forgive me if I do not bow," Emma closed the distance between them in three strides, "Your _Majesty_." She felt a small glimmer of satisfaction in the pit of her stomach at the look of shock on Regina's face and she let herself revel in it for a moment before she turned and stalked away.

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A paper ball flew through the air, narrowly missing her face and made a perfect arch down into a wastebasket next to an empty desk. She glanced into the room the projectile had come from and saw Sheriff Graham readying another paper missile. She stepped into his line of vision, holding her hands up in mock surrender. "Cease fire."

"Miss Swan." His feet fell from the desk as he tried to make himself look as if he were at least a little bit of a professional. "What… uh, what can I help you with?"

She stepped into his small office and looked around. Graham definitely had little to no organizational skills. His office was in utter disarray, papers and case files strewn on every free surface. However, it did appear that he was an excellent shot; his own wastebasket was filled to the brim with the paper projectiles. "Failed NBA dreams?" She raised a quizzical eyebrow and gestured towards the wastebasket with her head.

He looked down at it and grinned. "You should see me with darts."

Emma raised an eyebrow, leaning against the door frame with a cocky air. "I'm sure you give all these small town folk a run for their money, but you might find me a little more challenging. Pool and darts are two things I am considered pro at. I could beat you with my eyes closed."

Graham's eyes took on a playful sparkle. "We'll just have to see about that Miss Swan. You may find me a little more adept a marksman than you might think."

"I'm always up for a challenge. Name the time and place and we'll see who's top dog around here."

"Lost Boys Pub, down on Spruce. 7pm."

Emma nodded. "You're on."

Silence settled between them.

Emma cleared her throat. "I came to see you about the deputy position."

"You want to be my deputy?"

Emma nodded, pursing her lips in distaste. "I need a job if I'm going to be sticking around; my savings will last me awhile but not forever. And I'm hoping, maybe if I try and establish myself here, the mayor might take me somewhat seriously."

"Mayor Mills is…"

"Complicated? Difficult?" Emma scowled. "Yeah, I've gathered. But she's also important… to me." Emma shifted uncomfortably. It was one thing to feel something for Regina, it was another thing entirely to admit it out loud. "So, can I score an interview?"

"No need. The position's been open for quite a while. The editor of the newspaper is the only other applicant and, truth be told, I don't want another of the mayor's claws embedded in the Sheriff's office. The job's yours."

Emma grinned. "Great. Oh, just one thing."

Graham raised an eyebrow. "Uh oh, should I be worried?"

Emma rolled her eyes. "No. I just… can't work nights."

The corner of Graham's mouth turned up in the beginnings of a smile. "Need your beauty sleep?"

Emma gestured down the length of her body. "What can I say? It takes work to look this good."

Now it was Graham's turn to roll his eyes. "Fine, I get it, no nights… Deputy Swan."

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She stormed into the Sheriff's station, not caring that the slamming of the door against the wall and the furious click of her heels alerted Graham to her arrival.

He came out of his office to meet her, having already expected her to come chew him out. "Hello Mayor Mills."

"You **hired** her?" She slammed her purse down on the formerly unclaimed deputy's desk, a place that was now Emma Swan's territory, though except for a couple files stacked in one corner, it looked just as impersonal as it had that morning when it had been vacant. "Are you out of your mind?"

"I'm not sure I understand what you mean. I know you wanted Sidney in the position, but he simply wasn't as qualified as Emma is. He has no law enforcement experience whatsoever, whereas Emma…"

"I wasn't aware time spent behind bars counted as law enforcement experience." Regina rolled her eyes and fixed him with a glare.

"I called Emma's employer in Boston. They only had the best things to say about her work. I think she'll make a fine Deputy."

"Since when did you start referring to Miss Swan by her first name?"

Graham looked slightly perplexed. "Regina, if she's going to be working for me, I'm not going to continue to refer to her so formally."

"I want her out of this town Graham. How do you expect me to accomplish that goal when you and that fool teacher of my son's keep giving her reasons to stay? Miss Blanchard and her bleeding heart tendencies I expect it from, but you… I thought you'd have more common sense than that."

Graham frowned. "Emotions have nothing to do with business. I'm making the best decision for Storybrooke, not the best decision for you."

Regina raised an eyebrow, a smirk finding it's way to her full lips and taking up residence. "I _am_ Storybrooke, dear. I thought you knew that."

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"Emma, what a pleasant surprise. Come in."

Emma shifted uneasily but stepped further into the classroom. She held up the large bag in her hands. "I brought you some lunch from Granny's. I didn't know what you like, so I pretty much ordered all the basics, cheeseburger, fries, grilled cheese, hot dog, salad. You can have your pick of whatever."

Mary smiled. "I'm a cheeseburger woman."

Emma grinned, a slight look of relief colouring her features. "Good, I was really hoping you wouldn't swoop in on my grilled cheese."

Mary shook her head and grinned. "With me, your grilled cheese will always be safe."

Emma set the bag on the front desk and pulled out their respective lunches.

"Not that I don't appreciate it, but what brought all this on?" Mary took a seat and motioned for Emma to do the same.

Emma bit her lip. "I wanted to see if the invitation to rent your other room was still available. I'm planning on staying here a while and I thought about what you said. It's impractical to try and live at the bed and breakfast, and if Mayor Mills reacted that badly to me getting a job, I'm sure she'll do exactly like you said when it comes to the apartment."

Mary raised an eyebrow. "You found a job? That's fantastic. Henry will be so thrilled when you tell him."

Emma nodded. "You're looking at the new Deputy of Storybrooke."

Mary grinned. "I'll bet the mayor was livid when she heard."

Emma chuckled. "Graham said a vein in her forehead was bulging and she'd turned an alarming shade of purple with rage when she came to confront him."

Mary giggled. "I shouldn't be happy that Mayor Mills is upset by this, but it's rather refreshing that she isn't getting her way for once. The room is absolutely still yours if you want it."

Emma nodded and took a bite of her grilled cheese, a grin crossing her face. Regina was not going to like this and Emma surprisingly liked that.

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Lost Boys Pub wasn't hard to find once she got directions to Spruce Street. Spruce Street was a small turn off in what could pass for the industrial part of town. It had only one building on it, hidden in the shadow of a small warehouse. The pub was small but looked like a place she might frequent in a big city. She normally opted for the Cheers type vibe and made a home at those type of bars whenever she moved to a city. It really was nice to have a place where everybody knows your name, even if they'd never run into you out there on the streets of the city. You could be a doctor, lawyer, prostitute, and so could everyone else, but once you walked through the door, you all came down (or up accordingly) to each other's level. And there was an unwritten code, Emma had found, that bartenders seemed to fall under the same regulations as priests and doctors; they didn't blab your business to everyone they met. However, that vibe kind of lost its appeal in a small town like this. You would certainly run into every patron you found in there in town at some point or other. Every eye would be upon you, especially since you're the Deputy as well as the new novelty around town. It was as private as she was likely to get in this town, which just meant that she was likely to get her business advertised in the morning paper and not on the billboard off Emerald Oak.

She opened the plain door and found herself in a dimly lit and haphazardly furnished bar. All the tables and chairs looked as if they'd been constructed on shipwreck artifacts that had washed ashore on the beach one block away. But it wasn't the normal corny shipwreck theme, with fake fishing nets with plastic crabs and fish adorning the walls. This actually really looked as if they were trying to make a homey place out of items they'd found. The bar itself was the only item that was obviously purchased, but even it had a comfortable feeling to it. She liked this place and knew she'd probably spend quite a few off-duty hours whiling away time here in the next month.

She spotted Graham standing in the far left of the bar, taking aim with a dart. "Starting without me, now that's just unfair."

Graham looked over and smiled. He pointed at the clock. "It's 7:06. You're late."

"Took me awhile to find this place. It's a little off the beaten path."

Graham nodded. "That's what I like about it. Neither Regina nor any of her informers would be caught dead in this part of town."

Emma looked around, taking in the six other patrons. No one was paying any attention to them, but she still felt like someone was keeping tabs on her every move. "Maybe not the obvious ones, but I feel like she has eyes everywhere."

"I wouldn't be surprised if the buildings themselves informed back to her." Graham looked dismayed.

Emma chuckled. "She does seem to know everything that happens in this town."

"That she does." Graham looked pointedly at the dartboard. "Ready to lose Deputy?"

Emma grinned. "Ready to get your ass handed to you by a girl Sheriff?"

"Bring it on Swan."

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Emma played one of the best games of darts she'd ever played and Graham still beat her. But always one to come back swinging, she challenged him to three games of pool and each time she wiped the floor with him. Billiards was obviously her superior skill. As they played and enjoyed each other's company, they also drank their weight in alcohol.

Finally, after tequila number- was that four or six?- she decided to call it a night. It was almost midnight and while the curse allowed for her to be tugged by this world randomly at any time of the night from the other world, the reverse was not true. No matter how much anyone in the Enchanted Forest tried, they wouldn't be able to wake her up, not until she fell asleep here.

"I'm going to go back to my apartment now." Emma looked at Graham and pointed to the door.

He shook his head. "You can't drive."

Emma frowned. "I didn't. I left my car at Mary Margaret's and walked over. I'll be fine."

Graham was too inebriated to look unsure so he just wrapped an arm around her shoulders and declared that he would walk her home "like a proper gentleman should".

It was ten blocks back to Mary Margaret's place and they made it through nine of those without any trouble. But as they turned onto Mary Margaret's street for the last final stretch, Regina seemed to materialize out of nowhere, a look of blatant disapproval on her face. It was only then that Emma made out the shape of Regina's Mercedes parked behind her bug on the curb in front of Mary Margaret's place.

"It reflects poorly on this town when the entirety of it's police force is publicly intoxicated."

"I see no public about." Graham held up a finger as if to emphasize his point.

For some reason, Emma found this phrase and especially the way he said it as if it were a scientific fact, utterly hilarious. She started laughing so hard that she doubled over.

Regina rubbed her temples. How could they be so juvenile? "Graham, I'm driving you home. You've consumed far too much to make it there walking by yourself. Go get in my car while I take Miss Swan upstairs." When he didn't immediately move, she pointed a manicured finger toward her car. "Now!"

Emma winced at the volume of her voice, pushing Graham gently in the direction of the black Mercedes, knowing if he didn't go, Regina might raise her voice again and she couldn't have that.

Graham finally stumbled off towards the car and Regina immediately gripped Emma's arm fiercely and steered her inside the building that used to be some sort of small factory. Mary Margaret lived upstairs in the converted loft. Regina dragged her upstairs and Emma started to make a (slightly wavy) beeline for the apartment door, searching in her pocket for the key Mary had given her, but Regina stopped her.

Emma blinked, trying to focus her mind. Of course Regina would wait until the moment she was unable to fight back to attack her. The woman was hardly above cheating to win apparently. Somehow, it disappointed the blonde.

"Miss Swan. It seems you are quite content with ignoring my warnings and insinuating yourself into my town and therefore my life. But I want you to stay away from me, and my son." She smoothed down the fabric of her skirt. "You are temporary."

Emma frowned. "Thank you for stating your desires like an adult, even if you did follow it all up with what I think was an insult. I will take them into consideration. Goodnight Madam Mayor." She pulled her arm from Regina's grip and stumbled to the door.

"Miss Swan, it wasn't a request." She glared at the blonde. "I don't want you around me or Henry."

Emma shrugged. "Tough."

"Why must you be so _difficult_?" Regina let out an exasperated breath.

Emma opened the door and threw a smile over her shoulder at the brunette. "Because I **care** about you." With that she disappeared into the apartment and closed the door.

She shuffled straight upstairs to the small spare bedroom on the second floor of the loft. She still hadn't unpacked her one box of possessions but that could wait. At this moment, the bed, sleep, and _her_ Regina were calling for her. And right now she felt like answering.


	7. The Way it Feels to Be Alive

DISCLAIMER:: not my creative property, just borrowing, no profit recieved

A/N:: so this chapter has boosted the rating up to M, just in case you all hadn't noticed. be forewarned that sexy times are ahead. this is my (probably failed) attempt at writing a sexual situation, one i have no personal experience with, so please be kind if it is mentioned in your reviews. also, because we haven't really seen much of fairytale land in the flashbacks and don't know much about it, i'm really taking it in a whole new direction and this chapter sets that up. hopefully everyone's on board (fingers crossed). thank you to all who have taken the time to review and/or add this to your alerts/favourites. i love you all for the support. i have written an outline to keep the chapters in order in my head and if i follow that outline, this fic may end up being the longest i've written yet. i hope everyone sticks around for the ride. enjoy and review.

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**-Chapter 6: The Way it Feels to Be Alive-**

It was already past the sun's peak hour when she awoke and she cursed herself for going out to that pub with Graham. She'd wasted precious moments here in this world for a few (or several) drinks and a confrontation with the mayor of Storybrooke. She glanced around the bed chamber and was dismayed to find that, once more, Regina was nowhere to be found. She slipped out of bed and went to the armoire, opening it. Inside hung several old dresses, Regina's possessions from a life she'd lived nearly four decades before when she'd been a blossoming woman in love with a stable boy. Emma grabbed a light green gown from its hanger. She laid it before her on the bed and stripped of her riding clothes before pulling the gown on. She looked at her reflection in the mirror, satisfied with how she looked. It was time to find Regina.

Emma exited the room and traveled straight to the third floor east wing and the library. One look inside told her that Regina may have been here earlier in the morning, but she certainly was no longer. Emma sighed and went down to the ground floor, checking the kitchens and the main halls. Still no sign of Regina. Her worry grew and she made her way to the entrance courtyard. Freedom whinnied when he saw her. She walked over and patted his side, untying him so that she could lead him out for a run and some nourishment.

Regina wasn't outside the walls either. She just saw empty land, sweeping down and away from the stronghold, toward the stables and beyond. She tilted her head, staring at the dilapidated building that had once housed Regina's horses. Had the door been open yesterday? She couldn't remember. She tightened her hold on Freedom's reins and set off towards the stables.

When she got within a few yards of the open door, she paused, listening. She couldn't hear anything from inside. Maybe the door had been open yesterday and she just hadn't noticed. She pulled Freedom inside.

In the dimness of the old stable she saw a figure crouched on the floor, she recognized the dark hair and the curve of the olive toned neck that she'd spent hours nuzzling yesterday. "Regina?"

Regina glanced over at her and Emma saw the tear stains on the woman's cheeks.

Emma dropped Freedom's reins and raced across the stables. She fell to her knees in the straw next to the brunette, cradling the other woman's head in her arms. Regina buried her face in the crook of Emma's arm. If she was crying, it was silent tears, but her body was trembling and Emma pulled her into her lap. "You're safe here in my arms. I'll protect you." She wasn't quite sure where the words had come from, though she knew the second she let them out that they were true.

A sob raked Regina's body and she clung to Emma as if she'd tumble headfirst into the abyss if she let go. For her part, Emma held just as tight, almost as if she could hold the crumbling pieces of the older woman together if she just held tightly enough.

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"I don't know why I came down here. Maybe I just wanted to punish myself. But it called to me."

Emma frowned, smoothing down dark hair and placing a kiss on the crown of the dark locks. She finally loosened her grip after nearly an hour of holding the woman while she cried the long overdue tears of grief for what she'd lost. She pulled back just enough to look into Regina's eyes. "Was this where it happened?"

Regina nodded, not needing or wanting Emma to elaborate on what _it_ was referring to. "The day my heart crumbled was spent in this very place, the worst day of my existence."

Emma felt an incredible wave of sadness wash over her, in part because Regina's heart had always belonged to another, but also because of the woman's loss. Emma had only spent two days in her company and already she knew that there would never be more for her than this woman nestled so comfortably in her arms it was almost as if she fit there. She was a married woman and yet she had never known love until she'd looked upon the woman in the glass coffin. "I wish I could have been there; I would have done anything to have saved you from the pain."

Regina shook her head. "You have such faith in me. Maybe I wasn't worth saving, maybe I'm still not."

Emma frowned. "Who decides whether someone is worthy of redemption or not? Who has that right?"

"I've done things so evil that no sane person could wrap their head around them Emma."

Emma shrugged. "I can't claimed to have killed anyone for sport, but I have ruined, and _taken_, lives in my own right. I've done my share of evil Regina. But I don't believe we are defined by our mistakes."

Regina looked at Emma, studying her face. Finally, she leaned up and kissed the blonde softly, wary of where she was. This had been _their_ place before Queen Emma had even been born. But maybe it was time to move on. She'd never forget her first love, how could she when the loss of it had shaped her entire existence, but what she felt every time she looked at Emma, it was something entirely different. It felt like she had magic coursing through her veins, good magic that traveled through every part of her and infected it with light.

"I wish I could stay here forever, in this world, with you." Emma looked away.

Regina sat up completely, brushing the straw off her dress and picking it out of her hair. "Well it's just until the moon turns, then you can choose to stay here."

Emma shook her head. "I wish it were that simple, but what of Hadrian? And my people…what of all them? I am Queen."

"Emma darling, I know what it is to be a royal. I may have done as I wished when I had my magic, but before that, when I was married to the King, I lived much the same life. But that is not how it has to be. You always have a choice. Don't do what I did… don't listen to what your head is demanding of you, listen to your heart." She reached out and picked a strand of straw that had stuck itself in the blonde's hair near her ear.

Emma's hand shot up and caught the brunette's wrist. She turned her head slightly so she could place a soft kiss on the pulse point there. "I am coming to find that you are slowly taking possession of my heart, you know that, don't you?"

Regina's smile came, gentle and slow, but blinding in its brightness. "I've been waiting for you for a long time, My Queen." She dipped her head in for another kiss, all feelings for a love long lost being banished by the intense emotions the mere presence of Emma brought forth from her.

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They walked hand in hand back up towards the stronghold, Emma leading Freedom with her other hand. He would be more comfortable in the stables, she knew, even as broken down as they were, but the building was too far away from a stronghold that still looked abandoned. If any wayward traveler were to stumble upon this place, they wouldn't hesitate to take Freedom, and she couldn't risk that.

"Yesterday, after we kissed, some of my powers returned, those not rooted in dark magic."

Emma squeezed Regina's hand and grinned. "Will you show me? I've never seen another human do magic. All the spell casters under employment at the palace are either elves or faeries."

Regina couldn't help but smile at the childlike wonder in Emma's gaze. In so many ways the blonde was still innocent deep down at her core. The loss of her mother and, in a way, her father, had forced the blonde to grow up fast, for her to toughen her exterior. Being Queen was much like putting on a show after all. People just wanted their voices to be heard. As long as they felt they could come to their ruler and feel as if their opinion mattered, they were satisfied. It was all rather more political, including the image, than it was about anything else.

"I shall compromise. If you tell me more of your life, I will show you my magic."

Emma frowned. "Which life? Queen Emma or Emma Swan?"

Now it was Regina's turn to squeeze Emma's hand. "There is no difference. They are both precious to me."

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"Sit here. I'll start with something small." Regina pointed to the lip of the well.

Emma hefted herself onto it and grinned at the brunette expectantly. Humans who possessed magical abilities were a rarity in the Enchanted Forest. She'd heard tales of lands across the sea, from Hadrian, where almost all the humans possessed the ability to bend the elements, but she'd never actually been to any of these lands. The only time she'd ever even been beyond the Enchanted Forest was during the war, when she'd been sent away in the middle of the night to Bridalveil, a castle so far north that it was nestled in the heart of the Sunfair Mountains. She'd spent almost the entire war there, and when she had been allowed to return, it had been to a dead mother and a broken father. Though it had been a dark time in her life, Bridalveil was still one of her fondest memories. It had been a magical place, so unlike anything she'd ever seen before. But even there, no humans had possessed magic, though she imagined they might, if they lived there. But Bridalveil was a place of the elves. Mount Larene, the place where she'd originally been traveling to seek out Regina's glass coffin was the border between where the Enchanted Forest ended and the Elf Kingdom began. They ruled the Sunfair Mountains and the Forest of Silence to the far west. The Elf Queen, Rowanaldi, for theirs was a culture where queens ruled and kings were the subservient sex, had offered to teach Emma magic to better equip her to deal with her destiny, but Snow had politely declined the offer. Magic had never been Snow White's friend, and she'd always done everything she could to keep Emma from it in any form.

Regina stood before the fountain, concentrating. Emma waited patiently. Her patience was rewarded as slowly, things began to shift, repairing themselves without hands to aide. It took a minute, but finally the fountain stood as it was before, polished and without a hint as to its formerly destructed state.

Emma jumped down from her perch and went to Regina's side. "You're amazing, you know that?"

Regina chuckled and pulled the blonde closer. "Hardly, my darling, just well practiced. Besides, I wouldn't be able to do any of this if it weren't for you." She placed a chaste kiss on the younger woman's lips.

"Will you fix this place up then?" Emma looked up at the stronghold that loomed above them. Maybe, once fixed up, this place might actually resemble a formidable castle.

Regina shrugged. "That depends really."

Emma frowned. "On what?"

"On you."

"Me?" Emma pulled back, but not entirely out of the older woman's embrace.

Regina nodded. "I want to be with you Queen Emma. The last thing I saw before the curse took hold and I went under was your eyes and they were the first thing I saw when I woke up. I'm not a superstitious person, but I am a spiritual one and that makes me believe that to be a sign. I don't ever want to be away from your eyes again." She cupped Emma's cheek fondly for a moment before letting the hand fall to the blonde's waist and pulling her closer. "I will fight for you. If I have to challenge your husband, I will. I want **this**. And if you want this too, just say the word. I will take you away from it Emma. If you want to stay here, I will make this the safest place in this world. If you want to run away across the sea, we can. I will follow you _anywhere_. Just say the words."

Emma was at a crossroads in this. She could do what she'd always done and choose the path most traveled. She could depart today and be back at the palace before the curse took hold and the other world called her back. She could go home to Hadrian and be the willing prisoner she'd been her entire life. But being with Regina… it brought into focus the gilded bars of her cage. She'd always been a slave to the whims of others. First, her family, then her people, and finally Hadrian. They had all been pulling on her strings, working her like a good little puppet. But Regina… she was different, new. She'd thrown open the door of the cage and was now holding out her hand and calling to Emma to take it, to escape. The only question was: did Emma even _want_ to escape? She knew the answer before she'd even finished asking the question. She looked up into brown eyes so intense that they exposed her all the way down to her soul, making her feel completely laid bare to the world. It was frightening, but also something she needed. Maybe it was time for everyone, including herself, to see her for who she truly was rather than what she was bred to be. She reached out of the gilded cage and placed her hand in Regina's. "I love you; you're the only thing I want."

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Emma had found a map of the Enchanted Forest and she spread it out across the long conference table in the library. The room had become their sanctuary since, save the bed chamber where they slept, it was the only room in which everything wasn't completely broken down with age. "We'll have to be stealthy about this. Once we get to the palace, we won't have much time. If Hadrian figures out who you are, or if he knows already…" Emma's forehead creased in worry.

Regina put her hand over Emma's reassuringly. "Don't worry darling, all will be well."

Emma, calmed by the brunette's skin against her own, nodded. "Once we've got my father, getting back out won't be difficult. Most of the guards are mine, from my mother and father's rule. With my father present, even in his condition, they wouldn't challenge us. But once we're outside the palace walls, we're on our own. The dwarves are loyal to me, but to go to them will be exactly what Hadrian expects of me. He'll dispatch his personal guard there straight away to fetch me and capture you. You'll be executed." She paled even at the mere thought of it. "No, we can't go there. We can't come back here either. Maybe one day, when the storm this will cause has passed." She looked around fondly. "I love it here. But I want to keep this place **our** secret."

Regina nodded. "So, north then, or south. If we try to go west, it'll lead them too close to here and east is the sea. We could try and procure a vessel."

Emma shook her head. "Too risky. The Royal Fleet is the fastest this side of the sea. I could bribe a merchant ship into giving us safe passage across, but if Hadrian got wind of what ship we were on, he'd send the fleet after us. We'd never out run them. And even if we did make it across and to port, that's Hadrian's land over there. He will have spies waiting for us. No, it's north or south."

"Well, to the south we have the Forbidden Forest and the Ten Hexes. I may not be remembered here in this land, but among my old people, I assure you, I left quite a mark."

"But is it wise to risk that? I don't want you to go to that dark place inside yourself. I've seen the emptiness in _her_ eyes; I can't lose you to it too."

Regina shook her head, her fingers entwining themselves with the blonde's. "You're light will always guide me back."

Emma looked on the map at the grey forest to the south. It would be the hardest for Hadrian to follow them to. He'd never ventured that far south before, so he had no knowledge of the terrain. Having Regina along gave them the advantage. Her reputation would keep them as safe as one could be in the south and her knowledge of the kingdom she used to rule over would help them evade the Royal Army. But the south came with its own threats too. She'd be easily recognized for one, easy pickings for those less savory candidates who might want to capture her to ransom back to the King. It was risky, but she'd do it to be with Regina.

"We'll have to come up with a story. You'll have to have me as a hostage and say you're back to reclaim your throne. Here, just on the boundary line, in Peppergray, that's where my contacts run out. Beyond that, it's all you."

"If we can make it to the Third Hex, that's where the Forbidden Fortress is. If we can make it to Maleficent's, we'll be safe for a while." Regina pointed to the spot on the map.

Emma frowned, staring at the Ten Hexes. It was a range of purple mountains to the south of the Forbidden Forest. She'd heard it was a dark and dismal place of giants and even more loathsome creatures. "No one's heard from Maleficent in over a decade. She may not even be alive anymore."

Regina shook her head, a smirk playing across her lips. "Oh, she's alive. If there is one thing Maleficent is good at, it's _enduring_." She traced the line south from the palace towards the Third Hex. Her finger passed right over the valley where her former castle resided. "Maybe we can drop in and see how Rumpel has been keeping up the place?"

Emma shook her head. "My mother said Rumpelstiltskin is not to be trusted."

Regina gave Emma a sad but bemused smile. "I do recall, my darling, that she said that about me quite often." She sighed and moved to stand behind Emma, wrapping her arms around the blonde's waist and resting her chin on her shoulder. "But your mother is right about Rumpel. He possesses a very dark, very old magic. He should never be taken lightly, lest you underestimate him. More often than not his deals cost you much more than they give you. But we will not cross into the Hexes unnoticed by him. He may be a necessary evil."

"At least he can't harm us. It was part of his trade for your land that he cannot raise a hand against my family until after my twenty eighth name day."

"Why your twenty eighth? It seems an odd amount of time, doesn't it?"

Emma shrugged. "I always thought it had something to do with the prophecy. Maybe he wanted to make sure the prophecy was fulfilled."

"But what gain could he possibly get from that?"

"Maybe he doesn't have power anymore? Your powers were diminished when you were split. Maybe his were too. Maybe he won't attack my family because he **can't**."

Regina smiled. "If that's the case, then we might want to take advantage of an opportunity I can assure you we'll never have again."

Emma had never met Rumpelstiltskin. He was reclusive and barely had been seen out of the confines of Regina's old castle. Even during the war, though it had come close to him, he didn't take part. It would make sense then that his powers had split, but somehow Emma had a feeling that might not be why he wasn't attacking. He was **waiting** for something. This was a game of chess and he was waiting for _her_ move. She sunk into the embrace of the woman behind her, pushing the map away. Either way, she had the unseen advantage. No one, including Rumpelstiltskin, had anticipated Regina waking up. "Alright. We'll get my father and then, we'll go south."

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"I can't believe this will be our last night here." Emma reclined back against Regina.

For their last night at Regina's childhood home, the brunette had shown Emma her secret place to get away. It was a secluded area in the hills behind the stronghold. Emma never would have found it on her own. A lone tree stood in the center of the small area of land. Regina had set down a blanket so they could recline under the tree and watch the stars. Emma had been anxious at first. What if she felt the pull and Regina was stuck out here with her while she was out? But Regina assured her she didn't mind and for once, Emma decided not to let her curse hold her back.

"I'd be telling you false if I said I wasn't going to miss this. Things are simple here. But I fear he'd come for you regardless if we attempted to stay. He'd find us here eventually. A Queen going missing cannot be ignored."

Emma tilted her head up to nuzzle Regina's neck. "This is the first time in my life I wish I hadn't been born into my family. Maybe then I'd have had a say in my own destiny. If things had only been different…"

Regina shook her head. "Don't say that. If things had been different, we would not be feeling the way we do now. I was very lost in my own darkness Emma. I had sunk into my pain so deep that I was beyond reach. I fear even you wouldn't have been able to pull me out of it."

"I would have dedicated my life to trying." Emma's mind flashed briefly to the mayor of Storybrooke and she realized that a part of her already was dedicating her life to reach through the darkness and save this woman's other half. "I was born to make you happy."

Regina smiled against the blonde's shoulder. "It would seem I was born for you as well. Fate just got the timing a little wrong and had to correct herself."

Emma pulled from Regina's embrace and turned to look at her. Always conscious of her manners in this world, she downcast her eyes. "Would you find it agreeable if I… if we…"

In response Regina pushed her down onto the blanket and crawled on top of her. "Are you sure you're ready for this Emma? I've been out of practice for quite some time and yet I still feel as if I have more experience with this than you."

Emma breathing was already laboured with the sheer anticipation of it. She'd had the occasional bedtime rendezvous with Hadrian sure. It was a wife's duty to occasionally warm her husband's sheets after all, and a Queen's duty to produce an heir to ensure the longevity of the royal bloodline. But she'd never really had to do any work. And as for the other world, she was a notorious flirt and obviously no stranger to having a bedfellow as Henry was obvious proof. But it had always been drunken fumblings, nothing substantial. She'd never really done this with anything but a sense of duty or with her mind not clouded by a drunken lust. "Will you teach me? I don't want to be bad at it."

Regina's eyes raked down her body slowly and then back up again. "Believe me, my darling, I don't think that's possible." With a small flick of her fingers, their dresses both disappeared in a swirl of smoke.

Emma knew she should be embarrassed. Being nude out in the open, even a secluded locale such as this, was considered shameful in both worlds. She favoured revealing clothing in the other world, but modestly so, going for tight selections that left things up to the imagination rather than letting it all hang out. But that was a far cry from this. And yet, with the way Regina was looking at her, she couldn't bring herself to feel any shame. She couldn't feel anything except love and a fire in the pit of her stomach that slowly spread to between her legs. So instead of fighting the arousal, she succumbed, allowing herself to finally take in the nude form above her. She slowly lifted her hand so it could follow the path forged by her eyes. Eyes and hands traveled up a finely muscled arm, tracing its sinewy strength, and then over the curve of her shoulder, around the expanse of an olive toned neck, and then slowly southward, over ribs. She smiled when she heard Regina's sharp intake of breath and rewarded her by cupping the weight of the older woman's full breasts, running her thumbs over nipples to bring them to attention. She urged Regina's body down next to hers on the blanket and then straddled the older woman's hips.

Regina looked up at her with pure undiluted want and it spurred Emma forward. She leaned down, her lips seeking and finding the embrace of the other woman's. Tongues fought past the obstacles of lips and teeth until they found the warm cavern of each others mouths. For a moment Emma just let herself get lost in the velvet-like feeling of the dark woman's mouth, but Regina's hips pressed subtly upward, unintentionally reminding her of her goal. She kissed a heated trail up Regina's jaw line and then down the curve of her neck, her tongue dipping momentarily into the hollow at the base of her throat, before moving even further southward. She lingered over the right breast before bringing her mouth down and going for it. The whimpers and moans coming from Regina were her only indications that she was doing anything correctly, but they offered good motivation, bolstering her confidence. After giving the left breast equal and adequate attention, she kissed down the smooth plane of Regina's stomach.

The brunette's legs spread further apart the closer she came to the apex of her thighs. Emma settled herself comfortably between them, just praying silently that she continued to do things right. As she placed soft kisses on Regina's inner thighs, her eyes swept up and were met with brown that had darkened to near black with arousal.

Emma's hand caressed it's way down the trail she'd just traveled with her mouth and then, without hesitation or further delay, she slipped two fingers into the wetness between the folds, gasping at how much she enjoyed the feeling of it. Regina's back arched and her head fell back and Emma slid the fingers in deeper, eliciting the most erotic sound she'd ever heard.

From there it wasn't hard. She crawled back up the other woman's body, keeping her fingers going at a steady rhythm as she did. Her mouth found Regina's and she swallowed every moan she caused as she thrust harder and deeper, discovering quickly that curling her fingers generated the best response. Finally, she felt the walls around her fingers clenching and a shudder ran through the length of Regina's body. The brunette broke away from the kiss to call out her name breathlessly and Emma felt the heat between her own legs grow exponentially.

Regina's eyes sought hers as she came down from her high and they were the same molten black as before, the want in them almost tangible. It was then Emma realized, with a shiver, that the want had not only been a desire for her own release but for Emma's as well.

"Touch me Regina, please."

That was all it took for the dark woman to move over her once more. And it wasn't long before she was calling out the brunette's name to the night, breathily admitting to the sky and the stars to whom she belonged.

She felt alive for the first time since she'd taken the throne, bringing into stark contrast living a life of duty over living a life of desire. And she decided in that moment, laying next to Regina, basking in the afterglow, that nothing, not Hadrian, not Rumpelstiltskin, not even her title would keep her from being with Regina. Slowly, she closed her eyes and let sleep take her.


	8. You Make me Think of Someone Wonderful

DISCLAIMER:: do not own, though the endless swanqueen possibilities if i did

A/N:: so here's an update. i have yet to see yesterday's episode, but i'm told it was amazing. luckily for me, it doesn't affect this story in the least either way. i'm excited about where this story is going. thank you to everyone who's added it to their favourites/alerts and especially to those of you who take the time to review. it's always appreciated. read, review, and enjoy.

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**-Chapter 7: You Make me Think of Someone Wonderful-**

"I hate Thursdays." Emma stumbled down the stairs, a permanent grimace attached to her face, her shorts and wife beater slightly askew.

Mary grinned. "I made oatmeal."

Emma grumbled something incoherent as she shuffled over to the island.

"I thought you might have had a rough night, so I also made some very strong coffee. I don't drink the stuff myself, but I figured it might help. Oh and this." She plopped a bottle of aspirin and a mug of coffee on the counter next to the oatmeal.

Emma eyed them gratefully and then slowly shuffled around the counter and absentmindedly hugged the brunette in appreciation.

Mary smiled and rubbed Emma's back.

Finally Emma pulled away and took a seat before her breakfast of painkillers and caffeine with a small side of nutrition.

"Honestly, after your confrontation with Mayor Mills last night, I thought you'd sleep in. Going a round with her would exhaust anybody."

Emma had the decency to frown apologetically. "Did we wake you? I'm sorry. I had no idea she was even going to be here." Then, it hit Emma. Why had the mayor been there last night?

"Oh? She seemed as if you had plans when she came knocking on the door. She looked upset when I told her you had gone to meet Graham. I thought maybe you had forgotten some plans you'd made with her, but perhaps she was just jealous." Mary shrugged.

"Jealous?" Emma raised an eyebrow, a quizzical expression on her face.

Mary nodded and sipped from her mug of hot tea. "She and Graham have a **thing**. She thinks no one knows, and it's probably better for us all that she believes we don't know, but more than one resident of this town has seen his cruiser parked next to her Mercedes in front of Granny's Bed and Breakfast every Saturday morning."

"Regina and… and _Graham_?" Emma all of a sudden felt nauseous and she pushed the bowl of oatmeal away, half eaten.

"Are you okay?" Mary's brow furrowed in concern.

Emma scowled into her coffee. She couldn't exactly confess to Mary that she was romantically involved with Regina in another realm of existence any more than she could confess to the woman that she was her daughter. It was frustrating, but a necessary evil for the time being. But she couldn't ignore the physical manifestations of her attraction to the mayor in this realm either, such as the jealousy that was currently colouring her neck a nice shade of red.

"Emma?"

"I… um, well it's just that I kinda have a thing for…"

"Graham." Mary nodded. "I figured as much. There are several jobs available in town and I was wondering why you risked the mayor's wrath to get that one. But now it makes perfect sense." She smiled, happy with herself to have figured it out. "Don't worry though. There's nothing serious between them. Mayor Mills hasn't actually _dated_ anyone in… well, as far back as I can remember actually."

"Yea, commitment isn't really her thing." Emma polished off the last of her coffee and Mary refilled it without even having to be asked. "Mary, can I ask you something personal?"

Mary nodded without hesitation. Apparently there was nothing in her life she was ashamed of people knowing about. "Of course."

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

A small blush warmed Mary's cheeks and she shook her head. "No, I had a crush on someone once, but he's married now; he has been for a long time."

"What's his name?"

"David. David Nolan. He works at the animal shelter here in town. He's a very sweet guy and his wife is lovely. Her name is Kathryn. In fact, Kathryn is the best friend of Mayor Mills."

Emma raised an eyebrow in surprise. "She has a _best friend_?"

Mary Margaret waved the comment off as if Emma were jesting. "Of course, everybody does."

Emma face fell. "I don't." She got up and set her dishes in the sink. "I'm going to go get ready for work."

"Emma…"

Emma just held up a hand over her shoulder and trudged back up the stairs.

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She'd never been a huge fan of animal shelters. Like pet stores they had a lingering smell that she found less than pleasant. It assaulted her the second she opened the door and she had to fight off the urge to flinch and plaster a forced smile on her face. There was no one behind the counter in the small lobby area, but there was a bell and she tapped it. She heard a muffled call from the back.

A moment later, he emerged from a hallway off to the side of the front counter, a friendly smile on his face.

Emma had to fight back tears. It had been years since she'd seen her father look anything more than the shell of a body he had once inhabited.

"Can I help you?"

"Um, yea. I wanted to look at your puppies. I was thinking about maybe getting one for my son." She had come up with the lie as an excuse to check out David. Storybrooke had so many parallels to her world and it baffled her that her father would be married to someone else here. It didn't seem right. Her parents had done so much to be together. So why **weren't** they?

"How old is your son?"

"He's ten. You may know him. Henry Mills?"

David's eyes widened in shock. "You're the home wrecker?" His eyes widened even further when he realized what he'd said. "I mean… I'm sorry. I overheard Regina telling Kathryn, and…"

Emma held up a hand. "It's okay. I've been called much worse, believe me."

David frowned apologetically.

"So… puppy?" She raised her eyebrows.

"Oh, yea, of course. Come on back."

She followed him behind the counter and down the hallway he'd originally emerged from. Now, all she had to do was look at a few dogs, pretend like she'd changed her mind, and then get to work. Easy as pie.

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"I wasn't aware this was bring your dog to work day." Graham stared at the blonde laying down sheets of newspaper in the bottom of a cardboard box.

Emma sighed. "I know! I'm sorry. But I couldn't leave her alone at Mary Margaret's apartment all day and the kid won't be home until four."

Graham stared at the little black furball panting up at him from her desk. "You do know Regina's allergic to dogs? She'll never let Henry have her."

Emma grinned. "Oh I thought David said she **wasn't** allergic to dogs… my bad."

Graham shook his head, but couldn't stop a smile. "You are a cruel woman Emma Swan; I think the mayor has met her match in you."

Emma picked the little puppy up, pressing her face close to the dog's and looking at Graham with a pout. "Look at this face…. How can I be cruel just because I love this little face?"

Graham rolled his eyes. "Don't say I didn't warn you. Just make sure she stays in the box, yea?"

Emma saluted him and placed her pup down into the box next to her desk. She looked down at the precious face and she couldn't help but smile. Regina would not be happy, but she'd get over it, Emma would make sure of that.

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"Are you sure it's wise?" Mary Margaret stroked the dog's head fondly as she raised an eyebrow at Emma.

Emma shrugged. "Possibly not, but it _will_ be fun."

After Regina threw her initial fit, Emma was hoping she could bend her will a little and convince her to give in. If not, it would seem that Mary Margaret was already sold on taking her in if Regina did refuse. Either way, things would work out.

"You enjoy pushing her buttons, don't you?"

Emma frowned. "It isn't about pushing her buttons, or even about getting under her skin. I just… it's hard to explain, but we kind of have a history. I know all about her past and I want her to drop her walls. I need her to let me in."

Mary tilted her head and stared at Emma curiously. "You really do care for her, don't you? I mean I heard you say it when you opened the door last night, but I thought maybe you were just taking a shot at her."

Emma frowned. "She's lived a harder life than anyone here can imagine; I know what that's like." She stared at the baleful blue eyes of the puppy that Mary Margaret was holding.

"Emma… are you… from **here**?"

Emma's eyes snapped up to the schoolteacher's. "Why would you ask that?" Was Mary remembering?

"Most of the people here… we've lived in Storybrooke our whole lives. Yet you seem to know a lot about the people in this town and there's this… almost _familiarity_ about all this."

Emma frowned. Slowly, almost painfully, she forced herself to shake her head. She couldn't tell Mary the truth. Not now, maybe not ever.

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Regina opened the door with her scowl already firmly in place, leading Emma to believe that she had either been warned in advance that Emma would show up or she'd been watching from one of the windows. Either way, it meant Regina was keeping tabs on her; a concept that gave her quite a bit of pleasure. Even if she was watching her for purely paranoid control freak reasons, at least Emma could be reassured she was on the mayor's mind, and quite often it would seem. "Miss Swan. What part of our conversation last night did you not understand?"

Emma put on a huge smile. She was going to enjoy this. "I brought a peace offering."

Regina didn't seem intrigued in the least.

"Emma, is that you?" Henry came racing down the stairs.

"Hey kid. I brought a surprise for you and your mom."

His face lit up and he pushed his way past Regina and out the door. "What is it?"

Emma smiled, set down the hole filled box and lifted off the lid.

Henry's eyes grew wide in excitement and he plucked the dog out of the box. "A puppy!"

Regina narrowed her eyes at Emma. "Henry, dear, you know we can't keep it."

"Puh-leeeeeese mom. Look at her!" Henry cradled the little black puppy in his arms.

"Yea, **please** mom." Emma gave the brunette a grin.

Regina shook her head. "I'm allergic Henry."

"But I'll keep her in my room and I'll walk her and make sure she doesn't make a mess and…"

"You haven't been able to accomplish that with Miss Swan."

Henry's brow crinkled in a frown and Regina instantly regretted making the insult in front of her son. Why did this woman and her infuriating persistence drive her so far up a wall?

Emma turned her attention to Henry. "I hope you don't mind, but I already named her. Her eyes remind me of someone I know."

Henry shook his head. "What's your name girl?" He looked at the small tag on the collar around her neck. "Daniela."

Emma nodded and scratched fondly behind the dog's ear.

Regina's entire body went rigid. "Henry, take the dog upstairs and play with her in your room while I talk with Miss Swan a moment."

Henry didn't need to be told twice. He bolted straight up the stairs, Daniela tucked safely in his embrace.

"Miss Swan, my parlour, now!"

Emma left the box off to the side of the porch and made her way inside and straight for the parlour. She was unsure of the obvious and sudden change in the mayor's demeanor. She had a feeling this wasn't about the dog, not entirely anyway.

The second Regina had closed the door, she rounded on her. "What gives you the **right**?"

Emma sighed. "Listen, I just thought he might like a _friend_. It's not that big of a deal."

"Don't play with me Miss Swan. I'm not talking about the animal. Where did you hear that **name**?"

Emma's brow furrowed in confusion. "What's wrong with the name Dan…."

"Shut up!" Regina stepped up into her personal space; she was becoming quite adept at that. "You don't get to say her name. If you truly know who I am, then you know what I'm capable of. I will destroy you Miss Swan, without even a second thought. Just give me a reason."

Emma was confused. So, she just nodded.

"Now, you will tell me where you heard that name."

"She is a woman from my past."

Regina shook her head, looking angrier than Emma had ever seen her. "That's impossible." She shook her head. "I want you out of my house."

Emma stood, concerned now. "Madam Mayor, it wasn't my intention to upset you."

"Wasn't it? Hasn't that been your intention from the moment you entered this town?" Regina shook her head. "Just get out Miss Swan. You overstep your bounds with both myself and my son."

"He's my son too."

"Not legally."

Emma stepped toe to toe with the brunette, now angry herself at being dismissed so carelessly and without any sort of explanation. "Laws having nothing to do with what's in his heart."

Regina slapped her, a powerful blow that sent a resounding crack echoing through the small parlour.

Emma put a hand to her cheek, her eyes narrowing.

Regina looked like she was caught somewhere between sheer satisfaction and horror that Emma had caused a break in her carefully constructed walls.

Emma, for the first time, had no retort, nothing clever to throw back in the brunette's face. It wasn't the slap itself, a part of her had even been expecting it. What she'd said was a low blow, even for one of _their_ fights. But there was something about the mayor's eyes, the tendrils of pain behind the obvious anger that pulled at her heartstrings. Finally, she nodded. "I'm sorry Madam Mayor; I'll go."

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"She actually _slapped_ you?"

Emma nodded. "Full contact, palm spread, connected right on my cheekbone, slapped me." There was already a visible bruise forming along the line of her cheekbone from where the heel of the mayor's hand had connected with her cheek. She put the homemade ice pack Mary had constructed for her, out of a ziploc sandwich bag filled with ice cubes wrapped in a dish cloth, against her cheek

"What prompted that?"

Emma frowned. "I _may have_ implied that Henry doesn't care about her."

Mary Margaret's face fell. "Oh, **Emma**."

Emma hung her head in shame at Mary Margaret's admonishing tone. "I know. But she just frustrates me so much! Can't she see that I'm really _trying_ here?"

"Trying to what?"

Emma looked into the mug of tea as if she were a seer reading the leaves. "Trying to be what she needs."

Mary Margaret's brow furrowed as she tried to process what Emma had just said. "Are… are you _in love_ with **her**?"

Emma bit her bottom lip, her eyes glazing over as her mind flashed with images of the woman waiting for her back in the Enchanted Forest, of mouths moving hungrily against each other, skin glistening in the moonlight, of smiles and breakdowns, of hands questing across piano keys. "I was once."

"But you're not anymore?"

Emma frowned. "I don't know. But I do know that I owe it to the part of her that I once loved to try and love what she's become."


	9. Wishes of One Day

DISCLAIMER:: do not own

A/N:: here's the longest update yet and i do believe my longest chapter for any story. this is my last written chapter for FTL (though i have several typed up for the Storybrooke storyline) so it might be a while before there's another update, but do trust that i am working diligently to write for this and all my stories. darn that bothersome thing they call life, it always seems to get in my way. you may also know that the title of this story has changed. it used to be oneiremeno; the new title is simply the english translation of the old title. some people were having issues finding the story on search so i decided to change it before we got too many chapters in. thank you for the continued interest. as always read and please review. i'm not the type who holds the next chapter over everyone's heads until i reach a certain amount of reviews, that's kinda cruel, but i do really wish to know everyone's opinions. enjoy!

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**-Chapter 8: Wishes of One Day-**

Emma watched the sleeping woman beside her. She had actually awoken before Regina, though she wasn't surprised, with how early she'd forced herself to sleep in the other world. But waking her would have been cruel. So instead she had just taken a moment to study the lines of her face as she slept, the way her lip twitched every so often. She looked so innocent like this, so unaffected by it all. She must have used her magic to put their clothes back on as Emma had slept because she had awoken in the green dress from the previous day. It made her sad to think that today they'd leave this place, and that it was possible she'd never see it again. Not for the first time, she wished someone would invent cameras in this world. She wanted to capture this moment, this place, the past few days, and preserve them.

"You're up early."

Emma snapped out of her thoughts to look down into sleepy brown eyes. She smiled. "I couldn't wait to come back to you." She leaned down and their lips met, the embrace stating how happy Emma was to be back more than any words ever could.

Regina's body responded immediately, the way new lover's bodies are wont to do when flesh collides. Emotions rise like an inferno every time you touch. She pulled Emma down on top of her, her tongue slipping into a waiting mouth.

Emma allowed herself this, surrendering for the briefest of moments to the heat that spread within her, consuming reason and logic. But just as she was about to give in completely, she gathered up what little will remained and pulled back.

Brown eyes looked up at her questioningly, even as hands continued to smooth across the fabric barrier of the dress that hid flesh from them.

Emma looked at her guiltily. "One day, I promise, we won't be racing the clock. One day, we'll have all the time in the world to just… **be**."

Regina sighed. "But that day is not today." It wasn't a question but an admittance of defeat.

Emma shook her head and got up, helping Regina to her feet.

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She stood in the doorway of the library, gazing into the room at the piano bench where she felt as if she'd truly been kissed for the first time, in either life. Her eyes shifted to the couch where Regina had held her, had been the first person to ever feel for the burden she must carry, even though no one had ever shown Regina any sympathy for her tragedies. She had realized what love truly was in this room. It made her loathe to leave.

"The sun is starting its ascent."

Emma glanced over her shoulder at the woman behind her, not at all surprised by her sudden appearance. Regina moved through this place with the familiarity and grace of a ghost. Emma grabbed her hand, not out of need for comfort, but rather out of a necessity for physical reassurance of presence. Life got so mixed up when you were forced to live it twice. This could all easily be some psychotic break, a projection of the Regina from Storybrooke, or possibly vice versa. She had learned early in her lives that she couldn't focus on the doubts, of which there were many; the only way to maintain her sanity was to just live as if whatever happened was perfectly legitimate and normal.

"We're doing the correct thing here, right?" She finally turned from the room and buried her face against Regina's shoulder.

Regina nodded and wrapped her free arm around the blonde in comfort. "We're meant to be together Emma; I believe that without any doubts and I will spend the rest of my days trying to make you believe it too if I must."

Emma glanced back one final time at the room. "If we can, one day, I want to come back here."

Regina nodded. "One day."

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It was slow going the first few miles as Freedom learned to adjust. He was a strong stallion and fast, one of the best bred in the royal stables, but he was unaccustomed to carrying the weight of more than one individual. But they had both agreed that Regina should refrain from using any magic that wasn't necessary while they were still in the Enchanted Forest. Most people had either been too young, or hadn't even been born yet when the Evil Queen went missing, they wouldn't know her on sight. But for a human to use magic, it would instantly draw undue attention and that was something they couldn't risk, not until they had made their trek south of the boundary line.

Finally, Freedom caught his stride and learned to handle the combined weight of the two women on top of him and their pace became more steady.

"You're so quiet." Regina whispered against her hair.

Emma bit her lip. "I was thinking about the other world. I bought a present, a domesticated animal, and when I told your other half, you freaked out. You seemed almost offended. It made me curious."

Regina shrugged. "Well maybe I might be able to shed a little light on the situation. Until twenty eight years ago, that Regina and I shared the same past. If it's something from that time, I could help."

"Perhaps." Emma gave a small nod of agreement. It was worth a shot she supposed. "What does the name Daniela mean to you?" She felt the brunette instantly tense against her back.

"Where did you hear that name?"

Emma laughed. "You know, that was exactly her reaction too."

Regina regained her composure and relaxed a little. "Well, that name is rather important to our past. I thought you already knew the story."

"I do." Emma frowned. "Your mother killed your beloved, after my mother told your secret, so that you'd have nothing to keep you from agreeing to marry the King. Although, the person who shared the story was unclear on exactly how he died."

"He? The King?"

Emma shook her head. "No, it's common knowledge that the King was assassinated with snake venom. _The stable boy_."

Regina frowned. "Emma, darling, tell me exactly the story this person told you. Spare me no detail, however minor it may seem."

So Emma spent the majority of the ride to Tarry retelling Daniela's tale of the Evil Queen's tragic beginnings.

Once the blonde had finished, Regina chuckled. "Well, I find that I must admit, whoever told you this tale has almost every detail spot on for someone who wasn't there. But there is one key fact that was wrong. It _was_ the stable hand that I was in love with, but it was a _she_, not a he. She had the most lovely long brown hair and eyes so blue it was like staring into the swirling depths of the sea." Regina smiled sadly at the memory. "And her name was _Daniela_."

Now it was Emma's turn to tense. "Around our height, slightly angular features, voice like a bell… did she have a tattoo?"

"Yes… how do you know that?"

Emma's face scrunched in confusion. How could it be? "The person who told me the story of your past was my nursemaid; I've known her my whole life. And her name is Daniela."

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"When we get into town, keep in mind that we need to get in and out as fast as possible. The quickest way to do that is to make ourselves invisible."

Regina frowned in confusion. "But I thought you said I wasn't allowed to use magic?"

Emma shook her head, chuckling to herself. "I wasn't speaking in the _literal_ sense. We have to blend in, act like any other traveler. Keep your hood up at all times, even indoors; we don't want to run the risk of anyone recognizing you. In town, you will refer to me as Emily and I will call you Gina. Tarry has a station on its east border where a unit of the Royal Army lives. Its something you'll find common in all but the smallest villages in the Enchanted Forest now. If we draw the attention of the guards, we're done for."

"Would it really be so bad to be discovered? They'd take us straight where we're meaning to go anyway. They wouldn't dare harm you, you're their Queen."

Emma nodded. "Maybe so, but I could not guarantee your safety and that is not something I am willing to gamble with." She glanced over her shoulder at the brunette. "We will stick to the plan."

Regina nodded. "Then you take Freedom to the town stables, have him checked to make sure he's up to the journey and acquire a horse for myself. I will go to the apothecary and procure supplies."

Emma nodded. "Get all we can comfortably manage. I can take more from the palace once we get there, but after we make our escape from my husband… well, we won't have much of a lead and magic won't be to our advantage until we go south of the boundary line."

Regina wrapped her arms tightly around Emma's waist, pulling her close while they were still not within view of the city walls and could risk being intimate. "Don't worry, my love, all will be well. I may have been asleep for three decades, but I am hardly a stranger to the art of deception. I will pretend to be a traveling merchant woman, just as they'll expect of me."

Emma had insisted they wear the most common outfits they'd been able to find of those at the stronghold. They had found two suitable garments in the servant's quarters, but because of the stature of Regina's family, even the servants had been finely attired. They wouldn't be able to convince anyone that they lived in the farming lands, not with clothes of this quality, and they were too far from the palace to claim they were royal servants. But Regina had assured her, they'd make it work.

One of her arms remained protectively around Emma's waist, the other gripped the reins firmly, as they came up the last stretch of road towards the city's walls. The gate was blocked by two guards, but Regina was relieved to find they did not bear the royal crest on their shields, but rather the seal of the city. That would work to their advantage.

"Good day, sirs."

One of the guards, a surly man with a permanent scowl covering his face, studied the two women. Both wore nicely made, but still rather cheap roughspun cloaks, one a deep purple, the other blue. He could see boots on their feet that showed little wear, they obviously had spent most of their journey on the horse, and what a fine, and expensive looking, steed he was. "Where do you hail from and what be your business in Tarry?"

"My sister and I are from the village of Nettleport, about ten leagues north of here. We are merchant's daughters, bound for the palace, myself to serve as a maiden in the Queen's court and my sister as a servant in the stables."

The man glared at her suspiciously. "It's a much faster and easier journey to take the south road… why ride through here?"

Regina was clever enough to blush, letting her hood fall back enough that the guard could see the red hue on her cheeks but not get full view of her face. "I'm afraid we got turned around. If it wasn't for a beautiful woman we encountered on the trail, I'm afraid we might not even have found our way here."

The guard didn't look any less suspicious, but he seemed to accept the answer. "You still haven't told us what be your business in Tarry."

"We wish to rest a spell, and allow our steed time to relax, possibly procure another if the price is accommodating."

"These are dangerous times, mi'lady. Young women such as yourselves are not wise to travel alone." The other guard, lean and tall, a lad of maybe nineteen, stepped forward. "The Queen has gone missing, believed to be kidnapped. There's a bounty to any who may bring her back, so the woods have been full of unsavory characters and knights alike."

Regina felt Emma tense against her, but she prayed the guards wouldn't notice the sudden stiffness in her posture. "That is awful. Dangerous times indeed. All the more reason for us to go about our business quickly."

The surly guard stepped a little closer. "Very well, I'll just ask that you remove your hoods, so we can confirm neither of you are our Queen and we'll have you on your way."

Regina pushed her hood off her head, letting it fall back.

The older guard, a man of perhaps forty, would have been too young at the time of her reign to remember her face and that theory was confirmed when he barely gave her a second glance. "Now you." When Emma didn't drop her hood, he made a grab for it.

"No!" Regina blocked his hand. "I'm afraid my sister suffers from the Scaling Sickness."

The guard instinctively drew his hand back and the young guard flinched even in the safety of his position by the gate. The older guard looked to Regina. "And your family has let her _out_?"

Regina nodded. "She's the best horse tamer in the northern half of the Enchanted Forest. Despite her condition, her work is extraordinary."

The guard stared at her challengingly before finally signaling to the young guard. "Very well, but do not linger here in Tarry." He glanced fearfully at Emma. "We wouldn't want an _accident_."

Regina pulled her hood back up. "You are too kind, sirs. Good day." She urged Freedom through the gate and past the city walls.

Once they were safely out of earshot, Emma turned her head slightly. "What's the Scaling Sickness and why are they so afraid of it?"

Regina slipped off the horse's back and helped her down before grabbing the reins. "Of course you wouldn't have heard of it, such things are not the concerns of royals. I myself wouldn't have even known of it, had not one of our servants bore a child who caught it when I was young. It's an illness, most often occurring in childhood in which your skin starts to develop scales, like that of a reptile. They are generally grey in colour and highly contagious. All one has to do is touch an infected area and it will transfer the disease to their skin. Most children who have it are killed in infancy."

"That's awful."

"It's considered an act of mercy. People with Scaling Sickness cannot have any skin to skin contact with anyone their entire lives, lest they infect them. So they will never marry, never bear children. They would live a lonely existence, where the very sight of them repelled human contact, such as you saw back there."

It still didn't sit right in Emma's stomach, though most things done for the 'good of the people' rarely did.

"The story will buy us some time unaccosted, but not long. That guard has our scent and I don't think his faith was in our story. Be careful. Do not leave the stables. Go, procure a horse, let Freedom rest. I will come for you when I've finished at the apothecary. Do you understand?"

Emma nodded.

"Keep your hood up at all times and don't speak to anyone you don't have to. I will get all we need as quickly as I can. We are not safe here."

They parted ways, Emma heading for the town's stables near the west wall and Regina continuing on into the town center to the apothecary.

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It didn't take long for her to find the small shop on the far corner of the town square. It was situated between the tailor and the baker. A bell jingled over the door, announcing her presence to the shop. There were several other patrons browsing through the collection of herbs, potions, and other bits.

The man behind the counter looked ancient compared to anyone else they'd encountered and it made her wary. He was definitely of age to have known her reputation. He studied her and came closer. "What can I help you with mi'lady?"

Regina pulled a list from the inside pocket of her cloak and handed it over to him. "I need anything you may have on this list.

The man pulled out a pair of spectacles and placed them on his nose, though he still had to squint, even with the aide of the lenses to read what was on the parchment. Finally, he nodded. "Shouldn't be too hard. I can have this ready and packaged within the hour."

Regina nodded. "Thank you. I shall return in an hour's time to collect." She pressed a fair amount of silver into his hands. "There'll be more upon my return." And with that she left to run her other errands.

It didn't take long to purchase all the other items they needed, so her order wasn't quite ready when she returned to the apothecary. The shop was empty this go round and she took time just to browse as the old man tried to make idle conversation with her while he worked.

"The Queen's gone missing."

"I'd heard."

"King's put out a hefty bounty for any who bring her back alive."

Regina shrugged. "I'd heard that as well."

The man eyed her conspiratorially. "So, you're here to fetch the bounty then?"

Regina's brow furrowed. "I'm quite sure I have no idea what you mean."

"We always knew you'd return one day, when the time was right. We've been waiting, your Majesty." The man pulled down his collar to show a tattoo on his chest, mottled with age. It was a mark she knew all too well, for she'd created it. She wanted to flinch from the sight. Those days were behind her and she wanted nothing of that darkness any longer, but the pull was there, the draw towards power. So, even after all this time, she still had loyalists. Well, whether or not she obtained her old seat, the fact that her supporters were still planted throughout the Enchanted Forest, that they hadn't forgotten her with time, that would work to her advantage. Her and Emma's prospects of making it south of the boundary line just grew exponentially.

"Is the old route still intact then?" She let her voice drop an octave, flooding it with her old authority.

The old man straightened just a little and gave a stiff nod.

"Excellent. You will be rewarded for your service upon my return to power. Spread the word through the channels that I have returned. Let's make this a homecoming no one will soon forget."

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When she entered the stable, she found it empty save the stablehand. He looked up as she came in. Though her hood was up, she must have maintained the intimidating air she'd picked up in the apothecary, because he paled. "How can I help you, mi'lady?"

"My sister came in here about an hour past to procure a horse?"

He nodded, obviously relieved that he knew what information she needed. "Yes." He walked to two stalls at the far side of the stable. "She had me check the shoes of your stallion here. He's been fed and rested. And this guy here is your other. Finest in my stock, worth every penny you ladies have paid for him."

Regina looked around. "My sister has paid for them, yet here they are and I do not see her about."

The stablehand shrugged. "A man entered and led her out. They seemed to know each other. She claimed she'd be back for the horses."

"This man, what did he look like?"

The stablehand shrugged. "Some guard. Older gentleman, stocky."

Regina's breath caught. She tossed a silver to the stablehand. "Saddle the horses and pack two days worth of apples and oat cakes in one of their bags. Put these in the other." She handed him the supplies she'd purchased in town and backed towards the door, pointing threateningly at the stablehand. "My sister and I shall return within the hour, make sure those horses are ready!" She didn't wait for his answer, but turned and ran out.

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There was too much traffic at this hour of day, even in this residential area for her to track them by their footprints. She stood before the stable doors and looked around. Three streets shot off from where she stood. One, directly in front of her ran parallel to the city wall and served as a perimeter road of sorts. She knew he wouldn't have taken Emma that way unless he wished to show her the city, which she was fairly certain hadn't been his goal. The next was just ahead and slightly off to her right, heading diagonally into the heart of town, back to the square. It was the road she had come down to get to the stables. She would have noticed if Emma and a guard had passed her. That left the road directly to her right, leading into a criss cross pattern of back alleyways where the less savory city dwellers lived. She took off down the street.

Nearly ten minutes of searching turned up nothing. There were simply too many places, too many options of where they could have gone. She had no choice. She knew she had promised Emma that she would refrain from magic within the confines of the city, that it was too dangerous, but right now she knew that whatever the guard from the gate intended to do with the Queen, turn her in or something less savory, it was far more dangerous.

She slipped into a tight alley between two residences and muttered the spell under her breath, willing her fear to not make her voice shake. Wording was everything in magic, especially good magic. Dark magic had always been about breaking the rules, and therefore the boundaries of what it could do were slightly more relaxed. But with good magic, there was a _code_, every incantation had an exact wording and it must be followed to the specific pronunciation. When she released the magic and stepped back out from the seclusion of the alley, a smile lit her face. It had worked. Amidst the jungle of boot and feet imprinted every which way in the dirt of the road, two sets of prints, one wide and foreign, the other suspiciously like a woman's riding boot, seemed to grow darker and more pronounced. She set off after them.

Several complex twists and turns later, she turned off into a gloomy back alley. The prints led to the end where the alley took a sharp turn to a dead end. She heard a voice, gruff and low, and she pressed herself against the stone wall and slid to the corner, not yet daring to peek around.

"What do you think you're worth to the King, Your Highness?"

"You might as well just use that dagger on me now. You'll see no ransom." Emma sounded confident, but Regina could detect the hint of underlying fear in her tone. She only hoped the guard didn't.

"This thing? This is just a precaution Majesty. I do not intend to harm you. You are much more valuable to me alive."

Regina risked a peek around the corner. The older guard from the gate had Emma pressed up against the back wall. He had a dagger to her throat. But, for her part, Emma looked completely unafraid of the man pinning her to the stone wall. Regina caught her eye and Emma had the skill to not let her face flinch in the least, lest it give Regina's presence away. Regina held a finger to her lips and slowly started to slide around the corner and down the wall towards them.

Emma knew she had to keep him distracted. "Why are you doing this? What do you hope to gain? Surely you must know that the second I'm released into my lord husband's custody, I will reveal all to him. Your head will be on a stake above the palace walls before you even have time to call for a trial."

Regina was halfway there. If Emma just kept him distracted. Her boot hit a rock and sent it spiraling across the dirt and Regina cursed herself.

The guard whirled on her. "You!" He lunged for her, but Emma caught the back collar of his uniform. He whirled on her, letting the dagger fly. It sliced through cloak and flesh, coming away with a streak of crimson on the steel of the blade. Emma cried out in pain.

Regina saw red, launching herself at the man and colliding with him so hard the dagger flew from his grip, slammed against the wall and fell to the ground. They grappled. Regina was stronger than she appeared, muscular despite her lean physique, but she had been out of commission for nearly three decades and her time asleep had taken its toll. Slowly, he began to get the upper hand, until he was able to push her back. His fist connected with her gut, doubling her over. He lifted her back up and grabbed her head with his strong arms, preparing to bash it into the stone wall. Then, there was a crack and a wet squish and his grip loosened.

Regina looked up at his face, still twisted in anger, but now there was a steel point reaching out for her from the flesh of his throat. She stepped out from where he'd had her pinned and he fell forward against the wall, the hilt of the dagger protruding from the back of his neck. The blade, having severed his spine upon entrance, not to mention ending his life, caused him to drag down the wall until his lifeless corpse collapsed on the dirt floor of the alley. Emma stood behind him, her hand still raised as if the hilt of his dagger were still in her grasp.

Regina stepped forward. "Are you hurt?"

Emma shook her head. "It's nothing, a scratch. We must go. If they find us…"

She didn't need to finish the sentence for Regina to know what she meant. They needed to get out of town before the body was discovered. She wrapped her arms around the blonde and they disappeared in a swirl of smoke.

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The stablehand jumped back, dropping the reins when they appeared just inside the doorway of the stables.

"Are the horses ready?" She ignored the look of terror in his gaze. The only thing that mattered was escaping Tarry with their lives.

He nodded and shakily handed her the reins.

She looked to Emma. "Can you ride?"

Emma nodded.

Regina helped her up into Freedom's saddle before getting on the other stallion's back. She shouted a thank you to the stablehand and set out for the closest gate, her only concern getting safely out of town.

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They rode hard for an hour after they'd escaped sight of Tarry. No one had questioned them as they left, merely wished them a pleasant trip and let them be on their way. But Regina hadn't wanted to take chances. She'd made them ride the opposite direction from the one in which they'd intended to go and once they had the cover of the trees, she'd doubled them back, magically erasing evidence of the change in course. And then they'd rode, hard.

"We can slow now. I think we've put enough leagues between ourselves and the city." Regina slowed the horse, a charger by the name of Starfire. She glanced over her shoulder at Emma and immediately reined in, jumping down from the horse. On the front of the blonde's blue roughspun cloak was an ever widening circle of red. She'd been too distracted during the ride to notice. She slowed Freedom and reached up to help Emma down.

The blonde slid limply out of the saddle and into her arms. Regina lowered her to the ground, leaning her against a tree. She unclasped the riding cloak and tossed it aside, holding back a gasp at the wound across the right side of the blonde's stomach. "You told me in was just a scratch!"

"We needed to get out of the city. I didn't want you to waste precious time worrying over this."

"I have some healing potions from the apothecary." She made for the saddle bags but Emma stopped her with a hand on her arm.

"Save them. We'll go to the dwarves. They have fairy dust."

Regina shook her head. "Emma, that's still four hours ride at least."

Emma bit her lip. "Can you stop the bleeding? If we staunch it, I'll make it."

Regina crouched down, putting her hand over the wound, muttering a soft apology when Emma flinched at the contact. The brunette muttered words of healing. It took a hit on her energy but when she removed her hand the bleeding had stopped. Regina reached for the discarded riding cloak and tore a strip of roughspun off, covering the wound and tying it around Emma's waist. She helped the blonde back up. "You'll ride with me. We'll ride Starfire halfway and then switch to Freedom."

Emma didn't object. She was already feeling faint from the blood loss and she knew an argument would just be tiring and futile. She let the older woman help her onto the horse and then get on behind her. She had already secured Freedom's reins to Starfire and they set off at a brisk but light pace. They would reach the dwarves by the time the sun retired.

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Emma was reclining back against the firmness of Regina's body when they finally came within sight of the cottage. She tried to sit up, but after a few moments her weariness grew and she fell back against the body behind her.

She called out as they rounded to the front of the cottage and the door opened, the dwarves spilling out. "Help! The Queen, she's been stabbed."

The boys rushed forward without delay, Grumpy at the lead. Regina helped lower Emma off Freedom and into his arms and then swung down herself. Bashful took the horses off her hands and led them over to a hitching post and a trough of water for them to drink. Regina followed the others inside.

Grumpy carried Emma to a small enclosed alcove in the back of the cottage's ground floor. It had a bed and dresser that a curtain blocked from view of the kitchen and other communal areas. It had been Snow White's room once. The dwarf laid her out on the bed. The one with glasses, Doc if she remembered correctly, untied the makeshift bandage and examined the wound.

"Happy, go crush some nettle berries with fairy dust in a mortar and bring it. Hurry, she's growing feverish."

"Will she be alright?" Regina stepped around to Emma's other side and put a hand to the blonde's cheek, not caring if the dwarves saw the act of affection.

"The wound is slightly infected. Another hour or two and it would have spread. But she will recover, thanks to you." He eyed the figure across the bed from him. "Lower your hood stranger, so that we may know you better and thank you properly."

Regina hesitated just a moment before lifting her hands to the hood and pushing it back off her head.

The dwarves let out a collective gasp, all except Happy and Bashful, who were still off doing their tasks.

"_You_!" Grumpy's eyes flashed dangerously.

"The last person who said that to me ended up stabbing the Queen."

That shut him up but the threatening glare didn't leave his eyes.

Doc saw the look of fear and worry in Regina's eyes. He wasn't so old that he'd forgotten the deeds of the Evil Queen. He had known the hate she'd bore for Snow well, him and his brothers all had. But this woman was not the same, it was spelled out across her face in the way she looked down at the blonde. She had known it was risky to come here, had known that the dwarves might attack her themselves or send word to the palace, but she had risked it anyway for Emma's sake. That was not an action befitting the Evil Queen of old. He turned to Dopey. "Fetch her a chair. The Queen will most likely sleep the night, no need for our guest to be uncomfortable."

She gave him a look of gratitude but said nothing. To say thank you would almost be an insult, though she _was_ thankful.

"You have saved her. She was too weak to make it here on her own. You can stay by her bedside tonight if you wish. In the morning, when she wakes, she will decide what is to be done with you."

Regina nodded just as Dopey came back and handed over the chair and Happy returned with the medicine. She sat down and took Emma's hand, now clammy, in her own. This would be a long night.


	10. Only Veiled by a Thin Disguise

DISCLAIMER:: do not own unfortunately. just borrowing. no profit obtained

A/N:: just got back from a trip and now that my laptop is up and running, i can post this. if you also read my other SwanQueen stories, Never Gonna Be Alone and Fragmented both should have an update posted by Saturday evening, as well as the first chapter for the sequel of actions have consequences. that being said, enjoy and review. i will try to keep updates coming but it always helps when you guys feed the muse. much love to all who read. enjoy.

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**-Chapter 9: Only Veiled by a Thin Disguise -**

Emma shot up in bed, her hand clutching the spot where her dagger wound should be, but her fingers just tangled in the undamaged fabric of her wife beater. For today, she was safe. She got out of bed and trudged to the upstairs bathroom. She pulled off her clothes and left them in a pool on the floor, mentally reminding herself to pick them up before Mary got a chance to see and therefore freak out over the mess.

She stepped under the spray and sighed as it hit her muscles and knots immediately began to loosen in her stiff shoulders. Slowly, she braced her arms against the tile wall of the shower and let the spray from the nozzle cascade over her head, sputtering every few moments when the water running down her face snaked its way into her mouth. Here, without Regina's worried but watchful eyes and the haziness the wound had created in her head, she finally let the events that happened in Tarry sink in.

It was hardly the first time she'd killed and it was far from likely that it'd be the last. She had not lied when she'd told Regina she'd ruined and taken lives. It was the way of the monarch, your hands were never truly clean. But even before that, she'd been excessively trained in the arts of hunting and tracking at her father's behest. She would need it one day, he'd said. Little did he know how right he'd been. The pressure to keep moving would be on them more than ever. Emma knew Hadrian. If he caught wind of all that had happened, Regina would be made to shoulder all the blame. She wouldn't make it a few days before they'd execute her.

She shuddered violently despite the warmth of the water. The mere thought of what Hadrian would do to Regina if he found out about any of what had transpired, in past or present, made her stomach turn. Her husband was not a cruel man by any means, but he was a King in every way. He could not let her infidelity go unpunished, nor could he stand idle in the slew of Regina's past crimes. And yet, she couldn't bear the thought of losing Regina either, of sending her on her way to live her life in peace, and then returning to her husband's side as she had so many times before. Her world now revolved around the brunette with the guarded eyes and she couldn't just walk away from that.

"Emma?" A knock sounded on the door. "Are you okay? You've been in there a while."

Emma shook the thoughts from her head at the sound of Mary Margaret's voice. She hadn't noticed the water had gone cold, numbing her skin. She'd been so far in her thoughts that the sudden drop in temperature hadn't even registered. "I'll be out in a minute!" She switched the water off and grabbed for a towel, wrapping it around her body. She stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, amazed that she looked fine if only slightly withdrawn.

She pulled open the bathroom door with a sigh and jumped back, almost losing her towel, when she came face to face with Mary Margaret. She pulled the towel tightly around herself.

"Are you okay?"

Emma, regaining her composure, pushed past the shorter woman and out into the hall, making a beeline for her room. "I'm fine. Just got lost in my thoughts for a moment." To her slight annoyance, Mary followed after her.

"You were whimpering in your sleep for a good part of the night. It sounded as if… almost as if you were _in pain_."

Emma managed a chuckle, but it faltered slightly. "Nope, just a bad dream."

Mary followed her into the small spare bedroom that was now her space in this small town. "Are you sure? Because you also, you, um…"

Emma turned to look at her, her eyes wide, urging Mary to just spit it out already.

Mary's nose scrunched up, an obvious indication of her discomfort. "You… um, were calling out Regina's name… quite a bit actually. It didn't seem… I mean… it wasn't like, in _ecstasy_ or anything… it was more…" Mary's cheeks burned a deep scarlet. She bit her bottom lip. "It was desperate."

Emma's back tensed involuntarily, giving her away.

Mary looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry. The walls are thin, and I couldn't help overhearing. Were you having a nightmare? About the mayor?"

Emma sighed. She didn't want to lie to Mary Margaret. This woman was her mother, well, the half of her soul that had survived at least. But on her birthday, she'd make her choice, and one world would be lost forever. If she chose the Enchanted Forest and Storybrooke was lost, it wouldn't matter if she'd confessed everything to Mary, because Mary would cease to exist. She'd be demolishing the only part of Snow White that remained. The thought made her sick to her stomach. But if she chose Storybrooke and let the Enchanted Forest go to ruin, there'd be no point in telling Mary because it wouldn't exist anymore. No, it was too crazy. Mary would kick her out, or have her committed. "I, uh, remember when I told you I loved the mayor before she came to Storybrooke?"

Mary nodded.

"Well, I was dreaming about that time."

"Oh." Mary nodded, then blushed. "I should let you get dressed. I have to get to work anyway." She turned from the door.

"Hey Mary?" Emma walked to the door and leaned out into the hall.

Mary Margaret stopped at the top of the stairs and looked back at her.

"Thanks, for being concerned. It's nice to have someone who cares."

Mary smiled. "Of course, we're friends."

Emma smiled at the words. Friends were not a luxury she afforded herself, in either world really. It felt nice.

"Emma… you should tell her you know?"

Emma didn't have to ask which **her** Mary Margaret was referring to, it was obvious. "Tell her what?"

Mary Margaret gave her an intense look. "That you're still in love with her." She set off downstairs, leaving Emma gaping after her.

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"Rough night, Deputy?" Graham grinned at her as she literally plopped down into her seat and let her head fall with a thud onto her desk.

She lifted her head a little so she could appropriately glare at him. "Don't ask."

"Here." He got up from his desk, grabbing something off it as he did. He brought it over and placed it in front of her. "You look like you need this a lot more than I do."

Emma stared down at the bear claw. "I'm not hungry." Her stomach chose that moment to growl and betray her. She glared down at her abdomen before grabbing the bear claw off the napkin and taking a bite. "Thanks."

Graham nodded. "Listen… can you come in early tomorrow?"

Emma sighed. So the bear claw had been meant for her all along, as a bribe. She tossed the offending breakfast pastry back on its napkin as if the very sight of it now disgusted her.

"So you can drop into the bed and breakfast and fuck the mayor?" Her tone came out exceedingly more hostile than she'd intended.

Graham took a step back in shock and then held his hands up in surrender.

She shook her head at him. "I don't see how you can hate her so much and still do what she demands. Do you love her?" The thought of him responding in the affirmative made her stomach roil violently. She hadn't anticipated having to get through the obstacle of a romantic attachment.

Graham shook his head. "No, I don't. She's cold, mean, and cruel. She takes everything, sucks you dry until there's nothing left, and then tosses you out with the trash." He sighed, looking defeated. "I don't know why I go. I tell myself every week that I'll stop. I say I won't show up. And then, somehow, I'm always there, every Saturday."

Emma offered him a small knowing smile. "She's hard to say no to."

He frowned at her. "You don't seem to have a problem."

Emma bit her lip. "Yea well, I'm not from around here. She just hasn't had the same amount of time to beat me into submission." She knew it had nothing to do with the time she'd spent in Storybrooke, but she still said it to make him feel better.

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"Hey kid." Emma looked around behind Henry as he opened the door, searching for the mayor in the foyer of the mini-mansion.

"Emma!" He beamed up at her, obviously happy to see her.

She grinned down at him. He had so much life in him, so much exuberance. It was a luxury she'd never been allowed, an innocence that her condition had not afforded her. "Is your mom around?"

He shook his head. "She had a few late appointments; she almost always does on Friday nights."

Emma tensed, her mind automatically flashing to the idea that Regina might have a weekly secret rendezvous schedule, that Graham might not be her only lover, but she quickly forced the jealous reaction back down. Mary would have likely said something about there being others when she mentioned the 'meetings' with Graham, and even if she hadn't been so inclined, Emma just couldn't picture Regina as being the type to sleep around. No, she was too methodical. She'd pick one lover and do as Graham said, suck them dry until she had used up all they could give, and that's when she'd move on to greener pastures. "Good, that'll give us some time to discuss the book."

His eyes sparkled and he held the door wide open, wildly ushering her in. He closed the door behind her and grabbed her hand, urging her upstairs and towards his bedroom. He flopped down on his bed and pulled the book in question from his backpack. "I've been rereading some parts to help us prepare for Operation Cobra."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "Operation Cobra kid?" She gave him an amused smile. His enthusiasm was rather infectious. She stepped farther into the room from the place by the door.

He nodded, beaming proudly as if he had just won the Olympic gold in subterfuge. "When we're discussing breaking the curse, I thought we should have a code name. It has to be something that has nothing to do with anything in the book, hence Operation Cobra. It has to stay a secret until we figure out how you're supposed to defeat my mom."

Emma flinched, crossing her arms across her chest. "Listen, Henry…"

His small face fell. "Don't tell me you stopped believing!"

Emma shook her head quickly to reassure him. "No, I promise I haven't stopped believing. I know, I believe, that part of your book is true. But I just don't know if there's meant to be some final battle between your mom and I. I'm really trying to find some common ground with her."

But it didn't reassure him. He stared at her, the hurt evident on his little face as he glared at her. "You're the White Knight Emma; you're the saviour of all fairytale kind. You can't side with the Evil Queen! You can't betray everyone like that!" She saw anger flash briefly through his gaze, the product of an innocence that prevented him from seeing beyond the black and white of the situation. There was right and there was wrong, and right now, in his eyes, she was toeing the line.

Emma came over and sat on a corner of the bed. "Listen kid, I want to save the people in this town just as much as you do." _Maybe even more so_, whispered a voice in the back of her head. Henry knew nothing of Fairytale Land, short of what was in his book. But she did. She knew what she was giving up if she didn't choose to go back to the Enchanted Forest after her birthday. The only way she could think of to have both worlds was to break the curse and repair the split souls of everyone she held dear. "But, I won't hurt your mom to do it."

"But she's the Evil Queen Emma! She cursed everyone!"

According to the book, that was what had happened. The Evil Queen, hell bent on her quest for revenge against the last of the people who'd betrayed her, had killed her father to enact a curse, one that would steal the happy endings from everyone in the Enchanted Forest. It was quite a brilliant little back story that the prophecy had planted into their heads. It explained everything so perfectly; it even had a rather convincing explanation as to why she hadn't been cursed to live her existence in Storybrooke along with all the others. But she knew that there was no curse, just magic from an age old prophecy that held them there, unable to ever have their happy endings because they'd never truly be complete without the missing half of their souls. "Even if she did Henry, and I'm not quite sure of that, she's not my enemy. She may have _a lot_ to answer for, but…"

"Did she cast a spell on you?" Henry crawled closer and peered into her eyes suspiciously. "She did, didn't she?" He sat back on his legs, looking at her with thoughtful innocence. "It's okay Emma. We'll break the spell you're under, then you can defeat the Evil Queen and save Storybrooke!"

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Emma was sitting sideways on the top step of the staircase, her back against the wall and her legs stretched out across the step, her boots just barely grazing the railing on the other side. She'd put Henry to sleep almost an hour ago now and she could hear the cute little snores that came softly floating down the hall from his room. Tonight had been her first real experience as a mother, her first taste of what life might actually have been like had she been able to keep her son.

The babysitter had shown up at just after six, claiming Regina's secretary had called and made the arrangements for her to come over, that the mayor was working late. Emma had ushered her away with a ten note pressed into her palm for the inconvenience, explaining that she had things under control. She'd made dinner in the mayor's large and well stocked kitchen while Henry did his homework at the counter, occasionally asking her for help with the things he found confusing. After they'd enjoyed a nice meal, they'd done the dishes together. Emma knew Regina would blow her lid if they left anything in disarray, after she blew her lid over the fact that Emma was in her home without her permission of course. This house looked like a model home for Good Housekeeping or something. It looked as if it had been furnished and made gorgeous by some interior designer solely for the means of looking pretty. It certainly didn't look like a woman and her ten year old son lived here.

After dinner, they'd watched a few shows on the, obviously rarely used, television in the living room before Emma had ushered Henry into a shower. After he'd changed into his pajamas, she'd put him to bed.

Without Henry to distract her, and Regina still not home, she'd grown increasingly fidgety. She had called city hall while she was cooking dinner, to give Regina fair warning of her presence in the house, but the mayor's secretary had sung quite a different song than the one she'd told the babysitter. Apparently Regina had left the office promptly at five with orders for the secretary to call her usual babysitter and send her over to the house. The young secretary had no idea where Regina was. With Henry safely tucked it, she began calling around, finding a phonebook in a drawer on the small table where the main phone rested. She tried Granny's first, then the station and just continued going through every establishment she could think of that might hold interest for the mayor. She got nothing. Either the mayor really wasn't anywhere to be found or someone at one of these places was covering for her. Either way, with each passing minute, Emma's anxiety grew just a little more.

It was 11:52 when the key finally sounded in the lock. The door opened quietly and Regina crept in. She closed the door slowly, obviously anticipating Henry being asleep. She set her keys and purse down on the small side table in the foyer and crept towards the stairs. She froze dead in her tracks when she saw Emma sitting on the top step.

Regina's eyes fell closed briefly as she was assaulted by a memory, no, not a memory, a vision, of that very same blonde standing at the top of these very stairs, smiling down at her. She was clad only in little shorts and her usual wife beater, her hair mussed from sleep. Her eyes seemed to light up, as if seeing Regina made her inexplicably happy. She shook her head slightly and the image dissipated, replaced by the very real sight of Emma standing up from her seat on the top step, looking awkward but not uncomfortable.

"What are you doing here Miss Swan?" Regina's tone was furious, but it was a quiet whisper, not wanting to disturb Henry.

Emma came down the stairs, a look of something akin to frustration on her features. She grabbed Regina's arm without a word and pulled the brunette across the foyer and into Regina's parlour. The second she'd closed the door softly, she whirled on Regina. "Where _were_ you?"

"That's none of your business Miss Swan." Oh, the nerve of this woman! How dare she interrogate her when she was the one trespassing in her home and her life? "My plans are hardly your concern. Now, I'll ask again, what are you doing here?" She crossed her arms across her chest.

Emma glared at her. "I came by to see you and found Henry, alone. Then some half-wit teenager shows up on the doorstep like I'm just supposed to take her word for it and let her in? It's midnight Regina! I know you weren't at work; I called your office."

The anger coursing through Regina's veins halted momentarily. "You called my office?"

Emma didn't notice the slight perplexed tone that had entered the mayor's voice. "Of course I did. Then I found the phone book and started calling around town. I was worried!"

Regina felt it then… Emma's first successful dig at her armour. She felt the chip as if she were actually wearing chain mail and could run her fingers over the break. This couldn't be happening! She couldn't let this happen. She _refused_ to let this happen. So this woman had a superior skill at appearing to be deceptively genuine. That was the way of it; it had to be. No one had truly cared for her since… _Daniela_. "As touching as all this is, Miss Swan, I'm a grown woman; I have no curfew."

Emma frowned, taking a step towards Regina. "But you do have a son, **we** have a son, and…"

"There is no 'we' here Miss Swan." Regina felt empowered now that she finally had a sturdy platform from which to launch her attack. "Not when it comes to Henry. Henry is _my_ son, not yours. You gave up that right long ago."

Emma flinched but didn't back down. "I care about him, regardless of your need to claim him as your property, I do. You can't change that. His well being is important to me."

"Henry is fine." The venom in her tone drove her forward a couple steps.

"Is he?" Emma sighed. She didn't balk at the poison in the brunette's gaze. She couldn't claim that she loved the good half of Regina's soul unconditionally if she wasn't willing to embrace the dark half challenging her now. "He knows who you really are. He sees past the mask. But he only sees the dark. It _affects_ him."

Regina bristled. "He'll grow out of it; it's a phase, nothing more."

Emma shook her head. "Except, in this case, it's the truth. You and I both know that I know who you are, so let's drop the pretenses, shall we?"

Regina tensed for a moment before something changed in her gaze. Her back straightened and she raised herself up to her full height, in an instant becoming more distinguished and deadly.

The corner of Emma's mouth turned up in a smile. "Finally, I get to see first hand the woman that struck fear into the hearts of all the residents of the Enchanted Forest." She inclined her head slightly. "Majesty."

"Who are you?"

Emma shook her head. "You wouldn't know me even if I told you. Like yourself, I retained my name from the old world. I am Emma, here as I am there. But that means nothing to you; it's pointless to try and remember someone who you've never met."

"And yet, you claim to know so much of me." Regina eyed her warily, but there was no more anger, no more hostility, just a mixture of suspicion and curiosity.

Emma nodded. "Sometimes, I feel as if I know you more than I know myself. But even my knowledge is meager at best. I know what you've survived, but not how you survived it. I know your deeds, but not what you must have been feeling. I know you live in the darkness, but not what it feels like to be there."

Regina felt it again… yet another chip in the armour. Emma Swan, it seemed, might very well be her undoing. The knowledge in the blonde woman's eyes was piercing. Those green irises didn't look at her with accusations or judgment. Instead the blonde stared at her with a hunger for understanding. But Regina couldn't, not now, maybe not ever, feed the beast.

"I don't know what game you're playing Miss Swan, but you are severely overestimating your hand. Leave now, before I'm forced to contact your boss, resulting in your arrest as well as the loss of your job. Trespassing is against the law." And, just like that, the Evil Queen disappeared behind the mask of Storybrooke's mayor.

Emma's smile, slow and easy, came up once more. Regina would never admit it, even to herself, but Emma knew the brunette had lost that round. Emma would take her victory, another battle won in what promised to be a long and gruesome war. "Goodnight Madam Mayor." She turned and left the house without a glance back.

The second she'd closed the front door behind herself she dug in her pocket for her cell phone and pulled it out. Hitting speed dial 3 and putting the phone to her ear. It rang six times. "Come on, pick up, _pick up_."

"'Ello?" The groggy voice mumbled into the phone.

"Hey, it's Emma, I need a favour."


	11. Before the Sadness Kills Us Both

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for creative purposes. no profit obtained.

A/N:: thanks for all the feedback from the last chapter! reviews always make me smile. i'm glad this story is so well recieved. it takes a lot of hard work. hope everyone continues to enjoy it. reviews are always appreciated.

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**-Chapter 10: Before the Sadness Kills Us Both-**

She awoke to soreness in her side. She had expected it of course, after the knife wound the guard had inflicted on her the day before. She opened her eyes and found a head resting on her left forearm. She glanced down and saw Regina sleeping. She was sitting in a chair next to the bed, but her hand clasped Emma's firmly and her head had fallen to rest on the blonde's forearm. It couldn't possibly be comfortable. Emma squeezed her hand and, after a moment, the brunette stirred.

Regina had a moment of that small disorientation most people get when they wake up and then she snapped right to attention, her face lighting up. "Hey." Her voice was gentle, soothing. "How are you feeling?"

Emma, with a slightly stiff effort, slid over in the bed. She pulled on Regina's hand, looking pointedly at the spot beside her.

Regina frowned. "I don't think that would be wise under the current circumstances." She glanced around the alcove, with only its curtains pulled closed to block them from the prying eyes of the seven little men.

Emma tugged on her hand again, more persistently this time.

Regina gave in and got up from the chair, wincing at the stiffness sleeping in that position had caused and slid onto the bed next to Emma.

The blonde, without thought of proper etiquette, curled her body into the brunette's, pulling the older woman close. She could feel that the wound had healed while she slept. Fairy dust was one of the most powerful substances one could possess. It had a long list of magical capabilities, among them several healing properties. But she'd be sore for the ride back to the palace, thanks to her strenuous activity while injured the day before.

"Thank you." She was surprised at how quiet she sounded, her words barely audible even to her own ears.

Regina reached up and pushed a strand of long blonde hair behind Emma's ear, the backs of her fingers brushing over the blonde's jaw as she pulled her hand back. "For what?"

"For everything you've done, and everything you will do that you haven't yet."

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"Do you have any idea who she is my Queen?" Happy looked at her in shock, his normally cheery disposition now a mask of concern.

Emma nodded, glancing over at Regina, who lingered back near the alcove bedroom, not wanting to make the seven men scattered around the great room any more anxious than they already were. "She's Queen Regina, once known throughout the Enchanted Forest as the Evil Queen."

Doc glanced warily at the brunette woman and then let his eyes slide to Emma. He'd been checking up on the pair throughout the night, as he'd been the only one of his brothers who wasn't terrified by the woman's very presence. He had known, from the moment he'd seen them on the horse, how much the Evil Queen cared for Emma. It seemed to radiate out from her in every glance, every smile, every action. She was a woman in love. And by the looks of it, Emma felt much the same. "You know what it is she did then?"

A shadow crossed briefly over Emma's features. "Yes, I do."

Doc stepped up to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "And you care for her still?"

Emma nodded, smiling fondly at the brunette. "More than I ever dreamed possible."

Doc nodded, looking around at each of his brothers, unspoken words flowing between them. His gaze settled on Regina last, studying her. Finally, he turned back to Emma. "What's your plan and how can we help?"

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"I don't like this." Regina wrapped her arms around the blonde queen and pulled her close. "I don't want to be apart from you for even a second. What if something were to go wrong, how will I know?"

Emma smiled, turning the brunette's go-to assurance back at her. "All will be well, my love."

"But Hadrian…"

Emma pressed a firm kiss to Regina's lips. "There is nothing Hadrian can do to keep me from you, short of ending my life, and he is much too smart to do that. It is disapproved of for a Queen to rule by herself, without a King by her side, but that does not change that I am the true sovereign. If he wishes to declare my execution, he needs irrevocable proof of some great misdeed."

"Like freeing the Evil Queen from her sleeping curse?"

Emma frowned. "Even that is forgivable. The people did love my mother and I am what is left of her. Hadrian may try to prevent me from leaving if he discovers my plan, but he will not _harm_ me. You, however, are not safe within the palace walls. That is why you must meet me in Port Emerald. You can blend in while I attend to my affairs at the castle."

Regina released her hold on Emma's waist. The blonde was right in this. If she was discovered before they made it to the Forbidden Forest, she would be held accountable for her sins. The penalty for all she'd done would be nothing less than death.

Emma swung up into the saddle for the long ride back to the palace. She'd be there by mid-afternoon, enough time to get what she needed and collect her father before setting out for Port Emerald to meet up with Regina.

Regina kept a hand on Freedom's reins and looked up into Emma's green eyes. "When you arrive in Port Emerald, go to the inn near the docks. It used to be called the Three Fish, but the name may have changed in my time away. Ask the innkeep for the deluxe room. She'll give you a key. Ascend to the second floor and turn right on the landing, follow the hall to the last door at the end of the corridor. Your key will open the door. I will be waiting for you there."

Emma nodded. "I shall be there."

Regina reached up and grabbed Emma's cloak, yanking it down until the blonde bent her face close to hers. She pressed a frantic but passionate kiss to Emma's lips. "Promise me you'll return to me."

Emma smiled, caressing Regina's cheek. "I promise."

"If you are not there by tomorrow evening, I **will** ride for the palace."

Emma nodded, knowing it would be futile to try and change Regina's mind. "I'll be there."

As Emma set off down the path that would lead her back to the palace, she finally let her anxiety come to the surface. For all her reassurances to the older woman, she truly didn't even feel a fraction as confident as she had played off. Hadrian would not harm her in any way, that had been truthful enough, but he would try and prevent her from leaving at all costs. Her departure would compromise his security in the crown. He was a foreigner, from across the sea, and without her at his side, that was all he'd ever be in the eyes of the people. The crown belonged to her and her legacy.

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"Sire." The head of patrol fell to a knee, his head bowed, in front of the throne. "The Queen has been spotted heading this way, coming up the west trail. She rides accompanied by four dwarves and unharmed."

Hadrian waved the guard to a standing position. "Has she been intercepted by one of your riding parties yet?"

The guard shook his head. "No, Sire. We await your orders."

Hadrian frowned. "Prepare a steed; I ride to meet her myself."

The guard bowed and departed to carry out the orders.

Hadrian leaned back in his throne. He had no idea what his wife had been up to these past few days but she would answer for it. He'd make sure of that.

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"My King." She had expected this. He would want to ride into the palace grounds as a happy couple, not the emotionally distant strangers they had become. Still, certain etiquette was to be observed. She inclined her head in greeting. "I hear you've half the Royal Army out scouring the villages for me."

Hadrian's mouth was a rock hard line. "My Queen, your safety is of the utmost importance to me. I feared for it many times over the past few days. No one could tell me what had become of you." He inclined his head briefly to the men riding behind her. "Good sirs, thank you for accompanying my wife."

"I told Daniela to inform you I had gone to the winter palace."

"The winter palace, but it has been unused for many years. What business have you there?" His horse fell in step beside hers.

"My business is my own."

She could see the anger that was coming to a slow boil under the surface of his calm composure.

"You are a royal, your business is first and foremost to attend to your rule." Hadrian could see it, the change in her eyes. Something had happened on this journey of hers. He had no idea what, but gone was the obedient wife he knew, a Queen committed to a life of duty she felt was her burden to bear. In her place rode a proud woman, one who seemed to finally have found a purpose more worthy of her time.

"My business is also my family. My journey was a favour to my father. I trust he is well."

Hadrian shrugged. "I have seen not of him, but the servants bring no news of his death so I am to assume he is as he has always been."

"I instructed Daniela to tend to him upon her return. Has she done so?"

Hadrian shook his head. "Daniela never returned. I assumed she had been in your company these past few days. Perhaps she has abandoned her service."

Emma frowned, for the first time her confident composure faltering. Daniela being absent would complicate their escape, but it would not deter her from her mission. "Perhaps she has. Long has she been in the service of this family, but it is her life to do with as she wishes."

"Listen here, the Queen has now pardoned deserters. My, what has become of my beloved wife in her time away from me?"

Emma glared at Hadrian. "Her life has been her own since my mother died. Her required service ended at that time and has since been voluntary. Do not presume to tell me how to punish my own servants." She spurred her horse forward, the dwarves following suit, all leaving Hadrian in their dust.

He glared after them on the brink of rage. So much for riding in as a happy couple.

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Regina had no clue why Emma had insisted on sending her with a guard. She had her magic to protect herself. It was odd to her how different using magic seemed in this time. Magic among humans hadn't been common, even in her time. It was where her rule stemmed from after all. She ruled in fear. Her subjects were terrified of her powers. But now, in this time, they seemed to have remembered their backbones. According to Emma, unless magic practitioners were registered into the service of the royal family, they were executed, sometimes privately, or if they were to be made an example of, publicly. This world it seemed, had drifted from its original foundations.

"You are in love with her, aren't you?"

She broke from her thoughts to look over at the dwarf known as Doc. The other two who had accompanied him were the mute one, Dopey, and the narcoleptic one, Sleepy.

"I am."

"How far do you intend to run? How long?"

Regina squared her shoulders. "However long it takes. I can't live without her." She was surprised she was being so open, but Emma had changed something in her. It felt good to admit that there was something she felt was worth fighting for.

"Getting away from the King won't be difficult. He has no power without her by his side. He's from across the sea and he is liked enough among the people, but hardly loved. If she wanted to unbind their marriage, she could, though the consequences could mean war. But he won't hurt her." Doc frowned. "But once the realm becomes aware of your presence... The scars left by that time have faded, but they are hardly forgotten."

Regina nodded, forlornly. "The past always catches up with us it would seem."

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Emma took the stairs to the tower at a run, going up and around the spiral staircase until she reached the room at its peak. She pushed open the door. The room was not how she'd last seen it less than a week before. All the pictures of Snow had been taken from the walls. They were in a neat, or as neat as could be managed, stack off to one side of the bed. The bed itself was made. It almost looked as if it were a normal, albeit sparsely furnished, bed chamber.

"Father?"

A quick look around the room and the en suite bathing chamber told her that he wasn't in the chamber. She crossed to the window and looked out. She could just make out his form down in the garden. Of course that would be where he'd go once his stupor had been broken. She turned from the window and raced back down the stairs.

"Father?" When she reached the normally locked door to the small private garden within the bigger garden, it was open. She slipped inside.

James was crouched at the feet of Snow White.

"Father?"

He glanced over his shoulder, his eyes pained. "Emma, I'm so sorry."

She crossed over to him and helped him stand. "What are you talking about? Sorry for what?"

"For leaving you when you needed me most." James gripped her shoulders and stared into her eyes apologetically.

Emma felt tears sting her eyes. "It's okay. You lost her. It's okay. I forgive you." She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.

He squeezed her back just as hard.

Finally, she pulled back. "Listen, we have got to get out of here. I have someone waiting for us, and we need to go."

He looked at her, clearly confused. "When?"

"Before dawn, in the cloak of darkness, before Hadrian wakes. We must go."

James shook his head, still confused. "Why?"

"Daddy." It was a name she hadn't used often with him, but it had a profound effect when she uttered it because of its rarity. "I'm in love with someone. I fell in love, but it's not with my husband."

"So we will unbind your marriage."

Emma shook her head. "To do so could mean war; it would divide the land. And… the person, the woman, I fell in love with… she… it's complicated."

"It's **her** isn't it?"

Emma nodded, not needing any confirmation of the _her_ he was referring to. "I love her."

He looked sadly at her. "I know." He took a deep breath and released it. "Very well. We will go. Meet me here before dawn. Pack light, you don't want to draw attention to yourself."

Emma nodded and once again threw her arms around his neck. "Thank you."

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A knock sounded at her bed chamber door. "You may enter."

The door opened and Hadrian slipped in.

Emma sighed. "Not tonight, I am weary from my travels."

"That is not what I come for. I'd like to spend the day with you tomorrow, just us." He ran a hand through his dark hair. "I feel as if we're growing distant. I know our marriage was never one of love, Emma, but we used to be friends. How did we get so far apart?"

Emma bit her lip. "Hadrian… our entire marriage is a lie. It's always been about using each other and you know it. Don't you ever get tired of the denial?"

Hadrian's eyes flashed briefly but he swallowed whatever it was he was feeling. His mask slipped into place once more. "Be ready an hour after dawn. We will have breakfast together and then maybe a nice hunt." He turned and exited the room before she could raise an objection.


	12. Pushing Forward and Arching Back

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purposes of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: first off, bonus points to KillerElephants for guessing who emma called and asked a favour from as well as the favour she asked for. i hope everyone enjoys this chapter. i really appreciate the positive feedback and i hope i'm doing a good job of establishing two seperate worlds with two very different regina's. enjoy and review.

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**-Chapter 11: Pushing Forward and Arching Back-**

"You're up early." Mary Margaret looked up from her cup of hot tea, earl grey with just a touch of blackberry honey this bright Saturday morning, as Emma came down the stairs, fully dressed and ready for the day. "I thought you didn't have to go into work until this afternoon."

Emma shrugged. "I don't, but I have a very important meeting this morning." She opened the fridge door and wracked her eyes quickly over the contents. After finding nothing satisfactory, she closed the door and snagged a banana from the fruit bowl, peeling it.

"I didn't hear anything about a town council meeting."

Emma bit into her banana. "That's probably because it's not a town council meeting."

"Then who are you meeting?"

Emma grinned. "The mayor." She couldn't really explain why, but the idea of a confrontation with the brunette sent a thrill through her, a rush through her system at the thought of another argument. It was the only passion she saw from this half of Regina, the only hope she had to cling to.

Mary Margaret's brow furrowed. "But it's Saturday morning. That's when she and Graham… oh _Emma_! No! Please don't tell me you're going to… The mayor actually **agreed** to that?"

Emma shook her head, tossing her empty peel into the waste can. "Nope. I thought I'd surprise her."

Mary frowned. "Emma… don't you think you shouldn't be pushing her buttons quite so much? She is the other mother of your child after all."

Emma sighed. "She doesn't waste any opportunity to press mine, why should I act any different?" She knew the argument wouldn't hold weight, especially with a teacher.

"So, just because she's acting immature, that all of a sudden justifies you behaving the same way?" Mary Margaret shook her head. "Really Emma, I wish you wouldn't stoop to her level."

Emma huffed and rolled her eyes. "You're such a **mom** sometimes."

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There was no need to stop at the front desk or make any fake pleasant conversation with Granny. She had seen that she and Graham had discreetly received a key to the room and that it would always be made available for their usage. Granny's Bed and Breakfast never saw enough business that one room couldn't be set aside for the mayor to effectively scratch her itch.

And boy did it need scratching today! Something had inflamed her, incensed her very existence. And that thing had blonde hair and green eyes that haunted her. How dare this woman come into her life and ruin her perfect creation? And yet it wasn't perfect. It never had been. She'd never gotten what she wanted from this curse. No matter how much control she had, she still felt… incomplete. That was infuriating enough, but Emma Swan had taken it to a new level. She'd thrown Regina the first curve ball in a game that had been going on for nearly twenty eight years. It was frustrating, but also rather exhilarating. Just when she thought she knew the game backwards and forwards, Emma had shown up and proved she didn't know all she claimed to.

Then there was the matter of her body's reaction to Emma Swan. There was no denying the woman was attractive. Though Regina would never admit it out loud, she couldn't deny the desire that burned hot in her stomach at the mere presence of the blonde. She wanted her, as much as she didn't want to. She wanted to control her, to own her, to possess her, though she wasn't quite sure whether it was because she felt a need to make Miss Swan fall in line like everyone else, or if it was because she really wanted… **her**. But what she did know for sure was that she needed to get Emma Swan out of her system. And the sheriff upstairs was going to help her do just that.

Regina pulled out the long, slender, old fashioned key as she came up the stairs, her heels clicking on every step. She walked down the hall to the door and stuck the key in the lock, turning it with a smile of anticipation. She pushed open the door and her smile dropped as she saw the person sitting on the bed. Her eyes narrowed and she quickly shut the door behind her, not wanting the inevitable conflict to reach prying ears.

"Madam Mayor, you look slightly dismayed. Were you expecting someone else?"

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Emma had made sure to get there early. She didn't want to run the risk of Regina showing up before schedule and losing the element of surprise. So she ended up waiting nearly forty five minutes, positioning and repositioning herself around the room, just to see the look on the mayor's face when she walked through that door and found that Graham wasn't the one waiting for her. The sheriff had been all too grateful to give over her usual meeting time to her. He'd even had the decency to not question why she wanted to trade places with him in his role as the mayor's sexual liaison. There were some things he'd rather not know.

Regina's expression when her eyes fell on Emma had been well worth the early morning and the long wait. She was smiling to herself, probably complimenting her control freak prowess in one way or another, but when she caught sight of Emma, her smile dropped.

Emma felt a surge of satisfaction that she'd been able to successfully surprise the woman, a feeling that grew exponentially when Regina closed the door softly, obviously not wanting to draw attention to the situation. "Madam Mayor, you look slightly dismayed." That was an understatement. "Were you expecting someone else?"

"Deputy Swan. To what do I owe your unwelcome appearance?"

"Graham sends his regards, but he'll be unable to attend your little rendezvous this week." Emma got up from where she was sitting on the bed and stepped up to Regina. "I hope you're not too terribly disappointed." She stepped away again. "What is he to you anyway?"

Regina smirked. "Why Miss Swan, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were jealous of your boss?" Now it was Regina who took the lead in the dance, stepping up to Emma, invading her personal space. "Is that the way of it? Do you wish it was _you_ in my bed every week?"

Emma closed her eyes, trying to fight against the pull in her stomach, her body's desires crying out for her to touch, to taste, to consume.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you Miss Swan?" Noticing an exposed throat when one was offered to her, she went in for the kill. She leaned in perilously close to the blonde, pressing her body up against the other woman's.

Emma's eyes popped open and she knew that Regina could read the desire in her eyes like a Broadway marquee. The brunette's own eyes lit up like a predator spying the weakness of its prey. The change both excited her and reminded her that she wasn't a slave to her desires. "I've already been a resident of your bed, and while I did enjoy my time there, it's not why I'm here."

Regina scoffed. "Since when have you ever been in my bed? I believe you're referring to your dreams."

Emma laughed hollowly. "You have **no idea** how much I wish that were true."

"Despite whatever opinions you may have about me Miss Swan, I don't sleep around. I choose my bedfellows with extreme discretion."

Emma smirked. "I don't doubt that. But that doesn't change that I know about the birthmark on your inner thigh. It's small, barely even noticeable to someone who's not paying close attention, but it's there. I know the inky depths of your eyes when your desire takes over and I know…"

"Stop!" Regina turned from her. "Why are you here Miss Swan?" She sighed in frustration.

"Because I care about you. I won't leave Storybrooke until you believe that. You kicked me out of your house, so I thought I'd bring you to neutral ground, to a place where you can't kick me out so easily."

Regina narrowed her eyes. "Make no mistake Miss Swan, everyday I am merely _tolerating_ your presence here. If I truly wanted you gone, I have the power to make you go away."

Emma nodded. "And I believe that. You are the Evil Queen after all. But you won't. You won't get rid of me until you figure out who it is I am."

"That will only get you so far Miss Swan."

Emma conceded with an incline of her head. "Fair enough. But right now, it's all I have." She bit her lip. It crossed her mind to admit to Regina that she was in love with her but she knew it would be met with a scoff and she wasn't sure she could handle the damage that would do to her emotions. "I'm **trying** Regina."

Regina felt it again, another chip in her carefully constructed armour. "And what are you hoping to accomplish Miss Swan?"

Emma shrugged. "It's a long story, and even for someone with your history, who knows the things you know, it would seem unbelievable."

Regina regarded her warily. "Try me."

Emma opened her mouth to let it all pour out, to tell Regina everything, but she could tell before she even uttered a word that she couldn't tell Regina the truth, not all of it, not yet. "You're not ready. I see it in your eyes." She shrugged. "But I'm here, and I'm staying. So when you are ready… I'll be here, and I'll tell you everything." She walked over to the door, her hand reaching for the knob. "I wish you'd let me in."

Regina frowned. "The person you think I am doesn't exist anymore Miss Swan; you'd do well to remember that."

Emma smiled at her sadly as she opened the door. "Yes, she does. You just lost her somewhere along the way… but don't worry, I'm here to help you find her." She exited the room.

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"I brought you donuts. Eat. Fight crime. Be merry." Emma tossed the pepto bismol coloured box onto the sheriff's desk and then turned her back on him, going over to her own desk and flopping down.

Graham got up and walked to the doorway of his office, leaning against the frame and studying the exhausted deputy. "That good huh?"

Emma grunted in response.

"Yea, that's exactly how I look every Saturday afternoon."

Emma rolled her eyes and leveled a glare at him. "We just talked."

"Talked." Graham raised an eyebrow and gave her a look that told her he didn't believe her for even a second.

Emma frowned. "Well it was more like a heated discussion, but our clothes remained on the whole time."

"And why do I have a feeling you are slightly upset about that?"

Emma glared at him.

He held his hands up in surrender. "Hey, you can trade places with me anytime. For the first Saturday in a long time, I actually slept in."

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"What can I get for you deputy?" Ruby gave Emma a brilliant smile as she leaned on the counter.

"Just two coffees to go. It's the only thing that seems to make Saturday paperwork a little less daunting."

Ruby winked at her. "Coming right up."

The bell above the door tinkled and Emma gave a cursory glance over her shoulder at the new patron and stopped dead. Standing in the doorway, holding a motorcycle helmet under his arm, was a face she recognized all too well. His rugged good looks and playful eyes. He was someone she had known very well once. But… how was it possible that he'd aged? A product of the 'curse' was that time stood still. No one here could age… except Henry, but he wasn't from her world. But this man surely was.

The man crossed to an empty booth and sat down, picking up the menu in front of him. He'd just read the contents of the first page when, as if sensing her unwavering gaze, he met her eyes. "Is there something I can help you with?"

Emma moved over to his booth casually, as if she did this all the time with Granny's patrons. "I haven't seen you around town before."

The man lifted a dark eyebrow. "That's probably because I just rode in."

Emma's face fell into a look of puzzlement. "Wait… you're not from around here?"

The man's eyes slipped from her puzzled face down to the badge on her hip. "No offense, but you're not a very good sheriff if you don't know I'm not from around here. Isn't it your business to know that?"

Emma frowned. "First off, I'm the deputy, not the sheriff, and secondly, I'm new to town too. Only been here a week, so pardon me if I haven't had the opportunity to memorize everyone's name yet."

"August."

Emma's frown only deepened. "What about it?"

The man shook his head with a small chuckle. "No, my name, it's August."

"Oh." Emma ran a hand through her hair absentmindedly, trying not to look embarrassed. "Emma. Emma Swan."

"Deputy?"

August and Emma both glanced at the counter where Ruby was holding two coffees up pointedly.

Emma nodded and walked back over to grab them. "Right. Thanks Ruby." She set one down to reach into her pocket and pulled out a few notes and tossed them on the counter. She turned back to August, coffees in hand. "Planning on being in town long?"

August shrugged. "I haven't decided quite yet."

Emma nodded. "You'll let me know when you do?" Upon seeing his eyebrow raised, she shrugged and grinned. "A deputy should know the citizens in her town after all." She turned and disappeared out of the diner, leaving both Ruby and August staring after her curiously.

Ruby glanced over at the man in the booth. "Have you two met before?"

He was still staring after the blonde. "I was just asking myself the same thing."

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Regina led Henry over to their usual booth and they sat down, picking up the menus, more out of habit than actual need to peruse it. Granny's diner had served the same things for twenty eight years.

"Good evening Mayor Mills, Henry." Ruby appeared by their table, pad in hand. "What can I get for you?"

The door opened and the man from earlier in the afternoon walked in.

"Hey Ruby. Food was so good I decided to come back."

Ruby rolled her eyes at the man. "Yea right. You're only back because unless you want to have a romantic dinner with yourself, we're all there is."

"Well, that too." August grinned and grabbed a stool at the counter.

"Who's that?" Regina raised an eyebrow towards the man's back.

Ruby waved her hand at him in a dismissive gesture, but there was a smile on her face. "That's August. He just came into town today."

Regina frowned. "Is there a sign on the highway that says 'Exit Here For Storybrooke: A Quaint Small Town That Is In Short Supply Of Big City Trash'? First Miss Swan and now him…"

"Yea, it's weird. I think Emma has a **thing** for him. She was in here earlier and she got all tongue-tied when she saw him. It was kinda cute."

Henry stuck out his tongue and made a disgusted face.

Ruby rolled her eyes, but Regina was staring holes into the man's back at Ruby's words. The waitress almost, for a moment, thought the mayor looked slightly jealous. But that was impossible, wasn't it?

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"So you know this guy?"

Emma nodded, taking the cup of tea Mary Margaret held out to her. "We were friends once. When we were kids, before he…" She cut herself off before she could say anything about the Enchanted Forest. The only person she could discuss that with was Henry, lest she sound crazy. "Well, you know how kids are… you grow apart." She took a sip of the tea.

"Does he remember you?"

Emma shook her head. "We haven't seen each other for many years."

Mary Margaret frowned. "Maybe, but you think he'd at least recognize your name."

Emma yawned and got up off the couch. "Yep, you'd think. I took an Ambien, so I'm heading off to bed before I pass out where I'm standing."

Mary Margaret frowned and looked at her watch. "It's five thirty. Even I don't go to sleep this early."

Emma shrugged and trudged up the stairs. "Busy day tomorrow, need lots of sleep." It wasn't a _total_ lie. It was going to be a busy day, just not in this world.


	13. All There's Left To Do Is Run

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: so, my hardrive crashed and i lost most of the work i've done for this story. so that sucked. but i did get a big portion of it back thanks to carbonite, not all, but most, so all is not lost. thanks to everyone who's stuck around with this story and all newcomers. this is just getting started and i feel very blessed at how well it's being recieved. reviews are always appreciated. feed the muse as she will sing for me.

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**-Chapter 12: All There's Left To Do Is Run-**

It was pitch black when her eyes opened. She blinked several times, allowing them to adjust to the darkness in her bed chamber. She never woke up this early in the Enchanted Forest, there was little need for such early mornings in the life of a monarch. She sat up quickly and went to the wash basin to clean her face. The water was cold but she didn't dare call the servants to heat it up. Besides, the icy chill of the stagnant liquid helped to wash away the last vestiges of sleep. She dressed quickly, pulling on a pair of thick riding trousers and a loose fitting cambric tunic. She grabbed her best riding cloak and the small rucksack she'd prepared the night before and slipped out of her chambers. Dawn couldn't be terribly far off and they needed to be long gone before the first rays of sun kissed the land.

The inner garden was empty, her father not yet there. She put a hand to the statue of her mother, resting it delicately over the hand of the stone woman. "I miss you. Father and I must leave the palace. My only regret is having to leave you behind. But we will return for you. Regina… she has magic. If anyone can find a way to heal you, it's her. We will come back for you. I promise."

"Emma?"

She turned to see her father slipping into the garden through the gate, his own rucksack tossed over a shoulder.

"Come. We need to go before dawn." He held out a hand to her just as a sickening thud sounded. His eyes rolled back in his head and he slipped to the ground.

"Father!" She crouched down next to him.

"Leaving so soon?"

The Queen's head whipped up to see Hadrian and a few of his personal guard standing in the gateway, the King with his sword in hand, the hilt of which had obviously been used to knock out her father.

The King turned to his guards. "Close the door behind me. Don't open it until I tell you." The men gave a quick nod and closed the gate behind him. He turned back to the former King, unconscious on the ground, and the reigning Queen.

"What do you want Hadrian?"

He skirted around the perimeter, confident that his guards would adequately hold off the only exit from the small garden.

"My Queen, you wound me. I was just out for a stroll before dawn."

"With your guards about you?" She shook her head. "Do not talk to me in falsehoods. How long have you known my plans?"

His polite mask slipped away, revealing his thinly veiled temper. "Who is it?"

"Who is what?"

"There's someone else, is there not?"

They were circling the statue of Snow White, eyes locked on each other as they each moved around it at the same pace in a round robin, one never gaining on the other.

"You know I only have eyes for you my King."

He smirked. "Now who is the one telling falsehoods?" He gave her a grin, but it felt almost like a snarl. "I've seen it in your eyes. Something has changed. You have grown distant."

"Maybe the truth has finally caught up to my skirt tails Hadrian! Did you ever think that? I am tired of service and duty and pretending! I want adventure and true love! I won't find that here."

Hadrian froze. "So you choose a coward's way then? You wish to abdicate the throne to run away? All in the name of _adventure_?" He shook his head. "Life is not a fairytale Emma!"

Emma shrugged sadly. "But it **should** be and I'm willing to fight for that." She took a deep breath. "Just let me go Hadrian. Aren't you tired of the charade?"

For a moment, it actually appeared as if the King would relent. But that was short lived as he shook his head. "I fear I cannot let you leave. You are my security to the throne. I cannot hope to hold it once you've gone, just as you cannot hope to survive out there."

"I shall have my father."

Hadrian scoffed. "A shamed man in the eyes of his people. He has no honour here. And neither will you. They shall name you deserter."

Emma narrowed her eyes. "Then I will face my fate at the hands of my people. I will not let you decide my life for me."

Hadrian's gripped on the hilt of his sword, made from the finest steel in the kingdom, nigh unbreakable, just a little harder, his knuckles going white. "I am your husband!"

"You are a title to me, nothing more!" She narrowed her eyes at him. "There _is_ someone else. I am sorry if my happiness compromises your claim to the throne, but I **will** have it."

She saw the flash of steel, even in the pre-dawn gloom, moments before he swung. She heard the thundering crack as steel connected with stone and it wasn't until the first shards of stone hit her face that she realized he hadn't been aiming for her at all. He'd hit his mark. The top half of the statue lay in ruins all around her.

"What have you done?" She fell to her knees, scrambling to collect the fragmented pieces of what had once been her mother.

"_That_… is what true love gets you Emma. True love is a fable told to Princesses when they are too young to know the truth of the world. True love does not exist."

"No!"

A blur flew at Hadrian and he barely had enough time to raise his sword and block the blow that was rained down on him. Steel kissed steel as reigning and former King clashed, sword to sword. There was murder in both their eyes and Emma scrambled to her feet, looking around for a weapon. She had hoped to make a clean getaway and to pass easily through the guards, bringing her short sword would have just drawn suspicion. She grabbed the only thing available to her, a piece of the broken statue, and hefted it into her hand, watching as the men continued to fight.

The guards outside the door to the garden had finally taken notice of the quarrel going on in the confines of the inner garden, but she and her father held the only keys. They were using the hilts of their swords to bang against the lock, attempting to pry it open. It might work, but it would take time. Sure that they were secure against the threat of Hadrian's guards, she turned back to the fighting men.

Hadrian had relieved her father of his weapon and had him trapped against one of the walls. He was closing in.

"Hadrian don't!" She knew she wouldn't make it in time.

He raised his sword to deliver the final blow. A whistle filled the air and he dropped the sword just short of her father's throat as an arrow protruded from his arm.

Emma looked up and saw a white cloaked figure crouched on the top of the ten foot high stone wall that encased the inner garden. The figure had already drawn another arrow and held it at the ready, this time aimed for Hadrian's heart.

James took the opportunity caused by the distraction to scoop up Hadrian's sword. Like the young King had done to him earlier, he smacked him across the temple with its hilt. Hadrian fell to the ground, not unconscious but subdued. James stepped forward and tossed her Hadrian's sword and retrieved his own.

The white cloaked figure was firing on the guards outside the gate, causing them to scatter.

The second they saw their opportunity, the royals seized it, grabbing their rucksacks and running from the garden, heading straight for the stables.

Freedom and another horse were waiting for them, saddled and ready. She didn't pause to question the convenience of it, just hopped up into the saddle and spurred the horse towards the road. They wouldn't have much of a lead; they needed to take advantage while they could. They were out through the main gate, the portcullis already mysteriously raised, within a minute and out onto the open road. Emma looked over her shoulder and sent her silent gratitude to the figure in the white cloak, for saving her father and for buying her freedom.

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"We should wrap through the woods and approach the city from the opposite side."

Emma looked over. They'd been riding for well on five hours and neither of them had uttered a word. The voice cutting through the silence seemed foreign somehow.

"If Hadrian managed to somehow get word to the city to be prepared for our arrival, they will have rallied their forces at this gate. We'll have less resistance if we enter from the South Gate. Come." He led the way into the trees.

"Do you think he was right?"

"Right about what?" James kept his eyes forward, searching the trees for signs of enemies.

"Maybe true love is meant for adversity and then a quick end. Maybe it truly is never meant to last."

James finally glanced at her. "I'd be more wary if it _were_ easy. The things in life worth having are always the things you must fight for. Never forget that Emma. Because what are they to you if you're not willing to overcome the odds to have them?"

Emma smiled to herself. This was the hero of her childhood, the King and Dragonslayer that she had chased all over the castle, pulling on his trouser leg and demanding to be taken along on his adventures. He was back.

"I'm sorry about mother."

His shoulders sagged just the littlest bit at the mention of Snow White. "I will never feel for another woman what I felt for your mother. She was the love of my life. But I realize now that she would not be happy with the way I've lived my life these past years. Your mother was a strong woman before all else Emma; she had to be. She lost her mother early in life and the last thing she would have wanted was to do the same thing to you. But she had the opportunity to have from her father what she lost with her mother. You weren't as fortunate and for that, it is I who must give you my apologies. If I hadn't been so consumed in my grief, I never would have abdicated the throne. You never would have been forced into the marriage to Hadrian."

Emma shrugged. "I find that life is often a series of circumstances, some unfortunate, others not, but all are intertwined. Good cannot exist where evil does not also dwell."

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They saw no resistance at the South Gate of Port Emerald. The guards barely even glanced their direction as they waved them into the city. They found the stables quickly and paid for the housing of their steeds before setting off towards the harbour.

Emma stared up at the dilapidated inn. A faded wooden sign hung from a pole, its paint peeling, the words The Three Fish barely visible under the damage wrought by age. The building itself had obviously seen better days. The roof seemed slightly caved in places and the boards of the walls had been eroded by decades of exposure to the salt air coming off the sea.

"She wanted to meet you _here_?" James looked at the inn uncertainly. There had been several more respectable establishments closer to the heart of the city.

Emma nodded. She lead the way up the plank walkway to the door and pushed in. The great room was full of sailors and captains, bawdy men singing and gesticulating loudly as beer sloshed from their cups. A woman was moving among the table, refilling cups just as fast as they emptied. When she noticed the newcomers, she bustled over.

The innkeep was a thickset woman, squat and rotund in stature. She had bright red hair that she pulled back into a long braid. Her brown eyes were small and held an air of suspicion. She wore her dresses low cut, leaving her ample cleavage exposed to the roving eyes of the inn's patrons. Emma noticed a rather unique tattoo over the woman's heart, but before she could truly examine it, the woman cleared her throat, drawing the blonde's attention northward to her eyes.

"Will ye be needing a room?"

"I'd like the deluxe room." Emma replayed Regina's instructions over in her mind.

The innkeep nodded slowly. She placed two fingers over her lips and then moved them down to the tattoo over her heart. Realizing the woman was waiting for something, but having no clue what to do, Emma just repeated the gesture. Seemingly satisfied, the woman produced a long key from the pocket of her apron. She placed it into Emma's hand. "I trust ye know the way." She didn't wait for an answer but went to go refill more cups for the obnoxious sailors.

Emma went to the staircase that led up to the rooms and ascended. At the top she looked first left then right and turned down the corridor to the right. She saw her goal. The corridor ended in a door, just as Regina had said it would. She stopped in front of it, the anticipation causing her heart to hammer in her chest. She stuck the key into the lock and turned it. She opened the door and found herself faced with another set of stairs. She looked over her shoulder to make sure her father shut the door behind them and then ascended the second staircase. She emerged into a rather large bed chamber. And there, standing by the window, was Regina.

Emma felt her heart lift and suddenly she couldn't quite remember why she'd questioned whether true love existed. This swelling of her emotions could be explained as nothing else.

Regina smiled, her eyes only for Emma. "You returned to me."

Emma nodded. "I promised you I would." She crossed the room and threw her arms around the brunette's waist, pulling her into a hug.

"Oh Emma, how I missed you my darling." She pressed a kiss to the blonde's hair.

A clearing of the throat caused both women to be reminded of the other occupant in the room. They both looked towards the doorway, where James was shifting uncomfortably.

Regina pursed her lips to avoid frowning. "Charming."

"Have a good sleep? I see the years have done nothing to improve your disposition."

Her eyes narrowed at his mocking tone.

"Will you two stop it?" Emma looked between the two other occupants of the room. "We're on the same side here and we don't have time for old feuds." She turned to Regina. "Hadrian caught us leaving."

Regina's gaze instantly shifted to Emma, her eyes filled with concern. "How much of a lead do you have on him?"

Emma shook her head. "There's no way to be certain, but no more than a couple hours at best. I'd wager closer to an hour. He was very cross with me." She removed the stone from the pocket of her cloak. She hadn't been able to bring herself to drop it while they fled. It was all she truly had left of her now, besides the blood running through her veins, the only piece of her that remained. "He…"

"I'm going to go downstairs. I could use a meal." James didn't want to hear her say the words. He turned on his heel and disappear down the staircase as fast as his legs could carry him.

The second he was gone, Regina visibly relaxed and pulled Emma tighter against her. She led Emma over to the bed and sat upon it, pulling Emma down into her lap as she rested back against the headboard. "Tell me everything, sweet one."

And so Emma did, sparing no detail of what had transpired once she had arrived at the palace the day before to when she had fled this morning. She stumbled over the part about Hadrian breaking her mother's… what had once been her mother's body, still clutching the piece she'd kept in a white knuckled hold.

After her tale was done, Regina reached over and gently stroked the fingers clutching the stone fragment, willing them to relax. Once they did, she softly pulled the piece of stone from between Emma's fingers, bringing it closer to her face for examination. It was an eye, the curve of her cheek and half her smile. Regina wasn't surprised by how clearly she could recall Snow's features. She'd devoted so much of her adult life, her lonely life, to hating this woman. There were still times, even now, when she closed her eyes and that sickly sweet smile mocked her. She may no longer feel the unquenchable thirst for vengeance, maybe because this woman, her sworn enemy, had also given her the greatest gift, or maybe it was the knowledge that the woman had been disposed of while she'd slumbered, but she still did not have love for her. She probably never would, too much bad blood had passed between them.

Something puzzled her though. She traced her fingers along the rough hewn edges where the stone had broken away from the surrounding pieces. She probed through the porous rock with her magic, searching but coming up empty. "Emma." She looked down into the blonde's face, rapt with attention. "This came from the statue they brought back from the war, you're certain of it?"

Emma pulled away a little so she could better look at Regina and nodded. "Yes, I watched Hadrian destroy it before my very eyes."

Regina looked down at the stone. "This wasn't your mother."

Emma shook her head. "What are you saying? Of course it was; I told you…"

"I know what you told me, but I'm telling you, this is not the work of a gorgon. No soul was trapped within the confines of this stone. It is rock, nothing more. The outside, her likeness, is impeccable. It was almost certainly carved by magic, but it is not her."

Emma stood, pacing wildly. Finally she stopped and stared at Regina, disbelief written all over her face. "Are you telling me… that my mother is _alive_?"

Regina frowned. "I do not know. Many years have passed and I have been asleep for most of them. But I can tell you that if she is alive, she's probably being held somewhere. Someone… someone with a lot of power, went to a lot of trouble to make you believe her dead. I don't know why, but someone wanted everyone to think the Queen dead, so that no one would look for her."

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They had been discussing possible theories for only a quarter on the hour when James came up the stairs in a hurry. "Time to go."

Both women looked up at his worried expression.

"Are they downstairs?"

James nodded in response, grabbing his rucksack. "The room is pretty crowded. If we leave now, we may be able to sneak out past them."

They busied themselves gathering their stuff and then went down the stairs, James in the lead. He opened the door and immediately closed it again. He turned to the two women. "They're searching the rooms."

Emma felt panic seize her chest. "There's no way out."

Regina shook her head. "Yes there is. Follow me."

She ran back up the stairs and into the room. Regina looked to James. "Help me push the bed."

He frowned but did as she asked. With a groan of protest, the bed slid slowly across the wooden floor, slowly revealing a trapdoor. Regina reached down and lifted it. It revealed only the top of a ladder and a descent into pitch darkness. Regina glanced at Emma. "Down you go darling."

Emma hesitated only a moment before sinking through the hole and descending until the darkness swallowed her from view.

Regina looked to James. "You next."

A knock sounded at the door down the stairs. "We bid you open this door in the name of the King!"

James sank into the hole followed closely by Regina.

The pounding on the door became more insistent. "Open this door now or we will be forced to knock it down!"

She grabbed the trap door and nearly closed it, leaving it open just enough that with a quick and pointed wave of her fingers, the bed slid back into place over them just as the door to the room was broken open. The guards rushed in as the Regina softly let the door above her close, casting the three royals into complete darkness.

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Emma hid in the shadow to the residence nearest the stables, watching the guards who blocked the doors.

"We'll never be able to get them out."

"Do you have such little faith in me darling?"

Emma looked behind her at Regina. "Hadrian knows I wouldn't leave Freedom, he knows we must return eventually, no matter where we hide in Port Emerald, we must return here."

Regina waved off her concerns. "We just need a… distraction." She spied him coming, just as he did everyday, six times a day. Wanting to be prepared for any situation that may arise once Emma arrived, she had spent the entire previous day observing the goings on of Port Emerald. And precisely six times a day, the baker's boy carried the fresh bread out for his deliveries. "And here he comes now." With a wave of a hand the boy tripped, the contents of the crate in his arms scattering. And like clockwork, the town urchins slunk forward, seemingly out of nowhere and made a dash for the free meal. The baker's boy, having regained his footing, started to fight to grab for the fresh loaves. Yelling and pandemonium quickly ensued, drawing the attention of the guards by the stable doors. They strode forward across the square, yelling at the boys.

"Go." Regina and the other two royals bolted from the shadow of the house and into the stable. They worked in tandem to locate and saddle their steeds, mindful that their window of opportunity was ever closing.

Once they had all mounted their horses and were ready to go, James looked towards Regina. "No matter what happens when we leave this stable, get her out the South Gate and don't stop riding."

Regina gave a sharp nod of understanding, catching the under currents of his suggestion that he'd sacrifice himself if need be to let them escape.

They spurred their horses and burst through from the stable doors, immediately calling the attention of everyone in the square, including the guards, who scrambled to get back across the square. "Halt in the name of the King!"

But they didn't halt. They took of at a gallop towards the South Gate, hearing the city alarm start to go off. They'd be closing the gates in response. They all pushed their steeds a little harder and within seconds they could see the doors, already closing, the gap to freedom getting ever smaller.

Loathe to do magic in public, but knowing Emma didn't want to leave her father behind, she muttered a spell under her breath that stopped the gate in its tracks, the men trying to close it exchanging confused looks with each other. They jumped out of the way just as the royals and their three horses came barreling through, sliding just barely through the gap.

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James wrapped the blanket tighter around himself as he stared at their small fire. Even he had to admit that magic, despite all the trouble it had caused in his life, could be a helpful tool. They'd been able to outrun the guards, the element of surprise to their advantage. Once they'd caught enough of a lead, they'd veered into the woods to confuse the tracks. It had been a long afternoon of evading, but he finally felt confident that their pursuers had lost a substantial amount of ground. The Evil Queen, for that's how he would always think of her, had still insisted on putting up magical wards around the clearing where they'd made their camp, just in case. He hadn't objected, whatever kept Emma safe was fine by him. News of her escape from Port Emerald and therefore Hadrian would not be able to be contained. Knowing his son-in-law, he'd probably spin some story to the public about how the former King had gone crazy and kidnapped his own daughter, with the help of some vagabond, to reclaim the throne he'd discarded so many years ago. It was exactly the kind of story Hadrian would spin; the young King's disgust for him had never been a well concealed secret. Emma had gone off the second they'd made camp, wanting to be alone with her thoughts. He wasn't sure what was bothering her, but she seemed troubled. Regina had stayed and was tending to the fire.

"She's risking her life to be with you." He couldn't bring himself to look at the brunette.

Regina sighed and sat on a fallen log on the other side of their small fire. "I know."

"If Hadrian catches up with us, we'll all be executed."

Regina nodded. "I know."

"Do you really?" He finally looked at her, a harsh glint in his eyes.

Regina nodded. "I cannot remove the traces of what I've done from this world. There are still many alive who remember my deeds and harbour great hatred for me in their hearts, the dwarves were proof positive of that. But Emma…" She said the name reverently, as if even to utter it was to worship it. "She is my redemption, the thing I never knew I was searching for. I can't desert her anymore than she can me. You more than anyone should know the binding ties of true love."

James scoffed. "I have a hard time believing true love could exist in a heart so black."

Regina nodded. "So do I."

James frowned, his eyes suspiciously searching hers for clues to her deception. Was this another of her tricks? A play on words to gain his favour? But of all the things he saw in her eyes, deception was not one of them.

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Emma stared out at the ocean from her rock perch. She wasn't sure how long she'd been out there when Regina appeared by her side, but it must have been quite a while from the concerned look on her face. Regina unfurled a saddle blanket and wrapped it around herself and the blonde as she sat next to her.

"What are you thinking of?"

"The other world. How things are quite easier there than they are here in many ways."

"Tell me of it."

Emma sighed. "Good and evil are muddied there. Life and the actions people take are open to interpretation. Executions are not quite as common, and certainly not for something as petty as leaving your husband. Women do that everyday there." She spent the rest of the night telling Regina all the differences, both good and bad between the two worlds in which she lived. And when sleep finally claimed her, she was curled up in her Queen's arms, and she was content.


	14. Take Me Somewhere We Can Be Alone

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for creative purposes. no profit obtained.

A/N:: another update for you all since the last chapter was so well recieved. the reviews really do feed the muse, and she's one hungry little tool of inspiration. not as much regina/emma interaction in this chapter and for that i'm sorry, but it's important to develop the relationship with august. you'll find out why in the coming chapters. also, from here on out the chapters will feature other peoples thoughts and motivations in both worlds, not just emma's. anyway, enjoy and review.

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**-Chapter 13: Take Me Somewhere We Can Be Alone-**

"You look more tired than usual." Ruby leaned on her elbows on the counter and regarded the blonde who was resting her head on her folded arms on the counter.

"I had a long day yesterday."

"Did you see August last night?"

Emma's head shot up. "What would give you that idea?"

Ruby took a step back at the sudden reaction. She held up her hands in defense. "Hey, chill. I just noticed that you seemed to know him yesterday. I thought maybe you two had gotten together to _discuss_ things." The way she said 'discuss' left little doubt in Emma's mind that discussing involved less talking and more touching.

"No, I'm sure August doesn't even remember me." Emma moved to lay her head back down, effectively dismissing the conversation.

"Am I supposed to?" The man in question slipped onto the stool next to her and raised an eyebrow.

She glanced over at him and sighed. This whole not being able to explain her double life thing really sucked! "We knew each other when we were kids, a very long time ago."

He nodded slowly, his eyes searching hers for several long moments. "Another hot cocoa for my old friend then Ruby."

Ruby nodded and with a wink in both their directions, turned to get the hot cocoa.

"So, when did we meet?" August looked at her.

Emma frowned. "Like I said, it was when we were kids."

"Where did we meet?"

"My house." Emma gave Ruby a nod of thanks as the younger woman set the cup of cocoa in front of her. "Your father brought you over to meet me. He was friends with my parents."

August stared at her, remaining mysteriously silent.

She drank through the cocoa fast and then slid off the stool, tossing some notes on the counter. "Thanks Ruby. I'll see you later."

The waitress gave her a little wave. "Bye Emma."

Emma gave August one final look. "Have a nice day August." She exited Granny's and headed towards the apartment.

"Hey Emma, wait up."

She didn't turn at the sound of his voice. He shouldn't have followed her. He shouldn't ask her the questions she knew were coming. She didn't want to give him answers, but she knew she would. For what he had once been to her… she would give him whatever he asked for. A hand grasping her shoulder forced her to halt. She took a deep breath and finally turned around, coming face to face with the Storybrooke newcomer. "What is it August?"

He gestured towards a motorcycle, parked haphazardly in front of the diner. "Take a ride with me?"

Emma closed her eyes for a brief moment. It would be so easy to turn and walk away, to pretend that she didn't have a history with him. She could go home and enjoy her day off with her mother/roommate. They'd curl up on the small couch with a blanket over their legs and cups of hot cocoa and watch every chick flick the schoolteacher had on DVD, a marathon of Nicholas Sparks that ended with The Notebook and they'd go to bed with tears in their eyes, both wondering if and when that kind of love was ever going to find them. But then she heard the click of approaching heels, the telltale shiver that ran up her spine and the anticipation that snaked through her veins, replacing her blood with lighter fluid that could be sparked by just one word from the brunette. And she knew that she would not be relaxing at the apartment today.

"Who's your friend Miss Swan?"

Emma took another deep breath, refusing to turn around. She could hear the displeasure in the mayor's tone and she didn't want to have to look into her eyes. She didn't want to have to feel the hatred that rolled off her in waves today. She didn't want to spend the day looking at her, but thinking about her other half.

"August, Mayor Regina Mills. Madam Mayor, August."

"Booth." He extended a hand to her side, offering it to the brunette who had obviously stopped somewhere just behind her shoulder. "August Booth."

"What brings you to Storybrooke Mr. Booth?" Regina shook the man's hand briefly, pulling back only a second after she'd made contact.

He shrugged. "I'm just passing through, thought I'd stay for a little while."

"Taking a page out of our deputy's book I see."

He chuckled. "Well you're not likely to see me strapping a badge to my hip anytime soon."

"You're awfully quiet today Miss Swan."

Emma took yet another deep breath. "August and I were just leaving when you walked up Madam Mayor. I'm just anxious to be off."

August looked surprised but pleased. "You're coming then?"

She nodded. "As long as we go now." She finally steeled herself and glanced over her shoulder, amazed at how close the brunette was to her. Their faces were less than a foot apart. "Good day Madam Mayor."

"I'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning at the meeting, right deputy?"

Emma sighed and nodded. "I'll be there."

"Wonderful. Do enjoy your Sunday."

Emma didn't relax until the woman disappeared into Granny's. Only when the door closed did she finally unclench her muscles and allow herself to breathe normally. She looked over to see August staring at her. She frowned at him. "Are we doing this or what?" She held out a hand for the spare helmet, pulling it on when he handed it over. She slid onto the seat behind him as he called the engine to life. She slipped her arms around his waist and allowed herself the luxury of resting against his strong back. She knew he wouldn't question the action considering the circumstances.

As they pulled away from the curb, neither noticed the mayor staring angrily at the rugged stranger or, as her eyes shifted to the blonde resting closer than was appropriate to the man, the look of longing that flashed briefly across her face before she hid it away behind her mask.

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"Are you going to tell me where we're going?" Emma had to yell to be heard above the wind rushing past them. She had to admit that this felt good, familiar. Running, uncertain of a destination, just going for the sake of going. In this world, she'd shunned duty, just as she had embraced it in the other. Here, she had a free soul. She'd always been someone who went where the wind blew her. Until Henry had come for her in Boston, she hadn't had anything to hold her down. Being out here, on the road, surrounded by nothing but trees, she felt that old security, remembered what it felt like to have no roots. It felt… tempting.

"It's a surprise." He glanced over his shoulder and she could see the huge grin on his face. He was enjoying this just as much as she was.

Finally, they pulled off the main road and onto a small dirt access road. She wouldn't have even noticed it had they not taken it and she wondered how August, who claimed to not be from around here, had known where it was. They rode for a few more minutes before he slowed and then stopped.

Emma glanced around as she took off her helmet. They had stopped just to the side of the dirt road, on its shoulder, but she could see nothing but trees all around, nothing special about this particular location. "If you brought me out here to murder me and hide the body, I gotta say, you kinda suck as a killer. I mean, I left with you in view of the mayor and the chunk of Storybrooke citizens that were having breakfast in Granny's. I think you'll easily be suspect number one if I just mysteriously disappear." She thought about it a moment before her mouth fell into a hard line. "Actually Regina would probably name you a hero, give you a medal and name a day after you. And then she'd probably throw a parade on that day every year. All Hail August Day!"

"So she's not your biggest fan I take it?" August set his helmet on the bike seat.

Emma rolled her eyes as she did the same. "Understatement of the year."

"Should I even ask?" He motioned for her to walk with him.

She fell into step beside him. "We have a complicated relationship. The baby I gave up ten years ago was adopted by her."

He nodded slowly. "Not exactly the ideal environment for a cordial relationship to blossom."

Emma guffawed. "Tell me about it."

He led her to a trail head off to the right and they moved onto a small trail, slightly obscured by overgrowth. It hadn't seen much traffic, that much was evident by the encroaching vegetation, but it didn't look dangerous, so she let herself relax and just follow the leader. A few minutes more and they emerged from the tree line, a beautiful and serene lake stretching out before them.

She gasped and pushed past him and ran down to the edge of the water, feeling a giddy sense of nostalgia.

"Does this place remind you of anywhere?"

She didn't turn from the view, too engrossed in a sight she had indulged in several times in her youth. "Lake Berryetta. We used to come here all the time."

"You're **her**, aren't you? You're the saviour, the child of Snow White."

Emma sighed. "I am. And you're Pinocchio."

August stepped up beside her. "How could you possibly remember anything about that world? You were only in it for fifteen minutes. You shouldn't remember this place."

"I remember a lot more than you could possibly imagine."

August frowned. "How?"

Emma didn't answer. She picked up a flat rock and sent it skipping across the surface of the water. "How is it you remember who you were before all this? Before the curse?"

August sighed. He jumped into a tale about the magic tree that had delivered her safely unto this world. She had read about that all in Henry's book, but she hadn't read the part about where Pinocchio was sent through to. She listened carefully, sitting there beside him on the shore of the lake, as he told her of his life here, as he'd lived it. It wasn't a bad life, she had to admit, though it vaguely resembled hers. He'd seen much of the world in the past twenty eight years. She found it odd that wanderlust had been a common quality between them here. It must be the part of themselves that was constantly searching for something they were unlikely to ever find.

"Your turn."

She hadn't even realized he had finished speaking and was staring at her expectantly. She sighed. "My story is going to sound a lot crazier than yours."

"I just told you that we're all from a fairytale kingdom and we've been trapped here by a curse cast by an evil sorceress. What could you possibly say that's crazier than that?"

"That the fairytale kingdom still exists."

August's eyes shot to her in surprise and confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Emma sighed. August wasn't a citizen of Storybrooke; he may not even stick around. If she was going to tell anyone in this world it could only be him. "The Evil Queen didn't curse you all here; I did."

August laughed, shaking his head and staring out at the water. "And here I thought you would take all this seriously."

"I **am** taking it seriously. You may not remember, but in the time after the Evil Queen's threat at my parent's wedding, to when I was born, there was a prophecy made."

August shrugged. "I remember. I was about some baby that would divide good and evil."

Emma nodded. "That was me. I'm that child."

August raised an eyebrow. "Doesn't the dark curse make that prophecy rather pointless? There's only vague traces of magic in this world. You have to know where to look for it or tapping in is almost impossible. There's no way the prophecy can reach us here."

Emma ran a hand over her face. She should have known he'd be resistant to it. "The prophecy brought us here! That's what I'm trying to tell you Noc! There was no dark curse. It's a lie implanted in your head to justify why you're here. To justify why no one has tried to go back."

"But the Evil Queen…"

"Is a victim of the prophecy just as much as the rest of the town."

August guffawed. "The Evil Queen a victim? That's funny."

Emma took a deep breath in through her nose to calm the anger that threatened to overtake her. How was Regina ever supposed to even attempt to make up for the things she'd done if this was everyone's reaction? "You don't know her! She's been through more than you or I could ever imagine, and all of it with stubborn asses like you telling her she's not worthy of redemption."

August's eyes went wide as he stared at her. "Why would you defend her Emma?"

Emma stood, turning her back on the welcoming familiarity of the lake. "Maybe because no one else will!" She sighed. "Everyone deserves someone on their side, even her. And even if it's just her and me standing there, at least she'll know, in the end, she wasn't alone." She glanced over at him. "Take me home August."

"You have to break the curse Emma, whether it's the prophecy or the dark curse, something is trapping us here and you need to break it." He stood and dusted his jeans off.

Emma nodded. "I know, and I will. But that doesn't change where I stand. I _won't_ hurt her. And if it comes down to this 'final battle' from my kid's book… just know that I side with **her**. I will protect her, with my life if need be."

"You'll die? For the Evil Queen?"

Emma nodded. "If that's what it takes."

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Regina paced back and forth across the foyer, her phone tapping out a staccato rhythm on her thigh as she waited for the call. It had been several hours since they'd left town. Was she even coming back at all? The man, August, she could care less about. He was a passerby, a glitch on the time line of her life, but Miss Swan... She couldn't let the woman leave until she knew her secrets.

She told herself it had nothing to do with the woman's words, with the lingering kindness in her eyes, with the way she made Regina feel truly alive for the first time in twenty eight years. It had nothing to do with the things said, but rather the things unsaid. Who was this woman? What was her end goal? She had originally assumed it was to take custody of Henry, but so far Emma had done little in the way of trying to take the boy from her. She hadn't even asked to see him more often. She called occasionally to speak to him on the phone and they ran into each other in town, but all the desperation to see each other more had come from Henry, not his birth mother. No, that wasn't it. There had to be more. Regina refused to believe this woman was here because she truly cared about her. No one cared about her. She'd done too much, taken too much, for anyone to ever be on her side.

The ring pierced the silence, sounding much louder than it was as it broke through her thoughts. She pressed talk and brought it to her ear. "Yes?"

Graham's voice came through, sounding bored. "He finally dropped her off. She seemed upset with him. Maybe the date didn't go according to plan?"

Regina didn't comment; she was too busy trying to convince herself that the feeling in her chest wasn't relief. "Thank you Sheriff, that will be all." She terminated the call and turned to go get ready for bed.


	15. There Are Precious Few At Ease

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: this chapter starts flashbacks. they will be a common occurance in the fairytale land chapters, since there's so much life that we missed. thank you for the continued support and i hope this story continues to deliver. next update will be posted sometime tomorrow. until then, enjoy.

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**-Chapter 14: There Are Precious Few At Ease With Moral Ambiguities-**

When Emma opened her eyes the first thing she saw was the woman curled up on the sleeping roll next to her, her head resting on Emma's chest. Emma smiled to herself. It wasn't the first time she had woken up next to the brunette, but it felt different today. They were free.

It was just after sunrise; she could tell by the position of the sun. They would need to leave soon if they were to have any hope of maintaining their lead. The guards would be setting out from wherever they had made camp soon, if they hadn't already.

"We can let her sleep a few more minutes. We'll be fine."

She glanced over to where her father was resting, his back against a tree and his sword across his lap. She looked back to the woman sleeping beside her, her hand coming up to run her fingers through the long dark locks.

"She was up over half the night, afraid to go to sleep when there's people out there hunting you."

Emma smiled. "I'd feel the same way if it were her they were after." She bit her lip. "I would have stayed up… if I could have." She shook her head sadly. "Is it futile to run? What if we get into a situation where we need to continue riding through the night?"

"Then we'll put you on the horse in front of Regina." He looked at her intensely. "We'll make this work. I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure you get your happy ending Emma. I wasn't there to stop you marrying that despicable man, but I'm here for you now."

The brunette stirred against her and Emma's fingers stroking through her hair halted their movements. Regina lifted her head and gave Emma a lazy smile. "Morning."

Emma placed a kiss on her forehead. "Morning."

Regina hummed in contentment at the kiss, before slowly turning to regard James. "Charming." She sat up and stretched, giving a small yawn. She hadn't got more than a couple hours rest at most and she knew James wasn't likely to have slept any. They'd have to break themselves of the habit and establish a watch schedule for nights that they spent outside. They couldn't continually function on these long days when they weren't getting adequate rest. They needed to be at full strength to protect Emma.

Emma sat up too, her hand seeking out the brunette's instinctually. She was amazed at how she didn't even have to think about the contact here, it was merely second nature.

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They had avoided the central road out of sheer necessity for the better half of the morning, choosing instead to run parallel to it about a league into the trees. It made the journey slower and more cumbersome but it kept them away from the prying eyes of travelers and the pursuit of the guards.

"Are you feeling alright?"

Emma snapped out of her own private musings and glanced over at the brunette riding beside her. James had rode ahead to scout. She offered up a small smile. "I am fine. I was merely thinking of an old friend of mine."

"What friend might that be?"

Emma smiled fondly to herself. "Pinocchio."

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_Lake Berryetta spread out before them, a rolling expanse of crystalline water. The other shore was so distant they could make out nothing but the largest trees that dotted the shoreline._

_Emma dismounted from her horse and gaped at the sight of it. "How'd you find it?" She glanced over her shoulder at Pinocchio._

_"It was shown to me by the Blue Fairy. You know she's a friend of my father's."_

_"Oh **her**." Emma all of a sudden looked rather reluctant to be here. It was no secret that she wasn't the biggest fan of the fairies. They were pompous and prissy, with a superiority complex and a bad sense of style._

_"She's really nice if you'd just give her a chance." Pinocchio slid off his mount and looped the reins around a low hanging branch. "They are sources of good magic you know."_

_Emma shrugged. "They also have annoyingly high voices and they get glitter everywhere."_

_"Are you ever going to tell me why you despise them so much?" He raised an eyebrow as he came to stand beside her._

_Emma closed her eyes and shook her head. "They broke a promise to me once."_

_They were quiet for several long minutes. He didn't push; he never did. Maybe that was why the Princess liked spending so much time with him. There were others closer to her age, sure. Alexandra was less than a year older for one, and the children of the other royals were only a couple years difference give or take. No one quite understood why she was content to hang out with a peasant boy nearly seven years her senior. But they gave her quaint smiles and polite nods even when she was brash and impolite herself. They were fake and they put up a mask every time they were in the company of others. Pinocchio told it to her straight and he deserved respect for that. But he also knew the loss of her mother was a sensitive subject. He knew when to be quiet and not ask intrusive questions. He was blunt but he often exercised discretion. She'd take that over the fake smiles and nauseating protocol any day._

_Pinocchio reached out and smoothed a hand down her hair. She shivered easily at the contact. His hand lingered for a moment longer than was proper, crossing the line from friendship into the unknown as easily as if it had never been there._

_She glance over at him, her face vulnerable and open. There was no denying he was a good looking man. Twenty one and quite strapping for someone in the beginning years of young adulthood. She could easily see why not only the servant girls, but also her Ladies, swooned over him so._

_The silence stretched between them, both waiting for the other to say something, to make a move. His hand was still tangled in her hair and she didn't object when he tightened it and drew their faces together. Their lips met._

_There were no fireworks, for which the Princess was slightly disappointed. But she had never expected any so her disappointment was not great. She wanted to be in love with Pinocchio. She wanted her promised fairytale romance. She was the golden child, the chosen saviour, the pure product of true love, untainted in the innocence of her heart. She deserved a happy ending. But she wasn't in love with Pinocchio. She did love him, and if he were royalty, that would be enough for her to take him as her husband. He'd rule the kingdom fairly by her side. She knew he longed for just that. She saw it in his eyes every time he looked at her, his lust for her beauty and his desire for her spirit, but the lines between peasant and royal were so bold and imposing. Her kingdom was already weak; she couldn't risk it. And it was that knowledge that made her pull from the embrace. She bit her bottom lip and tilted her head to the side. "You know this can never go beyond this day." She glanced out at the beautiful lake. "It can never go beyond this place."_

_He nodded sadly._

_She met his sad eyed gaze and began to undo the laces of her dress._

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Emma let the memory recede back into her consciousness. She didn't want to think about her first time, did not want to remember Pinocchio inside her. She didn't want to remember the moment when she'd thought, for the briefest of seconds, that if she just tried a little harder, maybe she could fall in love with him.

"You look sad."

Emma's eyes slid to the brunette beside her. "Just wishing I had met you sooner, before I got married."

Regina nodded. "Would it really have made much difference? My deeds would have been fresher still. No one would have agreed to bless our union. I would have been killed, you would have been purified and still made to find a husband."

Emma sighed. It was a hard truth to face, but it was the truth nonetheless. If they found her to have been bedded by the Evil Queen of old, they would publicly execute Regina for the treasonous deeds of her past as well as for violating the Queen. And Emma would be subjected to the purification ritual, to cleanse her of the hold Regina had on her mind and her body. It was a painful process, one she'd been through once before and never wanted to ever repeat. "It shouldn't be this hard."

Regina smirked. "Such is the way of this world. There is good, and there is evil. We fall on different sides of what has always been a blurry line. But the good side will continue to insist the line's there until they draw their dying breath."

"Because to admit that it's not there, is to admit that everyone is capable of both, given the right circumstances."

Regina nodded. "You see much more of the world than your people give you credit for."

"I have seen much of evil, in this world, and in the next, and it's face is ever changing. Evil lies dormant in all of us, waiting to be triggered. My people would see you killed, and they would name it justice. But for you to see anyone of them killed, they'd name it revenge and condemn you further for it. Who makes up the definitions of one and the other? Who decides?" Her face scrunched in anger. "I'd like to meet this individual who decides that which is moral and that which is not. Because I just don't see the difference so clearly."

"This world could do with a few more who have eyes such as yours my Queen."

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James came through the trees just ahead of them. "It's there, just as you said Regina."

Regina smirked. "Excellent. We shall wrap around through the forest and approach from the west, the better to evade our captors and so as not to startle our unsuspecting host."

They spent the next hour angling west and then turning back east once they had put enough distance between them and the trail they'd been following for the better part of the day.

As they neared the cabin, Regina glanced over at Emma. "This may require… a _different_ side of me to come out, a side you have not seen before. I do not wish to alarm you, but certain pretenses must be followed if we are to gain the aid of my old subjects. You do understand?"

Emma nodded slowly. She had a feeling she was about to see flashes of the Evil Queen, of the part of Regina that existed in Storybrooke. It wasn't a part of her that she particularly favoured, but she loved all of Regina, not just the innocent part.

They were met by a woman and man who looked to be about ten years older than Emma when they finally broke through the tree line. The man was tall with shaggy brown hair and light hazel eyes. His wife, for that's what Emma assumed she was, had platinum blonde hair and light blue eyes.

"What business brings you to our home travelers?" It was the man who spoke.

Regina held a hand up to halt James and Emma's progress and rode forward. She dismounted. Her posture had straightened to almost a board-like rigidity and there was a commanding air about her. It left little doubt in Emma's mind that she was once again in the presence of the Evil Queen. "We arrive at the front of the Royal Army. We will have shelter here."

The man shook his head. "My wife and I want no business with fugitives. Please, ride on."

As if yanked by an invisible force, he flew sideways, landing ungracefully but also unharmed in a bush. That same thread of invisible magic dragged his wife forward, her reluctance to move evident from her feet dragging across the ground. She looked frightened, but in an intrigued way. The expression baffled Emma.

"You _remember_ me, don't you?" The Evil Queen caressed the woman's cheek, almost as one would a child or a pet, though the woman she was holding was now older than her. "Your mother used to push you into the cupboard to keep you hidden when I'd come calling, always wanting to keep you to herself, but you'd sneak out to see me, wouldn't you?"

The woman, still held in place by the magic, could only nod.

"That was foolish of you, foolish, but also brave. To defy direct orders from your mother. Such a pretty young thing you were."

"Let go of her!" The husband had regained his feet and was storming across the yard, but the Evil Queen sent him flying once more with an absentminded flick of her wrist, her eyes never leaving the woman.

"Tell me dear… what did your mother do when she found out you'd snuck out to see me?"

"She punished me."

"So I punished her. Isn't that right?" The Evil Queen was practically cooing at the woman now, as if she were still that young child, sneaking out of her cupboard hiding place to see the magic sorceress.

The woman nodded again.

"Do you remember the spell I put on her?"

The woman had stopped trying to fight the magic and seemed to relax in its hold. "For every lash she gave me, she'd get three the same."

The Evil Queen smiled victoriously and nodded, obviously pleased with the woman's memory. "And I'll bet she stopped hurting you."

The woman shook her head, but there was a smirk on her face. "She tried to drown me in the wash basin, hoping to end the spell, but she drowned before I'd been under long."

The Evil Queen smiled predatorily. She released the hold of the magic. "Serves her right. How dare she touch something so precious?"

The woman stared at the brunette for a long moment and then put two fingers over her lips and then pressed them to her heart. "My Queen. You have returned."

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Emma sat in the dimness of the room. She would have to retire soon. The other life would be calling for her. They'd dined in the company of the woman, Rhea, and her reluctant husband Phinn. It had been awkward, with Phinn's dirty looks that Regina just ignored and Emma's permanent scowl as Regina had been fawned over by Rhea. It was a toss up between the two who was more enraged by the woman's affection for the Evil Queen. Emma had broken first, excusing herself and storming from the room. She just hadn't been able to stomach it any further.

She had bathed as best she could with the assistance of the wash basin, disgusted the whole time by the thought that Rhea's mother might have once tried to drown her in the very same basin. As soon as she was adequately clean, she retired to the room that had been lent to her and Regina for the night.

The sun had sunken well beneath the horizon by the time Regina came into the room. She silently closed the door behind her.

Emma couldn't look at her. Not because she'd done anything wrong. For all Rhea's affections, she'd rebuffed any and all of them. But she didn't want the brunette to see the jealousy that was written plainly across her face.

"You're cross with me."

Emma shook her head. "No."

"Yet you can't bring yourself to look at me." She heard Regina sit down on the bed. "Are you seeing what they do now? Are you starting to see with **their** eyes?" There was a melancholy resignation in the brunette's tone that broke Emma's jealousy instantly.

She got up from her perch by the window and went to the brunette, crouching before her so she could meet her eyes. "Never." Her face coloured briefly with shame. "She was looking at you as if having you would give her power."

Regina bit her lip. "That is what she believes."

Emma nodded. "I know." Her hand slid up Regina's arm, across her collarbone, down between her breasts and across her abdomen, veering off down her thigh. "I don't like her eyeing what I consider…" Emma trailed off, a blush colouring her cheeks once more.

"Yours?"

Emma nodded.

Regina put a finger under the blonde's chin and lifted her gaze. "You needn't worry. I am you know, yours." She leaned down and captured the younger woman's lips, grabbing her shoulder and pulling her up into her lap.

They spent the next hour letting claims be made on both sides, declarations of possession signed by the burning heat of mouths on flesh, neither one stopping until the other world called Emma back.


	16. Her Eyes Were Red With Anger

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: just as promised, here is the next update. i will post the next one as soon as i finish it but fairytale land chapters are always harder to write than the storybrooke ones. more swanqueen interaction in this chapter as well as the appearance of mr. gold for the first time. he'll come more into play as the story progresses. thanks to all for reading, and i hope you continue to do so. enjoy and review.

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**-Chapter 15: Her Eyes Were Red With Anger-**

"So how was your first town council meeting? Fun, aren't they?" Graham gave her a smug smile as she slinked into the station, coffees in hand. She came into his office and set one down next to him.

"I hope you know that you did nothing to earn that." She gestured to the coffee. "And after the morning I had, your sarcasm is not appreciated." She turned to leave.

"So what'd she do this time?"

Emma's back tensed. She looked over her shoulder. "She didn't do anything except be her usual self."

"And yet you seem surprised."

Emma shrugged. "Pardon me for expecting civility from people."

"Regina's not people. Regina is… well, _Regina_."

Emma sighed and continued her trek to her desk. "Yea, I'm beginning to see that." She sat down at her desk and reached for the report resting on its corner, a drunk and disorderly from the previous night. The phone rang and she heard Graham pick up the line.

"Sheriff's office." Graham listened for a moment and then sat a little straighter in his chair. "Oh hello Madam Mayor. Yes, Deputy Swan was just briefing me on this morning's town council meeting. Right, well, let me get her for you." He looked up and waggled the phone in her direction. He covered the mouthpiece. "It's for you."

Emma frowned. She shook her head and made every non-verbal kill sign she could. The horizontal hand slide across the neck, the crossing and uncrossing wave of her arms, all the while mouthing 'no'.

But Graham's grin only grew. He was enjoying this. He waggled the phone in her direction again, this time waggling his eyebrows right along with it.

Finally, knowing it was futile to resist, she glared at him and picked up the line on her desk. "Madam Mayor, how can I help you?"

"I'd like to see you in my office deputy… at your earliest convenience of course."

Emma had very little doubt that the mayor's tone implied earliest convenience meant right now. "I'll be right over."

She could practically hear the brunette's smirk through the phone. "Wonderful deputy. I'll see you soon."

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Regina watched the atrocity that the new deputy considered a car pull to a halt on the curb in front of City Hall. It was infuriating really. Not just this woman's presence in her town but also how easily she seemed to fit in here. There had been no adjusting period where the townspeople had been wary of this blonde newcomer and then slowly, she had worked her way into their hearts. No, she'd just rolled in one day, and everybody had fallen at her feet like she was some goddamned hero come to save them. It was pitiful.

And then she stepped out and Regina's breath faltered for the briefest second. She really was quite beautiful when she wasn't opening her insolent little mouth, wasn't she? She took a deep breath. Under no circumstances could she give in to her desires. The heat between her legs was a traitor to her perfectly constructed life and she wouldn't give into it. She couldn't give into it. And yet, she had called the deputy here.

A prickling of her senses snapped her out of her thoughts and she looked down to see green eyes lock with her own. The deputy raised a hand in greeting, giving her an unsure smile, to which she responded with a scowl and moved away from the windows.

It took the deputy precisely three minutes and twelve seconds to get up to her office. She had already told her secretary to just wave the blonde in once she'd arrived. She opened the door a second after the knock. "Miss Swan, please, come in."

Emma eyed her suspiciously but came in, keeping her eyes on Regina the whole time as if the brunette would attack her the second she turned her back on her. _Clever girl_. Regina closed the door to the office. "Won't you have a seat?"

Emma kept her eyes on Regina as she crossed to one of the couches and sat down. Regina took the chair opposite her and crossed her legs, leveling Emma with a glare.

It took almost three minutes of staring each other down before Emma relented with a sigh. "Madam Mayor… I'm on the clock."

"I'm well aware of that deputy."

When Regina didn't continue, Emma sighed again. She stood. "I really don't have time for this."

"Sit down deputy."

Emma narrowed her eyes at the brunette but complied, sitting back down.

"You continue to baffle me deputy. You claim to care about me, that you're here _for me_. And yet you refuse to do as I wish."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "And what is it that you wish?"

Regina studied her for a moment. "I wish to know who you are and how it is you know me. I wish to know why you seem content in a place where you're obviously not welcome."

"I feel quite welcome here actually." Emma frowned. "The only person who seems to have any trouble with my being here is _you_."

Regina relented with an incline of her head. "It is no secret I don't want you here Miss Swan. You are insinuating yourself into my town and my life. I preferred them as they were."

Emma shook her head, closing her eyes. "Yea, keep telling yourself that. We both know how alone you feel. Besides, it's not like I have a choice."

"Explain yourself Miss Swan." Regina had uncrossed her legs and was leaning closer, listening intently.

"I am not of this world. None of us are, except Henry. This is my place. Henry is, in part, my son, whether you choose to acknowledge that or not Regina. I come from the same world as you and everyone else. These are **my** people."

Regina gripped the arms of her chair, her knuckles going white from the pressure. "I do not remember you!"

Emma rolled her eyes and stood. "I already told you that you wouldn't. We've never really traveled in the same circles."

"And yet you claimed to have intimate knowledge of me." Regina shot out of her chair.

"I can't explain how it is I know these things Regina! Don't you get that? My life is a lot more complicated than you may think." Emma ran a hand through her hair.

"Who is supplying you with information on me? Is it Gold?" Regina looked incensed. "Is he just using you to mess with me?"

"Gold?" Emma scrolled through Storybrooke's citizens in her mind. She couldn't recall having met anyone named Gold, but her mind flashed briefly to a shop on the corner of Main and Bleaker. "The pawnshop owner?"

"What deal did you make with him?" Regina's gaze narrowed.

Emma shook her head. "I've never even met him."

"Then how do you know what you know?" Regina came around the coffee table that separated them and slid into Emma's personal space. "Tell me Miss Swan."

"I…" Emma closed her eyes. "What she did to you was wrong. I don't claim to know or even understand everything that happened between you two, but I don't condone what she did."

Regina tensed. "What are you talking about?"

"Snow White… secrets are secrets for a reason. She shouldn't have told."

Regina took a step back, her eyes wide and her legs shaking unsteadily. Slowly, she raised her hand and pointed towards the door. "Get out of my office."

Emma closed her eyes and nodded. She knew she was going to have to get used to being dismissed by this woman. She couldn't push her, not when she had no clue how much magic she had access to in this world. "Good day Madam Mayor." With one last long glance at the mayor, she departed.

Regina tried to regain her composure the moment the door closed behind the blonde. How could she know? How was any of this possible? The curse was explicit. It would bring everyone here with no memory of their past life. It was obvious Emma hadn't come here with the curse. The blonde wasn't exactly low-key and Regina definitely would have noticed her had she been in Storybrooke all this time. And she had no memories whatsoever of her possible fairytale counterpart. Everyone she'd cursed had been present and accounted for in this town. So who was she? And what could she possibly want? She felt like screaming in frustration but the last thing she needed right now was to lose her composure here. She had to think rationally. She had to find a way to make the blonde more compliant to her demands. And then very slowly, an idea appeared in her head. Yes, that might just do the trick.

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She stared up at shop. Mr. Gold's Pawnshop. She'd passed by it several times, either strolling through town or on patrol, but she'd never thought anything of it until the mayor's accusation. She hadn't seemed particularly frightened of the man who owned the shop, more irritated, but whoever this man was, he had sparked some sort of reaction in the normally cool, calm, and collected mayor of Storybrooke. And that was someone worth introducing herself to.

She pushed through the door, a cheerful bell over it announcing her arrival to the crowded interior of the shop. She'd been in a lot of pawnshops in her day, but never one so crowded. There were glass counters on the east, west, and north walls, packed to the brim with items. The shelves against the walls behind the counters were also packed. There were items hanging from the ceiling or displayed on the main floor. In the back left hand corner of the room was a door leading off into what she assumed were the back offices.

She ran her hand along the glass edge of the counter. There were all sorts of trinkets. She stared down at a polished fork, a shell, several old tomes, a candlestick. It was the oddest assortment of items she'd ever seen in a pawnshop. These weren't things people would normally be looking to purchase. Who ever really goes into a pawnshop and says "how much for the shell", especially when the beach is less than a mile away? It didn't really make much sense, but then again, neither did her entire life. She was a fairytale princess after all. And in this world, Disney had wildly inaccurate pictures of her mom on everything from beach balls to lunchboxes.

A man appeared in the back door as she was examining a interesting lighter in one of the glass cases. "Can I help you?"

She jumped back a little in surprise, her hand going to her heart and a small chuckle escaping her lips. "Are you Mr. Gold?"

The man nodded. "I am. And just who might you be?"

She nodded towards the badge on her hip. "I'm Emma Swan, the new deputy."

The man nodded slowly, studying her. "What can I do for you deputy?"

She studied him. He didn't seem very imposing. He was neither incredibly short nor incredibly tall. He had shoulder length brown hair and wore a tailored suit, not the general attire of the owners of pawnshops, at least not the ones she'd been in. He walked with a slight limp and she could see an ornate and expensive looking cane that he used for support. The only thing that bothered her about him at all was that she couldn't seem to place him. By requirements of her title she knew almost everyone in the Enchanted Forest, but she couldn't claim to have seen this man ever before today. Not that she could recall at least. "I just thought I'd come by and introduce myself. I've been here over a week now and we haven't met."

Mr. Gold nodded, still studying her just as much as she was studying him. "Indeed we haven't. I'm sorry, my business doesn't really require me to be very social and I don't often take it upon myself to seek social situations out, unless there is a need of course."

Emma nodded and smiled. "Sounds a lot like myself, well, before I came here." She looked around the shop once more. "You certainly have a lot of stuff."

"I consider myself a collector of sorts." He glanced around fondly. "Every item that people own contains a story, some piece of their history and memories. But history can be a brutal reminder and memories fade. I collect the pieces they no longer want."

Something about his words was hauntingly familiar, as if they should remind her of something, but she couldn't recall what. "Well, I'll let you get back to business. Have a good day Mr. Gold." She turned for the door.

"You as well _Emma_."

The way he said her name sent a shiver up her spine and she paused for the briefest of moments. Had she heard that somewhere before? A memory tugged annoyingly at the edge of her consciousness, but she couldn't bring it forth to the front of her mind. She continued out the door and returned to her car.

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"Madam Mayor." Mr. Gold looked up as the bell over his door jingled for the second time that afternoon. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"What's your endgame Gold?" She turned his sign from open to closed, as she almost always did when they had their little unplanned meetings like this.

He frowned. "I'm sorry but I'm not sure what you mean."

"Don't give me that bullshit." She glared at him. "I know you're the one supplying Miss Swan with information about me."

"The new deputy was just here earlier, wanted to introduce herself. Now I know why."

"She knows stuff about me Gold, things she couldn't possibly know. What deal did you make with her?"

Gold sighed. "I'm afraid I'm blameless when it comes to Emma Swan. As I just told you, we only met this afternoon."

Regina narrowed her eyes. He could be lying to her easily enough, but it would be unlike him. He was evasive readily enough, but he didn't lie often. His world was one of half-truths, not full blown falsehoods. "Do you remember who she is? Do you _recognize_ her?"

"I can't claim to have met her there either. She looks familiar, and yet strange at the same time."

Regina nodded, crossing her arms across her chest. "Yes, I've come to the same conclusion. Maybe, like you, her appearance was altered slightly when the curse was enacted." She frowned. There were hundreds of thousands of residents in the realms of Fairytale Land. It would be nigh impossible to just guess who this Emma Swan had been. She said her name had been Emma there too, but could Regina trust that?

"Whoever she is, she's caused quite the ripple through town. Did you see the clock in the town square is working once more?"

Regina came out of her thoughts with a scowl at his words. "Yes. It would seem even time is trying to break free of its confines at her very presence here."

Mr. Gold tilted his head thoughtfully to the side. "I may not know who she is Madam Mayor, but I can tell you someone who does."


	17. I Wasn't Jealous Before We Met

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: finally an update. sorry it took a week, but life got hectic as it often does. the next update is already ready and will be posted tomorrow. enjoy and review.

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**-Chapter 16: I Wasn't Jealous Before We Met-**

Regina woke with the dawn. The Queen was sleeping beside her, their naked bodies entwined under the sheets. She stroked the tender flesh of the younger woman's thigh, wishing more than anything else at this moment that she could wake her up, that their mouths could come together with the same hunger they'd felt the night before. She had no doubt that Emma would be agreeable to the situation, but she had already learned that it was futile to attempt to wake her. She leaned forward and kissed unresponsive lips softly, then peppered kisses up her jaw and down her neck. "I love you so much."

She untangled herself from the younger woman rather reluctantly and sat up. With a snap of her fingers and a little magical assistance, she was dressed once again. She glanced over her shoulder at the slumbering blonde. They could maybe afford one more day here, let the army move past their location and sneak around behind them. They wouldn't expect fugitives to be following them. It was a risky one, but unfortunately, it was also their safest option.

She got up and left the room, shutting the door quietly behind her. She crept down to the first floor of the cabin and back to the kitchen. It didn't surprise her that Rhea was up; the girl had always been an early riser when she was young, why should she be any different now?

Rhea immediately began making her a cup of tea when she saw her enter. "Did you sleep well my Queen?"

"The room was adequate, thank you."

"I trust it was to her liking as well?" Rhea hung the kettle over the fire to heat the water.

Regina could hear the dismay in her voice. Had this been thirty years ago, the woman's infatuation might have flattered her. She wasn't a bad looking woman by any means and Regina would have relished seizing her, bedding her made all the more satisfying by the fact that she already had a husband and was therefore spoken for. But now it just annoyed her. **She** was spoken for herself, and the woman was pushing the limits of her patience, especially since it was distressing Emma in a time where she needed to be as unstressed as possible. "She was a little…_distracted_, but I'm sure it met her standards."

The kettle began to whistle and Rhea pulled in forcibly off the heat. Regina could tell the woman was upset with the implication of her words, but she cared little. She needed to hear the truth and get over her little crush.

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The woman in the white cloak watched the cabin from a distance. It had wards preventing her from getting too close, but she could see everything she needed to from the distance well enough. The former King and the reigning Queen were faring quite well considering the enraged man leading the cavalry against them. Hadrian had been angrier than she'd assumed. He'd even forgotten about the servant girl, Daniela, who he'd locked in the dungeons upon her return from the dwarves without his wife in custody. He'd been furious with her, refusing to listen to reason. It was no matter, she'd escaped with her life and he was none the wiser.

She felt the sun warm her back as it rose above the horizon, peeking through the thick canopy of trees. It wouldn't be long before the Queen of the Enchanted Forest awoke. She hardly ever slept too long after dawn, and especially in these times, she would make every effort in the other world to get quickly back to this one.

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Emma awoke to the feeling of eyes on her. She opened her eyes and sat up, looking around, aware of the potential danger. Had Hadrian found them? Where was Regina? Was she hurt? But after a moment of worry, she took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down. If Hadrian were here, Regina would be here protecting her. She got up from the bed, not caring about her distinct lack of clothing and went to the window. Something moved, far off, the briefest flash of white across her peripheral vision, but when she looked to where the flash had been, nothing was there. She narrowed her eyes at the spot, looking for something she might be missing, but there was nothing.

She rolled her eyes. She was being so paranoid. It was probably nothing more than a bird. She ran a hand through her long blonde hair and grabbed for her discarded clothes, slipping them back on. She exited the room and made her way downstairs.

There was no one in the common room so she made her way back to the small kitchen. Regina was sitting at the small dining table, Rhea was tending to some vegetables on the cutting board. There was an palpable tension in the air and Emma could easily guess why. She knew it was important for Regina to put an end to Rhea's interests before they got out of hand, but still, the woman was housing them from the men hot on their trail; it wouldn't do to alienate the only ally they had at the moment. She cleared her throat. "Good morning."

Regina looked over with a smile on her face. "Did you rest well?"

Emma nodded. She came over to the table and sat in the chair beside Regina's. She knew the former Evil Queen had a reputation she must present here. So she pretended her affections were all part of a ruse to get what she wanted from the Evil Queen and vice versa. She reached under the cover of the table and grabbed the brunette's hand from her lap. She let her face betray none of what she was feeling in the pit of her stomach as Regina delicately traced the outline of her hand. It had been difficult enough yesterday to explain to Rhea why she was cavorting with her former sworn enemy's husband and daughter. It had been a shaky story at best about how they were just using each other as a means to an end. They both knew it would eventually come out, especially if they wanted to spend the rest of their days together, but right now it was more important to maintain Rhea's loyalties. A chunk of the Royal Army was camped somewhere in these woods and they couldn't risk Rhea sending Phinn out to find them and reveal their location. Speaking of Phinn…

"Where are my father and your husband? I had thought they'd be up by now."

Rhea nodded. "They rose before dawn and went out to scout the troops."

Emma tensed. "They what? They're going to get themselves caught, possibly killed! How could you have let them go?"

Rhea narrowed her eyes at the blonde Queen. "I am not my husband's keeper, nor your father's. They wanted to go and it is not my place to stop them. Fear not Your Highness, Phinn knows these woods better than any man in the entire Enchanted Forest. Should it be necessary, and they are spotted, he will keep your _precious_ father from harm."

With the exception of the mayor of Storybrooke, Emma had never wanted to punch someone so badly. She felt the veins and muscles in her wrists go taught. It was times like these she wished she possessed Regina's skill with magic. And yet, maybe with her obvious tendency towards jealousy, it was better that she didn't know magic. She'd never known herself to be the jealous type, but then again, she never needed someone around this much before.

Rhea turned back to her task, either oblivious to the disfavour leaking from Emma's every pore or choosing to ignore it.

Regina took the break from observation as an opportunity to lean over and place a trail of kisses across Emma's jaw. "Behave my love." Her voice was so soft, barely even registering to Emma despite the fact that Regina was speaking directly into her ear.

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It was after the peak hour before the men returned from their scouting mission. Phinn was in the lead, followed closely by James, both looked rather distressed.

Emma was sitting in the common room waiting for them, turning the fragment of stone, once prized so highly, now nothing more than compacted sediment. Her mother could be alive. She had been so preoccupied in the escape from Port Emerald, the constant running, and, in the case of last night, Regina's body, to even consider what she had learned. Could she really have believed a lie this whole time?

_The knock came at her bed chamber door. She'd been dreading it, counting the seconds, praying she would reach a million and beyond before it came. Daniela opened the door._

_"Princess… I'm afraid the time has come."_

_Emma stared at her hands, wringing them in her lap, trying desperately not to lose her composure. He wouldn't be there to receive her, it would be up to Emma and she couldn't afford to lose it now. "She's arrived then?"_

_Daniela nodded. "They've delivered her to the throne room. They await your orders."_

_Emma took a deep breath and steeled herself against the burgeoning pain in her chest. She stood. "Very well. Let us go see to our guests."_

_The guests were a small contingent of guards, sixteen able bodied men. When she stepped into the room, they straightened, their backs ramrod straight. In their midst, _she_ waited._

_Emma walked around her slowly, inspecting every detail to make sure she hadn't been damaged during travel. It was quite remarkable, how identical this stone version of her was to the real thing._

_"Would you see her positioned somewhere near the throne Your Grace? Or perhaps in the tower room where your father can see her?"_

_Emma looked over her shoulder at Daniela and shook her head sadly. "No. He sees her in his head every time he closes his eyes. It wouldn't do to facilitate the delusion." She turned back to the statue. "No, he'd want her to be where she was happiest. She deserves as much for her sacrifice." She looked to the leader of the escort. "She shall be put in the inner garden."_

_The guard gave a curt nod of understanding. He didn't question her authority, didn't wait to hear the order from King James, he just obeyed. It was the first time in her life Princess Emma had felt like the Queen she'd been bred to be, but it would hardly be the last._

Emma looked up as the men came trudging in. Noting their foul expressions, worry seized her heart. She stood from her chair. "What is it?"

James sighed. "Hadrian leads the troops himself. They've set up camp about ten leagues north of us. The size is… impressive."

Phinn rolled his eyes. "Impressive? Try staggering. I think he's brought the entire army with him, and all for three fugitives…" He shook his head in disbelief and headed off towards the kitchen.

Emma sighed. "Knowing Hadrian, he probably has brought a good chunk of it."

James shrugged, his boyish grin, the one Snow White had first fallen in love with, surfacing. "That only matters if they catch us before we reach the border. Once we enter into the Forbidden Forest the army will hinder him greatly. A man and two women he claims to be his daughters can easily slip through the cracks unnoticed. Hadrian can't quietly bring an entire army into a land he has no jurisdiction over. It will be his downfall, you'll see."

Emma nodded. What he said made sense, perfect sense actually. There was no denying that an army strolling into the Forbidden Forest would cause a stir. The south was known for its lawlessness and when a citizen of the Enchanted Forest wanted to disappear, that was where he went to do so. The residents wouldn't take kindly to Hadrian's military contingent. It would stall him immensely; it would give them time they desperately needed. But still she came back to one question: to what end? Hadrian would break through eventually. What then? Were they supposed to run for the rest of their lives?

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"It should not be this hard to find a girl and her half-wit father!" Hadrian slammed his fist down on the table that had been brought into the main tent. They'd been chasing Emma for two days now and he was tired of it.

"Sire, the Queen is well loved. There could be people aiding her."

Hadrian sighed, looking at the captain of his personal guard as if he were insufferably stupid. "There's no one but forest folk that live in any direction. There's no one to help her! She's out there; I can feel it." He paced the length of the table, back and forth in the small space the tent afforded him. "We must go about this differently." He gestured to the map spread out on the table. "They're heading for the southern border and the Forbidden Forest. She foolishly believes that will keep her safe. To pass through the border safely, she'll either need to go through Saltmire or Peppergrey." He nodded to himself. She could cross anywhere, but it would be foolish to just wander into the Forbidden Forest unattended; it'd be suicide. Even Emma wasn't crazy enough to risk that much of an unknown. She'd be on alert. He'd have to play this carefully if he hoped to catch her. "Darius, I need you and your troops to go to Saltmire. Station the troops all along the perimeter of the city and at every inn. There are men on watch at all times; I will not have her slip through my fingers once again for some man sleeping on the watch. If I hear of anyone being careless, the punishment will be severe. I will take my troops to Peppergrey and do the same."

"But Sire, if she knows we're there ahead of her, she might not proceed through the city."

Hadrian frowned, his jaw setting into a hard line. "Oh, she'll come. And we'll be waiting."

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Regina retired first. James had agreed to stay up and keep watch while the others slept, to be replaced by Phinn at the peak of the night. Rhea and Phinn followed shortly after Regina. Whatever the brunette had said to deter Rhea, it had certainly seemed to work. She'd been making eyes at Phinn all night and Emma had no doubt that though they were retiring for the night, there would be no sleeping going on in their room. They sat alone in the common room for a while, watching the candle burn down, neither quite knowing what to say. Finally, Emma decided to retire. They'd have time to air everything out in the time to come.

Regina attacked her the second she closed the door, kissing her fiercely as nimble fingers worked on the removal of her shirt. "I've been waiting for this all day."

Emma hummed contentedly as full lips migrated south to her neck. "For what?"

Regina nipped at the blonde's pulse point. "For you." The brunette's hand slid down the blonde's abdomen, moving slowly south. "For this."

Emma led Regina over to the bed, pushing her down onto the mattress before straddling her, her mouth seeking the older woman's in a fevered kiss. She pulled back as she felt the tug. _No! Not now!_ She fought against it, but to no avail. She had enough time for an apology and one more kiss before she succumbed.


	18. It'd Be Nice To Start Over Again

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: another update, forgot to post last night as promised, but better late than never. by now i'm sure everyone's heard about the maturity rating controversy on here and how is finally deciding to crack down on all stories with unacceptable content. in other words, some reader or, more likely, reader's parent got their knickers in a twist and complained and now we ALL have to suffer. such is the way of the world. i highly doubt my other stories will be at risk, but this one might considering the sexual content in chapter 6 and a few already written but not yet posted future chapters (especially chapters 23 and 53 because they're pretty detailed for me). i am considering getting a live journal or posting on my tumblr if this should happen and i will keep you updated as to if this becomes necessary. hopefully will stop being such a prude and just put a filter in that keeps young people from reading those stories that contain sexual content. enjoy and review.

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**-Chapter 17: It'd Be Nice To Start Over Again-**

Henry stalked down the stairs, not happy with how the morning, how the entire last week actually, had been going. He had expected Emma Swan to be a little more proactive in breaking the curse. She seemed to take him seriously after all. He could tell she believed what he said about fairytales being real, though truth be told, he had expected slightly more resistance. But she wasn't doing anything about it. The only changes he'd seen were with the clock on the tower finally moving again, time finally moving forward. And then of course the changes he'd seen in his mom. They were subtle, not something the outside observer would notice. But he had to live with her every single day, and the differences did not go unnoticed.

She would get these faraway looks in her eyes now, as if she were thinking about times long passed. She seemed a little more sad and slightly less composed than usual. Nothing broke through his mother's perfect composure, **nothing**. Well nothing except _Emma_, it seemed.

"Henry?"

He froze and slowly turned on the bottom stair and looked back up at the second floor landing where his mother was looking down at him with a smile on her face. "Yea?"

Regina came down the stairs slowly until she was standing next to her son. She crouched down to his level. "How would you like to spend some time with Miss Swan this evening?"

Henry narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously, unable to decide if this was a trick. Knowing who she was, who the book told him she was, it very well could be. "Why?"

Regina frowned slightly. She obviously hadn't been expecting him to question her offer. Finally she shrugged. "I know I haven't let you spend much time with her since she came into town. And since she seems content to make herself comfortable here and is showing no signs of vacating town anytime soon, I feel like it might be nice for us to have dinner together."

Henry raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "Dinner? _Here_? As in her, me, and you?"

Regina nodded, her frown growing more prominent. "Of course here. I can't very well allow you to go over and have dinner at _that_ woman's apartment. Miss Swan is one thing, that teacher of yours is quite another. I already have to tolerate her influencing you in an intellectual capacity; I don't need her having any social influence over you."

"Will you be nice to Emma if she comes over?" He was still wary of the offer. He knew his mom wasn't the biggest fan of Emma being in town. How would she act if she was forced to spend the evening with her?

Regina nodded. "For tonight, I promise to be civil as long as Miss Swan is."

Finally, Henry let himself smile. He threw his arms around the mayor's neck. "Thanks mom."

She smiled genuinely and hugged him back. "I'll call her and invite her as soon as I get to the office. Now, go get in the car. I'll be right there."

He jumped off the last step and ran through the front door.

She stared after him for a moment. _Phase one complete_.

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"You are a saviour." Emma lifted her head from her desk as Graham set the steaming cup of coffee in front of her. Mary Margaret had woken her on accident this morning and the memory of what she'd missed out on was still a fresh wound in her mind.

"I wouldn't say that just yet." He ran a hand through his hair.

Emma narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Why?"

"Because I ran into Mayor Mills at Granny's. She told me that as soon as she got into work, she was going to give you a ring." He went into his office.

Emma got up and followed, cradling the warm coffee cup between her hands. "Do you know what she wants?"

He shrugged. "She didn't say, but she didn't seem in a foul mood."

Emma rolled her eyes. "She's never in a foul mood. That's because she **enjoys** maiming into submission." She sighed. She shouldn't be complaining. The only way she was going to be happy in this world, with her son, was if she found some sort of common ground with _this_ Regina and there was no way to do that without indulging the prickly woman.

Just as she reached her desk, the phone rang. "I'll get it. Might as well since it's for me anyway." She picked up the line. "Sheriff's office, Deputy Swan speaking."

"Just who I was hoping to speak with. I trust you're having a pleasant morning Deputy?" Regina's voice was smooth as silk, but Emma was determined to not underestimate the deadliness that lurked beneath the sweet surface.

"So far. What can I do for you Madam Mayor?"

"I'd like to invite you to have dinner with me and my son this evening Miss Swan."

Emma almost dropped the phone, that great was her shock. Graham must have read it on her face, because he stood and came around his desk, concern clouding his features. She held up a hand to stop his progress.

"Miss Swan?"

"Yea, I'm here. Sorry, I just wasn't expecting… **that**."

She could almost hear the mayor's delight. "Am I to assume you'll be accepting the invitation? Henry is _very much_ looking forward to it."

Damn the woman for using guilt! How could she refuse now? "Are _you_?"

"Am I what?"

"Are you looking forward to it too?"

There was a long pause on the other end of the line and now it was Emma who was pleased for having caught the other woman off guard.

"It might be pleasant to not be at each other's throats for once, don't you agree?"

Emma sighed, resigning herself to her fate. "What time will you be expecting me?"

"Six o'clock Miss Swan. Please be on time." The line clicked dead.

Emma hung up the receiver and fell into her seat, and grabbed her coffee, taking a huge gulp.

"What did she want?" Graham paused in the door of his office.

"She wants me over for dinner."

Graham raised an eyebrow.

Emma caught the gesture and frowned. "What?"

"In all the time I've known Regina, and it's been quite a few years, she's never invited anyone over to her house for dinner." He looked at her in a new light. "Why the sudden change?"

"I don't know. But if I don't show up to work tomorrow… dig under the apple tree first."

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"You're home early." Mary Margaret looked up from where she was slicing a carrot for dinner. It was only five. Normally Emma didn't come in until after six.

"I have plans tonight."

Emma heard a unique stream of sounds in quick succession, a kind of _slice thud gasp_ combo. She ran over to the counter, sure Mary Margaret had cut herself, but the teacher was staring down at her cuts, all uniform discs except the last in line which was angled and misshapen. The knife was wedged unceremoniously in the wood of the cutting board.

"Ruby mentioned that you and August had something going on," Mary said by way of explanation for her reaction.

Emma rolled her eyes. "Ruby needs to come off it. There is **nothing** going on between August and I. We have a history, nothing more. And the definition of history is events that occurred in the _past_."

"Well then… who are you going out with tonight?" Mary grabbed the next carrot and began chopping once more.

"The mayor invited me to dinner at her house and I accepted."

This time there was no mistaking that the blade had found Mary Margaret's finger. She cried out, more from surprise than from actual pain and dropped the knife onto the cutting board, holding the offending finger away from the food as a small trickle of blood made its way down the digit.

Emma came around the counter and turned on the faucet, grabbing Mary Margaret's hand and thrusting it under the stream of water.

The schoolteacher winced at the brief sting and tried to instinctively pull her hand away, but the blonde held firm. She cleaned the wound with water and a little bit of antibacterial hand soap and then handed the brunette a paper towel to dry it with while she disappeared to the medicine cabinet in the first floor bathroom to retrieve a bandage. She appeared just moments later, carrying one victoriously and wrapped it around her roommate's finger. Then she brought the digit to her lips, kissed the bandage and grinned. "All better."

Mary Margaret rolled her eyes, but there was a smile on her lips.

Emma playfully looked offended. "What? That was quality care right there. I should have an MD after my name."

"Go into private practice, healing nicks and scratches?" She raised and eyebrow and shook her head. But as she looked down at the bandage around her finger, the smile slipped from her face, replaced by a sour expression. "So… you accepted the mayor's invitation?"

Emma sighed. "You make it seem like I really had a choice. You know how she gets when she doesn't get her way… oh wait, you don't, because she **always** gets her way. It's better that I go there knowing I'm walking into a trap than to just stumble into the same trap unsuspectingly sometime down the road. Might as well just get whatever torture she has planned over with now."

Mary Margaret's head tilted and she regarded Emma curiously.

Emma began to fidget under the gaze. "What?"

"Are you _happy_ that she wants to spend time with you?" She managed a small smile. "Because it's okay if you are."

Emma sighed and shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know whether to be scared or thrilled. I want… no, I **need** to find some common ground with her. For the sake of what we once were. But she makes it so difficult that sometimes I just really don't see the point."

Mary Margaret nodded. "I'm the last person who should be giving you any advice on how to handle Regina. Even on your worst day, you handle her better than I do on my best, but… when you care about someone, truly care, you have to hold onto that, even through the difficult times. Regina and I have never been close, but I have known her for a long time, as long as I can remember, and in all that time, she has never had anyone look at her the way you do. She may be making things difficult, that's just her way, but you _are_ affecting her. Everyone in town sees it."

Emma frowned. She couldn't see any change, but then again, she was expecting and comparing Mayor Regina Mills to Queen Regina in the Enchanted Forest, and maybe that much change was too much to ask for.

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"Hey Emma!" Henry threw open the door a second after she knocked.

"Hey kid." She ruffled his hair as he launched himself around her abdomen.

"Miss Swan." Regina came from the dining room and crossed the foyer.

"Madam Mayor." Emma greeted her with an incline of her head.

"Henry, why don't you go finish setting the table while I pour our guest a drink?"

Too excited about the prospect of having dinner together to object, Henry gave Emma's middle one more tight squeeze before running back into the dining room.

"Were you planning on standing on the doorstep all night long?" Regina raised an eyebrow.

Emma took a deep breath and stepped inside. She had to be prepared for the attack no matter which direction Regina decided to spring it from. Her years as a bounty hunter had made her quite adept at being prepared for anything. But by the end of the night she'd realize, those years had done nothing to prepare her for Regina.

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"Can Emma watch a movie with us mom?"

Dinner had gone surprisingly well, much to Emma's delight. Regina had been, dare she say, almost friendly. They'd discussed boring things revolving around their work for the first fifteen minutes or so but after they'd loosened up a little, they had begun to talk about Emma's life in Boston and Henry when he was younger. Henry had contributed with what he'd been learning recently in school. It almost seemed like an, albeit odd, actual family dinner.

"If Miss Swan is amicable, I don't see why not."

Henry grinned from ear to ear. He turned to the blonde who was helping to clear the dishes. "Will you stay for a movie Emma?"

Emma shrugged. Might as well go with the flow while this lasted. "Sure kid. What're we watching?"

He glanced down at the DVD case in his hand. "Well I found this one in mom's room so it must be one of her favourites. Have you ever heard of…"

Regina, with a look of pure horror, snatched the DVD from his hands and held it behind her back. "Not that one dear. Why don't you go pick one off the shelf in the den?"

A look of indignation crossed his little features and he crossed his arms. "But we've seen all those a million times mom!"

Regina bent down to his level. "Did you ever think that maybe Miss Swan hasn't?"

The indignation left his face slowly as the practical nature of her words sunk in. "Have you ever seen Tarzan Emma?"

"Can't say that I have."

Regina raised an eyebrow at him. "See? Why don't you go put it on?"

He nodded and ran off to put the movie on in the den.

Once he was gone, Regina turned to Emma. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For helping me to distract him."

Emma shrugged. "I was just being honest." She was dying to know what DVD Regina didn't want them to watch. She didn't really seem like the type to be into porn, but that didn't mean there wasn't suggestive content not suitable for their ten year old son. Or quite possibly, it was just a really embarrassing secret obsession. Like Mighty Morphin Power Rangers The Movie (which Emma herself not so proudly owned a copy of).

"I'm just going to put this back upstairs. Then I'll come down and do the dishes while you two watch your movie." Regina turned and started out of the kitchen.

"Tell you what. I'll get started on the dishes and we can do them together when you get back down. That way, we can all watch the movie."

Regina nodded, but kept her back turned so that Emma couldn't see her bare hint of a smile.

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"Henry is down for the night." Emma came down the stairs, meeting the mayor at the bottom. "Thank you, for letting me tuck him in."

Regina waved it off as if it were nothing, but Emma knew this was a struggle for her, though she wouldn't admit it.

"Are you going to tell me what this is going to cost me, or do I have to be surprised later?"

Regina regarded her slowly. "Does there have to be a cost?"

Emma shook her head. "No, there doesn't have to, but with you there somehow always is."

Regina nodded slowly. "I don't want Henry to enter into this feud between us Miss Swan. Whatever problems we may have, they're not his. I'd like to take using Henry as a bargaining chip off the table. You may… take him to school in the mornings if you're here promptly by 7:15 and not a moment later. You may also pick him up after school on Wednesdays and Fridays, but one call from the school saying you are late and you will lose the privilege Miss Swan. Am I understood?"

Emma nodded, smiling. "Why the sudden change of heart?"

"As much as both him and you may refuse to believe it, I do love him. If being with you makes him happy, I'm am not beyond compromising. You will find I can be a fair ally deputy."

"I don't want to be your enemy." Emma took a step towards her.

"I know." Regina backed away and led the way towards the door. "Do drive home safely Miss Swan."

Emma nodded. "Thank you for the lovely evening Madam Mayor; I hope we can do it again sometime."

Regina closed the door behind the deputy, only then letting her smirk surface. "I'm sure we can manage that."


	19. We'll Make It Out Of This Mess

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: so first and foremost, Blondie47 made an awesome promo vid for this story that everyone should definitely check out, you won't be sorry as it is pure awesomeness it makes my little shipper heart flutter (just put blondie0136 in the search on youtube and be sure to check out her other vids as they are equally as awesome)

another update in honour of the new, but temporary, job i started today. enjoy and review. next chapter will be up either tomorrow or saturday.

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**-Chapter 18: We'll Make It Out Of This Mess-**

Emma woke to find dawn fast approaching but not yet arrived. She felt the arms around her before she turned her head to look at the brunette sleeping beside her. Regina looked so peaceful as she slept and Emma felt a pang of sadness when it crossed her mind that sleep was probably the only time the older woman truly escaped her demons. Those who considered themselves on the 'good' side of the line between good and evil often glazed over the fact that those who'd done wrong, those who truly realized it, suffered more than they could possibly understand every day.

Emma leaned up and kissed Regina's forehead. They'd need to leave soon, but not before she gave Regina what she'd denied her the previous night.

She pressed her body against the brunette's, capturing the sleeping woman's lips with her own. It took a second for there to be any response but then Regina stirred and, as soon as her eyes fluttered open and she realized what was happening, she moved her mouth against Emma's. Her arms snaked tighter around the blonde and pulled her on top of her.

Emma straddled the brunette's hips, finally breaking from the kiss. She gazed down at Regina, her eyes slowly memorizing everything about this moment, the way Regina looked at this moment with her sleep tousled hair, her kiss bruised lips, her eyes clouded with a mixture of sleep and lust. This is what she was lacking in Storybrooke. It wasn't as if it was easier for this half of Regina to lay her soul bare to Emma, but she loved her enough to try. The other Regina wouldn't even deign the thought of letting down her walls for even a moment.

Hands caressed soothingly up her sides and she was pulled out of her thoughts and back to the present situation at hand. She smiled down at the woman under her. "I love you Regina."

There was something inscrutable that passed across the older woman's gaze as she stared up at Emma. She sat up until they were chest to chest.

Emma stroked her dark locks, her fingers tangling in them and she brought their mouths together once more. Tongues dueled for dominance as she ground down on the older woman's lap.

Regina groaned into her mouth, gripping her hips and drawing her even closer. She broke the fevered exploration of their mouths to look into Emma's eyes. "Will you stay with me forever?"

Emma smiled. "Forever isn't long enough, not for me, but I will always be with you. You are my choice."

Regina's hands slid to the small of Emma's back, then up the trail of her spine.

Emma grinned. "If this were Storybrooke, that might have been considered a marriage proposal."

Regina shrugged softly. "If you weren't already married in the eyes of the law, it would have been."

Emma wrapped her arms around Regina's neck and leaned their foreheads together. "We may be married in the eyes of my people, but we are not in my heart. It is yours, and yours alone."

Regina pulled back just enough to slide one of her hands from Emma's back around her side and then let it slide down between their bodies until she was cupping Emma's heat.

Emma whimpered at the contact so close to where she needed it but not all the way there. "Please… make me yours."

Regina was happy to oblige.

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The woman in the white cloak jumped slowly from branch to branch, keeping the white horse in sight, not wanting to lose sight of the King. Just as the three royals had hoped, the King's party had moved beyond Rhea's cabin without knowledge of its existence. The people who dared to live in Conger Wood were spread out few and far between, some practically lived on top of each other while at other areas of the wood, such as in Rhea's case, it was nearly five leagues to the nearest neighbour.

The King's party would break free from the wood in just a few more miles. There they would separate. She'd overheard some of the troops talking around their small cookfire the night before. The King was sending half his troops to Saltmire and half to Peppergrey. They were the only two official entrances into the Forbidden Forest from the Enchanted Forest, nearly fifty miles apart. They were used as a place of parlay between citizens of the two lands. Because of this, no troops were allowed to be stationed there year round. There were no royal barracks, no strongholds where the King and Queen could stay should the royal family choose to visit. But also because of this, there was little to no violence in Saltmire or Peppergrey. They were known as cities of peace and prosperity among their citizens. On the rare occasion a crime was committed, the accused went before a small council made up of residents of both Enchanted and Forbidden Forest lineages and if they were found guilty by the council, the accused was punished fairly based on the laws of the land he or she originated from.

It was smart, the King's plan, but also not. He was right to cut them off at the gates, before they could escape into the Forbidden Forest, where it would be harder to track them. But the people of Saltmire and Peppergrey would not accept his occupation so easily. They would rebel against it eventually. All the three royals had to do was bide their time and wait until they saw an opportunity and slip through.

Hadrian had never been an outwardly cruel man, cold and distant at times, sure, but never unjust. But his pride would be his downfall. He could not accept that a battle was lost, not even when it was spelled out for him. And this one **was** lost. The battle for the devotion of Queen Emma had been so short it had almost been non-existent. From the moment their eyes had met, the Evil Queen and Queen Emma had belonged to each other. Nothing, especially not a King's foolish pride, would stand in the way of true love. It hadn't in the days of Prince James and his love of Princess Snow White and it wouldn't now, nor any time in the future. But the woman in the white cloak knew that pride and stubbornness went hand in hand and Hadrian would not give up until he was defeated or dead. He would chase Emma, because wherever she went, so too did the security of his crown and the untainted reputation of his rule. He would never go back to the palace and wait until that inevitable day when his subjects discovered that he'd been left by the Queen for another. The woman in the white cloak couldn't even imagine the magnitude of his anger once he discovered who the Queen's love truly belonged to now.

Emma had never known, never been allowed to know, how thoroughly Hadrian had studied the texts and histories of the prophecy. He'd known it would always be an issue in their marriage. Even after her twenty eighth birthday, once she'd decided to stay in the Enchanted Forest, as she'd always claimed she would, there would still be some fallout. You can't lose half your life, half your experiences, and not feel some sort of grief as a result. He'd studied Emma's circumstances far more than Emma herself had and almost as much as Snow White had. But even he didn't know the secrets surrounding the prophecy that had never been written down. Secrets that were only known by those individuals who were there the night it was made, all of whom had agreed that no one could know the truth until the time came. Hadrian had not been there to know the true prophecy… but the woman in the white cloak had.

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"Emma." James sighed impatiently from his horse.

They all knew they should have made better progress by now and they also all knew it was Emma's fault. The first time they'd stopped to stretch their legs, eat a light snack and water the horses, Emma had taken great pleasure in showering Regina with the affection she had been denied in the face of Rhea. She wasn't sure why she felt a need to keep kissing the woman, maybe it was the aftershocks of her first good day with the mayor of Storybrooke, or maybe she'd just missed it the last couple days. But whatever the reason, she kept on.

"My love, we must go." Regina was smiling though as Emma pecked her lips yet again.

Emma sighed. "If we must."

They got on their horses and set off.

They rode through the peak hour and well into the afternoon before they risked stopping again.

They were less than ten leagues from Peppergrey, but they knew they shouldn't risk entering the city at night. They'd found evidence on their ride to suggest that Hadrian had indeed passed them. If Hadrian had gone to Peppergrey, he'd be waiting for them. Darkness would provide them cover, but Emma knew her husband well enough to know he'd anticipate that; he'd have a heavy line of men whose sole purpose was to watch for any approach in the night. They would most likely have orders to shoot all but her on sight. He'd offer up some excuse to say that his men thought her father and their traveling companion were holding her hostage and meant her harm so they'd acted accordingly. Emma wasn't willing to take a risk with either her father's or Regina's life. They were all she truly had left in this world.

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They followed the edge of the woods to the point where they were closest to Peppergrey. It was still five leagues off, but they needed the cover of the trees to make their camp.

Emma started up the fire while James set off to catch them some dinner. Regina rested, at Emma's insistence.

"I should be helping."

Emma looked over at the brunette as she prodded the fire, trying to coax the flames to give just a little more. Once she was satisfied that they would be adequate enough to cook dinner and keep them warm, she turned to Regina fully. "You both are always so worried about protecting me and making sure I'm well rested, when you forget that I get sleep whether I want it or not." She sat down on the bed roll bedside the older woman. She reached for the brunette's hand, entwining their fingers, staring at the way the firelight danced across their skin.

Regina shook her head, frowning. "I don't think I'll ever forget that you leave me every night."

Emma's gaze snapped up at her words. She sounded so sad. "What do you mean?"

"There's never a guarantee Emma; I never know when or even if you'll wake up every morning. You go somewhere… somewhere I can't reach you, every single night, and that scares me, because one day, you might not wake up, you might not come back to me."

Emma leaned over and captured Regina's lips in a desperate but reassuring kiss. "Don't you ever be afraid of that! I will always find a way to you!"

Regina wrenched her hand away and shook her head. "Don't make promises you can't keep Emma." She stood, dusting off her riding trousers, and turning to head off into the trees. She passed James on his way in, holding some hares.

He stared after the brunette who disappeared into the trees. "Where's she going?"

Emma stood quickly, throwing her father an apologetic look. "We're just going to go for a little walk. We'll be back." She ran off in the direction in which Regina had disappeared.

It took her a few minutes but she finally caught up with the other woman. She fell into step beside her. Regina showed no signs that she was glad Emma was with her, but she didn't order her away either, so Emma maintained that as a good sign.

They had been walking for nearly an hour when Regina finally spoke. "Do you love her?"

Emma had gotten so used to nothing but the sounds of the woods at dusk that the sudden question made her jump in surprise, but she quickly recovered. "Who?"

"The Regina in Storybrooke."

Emma frowned. Finally, she nodded. "I do. When you love someone, you have to love every part of them. She's a part of you."

"But she's the _bad_ part! She's everything that I want to forget!"

Emma took a deep breath to steady her heart which had clenched painfully at the anguish in the other woman's voice. "I think she's everything you need to remember. You can't hide from what you did Regina. I never want you to feel that lost again and part of keeping you from losing yourself is you remembering how awful it felt to be lost. You have to feel the pain before it can heal."

"If I would have gotten my way, you never would have _existed_, do you realize that?" Regina seemed disgusted with the very thought.

Emma shrugged. "But you failed. And I'm here. I do exist. And I love you. **All** of you." As Emma admitted it out loud, she realized how true that statement really was. She had spent all her time in Storybrooke wondering how she'd ever be able to love Mayor Mills. She thought it'd be something she'd have to force herself to do, that it would be nigh impossible to stomach loving something so cruel and vindictive. But now she knew that she'd loved Mayor Mills from the beginning too. Because at the core, they were the same, and she wanted them _both_, the light and the dark.

Regina seemed to pick up on her revelation. A look of concern crossed her features. "But you still choose to stay here? I have no need to worry?"

Emma's brilliant smile chased away all the brunette's fears. There was no denying the love and the truth in the blonde's eyes as she nodded. "Of course. I wouldn't ask you to put your life on the line, to run when you didn't have to, if I had no intention of staying here. We're going to be happy Regina, together. Nothing will keep us apart. Not some prophecy, not even a mayor of some small town."

And as Emma curled up next to the brunette on her bed roll that night, she knew she had spoken the truth. Did she love the mayor? Yes. Did she want to have the brash woman in her life? Yes. But if it came to a choice between her or the woman sleeping peacefully beside her, she'd choose Queen Regina, hands down, every time. But Henry… could she really give up a world with her son and her true love for one with just her true love?


	20. For A Minute There I Lose My Senses

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: another update yet again. i'll keep them coming for as long as i have sinished chapters, which is only a few more so don't get too excited. thank you for all the beautiful reviews. they always brighten up my days. i hope everyone enjoys this chapter. the 'assembly line' is how things used to work with my parents when i was a kid. it's a fun memory. enjoy and review.

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**-Chapter 19: For A Minute There I Lose My Senses-**

"Emma!" Henry didn't look surprised to see her, merely excited.

"Hey kid. Is your mother home?"

A look of disinterest crossed his features and he gestured over his shoulder towards the kitchen. "She's finishing her morning coffee."

Emma smiled and gestured towards the broken down bug parked on the curb. "Why don't you go get in the car? I just have to speak with your mom for a minute."

He looked at her like she was crazy, but when she just stared back at him blankly, he shrugged and went down the walk towards the car.

Emma turned and went into the house, closing the door behind her. She headed straight for the kitchen and found Regina right where Henry said she would be, her back to the door, sipping her coffee. Emma cleared her throat, not wanting to startle the brunette, but her efforts were in vain as Regina froze at the sound, nearly spilling her coffee.

She whirled around. "Miss Swan?"

Emma took a step into the pristine kitchen. "Sorry, I didn't mean to bother you. I just wanted to say thank you, again, for letting me take Henry to school. You really don't have to and… I appreciate it."

"Yes well, if that's all, then…"

Without knowing why… maybe it was the best way she could think of to truly show her appreciation or maybe she just had a death wish, but she stepped forward and threw her arms around the other woman.

It was the most awkward hug in the history of awkward hugs. Regina remained a frozen board the whole time, Emma wishing she'd just allow her in the tiniest bit. If she would just crack a little, Emma was sure she could bust her open completely. But she obviously was not going to crack today. Finally, reluctantly, Emma pulled back from the embrace. She dug at the tiled floor with the toe of her boot, staring down at the ground. "I really wish we could be friends. Not just for Henry's sake, but for our own. Nothing comes from all this fighting. And I do care about you, more than you may ever understand."

Silence stretched between them and then, as if giving her a sign, she heard her car horn blare noisily from outside. She backed up, finally lifting her eyes to the brunette who was looking at her with an unreadable expression. "That's my cue. Have a good day Madam Mayor."

Regina watched the deputy turn on her heel and all but bolt for the door. So _that_ was her weakness. Just as the brunette had suspected. It wasn't the snide remarks that Regina had been throwing her way since she got here. No, this woman met confrontation head on with no fear. But, just like Regina, she was blindsided by emotions, not just from others but also her own. It would be difficult to break her like this, but not impossible. Yes, by the end of the month, she'd have Miss Swan's heart, and then she'd take great pleasure in crushing it.

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"Can we go to Granny's?" He didn't even say hello as he slid into her car after school.

"Does your mom normally allow that?"

Henry shrugged. "Sometimes. If she doesn't have to be back in the office right away."

Emma eyed him suspiciously but she didn't detect a lie. "Alright, but not for too long okay? Your mom has been really nice about giving me the opportunity to see you and I don't want to blow it on my first day."

Granny's was empty of customers, save August, when they got there.

The man she'd once known as Pinocchio looked up from his coffee and grinned conspiratorially at Henry. "Good work buddy. I didn't think you'd get her to go for it."

Emma stopped in her tracks. "Wait… this was a set up?"

August was nodding but Henry shook his head. "No, I really do need to talk with you. It's just, well, now August is a part of it too."

Emma frowned but continued over to their usual booth and sat across from Henry. "A part of what?" She narrowed her eyes at August as he slid into her side of the booth beside her. It felt glaringly intimate, which she found ironic considering whenever it was Regina that was around she found as little distance between them as possible to be the most comforting. Why should August be any different? Technically, she'd slept with them both. _Yeah, but she's the love of your life while he… well, he…_

"Earth to Emma." A little hand waved in front of her face.

Emma snapped out of her thoughts. "Yea?"

"August knows about…" Henry lowered his voice dramatically as he glanced around to make sure no one was eavesdropping. Considering no one else was in the main room of the diner at the moment, it was a pretty safe bet. "Operation Cobra."

Emma nodded. "Okay."

Henry looked at her as if she were slow. Who taught him to look at people like that? Oh yeah… _Regina_.

Emma held up her hands in surrender. "Look kid, here's the deal. I want to break this curse. Whatever spell the people in this town are under, I want to see it broken. Whatever I have to do, just tell me and I'll be happy to see it done. Except, and this is something I want to make perfectly clear to **both** of you, I will not hurt your mom to do it. I don't care if the book says that the only way to break the curse is to behead the Evil Queen in the center of town for everyone to see. If that is the case, then consider us cursed for an extremely lengthy amount of time."

"But she's the _Evil Queen_ Emma! You're _supposed_ to **destroy** her!"

Emma shook her head and crossed her arms across her chest. "I know exactly who your mom is and I'm telling you I will not do anything that compromises your safety or hers. Understood?"

Henry stared at her with a mixture of confusion and indignation. "Fine." He quickly excused himself to go to the restroom but she had a feeling he just wanted to go sulk in private. If it were just her sitting there with him, he might have attempted to use pouting to his advantage to try and get his way, but with an adult male presence there, his urge to guilt her was skewed by his need to impress the alpha male with his imperviousness.

"So…" August turned curiously to her once Henry had disappeared from view. "Why are you so against harming the Evil Queen? I mean if you truly believe in all this, and I'm quite convinced you do, then you know who she is; you know what she's done."

Emma nodded. "I don't have a list of her offenses, but yes, I have a general idea of what she's done. But… sometimes people do the right things for the wrong reasons or, more often, they do the wrong things for the right reasons. Henry is young. The world is still black and white to him. There's right and there's wrong and all of us fall on one side of the line or the other. But that's not the case. I can tell you that I walk on the line everyday of my life. I'm not evil, but I am by no means good either. I am just a girl, looking for my happy ending… and maybe she is too."

August stared at her as if she'd just grown two heads. "You do realize were talking about the Evil Queen here? As in, the woman who _poisoned_ your mother? The woman who is hell bent on her destruction? The woman who would be hell bent on your destruction if she knew who you truly were?"

Emma shook her head. "She wouldn't destroy me."

August raised an eyebrow. "You seem so certain of that."

Emma shrugged. "That's because I am. Torture, maim, spend the rest of her life making mine miserable maybe, but she wouldn't kill me."

"And what makes you believe that?"

"Because, if I die, it's the end of her story too."

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"Mom! I'm home! Emma's here!"

Emma flinched. She had expected to give the kid a hug, make sure he was supervised and then sneak out without having to face Regina. The hug and the glaring admission this morning, and the resulting silence they were met with, had weighed heavily on her all day. She knew why but there was no one to admit it to, no one who knew her story. She could tell August. He knew about the double life she led. She'd explained it to him, but she'd conveniently left out the part about shacking up with the Evil Queen, so to speak, in the Enchanted Forest. If she tried to tell him the truth about what Regina meant to her, she may lose the only person in town who knew her story. She could try and tell Mary Margaret and she probably would later tonight, but the schoolteacher would never fully understand why she desired Regina's attentions, not when she believed her to just be the callous mayor of Storybrooke.

"Miss Swan?"

Emma looked up and locked eyes with the brunette, standing on the opposite side of the foyer. She hadn't even noticed that Henry had left her side while she was lost in thought. Now she was standing like a fool just inside the door, by herself, and she wouldn't be surprised if there was a slightly lost expression on her features. She shook it off. "I…um, I took Henry to Granny's after school. I made sure he only had a snack so it wouldn't spoil his dinner. He did all his homework except for one page of math that he still has left to do." She turned for the door. "Have a good evening Madam Mayor. Please tell Henry I'll see him tomorrow."

"Do you like Mexican cuisine Miss Swan?"

Emma froze halfway out the door. She turned back, an eyebrow raised in question.

Regina pointed back over her shoulder towards the kitchen. "We've got plenty and we could use some more hands on the assembly line."

Emma closed the door, an uncertain look on her face. "Assembly line?"

The assembly line ended up being just that, an assembly line. Regina retrieved a tortilla from the top oven where they were warming to keep them pliable, then she'd set it on its carefully pre-cut square of foil and put on the beans, seasoned rice and meat (pork for herself and Emma, chicken for Henry), then she'd slide the foil square down the counter to Henry, who was in charge of all condiments (avocado and sour cream but no cheese or salsa for Regina, salsa and lots of cheese for Henry, and everything for Emma) and then normally it was up to Regina to move over to the final spot and fold the burritos and wrap them up in the foil, but tonight, Emma took that spot. Regina claimed they always made enough so that there'd be some left for lunches or nights she didn't feel like cooking for the week. They made five each, but what amazed Emma was when Regina insisted they make five for her too. Emma got creative with her station, contorting the foil ends in odd ways to differentiate which burritos belonged to which person. Regina got the traditional no ends, the sides folded over as if it were wrapped at an actual take out place. Henry, by his request had ends fashioned to sharp points like his burritos were a hammerhead with a spike on either side. And for her own, Emma made an odd curl. Then they were placed back in the oven to cook.

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"When'd you guys start all this?" Emma helped wipe down the counter.

"When Henry was about six. I saw something similar on a cooking show once about ways to cook with your children. The boy complains up a storm when you ask him to do the dishes or set the table but he just loves burrito night." She smiled softly to herself.

Emma watched Regina with a gentle smile. She really was a good mother and Emma was almost positive that Henry never told her that. The boy had gone upstairs to take his evening bath while the burritos cooked, leaving the two women with the clean up. Emma didn't mind and Regina seemed genuinely grateful that the duty wasn't heaped entirely on her shoulders.

"Thank you, Madam Mayor, for inviting me to dinner yet again. I enjoy it here." Emma had taken her jacket off and draped it over what was quickly becoming her chair at the dining room table, the one to Regina's right. Now she was elbow deep in dish water as she reached into the sink and retrieved a piece of cutlery, scrubbing it clean and washing it off before handing it to Regina to dry.

"There are selfish reasons behind my asking you here." When she saw Emma's raised eyebrow, she sighed. "It has made my son much less hostile towards me if you must know, Miss Swan."

"He likes it when you loosen up; I do too." Emma couldn't say what possessed her but before she could control herself she flicked the littlest bit of soapy water in Regina's direction. It landed on the mayor's pristine shirt and Emma stared at it, in shock over her own actions. What had she been thinking? This wasn't Graham or Mary Margaret. This kind of behaviour would not be tolerated by the woman next to her, also staring down at the damp circle on her shirt where the water had soaked in.

When Regina looked up and met Emma's gaze, her eyes were incredulous. Her face fell into the common expression of a petulant child and she reached down and scooped her hand across the surface of the soapy water and splashed Emma.

The water hit her entire left side, soaking into the thin material of her wife beater, making the fabric transparent. The purple lace of her bra covering her right breast was fully visible but Emma didn't think about that. She saw Regina's eyes dart briefly towards the removable faucet head and she knew they were having the same idea.

They both lunged for it at the same time, hands wrapping around it, they pulled it out and a tug-o-war ensued. Neither woman remembered how the water got turned on, but all of a sudden, they were both getting a free shower in the struggle over the faucet.

After getting thoroughly drenched, Regina relinquished her grip and reached over to turn off the water.

Emma, now that it was of no use to her, moved to reattach the faucet head when her boot hit the growing puddle on the ground and she started to comically slide.

Regina reached out and tried to steady her, only to be firmly gripped by the blonde and have them both go down hard, falling into the puddle. The water from the floor, joined the rest, soaking into what dry patches there may have been left on their clothes.

"What are you two _doing_?"

Both women looked up in surprise to see Henry standing in the doorway, in his pajamas, his hair still wet from the bath, looking at them as if they were aliens.

"Your mom and I had a little… _accident_ while washing the dishes."

"Why don't you go get the movie ready and we'll eat dinner in the den tonight?"

Henry narrowed his eyes, glancing between them suspiciously before finally, trudging off.

Regina looked over at Emma, staring at her as the blonde stared right back. The silent pause stretched out before them until she saw the faintest twitch of the other woman's lip and then they were both laughing hysterically, clutching each other and the counter top as they struggled to pull themselves up.

Emma grabbed a dishcloth and sopped up the puddle before it did any damage to the floor. She tossed it next to the sink and looked down at herself. Her wife beater was now completely saturated, translucent and pasted to her skin. Her jeans were so soaked through they were nearly black in colour.

"Come Miss Swan. Let's get dried up before dinner's ready." Regina led the way out of the kitchen and up the stairs. She led them along the second floor hallway and into the master bedroom. It was pristine, decorated in dark colours. A four poster bed, made out of dark wood, the head board made of cream coloured fabric to offest the darkness of the sheets and curtains, was the main focus of the room. There was also the usual accoutrements, a dresser, a bedside table, and a fainting couch at the end of the bed.

Regina wasted no time walking over to the dresser. "You can borrow some of my clothes until yours have dried properly.

Emma peeled the wife beater from her skin and did the same with her jeans, struggling to shimmy out of them, the water making the material stick to the skin of her legs. Finally, she got them off and she bundled the wet clothes in her arms, not wanting to leave them on Regina's plush, and rather expensive looking, carpet.

Regina grabbed the last of the dry change of clothes from the dresser drawer and closed it, turning around. Her mouth slackened when she saw Emma standing there, skin glistening from the water, in nothing but her lacy purple lingerie. Regaining her composure, she set the clothes on the bed and held out her arms for Emma's wet clothes.

The second Emma was free of the pile, she reached around behind herself and unfastened her bra, pulling it off too.

"Miss Swan?" Regina frowned, trying not to look at the blonde's bare chest.

Emma rolled her eyes. "We're both girls Regina. Don't be such a prude."

Regina bristled, the jape making her forget the cloudiness in her head. She walked over and opened the door to the en-suite bathroom and deposited the pile of wet clothes onto the bathroom counter.

"You forgot one." Emma walked over and casually tossed her underwear on the top of the pile.

Regina, now feeling she had something to prove, began to unbutton her blouse. Let's see how Miss Swan liked it when she gave her something to stare back at. Regina stripped quickly, but when she looked over, much to her chagrin, Emma Swan's back was to her as the blonde pulled on a tank top and a pair of pajama pants. The younger woman was completely oblivious to her state of undress. The petulant child expression resurfaced and she wanted to cross her arms and stamp her feet in full tantrum mode until the blonde paid attention to her. The realization of that made her stomach turn violently. She wasn't one to seek attention… her very presence **demanded** it! She walked over and grabbed the remaining pair of pajama pants and tank top, slipping them on. This need to be on the blonde woman's radar simply would not do. She'd have to break herself of the notion. She just wasn't quite sure how she was going to manage that.

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"You know she's just trying to fool you?"

Emma rolled her eyes as she tucked the blanket in around him, patting the head of the puppy curled up at his side. Regina had let him keep her as long as she stayed in the garage when he was at school and in his bedroom at all times when he was home. It was a difficult situation, but Henry seemed happy that she'd at least relented somewhat.

"She is!"

Emma nodded. "Yea kid, I know."

Henry's little face scrunched up in confusion. "You know?"

Emma nodded again. "I know your mom better than she thinks I do. There's no way things turned around this fast. She's either trying to trap me somehow or possibly, she's just having an off day." She ruffled his hair. "Either way though kid, I'm gonna take this whole friend kick she's on and run with it."

"Be careful Emma. You don't know what she's capable of."

She just gave him a pointed look and left the room, shutting the lights off behind her and closing the door.

"Is Henry down?" Regina was at the bottom of the stairs.

Emma nodded. "Looks like that's my cue to hit the road." She finally stepped down onto the solid floor of the foyer.

Regina regarded her for a long moment. Finally, she nodded. "I suppose it is."

Emma smiled. "Thank you." She headed to the door.

"Will you be by in the morning Miss Swan?"

Emma turned back. "Do you want me to?"

Regina frowned. "Henry wants you here."

Emma bit her lip. "That's not what I asked." But when she met Regina's eyes, the mayor was staring at her blankly, so she sighed. "I'll be here."


	21. It's All Painted In Her Grief

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: love love love this chapter. just sayin'. and love love love those of you who review and follow this story. your continued support and encouragement really makes me smile. thank you. enjoy and review.

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**-Chapter 20: It's All Painted In Her Grief-**

Emma awoke to a doused fire, the gloom of predawn casting their campsite in dark shadow. She could make out where her father's bedroll normally rested on the opposite side of the fire pit but it was gone, as were his belongings. Emma felt panic seize her heart.

"Regina?" Her voice was a frightened whisper as she rolled over to inform the brunette of her father's absence, but there was no one beside her. Regina's bed roll was gone as well.

She sat up abruptly, looking around. Her saddlebags were gone from beside her, only her bed roll and blanket remained. She launched herself up from the ground and ran the few feet into the woods where they'd tied up Freedom, Starfire, and Mary Brave, but all three horses were gone.

She ran back to the camp and started immediately rolling up her bed roll. She could already feel the consuming belief that the worst had happened. Hadrian stumbled upon them while she slept. There was no blood in the clearing so James and Regina must have led them away somehow. How many had there been? Regina would have taken out several with her magic, James several more with his prowess with a blade. Did the battle rage around her as she was in the other Regina's house having water fights?

Guilt seeped into her stomach. Just last night she had promised this Regina that she would always choose her, that she was the one she loved more. It was true. Every time she looked at her, she knew they were meant to be together forever. Why did forever have to be so _short_? Damn this curse! Damn how it hindered her ability to protect the ones she loved! And, more than anything else, damn it for taking _everything_ from her! Her nights, her childhood, her mother, Pinocchio… and now her father and Regina? It was unfair.

She tucked her bedroll under her arm. She'd go to the Forbidden Forest. She'd complete the mission they set forth on. She would make her way to the Forbidden Fortress, nestled in a valley on the top of the Third Hex. She would go to Maleficent and she would beg the witch to help her… she'd see Hadrian burn a thousand times for taking away her happiness. He would pay!

She started through the trees, heading towards Peppergrey. The trees would eventually thin out, becoming more scarce the closer she got. The final half mile she'd be completely exposed. She'd have to wait for a passing caravan and sneak into the city in the company of some traders. Hadrian would expect her to go running back to the palace, or maybe to the dwarves, or to Snow's best friend Red. He wouldn't expect her to continue on into the Forbidden Forest alone. To do so, being who she was, and lacking magic, it would be suicide. He would have lightened the guards around the gate up considerably. All she'd have to do would be to sneak in, find someone who knew the Forbidden Forest well enough, hire them as a guide, and set off into the darkness.

She understood it now. Any reservations she may have had regarding how the death of a loved one had changed Regina into the woman known by all as the Evil Queen, were banished now. She felt it licking at the edge of her consciousness… the hate, the rage, the thirst for revenge. It was tempting, intoxicating almost in its draw. It called to her, reminding her of the gaping hole that was slowly expanding in her heart, blaming that hole solely on her husband. He wouldn't be her husband for long now. If he thought his claim to the crown was insecure before, he had no idea what was coming. It was obvious for her to choose Storybrooke now. Everyone she held dear… that was the only place they still lived. Even if they never got the chance to remember who they were, who she was, she'd still have them. But she still had just over two weeks until her birthday, and she had every intention of using them to make Hadrian rue the day he decided to marry into this kingdom.

She smacked into something, hard, knocking the wind and the edge of her anger out of her. She fell back, looking in front of her, ready to spring up and attack whoever had dared to get in her way. But there was no one there. The space before her was just empty air between the trees. She frowned, getting up and dusting her trousers off. She moved forward and was, once again, met with resistance. She pressed against the air with her hand. It was solid. It were as if she was pressing against a wall rather than empty space. She banged her fist roughly against it, but it did not give way. What was _this_? She slid her hand along it and found that, as she walked several paces in either direction, it continued. It was some kind of sorcery. Something was…_trapping_ her here.

No! This couldn't be happening! She had to get to the Forbidden Forest. No matter what it took. She braced her shoulder against the magic wall and shoved with all her strength. It did not budge. She put her hand against it and kept walking. It had to break sometime right?

Eventually she did find where the wall ended or, more accurately, where it met with another wall, forming a corner. She did the same on this wall, walking until she reached it's end. She did it with two more walls until she came back to where she'd begun. A one mile square prison. She beat against the invisible confines, throwing her weight against it, her efforts becoming more erratic as the panic seized and started to thoroughly consume her heart. Was she stuck here forever? She threw her weight against it one last time and the wall, as if no longer amused by her efforts to beat it into submission, zapped her with a jolt of energy. It pulsed through her body and Emma sank down to the floor of the woods and into darkness.

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Emma awoke to movement. She opened her eyes, but she was surrounded by darkness. How was that possible? She couldn't be up this late at night. And then she felt it. The fabric over her eyes, binding her wrists and legs, her mouth. She was captured. She wasn't sure by whom, but someone was taking her somewhere, either to store her until they could extort money from her husband or, more likely, Hadrian had already issued a reward and this person was planning to collect. She had made herself an easy target. How could she have been so stupid?

She took a deep breath, or at least as deep as the cloth in her mouth would afford her and she willed herself to stay calm. She couldn't lose her cool, not like she had when faced with the invisible wall. That would get her nowhere.

She tested each part of her body. Her legs and ankles were bound somehow. She had no movement in them whatsoever. Her hands were bound together in front of her and also to her torso somehow. She had a little movement, but not enough. Her head however, had full range of motion. She was tied to something in movement and hard, too hard to be a horse. She leaned her head down against her shoulder and with a few minutes and a unique sliding motion, she was able to push up the cloth around her eyes.

With her blindfold gone, she was able to see ground, only about a foot from her face, sliding past. She glanced to her left and right and saw wheels. She was attached to a wagon or cart of some kind. Attached to the **bottom**. But that didn't make sense!

And then the wagon slowed.

"Who goes there?" She heard boots scuffing across the ground.

"Oh be quiet you!" A second voice and the boot accompaniment joined the first. "I knows this one. That there be Madam Zolta. She's a gypsy woman from their encampment over by Nixies River."

"I've never heard of this Madam Zolta." The first man spoke again.

Emma saw his boots as he walked around the wagon and into her line of sight. His boots were the deep tan of a private officer of the army. So they were at one of the gates to Peppergrey. But she wasn't being taken to Hadrian. If she was, this Madam Zolta would have just told the guard that she had the Queen in custody. The second pair of boots, common brown hide, poor quality, most likely a belonging to a guard of the city watch, came into her view, stopping beside the first pair.

"You wouldn't have. She don't goes as far as yous place at the castle. She's been trading along the border towns for years. Although, coming to thinks on it, I haven't seen you in some time Madam Zolta."

A rich and exotic voice, most definitely female and obviously belonging to this Madam Zolta, rang out. "I was away."

There was silence for a long moment before the army guard spoke. "Very well, you may pass."

The cart started to move once more.

"Wait!"

Emma cursed the guard silently. Had he caught sight of her? Was it better that he did? What horrible things did this Madam Zolta have planned for her? Maybe Hadrian was a better fate.

"Yes?" Madam Zolta sounded more than slightly annoyed.

"Have you seen a woman on the road? Blonde, beautiful, may have been traveling with two companions?"

There was a long silence and Emma willed the woman not to change her mind and give her away. She could overpower a woman and escape. She couldn't escape from Hadrian and the bulk of the Royal Army.

"I know who it is you search for, but seen her, I have not." The cart began to move again as Madam Zolta obviously dismissed the guards as being worthy of her time any longer.

It was only after Emma heard the slamming of the city gates behind them that she realized the guard had mentioned companions traveling with the Queen. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest as she realized what that implied. Maybe, just maybe, her father and Regina had survived the altercation after all.

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She had expected the woman to head for the town square, but instead she edged the perimeter, moving through the residential district of town with an old familiarity, never stopping to ask for directions or for anything more than the occasional greeting. Emma was able to discern that Madam Zolta hadn't been coming to Peppergrey for a while, though even the younger folks seemed to recognize her by reputation. She always brought her cart and sold her wares in the city's open air market. She lived in an encampment off the Nixies River, which ran in both the Enchanted and Forbidden Forests, so Emma was unsure as to which land she was officially from.

Finally, they pulled onto a side street and under an archway. A door slammed behind them and the cart stopped completely. A minute later her binds released her and she fell straight to the ground with an '_oomph_'. She moved her limbs to get the blood flowing again and realized that the whole time she'd been held to the bottom to the wagon with magical bonds. Only the ties around her wrists, ankles, mouth, and eyes had been tangible. The cart was moved from over her and Emma found herself face to face with her captor for the first time.

Emma had met a gypsy once before, as a young Princess. She had been an exotic creature, with her tan skin and her dark hair. Emma had loved her as the six year old she was and begged Queen Snow White to let her keep the woman, as if she were some pet or something. She was sure Snow had probably enquired if she could hire the woman on, but she was sure the woman refused. Gypsies were not fond of captivity.

This Madam Zolta was not near as fair as Esmeralda had been. Her skin was wrinkled and mottled with age. Her white and grey hair poked out in wispy tendrils from the purple scarf she wore around her head. No wonder they hadn't seen her in quite some time. It probably took the old woman six hours to get dressed every day, let alone travel miles and miles to sell her stuff at market.

She glanced around. They were in an enclosed courtyard with a broken down fountain at its center. It reminded her vaguely of the outer bailey of the stronghold where she had found Regina. She felt a pang of homesickness in her chest from the memory.

The woman reached out with arthritic hands and began to undo the knots on her bindings with a surprising deftness. Once her wrists were untied, Emma immediately began to rub them to help the stinging soreness of the blood rushing back to the flesh. She reached up and removed the gag around her mouth herself.

"How much is the reward for my capture and return?"

The woman didn't pause in her untying of the ankle holds. "10000 snow coins and a title."

Emma paled. With a reward that high, she wouldn't be safe anywhere, even if she managed to escape this woman's custody. "You could have given me to that guard. It is not in their nature to pass on giving credit where credit is due. You would have seen your reward and been hailed as the woman who rescued the Queen from certain death at the hands of her deranged father and her female lover, a sorceress who surely bewitched her to gain her favour."

"Did she?" The gypsy looked at her intensely. "Bewitch you?"

Emma shrugged. "Would you believe me if I told you no?"

The gypsy woman tilted her head. "Then where is your lover now when you need her most?"

Emma's mouth fell into a hard line at the accusation in the woman's tone. "She's dead if you must know. Killed at the hands of the men you will turn me over to."

"It is hardly my intention to turn you over to that man or any of the miscreants who follow him so blindly, my Queen."

Emma stood, stretching out her legs and taking a few wobbly steps on them. "Why bring me _here_ then? Unless…" Regina had mentioned she used to have loyalists in Peppergrey. Emma put her index and middle finger over her lips and then brought it down to the spot over her heart.

Madam Zolta's eyes flashed brighter with pleasure for a second before she repeated the gesture. "Come inside." She gestured towards the door at the other side of the courtyard.

Emma followed her as she hobbled over to the door and knocked in a series of short taps.

The door opened revealing a man who was a stranger to her. He looked old enough to be Madam Zolta's age, though his stooped posture and bony hands suggested time had not been as kind to his energy level. He ushered them inside, looked around the courtyard suspiciously, and then closed the door, locking it.

"Are the protection spells still up?" Madam Zolta was looking pointedly at the old man.

The man nodded.

"Very well." Madam Zolta waved her hand and the old man slowly transformed before Emma's incredulous eyes. Several moments later, James stood where the old man had just been.

Emma took a step towards him. "Is it really you?"

He enfolded her in a strong hug. She cried against his shoulder until a thought struck her. She pulled back, whirling around to face Madam Zolta. But the old gypsy woman was no longer there. Standing in the same dress and cloak, with the purple scarf wrapped around her head, was Regina.

"Can you give us some privacy?" She looked over her shoulder at her father.

He glanced between the two women for a moment of uncertainty before he nodded and disappeared upstairs.

Emma locked eyes with the brunette as she crossed the room to her. She stopped in front of her and without preamble, slapped her across her face so hard it caused James to pause on his ascent and look questioningly down at the pair.

Regina held one hand to her cheek and waved him on with the other.

Emma's face was a mask of hurt and rage. "Don't you _dare_ do that to me again! Do you hear me? Don't you ever **EVER** leave me alone like that!" Tears stung her eyes as she tangled a hand in dark locks and pulled the older woman's mouth to hers, kissing her roughly. She pulled away, her hand like a claw in the dark woman's hair, keeping her close. "Don't you ever do that to me." Her anger had dissipated to almost non-existence, leaving only the hurt in its place. "Don't you ever do it again." She was openly crying now.

Regina said nothing, just pulled her close, wrapping her arms around her waist, and backing her over to a small hallway in the corner of the main room. She led her down it and to a door, which she pushed open to reveal a bed chamber.

"You _left_ me. You can't just do that." Emma buried her face against Regina's shoulder.

The brunette ran a hand through blonde locks as she leaned forward and kissed her shoulder softly. She half led, half carried the blonde to the bed. As she sat down, she pulled Emma into her lap and wrapped her arms tightly around the younger woman's waist, kissing her neck, her tongue leaving a wet trail to soothe the burning path left by her lips.

"You aren't going to distract me." Her tone was no nonsense but she didn't pull away from the hungry mouth. "I'm angry with you." Emma was mumbling from her place still buried in Regina's shoulder. It was half hearted and they both knew it.

Regina shrugged her shoulder to urge her up and then brought their lips together once more.

That wasn't the end of Emma's anger and hurt but she let them manifest in a physical sense then, pulling their clothes off and taking Regina roughly over and over again until she herself ran out of steam and collapsed on the older woman's naked body.

Regina stroked the fingers of her right hand up and down the blonde's bare back. "It hurt you know… leaving you like that. But you weren't awake yet and they were closing in on our campsite. We needed to distract them, to lead them away. It was all to **protect** you." She placed a kiss to Emma's shoulder. "I never thought you would assume the worst."

Emma nuzzled the sweaty skin of the brunette's neck. "I wanted him to _suffer_. I wanted to take everything from him, piece by piece, until he was left with nothing, just like me. I wanted to see him destroyed. And more than anything I wanted to be the one responsible for his destruction. If not for the wall in the woods, I would have done it. I suppose that was your magical intervention, meant to keep my from stumbling upon the search parties." She sighed and traced her fingers across Regina's left breast. "I've never felt so much hate before."

Regina's hand stopped stroking her back. "And?"

"It was scary…. I can't imagine how you survived living in that frame of mind for so long."

Regina's body tensed.

"But…" Emma raised her head to look at the brunette. "There was a part of it that felt like home. Addictive. Easy. I wanted it. I _needed_ it. It was the only thing that made the pain… **bearable**."

Regina ran her fingers through sex-mussed blonde hair. "I'm sorry that I forced you to that place."

Emma leaned in and kissed away the brunette's frown. "I never knew a heart could hurt so much."

"I never want you to hurt, _ever_, especially because of me."

"And I never want to wake up without you again." Emma stole another kiss.

"In a few days we'll be where he can no longer reach us and then, you won't have to."


	22. And He Just Might Make Me Smile

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: yet another update. the one after this will not be posted until really late tomorrow or possibly tuesday as i will be busy all day monday. but never fear because it is already ready to be posted, as is the update after that. thank you to all who've reviewed, it's always greatly appreciated. some questions to ponder: are regina's walls really breaking or is she firmly ensconced in her evil scheme to crush emma's heart? if mr. gold knows about the other world and obviously knew about emma before she was born, how come he doesn't (or pretends not to) know who she was? enjoy and review.

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**-Chapter 21: And He Just Might Make Me Smile-**

"You look like someone just stole the black crayon."

Emma raised an eyebrow at the schoolteacher and her comparison.

Mary Margaret shrugged. "What? I teach for a living."

Emma held up her hands in a placating gesture. "Hey, I'm not judging."

Mary Margaret set a cup of coffee in front of the blonde. "I noticed Henry's mood has improved quite substantially at school yesterday."

Emma shrugged. "He likes this whole dinner and a movie family thing that's been happening. If he had his way, we'd do it every night."

Mary sat down in the seat across from her. "So why don't you?"

"Have you **met** his mother?" Emma rolled her eyes. "This 'my home is your home' phase that Regina seems to be in right now is not going to last. I don't want him to get his hopes up that this is going to be something permanent."

Mary smiled knowingly into her cup of tea. "You mean you don't want to get _your_ hopes up."

Emma looked at her, shocked.

Mary Margaret shook her head. "I've seen the dreamy smile on your face when you've come home these past two nights. You're falling in love with her… _again_." She sighed. "I don't know what happened between you two in the past, but do you ever think it ended for a reason? Maybe you and Regina aren't meant to be together."

Emma sighed and stared into the swirling depths of her coffee cup as if she were reading all the answers in the dark liquid. "We are. That's what makes everything so _difficult_. If I could turn off my heart I would. But it wants **her**."

Mary Margaret reached out and covered the blonde's hand with her own. "Then don't you think you should tell her that?"

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"Hey Em."

"Hey Rubes." Emma flashed the waitress her biggest grin and gestured towards the hot cocoa machine. "Care to give a girl a fix?"

Ruby rolled her eyes playfully and heaved a dramatic sigh. "Junkies." She grabbed a to-go cup and turned her attention to pouring Emma some of her liquid crack.

The bell tinkled over the door as August entered. He spotted Emma and came over to her with a smile. "You're here early. I didn't know you even knew what sunrise is."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Oh believe me, this is not my choice. If I want to take my kid to school I have to be at the mayor's by 7:15, which means sunrise and I have become intimately acquainted."

August grinned. "Well that works out in my favour because you are just the deputy I was hoping to see."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "Oh yea? And why is that? Your cat stuck up a tree?"

Ruby burst out laughing but she reigned it in quickly as she went to go grab the cinnamon.

August shook his head. "I'd like to take you out tonight."

"On a date?"

August nodded. "There's a couple fancier restaurants in town. I thought we could have dinner."

Emma's mind flashed to how she'd been spending dinner recently. Regina's face as they'd fought over the sink faucet, Henry as she'd tucked him in, the burrito assembly line. Without really wanting to, Emma had let herself become comfortable with it. It felt like home. But Regina had not extended another invitation and she couldn't really turn August down on the hope that the mayor might request her presence. So she found herself nodding. "Sure. Sounds great."

August's smile was almost worth what she might miss with Regina. "Great. I'll pick you up at seven?"

Ruby set Emma's hot chocolate down in front of her.

Emma grabbed it and nodded. "Yea, see you at seven." She held up the hot chocolate. "Thanks Rubes."

"See you later Emma."

Both August and the waitress watched as the blonde exited the diner and headed for her bug. Ruby turned to him the second Emma had pulled away from the curb. "You really like her don't you?"

August shrugged. "We have a history, and I'm starting to think it's a pretty complicated one."

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"You were almost late." Regina gave her a glare as she came running up the walk just as the clock hit 7:15.

"I know. I'm sorry. I got held up at the diner."

Regina crossed her arms over her chest. "Yes well, you're in luck. My son is running late today as well."

The boy, as if summoned by Regina's words, appeared in the doorway. "Hey Emma."

"Hey kid. You ready?"

He nodded and jumped down off the stoop and came to a stop by her side. He turned to Regina. "Bye mom."

"Have a good day Henry."

He set off towards the bug.

"I assume we can expect you tonight for dinner Miss Swan. I'm making teriyaki chicken."

Emma frowned. "As delicious as that sounds, I have plans tonight." She started backing up the walkway, looking truly apologetic. "Rain check?"

Regina nodded. She suppressed the urge to ask what the blonde's plans were. What business was it of hers if Miss Swan wanted to go somewhere else for dinner? It would give her a break from the insufferable woman without breaking her plan. Yes, this worked out well.

"Have a good day Regina." And then Emma Swan was gone up the walk.

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"Something strong and be quick about it." Regina set her purse on the counter and glared at Ruby who immediately jumped into action.

"Did Emma get Henry off okay then?"

Regina tensed as she whirled around to find August Booth, staring at her as he sipped his own coffee. "Excuse me?"

"Emma. She said this morning that she was taking Henry to school."

Regina pursed her lips. "Yes well. She hasn't failed to get him there safely yet, so I have faith today's effort was successful as well."

"She doesn't generally keep him after school days, does she? She didn't say anything when I asked her out tonight, but I don't want her to cancel any time with her son just for a last minute date."

For some reason, it seemed like he shouted the word date ten times louder than the rest to Regina. Emma was going on a date with this insignificant little cockroach? Really, she could do so much better. _I'm so much better for her than he is._ She paled as the thought crossed her mind. Miss Swan wasn't her territory to claim. "No, I pick Henry up on Thursdays."

August blew out a breath of relief.

Ruby chose that moment to blessedly reappear bearing her coffee. She snagged it greedily, suddenly feeling a need to be anywhere but there. "Good day Mr. Booth. I do hope you enjoy your evening."

"Thank you Mayor Mills."

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"So what'd you do to the mayor last night?"

Emma frowned at Graham as he set the file down on her desk. "What do you mean? Dinner was good."

"Well that was just her on the phone. She called to make sure I would be attending our morning meeting this Saturday. She hasn't mentioned it all week, and yet now she does. It seems like something set her off."

Emma shrugged. "I just picked up Henry this morning." Emma ran over the conversation in her mind. "She asked me if I'd like to have dinner with her and Henry again tonight. I politely declined because of my date with August, but I…"

"Wait, hold on." Graham held up a hand to interrupt her, sitting on the corner of her desk. "The mayor knows you're going on a date with August instead of accepting her invitation to dinner, which I told you has never been extended to anyone else?"

Again Emma shrugged. "I didn't tell her specifically that I was going on a date with August, but it wouldn't surprise me if she's found out. There's very few things in this town Regina doesn't know about."

Graham chuckled. "Well that would explain it."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "Care to share with the class?"

Graham grinned. "I think Mayor Mills might actually be jealous."

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"Do I look okay?" Emma came down the stairs in a hurry and twirled in front of Mary Margaret. She had very little time to get ready before her date after a run in with Leroy had kept her overtime at the station.

Mary looked up from the couch and her hands clasped together, a look of joy crossing her features. "Oh Emma, you look wonderful."

Emma smiled and nodded. "Good."

"I'm so happy you're going on this date. It gives me hope that I might find love one day."

Emma's stomach dropped. Love was right under Mary Margaret's nose in the form of an animal shelter worker by the name of David Nolan. They should be together, they were **meant** to be together. But even though she knew this, she couldn't exactly tell her roommate to pursue a married man. She still had yet to meet his wife, Regina's best friend. She wondered how hard of a woman Katherine Nolan must be to be the mayor's best friend. Mary Margaret kept claiming she was friendly, sweet and all around lovely, but Emma wasn't sure how someone could be friendly and be best friends with someone like Mayor Mills. And if she was so friendly why hadn't Emma run into her in the two weeks she'd been here? Of course that could be because Emma herself wasn't exactly the friendly type.

"Are you sure you really want to go on this date though, Emma?"

Emma snapped out of her thoughts at the woman's words, her brow furrowing. "What would make you say that?"

"Well, it's obvious there's something going on between you and Regina. Don't you both owe it to yourselves, and to Henry for that matter, to figure it out before you start pursuing August?"

Emma crossed her arms defensively across her chest. "For one thing, August is pursuing me, not vice versa, and for another thing, Regina and I might never work this thing out. I can't stay celibate for the rest of my life just in case Regina Mill's might one day decide to pull her head out of her ass long enough to see the truth of the situation."

"I just…"

But the schoolteacher was cut off from saying anything more by a knock at the door. Emma rushed forward and opened it, revealing a dashing looking August, and for a moment, he reminded her of that boy on the shores of Lake Berryetta who she'd lost her virginity to. That boy she had wanted so desperately to be her true love.

He was dressed in dark jeans, not the usual ones he wore everyday, these were of a better quality and cut. He wore his usual t-shirt, but the casualness of it was offset by the suit jacket he wore over it. In his hands was a small bouquet of flowers, which he held out to her with a flourish. "You look beautiful."

Emma herself had chosen to wear a skirt that would normally show off her shapely legs, but she'd decided to wear tights. It was Maine in the late fall after all. And she paired it with a silk blouse that she normally wore to job interviews. She generally had one token date dress that she'd wear in such instances as this but she had yet to replace her last one from the night Henry had showed up on her doorstep. So this ensemble would have to do in a pinch.

She tried to hold back an eye roll as she heard a girly sigh come from the direction of the couch. She took the flowers with a smile. "Thanks. You clean up nice."

Mary was suddenly at her side, reaching for the flowers. "I'll take care of putting these in some water. You two go have a good time."

August offered Emma his arm. "Shall we?"

Emma took it with a nod. "Lead the way."

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Once she relaxed a little and allowed herself to enjoy it, the dinner was actually great. It felt good to smile and laugh. It threw into glaring reality the truth of how low the mayor brought her down. She was on the defensive all the time now, and it came through in her mood, even if she didn't realize it. And being in the company of her old friend and one time lover felt better than it should, considering she was in love with someone else. But there was a familiarity with him that she lacked with Mayor Mills. He knew her secret, and he was okay with it. It made conversation easier and more fun. She could get used to his company.

He walked her to the front door of the building that housed her flat.

"This was really fun Emma."

She nodded, smiling. "It was a good night. I enjoyed myself."

"We could do it again."

Emma pretended to mull it over for a moment though she already knew her answer. "I might be able to adjust my busy schedule and pencil you in."

"Sunday night?"

Emma nodded. "Sounds good."

He went in for the kiss before she even realized what was happening. Their lips connected and Emma felt that old familiarity. He was the same. She was the same. And they'd always fit together. It was pleasant and she let him hold her face to his and drag the kiss out. But the whole thing was tinged with just the tiniest bit of **wrong**. And after he'd pulled away, wished her goodnight, and left, she couldn't help that her mind went straight to the woman whose invitation she'd declined to keep this date. Did she have a wonderful time on her date? Yes. It ranked up there in her top three, and she'd gone on many dates in her life in this world, some for work, some for play. Would she have had a better time with her son and his cold mother? Yes. Even if she had spent the night insulting everything Emma was, Emma would never stop desiring her company. Maybe she was a masochist.

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She hadn't even realized she'd been walking until she looked up at the white house. The windows were dark, the occupants asleep. It was after ten and the mayor had work in the morning, Henry had school. She wasn't even sure why she'd come here. It wasn't as if she could rewind the night and choose to spend the evening with Regina and Henry. She opened the gate and walked up the walkway. It wasn't until she was about to knock that she realized this was the stupidest idea she'd ever had. They were asleep. Regina would be furious she woke her up and downright murderous if she managed to wake Henry too. And for what? What did she possibly have to say? Was she going to regale Regina with the details of her wonderful date like they were some high school girls giggling about boys? She shouldn't have come here. She turned to leave just as the door opened behind her.

"Miss Swan?"

Emma turned around, her guilt written plainly across her face. "Did I wake you?"

Regina raised an eyebrow. "I was already up. Are you drunk? What are you doing on my stoop at eleven at night?"

Emma shrugged. "I…I…"

"You what?" The brunette didn't even try to hide her impatience.

Emma looked stung by the woman's tone, and she was. "I had a really good night and the first thing I wanted to do was tell you. It's stupid, I know. We're not even friends."

Regina's brow furrowed and Emma couldn't tell if the look in her eyes was impatience or anger or what, but it wasn't the normal contempt. That was something she could hold on to.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come here. I'll see you in the morning Madam Mayor." She didn't even wait to hear the mayor's stinging retort. Her only goal was to get away from there as soon as possible.

Once Emma was gone, Regina went back inside and closed the door. She smirked. Breaking Emma Swan might be easier than she thought after all.


	23. Forget Me, Go Your Own Way

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: okay, first of all, to address some of the **anonymous** reviews posted regarding the last chapter. i'm all for constructive criticism, my writing would never improve otherwise, however, it is not my job to coddle you. if the story is heading in a direction you do not like, it is at your discretion as to whether or not you wish to continue reading. if she was in love with august in this story and had agreed to go on a date with regina, no one would be complaining, you wouldn't say "hey that's fucked up. she loves august but she agreed to go out to dinner with regina", no you would be like "yay, swan queen". a date is NOT cheating in my book at all (the kiss is explained to regina in this chapter), and i understand that i may have looser principles than some of my readers, so all readers please be advised that this story is written based on MY views and the experiences I'VE had. like evil, love is not so black and white in the real world and that is what i'm trying to portray. i'm apologize to those upset by the chapter, it has a purpose, and i hope you continue to read. that being said, i am a swan queen shipper and this is a swan queen story with a swan queen ending, no need to get your knickers in a twist. august is a means to an end, nothing more.

now as to this chapter. i hope everyone enjoys it. and as always, review, if you feel so inclined.

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**-Chapter 22: Forget Me, Go Your Own Way-**

For the first time since the stronghold, Emma awoke without a feeling of urgency. There they had been tucked away from the cares of the world, allowed to be themselves as if the rest of the world didn't even exist. It had just been her, Regina, and their broken down fortress. There was a part of her that longed for that simplicity, to just hide away. She could have left with Regina right then. They would have been able to slip away unnoticed. There would have been speculation among her subjects, rumours that the Queen had befallen some unmentionable fate when she'd ventured alone into the countryside on a mission for her father. Hadrian would have been secure in his rule, which was all he really desired anyway. But her father…he is what had stopped her from taking that path. He would have perished in Hadrian's care. Maybe not right away, but eventually Hadrian's contempt would lead to her father being neglected and eventually he would have died. The thought turned her stomach. She couldn't have let him die just to spare herself the burden of running.

What Emma did wake with however, was a feeling of dread for what had happened in Storybrooke. August had kissed her. She hadn't kissed back, but she also hadn't stopped him. Why not? It seemed so... wrong now. She felt dirty, unclean. It meant nothing. August, and the boy he once was, meant nothing to her. At least not beyond the bounds of friendship. Were Pinocchio here right now, she wouldn't even be tempted to jump his bones. She loved Regina, of that she was certain. A sigh from under her pushed the guilt to the back of her mind.

Regina was still asleep and Emma nuzzled her neck. She was still laying on top of her, their naked bodies pressed intimately together, just as they had been when they'd fallen asleep the night before. This was what she was fighting for… the freedom to wake up like this every day for the rest of her life. It was all she wanted.

Regina's eyes fluttered open at her attentions. The brunette was becoming so attuned to her every move, it was comforting. "Mmm… is it morning already?"

There were no windows in the room to indicate the time of day, but she knew they had slept in. She'd gone to bed so late in the other world after all and that was a surefire indication that she would wake up late here. "Mid morning I'd wager."

Regina hummed contentedly and closed her eyes once more. "Let's stay in bed all day. How does that sound?"

Emma grinned. "That would be wonderful. I could spend all day devouring you." She placed soft kisses across the brunette's jaw line until she reached her lips and captured them in a searing kiss. She grazed her tongue ever so softly across the brunette's full bottom lip and was granted entrance, her tongue sliding into the warm cavern of her mouth.

Regina moaned into her mouth and turned them over, pushing Emma firmly down into the mattress as she crawled over her and deepened the kiss. Her hands slid possessively over the flesh that they'd conveniently left uncovered from the previous night's activities. Her fingers lingered over the sensitive flesh of the blonde's chest, slowly stroking the soft skin, coaxing muffled moans from the mouth still attached to her own. The questing fingers slid a path from the valley between her breasts to her navel, the skin shivering under her touch in anticipation of her ultimate destination.

"Regina." Emma pulled free of her lips to let her head fall back against the pillow, her eyes slamming shut. The name was an exaltation coming from between the blonde's lips.

Regina's hand slid further south still until her fingers dropped to where they were most needed.

Emma arched into the touch, meeting it with a grateful sigh. Her hands tangled in dark hair and pulled the other woman's mouth down to hers. She got lost in the feeling of Regina's velvety tongue caressing hers and her skilled fingers filling her up until she thought she would burst. She moaned into the older woman's mouth as her body kept pace with the brunette's ministrations.

As her orgasm hit, Emma's mouth fell away from Regina's, her eyes opening. Green locked with brown and as her body rode the high, Regina's eyes acted as her gravity. It didn't dull the pleasure by any means, merely combined the physical gratification with the emotional one of knowing she was loved.

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She wasn't sure how many hours they spent wrapped up in each other. Regina was an entirely new experience from either Hadrian or even Pinocchio. The few times she had shared a bed with Pinocchio had been the fumblings of teenage desire. They'd been fueled by hormones more than love. Everything was rushed and exaggerated. It wasn't ever unpleasant or anything. He'd felt good inside her and at the time she'd thought that was all sex was, just a good feeling here and there. Hadrian had done nothing to change her mind on the matter either. Her husband was all together quite a boring lover. Not that she'd ever encouraged him to be any more adventurous in the bed chamber. He'd show up once a week and they'd get on with it. It was almost a chore, and the longer they were married, the more of a burden it became. Neither man could even come close to the skill with which Regina moved inside her. It was as if she'd never been touched before. And even beyond the physical compatibility, there was something so much deeper. She could have spent the entire day in Regina's arms, without noise, just existing together. She'd never spent a moment with Hadrian in their entire marriage that didn't serve some purpose. She could never just **be** with him.

The brunette stroked her hair soothingly and she looked up at her with a sigh and a smile. "We've wasted most of the afternoon in bed."

Regina nodded. "I know, but doesn't it feel nice to have a break from all the running?"

"It does." Emma bit her lip.

Regina's brow furrowed. "And yet there's no relief in your eyes. Why do you look so unsettled?"

Emma shrugged. "Because it will not last. We cannot hide here forever anymore than we could have at the stronghold. He'll discover that we've gotten into Peppergrey eventually. Maybe not for days, maybe not even for weeks, but with time, he will come to know that we've slipped through his defenses. And once he does… Hadrian has quite the temper."

Regina pursed her lips. "I'd noticed."

"We can't stay here forever. He'll bring in spell casters. They'll catch on to the protection spells around this place like trolls to a coin."

"But we also cannot run forever my love. Not if we wish to be happy. Happiness is not achieved through fleeting days such as this one, stealing kisses and touches when we can, having no home."

"If you're unhappy I…"

Regina stopped stroking her hair, instead grapping her chin and forcing Emma to meet her eyes. "**You** are my happiness. Don't ever question that. My words were ill placed. I meant not to seem as if I'm unhappy with our current circumstances. They are not ideal but I have dealt with far worse in my time. I meant only to say that our problems will not simply forget us just because we continue to relocate. It was you yourself who told of Hadrian's persistence."

Emma nodded. "He will not stop."

Regina stroked a pale cheek with the backs of her fingers. "If you ask me to, I will run until my body gives out; I will hide in the darkest corner of the most obsolete cave. I will live in secret. But there will come a day when our backs are against the wall and we must stand and fight or face the end."

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"I never thought either of you would emerge." James looked up from the small dining table. He was fully dressed and freshly bathed, eating a bowl of nettleberries.

Regina stretched. "Yes well, we weren't. However, Emma's stomach wouldn't be ignored." She smirked over her shoulder at the blonde who just shrugged sheepishly.

Emma grabbed a few of the nettleberries from her father's bowl and popped them into her mouth, closing her eyes at the sweet juice from the small fruit. "I haven't eaten since night before last, I'll remind you."

"And you've been working up quite an appetite." Regina brushed an unruly curl of blonde hair behind Emma's ear and grinned at her.

A disgusted looked crossed James's face and he pushed the bowl of berries away. "There are some things a father should not know of his daughter's activities."

Emma glared at Regina, who just retained her unashamed smile. She sighed and took one of the wooden chairs next to her father.

Regina took the one on her other side, grabbing her hand under the table and entwining their fingers together.

Emma glanced over at her and smiled before turning back to the bowl of berries. Once she'd gotten down a fair amount, she turned her attention to her father. "So, what is our plan to get into the Forbidden Forest? Do we even _have_ a plan?"

James glanced at Regina, who then glanced at Emma uneasily. He looked at his daughter and nodded. "We have discussed it."

Emma frowned. She hadn't been a part of any discussion. But then again, she was asleep for most of the time they'd normally use for discussing plans. The rest of the day was spent riding. "So?"

"Emma, darling, Hadrian will be prepared for almost anything. He'll be keeping an eye out for trios and…"

The blonde Queen cut Regina off. "So we'll just sneak through one by one. That's probably easier anyway."

Regina shook her head. "Your father has already done some reconnaissance. There are spell casters at the gates. Hadrian knows that even if you somehow do get past his guards and into the city that your goal is to get to the Forbidden Forest. He's stationed the bulk of his guards there and they are screening everyone."

Emma frowned, looking between the other two occupants in the room. "Then how are we supposed to get past the guards undetected?"

James sighed. "We don't think we can."

"So what? We just give up? Wait here for them to find us?"

"No." James looked down at his hands and then back up into her eyes. "I'm going to allow myself to get caught."

Emma jumped up from her seat so fast, that her chair fell over backwards. She didn't care. "No! Absolutely not! There is some other way around this. There has to be! I will not have you endanger yourself!"

Regina used the hand still entwined with hers to pull Emma down into her lap. The blonde struggled against her hold, but after several moments of pointless thrashing, she finally gave up. She rested her head on Regina's shoulder. It suddenly felt too heavy to hold up.

"Hadrian would not treat me cruelly in public. I am still favoured among the people of this land. My rule is untainted. If he intends to do anything to me, we must return to the palace. If I can force the focus on me, it'll give you both a chance to slip through."

"I don't want to lose you too. I've already lost so much."

James smiled. It warmed his heart to know that, even after the less than adequate father he'd been to her, Emma still loved him. He had failed her so many times, but she had never lost faith in him. He could see easily in that moment why she was able to love Regina while he could not. Emma was a pure soul, one of faith in the good of people. It was a rare quality, possessed by precious few. "The Forbidden Forest is not my place. I would only slow you down. I have been there before and no one there owes me any kindness. You will move faster and farther without the hindrance of my presence."

"You're the only family I have left."

James cleared his throat, shifting uneasily in his seat. "Emma, your childhood was cut abruptly short by your mother's death. You turned to me after she was gone, and I should have stepped up; I should have been there for you, just as I should have been there for my kingdom. But I wasn't. That is a regret I shall carry with me for a long time to come. But the time to be what you needed then is gone. You are not a little girl Emma, you no longer need a father to hold you hand through the hard times." He glanced at the brunette. "Regina is all you will ever need, just as Snow was for me. I don't know why she's your choice; I don't claim to understand love and it is madness to try, believe me, I know. But if you have with her what I had with your mother, then you **need** to do this. You need to make this sacrifice. I need to stay. Because true love, when it's pure… well, there's no greater treasure, no more powerful magic than that. _Protect_ it Emma, at all costs. Because it's the only thing in life worth fighting for."

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She stared out at the little courtyard from her seat by the window. Facing the truth of a difficult situation was never going to be easy. She didn't like the plan, it left a sour taste in her mouth. But she also knew that it was their best shot. It was the first move she believed Hadrian wouldn't anticipate. He believed in the valiancy of Kinghood. A King was brave and courageous and just, above all else. He never surrendered unless it was for the good of all his people. He would see James's surrender as a weakness. But what he didn't realize was that James's act would be one of valor because he was surrendering for the good of his people. _Emma_ was his people.

He'd gone upstairs to his bed chamber, not wanting to stay at the table and have her possibly change his mind. They both knew she couldn't but, given the opportunity, she would have tried like hell. So he hadn't given her the opportunity. He'd left her there, still in Regina's lap with her heavy head resting against the brunette's shoulder.

She'd stayed like that until Regina had gone to draw her a bath. And then she'd found herself here, staring out the window at the enclosed courtyard, willing the sun to sink faster so the moon could rise. It was the first time since she'd awoken Regina from her crystal tomb that she'd wished for the other world. There were no surprises there. And for the second time in as many days, she understood Regina's dark side a little better. She hadn't been able to comprehend why Regina would want to make Storybrooke like the new Stepford. It was boring. But now she realized there was a certain comfort in predictability. Putting everyone in their roles and never having them deviate from the lines assigned to them. She wanted that right now. She _longed_ for that. She didn't want the complications right now.

"Come on my love." Regina was at her side and Emma took her extended hand and let the brunette lead her to the tub. She didn't object as the brunette undressed her, or even when she too undressed. She got in first and then motioned for Emma to once again take the spot on her lap.

Emma didn't have the energy or will to object and she sank into the warm water and let her body rest back against the brunette's as arms wrapped around her waist.

"It doesn't have to be this way you know." Regina kissed her shoulder. "You still have time to change your mind. You can return to the palace with your father and Hadrian. You could go back to your life."

Emma shook her head and leaned it back against Regina's shoulder. "I have no life without you." She turned her head enough to lean in and capture Regina's lips in a slow and gentle kiss. She pulled away, guilt colouring her features. "Everything is not how it once was. I'm not used to it. Pinocchio kissed me yesterday, in the other world. I went to dinner with him and he kissed me." She felt Regina's body tense against her own. "It meant nothing. I only agreed to go because I wanted something familiar. When I'm there, with your other half, I don't see you in her, and that scares me."

Regina's body relaxed, but she continued to frown. "It has crossed your mind to stay with _her_ then?"

"I don't want you for one second to think that I don't still choose you. I will sacrifice _anything_ to stay with you. I just…" She closed her eyes. "I don't want to lose everything familiar in either world. And I know that's what's happening here. I just got him back and I feel like he's abandoning me all over again."

Regina kissed her forehead. "He's not abandoning you, my love. He's setting you free."


	24. Pleasure That Made You Cry

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for the purpose of creative expression. not profit obtained.

A/N:: so i have been waiting to post this chapter for a while. it was one of the first three written for this fic, along with chapters 39 and 53, and those first three are some of my favourite chapters i think, can't really say since i haven't written everything yet. hope you enjoy reading this, it's kinda the turning point when things get just slightly less angsty, or at least that's the hope, but sometimes the muse has other plans. also might be in the market for a beta of my own. don't need one so much for the technical stuff (grammar etc) but might be nice to have a sounding board for ideas, cause lord knows all my mind is filled with these days is swanqueen ideas. looking forward to any reviews. much love to all my readers. you are all the best.

**WARNING**:: this chapter contains sexual situations that **for some** might border on sadistic. if you are uncomfortable with these themes, please do not read this chapter. reader discretion is advised.

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**-Chapter 23: Pleasure That Made You Cry-**

"Hey kid, you ready to go?"

Henry gripped his backpacks shoulder straps and nodded, heading for her car as had become their new routine.

"Good morning Miss Swan."

Emma turned to look at the mayor on the stoop, grinning at her like the cat that caught the canary. "Madam Mayor."

"Did you make it home safely last night?"

Emma narrowed her eyes. She couldn't tell if the mayor was mocking her, though knowing her she was, or if she was truly inquiring. "Yea, I did."

Regina nodded. "Maybe, over dinner Sunday night, you can tell me all the things you wanted to last night."

"Um, I think I have plans with August."

"You _think_?"

Emma shrugged. "He didn't tell me what time. It's just Sunday."

"Are you in a relationship with Mr. Booth then? Because I'm not sure I'm comfortable with you bringing a man into Henry's life without my permission. Especially since he has no place of permanent residence here, no job, and therefore, no reason to stay. What if Henry got attached and then he just decided to go back to whatever rock he crawled out from under?"

"A relationship? God, no, we're... we dated once, a very long time ago. I just like spending time with him. August and I would never work, I mean... he's not _you_." Her eyes grew wide as she realized what she'd just said, the confession she'd just uttered into the tension filled space between them. "I mean..."

"It's quite alright Miss Swan. I think I know what you mean. Perhaps another time then on dinner. I'll check my schedule and get back to you."

Emma was left to stare after the mayor as she disappeared back into her house and shut the front door.

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Emma strolled into work sans her usual morning coffee. She didn't need it this morning. She'd had a conversation with this Regina that hadn't ended in verbal bloodshed and she'd also got to the first safe haven on the road in the other world. Things could be better in both worlds, of course, but they could also be, and had been in the recent past, a whole hell of a lot worse. So she had decided when she woke up to take pride in the small victories while they lasted.

"You seem extra chipper this morning." Graham raised an eyebrow.

"I had a talk with the mayor this morning that didn't involve nuclear warfare."

"Does that mean I still have Saturday morning rendezvous duty tomorrow?"

Emma nodded. "Unfortunately for you, yes. I have no need of unexpected ambush time. So, good luck with that." She patted his arm patronizingly, and returned back to the police reports on her desk.

Graham raised an eyebrow but turned back to his office. "So, you're giving up just because she gave you a little leeway with Henry?"

Emma shrugged, not looking up from her reports. "I'm giving her a small break before I launch my next attack. She's earned that much."

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"Mid day coffee run?" Ruby raised an eyebrow as Emma leaned against the counter.

"Have my routines become that predictable already?"

"Pretty much." The waitress shrugged. "But don't worry, it's kind of hard not to fall into routine in this place. Everyone does."

For a reason she couldn't quite figure out and although they were not meant to, the younger woman's words upset her. She didn't want to just fall in line like all the trapped souls here. She was supposed to liberate them, not get trapped under the same spell they were.

The bell tinkled over the door and the prickling of the fine hairs on the back of her neck told her who it was without even having to turn around and check.

"I need a coffee to go. Quickly." The woman came to a stop beside her.

"Good afternoon Madam Mayor."

"Miss Swan." Regina regarded her appraisingly. "It's actually fortunate I ran into you here. I was going to call the station as soon as I got back to my office."

"What can I help you with?"

For some reason the question seemed to please the brunette and she smirked. "I would like you to come by my office this evening around six. Just some things I'd like to go over with you."

Emma shrugged. She knew there'd be hell to pay if she refused, and really, what else did she have to do? "I'll be there."

"Wonderful." She grabbed the coffee as Ruby handed it to her across the counter. "I'll see you then Miss Swan."

Ruby placed two cups in front of Emma. "What'd she want?"

Emma shrugged and looked toward the door that the mayor had slipped through just moments before. "Apparently we're scheduling my torture sessions now." She grabbed the cups and moved away from the counter, holding them up in salute. "Thanks for the coffee Rubes."

Ruby shrugged. "Looks like you're going to need it."

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Emma knocked on the door, mentally preparing herself for a fight. That's how it had been with Regina these past two weeks. World War III had come to Storybrooke and it was a bloody battle fought by the mayor and the deputy. Everyone was taking sides, and Emma had little doubt that she'd win this.

The door opened, revealing a smiling Regina. It wasn't her usual fake smile, but a predatory one. Her grin said 'I have the upper hand now' and Emma wondered what she could possibly have dragged up about her now that had given the brunette the confidence boost. "Ah, Miss Swan, come in. I've been expecting you."

Emma entered the mayor's office and watched as the woman shut and locked the door behind her. That was odd. Why lock it? It's not like she could trap her here. All she had to do to escape was turn the lock to unlocked and she'd be free. Not very practical if the mayor was intending on doing something to her.

"So, may I ask what's so important that you dragged me down here after hours?"

Regina walked around to stand before her. "I realized this morning that we may have gotten off on the wrong foot Miss Swan."

"Understatement of the year, but please continue, I'm **dying** to know more." Emma rolled her eyes.

"If your amicable to it Miss Swan, I'd like to turn over a new leaf. Maybe we could…_benefit_ from each other's expertise?"

Emma chuckled. "And what do you think you could possibly have that I might want? Henry? I thought we agreed he was off limits as a bargaining chip."

"Oh, he is dear. But I have something else you want."

Emma lifted her eyebrows, warning her to continue before the blonde got tired of the runaround and left.

"Me."

Emma shivered, closing her eyes. "I don't know what you mean."

She heard the punctuating tap of heels on the floor as Regina approached. She smelled the faint but intoxicating aroma of apples and felt hot breath on her ear. "I see the way you look at me Miss Swan. You covet what you cannot have. Unless of course, I feel generous enough to give it to you."

Emma couldn't move. She was frozen in place, a slave to her body's agonizing desires.

"Miss Swan?"

"Hmm?" She still had yet to open her eyes.

"I'm feeling **very** generous right now." Soft lips touched Emma's neck and she couldn't stop the small gasp that escaped her mouth involuntarily. She felt the brunette smirk against her skin.

"We're going to play a game Miss Swan. Would you like that?"

Emma felt herself nodding even though her head was screaming at her to get out while she still could. It occurred to her then that the lock hadn't been meant to keep her in, it'd been meant to keep other people out.

"This game," Regina placed another molten kiss on her neck, "is called Regina Says. All you have to do is do whatever Regina says. Understand?" She nibbled on Emma's pulse point, eliciting another gasp.

Emma nodded once again. "Mm hmm."

"Good." Regina pulled her mouth away. "Regina says take off your jacket and your shirt."

Emma opened her eyes. Slowly, she obliged, removing her jacket and letting it fall to the floor, then she pulled her tank top up over her head and let it join her jacket on the floor.

Regina's eyes roamed hungrily over her exposed flesh. She reached out, her hand burning a trail of fire across the blonde's bare skin. She reached around Emma, her fingers unclasping the blonde's bra with an almost precision skill. The bra joined the growing pile of clothes. Regina reached out and raked her fingers across the blonde's bare chest before dipping her head and closing her mouth over one of Emma's nipples. She lavished it with attention before switching sides, mindful of the other peak begging for attention. Finally she pulled away. Regina may have initiated this believing she had complete control, but she was starting to realize this might have been a bigger undertaking than she'd anticipated. The blonde tasted so good, so…**right**.

"Regina says get on the couch."

Emma stumbled over to the spacious couch and fell upon it. Regina followed at a more languid pace. She pushed the blonde down into the cushion. She unzipped her jeans and pulled them down and off, taking her boots with them. Her ruined underwear followed shortly after until she was left gloriously bare to Regina's hungry gaze. The brunette curiously didn't straddle her as she expected, but instead sat down next to her.

"Regina says open your legs."

Emma, always fearless, especially in the bedroom, obliged. Regina's hand slid up her inner thigh until it met her heat. Emma arched involuntarily at the contact.

"My my Miss Swan, you're so wet."

In response, Emma thrust down against her palm, urging her to give more contact.

Regina smirked. "Eager, are we? All in good time, my dear." She thrust two fingers into Emma's entrance without warning, causing a sharp intake of breath from the blonde. Emma whimpered and continued to impale herself on the brunette's fingers. Without preamble Regina added a third finger. Emma didn't object; she couldn't even form a coherent thought.

She felt herself building, coming dangerously close to the edge. "I'm coming Regina." And then it all stopped when Regina's fingers slipped from her and nails found her clit, squeezing inward and effectively pinching off all the nerve endings. Emma cried out. It wasn't painful, just a shock. Like spending an hour in the hot tub and then jumping into the pool.

"Don't you **dare**," Regina whispered through clenched teeth. "I never said Regina Says. You don't get off until I say you can get off. Do you understand me?" Her eyes burned dark and hot. She was aroused, Emma could tell.

Emma could do nothing but nod in the face of Regina's warning. The pinched nerves between her legs was starting to border on uncomfortable and she was desperate for the brunette's hand to let go. And Emma realized this was to be her punishment for August. Regina had wanted her all along. Emma going on the date with August had displeased her.

"Good girl." Regina released her clit and finally crawled over her, straddling her open legs. Looking down into Emma's eyes, the mayor once again thrust into her savagely.

Emma held Regina's gaze, trying to find something, some small thing to hold on to. If she could just find that small tether of her soul, the jagged edges where she'd been separated from the Regina in the Enchanted Forest, the Regina that Emma loved with every piece of herself, then maybe she'd be able to stand living in this world forever. She just needed that small glimpse of hope. But before she could find it, she felt her body start to clench around Regina's fingers once more, reacting involuntarily to the mayor's ministrations.

Anger crossed Regina's face and she once again pulled out, pinching off the nerves once more. This time it stung, causing a throbbing soreness to spread between Emma's legs. A few tears slid from her eyes and she struggled against it, but it only made the burning pain worse.

"I thought I told you no! Now, are you going to behave or are we going to have to stop playing?"

Emma nodded, her breath shaky. "I'll behave."

Regina released her, giving no pause before thrusting back into her. This time, Emma kept all her focus on controlling her body's reactions. She lasted through several minutes of the mayor fucking her with abandon before she couldn't manage any longer. She raced towards the edge, almost praying that she could get off before Regina even knew what was happening. But the mayor must have been anticipating her body's weakness because she slipped out of her, her fingers once again wrapping around the blonde's clit and squeezing it off.

This time pain surged through her, a sweet agony, and the blonde let out a choked sob. "Please, Regina, please. It hurts. I need to. Please. I'll do anything." She couldn't stop the words any more than she had been able to stop her body's reaction to Regina's thrusts.

The brunette smirked, releasing her, and entering her one final time. She leaned down, painting the blonde's collarbone with her tongue as she began to thrust. "Regina says come for me."

And Emma did. Hard. It was a wave of intense pleasure fringed with a sweet pain from the bruised nerves in her clit. She moaned Regina's name several times over, grateful that the brunette had thought to send her secretary home for the evening. She didn't want anyone overhearing how wanton she sounded in this moment of release.

She lay panting, Regina blazing a trail of hot kisses, from her navel up to her neck. And then the woman's face was hanging inches from hers, staring at her lips, her intent clear. But at the last moment before she dipped down to capture them, her eyes met Emma's.

And Emma saw it. The fringes of her humanity, buried deep, but pulled to the surface for this brief moment. She saw _her_ Regina and it made her want to cry out for a completely different reason. Maybe she could make them whole again, maybe she could actually have the best of both worlds.

"Tell me you love me."

The words were so soft, the barest hint of a whisper as they left Regina's mouth. The vulnerability had yet to leave her gaze. Her eyes pleaded with Emma. She needed to hear the blonde say those words. Her body was trembling slightly.

Emma stared deep into chocolate brown, deep down to the part of this Regina that she needed to hold on to. "I love you."

For a moment, a brief pause in time between them, that was enough.

Then the mask fell back into place and Regina's soulless glare returned. She drew away from the blonde. "I didn't say Regina Says Miss Swan. Game over. You can see yourself out." She stormed back over to her desk and fell into her seat, turning her eyes back to the paperwork she had yet to finish.

Emma glanced over at the woman. Slowly, she stood, reaching down and retrieving her jeans and pulling them on. She grabbed her boots and pulled them on too. She stood, walking over to the pile of discarded clothes, scooping them up. She grabbed her bra, clasping it behind her as she stared at the woman behind the desk who was effectively treating the situation as if she no longer existed. She pulled on her tank top. "If you think this means I'm going to tell you what I know Madam Mayor, you are very sorely mistaken."

Regina's gaze shifted up from her paperwork and she managed a look of surprise. "Oh, deputy, you're still here?" A smirk crossed her features.

Emma wished it didn't sting, but it did. She knew for certain in that moment that, just as with the other Regina, she was without a doubt in love with this one as well. She pulled her jacket on and tight around her as if it might somehow protect her from the knowledge. She studied Regina's face, searching for what she had seen earlier. And she couldn't find anything.

Regina sighed, appearing bored in the silence, and started to turn her gaze back to her paperwork.

"I meant it." She turned towards the door, not wanting to see the emptiness in those brown eyes at this moment when her heart was vulnerable. "I love you. I wish I didn't… but I do." She shrugged at the hopelessness of trying to hide from love and left the office without another word.

And Regina stared after her, feeling the gaping tear Emma's words had just gouged in her armour.


	25. Cause I'm A Gypsy

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for the purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: thank you for all the positive feedback. i stayed up last night to put the finishing touches on this chapter. the next is already ready to go, but after that i'm out of updates until i get to writing, which i plan on doing tonight. trying not to lose momentum while the creative juices are still flowing. updates on all other swanqueen stories are in the works. thanks for the reviews. i hope they keep coming. enjoy!

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**-Chapter 24: Cause I'm A Gypsy-**

"You look pensive my love. What's troubling you?" Regina sat on the arm of the armchair Emma sat in, staring once more out over the little courtyard to the gate on the other side that blocked the street beyond from view.

Emma shook off her daze and glanced up at the brunette, trying to offer a reassuring smile. "It matters not. I didn't mean to concern you."

Regina leaned down and kissed her forehead. "It matters to me." She stroked the hair away from her temples.

Emma looked back out to the gate. "I just thought I saw something in your other half that…reminded me of you. It got me thinking maybe I could keep you both." She shook her head. "It was the foolish hopes of a girl in love." She glanced back at Regina. "I told you, it matters not. I choose you." She scooted over to one side of the armchair and pulled Regina down into the small space beside her. She kissed her softly. "I love you."

Regina smiled. "And I love you."

Emma smiled sadly. That was the response she should have gotten from Mayor Regina. It was how it **should** be. It hurt. When she had first looked into Queen Regina's eyes the night she awakened her in her crystal prison, there'd been recognition. They'd both felt it, both known it, instantaneously. If that Regina was part of the same soul, why didn't she feel it too? Or did she? Was she just running from it?

"And the pensive look returns." Regina pursed her lips. "It's about her isn't it?"

Emma nodded. "We slept together… well, there was nothing really_ together_ about it. She… **used** me."

Regina nodded. "It's sounds like something I would have done. One's body can be a highly effective weapon when wielded correctly. A woman's sword is her looks." She sighed. "She'll continue to use it to her advantage. She'll find your weakness and exploit it. She may not know you love _me_… but she knows you love _her_ and she won't hesitate to use it to her advantage."

Emma raised an eyebrow.

Regina caught the look and shrugged. "I know her…me, and I'm going to help you."

Emma's face scrunched up and she looked almost in pain. "Why?"

The brunette bit her lip. "I don't like that there's a part of you that I don't get. There's a life you live that only she gets to see. I _hate_ it. But I know you love her. And I want you to be happy. Maybe if we can find a way to break this curse then you will have all of me and I may, for once, have all of you. It's possible there's a loophole in the prophecy."

Emma crawled into Regina's lap, curling against the older woman's body. It hurt her to think that Regina felt there was a part of herself she wasn't offering to the brunette queen. Was it true? Was she keeping a part of herself separate, saving it for the woman on the other side who treated her like something disposable and bothersome? She didn't feel as if she did, but she couldn't really be objective. "We need to research it. My mother did a long time ago. There were scrolls written about it. But they're all back at the palace."

Regina bit her lip in thought. "My mirror. If Rumpelstiltskin hasn't found a way to destroy him yet, he'll be able to help us." She ran her fingers through Emma's hair. "Don't worry, my love, we'll find a way to repair the worlds. I don't want you to sacrifice anything more to be with me. We'll fix this."

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"You've been hiding from me." Emma stood in the doorway of his bed chamber. He was by the window, drawing her face on a canvas as he always did when he was left to the prison of his own thoughts and memories. She came into the room to better see his artwork. "She made a sacrifice, just as yours. Look what the outcome of it was."

"Your mother gave up her life to end the war."

Emma scoffed. "War is never over until one side is completely crushed; it is merely delayed."

His jaw hardened at her words. They'd disagreed over Snow White's death in the days after they found out as well. Emma had always felt her presence on the battlefield and subsequent death to be unnecessary, but James had always been proud of going out fighting for something she believed in. "Did you come to my chamber just to insult your mother's memory?"

Emma sighed. "No, I did not. I came to thank you. It is still not what I want, but I know you do this for me." She put a hand on his forearm. "And I came to ask something of you."

He looked at her with tired, haunted eyes. "What is it you'd have of me?"

"Regina and I have to procure something from the city this afternoon, but after that we have nothing keeping us here. We leave on the morrow bound for the former castle of the Evil Queen."

"But Rumpelstiltskin possesses it now!"

Emma nodded. "I know. And he's the only person I know who has an intimate knowledge of the prophecy. We are going to try to gather enough information to circumvent the prophecy, to restore the halves to each other."

"So what is it you need from me?" He looked confused.

"I need you to stay alive."

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Emma couldn't turn from her reflection in the mirror above the basin. The violet eyes of a dark haired gypsy stared back at her. She was hauntingly beautiful, as most gypsies were at a young age. Her skin was a toasty tan and smooth, unmarred. Her bust peeked out invitingly from the top of her low cut peasant's dress (no doubt for Regina to gawk at when she felt the urge, though the older woman claimed it was for purposes of maintaining their little act). The bright purple of the fabric matched her bright eyes, a trait the gypsies were famous for. Regina's own eyes in the Madam Zolta disguise were like liquid bronze.

"You look…_delicious_, though I must say I prefer your natural grace to this illusion."

Emma gave a start as the reflection of a much older woman appeared next to her. "You better not call me delicious in public. You will give Peppergrey's citizens an adverse opinion of gypsies if they assume you're bedding me. Furthermore… it's rather creepy." She focused once more on her own reflection and smirked. "Though this little magic trick will add a whole new meaning to roleplaying in the bed chamber."

The reflection beside her smirked as well, though on the face of an ancient lady it looked more like a leer. "You know the plan?"

Emma nodded. "Fret not my darling. In the other world I am well skilled in the art of seduction; I am sure I can handle a few guards."

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The market at the heart of Peppergrey was unlike anything Emma had ever experienced before. The outdoor marketplace stretched for nearly a mile in every direction. Booths, carts, stalls all littered the entire square mile of vendors. She'd seen bazaars before in cities closer to the palace, but here there were vendors screaming over other vendors, calling to the people walking by to purchase their wares. There were merchants selling everything from flowers to handmade inks. She glanced around in wonder, her senses so overwhelmed she could barely think straight.

"Close your mouth dear. You're supposed to be a seasoned expert remember?" Madam Zolta whispered silently in her ear, her tone cautionary, but not unkind.

Emma was quick to school her features and she followed behind the elderly gypsy and her cart as they moved through the crowded lanes in between the booths. People stared back at her, squinting at the newcomer to their midst. She knew they got new people who came by everyday, but Regina had made her especially enticing, all the better to get the guards' attentions and she knew everyone at the bazaar had the same thought: _I would have remembered seeing her before_. She felt powerful under their gazes, the same power she felt at being Queen without the added pressure of being expected to act a certain way. She could give her gypsy alter ego any personality she wanted. She liked the idea of inventing herself from scratch. Regina had named her Velia, which meant one who is hidden, concealed. She liked it. Their story was that she had accompanied Zolta from the gypsy encampment because of her growing age; Velia was to take over the responsibility of selling the wares once Madam Zolta became too old. She had been at least in her fifties when last anyone had seen her, nearly three decades prior. Not many people would believe a woman now in her eighties to be capable of such a journey. She, Velia, was her granddaughter, the thought of which made her slightly sick to her stomach…. She had been in bed (doing activities other than sleeping) with her "_grandmother_" just that morning.

They arrived at the space where Madam Zolta placed her cart when she came to market.

"I can't believe after all these years, your spot is still available." Velia helped her start setting up.

Madam Zolta waved a wrinkled hand through the air, dismissing the younger woman's surprise. "I'm sure someone fills it when I'm not here, but once I pass through the city gates, they clear out quick enough. Ordinary people fear our kind child, remember that."

Velia smiled. It was odd hearing the thick gypsy accent come out of the old woman when she knew who she truly was. Regina had helped Emma practice her own accent this morning. Hers wasn't as thick given her younger age, but rather a sultry tingling high thing. She liked it. It was the first piece of Velia she'd created, but not the last. She'd gotten inventive with her backstory, the creation of her history, on the off chance anyone asked. She had been born of Madam Zolta's son, Milikos, and his wife, Ciana. They had been killed during the war in a battle that had swept close to the gypsy encampments. If anyone checked out the story for any reason, it would stand up to scrutiny. Their **had** been a battle that had come within miles of their camp and there was a fair gypsy maiden who'd perished named Ciana. Her mind had gone adrift with romantic scenarios of how her parents had died in each others arms in the midst of a battle but she'd been cautioned not to get carried away. Too much detail was just as suspicious as too little.

A little street urchin girl came sniffing around their cart, her dirty hands clutching a nearly destroyed rag doll, a long laceration across her cheek, freshly scabbed over. She couldn't have been more than five. Madam Zolta ignored her and continued to set up, but Velia crouched down to the little girl's level.

"What's your name?"

The little girl seemed wary at first, obviously unused to kindness, but at Velia's non-threatening smile, she finally relaxed a little. "Savya."

"Greetings Savya, I'm Velia."

The little girl smiled shyly at her, downcasting her yes and looking back up at her through long lashes. "You're pretty."

Velia beamed at the little girl. She put a finger under her chin and raised it until the little eyes met hers once more. "So are you." She looked around. "Are you here alone?"

The little girl nodded sadly and Velia's heart clenched.

"Where are your parents?"

The little girl didn't even have to say a word. She recognized the truth in the glassiness of her eyes. They were dead, or gone. Either way, Savya had no one.

Just then boots came into view beside the girl, formal and supple leather, she'd recognize them anywhere. The little girl squealed and ran behind Velia, burying herself in the young gypsy woman's skirts. Velia raised her eyes slowly and came face to face with the captain of Hadrian's personal guard, Killian, a despicable excuse of a man if she'd ever met one.

"I thought I told you to stop bothering the vendors you little trollop!" He was looking past her at the girl still buried in her skirts, hiding her face.

Velia saw his sheathed sword at his side, dried blood crusted across the hilt and it was easy to put two and two together. So that's how Savya's face got cut open. He'd **hit** her! She felt the anger surge through her. She would never have allowed this! So Hadrian was condoning the public abuse of a child now?

"Can I help you sir?" She reached behind herself and held the little girl protectively against the back of her legs.

Killian looked at her with an instant smile. He always had loved pretty things. "I'm sorry mi'lady. If you'll just step aside, I will get that street rat away from you and your business."

Velia narrowed her eyes. "I'd ask that you do no such thing sir. Savya is my daughter and I told her to stay nearby while we set up. She must have roamed off. I apologize if she caused any trouble, but I highly doubt she's done anything to warrant the attention of a Royal guard." She wasn't sure what had made her tell the lie. This would complicate their plan, perhaps ruin it altogether, but she would not leave little Savya in the company of the likes of Killian. He was prized by the King for his ruthlessness. He was known far and wide for being rather unkind when he deemed one unworthy. Unfortunately, he deemed all but a choice few unworthy.

"That… **thing** is your child?" He seemed taken aback and disgusted by the very notion.

Velia stepped forward, getting close, like a lover about to embrace her beau. "Please hold your tongue sir." It was bold, but she knew the Royal Army had no lawful standing here to regulate rules. It was only by the grace of the Small Council of Peppergrey that their occupation was even allowed.

He looked at her determined face and then down to the little girl peeking out from behind her skirts. "Yes… well, see that your keep that _thing_ on a leash." He turned and stormed off in search of some other victim.

The little girl immediately loosened her hold on Velia's skirts but she reached for the gypsy woman's hand, clutching her rag doll firmly with the other.

Velia crouched once more, looking at the little girl. She touched the scab lightly with her fingertips. "Did **he** hurt you? Is he the one who gave you this?"

Savya nodded.

Velia bit her lip and nodded. She smoothed down the girl's tangled hair. "He's never going to hurt you again, do you understand me? You're coming home with me." She placed a kiss on the girl's dirty forehead before getting up. She turned to find Madam Zolta staring at her. She couldn't tell if she was angry or proud, or a mixture of both.

"You do realize this will set us back dear?"

Velia nodded. "It doesn't matter. I know what she's going through." She stared off in the direction Killian had stormed away. "I won't let her suffer the same fate I did."

Madam Zolta studied her for several long moments. Finally, she nodded. "Come child." She held out a weathered old hand to the little girl.

Savya looked at Velia for confirmation and the violet eyed gypsy woman just nodded and gestured with her head. "It's alright."

The little girl dropped Velia's hand and traded it for Madam Zolta's.

The wise woman pulled the little girl to her side. She leaned down next to her. "Can you keep a secret?"

The little girl nodded her head enthusiastically, her eyes going wide at the prospect of knowing the secret of an adult.

Madam Zolta smiled. "Very good child. How about you go home with Velia and she will fix you lunch and then, when I get home after the market closes, I'll share a secret with you?"

The little girl glanced at Velia and nodded. She obviously trusted the violet eyed gypsy without question. Even living the life of an orphan on the street in a city like Peppergrey, she still had the hope for a better tomorrow in her eyes. Emma had still possessed it at that age too. The group home hadn't broken her yet. The breaking came later, just as it would for Savya. Velia held out her hand to the little girl. "Come on then."

Madam Zolta gave the little girl a push on her back and sent her into the younger woman's arms. As they departed, Velia looked over her shoulder and met liquid bronze eyes. She smiled and mouthed _'thank you'_. Then she grabbed the little girl's hand and set off back towards the magically protected safe house.

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When Madam Zolta arrived home several hours later it was to a different girl entirely from the shy one they had met in the marketplace. Velia had bathed her and put one of James's clean tunics over her small frame, tying it with a strip of leather like a belt around the waist so it didn't hang too loosely on her skin and bone frame. It was like a dress, reaching to the little girl's ankles, almost dusting the ground. Velia was brushing out her long dark hair, soft and straight, no longer the tangled nest it had been earlier. It was only now that all the layers of grime were gone that she saw Savya had dark blue eyes, like two sapphires gleaming out from olive skin.

"Look who's home!" Velia gestured to the newcomer.

The little girl slid off Velia's lap and rushed over, throwing her arms around the older woman, giggling.

Madam Zolta looked at Velia questioningly, but the younger woman just shrugged. "Welcome home."

The older woman smoothed down the child's hair. "Are you ready for the secret?"

The little girl nodded enthusiastically.

Madam Zolta nodded. "Okay, you know what a secret is, right? It means you can never tell anyone." She was taking a risk again. The last time she had trusted a starry eyed child, it had ended in death and heartbreak. Should she be risking it again? But the little girl was looking at her so genuinely that she threw caution to the wind. With a flick of her wrist, her disguise melted away. Regina was left standing where Madam Zolta had just been.

If the little girl was frightened at all, she didn't show it. In fact, the biggest grin lit up Savya's face and she threw her arms around Regina's legs, hugging them hard.

Velia got up. She cleared her throat and Regina waved her hand, leaving Emma in place of where the violet eyed gypsy had been only moments before.

The little girl just looked between them both, awe permanently etched across her face.

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"Finally, time alone." Regina crossed the room to where Emma was changing into a night shift. She wrapped her arms around the blonde.

"Where's Savya?" Emma sighed happily and leaned back into the embrace, resting her head back on Regina's shoulder.

"She's playing with James. He's quite taken with her."

"I am too." Emma smiled.

"You do realize we can't keep her my love. She'd have an even worse life with us than she'd have here. We can't take a child into the Forbidden Forest."

Emma frowned. "I will not leave her Regina. Not with the Royal Army here. You do not know Killian. He… is not a kind man. I will not leave her defenseless against him. Besides, she'll help make our escape from the city easier. Hadrian will be looking at everyone closely. I can guarantee he was made aware of your sudden reappearance after all those years away. It wasn't a coincidence that there were guards all over the marketplace. He'll have us followed when we leave if he's even the least bit suspicious. A child with us however? He'd never expect it. It might be the one thing that gets us out safely."

Regina had to admit, albeit grudgingly, that she had a point. The guards would suspect them less if they had a child in tow. "And once we leave the city and get into the Forbidden Forest?"

Emma turned in Regina's embrace, kissing the woman tenderly. "Fret not darling; I have a plan."

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Emma traced the lines of Regina's face in the dimness of the room. Their time together was drawing to a close for the day, she could feel it.

The door opened and Emma sat up, seeing a little figure framed in the gloom from the hall. "Savya, honey, what is it?"

The little girl pitter pattered forward, coming to Emma's side of the bed. "I'm scared. Can I sleep with you?"

Emma smiled. She picked the little girl up and set her between her and Regina. "Of course."

Savya snuggled underneath the covers and to the surprise of both women, cuddled herself up against Regina's torso. The brunette looked shocked for a moment before she let a small smile form and she relaxed.

Emma leaned forward and kissed the top of the little girl's head and then leaned up to kiss the brunette's lips before settling down herself and allowing sleep to take her.


	26. Leave 'Em Burning And Then You're Gone

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for the purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: thank you for all your continued support. i'm glad everyone liked savya, because she's gonna be around for a little bit. hope everyone continues to enjoy both storylines. enjoy and review.

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**-Chapter 25: Leave 'Em Burning And Then You're Gone-**

She paced the room. She had made sure to get up early in this world. After she had left the mayor's office the previous night she had immediately called Graham and requested to take his place again. She wasn't sure how she felt about the mayor seducing her and then delivering that crushing blow to her emotions. But the one thing she knew for sure was that she couldn't allow the mayor to screw Graham anymore. Not until she figured out what was going on. She had seen _her_ Regina in the mayor's eyes. It hadn't been some sort of sex-induced illusion; she had really been there. And she couldn't just forget that and go back to the way they were. She'd have to call August and decline his request for a second date. The thought of him showing up at her door with another bouquet of flowers and a smile turned her stomach. What had she been thinking? Yes, he was a part of the past that was tangible, and she certainly didn't want to lose his friendship, but it wasn't love, and it never would be. Maybe, subconsciously, she'd just done it to piss the mayor off.

The doorknob turned and she turned towards the door as it opened. Regina stepped in and hardly seemed surprised to see her. She shut the door and locked it. "Miss Swan. I had a feeling I'd find you here this morning. A little hypocritical, don't you think?" She set her purse down on the small desk and took off her coat, revealing her usual pressed slacks and collared shirt. She looked more like she was going to a business meeting than to have a sexual liaison.

"Hypocritical?" Emma raised an eyebrow.

Regina stepped into her personal space, already reaching forward and unbuttoning Emma's jeans. "I assume you no longer wish for me to sleep with Graham? And yet you have a boyfriend."

"He's not my boyfriend!" Emma pushed the hands that had just finished undoing her zipper away. How dare this woman assume she was just here for sex? That she was cheating on August? That anything had even _happened_ between her and August?

"Are you still going to dinner with him tomorrow?" Regina looked at her pointedly.

"I haven't canceled yet, but…"

"So you see, you **do** have one dear." She grabbed Emma by her belt loops and drew her close, her mouth attaching itself to her neck before she dragged her to the bed and pushed her down upon it, crawling on top of her.

"What no games today?" Emma bit her lip. She wouldn't moan. She refused to give the brunette the satisfaction.

Regina pushed her down into the mattress. Her hand slid down into the open fly of the blonde's jeans and into her underwear. She ran her index finger up the length of the blonde's centre. "You're still wet for me." She pushed up Emma's wife beater and kissed her stomach, still lean and toned despite giving birth to a child. "Do you want me inside you Miss Swan?"

Emma hated herself for giving in, hated the involuntary nodding of her head.

Regina smirked, looking every bit the Evil Queen Henry claimed her to be. "Good, because I plan to take you, multiple times before the morning is through."

This time the moan slipped through without Emma even realizing it. She wanted to hate herself for it, but she was too turned on to focus on anything else.

"There's just one thing I want from you first." Regina withdrew her hand, her index finger glistening with the collected wetness, and she stuck the finger into her mouth, slowly wrapping her tongue around it and drawing it back out.

Emma whimpered, the throbbing between her legs starting to become uncomfortable. "Just tell me and I'll do it."

Regina smiled. "Go down the hall to your boyfriend's room and break things off with him."

Emma's jaw dropped. "_Right now_? Can't I do it after?"

Regina shook her head. "Forgive me dear if I don't trust you to hold up your end of the bargain. People will say anything to get off. You could be feeding me empty promises and I won't have that." She slid off Emma's lap. "Now go break things off with him or fuck yourself, it's your choice."

Emma sat up, her eyes narrowing at the brunette who seemed completely unfazed. "You're a cruel bitch you know that?" She yanked up the zipper on her jeans and buttoned them.

Regina raised an eyebrow. "I'm not the one wanting to be screwed by a woman while my boyfriend is just down the hall thinking our relationship is secure."

"He's not my boyfriend!" Emma stood with a huff.

Regina sat forward with a cold glint in her eye. "Then prove it!"

Emma turned on her heel and opened the door, storming down the hall to August's room. She knocked and when he didn't answer she knocked again, harder.

He opened the door with a confused expression on his face, just pulling on a shirt. "Emma, what's wrong?"

"I need to talk to you." She threw a glare over her shoulder at the room she had just come from and pushed past him into his room.

"Um, okay. What's up?" He closed the door and turned to see her pacing back and forth angrily.

"I haven't been entirely honest with you about the Enchanted Forest. I… I have someone there, someone I love."

His eyebrows shot skyward. "But I kissed you! You _let_ me kiss you!"

Emma ran a hand through her hair as she continued to pace. "I know! God, don't you think I **know** that?"

"Why?"

"You were my first… there. I cared about you, very much. If you would have been a Lord or a Duke or a Prince, I would have married you in a heartbeat. Given enough time, I probably would have married you anyway, regardless of your status."

"So, why didn't you?"

Emma shrugged. "Things ended rather badly between us. Then I met Hadrian and things went from there. But seeing you here, when you walked into the diner, it took me back. You were my first, and I can't forget that." She shook her head to clear it of the memories. "That's not the point. The point is I am madly in love with someone. She knows about the kiss. I can't say she's particularly happy about it, in either world, but she's forgiven me."

"She? Wait, she's in both worlds? So why aren't you together here? Or are you?" He looked completely confused.

Emma took a deep breath. Moment of truth. Would their friendship last past this? "It's Regina."

August looked as if someone had just socked him in the stomach. He stumbled over to the bed and sat down, running a hand down over his face. "Regina. As in maniacal Mayor Mills?"

Emma nodded, digging her toe of her boot into the wooden floor. "Yep, that's the one."

"But… if you know her in the Enchanted Forest… Emma she must be in her _sixties_ by now!"

Emma stopped pacing and looked at him as if he were the stupidest person on earth. "Really? **That's** what concerns you. Her _age_?" She rolled her eyes. "She's not sixty by the way. It's a long story, but she's the same age she is here, just a couple years older than me."

"But she's the Evil Queen there right?"

Emma sighed and sat down on the bed next to him. "No, she's the best person I know. She'd die to protect me and she… she'd do anything I asked of her."

August studied the far off look in her eyes. "You really do love her, don't you?"

Emma nodded. "More than anything in the world." She shrugged. "So now you see why I can't destroy the mayor to end the curse."

"Because you love her too?" He raised an eyebrow.

Emma nodded. "I do. I don't know if it means anything to her, but I would do anything for her just the same as for the Regina in the Enchanted Forest. I love them both because they are the same person, just two halves of one whole."

"Will you still go out for a ride with me tomorrow?" He held up a hand to stop her when it looked like she was about to object. "I won't try anything, I promise. I just want to know more about your life, and… my life I guess. My other life."

Emma nodded, smiling. She hugged him. "Thank you, for believing me, and for at least trying to understand."

He nodded. "I must have been something important to you for you to trust me with this, and I think I owe it to whatever we are in the other world to be open to your opinions about the Ev… about _her_."

She squeezed his shoulder. "Thanks Noch." She smiled at the old familiar nickname she had for him. "I'll see you tomorrow."

He nodded and walked her to the door, holding it open for her. "See you tomorrow."

She returned to the other room, now slightly relaxed. That had gone far better than she could have hoped for. She opened the door to find Regina lounging with a smug laziness on the bed, propped up on an elbow. She smirked when Emma closed the door behind her and locked it once more.

"I thought you were never going to return to me dear." She sat up. "Is it done?"

Emma nodded.

Regina grinned, victorious. "Good girl."

Emma shook her head, her eyes narrowing. "You really are a bitch."

Regina ignored the comment and crawled across the bed, getting on her knees and grabbing Emma's forearms, dragging her to the edge of the bed. She grabbed the hem of Emma's tank and slid it up the blonde's torso, pulling it off and tossing it away somewhere across the room. She wrapped an arm around the blonde's back and unclasped her bra. She grabbed the straps on her shoulders and slid them down her arms, tossing the garment somewhere in the vicinity of her tank. She leaned forward and took the silky skin of a breast into her mouth.

Emma bit her lip, her hands sliding through short brunette locks. Her eyes fell closed as the mayor nipped and sucked on the flesh of her chest. She pushed the mayor off her and down onto the bed, crawling over her. She attacked the flesh of Regina's throat as her hands went to work on the buttons of her collared shirt. When she had worked through the last button, she pulled the material apart, revealing a smooth abdomen, more toned than the one she'd scaled several times in the Enchanted Forest (most likely compliments of this world's addiction to exercise and the health movement), as well as the black lacy confines that kept the brunette's breasts from her view. She groped the mayor firmly, roughly through the lacy material of her bra, eliciting a hiss from the woman beneath her. She pulled her unbuttoned shirt from where it was still tucked into her trousers and pushed it off her shoulders, tossing it aside. Her hand traced a line down the mayor's exposed abdomen. The woman's eyes fluttered closed and she let out a whimper that sent a flash of arousal straight to the blonde's core. But as she started to unzip the brunette's slacks a hand wrapped around her wrist in an iron grip so tight, she thought her wrist might snap under the pressure. She looked up into brown eyes and the mayor shook her head, releasing her wrist after a drawn out moment. Emma frowned but didn't attempt to go below the mayor's waistline again.

Regina wrapped an arm around the small of the blonde's back and, in a stealthy move that impressed even Emma, flipped them around, pinning the blonde beneath her. She made quick work of the blonde's jeans and her underwear, discarding them off the bed. She took a moment to just sit back and observe Emma. The blonde was staring at her with a mixture of arousal, fear, and reverence. It turned her on immensely, but getting off with the blonde was not an option. She had come here to claim, not to be claimed, especially not by the likes of Deputy Emma Swan. The ample chest before her was heaving in anticipation of the coming assault, her skin already covered with the faintest sheen of perspiration. Her centre was a ball of desirous heat. She was straddling the blonde's hips, so she couldn't see the flushed skin, but she could feel it through the fabric of her slacks. With a smirk she ground down against the sensitive flesh, watching as the blonde gasped and green eyes fluttered involuntarily.

"Regina."

At the utterance of her name, spoke with such awe, the brunette's vision blurred over. She saw Emma Swan beneath her, but it wasn't the deputy. The bed beneath them was different, the blonde somehow different too. She looked much them same, but there was an air of… _importance_ about her that the deputy lacked and she was in a dress that could only exist in one place…. Her vision cleared just as quickly as it had clouded over. Had she just remembered Emma **before** the curse? But that Emma had looked the same age, which means that memory must have happened right before she enacted the curse. But how could she have known Emma right before coming to Storybrooke and not remember her? It made no sense. Regina's memory was long, her grudge against Snow White was proof positive of that, so why was she forgetting Emma? Had she cast some sort of spell to make herself forget before she'd brought them all here?

"Regina?"

Hands slid across her hips, pulling her from her musings. She looked down into green eyes, arousal now laced with concern. The blonde's love for her was showing again. She couldn't have that. She got up and looked around for her shirt. "I believe we've had enough excitement for one day Miss Swan." She saw her shirt blanketing the lampshade on the desk and made a beeline for it.

Emma sat up, her eyes wide… and slightly murderous. "You **cannot** be serious!"

Regina frowned, turning to level the blonde with a glare as she pulled her shirt on and began to button it. "I assure you, I never joke when it comes to bedroom activities."

Emma wanted to scream, pull out her hair, punch a hole through the wall, just something to release the ticking time bomb of frustration counting down to its detonation inside her. "What am I supposed to do about this?" Emma gestured down at her naked body wildly.

Regina smirked and fluffed her hair in the mirror before turning back to the blonde. "I am positive you know how to take care of yourself Miss Swan." She grabbed her purse and coat, unlocked the door, and opened it, giving the hallway (which was blessedly empty) a full view of Emma's nakedness. "Have a pleasant day dear." She started to step out of the room, but then turned back. "Oh, and Miss Swan? Since you're no longer committed to any Sunday night arrangements, I do expect you to be at my house for dinner at seven. I'm not accustomed to waiting for my meal, so please refrain from being late." She turned on her heel and disappeared down the hall.

Emma stared after her incredulously before getting up and shutting the door. She had half a mind to go down the hall and knock on August's door once more just to spite the cold woman, but she immediately banished the thought. She had the love of her life waiting on her in the Enchanted Forest, as well as her less savory half here. She couldn't do that to either of them. The kiss had made her feel dirty enough, but to actually sleep with someone else. She cringed at the thought. Reluctantly she ignored the throbbing between her legs to collect her clothes and slip them back on. Between the talk with August and the impending dinner with Regina, tomorrow was going to be a long day.

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"So, did you get what you wanted from the mayor?" Graham leaned in the doorway to his office, a lazy smile on his face.

He just barely had time to duck before the half-eaten bear claw came sailing through the space where his head had just been. He looked to the spot on his office wall behind him where it had struck, leaving a glaze splotch on the paint. "Well, she has that affect on me too, but I don't take it out on the wall."

Emma glared at him and dug into the pink box for another bear claw to replace the one she'd used as a missile. "So she makes a habit of getting you all hot and bothered and then leaves in the middle? I wish you would have informed me in advance. Would have saved me the trouble of wasting my time."

Graham raised an eyebrow as she took a larger than life bite, ripping the chunk violently from the rest of the pastry like a lion tearing chunks of hide off a zebra. "She left in the middle?"

Emma growled for an answer.

Graham frowned. "What did you do?" He ducked again as this time a jelly filled donut was shot his way. A raspberry splatter joined the glaze one on his wall. He held up his hands as she got ready to shoot another at him. "Hey, I didn't mean it like that. It's just… that isn't like Regina. I've done this fifty two Saturdays a year for God knows how many years…" He trailed off as the sheer number overwhelmed him and made his stomach roil. "I may not know Regina's hopes and dreams, or about her past. She doesn't seem fit to share that with me. But if there's one thing I do know, it's her bedroom habits. She never leaves until she gets what she wants from the other person, she prides herself on it. She's all about making you think you need her." He shook his head. "Something happened to her in that bedroom. Otherwise, she _wouldn't_ have left."


	27. My Destination Makes It Worth The While

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: another update. the next one is also ready to go. the muse is blessedly still delivering. keep waiting for her to throw in the towel, but so far she's taking it all in stride. thank you for all the favouriting and reviews. the support has been great. enjoy and review.

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**-Chapter 26: My Destination Makes It Worth The While-**

Emma awoke to an empty bed, the covers piled over her as they had been tossed away by the bed's other occupants when they had awoken earlier. She sat up and stretched, climbing out of the bed and heading for the door.

She heard the laughter before she reached the common room. She paused at the end of the hall to look into the room, where Regina and James were both playing with Savya. The little girl was sitting on James's chest, growling at him while he was laying flat on his back on the rug pretending to be terrified. Regina snuck up behind the unsuspecting girl and scooped her up to a chorus of squeals of delight. She swung the girl in a circle as they both laughed. Emma felt tears sting her eyes. This was how life was supposed to be. **This** was what she _deserved_ to have. But this would be short lived. Today, tomorrow, in a week, it didn't matter the time, they would have to leave this place. Her father would have to be captured by her husband, who was only growing crueler by the minute. Savya would not know this happiness on the road, not where they were going.

James stood and grabbed the girl from Regina's arms and began tickling her. She squealed and squirmed but didn't truly fight his hold.

It was then that the blonde's presence caught Regina's eye. She turned and, noticing the wetness in the blonde's eyes, she signaled to James to keep the little girl busy and she came to Emma, grabbing her hand and pulling her back down the hall to their bed chamber. "What's troubling you?"

Emma just shook her head and stepped into the woman's arms, burying her face against a strong shoulder. "I like it here."

Regina pressed her lips against soft blonde locks before stroking them soothingly. "It feels safe. But it is not home, and I think you know that."

Emma pulled away, shaking her head. "What is **home** Regina? It is not a place. Home is **you**. And you are here, are you not?" She frowned. "I want a family. I want to give that little girl what I couldn't give Henry; I want to be the mother she deserves. I want to marry you, the person I truly love rather than the person who my people see fit for me to love. I want my father to be a _part_ of my life not just a presence in it. Tell me, do I want too much?"

Regina grabbed her face with both hands. "Never. You deserve all that and so much more Emma. And you shall have it! We shall have it! I promise you. It will be ours one day. But not today." She leaned in and pressed her lips softly to the blonde's. "Hate and anger seem formidable foes. They are terrible, ugly things that suck everything in their path into darkness. But their power is nothing compared to love. True love is the most powerful magic of all. True love weathers all things, time, distance, even death. It is the only thing in this world, or any other, that is truly immortal. And **this** Emma, this love we have… it is the _truest_ thing I have ever known."

Emma didn't know whether to laugh or cry at Regina's words. No one had ever loved her so much. She felt as if her heart were full to bursting, its seams stretched to the absolute limit of what they could handle. It strengthened her resolve that she would choose this world when the time came. Her time to be the mother Henry needed had already past, as had the time to have a mother of her own. It would be hard, but she would never choose to give Regina up.

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Velia waved at another guard as he trekked past, smiling and batting her eyelashes for good measure. She had yet to have one approach, but there were three who went out of their way to conveniently stroll down the lane that ran by Madam Zolta's cart every ten minutes or so. She recognized all three. Two of them were just regular guards, but the third was Radley, another one of Hadrian's personal guard. Unlike Killian, Radley had always been kind to her. He remained close to Hadrian because he had saved the King once as a boy from an arrow. Radley had a nasty scar across his right arm for his trouble as well as Hadrian's friendship. He was her ticket in.

Madam Zolta leaned in close to her ear. "If they don't stop doing such _unspeakable_ things to you with their eyes, I may not be able to maintain my composure much longer. You are **mine** and they want to trespass."

Velia smiled to herself. She had learned quickly not to focus on the outward appearance of the woman with her, but to picture the brunette instead. If not, it just got too weird. "Don't worry my love. I belong to you alone."

She stepped away from the older woman as she saw Radley round the corner and make his way towards their cart. Time for action. If he wasn't going to approach her, she'd just have to make the first move. She was a gypsy after all, a race known for their boldness. She stepped directly into his path a moment before he reached their cart. "Greetings sir. I was wondering if you might help settle an argument between two stubborn gypsies?"

He eyed her warily before finally giving a quick nod. "I suppose."

She gave him a bright smile. "Wonderful." She turned to the cart and grabbed two jars. She had no idea what was actually in them, but she knew it wasn't harmful, so she was willing to risk it. "My grandmother and I were debating which one of these oils is better on the skin. You see, this one is hers, she made it from nettleberry juice, abolt root, and rekcarc seed." She gestured for him to hold out his hand, which he did cautiously. She poured some of the mysterious liquid and rubbed it on top of his right hand quickly. "But this…" She picked up the other bottle. "This is of my own invention. It's made from Ixis stone, ground into a fine powder, kaltok plant oil, and a…" She leaned in conspiratorially. "Secret ingredient." She grabbed his left hand and poured some of the oil into his hand and slowly massaged it, taking her time to rub it in to every inch of skin, all the while batting her eyelashes and blushing flirtatiously at him.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Madam Zolta grip the edge of the cart so hard, her knuckles turned white. It sent a race of pleasure through her to see the subtle display of jealousy. She knew that under the disguise the brunette was seething.

"This one is, um, quite preferable."

She smiled, cheekily looking over her shoulder. "See grandmother, I told you." She turned back to Radley. "She never trusts my skills. It's why she won't let me come here on my own yet."

He inclined his head in a sign of respect to Madam Zolta. "Well, pardon me for saying so mi'lady, but I do believe you're mistaken in not trusting Miss…"

"Velia." The violet-eyed gypsy grinned.

"Miss Velia." The grin he gave her and the soft way he said her name let her know she'd caught him hook, line, and sinker.

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"Can I get you a drink mi'lady?" Radley sat her down at a bench at one of the empty tables, of which there were many, in the inn. Hadrian had paid the owner to clear most of the riff raff out while him and his men boarded there. A few regulars were still allowed inside on the recommendation of the owner that they wouldn't be bothersome, but all others were turned away until such time as the King vacated the city. It was this that had caused her need for seducing one of Hadrian's men. The lower officers and guards, since there was but limited room at the inn, camped at the edge of the city. But Hadrian and his personal guard had the run of the establishment.

She nodded. "Many thanks."

As soon as he disappeared, she surveyed the nearly empty room. There were several officers sitting in small groups here and there. A couple regulars had taken a far table. And then there was the man she was looking for, the only one sitting by himself. He was tucked away into a far corner of the room, barely visible behind some stacked barrels of mead. Perfect.

She checked to make sure the guards weren't paying attention to her and she got up, approaching the man's table. She slid onto the bench across from him.

He didn't look up from his tankard. "You seem to have found yourself at the wrong table."

"Quite the opposite, Huntsman."

He finally looked up at her, but his expression was one of boredom and annoyance. "I frequent the encampments. The fact that you know me _gypsy_, surprises me not. I** am** intrigued as to why I've never seen _you_ before." He didn't really look intrigued.

She placed her index and middle fingers of her right hand to her lips and then placed them over her heart.

He didn't repeat the gesture, merely smirked in amusement. "A loyalist are you? I thought your kind had long since faded out or gone underground. It matters not. I haven't been in the Evil Queen's employment in twenty eight years. Move on and bother me no longer."

"She had a feeling you'd be reluctant." Velia shrugged as if it meant little to her whether he cooperated or not. "She said, if you were less than cooperative, to give you this." She placed a vial on the table.

He reached for it, picking up the small bottle and uncorking it. He held it under his nose and immediately drew back from it, holding it away as if it meant him harm. A thin line of smoke drew out from the vial, dark purple in hue. It slithered to the Huntsman, sliding into his nostrils. A second later he winced in pain, clutching at his chest. His eyes grew wide and for a second Velia thought his heart had stopped beating, but he was breathing just fine. He stared at her with those wide eyes. "She's truly back?"

Velia nodded. "She is."

The Huntsman paled. "Gods save us all."

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The outdoor market was long closed by the time Velia left the inn, so she set out for the safe house. Radley had offered to accompany her back but she'd politely declined him with a kiss on the cheek. The last thing she needed to do was lead the Royal Army right to their position.

Once she entered the house the first thing she was greeted by was Regina's voice, speaking softly. The brunette sat in the armchair with Savya on her lap, reading to her from a book. Both looked up as she closed the door. Regina waved a hand and Emma felt that familiar tingle that indicated she was returning to her true form.

"How did it go?"

Emma shrugged. "As you predicted, I had to resort to the vial. But that did the trick."

Regina nodded. She leaned down to Savya. "Why don't you go wash up for supper my sweet?"

Savya nodded, kissed Regina's cheek and slid down from Regina's lap. She ran over and gave Emma a quick hug before disappearing to go wash up.

Emma crossed the room and stole the position on Regina's lap that the little girl had just vacated. "Motherhood suits you."

Regina smiled. "I almost had a daughter once."

Emma hadn't heard anything about this. Her brow furrowed in confusion. "What happened to her?"

Regina smirked. "I fell into a deep sleep, she grew older, and one day, she came for me."

Emma frowned, trying to piece it together, and then the realization hit her. "Surely you can't mean** me**?"

Regina nodded. "I knew I wanted you from the moment I saw you in that crib. I wanted to enfold you in my arms and protect you from everything bad in the world. I loved you even then, though I didn't realize what that meant at the time. I had long thought myself unable to ever love again. I couldn't see past me, until I saw _you_."

Emma leaned in and captured the older woman's lips, her hand cupping the woman's cheek and drawing her face closer to prolong the kiss.

When they finally broke apart, Regina's eyes were closed. She sucked her full lower lip into her mouth and let out a contented sigh before opening them. "I could live an eternity and never tire of that."

Emma smiled. "When I'm with you, I don't know how I survive each night without you. You are all I want." She was about to lean in for another kiss when a throat cleared behind them.

The women looked up to see James standing awkwardly at the far side of the room. "Supper is served."

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"You don't have to wait with me. It's late." Regina rubbed her arms to ward of the night's chill. They had a fire going but the hearth was on the far side of the room and they were glued next to the window, waiting for him to arrive.

"If I grow weary, I will retire." Emma wrapped her arms around Regina from behind, pressing her body against the brunette's back, trying to act as a personal space heater.

Regina leaned back into the embrace for a moment before she stiffened and pulled from the the younger woman's arms. "He's here. I can sense him. For now, you are not the Queen." She waved her hand and Emma became Velia. "Until we're sure he can help us, I will not have him know your true identity."

The was a soft knock at the door.

Regina moved to answer it but Velia held up a tan hand. "I'm the servant here, let me." She moved to the door and opened it, ushering the hooded man in.

"We're you followed?" Regina glanced suspiciously out the window.

"Come now Your Majesty, you know me better than that. Besides, I have a feeling the protection spell you have around this place would have alerted you to anyone with malicious intent."

The Evil Queen, for that's the air Regina had adopted like a second skin, stared at him in amusement. "I am pleased to see you remember so well even after all these years."

"How could I forget my enslaver?" He looked at Velia and her protective stance, at the ready to jump between him and the Evil Queen should he try anything. "I see you're still bedding the help."

The Evil Queen pulled Velia close, kissing her roughly and then pushing her away. "Servants have their purposes, don't you, my pet?"

She saw that Regina risked letting the apology fill her eyes before they clouded over to blackness, her only proof that this was all part of the show.

"I live to serve, My Queen." She downcast her eyes, like slave girls are taught.

The Evil Queen brushed her aside. "There's a good pet."

The Huntsman frowned. "I see twenty eight years has changed you not."

"Quite the contrary dear. It **has** changed me. It has made me hunger more for the vengeance that was denied me."

The Huntsman frowned. "But Snow White is dead or haven't you heard? Your vengeance was completed long ago."

The Evil Queen acquiesced with a small nod of her head. "It is true that the object of my loathing has been destroyed, but it has never just been about taking her life, has it? I wanted her _happiness_. My revenge is not complete yet. The former King… her beloved **Charming** is long since succumbed to the madness of his memories. Killing him would be to do him a service. No, I will leave him as he is… but there is a _daughter_."

The Huntsman frowned, his eyes widening. "You wish to kill the Queen?"

The Evil Queen laughed coldly. "I wish to complete what I set out to do decades ago." She looked thoughtful. "But first, I must take back what is mine. I hear dear old Rumpel has made himself at home for far too long. I think it's time I dropped in."


	28. When You Lose Something

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: another update. the next one is not finished yet, so you guys might have to wait a couple days. thank you for the continued support and reviews. they mean so much to me. enjoy and review.

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**-Chapter 27: When You Lose Something You Cannot Replace-**

The second Emma realized she was awake, she immediately wished she wasn't. She clung to her pillow desperately, trying to will herself back to sleep. She wished she could go back to the other world, but she'd even settle for just peaceful, regular sleep right now. Anything but _Sunday_. She wasn't sure which event she was dreading more, the inevitably long discussion she was about to have with August or what was most likely going to be the dinner from Hell with Regina. All she knew was she wasn't looking forward to either.

She trudged out of bed and showered. When she returned to her bedroom, her hair wrapped up in a wet towel with another around her body, she nearly jumped out of her skin at the sight of August sitting, fully clothed on her bed. She held the towel tighter to her, making sure she didn't have an unexpected mishap and give him an eyeful. "What are you doing in my room?"

August raised an eyebrow. " I was under the impression we had plans."

"We do… _later_."

"I don't believe I specified an exact time."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Exactly! When people don't specify a time, the other person doesn't then automatically assume butt crack of dawn." She walked over to her dresser, opening the drawers and pulling out fresh underwear, a bra, a tank, and a pair of jeans.

"It's not that early. Besides… you have plans with the mayor so I figured you'd want to get an early start."

Emma froze. "You know about that?"

August shrugged. "The walls are quite thin Emma. It's an old place." He scrunched his face up in the best impression of Regina he could manage. '_Now go break things off with him or fuck yourself, it's your choice_.'

Emma paled. "Oh my God, you actually **heard** that?"

August chuckled. "I heard everything. Including her ordering you to dinner tonight. _'I do expect you to be at my house for dinner at seven. I'm not accustomed to waiting for my meal, so please refrain from being late'_."

Emma rolled her eyes, trying to disguise that she was still embarrassed. "You been practicing that impression, have you?"

"I heard it makes blonde deputies go wild."

She slid her underwear and jeans on under her towel, then turned her back to him and let it drop, putting on her bra and then her tank. "I have a feeling she's going to eat me alive tonight."

He grinned suggestively. "I have no doubt about that."

She tossed her towel at his head with a scoff. "You're such a perv." She grabbed her brush, unwrapped her hair and started to brush it out. "So where are you taking me? Back to the lake?"

August shrugged. "Where do you want to go?"

Emma sighed. "Back home."

August looked somber for the first time all morning. "Don't we all?"

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"Do we still talk?" August skipped a stone across the surface of the pristine water.

Emma was sitting with her back against a tree near the water's edge, watching him. She shook her head, looking out at the water instead. "No, we don't."

"Was it me or you who broke things off?"

Emma sighed. "It was you. You waited until I got pulled back to this world and you left me in the middle of the night. I never saw you again after that."

His constant stone skipping halted. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry I left you like that. If I felt it was right to walk away, that's one thing. But to wait until the middle of the night and slink away. That's cowardly and you deserve better."

Emma was silent. She hated thinking back to the day Pinocchio left.

_"I will _not_ let you do this!"_

_"I control my own destiny Emma! And I have chosen this path. You cannot stop me."_

_She stamped her foot, knowing how immature she looked but hardly caring. Anything that would stop him from leaving, she'd do it. "I am your Queen! I command you not to go!"_

_He chuckled at her, dismissing her order with a wave of his hand. "You command me? How quaint." He rolled his eyes and turned for the door. "I will be back once I've…"_

_"I'll marry you."_

_Pinocchio froze just inside the door._

_"Stay and I shall name you my King." Emma felt tears at the back of her eyes, burning and willing her to shed them. She was not in love with him, but maybe some Princesses were never meant for love. Maybe true love was something for stories told at bedtime. He was her best friend. She couldn't let him do this. And if that meant marrying him, then so be it._

_He turned from the door. "Is that what you want?"_

_She bit her lip. "I want to keep you safe."_

_He stayed with her until she fell asleep, telling her of the great things they would do once they ruled the kingdom. By the time her eyes fell closed, she was actually starting to like the idea of Pinocchio as King. It was only when she woke up that Daniela had told her he had gone._

"So, you met your husband after I left then?"

She shook away the memory and nodded. "Yes. He reminded me so much of how a King should be. He was courteous and just and diplomatic. I knew he'd be best for the kingdom."

"But you never loved him?"

Emma shook her head. "No, not even in the beginning. I just assumed the love would grow with the passing of years. But it never did. I grew a certain fondness for him, but it was never deeper than that."

"Wow… you do realize how sad that sounds right?"

She let out a guffaw. And this was why they'd been friends. Best friends. She nodded, still laughing. "Yes, yes I do."

He grinned. "As long as you know."

She leaned her head back against the tree. "Oh how I've missed you."

His face fell into a soft expression. "I can't imagine it was easy for me to leave you. I can't believe I've never come back."

She looked up at him sadly. "I can."

"Why?"

Emma felt tears sting her eyes and she looked away. "Because you died."

_The guard looked tired, his armour bent and stained with the vestiges of battle. "My Queen." He fell to a knee._

_She fell to her knees in front of the soldier, not caring that it knocked her crown slightly askew. Screw the crown. "What news do you bring me?"_

_The man lifted his gaze to hers. "He fought nobly. He took out their general."_

_She beamed. "Oh Pinocchio, you fool! I knew he was too stubborn to lose. Why is not here to brag of his victory?"_

_The soldier frowned. "My Queen… he sustained a wound… an axe to the chest. I fear we lost him shortly after the battle was won."_

_Emma couldn't breathe, couldn't move. All she felt was loss._

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She looked down at her cell phone. Six fifty-five. He was going to make her late. She willed the bike to move faster. She knew it had been a bad idea to stop at that backwoods gas station. The attendant had shifty eyes and the pump looked like it hadn't been used since the nineteen fifties. And all because it was three cents cheaper than in town. Now she was facing the wrath of Mills.

They turned onto Mifflin Street and she could see the top of the big white house over the hedges. Almost there. She checked the time again. Six fifty-eight. Almost there. She unbuckled her helmet.

He pulled to a stop in front of 108 and she hopped off, tossing the helmet into his arms as she forced herself to walk calmly through the gate and up the front walk. She knew Regina was watching her every move from one of the windows and she didn't want to give the woman the satisfaction of seeing her panic. She stepped up onto the stoop, looking back over her shoulder at August. He made a whipping motion with his hand and she narrowed her eyes. She was not _whipped_!

Then Regina opened the door and she saw the smirk on her face. "Right on time Miss Swan. I'm impressed."

Emma bit her lip. Scratch that, she was so whipped.

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As she walked into the dining room, she noticed the table wasn't set. She raised an eyebrow and turned back to look at Regina. The brunette was leaning in the doorway, smirking at her.

"I thought we were having dinner."

Regina took a step forward. "I never said anything about you Miss Swan. My dinner just arrived." She pulled Emma to her.

The blonde didn't push her away but she frowned. "You are insatiable. Planning on finishing this time?"

Regina's nails dug painfully into Emma's hips, punishing her for her mocking. She leaned in, her tongue tracing the shell of the blonde's ear. "I can make up for it, if you let me."

Emma shivered. She couldn't help it. Regina was her drug. She couldn't walk out of this house now even if she tried.

Taking her silence for the acquiescence it was, she pulled Emma toward the stairs and up to her bedroom.

Emma looked around the room, remembering the last time she'd been in this room. She'd gotten undressed then too, though for a much more innocent purpose then. It seemed so long ago instead of the few short days it had actually been.

Regina pulled her tank up and off, then removed her bra, all with a practiced familiarity now. She set to work on Emma's jeans, sliding them and her underwear off. But to Emma's surprise, she did something she hadn't done previously. She reached around herself and grabbed the zipper of her dress, sliding it slowly down until the dress fell away down her body to pool on the floor.

Emma's mouth nearly started to water at the sight of Regina in nothing but her lingerie, lace as always; she'd expect nothing less. She reached out and stroked the delicate flesh, if anything about Regina ever could be considered delicate, of her throat. She leaned forward and replaced her fingers with her lips, kissing and nipping softly.

Regina surrendered herself to the pleasure for a couple more moments before she pushed Emma away. She looked pointedly at the bed, indicating that's where she wanted the blonde.

Emma fell onto the bed and was amazed at its softness. With how much of a hardass Regina was, she wouldn't have been surprised if her mattress was extra super firm, better yet, made of solid wood. But the mattress yielded to her body with a comforting softness.

Regina surveyed her prey for a second before lowering onto the bed and climbing over Emma.

As the brunette straddled her hips, Emma felt the damp heat protected by the lace between her legs. Her actions and her words may suggest otherwise, but Regina's own body betrayed her now by proving to Emma just how turned on she was. She grasped the older woman's hips and forced her to grind down against her stomach, smiling broadly at the involuntary gasp that fell from Regina's lips.

Regina smirked down at the blonde. "You are an impatient one, aren't you?" She ground down once more, suppressing her own moan even as the blonde beneath her groaned.

Emma thrust her hips upward in answer and Regina's smirk only grew. This lust the blonde had for her would only aide Regina in breaking her.

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Emma stared at the glass of alcohol in her hand, trying desperately to figure out her feelings. She had been at war with herself for the last thirty minutes since they'd finished. On one hand, she was getting physical satisfaction from this Regina. It was a step in the right direction to be sure. The mayor was obviously attracted to her, which could only work in favour of her ultimate goal. But on the other hand, there was an emptiness to what they were doing. Regina obviously was far detached from it; she still had yet to let Emma touch her intimately, just allowing no more than the light touching of her breasts or the kissing of her neck. She knew exactly what the mayor's endgame was. Make her fall in love with her and then obliterate her in one fell swoop. It was the deepest way to destroy a person and, sadly, the most common in this world. The ground of this world was littered with broken hearts and shattered dreams. No matter where one stepped, they were treading on the remains of some poor soul's hopes and aspirations.

"It's not magic whiskey Miss Swan. It won't tell you your future."

Emma looked over at the amused expression of the mayor, sitting on the couch across from hers in a silk robe, looking just as commanding as she did in one of her business suits. She sighed and downed the rest of her whiskey, setting the empty glass on the table between them and then running her hands up and down the denim covering her thighs. "When I was a little girl, my mother used to tell me about love and what it meant to be in love. She used to tell me that one day I'd meet someone, just like she met my father, and everything would just **click**. I'd sacrifice anything, do whatever it took to be with that person forever. I, ever the practical one in my family, always thought she was wrong. I stopped believing in fairytales the day she died." Emma looked down at her hands. "And then I met you."

Regina frowned. "Miss Swan, we hardly know each other. I don't…."

"How come you don't play anymore?" Emma looked back up at her.

Regina raised an eyebrow. "To what are you referring?"

"You taught me to play piano once. But I haven't seen a piano here. Why don't you play anymore?"

Regina shook her head. "That's impossible. I stopped playing when…"

It dawned on Emma then. Of course she would have stopped. "When you married the King."

Regina studied Emma for several long moments. "I couldn't have taught you piano Miss Swan. You would have been but a child the last time I played. There was only one child so young in my life at that time."

Emma nodded. "Snow White. You wouldn't have taught her. Besides, I highly doubt she would have had the patience. She never was very good at waiting for things that didn't come easily to her." She smiled softly at the memory of her mother's stubbornness. "But you did teach **me**." She closed her eyes and recalled up the memory of playing the piano with Regina in the ruins of the keep. Slowly, she began to hum to the music as it played out in her memory.

Regina closed her eyes at the familiar tune. She used to play it every night, it was her favourite, something personal, of her own creation, that she had never shared with anyone, not even Daniela. There was no way for Emma Swan to know that song, unless she spoke the truth. Which meant only one thing… Regina had used some kind of spell to erase the memory of Emma from her mind. The question was, had it been to protect herself, or had it been to protect _Emma_? "You know so much about my world, yet where do you fit in?"

The blonde frowned, her eyes opening. "If you were to ask me in the mornings, right after I wake up, I'd say in your arms. But by the conclusion of my day..." She shrugged. "I'm here to save you, to save them all. Not exactly sure how I'm supposed to go about doing that, but I know I have to try. What good is a life not spent fighting for a happy ending?"


	29. You Don't Have To Feel Safe

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: spent the morning finishing this. very happy with how it turned out. working on the next update. it'll be posted when finished. enjoy and review as always.

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**-Chapter 28: You Don't Have To Feel Safe To Feel Unafraid-**

"Good morning my love." Regina reached over and brushed a strand of blonde hair behind Emma's ear as the younger Queen opened her eyes. She was resting on an elbow, affectionately watching the blonde as she had slumbered.

"Well it is morning, that much is true, but I'm not sure I'd call it good." She leaned in and kissed Regina softly. "Where's Savya?"

Regina looked sad. "She's having breakfast with your father. He wanted to be the one to explain to her why he won't be coming with us. It's important that we be there today when it all happens and we need to make sure she does not call out for him. If they know that she knows him, disguises will do little to protect us from them."

Emma nodded. "Where will the Huntsman be joining us?"

"A league or so outside the city. It would be suspicious if he were seen leaving with us; they have kept him under close watch due to his connection to your mother. Word went out to Hadrian this morning that he left unaccompanied and your husband has let his guard down somewhat. We must make our own way out and meet up with him. Before we reach him I will drop my disguise, but leave yours. You will be Velia until I deem it safe. I will not risk any harm coming to you."

Emma smiled. "You're so protective of me, why?"

Regina sighed. "I have lost almost everything I treasured. Even as the Evil Queen, I thirsted for power, fear, admiration. My power is nothing compared to what it once was, though I feel it growing steadily. The fear and admiration is scattered among what remains of my followers. They are a measly remainder of what they once were. I am a woman long forgotten. But I look at you and I simply do not care. If I must lose everything else at the expense of keeping you, I shall gladly forfeit all that I have." She stroked the blonde's cheek. "Your value to me cannot be measured Emma."

Emma grabbed the collar of Regina's dress and pulled her over on top of her.

The brunette didn't object, moving her skirts to straddle the blonde's torso. She reached down and lightly grasped Emma's chin, stroking her thumb across the blonde's lower lip. "I feel as if I should be afraid of being so addicted to you, to your body, to your heart, to your **soul**. But fear is the last thing I feel when I look at you. Something just settles… **here**." She grasped one of the blonde's hands and brought it to the valley between her breasts, over her heart.

Emma looked at her hand, placed firmly upon the chest of the older woman. Regina's heart. It occurred to her that this was Regina's way of letting her claim possession of her, not physically, for she had done that many times since their first night together, but emotionally. The Evil Queen was relinquishing ownership of the one thing she'd spent the majority of her adult life guarding. It was all at once the most profound and the scariest thing Emma had ever felt, as her love for the woman, staring at her with such conflicted and contradictory emotions, only grew even more. She had to remind herself that this was not Regina as everyone knew her, this was a piece only she was allowed to see, and the knowledge made her feel special, important in a way even her royal title never had. She would trade being Queen Emma just to be simply Regina's Emma any and every day. Tears stung the edge of her eyes.

Regina dropped her hand to rub the offending wetness away before the tears even got the opportunity to fall. "What is it my darling?"

Emma shook her head, a sad and disbelieving smile appearing. "I was raised to believe in fairytales and true love. My parents were the quintessential example. All they'd been through to be together and find each other… how could they not be the prime example of true love at it's finest, proof that evil and darkness could always be kept at bay or even contained. But I never accepted a word of it. In the tales, what Princess ever suffered from a curse such as mine? I wanted to believe in their words, but experience can be a cruel teacher and in the other world, well true love doesn't really exist." She threaded the fingers of both her hands through Regina's. "And then, I saw you under that glass and I **knew**… my fairytale may have taken some time to catch up with me, but I was going to get one. You're my fairytale ending, my happily ever after. Whatever hardships we must face, it matters not, because I know where the story ends… and if the tales are anything to go by, the ending is always the most beautiful part, it makes the journey worth it."

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They were behind schedule. Savya had been inconsolable after James broke the news to her. It had taken an extra hour to calm the little girl down. Explaining to a four year old why she wasn't going to be seeing one of her most favourite people in the world anymore was not an easy task and it gave Emma a newfound respect for the years of single motherhood Mayor Mills had to go through in the other world. It couldn't have been easy, especially for someone wound as tight as she was.

But they'd finally eased her sorrows and Velia had scooped her into her arms and cradled her the whole way to the market behind Madam Zolta and the cart.

Savya played with her little rag doll next to the cart as Velia and Madam Zolta maintained the appearance of selling their wares from their little cart. Velia was just making a sale, of some of the very oil she'd sold plenty of to Radley the day before, to another guard when it happened.

"Get back here!"

They heard a crash and then several pairs of boots running in their direction. Madam Zolta stepped in front of Savya, blocking the little girl's view with her cloak.

James came tearing around the corner of the lane, running as if his life depended on it, which knowing Hadrian, it very well might. They'd discussed how this would play out but Velia felt her reluctance even as he approached the pre-determined spot. He didn't look at her, he knew better than that. She could feel Madam Zolta's eyes on her back, willing her to make her choice now.

"Stop that man!"

The guards shout seemed to break her doubts and she stuck out a booted leg. James hit it full force and went flying, landing with a heavy thud in the dirt. He grunted at the impact just before the guards caught up to him.

"King James, you are ordered to be detained in the name of King Hadrian for crimes of treason against the throne and the kidnapping of her Royal Highness Queen Emma."

The guards pulled James to his feet and he stared at Velia with nothing but contempt. Finally the glare was broken when they hauled him away.

The officer who had mentioned his accused crimes stepped up to her. "Many thanks mi'lady for your service to the crown." He pressed a bag of coins into her hand. "For your assistance in apprehending the crown's most sought after fugitive."

The gold felt like lead in her hand as she watched him walk away and knew she may have just had a hand in her own father's demise.

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"The Lady Velia, daughter of Lady Ciana and a gypsy of the Nixies River." The page boy stepped aside and allowed her to enter the large meeting room.

She stepped forward and curtseyed before the King. "Your Highness."

"Mi'lady." Hadrian inclined his head. "It is my understanding I have you to thank for the capture of the former King."

She blushed. "It was nothing sire, truly. I merely had an adequate amount of time to stall him so your guards could successfully apprehend him. I was a distraction, nothing more. It is your men who deserve the credit."

He studied her, rising from his throne and walking in a wide circle around her.

She forced herself to be still under his scrutiny.

Finally her walked back before her, stopping a few feet away. "You are a fair creature Lady Velia, has anyone ever told you that?"

"Beauty is the curse of the gypsies sire."

He smirked. "I don't doubt that."

She felt her skin prickle. Was Hadrian… _flirting_ with her?

If he was, he immediately dismissed the playful banter, letting it go no further. "My guard gave you some of the reward earlier, but here is what else is due you." He waved another guard forward who set a small chest at her feet.

She shook her head as she stared at it, wide eyed. "Sire, it is too much."

He waved it off. "Hardly. You have done me a great service. This is the benefit of my gratitude." He smiled. "I was also led to understand that your grandmother and your daughter are also in attendance with you."

Velia nodded. "Yes sire. We leave town this afternoon back for the encampment."

Hadrian shook his head. "No, you mustn't. I insist you have supper in my company this evening, all three of you. Share my table so that I may know you better."

Velia hadn't anticipated this. But to refuse would be madness. What excuse could she possibly offer up? So, instead, she nodded. "It would be a great honour to dine in your company Your Highness."

"The honour is mine Lady Velia."

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"We weren't supposed to dine with him!" Regina put the coins into the panel in the wall and magically sealed it over, making the wall look whole and unbroken once more. They would take a couple of the small handheld bags just in case they needed to purchase supplies along the way, but it would be suicide to take so much coin into the Forbidden Forest, where even with Regina's magical abilities, they'd be targets for looters and thieves.

Emma sighed. "And just what was I supposed to do Regina? **Refuse**? Oh yes darling, please tell me how I should have declined the King's offer because that wouldn't have been the least bit suspicious?"

Regina pursed her lips. "You're right my love. To refuse him would only have drawn his suspicions. But we must tread carefully this evening. He will be watching your every move, listening to your every word. He is paranoid my love. A few days in the city with not a word and out of seemingly nowhere your father appears, as if purposely delivered before him. He knows it was meant to distract. Or rather, if he's smart he knows. This invitation could be a cover to root out his suspicions of any involvement you may have. Either that, or he wishes to bed you, for which I can hardly blame him."

Emma took Regina's hands in her own and wrapped the older woman's arms around her, kissing her cheek. "If there is one person in this land that I've learned how to deal with, it is my husband. Ten years has made me an expert at faking it with him, and not just in the bed chamber."

Regina smirk fell into a scowl. "Can we pretend no one ever touched you before I came along?"

Emma nodded. "That will be easy since no one ever did, not_ truly_. There has only been you."

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"Ah, Lady Velia, your presence warms this establishment." Hadrian stood as she entered.

She curtseyed. "You honour me with your kind words Your Highness. May I present my grandmother, Zolta, and my daughter Savya."

Madam Zolta made no move to acknowledge the King's station, but Savya managed a lopsided curtsey, causing both women to grin fondly at her.

Hadrian held out a seat for each of them in turn, Velia to his right, Madam Zolta and then Savya to his left.

It was a different experience for her dining with Hadrian as Velia. Queen Emma had grown tired of the monotony and awkward silences that filled their dinners, so she had often spent them away in her own mind, musing over what was going on in the other world. But as Velia, she saw him like she did in the beginning, back in the days when their lives were still separate enough that they could talk about their interests and not utterly bore each other. It was refreshing, but it just reminded her that while he had been a suitable man, he had never made her happy. The topics, such as matters of diplomacy, that he talked about with such sparkle in his eyes, were of little interest to her. She found herself, on several occasions, staring past him to the little girl who couldn't seem to figure out which of the three forks went with which course of the meal, the conundrum causing much frustration in her four year old mind.

"Will you leave on the morrow then Lady Velia?" Hadrian raised an eyebrow at her as the dessert was served.

Velia shook her head. "We shall depart after dinner."

"So soon?"

"We weren't planning on staying in the city long, just passing through to visit an old friend."

Hadrian smiled. "The Huntsman. Have you known him long?"

Velia was surprised that he knew of her brief encounter in the inn with the man, but was not fool enough to show it. She noticed that beyond Hadrian's turned back, Madam Zolta had gone still. "He and I had a small affair years ago. It is of little consequence now."

"You bring your daughter to the city to visit an old lover? It makes me curious as to her origins."

Velia frowned. "She's not _his_ if that is what you're implying sire."

"Is she not?" Hadrian looked curiously at the little girl and then back at Velia and shrugged. "There is a resemblance there, but perhaps you just have a type."

It wasn't meant to be insulting, but Velia took it as such anyway. She turned back to her dessert, pushing the frozen pear concoction around on her plate, suddenly at a loss of appetite.

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It would be almost nightfall before they reached the Huntsman. Hadrian had kept them overmuch for supper, almost as if he was stalling. Madam Zolta was suspicious of a trap, Velia just believed the man loved to hear himself talk. But finally, they'd been allowed to leave.

The walked the cart towards the southern gate and the entrance to the Forbidden Forest. No one watched them go or eyed them suspiciously. The gypsies were a free race, not commanded by the laws of the city or either the Enchanted or Forbidden Forests. A long and arduous war, one that had left the gypsies nearly extinct, had been fought to earn the right to call themselves a free people.

There were two Royal Army officers standing in wait just inside the gate. They looked bored until they saw the small procession of women coming towards them.

"Begging your pardons, but I believe you've gotten yourselves turned around. This gate here leads to the Forbidden Forest. That's not a place for ladies such as yourselves to be going, especially not with night so close at hand." The right guard was a tall man, with a messy cut of bright red hair, his young face smattered with freckles all over his pale skin.

His companion was a buff brute of a man, standing well over six feet and muscular. He was also pale skinned, contrasting with his dark blonde hair and hazel eyes. A scowl covered his face but he said nothing.

Madam Zolta raised her walking stick and poked the younger red headed guard in his plate with its tip. "I have seen more of danger in the past month than you have in all the years you've been off your wet nurse boy. Gypsies do not fear the dark, they sink into its embrace, nor do they fear a forest for only its name. Stand aside or would you deny an old woman and her family passage home?"

The guard stared at her with a curious glance as if she were mentally handicapped. He looked to his more muscular partner, who studied the old woman in front of him. Finally the man spoke. "There is a place beyond the edge of the world where once we all were born and one day we will all return."

"Never shall I hope to see that place than on the happiest day of my life and I wish much the same for you." Madam Zolta answered him back with a challenging glare.

The muscular guard nodded. "Let them pass."

Velia waited until they were half a mile from the gates, already closed once more and far enough that even if she were to shout the guards wouldn't hear her before she spoke. "What was that?"

"There is a scarce known gypsy legend about a place beyond time and… well, and existence really that we all come from when we're born and we all go to after we die. It is told like a bedtime story within the encampments but hardly told to a soul outside." She frowned. "He was verifying our authenticity. Hadrian must have sent word."

"But if it's only told within the encampments, how did _you_ know of it?"

Madam Zolta frowned, a far off look crossing her eyes. "I spent some time with the gypsies once. I learned a great many things about them."

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Regina dropped her disguise after another mile. She looked back to Velia who had been pushing the cart and with a flick of her wrist the heavy load disappeared. "Graham has our horses. He'll ride Mary Brave until such time as his services are no longer required."

Velia nodded. She understood Regina's unstated meaning: don't get your knickers in a twist when you see Graham riding your father's horse.

Savya held her arms up to Regina and the brunette scooped her up easily into her long arms. "Shall we Princess?"

The little girl nodded and rested her tired head against Regina's shoulder.

Velia smiled at them. They made quite a pair, those two. Savya had taken to the Princess treatment quite easily, almost as easily as Regina had taken to motherhood. She was meant to be a mother and Velia was happy that if, when this was all over, they couldn't be together, at least she'd have that.


	30. What's The Reason We Can't Fall In Love?

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: sorry about the little bit of a wait on this update. been busy packing and dealing with family drama. already halfway through the next update so it should be finished sooner. enjoy and review.

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**-Chapter 29: What's The Reason We Can't Fall In Love?-**

"Morning Emma." Henry jumped down off the stoop and rushed past her towards the car. They hadn't even been at this a whole week and already the kid was acting as if this had been a daily occurrence for years. Emma had to admit that there was a shocking familiarity to it all, though she of course knew why. She was meant to be with Regina and as much as this "cursed" world wanted to fight against that, love was slowly winning, breaking down the curse's defenses little by little.

Regina stepped out onto the stoop. "Miss Swan."

Emma smirked. "Madam Mayor."

Regina didn't break character even though Henry had passed the hedge and was in the car already, beyond both visual and auditory range. "I have some paperwork I'd like you to look over. It's upstairs so we'll have to do it on my lunch hour. Will you be available?"

Emma seemed to mull it over for several moments though they both knew very well that she would respond in the affirmative. The rest was just to keep up appearances. "I guess I can manage that. Barring any emergencies of course."

Regina smirked. "Of course. Wouldn't want to have a cat stuck up a tree while you're otherwise occupied."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "I will see you at one." She turned and headed for the car to take their son to school.

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"What do you and my mom always talk about?" Henry stared at her from the passenger seat.

"Mom stuff."

"Like what?" His curious and slightly suspicious expression had yet to waver.

"Like about how much we love you and PTA meetings and what's an appropriate amount of television for you to watch in the evenings." She poked his ribs teasingly.

He shoved her hand away and rolled his eyes. "It doesn't seem like the White Knight and the Evil Queen would have much to discuss."

Emma frowned. Obviously he was not content to just let the subject drop. "I thought we established that I wasn't going to slay your mom?"

"But that doesn't mean you can be _friends_ with her!"

Emma sighed. "Listen Henry. I know your mom very well. We go way back to my diaper days and her… well, she was the same age she is now, but that's not the point. I know there's good in her. She's not who she used to be. And that's not just my cloudy judgment alright? I **know** her."

Henry crossed his arms. Obviously ten year olds were infuriatingly short sighted.

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"Where do you think you're going?" Graham raised a questioning eyebrow.

Emma looked at the jacket and keys in her hand and then back at him. "Um, to lunch."

"The diner?"

Emma shook her head. "The mayor wants me to look over some paperwork and I figured I better not do it on the clock."

"Do some paperwork? So _that's_ what the kids are calling it these days?"

Emma sighed and rolled her eyes. "As amusing as this line of conversation is, I need to get going."

"Wouldn't want to keep her waiting, huh? Oh how the mighty have fallen."

Emma narrowed her eyes at him.

He frowned. "For someone who disapproved of how I was being used as a plaything, you sure took up the torch readily enough."

"It's different for me."

"Because you love her?" He looked at her sadly, her sudden silence telling him that he'd hit the nail on the head. "Loving her means this whole situation means more _to you_, but you do realize it means the **same** to her?"

"What are you getting at Graham?"

He sighed. "Look Emma, I care about you. You're my friend. And you're also the only person in this town who's ever been able to stand up to Regina. You give us all hope. Just don't let your love for her destroy you."

Emma frowned, taken aback by not only his statement, but by the thought of it. Regina couldn't do that, could she? Sure, it was obvious that was what she was trying to accomplish with these daily trysts, but could she actually go through with it? "I'll be fine. I know how to handle Regina."

"I hope you're right."

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"Let's skip the pleasantries Miss Swan." Regina opened the door less than a second after she knocked and pulled her in, closing it behind her. "I only have an hour for my lunch and I do not wish to waste it on small talk." She practically pushed Emma up the stairs. Once they were in the bedroom, the brunette pushed her down on the bed. She kicked off her heels and stalked forward with a predatory grace, removing Emma's jeans with swift efficiency. She hiked up her own tight pencil skirt so she could crawl up and straddle Emma's lap.

The blonde groaned when she felt Regina's bare sex against the skin of her thighs. "You were prepared I see."

Regina chuckled. She ground down against the blonde's thighs. "I aim to please."

Emma rubbed her hands up and down the mayor's thighs, running her nails across the flesh. She wanted her and she could see in Regina's eyes that the brunette knew it.

Regina leaned down, resting her hands on either side of Emma's head to keep herself propped up. She scooted up just a little further until her centre made contact with the blonde's. It felt sinfully good and she couldn't stop herself from grinding down once more onto the body beneath her, eliciting a moan from the other woman almost identical to the one falling from her own lips. She wanted it, wanted Emma inside of her so bad that she had to use every last ounce of will power she hand to keep herself from reaching down and guiding the blonde's fingers into her herself. And that was precisely why it could never happen. She had to be able to control this. If she was the one doing the pleasuring, she had say over what emotions were involved, but if Emma were moving over her… if Emma were moving _inside_ her, she'd be unable to stop what she knew with certainty would happen. That look of… _love_, of unrestricted devotion, unconditional adoration… it would be in Miss Swan's gaze and in that moment this would become something more than fucking. And Regina couldn't handle something more than fucking right now. No, this must, at all costs, remain distant. She felt hands fumbling against her chest and looked down to see the blonde trying to unbutton her blouse. She pushed the hand away. "Not today."

Emma pouted, not looking truly hurt, but also looking like she might just refuse letting Regina taste her.

Regina reached down between them, running a finger along the length of her own centre, getting wetter by the minute. Maybe she wouldn't allow the blonde inside her, but she'd give her just enough to keep her interested. She smeared the wetness across Emma's pouting lips, much to the blonde's obvious surprise.

Emma sucked on her lips, cleaning them of Regina's essence before grabbing Regina's retreating hand and sucking on the finger early, cleaning it of what little remained. It wasn't enough to satisfy her appetite, in fact, it only increased her need for the woman ten fold, but it did cause her to acquiesce to the mayor's demands when she settled herself between Emma's legs and took her own taste. Her head fell back as the brunette's tongue dipped into her.

Regina's hands slid up Emma's thighs to her torso, slipping under the thin fabric of her tank and to her bra. She palmed the blonde's breasts through the fabric, cursing herself for not taking it off prior to this moment.

As if sensing the brunette's dismay, Emma slid her tank off and tossed it aside, reaching around to unhook her bra, all without so much as a jostle of her lower half. She grabbed one of the mayor's hands, splayed across her abdomen and slid it back up to her now exposed breasts.

Regina smirked against the deputy's sex as she felt the silky skin beneath her fingers. It felt good to have a lover as intuitive as Emma Swan was turning out to be. If she had taken her as a lover before the curse, and she was truly starting to believe she had, then she could definitely understand why. Emma read the little clues like an old pro. She was much more adept in the bedroom than Graham had ever been. He was adequate enough and, let's face it, hot as hell, but he was never quite what she wanted. Miss Swan however… Regina would never admit it outside the confines of her own mind, but when she was with Emma, she felt more connected to anything than she ever had before in her life.

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"Do you really have to go back to the office?" Emma couldn't keep the whine from her voice as she stared at the mayor, sitting on the edge of the bed. She herself was still laying with the sheets draped over her naked body.

"Don't tell me you expect a cuddle and an exchange of feelings Miss Swan? I thought we were past frivolous expectations like that."

Emma sat up, running her hand up Regina's back. "I want to return the favour." She leaned in and planted kisses along the column of the mayor's throat, nipping softly at the junction between neck and shoulder.

Regina shrugged her off. "Unfortunately for you Miss Swan, not all of us have the luxury of having so easy a job."

Emma rolled her eyes. It wasn't even that bad of an insult. Emma herself often complained about how slow paced her job as deputy was. Crime was extremely limited in a small haven town like this. Except for the occasional lock up of Leroy for his drunk and disorderlies, it was pretty much just a lot of rubbish bin basketball. "How come you won't let me touch you?"

Regina turned partially to face her. She reached out and grabbed Emma's hand, which she then forced into her shirt and the lacy confines of her bra. She sighed contentedly as Emma's fingers brushed her nipple and it instantly became erect. Finally, just as Emma started to play with the sensitive bud, she pulled the woman's hand back out. "See my dear? I have no problem with you touching me, when there is the time for it. But unfortunately, today, there is not." She stood and straightened her skirt.

"You know what I meant. Why won't you let me inside you?" Emma crossed her arms across her bare chest and stared up at Regina. "Every time we find ourselves in bed together, you're all over me, but the second I make a move to do anything for you, you stop me. Don't even try to act like you don't want it."

"And how do you possibly have any idea of my desires? Just because I wanted you back in the days before the curse, it means little now. You may remember me Miss Swan, but I do not remember you, which translates to me no longer wanting you quite like I used to."

Emma's brow furrowed. "You do, somewhere, hidden behind that wall you've put up around yourself, you do. You want me and it must be terrifying for you to not remember who I am, what I am to you. Am I just some peasant? Something you allowed into your bed because I'm a good lay, or am I something _more_? Was this curse about revenge, or was it about protecting something that you cared for?"

At this Regina laughed. "Protect? From what?"

"From yourself. You are the Evil Queen after all."

The tension hung thick between them, a tangible barrier between them. "That is precisely why you and I will never be more than a few stolen hours in the confines of a bedroom Miss Swan, because in your eyes, that's all I will ever be."

Emma was the one to laugh now. She shook her head. "That's where you're wrong Regina." She leaned in and despite the older woman trying to avoid the contact, she kissed her cheek. "In **your** eyes, that's all you will ever be. If you saw yourself the way I see you…" She shook her head, took a deep breath and then got up, gathering her clothes.

"If I saw myself the way you see me what Miss Swan?"

Emma looked at her for a long moment. "Then maybe you'd be able to forgive yourself enough to let someone in."

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"Where have you been?" Mary stood in front of her as she closed the apartment door, her arms crossed and her best scolding teacher look on her face. Unfortunately for her, it looked more cute than intimidating.

"I went for a walk to clear my head."

Mary frowned. "August called. He said he wants to discuss more of what you guys did at the lake, whatever that means. I told him you were probably still at the station. Which is the same message I gave the mayor when she called, however, she called me back to inform me that you weren't and then lectured me about keeping better tabs on my roommate."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Says the woman who doesn't know where her own son is half the damn time." She strolled past Mary and into their kitchen. "What'd she want anyway?"

Mary shrugged as she followed. "She didn't say for sure, but I think it was to invite you to dinner."

Emma scoffed. "Of course she wants to play nice now."

"Now?" Mary raised an eyebrow.

Emma sighed. "I told her I wouldn't be attending any of our '_meetings_' any longer."

Both Mary's eyebrows shot up to her hairline. "And how'd she take that?"

Emma shrugged as she opened the fridge and reached for a bottled water. "Not very well I'd assume. I don't know. I didn't hang around to find out."

"Well good for you. Knowing Mayor Mills, she was just using you anyway."

Emma sighed. "Yea, but at the same time, I don't know how else I'm planning to break through her walls. At least when we're sleeping together, she's forced to be alone with me. I get time, however brief, to chip away at her armour. Without that, what do I have? A couple seconds in the morning when I go to pick Henry up for school? It's not going to be enough."

Mary frowned. "Did you ever consider that maybe it's not supposed to be enough? Maybe you're not meant to break through to Regina. Maybe this is the universe's way of telling you that you're not doing the right thing."

Emma froze. What if that's exactly what this was? Maybe she wasn't supposed to reunite the two halves. Maybe this was the cosmos telling her that she was supposed to chose the Enchanted Forest and be done with it. Yet the thought of losing Mary, Henry, and even Regina Mills made her chest constrict painfully. Why did she have to love her too?

The phone rang, breaking her thoughts. She stared as Mary reached for it. "Whoever it is, I'm not here."

"Even if it's her?"

"_Especially_ if it's her."

Mary picked the phone up. "Hello. Oh good evening Mayor Mills. No, I'm sorry, Emma still hasn't returned home. Can I take a message?"

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Regina ground her teeth as she sat in her car, staring up towards the second floor apartment where she knew Miss Swan was. She'd watched her walk into the building not fifteen minutes prior. "Please tell Miss Swan, _when she gets in_, that if she'd like to take Henry to school tomorrow, I expect her at my house at precisely six thirty." She listened as Miss Blanchard assured her she'd give Emma the message the moment she got in and then hung up before closing her phone. So Miss Swan was avoiding her now? She'd just see about that.


	31. I'm Bound By The Life You Left Behind

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: another update. hopefully this will clear a few things up, but it might leave you with more questions than answers i'm afraid. such is the way my mind works. working on the next update, will post once it is finished. enjoy and review if you feel so inclined.

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**-Chapter 30: I'm Bound By The Life You Left Behind-**

Velia sat up on her bedroll and looked at the woman and little girl next to her. Regina was lying on her back, Savya strewn across her torso, her little face tucked against the brunette's neck. She smiled at the sight of her family, for that's what they were, sleeping beside her. Let them have their peace, at least for a few moments longer.

She got up, dusting off her peasant skirt and went to the other side of the fire pit where the Huntsman was using a hunting knife to whittle branches down into arrow shafts. She sat down on a rock beside him. "You don't like me much, do you?"

He was silent for so long she began to believe he wouldn't answer. Finally, "I don't care what you do with your life. Whether you owe her, or you just agree with her principles, that is yours to decide and I am not the man to school anyone on their choices. You do what you are wont to do. But _her_…" He tilted the half-made shaft toward the sleeping little girl. "This life may not be her choice. But she will grow up in servitude now. She will know no different than this and so she will believe this is life. You are robbing her of her choice. It is not surprising, but it is always disappointing." He began to work the shaft again.

Even though Velia knew it was a dismissal, she didn't move back to the other side of the pit. "Why did you do it?"

"She has my heart. I have little choice in the matter."

Velia rolled her eyes. "Not now. I refer to Snow White. I refer to the price of your heart. Why did you save a stranger?"

The Huntsman frowned. "There have been many times since I wished I never had. But I knew, no matter her crime, it was not justified. Life, while we are fortunate enough to possess it, is a beautiful thing. It should be revered, admired, never tossed away as if it means nothing." He glared at the brunette across the pit. "Some people feel it gives them power to take it from others. But with every life they take, a part of them dies too, until all that remains is an empty shell that consumes."

Velia didn't have to hear him say it to know he was giving her his description of Regina. "Maybe her soul was restored her. It's possible."

He scoffed. "Flights of fancy fall from your lips. Once a soul is gone, it is nigh impossible to return. If that magic exists to do so, not even the fairies have been able to find it, lest they would have restored her soul long ago."

Velia thought of their first true kiss, on the piano bench in that third floor room of the ruined keep. It had restored Regina's powers, in part, brought back her magic. "No one has ever been able to harness the power of true love. Maybe that was all it took to call her back from the void."

He had to throw a hand across his mouth to keep from laughing so loud as to wake the Evil Queen and Velia's daughter. "You think **you're** her true love. She has no true love. Nobody could possibly love a heart so black and in turn, a heart so black is incapable of returning any love that it may receive."

She chuckled to herself and shook her head.

He narrowed his eyes. "What? You think I do not speak the truth?"

"I think you believe you speak the truth. And maybe that is the truth for someone who's never felt true love. But I have to believe her soul's in there. I have to believe it came back. Because otherwise, what purpose do I have?"

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They saw nary a soul on the road the whole morning and well into the afternoon. The Huntsman seemed quite untroubled by this and even Regina privately assured her it was common. Thieves didn't generally stroll right down the lane, they were more fond of tactics of the ambush variety.

But Velia stayed worried. She wasn't exactly used to the Forbidden Forest. They were still a few days ride from the lowlands below the first Hex, but the Huntsman assured them they would reach Regina's old palace before the peak of night. What they were planning to do once they got there was still unsure. Regina was wary of Rumpelstiltskin after her dealings with him in the past. She wouldn't confess to Velia all of what she'd experienced in her meetings with the imp, but she could tell that he was among the Queen's least favourite people.

Savya remained utterly quiet. She rode before Regina on Starfire, nestled back against the brunette and stared around, not with wonder, but with recognition. She knew this road, this place. Velia took note of it, as did Regina, but neither could risk broaching the topic with the little girl while they were in the company of the Huntsman. He thought Savya to be Velia's daughter, and a mother would already know of her daughter's past. She'd just have to wait until they made camp before she broached the subject with the little girl.

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The woman in the white cloak had been trailing their party since they'd left Peppergrey. With the addition of Savya to their little troop, their progress had slowed considerably but they were still making better time than she could have hoped. They'd reach the former palace of the Evil Queen by the high point of night, if Queen Emma made it that long of course. One never could predict when she'd be pulled from this world and into the other.

As the group stopped near a stream to water their horses about a half mile south of where she was hiding, she decided to take the time to update **her**. She hopped down from the tree that concealed her to the forest floor, making sure to keep herself from the sight of the party she was trailing. She crouched near the stream where it curved away to the east. It had been several days since she'd been able to inform her of the party's progress.

She made a scooping motion with her hands and a spherical ball of water rose from the surface of the stream as if she had just scooped it out with her hands though she hadn't touched the water itself. The crystal clear spring water caught the afternoon light, glinting and reflecting the rays back as it rose. She stood with it, matching its progress into the air. Once it came to a halt over five feet from the surface it had just risen from, it began to expand out in every direction, its girth flattening out as it got taller and wider until it looked like the watery surface of a mirror. She looked into the glistening water, not surprised when the face appear on its other side as if there were someone standing on the other side of the water wall, but looking beneath her mirror, there was no body on the other side, just the reflection.

In the last sixteen years, Snow White had not aged. She still appeared to be in her mid-thirties, though she should be fifty or more by now. Her hair was just as black, her lips still bright red, her skin pale as the snow she was named after, her bright green eyes reminiscent of spring. She looked exactly as she had all those years ago when she'd ruled over the Enchanted Forest by the side of her true love, as she had when she'd been a mother to a vivacious little Princess. The only indication of what she'd endured was a jagged scar, marring the beautiful pale flesh of her face. The scar extended from her chin up, cutting across her mouth diagonally, extending across her right cheek just below her eye and up across her right temple into her hairline. Still, her beauty was unmistakable, though it may be argued that she was no longer the fairest of them all.

"My Queen." The woman in the white cloak bowed her hooded head.

The bright green eyes of the woman in the water mirror were distressed. "You've been late in contacting me. Tell me… how is she?"

The woman in the white cloak frowned. "I bear mixed tidings I'm afraid. Emma is safe for now, but it will not take Hadrian long to discover she has slipped past him. He is as clever as he is stubborn."

Snow sighed. "What she ever saw in him, I shall never understand."

The woman in the white cloak smirked. "There were worse choices, but there were also better. If only Pinocchio had survived the Battle of Hollow Station, he may have been in King Hadrian's place and all this running would not be necessary. But alas, that was not the will of Fate."

Snow pursed her lips. "Fate. She is quite the bitch, that one."

"That she is, but don't let her hear that." She glanced around. "They've made it to the Forbidden Forest, but we are still several leagues south of the Evil Queen's former palace. We'll make it there just after nightfall, before she goes back to the other world."

"I should have known they wouldn't pass without going to Rumpelstiltskin's. Even if they had decided to circumvent him, he would have found someway to draw her in. No matter, he can't do anything to harm her and he's unlikely to harm the Evil Queen either. He'll want her power and he won't kill her until he can find a way to get it. He never counted on the prophecy diminishing his power too."

"Even in his weakened state, he is still a force to be reckoned with."

Snow sighed. "How I wish he had been drawn into the war. Maybe the Red Army would have been able to take him out for me and I could have returned by now."

"The kingdom was broken and calling for change. Even Rumpelstiltskin's death wouldn't have improved the situation. Only your death was enough to satisfy the Red Army."

"And Charming…"

"You would have been proud my Queen. He sacrificed himself to see your daughter and her companions safely into the Forbidden Forest. I do not believe Hadrian will see him killed. He knows to do so would be cause for Emma never to return to him. It would certainly compromise his claim to the crown."

"It is not the best of circumstances, but he is safe enough for now. What of Emma?"

The woman in the white cloak glanced back through the trees. Though she could not see the party, she thought of the young blonde. "Her love for Regina… it is strong."

Snow closed her eyes as if she were fighting back tears and sighed deeply. "It is as I feared then. I knew that very first day, when she picked Emma up from her crib. The way she'd looked at her, as if she'd waited her whole life to look upon that face."

"Regina loves her deeper than she ever loved the stable girl. Her love is pure and true. She will die if it means seeing Emma safely through this."

Snow looked apologetic at the very thought. "Let us hope it doesn't come to that. Emma… does she feel the same?"

The woman in the white cloak nodded. "Her heart beats only for the woman once known throughout the land as the Evil Queen. She truly is the saviour she was prophesized to be."

The green eyed Queen nodded solemnly. "Who am I to argue with true love?"

"The prophecy grows weaker, I see the breaks in its strength more and more as the days pass."

Snow smiled. "Their love must truly be strong. Emma must have found Regina in that world. It is the only way. She's connecting with both their souls." Her smile only grew in size. "There is hope!"

"What do you wish me to do my Queen?"

"Continue to protect her. Rumpelstiltskin cannot harm her, and her love for Regina will keep the sorceress protected as well. But that will not prevent him from trying his best to manipulate her. _Don't let him_. It's in his best interest that the prophecy be followed to the letter. Make sure she does not linger there. Once Regina finds that her hearts are no longer there, I doubt she'll want to stay anyway. Make sure she makes it to the Forbidden Fortress. She **must** reach the witch. Maleficent is the only one who can bring my daughter to me."

The woman in the white cloak nodded. "As you command Queen Snow White." With a wave of her hand the water fell back down to the stream in a mini-waterfall, the face of Snow White instantly disappearing with it.

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They rode through the last grouping of trees before the Huntsman stopped their party with an arm. "We're on his lands now."

Regina's eyes narrowed. "We're on **my** lands Huntsman or do you so easily forget the one who you serve?"

He inclined his head by way of apology, but Velia noticed the curling of his lip. His opinion of Regina had obviously not improved with the decades, not that she could blame him. She would not be fond of a woman who had stolen her heart from her very chest without her consent. Although, now that she took time to think on it, that's exactly what Regina had done, in mind if not in deed.

Regina glanced over to her by way of asking what she wished to do. Should they proceed to the castle and call on Rumpelstiltskin tonight or should they make camp and tackle the task in the morning? Surely he was already aware of their approach. He would have eyes in the forest surrounding the castle he had bartered for. Was it even safe to make camp? Would he attack in the night when Emma was most vulnerable?

She gave a nod of her head to show they should continue on.

Regina turned her gaze on the Huntsman. "Let's go drop in and pay my old comrade a visit, shall we?"

He narrowed his eyes at her but said nothing as he spurred Mary Brave onward.

Regina rode over to Velia and passed Savya, who had fallen asleep a few miles back over to Velia's horse. It wouldn't do to have Rumpelstiltskin see her caring for anything. It would just be ammunition he could use against her. She would do whatever it took to protect the two women in her life. She would not lose one more thing that she loved. "Stay close."

Velia wrapped one arm tightly around the sleeping toddler, pressing the girl close to her body and nodded. She would also do whatever it took to protect the two most precious things in this world to her. She followed Regina's horse as they rode the last few miles to the castle gates slowly, on the constant lookout for any type of ambush.

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The gate was unmanned and the portcullis up as if begging them entrance.

"No guards?" Velia raised an eyebrow. She'd seen no one the entire ride. It was a curious thing.

Regina looked up at they passed under the gate. "A magical barrier. He knows we're here."

The Huntsman scoffed. "He's known since we crossed onto his lands."

"**My** lands." Regina's fist was clenched around the reins.

Velia rode under the portcullis and a terrible pain gripped her stomach. She winced and had to fight from doubling over, lest she crush the little sleeping girl in front of her.

Regina turned. "What is it?" And she saw then that the magical barrier was not meant to stop intruders from coming into the courtyard, it was designed to strip any spells away. Emma sat on the horse behind her, Velia no longer.

The Huntsman's eyes grew wide as he took in the blonde haired Queen. Then his gaze flashed to Regina. "You _used_ me to smuggle the Queen out of the land? Her husband will bring war down upon us!"

"Know your place Huntsman!" She glared at him, something dark flashing in her eyes.

"I hope you know the consequences of what you've done **witch**."

Emma saw Regina's hand flick dangerously as the older woman fought the urge to go to the dark place in which she'd resided in the years prior to Emma's birth.

"Ah, Your Majesty."

Both women looked up at the title, neither knowing which the man was referring to.

It was the first Emma had ever seen of Rumpelstiltskin. He was as many a traveler had described him. Small in stature, his skin a sickly and pallid green, most certainly not human, yet not definable as any other creature either. He held himself with an air of frivolity, like a court jester. His grin was somehow the most frightening thing about him, it told of secrets that only he knew. His hair was long almost to his shoulders and his eyes held a fevered, yet somehow sane gaze. She barely saw any trace of Mr. Gold, but she knew instantly that was the other half of him.

He gave an exaggerated bow. "The Evil Queen has come home."

"Rumpel." She didn't even deign to incline her head in his direction.

"And the White Queen, come calling to my doorstep? What a day this is. Come in dearies, the hour draws late." He turned without another word and out of the corner of the courtyard a woman appeared.

"I'll take your horses."

"Belle." Regina raised an eyebrow but did not look surprised.

The woman glanced briefly in Regina's direction. "Your Majesty."

Something akin to pain flashed briefly across Regina's face as she dismounted and handed off the reins to the woman. She walked over to Emma's horse and held out her arms for Savya. Emma placed the toddler into Regina's arms and the girl instantly curled herself into the brunette's embrace, even in sleep responding to Regina's touch. Emma dismounted and handed the reins off to the woman with a smile.

"Thank you. I'm Emma."

The woman's surprised eyes flashed briefly up to her and then downcast once more. "I know who you are Your Highness. It's a pleasure." She led the horses away without another word.

Emma raised an eyebrow, about to ask Regina after the woman that the brunette obviously knew, but she felt the tug. "Oh no."

Regina tensed as she saw Emma sway dangerously. "Huntsman."

Emma collapsed into strong arms as the other world called her back.


	32. Why Are We Pretending This Is Nothing?

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: worked really hard to finish this update today because i have no idea when i'll be able to post again. it might not be sooner than july 5 as the next two weeks will be seriously busy. but i may sneak an update in before then. we'll see. read and enjoy. review if you feel so inclined.

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**-Chapter 31: Why Are We Pretending This Is Nothing?-**

Emma picked up her alarm clock, the digital red letters glaringly informing her that it was six in the morning and she tossed it against the wall. Mary woke at precisely five forty-five every morning so she had no fear of waking her with the crash the alarm clock made against the wall as it broke apart. She'd need to buy a new one now, but stubbornly, she didn't care. She highly doubted anything important would have happened. Rumpelstiltskin's allusion about the hour growing late implied that he already knew of her condition. In which case, he would have expected her to be called back. But she had at least wished to get inside and curl up with her… queen and their daughter first.

A knock came at the door and Emma pulled her duvet over her head with a groan as it opened a crack.

Mary surveyed the broken pieces of plastic and parts near the wall and was quickly able to deduce what had happened. "Emma?"

"Nobody's home. Please return when the hour can be labeled as something other than ungodly."

Mary rolled her eyes and stepped fully into the small bedroom. She reached for the light switch by the door and flipped it on, bringing the gloom into startling brightness. "Time to get up. You'll be late."

Emma cried out in surprise and withdrew deeper into her blankets.

Mary reached down and grabbed the duvet, whipping it off the bed, and therefore the blonde, with a flourish.

Emma, currently curled up on her bed in the fetal position, opened one eye and glared at her roommate.

Mary shrugged, setting the duvet down in a pile at the foot of the bed, just out of the blonde's reach. "I'm damned if I do, damned if I don't. If I wasn't making you get up right now then later, after you'd miss the opportunity to take your son to school, you'd say that I should have insisted you get up."

Emma grumbled something incoherent. She knew Mary was right. She didn't get to spend much time with Henry as it was, not to mention how livid Regina would be if she didn't show up. She was already going to be mad enough when she found out that Emma was serious about putting the kibosh to their sexual rendezvous time. The mayor wanted to be fickle and distant, fine, Emma could be too.

She sat up. "Fine, I'm up."

Mary smiled. "I'll have coffee waiting." She looked at her watch. "Make that to go. You have to be at the mayor's house in twenty minutes."

"Thank God I thought to take my shower last night." She got up and went about the usual morning routine.

Seven minutes later she emerged downstairs.

Mary didn't even look up from the book she was engrossed in as she held up the travel mug.

Emma whisked it out of her hand on her way past and to the door. "Thanks Mary." She was out the door and down the stairs as fast as her legs could carry her, praying that her car would be agreeable and let her in on the first try today.

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"Miss Swan. Right on time once again. You're becoming quite good at keeping your appointments." Regina gave her that sickly sweet and entirely fake smile as she greeted her from the open doorway. Despite the early hour, she was dressed in her usual pressed slacks, tailored blazer, button up shirt combo. Ever ready to screw the world over.

"Morning Madam Mayor." Emma rubbed the sleep from her eyes, thanking whatever higher power was looking out for her that she'd made it on time. She really wasn't in the mood to deal with one of Regina's foul moods. Despite the fake smile, the woman seemed cheerful enough, for her anyway, and Emma decided she wanted to keep her that way. "Why the early hour?"

Regina opened the door wider and stepped aside, gesturing with a hand for Emma to come in. "I thought you might like to have breakfast with us Miss Swan."

"Breakfast?" Emma raised a skeptical eyebrow but entered the pristine house anyway.

"Yes breakfast. It is the most important meal of the day you know. Coffee, which I'm sure is your preference, is hardly an adequate replacement." Regina closed the door behind her, her hand slipping discreetly to the small of Emma's back, causing an involuntary shiver to race up her spine.

Emma pulled away with a jerk and frowned at her.

If Regina was dismayed by her reaction, she chose not to show it. She gestured towards the kitchen. "I was just finishing making it. Henry will be down shortly. If you'll follow me." She strode straight past Emma.

Emma sighed and followed. How had she known this morning wasn't going to be simple?

"You do like omelets, don't you Miss Swan?" Regina didn't even glance over her shoulder but somehow knew the exact moment she'd entered the kitchen.

Emma shrugged. "They're fine."

"What do you like in yours?"

Again Emma shrugged. "The usual I guess."

"I have mine with avocado, cheese, and bacon. Henry has just cheese. Which usual?"

"Henry's."

Regina nodded and tossed more cheese onto the omelet she was making.

Emma took in the egg whites, lowfat cheese, and turkey bacon. Poor kid, even breakfast was healthy. "Do you want me to set the table?"

"That would be very helpful Miss Swan. Thank you."

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Henry's fork slid across his plate with a screech as he scooped up the last bite.

Both Emma and Regina flinched at the sound.

"Go put your plate in the sink and grab your backpack. I don't want you to be late."

Henry nodded and, after depositing his dishes in the sink, raced out of the room. They both relaxed a little as they heard his little feet pounding up the stairs.

Emma had finished her omelet first. She had never had an egg white omelet and she had to admit she enjoyed it immensely. Regina ate much slower, half hers still remained. Emma reached over with her fork to snag a piece, but Regina slapped her hand away. Emma pouted.

Regina took the piece the blonde had been aiming to snag onto her own fork and held it up to the blonde's mouth with a quirked eyebrow.

So the woman wanted to _feed_ her now? Emma narrowed her eyes but she leaned forward, wrapping her mouth around the fork, tasting not only the flavour of the omelet, but Regina's mouth as well. She closed her eyes as Regina pulled the fork back out from between her lips. Emma felt some of the avocado at the corner of her mouth and she grabbed her napkin to wipe it away, but a hand on her wrist stopped her and then Regina was leaning over and licking the offending remnants away. Emma's eyes fell closed once more and she had to use all her will power to stifle a groan.

After a painstakingly long moment, Regina made herself pull back and resume eating her breakfast as if she hadn't just almost kissed Miss Swan. She'd gotten dangerously close to those lips. Just another inch over and bingo! She couldn't let this happen. She's wanted Miss Swan's body, and her heart, but not at the expense of her own. No, she needed to keep control of this.

Emma stared at the woman next to her. It was the closest Regina had come to kissing her in the whole time they'd been together. Like Emma being inside her, it was something she simply did not allow. Emma could easily guess why. It was the whole true love's kiss debacle. She reached under the table, her hand finding Regina's knee, the brunette not even breaking her even chewing at the contact. She slid her hand steadily upwards, sliding across the fabric of her trousers until she came to the apex of her thighs. She cupped the brunette through the fabric and only then did Regina even react in the least.

Regina set down her fork and knife and looked at Emma, finally giving the blonde her undivided attention.

Emma saw want burning in the mayor's eyes, a lust and desire so tangible that the air now seemed thick with it. It became clear to her then, just how much of an upper hand she had here. Regina may have started this thinking she held most of the cards, but her eyes were currently revealing her entire hand to Emma. She wanted the blonde, but a part of her was fighting it, a strong part, that's why she had yet to give in. But she'd break eventually, Emma could see it now. She went to remove her hand but was surprised when the brunette clamped her thighs together, effectively trapping it there. Pounding sounded on the stairs. Henry was coming back now. She looked at Regina in a panic.

The brunette just smirked and raised her eyebrows in challenge.

Henry came into the room and Emma tried to appear as nonchalant as one could possibly be with their hand pressed deliciously against someone's crotch.

"Emma, we're going to be late. It's already seven thirty."

Emma nodded. She used her free hand to toss him the keys. "Go get in the car. I'll be right there."

He looked between her and Regina suspiciously before nodding and disappearing back across the foyer and out the front door.

Emma's head whipped back to Regina. "Give me back my hand!"

Regina smirked. "Didn't your mother ever teach you not to start something you can't finish?"

Something dark crossed Emma's features and with a sudden burst of strength and willpower, she yanked her hand free. She grabbed her dishes and took them to the sink.

Regina frowned at both the sudden lack of contact and the sudden change in the blonde's mood. Had she really upset her that much by holding her hand against her? Wasn't this what she claimed to be wanting? "Miss Swan?"

"Screw you." She walked back to the table and grabbed her jacket. "Excuse me Madam Mayor, but I have to get our son to school and I'm already late. Thank you for breakfast."

Regina stood. "Miss Swan?"

"Save it Regina." Emma escaped out into the foyer, the brunette hot on her tail.

"Emma!"

Emma turned around just as she reached the door. "What?"

Regina's mouth opened and closed a couple times before, "You're upset." It was all she could manage to come up with.

Emma sighed. She heard the horn blare from her car. "I have to go."

"Tell me why."

Emma closed her eyes as she reached for the handle on the front door. "My mother never taught me anything. My mother was **taken** from me." She took a deep breath. "Have a good day Madam Mayor." She opened the door and disappeared out into the morning air.

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"You look like you got run over by a bulldozer."

Emma glared hellishly at the man behind the bars. "And you look like you got into a drunken bar fight with three guys half your age, oh wait, that's cause you did."

Leroy frowned. "Geez sister, who got your knickers in a twist?" He turned away from the bars and slouched back over to the little cot.

She was too upset to care that she'd hurt his feelings.

"Deputy Swan, can I see you in my office for a moment?" Graham leaned out the door of his small office and gave her a pointed look.

Emma sighed and trudged into the office. Great, as if her day wasn't already crappy enough, she was now going to get reprimanded by her boss.

The second she closed the door, Graham let out a heavy sigh. "What'd you do to Regina now?"

Emma raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "_Excuse me_? I didn't do anything to **her**."

Graham frowned. "This is the first time she has ever called me and asked from an impromptu meeting. She wants me to hightail it over to the bed and breakfast right now."

Emma shrugged. "What she chooses to do with her Tuesdays is none of my business."

"So you're not going to tell me not to go? You're not going to take my place?" He seemed almost fearful.

Emma shrugged. "I'm sorry Graham. I already told her I'm not sleeping with her anymore. If she wants to fill my absence with someone else, there's nothing I can do to stop her." She turned back for the door. "I'll hold down the fort, you go and… rock out."

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The door opened. "So nice to see you Mis…What are _you_ doing here?" Regina glared at the sheriff.

Graham frowned. "You called and told me to come?" He raised an eyebrow. Now he was getting in trouble for _obeying_ orders? Well this was new.

"I assumed Miss Swan would take your place." She shut the door.

"You two should really learn to communicate better. If you wanted Emma here, you should have just called her and asked her to come."

Regina rolled her eyes. "I don't want Miss Swan to know that I want her here."

"So you call and invite me in the hopes that she'll insist on taking my place to keep you from sleeping with someone else." Graham shook his head. "Do you realize how **twisted** that is? You two need to get over yourselves and admit you like each other."

Regina crossed her arms and glared at him. "I could care less about Miss Swan."

He stood and pulled her to him, kissing her neck.

Regina pushed him off with a disgusted look. "Don't _touch_ me!"

He nodded and smirked. "Exactly my point." He grabbed his jacket off the bed. "She cares for you Regina, more than anyone in this town ever has. I have no idea why since you treat her like crap. But when she even hears your name, she gets this far off look in her eye, like she's remembering a side of you that no one here has ever seen. She genuinely wants to see you _happy_, which is more than can be said for anyone else in town. Don't screw that up yea?" He grabbed for the door. "Goodbye Mayor Mills. I have a feeling we'll be seeing slightly less of each other."

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"Have fun?" Emma glanced at the coffee he plunked on the desk in front of her as if it were tainted.

Graham shrugged. "It was a nice meeting."

Emma face pinched into a look of disgust. "Figures." She glanced at the clock, got up and went over to the cell. She unlocked it and gave Leroy a pointed look. "Get outta here. And no more playing superman with the twentysomethings."

Leroy stalked past her, giving an unintelligible grumble in response and leaving the station.

She stomped back over to her desk and grabbed the coffee, knocking half of it back in one go like a shot of tequila. "I don't know why I'm **surprised**. Maybe I was hoping I'd mean more to her than that. Just proves how _wrong_ a girl can be."

Graham chuckled. "You both are the blindest people I've ever met."

Emma shot a glare his way.

"Regina wanted **you** to come. That's why she invited _me_."

Emma frowned. "I don't get it."

"The past two Saturdays, you've been there to spoil our meetings. I think she expects you to come whenever she calls for me. She walked into that room expecting to find **you** there. Something tells me whatever happened between you two when you picked Henry up for school this morning is weighing heavily on her mind."\

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"Good afternoon Deputy Swan." The mayor's secretary looked up from her desk.

Emma waved at the young woman, a pretty young thing with light brown hair by the name of Misty. "Is she alone?"

Misty nodded. "Shall I announce you?"

Emma shook her head. "No, I just need to speak with her for a moment. It's better if she doesn't know I'm here."

Misty frowned but didn't stop her as she stormed past her to the double doors. She opened them and slipped into the mayor's office, closing them behind her.

Regina looked up, her surprise evident on her face. She stood and came around the desk. "Miss Swan, what…"

Emma threw her arms around Regina's neck and pulled her into a hug. "Thank you." She felt tears sting the back of her eyes but she refused to let them fall. This wasn't about a tearful breakdown.

"Miss Swan?" Regina didn't hug her back, but she didn't push her away either, merely put a hand on her hip to let her know she was there in her own distant way.

"Thank you for not sleeping with him." She gave her a squeeze before pulling back and dropping her arms to her sides. Without thinking about it, she leaned in and brushed her lips across Regina's cheek.

"Miss Swan."

Emma stepped back. "I know. I know. I'll leave."

"Come to dinner Miss Swan."

Emma's head snapped up in surprise. "What?"

"I'm inviting you to dinner." Regina's face was giving nothing away, but for once the blonde didn't mind. In fact, it was almost comforting.

Emma nodded. "I'll see you at…"

"Seven."

"Seven it is then. Have a good rest of day Madam Mayor." She hightailed it out of there before Regina decided to rescind the offer.

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"You're home! Good!" Mary beamed from behind the counter. "I was thinking we could do Sunday night dinner at the diner. August, Ruby, Graham, and Ashley are going to be there."

Emma smiled. "As much fun as having dinner with my former best friend, my new best friend, her friends, and my boss sounds, I have plans already. But say hi to everyone for me."

"Dinner with the mayor again."

Emma's face pinched in dismay at the disappointment in Mary's tone. "Actually I have decided to join a traveling circus."

Mary rolled her eyes. She grabbed her purse and sweater from the edge of the counter. "Have fun."

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Dinner was a quiet yet comfortable affair, followed by some animated movie than Emma had trouble paying attention to. Every couple minutes she'd find herself stealing glances at the brunette until halfway through the film when she excused herself to go do the dishes. She wasn't interested in what they were watching anyway and it would provide adequate distance and therefore distraction from the brunette.

"You don't have to do that you know."

Of course Regina would follow her. She was stupid to think she'd be able to end this night unscathed. "I know, but I like doing it." She ran the sponge across the surface of the plate.

Regina's hands slid onto her hips and up her sides.

Emma allowed the contact because that was all she was going to concede to the brunette. She'd meant it when she told her their little trysts had to end. She needed to get her head on straight and sort out all these feelings and she couldn't do that and be intimate with Regina Mills at the same time, obviously. Her feelings, obviously one-sided, for the mayor were clouding her judgment, making her question her desire to choose the Enchanted Forest.

Regina moved her hair to one side and placed a kiss on the back of her neck.

Emma continued to wash the dishes as Regina's hands slipped under her shirt and caressed the bare flesh of her abdomen. Finally she set the last dish in the dry rack, washed her hands and wiped them off with a dish towel before turning in the embrace.

Regina smiled at her, pressing her back against the edge of the counter and kissing her neck.

Emma smiled, her eyes falling closed. "As wonderful as this is, I should say goodnight to Henry and be off."

Regina smirked against the skin of her collarbone. "Oh really? Do you have somewhere better to be Miss Swan?"

Emma was about to answer in the negative when her mind flashed to the long haired Queen and the little girl waiting for her on the other side of sleep. She gently grasped Regina's forearms and pushed her back. "I don't know if I'd say better, but just as important." She leaned forward and kissed Regina's cheek. "Thank you for dinner. I enjoy spending time with you, both of you. But I should be getting home."

Regina looked completely puzzled but Emma didn't have time to dwell on it. She swept through the den, placing a kiss on top of Henry's head. "Night kid."

He didn't look up from the screen. "Night Emma."

She grabbed her jacket and headed straight out the front door. It was time to get home.


	33. I'm Losing You And It's Effortless

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: everyone will probably be frustrated with the vagueness of this chapter and rumpelstiltskin's crypticness, but i promise all will be explained soon. working on the next update for this and all stories now that my birthday is over. enjoy this chapter and review if you feel so inclined.

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**-Chapter 32: I'm Losing You And It's Effortless-**

When Emma finally awoke, she found herself in a bed chamber. It was decorated in dark colours, though it looked more like something Madam Mayor would have decorated than the imp of a man whose palace she was currently in. The bed was wrought iron, four bedposts, one at each corner, extended straight up, their pointed ends just piercing into the ceiling. Sheer curtains hung from all sides, a deep crimson in hue, painting the room in a blood soaked haze from her vantage point. The sheets themselves were unsurprisingly black and high quality, only the finest for a royal after all. She drew the curtain to the side and slipped out onto a floor of polished black marble. The rest of the room and it's furniture was black or crimson with shocks of white here or there. It was decent in size, though the extra space was unnecessary; one look around the room told her that this room was not meant to be lingered in. It wasn't a sanctuary, merely a place for bed chamber activities.

She looked down at her attire. Someone… hopefully Regina… had stripped away her commoner's dress and put her in a simple night shift. She crossed to the armoire, hoping to remedy that. Upon opening it, she again found the remains of Regina's wardrobe, just as she had in the ruined keep. However, these clothes spoke of a different side to Regina. Where as the dresses and jackets in the keep had been in violets and light blues, various hues from all over the colour spectrum, as well as one black mourning gown as was customary for a person of noble birth to possess. Here, there was a slightly darker colour scheme, navy, crimson, plum, black… the most colourful attire being the items that contained bright red, but even that seemed more sinister among the other clothes. She grabbed a black gown, a little elaborate for her taste, but it would suffice, and changed into it. She went to the wash basin and cleaned up.

She exited the room into a large parlour. It was here that she found Regina. One wall was missing from the room, extending out over empty air to form a balcony. The brunette stood out at the railing, gazing down at the forest below. Emma walked up behind her and wrapped her arms around Regina from behind, pulling the older woman back against her.

"Is it once again morning, my darling?" Regina's hands caressed the arms that held her.

"Have you been up all night again?" Emma noted yesterday's riding attire. She placed a soft kiss to the back of the brunette's neck.

"I do not trust Rumpelstiltskin. I fear I will sleep little within these walls."

"Always looking out for me. My saviour. My Queen."

Regina turned and took Emma's face into her hands. "I could give you the same titles you know."

Emma smiled. She leaned in and kissed the brunette softly. She reached up and grabbed the hands holding her face, entwining their fingers together. She pulled the woman back out to the balcony, surveying the view for herself for the first time. A view Regina had looked out over many a time, a view that had seen her at her worst. "This place is another part of your history. It seems everywhere we go, you've touched it in some way. You lived so much." She tried to keep the regret out of her voice. By the time Regina had been her age, she'd been a Queen as well, and she'd done much. Emma, though a sovereign, had experienced little of life. This was the farthest south she'd been in her entire twenty eight years of life.

"Now that's where you're wrong." It was Regina's turned to wrap her arms around the blonde and pull her back into an embrace, leaning her chin on a strong shoulder. "I didn't truly live until the day you found me in that crystal prison. You **are** my life. This…" She pulled one hand from the embrace to gesture at the world below. "It meant nothing."

"Your rooms, he didn't change them at all, did he?"

Regina sighed and shook her head. "No. They are exactly as they were before, save one minor adjustment."

"What's that?" Emma glanced curiously over her shoulder.

"My hearts. They are gone."

"The hearts you collected, they're missing?"

Regina frowned. "I wouldn't say missing. I had a safety enchantment placed upon them. If any ill were ever to befall me, and I was often in danger of that very thing, then the hearts would be transported to a new location. That way, even if I were gone, no one could ever retrieve their heart. It would be my last act of evil, that my victims would receive no retribution, no closure." She downcast her eyes in shame.

"Hey." Emma turned in her embrace, her hand reaching up to grasp the brunette's chin and raise it until their eyes met once again. "You're not that person anymore. You are a mother, a lover, a friend, hopefully one day, a wife."

Regina's brow furrowed and Emma blushed.

"You belong to me Regina, and I protect what's mine, even if that means protecting you from the darkness within yourself." She kissed her shoulder. "Where's Savya?"

Regina smiled at the mention of the little girl. "She is safe with Graham. I wanted some time alone with you." Regina wrapped her arms tighter around the blonde, crashing their lips together. She backed them off the balcony and back into the room until the back of her calves hit the edge of the fainting couch and she fell down upon it, pulling the blonde down with her. Her tongue continued to stroke deep inside Emma's mouth, the blonde allowing her hands to come up and tangle in dark locks.

Emma pressed her body hard against the brunette's, longing to be closer to her, positive she wouldn't be satisfied until she could literally sink into the older woman and become one with her. Was this what it felt like to know that your soul belonged with someone else's? She'd never been so **sure** of something in her entire life. As good as it made her feel to be around Regina Mills in Storybrooke, it was nothing compared to the rush she felt every time she looked into Queen Regina's eyes. She pulled reluctantly away from the velvet haven of her mouth to do that very thing. Her eyes roved across the sharp but somehow extremely delicate features of her lover, caressing the skin with her gaze. "I want to stay, like this, forever. An eternity, and I would still never tire of this." She leaned back in and once again lost herself in the warm smoothness of the older woman's lips and tongue.

Neither of them heard the woman enter. She had learned to move through this place with the quiet efficiency of a ghost. She never knew when Rumpelstiltskin would be in a good mood or a foul one, and so she'd learned to always tread carefully. She'd heard the whispers. The Evil Queen was bad, but he was far darker. And after the atrocities she'd been met with at the hands of the Evil Queen, to even try and force her mind to conjure up what could possibly be worse was a difficult task. Even if she managed to conjure up some horrible torture scene, it was too painful to dwell on. So she'd learned to be a good little servant and keep to herself. She watched the two women for a long moment, feeling something spark inside her, a reminder of a time when there was someone she wanted to kiss like that. Back in the days where Rumpelstiltskin's soul had not been long lost and he had still be a man worth saving, a man who could be saved. But those days had faded with the decades and she quickly tossed the feelings aside. She cleared her throat.

Both women's head snapped up at the intrusion.

"Belle." Regina looked at her with an expression the younger brunette couldn't read.

Emma slipped off Regina and stood. She smiled at the woman. "I'm sorry, how rude of us."

Belle shifted uncomfortably. It had been over two decades since she'd seen true kindness from anyone. Kindness always had a price here; the Dark One never failed to remind her of that. She downcast her eyes. "No Your Majesty, the rudeness is mine for intruding upon your chambers. My master wishes to dine with you this afternoon in his library."

Emma didn't understand why this woman feared her so. "Very well. We have much to talk about. If you'll just show us the way…"

"Only you." The woman cut her off.

Emma frowned. "Only me?"

Belle nodded, still unable to meet her eyes. "Yes, he requested only your presence. Tonight, we will all dine together in the dining room, but he wishes to speak now only with you."

Regina stood, instantly looking suspicious. "No!" She put a protective arm around Emma's shoulders. "I will not let her walk into a trap."

Belle glowered at Regina, her contempt for the woman obvious. "He cannot harm her. He made a deal that she would be safe from him until that day in which she turns twenty eight. He wishes only to speak with her. Your presence is neither required nor welcome."

Regina strode forward, stopping a couple feet from the woman, anger fueling her. But as she stopped, and she saw that old determined glint in her eyes, she lost the rage. "I broke you, and for that I will never be sorry enough."

"Save your apologies _witch_. They will never mean anything to me."

"Just because you won't accept them, does not mean they aren't sincere."

Belle looked like she was about to throw something back in her face but changed her mind. She looked at Emma. "Your Grace?"

Emma walked forward. She stopped next to Regina, pulling the brunette's mouth to hers for a soft kiss. "I'll be back my love."

Regina looked at her meaningfully. "Be careful my darling." She glanced at Belle. "Tell Rumpelstiltskin, if he so much as _touches_ her, I will stop at nothing to tear him limb from limb."

Belle sneered at the woman and Emma could read the _like you could_ on her face as plainly as if she'd uttered the words out loud.

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"How long have you been a serving him?"

The older woman tensed. "A very long time, but I've known him for longer."

Emma heard the sadness in her tone and she knew instantly that this woman had cared for the creature she served once.

"You must have been young when you met."

"I was seventeen when Rumpelstiltskin traded me for the safety of my family and my friends."

Emma frowned in displeasure. "So he… **took** you from them?"

Belle sighed. "He gave me a choice. It was my decision to make and I made it. I'd do it the same every time over." She glanced at Emma, and for the first time, the blonde saw the green of her eyes. Though they seemed tired, they were far from resigned. "Some things in the world are bigger than us Your Grace."

"But he keeps you here now?"

Belle turned her gaze away once more and shook her head. "He offered me my freedom the moment he released me from the cell in which the Evil Queen had locked me."

"And you _chose_ to stay? Why?"

Belle was quiet for so long that Emma was positive she wasn't going to answer. Finally, in the smallest of voices… "Sometimes I believe I am all that tethers him to sanity."

Emma nodded slowly. "Perhaps. But that is a heavy burden to bear."

"So is being the child of the prophecy. You and I are much the same Your Grace. We bear our burdens silently, never vocalizing any complaints we may have. We are people who accepted our destiny long ago."

"But the difference is… I couldn't stop mine, even if I wanted to. Yours is a choice." Emma had no judgment in her voice, just truth.

Belle tensed. "A heart is a fickle thing. It is most selfish. It hunts, with no concern as to what's appropriate. It searches until it finds that one which it was created for. It cares not if the person is already claimed, if it will destroy a family, or if that person is your sworn enemy. When it finds what it's hunting for, it settles there. You cannot fight the will of a heart. That man… for under it all, that's what he is… he has **all** of me."

Emma could see tears sliding down the older woman's cheeks.

"There are days where I see the smallest glimpses of the person I used to love, who I **still** love. It may seem ridiculous to you Your Grace… but those moments are why I could never leave. I cannot turn my back when I know he's still in there. I cannot abandon my love."

Emma reached out a hand and placed it on Belle's arm in a gesture of comfort. "Maybe we have more in common than I realized. We both battle the dark in them every day to hold on to the light."

Belle put a hand over Emma's, managing a sad smile. "She doesn't deserve you." She met Emma's gaze for a moment. "But I hope you **can** be her salvation, not for her sake, but for your own." She dropped her eyes and pulled away to open the door in front of them.

Emma stepped through and jumped a little when Belle closed the door behind her, sealing her in the seemingly empty library. Like the library in the ruined keep, there were several stories of books in the circular room. In the center of the floor was a large ornate rug, velvet armchairs dotting its surface. One part of the wall of the bottom story was devoid of books to accommodate the ornate and grand fireplace. It was huge. She was sure at least fire people could comfortable stand in its mouth. There was no fire going, leaving the room in gloom.

"Welcome dearie."

She hadn't noticed him sitting in one of the armchairs, but she was hardly surprised at his presence. "You've requested my presence?"

He gestured for her to sit.

Cautiously, she fell into one of the other armchairs across from him. She didn't try to hide her study of him. He still looked something inhuman, though she couldn't really identify what he was. Once, surely, he had been a man, but the dark powers he possessed had corrupted his very existence, seeping into his physical appearance. His skin was green in colour, with gold flecks here and there. His eyes were fevered and surprisingly bright. His curly hair was long and wild. He looked more like he belonged in a traveling circus than sitting in a castle, but she'd seen much in her life that had appeared inexplicable.

"Did you sleep well?"

She pursed her lips. "We both know you're aware of my condition. Please do not talk in riddles with me."

"I remind you dearie that it was you and your…_companion_ that showed up on my doorstep. I did not call you here."

Emma frowned. "You certainly heard by now that we're running from my husband."

He fluttered his fingers through the air. "I hear whisperings. I do not see what that has to do with me."

"I'd like to know anything you can tell me about the prophecy. Hadrian has all the scrolls on it back at the palace. I was unable to retrieve them."

He steepled his fingers and grinned. "Tell me Your Majesty, have you made your choice already?"

Emma tensed. The way he said it, laced with mocking, caused worry to bloom in the pit of her stomach. "As a matter of fact, I have."

His grin only widened, exposing his crooked, discoloured teeth. "I was present when the Oracle made the prophecy. The truth of what was said that day has never been shared with the outside world dearie."

Emma frowned. "But the scrolls of record, they have the prophecy word for word. I have seen it with my own eyes."

He waggled a finger at her, an adult admonishing a child. "What is written there is what all present at the telling of the prophecy agreed to share."

Emma stood, glaring down at him. "You _changed_ it?"

He waved off her concern. "We all changed it. An agreement of what was best for the realm."

Emma's fists clenched at her side. "What did you change?"

He smirked up at her, unmoved by her anger. "Why dearie, it was just one small modification, harmless really."

She narrowed her eyes. "What was changed?"

Rumpelstiltskin grinned triumphantly at her. "On your twenty eighth name day, there will be no choice."

The anger left Emma's body swiftly. Her legs threatened to collapse beneath her and she fell back into the chair. "What… what do you mean there will be no choice?"

His eyes sparkled as he leaned forward and Emma knew he was about to shatter her world.

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Regina paced the floor of her parlour. Her chambers were the only part of the palace that had remained untouched by the imp. He'd left them exactly as they were. She liked the familiarity. Everything else she had built had been changed beyond recognition or destroyed. It felt good to have something to hold onto. Emma had been gone over an hour and her worry grew with every passing minute. Rumpelstiltskin was known for his trickery. He would not waste such an opportunity to manipulate the blonde Queen. Emma was strong of will, she was the child of Snow White after all, but she was naïve in the ways of the Forbidden Forest. She'd seen the politics of deception during her reign but never anything like that of the creature with whom she was meeting now.

The chamber doors burst open and Regina's head snapped up.

Emma stood in the open doorway, tears making shining rivers down her cheeks. Her eyes were red and wild as they focused on the brunette. She walked forward, slowly at first, but then she was almost running. She threw her arms around Regina's neck, crashing their lips together.

The kiss was desperate, almost sloppy, and Regina felt Emma's tears stain her own cheeks. She allowed her several moments before she finally pulled back. "My love, what's wrong?"

Emma closed her eyes. It wasn't fair. How dare this be taken from her? Was Fate really so cruel to take this last thing from her? Were some people truly destined to never have their happy endings? She buried her face against Regina's neck, openly sobbing now.

"Emma, darling, tell me what's wrong?" Regina stroked her hair and tried to get her to look up, without success.

Finally Emma pulled back. She put a hand to Regina's cheek, brushing her thumb softly across it. The action sparked a new torrent of tears and she turned, running into the bed chamber and slamming the door.

Regina stared at the closed door. Then her eyes flashed towards the door to the parlour, still wide open. _Rumpelstiltskin_. She clenched her fists at her side and violet energy rippled across them.

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The door splintered inward, fragments of wood shattering in all directions.

Rumpelstiltskin seemed unaffected. "It was unlocked dearie, no need for the theatrics."

"What did you do to her?" Regina sent a bolt of violet energy, causing the nearest armchair to explode.

He shrugged. "I did what no one else in her life seems willing to do; I told her the_ truth_."

Another armchair blown to smithereens. "What truth is that?"

He chose to ignore her question, sipping from a chipped teacup. "The other world in which she dwells, quite a horrid little plane of existence. It's an unforgiving and magic-less place. It does not exist by the same rules in which our world does. You know as well as I do Your Highness that things fit into a mould here. We live with restrictions that don't exist in this other world."

Yet another armchair blown apart. "Make your point!"

Rumpelstiltskin grinned. "Tell me dearie? Can you _handle_ the truth? Can you take knowing your Fate and being unable to stop it… unable to save her?"

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Emma heard the door to the bed chamber open and close softly a moment later. She had her back turned to it and she didn't need to turn to know it was Regina. She felt the extra weight dip the bed and then strong arms were wrapping around her. She didn't have to ask to know that she knew the truth. She knew what was to be their Fate.

"I'll do everything I can. I'm not giving up." Emma cringed at the hoarsness of her own voice.

Regina placed a soft kiss to the top of her hair. "I know."


	34. Fuck Your Pain Away

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: i don't claim to be an expert on flowers. i know absolutely nothing about them, so if i got the name wrong, i apologize. i had to search the english wikipedia for it and i'm not the best with it. i'm not entirely satisfied with this chapter but it serves its purpose. it gives you a little teensy bit of insight into what emma was told about the prophecy, but more will be revealed about it later. hope everyone enjoys. please review.

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**-Chapter 33: Fuck Your Pain Away-**

"Wow, you're up…" Mary Margaret glanced at the wall clock to confirm that it was indeed as early as she thought it was and that she herself hadn't overslept. She didn't even bother using an alarm clock, her routine was so pre-programmed that her body just woke her up at dawn automatically. "Really early."

Emma dropped her spoon back into the cereal bowl and glared at her roommate through the gloom. "Couldn't sleep." It wasn't entirely untrue. She hadn't been able to bear to be in that world another minute. Regina wouldn't say it, wouldn't admit to it, but she knew Rumpelstiltskin's words had left her heart in tatters. All they'd been working towards, everything, was utterly pointless now. There was nothing Emma had been able to say, able to promise, that would ease her pain. And it **hurt**. It hurt to see the damage that Rumpelstiltskin's truth had caused.

"It's because of Regina, isn't it?"

Emma snapped out of her thoughts and stared at Mary Margaret, incredulous. "What… what do you mean?"

Mary Margaret shrugged and set about making herself a hot cup of tea. "Well, you've been spending so much time with her and Henry lately. I figured it was only a matter of time before she did or said something to ruin everything."

Emma schooled her expression the moment she realized Mary had been referring to the mayor and not the queen. It had thrown her off guard when Mary had referred to the mayor by her first name; she wasn't sure she had ever heard the schoolteacher speak of her so informally. "Mayor Mills can be… _frustrating_, but she's not my problem at the moment. I have to drop in and see Mr. Gold today."

"Is that why you're up before six in the morning?" Mary Margaret pulled the kettle off the heat as it whistled shrilly, reaching up to grab a mug from the cabinet.

"Sort of. I'm not planning on seeing him until this afternoon, but it's just weighing heavily on my mind."

Mary Margaret frowned. "Why are you going to see Mr. Gold?"

Emma pursed her lips. "There's a matter I have to discuss with him, about the town. Nothing major."

Mary raised an eyebrow as she took a sip of tea. "Yet it's keeping you up?"

Emma frowned. She stuck another spoonful of cereal into her mouth to have an excuse not to talk. She couldn't exactly admit that she was going to him to talk about a curse that all the residents of Storybrooke were under. Gold was Rumpelstiltskin's other half, that much was obvious, despite the fact that he was decidedly more handsome in this world than the imp could ever hope to be, though still shady. He may not have the answers she needed, but he was her best bet. The only person, besides August, who knew about the curse and where they'd all come from was Regina and she wasn't quite ready to share the truth with the mayor yet, especially when she knew the cold woman wouldn't be able to accept it. But Rumpelstiltskin had hinted that his Earthly counterpart might know more than he let on. It was her only hope, her only shot.

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Emma sat in her car, waiting as the clock ticked down to seven fifteen and she could go up to the door of the white house. She hadn't been able to stay at the apartment, Mary's curious gaze and questions seemed to follow her everywhere she went and she was running out of vague excuses to supply the woman with. She had thought about showing up to work early, but then she'd miss the opportunity to take Henry to school and she had to admit she was becoming fond of the twenty minutes they spent together every morning. She was finally getting to know her son, little by little. But she couldn't very well waltz up to the mayor's front door, unannounced, at six twenty in the morning. So, here she was, leaning back in the driver's seat of her worn out little car, watching as her phone made minutes seem the length of lifetimes. Six thirty four. She groaned.

The shrill start of her ringtone made her drop her ringing phone into her lap, where it slipped between her knees and to the floorboard beneath her feet. Cursing, she leaned forward too fast to grab it and slammed her head against the steering wheel, blaring the horn. She sat back, cursing again, and tried a different approach to grabbing for her still ringing phone. She finally got a hold of the device and accepted the call. "Hello?" She sat up breathless.

She could hear the obvious amusement in the mayor's tone as she spoke. "Really Deputy Swan, am I going to have to call the sheriff and inform him I have a stalker or are you going to come in to breakfast?"

Emma frowned. "I… I mean I didn't… I wasn't… that's not what I came for. I'm just… a little early to take Henry to school."

"Regardless of why you are parked in front of my house Miss Swan, you are here. So breakfast, now."

Emma looked at the phone incredulous. Did Regina just hang up on her? After she got over the initial shock, she had to admit that it was exactly the kind of thing the mayor would do. She sighed and unbuckled her seatbelt. She exited the car, slamming the door behind her, and walked to the small front gate. She was unsurprised to see Regina standing on the front stoop before the open door as if she'd known Emma wouldn't refuse her demand. And Emma knew she wouldn't have, though her pride made her want to march back to her car and get back in it just to wipe that smirk off the brunette's face. "Madam Mayor."

The mayor's smirk widened. "Miss Swan."

Emma walked past her and straight to the kitchen, trying to rally her senses before facing any of the many confrontations she could possibly have with the mayor. She never knew how things would go with this half of Regina, all she knew was they generally involved arguing and seduction, neither of which she really needed today. The click of heels following her told her of the mayor's pursuit.

Regina frowned at Emma. She was acting off today. It unsettled her. Normally, the blonde was defiant at every turn. She had expected some quip to get back at her for startling her with the phone call, but the blonde looked… **defeated** somehow. She closed the front door and immediately followed her into the kitchen. "Are you well, Miss Swan?"

Well, that certainly hadn't been what she'd expected to come out of the woman's mouth. She turned and finally met Regina's eyes. "I'm fine. I just didn't really sleep last night."

Regina studied her, almost suspiciously, for several long moments before nodding. She moved to the other side of the counter. "What do you want for breakfast?"

Emma shook her head. "I had cereal at home; I'll just keep you and Henry company while you eat."

"Henry's sick. He took some medication and is in a drug induced coma, I'm afraid."

"You didn't call me and tell me not to pick him up for school?"

"Actually I did. I called your place, but Miss Blanchard told me you had already left for the morning. Then I saw that sad excuse for a car pull up in front of my house. You really should invest in a replacement."

Emma pointed at the woman. "Hey, respect the car." She sighed. "Guess I have no option but to go into work early."

Regina raised an eyebrow. "Or you could keep me company for a while?"

Emma was about to object. She had no doubt that the other woman was intent on breaking her resolve and luring her back into her bed, but the idea of being with Regina and not having to discuss what she had learned about the prophecy lifted a weight off her shoulders. She nodded. "I could do that."

Regina gave her a genuine smile. "Would you like some coffee Miss Swan?"

Emma nodded and watched as the mayor took two mugs from a cupboard and put the coffee on. "Are we friends?"

Regina turned to her startled, one hand holding the creamer from the fridge. "We're certainly not enemies."

It wasn't an answer, not really, but it was all she was likely to get from the mayor, so she just nodded. At least it was something she could work with.

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She stared at the door to the small shop. She'd only been in here that one time to introduce herself. There was something about the shop that she liked, many of the items in the owner's collection were from their world. It reminded her of home. But she couldn't say the same about the man who owned the shop.

She sighed and took a deep breath. Time to get this over with.

The bell over the door jingled as she entered, announcing her presence.

Gold appeared in the doorway from the back room. "Deputy Swan, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"We need to talk Rumpelstiltskin."

He smirked, unsurprised and unfazed by his real name. "It would seem we do, Princess."

Emma's eyebrows shot up to her hairline. "You know me?"

He waved it off. "It wasn't hard. You are the only person in this town I don't recognize, with the exception of Mr. Booth of course. It was a process of elimination. You will have to tell me how you managed to escape the curse unaffected."

"It's a long and complicated story, but if my son's story book is to be believed, an enchanted wardrobe was the culprit."

Rumpelstiltskin smiled. "Your parents are more clever than most people give them credit for."

Emma hadn't come here to discuss her parents or even the other world. "I need to know how to break the curse. An acquaintance of mine implied that you know how I can do that."

Gold tilted his head back and forth as if contemplating the question. Finally he nodded. "That I do. But my information is valuable deputy, it does not come cheap."

"I never expected it to. Nothing with you is ever free. What's your deal?"

The man smirked. "Before the Evil Queen enacted the curse, I made a deal with your mother for my freedom and the Evil Queen's castle in exchange for getting rid of her. However, there was an unforeseen complication. She enacted the curse before she laid eyes upon you. It was something I hadn't anticipated. My deal with Snow White is now void. If the curse breaks, I will return to my cell. I wish for the same terms your mother agreed to. My freedom and possession of the lands belonging to the Evil Queen."

Emma felt a small rush. He didn't know that his counterpart retained the deal. She wouldn't be agreeing to give him anything he didn't already have. "Deal."

He smirked as if he'd gotten one over on her. "Very well. There is only one way to break the curse. The Evil Queen must find love, **true** love. Her hatred started this, her love will end it."

Emma closed her eyes. She had feared as much. There were ten days until her birthday; she had ten days to make someone who claimed to be nothing more than "not her enemy" to fall in love with her. _Piece of cake_.

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It took one strategic call to the mayor's office to confirm she was working from home for the day due to Henry's illness. As much as Emma wanted to go over there and get right to work on knocking down her walls, she couldn't abandon work. She tapped her pen against the stack of paperwork on her desk that she was supposed to be filling out.

"A little distracted today?"

"Huh?" She snapped out of her musings to look up at Graham. "Did you say something?"

He handed her a cup of coffee. "I think you need that more than I do."

She shrugged sheepishly. "Sorry."

"What's on your mind?" He took a bite off the bear claw he had bought with his coffee.

"Does Regina like flowers, do you think? Like roses? Or that 'dare you to love me' lily crap?"

He raised an eyebrow in confusion, obviously not grasping the pop culture reference. Apparently love stories weren't his thing… go figure. "Don't all women like flowers? Isn't that like your guy's _thing_?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Thanks for that oh so brilliant summation, meathead." She turned away from him and then turned back, snatched the bear claw out of his hand as it was halfway back to his mouth and waved him off. She took a bite from the pilfered pastry and reached for the phone.

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Regina stared at the budget before her, trying to pay attention to the numbers but she was too distracted. Miss Swan was still refusing to resume their activities and her body seemed to be going through a massive case of withdrawal. Still she was not going to relent. She couldn't agree to let the blonde touch her. The last time she'd entertained any ideas of love it had led to the destruction of her innocence. It was why this town even existed. No, letting Emma Swan in was **not** an option.

The ringing of the doorbell caused her head to snap up. She rubbed the bridge of her nose and stood, actually grateful for the distraction. She walked downstairs and went across the foyer to the front door, opening it to find Floran, Storybrooke's florist, standing on her stoop.

The pale man, in his mid twenties with jet black hair, shifted uncomfortably. "Good afternoon Madam Mayor."

"Mr. Funk, how can I help you?"

"I have a delivery for you." He glanced meaningfully down to his arms.

She hadn't noticed the huge bouquet he was holding. Flowers? She held out her arms and he handed her the large, and rather heavy, bouquet. She peeked into the wrapping, seeing a flash of white. "What are they?"

"Phalaenopsis Aphrodite."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Orchids." He frowned at having to clarify. "They're a very beautiful type of orchid. If you'll just sign here."

She managed to scrawl her name where he indicated. She handed him back his pen and closed the door without so much as a goodbye. She carried the bouquet into the kitchen, setting it gently on the counter and unwrapping it. She ordered fresh flowers from Floran every week to decorate the foyer and the dining room table but she'd received this weeks order two days prior.

She picked up the card that was wrapped in with the flowers.

_Regina:_

_Because it's Wednesday. Because I love you. Because it'll make you smile._

_Emma_

And smile is exactly what Regina Mills did.

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Emma shifted uneasily as she knocked on the front door. She was uncertain of how the flowers would have gone over. She herself had never received any and she wasn't particularly fond of them, but she'd noticed the fresh flowers in the vase in the foyer and the one at the center of the dining room table so she'd figured that the mayor at least had a base appreciation for them.

Regina opened the door. "Miss Swan?"

Emma bit her lip. "I came to check on Henry, see how he's getting on and such."

Regina nodded and stepped aside to let her enter.

Emma stepped into the foyer and gave it a cursory glance. The same flowers that had been in the vase of the small table below the mirror were still there. A glance straight back into the dining room proved the same. She tried to ignore the knot that was slowly forming in her stomach. Had it been the wrong move to send flowers? Had her card been a little too much?

"He's been in and out of sleep all day but his fever has gone down. Hopefully he'll be all better tomorrow." Regina closed the door and came up beside her.

Emma nodded. "Can I see him?"

Regina gave a quick nod. "I'm just finishing heating up some tomato soup and I was going to make some grilled cheese to go with it. It's not much but you're welcome to join me."

Emma stopped on the bottom step of the stairs and nodded. "Did you say grilled cheese? Those are the magic words. I'll be down in a bit. I just want to see how he is."

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"Thanks again, for dinner. I know you tolerate me mostly for Henry's benefit; it was nice to be just you and me today." Emma wiped her hands on the dish towel and draped it next to the dry rack where the last of the just washed dishes sat.

Regina nodded. "You aren't the most deplorable company in this town Miss Swan."

Emma put a hand dramatically to her heart and gasped. "You really know how to flatter a girl. Coming from you that's quite a compliment."

Regina rolled her eyes. She swatted at the blonde.

Emma caught her hand as she was withdrawing it.

"Miss Swan?" Regina raised an eyebrow in question but didn't try to pull her hand back.

Emma moved away from the counter. She pulled the mayor with her as she moved to the stairs. She gestured up with her head. "I've changed my mind. You are no longer cut off."

Regina smirked. She leaned in and nipped at Emma's neck. "I'm going to make you pay for denying me these past few days Miss Swan."

Emma's eyes fluttered closed at the hot lips searing her skin. She felt the knot in her stomach ease. This would probably end up hurting her in the end but she couldn't bring herself to care anymore. Rumpelstiltskin had changed the rules of the game when he'd told her the truth of the prophecy, when he'd broke the news that on her twenty eighth birthday the Enchanted Forest was doomed to fade away. Queen Regina, Savya, Daniela, her father, Hadrian… they'd all disappear into the void. Yes, she could definitely use the escape the mayor's lips were promising. She let Regina tug her up the stairs and lead her down the corridor to the master bedroom.

Regina closed and locked the door behind them, turning on Emma with her usual predatory grace. She unbuttoned her blouse and tossed it aside, her slacks soon to follow, and finally her heels joined the pile. She raised an eyebrow pointedly.

Emma, easily catching on, pulled off her own tank top and pushed her jeans down her hips, stepping out of them. Her jacket and boots had already been removed downstairs when they'd had dinner in the den.

Regina reached out and ran a hand over the curve of her hip. She smiled to herself. "I've missed this."

Emma was quite sure she hadn't been meant to hear that and that the brunette hadn't even realized she'd said it out loud. Her assumptions were confirmed when Regina looked up at her with nothing but lust and desire in her gaze.

The brunette pushed Emma down onto the bed, straddling her hips. "Do try not to scream my name too loud Miss Swan. We wouldn't want Henry to overhear."

And Emma let herself get lost in Regina's rough punishment of her body. She was not gentle by any means, but Emma relished the pain; it was what she felt in her soul. However, she found a glimmer of hope as she climaxed, only then noticing the vase on the vanity table, filled to the brim with the orchids.


	35. Please, Don't Take The Girl

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: sorry for the long wait on this update. not my fault. i will henceforth no longer have internet on any device but my phone and i can't exactly upload from it. this break has allowed me to get the next six updates for this story done, however there will most likely be breaks in between posts as i have to travel 40 miles to a friend's house for computer time. we'll just have to see. this chapter gives you a little more insight into the woman in the white cloak. her story will be revealed soon enough. until then, enjoy and review.

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**-Chapter 34: Please, Don't Take The Girl-**

Emma woke to a small face pressed nose to nose with her own.

Savya pulled away and looked to her right. "Yep, she's alive Momma." She held up her arms and Emma watched as Regina swooped in, grasping the girl under each of her arms and hefting her easily up into her long arms. She strategically balanced the toddler on one hip and Savya laid her head down on her shoulder.

"Good morning _Mommy_." Regina smirked down at the blonde.

Emma felt her heart, which had been so heavy since Rumpelstiltskin's news, lift. Regina was _glowing_, looking truly happy. Emma could see that the lack of sleep was putting a strain on her body but she was covering it up wonderfully, looking just like every other tired mom back in the other world. Her heart lifted even more at the brunette calling her Mommy. This is what she'd missed with Henry and the Regina in Storybrooke. She'd missed the opportunity to grow as a family. Henry was over halfway to adulthood and Regina wouldn't even admit they were **both** his mothers, let alone call her Mommy or anything less formal than 'Miss Swan'. She stretched and sat up. "Good morning." She threw off the covers and got out of bed, placing a kiss on the little girl's nose, to which she giggled and scrubbed playfully on her nose with a grin. Then Emma leaned in and kissed Regina quickly but deeply.

Regina smiled at Emma tiredly. "You seem better today. I'm glad. I don't want our time together to be spoiled."

Emma looked towards the little girl. "Savya, sweetheart, how would you like to play with the Huntsman for a little while? Momma needs some rest."

"Emma, I'm fine."

Emma held up a hand to halt her objections and took the small girl from her arms. The Huntsman was waiting outside the parlour doors, most likely on Regina's orders. After promising to play with the little girl that evening, she finally agreed to spend another day with the Huntsman. As he carried her off down the corridor, Savya affectionately howled like a wolf at him and Emma couldn't fight back her smile. She closed the parlour door and returned to the bed chamber.

Regina was still standing where Emma had left her, her arms half-heartedly crossed across her chest. "I'm fine, I told you."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "Fine, don't sleep. That's your choice."

Regina nodded. "Thank you."

Emma looked towards the comfy bed. "Will you at least lay down beside me for a time?"

Regina gave her a small smile and nodded. She laid down on the bed, adjusting herself against the pillows into the right position and then held her arms open in invitation to the blonde. Emma crawled up onto the bed and tucked herself neatly into the brunette's embrace. Regina placed a kiss to her hair. "You're still sad, aren't you my love?"

Emma frowned. "I'm surprised you're not. All I can think about is how much I want to be with you and yet that no longer matters."

Regina smiled sadly. "Quite the contrary, that is all that matters."

Emma took one of Regina's hands in both hers, playing with her fingers, tracing indiscernible shapes on her palm. "You know, it's funny, but growing up I always wished it was someone else's decision. Why did the Fate of the world have to be on **my** shoulders? It was always my curse, my burden, and every moment was spent wishing for a way to somehow unload it from my shoulders. I didn't want the responsibility, the pressure." She brought the hand to her lips and kissed each of the fingertips in turn. "Be careful what you wish for, I suppose. Now the choice has been taken from me and I'd do anything to have it back." She nuzzled the open palm of the hand she was holding. "It is just so like the Fates to wait until I've made my choice to tell me I never had a choice in the first place." She moved to kissing her knuckles. "I have lived my life accepting the hardships as they are. My mother died, I accepted it. My father crumbled, I accepted it. The realm called for a King, forcing me into a marriage I didn't want, I accepted it. Everything that has been asked of me and I have done it with nary a complaint. That's life, I told myself such. But I do not accept this. I think of you gone and I…" She bit back the sob that welled in her throat. "And I can't feel my heart anymore. It doesn't stop beating, it just _disappears_ entirely."

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The woman in the white cloak had seen the magical barrier that separated the Evil Queen's lands from that of the Forbidden Forest around them. Invisible to the naked human eye, the dingy green bubble appeared before her plain as day. It wouldn't harm anyone who passed through it, not even herself, but that was hardly its function. It was meant to be like a bell over a shop door, alerting its creator to anyone who stepped through it. It looked to be intricate enough to even assess their threat level.

Rumpelstiltskin hadn't been out of his cell when the baby was born and therefore he had still been in the Enchanted Forest when the prophecy began its fulfillment. She smirked to herself. His magic had been diminished, just like the Evil Queen's. So that's why he had the magical alarm system. He'd remained quiet enough that she'd given him no wayward thought over the past twenty eight years, not since the night he was released and told her where they were sending the Evil Queen's body. He'd flounced away to the dark castle where he now resided and had stayed there, in solitude, all this time. He'd never much been the come-to-you type anyway. People always found a way to seek him out for the unsavory wishes they needed him to grant. He was the anti-genie, someone who made your dreams come true but only for the high price of something you cherished. She remembered the one deal she'd been forced to make with him. It had been a dark time in her life when her magic had been new and so had his.

_She moved through the small village, smiling as a group of small boys ran by kicking at a crude ball made of some dried animal hide. She wondered if his son had played with these very children once upon a time. Everyone in the magical circles had heard of the disappearance of the Dark One's child. He'd gone on a small yet effective magical rampage in the first few days after his grief. Many had died, his village lived in constant fear of him. He had left his cottage at the edge of the village, the one he had shared with his son, and moved to a shack in the woods in seclusion. He had truly became the dark man everyone believed him to be in his son's absence. She could only hope that he'd help her. He was her last hope._

_It took nearly an hour trek through the village, into the woods, over streams and fallen logs, until she stumbled upon the small cabin. There was smoke pouring from the chimney, indicating he was home. When his son still existed he'd had a woman to cook and clean for him. The villagers had warned her that she had been the first to fall victim to his rage. They'd begged her to value her own life enough to stay away. While the Dark One frightened her readily enough, her mission here was bigger than herself. She was confident her magic would protect her from him long enough to make her escape should things turn sour. She was young yet, but the Wisdom assigned to her said she had the potential for greatness. Then again, all Wisdoms wished to believe that of their pupils._

_She stepped up to the small wooden door, crude and misshapen in its frame, hastily made. He must have blown out the original and done with a quick replacement. She knocked loudly. She had no doubt he was already aware of her presence but she wanted to convey that an acknowledgement of her presence was required._

_He pulled open the door slowly and she was greeted for the first time with the creature they called Rumpelstiltskin. He was short of stature, though like most individuals with a Napoleon complex, he held himself with an air of tallness. He favoured one leg over the other though he hid it well. His skin was an olive green, dull and sickly, but there was a slight gold sheen to it. His eyes were bright, like liquid gold, shifting constantly as if there were waves rolling just below the surface of his irises._

_"I do not welcome visitors dearie."_

_She pursed her lips. "I do not come to call on you socially. I come desiring your assistance in an important matter."_

_He tilted his head and considered her curiously. "Whether social or business dearie, I am not taking visitors." He started to close the door._

_"Your son is gone."_

_He froze, dirty nails digging into the wood of the door, splintering it beneath his grip, giving her insight into his hidden strength. So he wasn't as weak as he appeared to be. Good to know. He glared at her, the hostility in his gaze threatening her. "You should learn to choose your words carefully. I have killed for less dearie." He searched her determined face._

_"I am not as weak as one might assume."_

_"You do not fear me?" There was challenge in the lilt of his voice, deceptively high for one so dark._

_"I do not claim to be without fear. I fear many things. But I also know there are things more important than fear."_

_"What is it you want of me? To prolong your beauty perhaps? You are a fair one, aren't you? Do you lust for power? Or do you wish for true love?" He was just mocking her now._

_"I come here to offer you the chance to redeem yourself of your biggest sin."_

_He grinned. "And which sin is that dearie? There are so many."_

_"Your addiction to power cost you your son, the one deal that you didn't keep. Redeem yourself by never breaking a deal again, make it your calling card."_

_"Starting with the deal you wish to make?"_

_"It is rather poetic. Your broken deal lost a child, your first new deal will save one."_

_He finally stepped aside, fully opening the door and ushering her in._

_She looked around the shack. A bed was in the back left hand corner, the small cookstove on the opposite corner. There was an old armchair off to her immediate right, next to a table with a lone candlestick, the candle half gone. A stack of ancient looking books sat beside the chair. In the center of the cabin was a small wooden dining table, three rickety stools placed haphazardly around it. To her left, dusty and forgotten in the corner was his spinning wheel, its spindle and spokes covered in cobwebs._

_He ushered her forward to one of the stools, busying himself with putting tea on. "So, what child is this that you wish to save?"_

_"The Lord and Lady of Millhaven have a child. A daughter. Regina. She's a girl of twelve."_

_"And she's in some danger?"_

_She tensed just thinking about the evil woman, never meant to be a mother. Her heart, black and rotten in its cavity, had no capacity to love anything, let alone a child. "Lady Cora is unforgiving. She is trained exceptionally well in the dark arts. I know not who taught her, but her instructor must have been powerful because she knows much. She takes it out on the child."_

_He set a cup of tea before her. "What is your interest in this child?"_

_"It is my assignment to watch over her. She is my responsibility."_

_He grinned, his eyes flashing brightly. "So she's **meant** for something?"_

_She nodded. "She's destined for a great many things. She must be protected at all costs. My powers have been enough until now, but her mother broke through my wards. She tore open her lip; it will surely scar her. Now that she knows someone is magically protecting the girl, she will be better prepared."_

_"So you wish to protect her from the mother?"_

_She gave a sharp nod._

_"And you are willing to pay my price dearie?"_

_Again she nodded. "She is too important. Even if it means my life."_

_He waved her comment off with a flutter of his fingers. "I have no need of your life young one."_

_She took a deep breath. "Is that so? Then why did you poison my tea?"_

_He clapped his hands together, pleased. "Merely a test of your skills dearie. You were clever enough to check it."_

_"Trust is something to be earned, not freely given."_

_He tilted his head, regarding her. "I will help you."_

_"And your price?"_

She shook away the memory. Her Wisdom had always told her never to dwell too long in your past, lest it drive you mad. She had paid a hefty price, though it had seemed impossibly small at the time, to save Regina as a child, a price that had inadvertently led to the creation of the Evil Queen, but she'd pay it lifetime after lifetime. Regina had been meant to live and she would protect her until she drew her last breath. And now it was up to the woman in the white cloak to make sure both Regina _and_ Emma were safe. It was time to lure them away from the manipulative influence of the creature who once protected Regina from the threat in her life. And she knew just how to do it.

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Emma absentmindedly stroked her fingers up and down the bodice of Regina's dress. The older woman had been napping for four hours now, but Emma had refused to move. She didn't want to waste the days she had left with her. If that meant just laying in her arms as she slept, she'd gladly comply. There were many worse ways to while away the afternoon. A hand caught her own and she looked up to see sleepy brown eyes regarding her.

"As wonderful as that feels my darling, it just makes me crave for those fingers to be against my flesh."

Emma grinned. "And that's a bad thing?" She didn't wait for an answer, instead leaned up and pulled Regina's mouth down to hers.

Regina gripped the blonde's hips and lifted her up onto her lap.

Emma pulled away and sat up, staring down at kiss bruised lips and lust filled eyes. She grasped Regina's hands, entwining their fingers. They stayed that way for several moments, just gazing at each other, breathing together.

Finally, Regina pulled a hand away and slipped it under Emma's skirts, sliding up the heated expanse of her thigh, her goal obvious. "I want you, my Queen." Her voice was thick with arousal.

"I need to feel you inside me Regina."

That was all the provocation the brunette required. She slipped into Emma with ease.

"Oh yes." The blonde bore down on the fingers inside her.

A knock shattered all her good feelings, dissolving them effortlessly into panic.

Regina didn't remove the fingers nestled tightly inside her lover. "What is it?" Her voice gave nothing of their current situation away.

"It is Belle. You must come quick, both of you. The Huntsman is beaten, the child gone."

At that, Regina withdrew from the blonde as Emma herself leapt off the bed. She raced to the door and pulled it open. "What do you mean? Where's Savya? Where is our daughter?"

Belle worried her lip. "It attacked the Huntsman in the forest, coaxing the girl away."

Regina came up to Emma's side, her face already etched with lines of anger. "Who attacked him? _Who did this_?"

Belle glared at her. "It isn't who. It's what. A wolf."

Regina shook her head. She pushed past the two other women and out into her parlour. "My mirrors, I know he kept them. I need a mirror."

Belle nodded. "I'll get one." She turned and hastily left the room.

"Regina, what is it?"

Regina wrung her hands together angrily. "Wolves respond to Graham. No wolf would attack him."

"But Belle just said…"

"I know what she said!"

Emma cringed.

Regina and sighed, coming across the room and wrapping the blonde into her arms. "I apologize my love. Worry sets me on edge." She pulled back but grasped one of the blonde's hands to maintain a connection. If there was anyone who could ground her, it was Emma.

"If it's not a wolf, then what was it?"

"Someone with magic. It's not a difficult spell. A shadow wolf. But why would Savya go with it? It's the only thing that does not make sense."

Belle returned, carrying a hefty looking mirror.

Regina finally pulled her hand from Emma's to take the mirror from the woman. She carried it to the wall and lifted it to the hook it had been originally pulled from. "Genie."

At first all three women saw nothing but their own reflections, but then blue smoke consumed the surface of the glass and slowly formed into the face of a man. He looked rather bored until his eyes fixed on Regina. "Your Majesty? You've returned!"

Regina waved his awe away. There'd be time for that later. "There was a child lured from the surrounding forest by a shadow wolf. Can you find her? I need to know who conjured it."

The glass clouded over once more and then a scene played across it like a movie. A figure in a white cloak was visible, lips moving under the hood of the cloak in a deliberate pace, though no other feature of the face was discernible. Savya trailed a few feet behind, skipping delightedly.

"I know her!"

Regina glanced at the blonde. "What do you mean?"

Emma stepped closer to the glass. "She helped my father and I escape the palace. Hadrian had cornered us in the garden and she held him off long enough for us to escape."

Regina frowned, lines creasing her forehead. "She knows magic. She's singing the Lullaby Hymn. It requires perfect mastery of every little inflection. If you break one note or wander off-pitch, it'll break the spell over the child."

"Where are they? They're no longer in the forest." Emma traced the images on the glass with her fingers. "The forest goes on for miles and miles."

"The sorceress must have transported them." She glared at the looking glass. "Genie."

His face reappeared, causing Emma to withdraw her hand and jump back. "Your Majesty?"

"Where are you drawing that reflection from?"

"The first Hex."

Regina let out a low growl. "She's taking her to the Forbidden Fortress."

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The Huntsman lay in the bed, his top half stripped. Deep gouges penetrated his torso, chunks of tissue and dead flesh hung from the edges of claw marks so deep that, in many places, you could see the bone at the bottom of the wound. His pants were torn in several places where the shadow wolf's jaws or claws had caught him. He was awake, his eyes clouding over and then adjusting over and over again as he obviously fought unconsciousness. His mouth was twisted into a permanent grimace, but he didn't cry out despite his obvious pain.

Emma felt her stomach roil violently.

Regina walked to the bedside. She flexed her fingers. "I will accomplish what I can, but my powers are not enough yet to heal you completely."

He clenched his teeth together and nodded.

Regina's fingers crackled with energy as she placed palms over each of his wounds in turn. It wasn't an easy process and he writhed violently under the energy shooting out from her hands and into his wounds.

Emma stepped across the room and grasped his hand.

His eyes turned to her questioningly, but finally his hand gripped hers back as he accepted the minimal comfort she was trying to offer him.

After she had done all she could, Regina stepped back. The shallowest of the cuts had healed with nary a trace of their existence remaining. The smaller gouges had been healed to thin, angry pink lines of scar tissue. The bigger wounds however had certainly gotten smaller, but still gaped open. Regina waved Belle forward from where the quiet woman was waiting by the door. "He'll need a salve to be put over those still open."

Belle nodded and shuffled out of the chamber to get the salve and bandages.

Regina regarded the Huntsman. "You always were a fool. You fought it. It was after _her_ and you fought it." She put a hand to his cheek. "Thank you, for being a fool, for trying to save her." She dropped her hand. "With the salve, you'll be able to ride soon enough. You may return to Peppergrey. Your service to us is done."

The Huntsman fought to sit up. "I will accompany you. We will get her back."

Regina looked about to object, but finally, she relented with a smirk. "As I said… always a fool. Very well. We ride at first light. Rest...you'll need it." She grasped Emma's hand and turned, leading the blonde from the room.

Emma let herself be led back to the chambers that had once belonged to the Evil Queen and into the bed chamber. Now that the Genie had a bird's eye view of the parlour, it wouldn't do to linger there.

Once they were in the secluded safety of the bed chamber, Regina pulled Emma into a heavy embrace. She buried her face against the blonde's neck and let her tears fall openly.

Emma rubbed soothing circles on the brunette's back and allowed her to slowly come undone. Regina was always the strong one. If she needed a moment to come undone, it was the least Emma could give to her. She shuffled them over to the bed and guided them down onto it.

Finally, after her tears had been shed, Regina raised her head. "This woman in the white cloak… she's baiting us. We may be walking into a trap."

Emma nodded. "We might be, but I care not. Nobody messes with my family. We will get our daughter back Regina."

The certainty in the blonde's voice was almost enough to convince them both. Almost.


	36. A Glimpse Of How You Feel

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: i know mayor regina has been very two steps forward and one step back throughout this story so far... there's going to be a little more resistance from storybrooke regina before we see any true progress, but i promise it's coming. i don't however promise that it's going to be enough progress to break the curse and/or save the other regina. you'll just have to wait and see for that. i love the banter between august and emma in this chapter, it's exactly how i talk with my roommate. thank you to all who continue to review and show interest in this story. it's a long journey and i appreciate all those who've stuck with me along the way. enjoy and review.

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**-Chapter 35: A Glimpse Of How You Feel-**

She didn't know why she was here so early. It was the stupidest idea she'd ever had, but she needed to get to work on this whole breaking of the curse fast. She pulled the trench coat, borrowed from her roommate's closet more tightly around her to ward off the chill in the air and came up the walk with purpose. She had seen Regina in an upstairs window as she'd pulled up. She knew the brunette was aware of her presence. She didn't even have to knock as the door opened just as she stopped before it.

"Miss Swan?" Regina raised an eyebrow. Since it was only a few minutes after six, she was still in her silk negligee, covered by a matching robe, loosely tied.

Emma pushed into the foyer, gripping the door and closing it behind her. She grabbed the tie on her coat and pulled, letting it fall open. Blue lace was all that separated Regina's eyes from the entirety of Emma Swan.

"Back for more then? Didn't you learn your lesson last night?" Her tone was admonishing even as her hands reached for the lacy barrier of Emma's bra. Her fingers grazed over it and then her hand reach down and snatched up Emma's. "Very well Miss Swan." She led the blonde towards the stairs.

When they were in the safety of the upstairs bedroom, Regina's whole demeanor changed. She grabbed the jacket and nearly ripped it as she shoved it off. She did rip the blue lace covering Emma's breasts in her haste to pull it from the blonde's body. She tossed it aside as if it were nothing. Her lips hungrily sought purchase on Emma's neck. She backed the blonde over to the bed they had already marked as their territory, dropping herself onto it and pulling Emma down into her lap.

"Do you want me Miss Swan?" Regina's mouth descended onto an already erect nipple, causing Emma to emit a low moan, always mindful of controlling her volume with Henry in the house, and she nodded. "Tell me you want me." When Emma didn't immediately respond, Regina bit down on her nipple with almost enough force to break the skin.

Emma let out a hiss, lost somewhere between pain and pleasure. "I want you."

"Are you wet for me?" Regina's tongue soothed the sore flesh before she moved to its twin.

Emma bit her bottom lip as she pushed her chest out and further into the mayor's mouth. "So wet."

Regina smirked against her skin. "Good girl."

Emma fought through the dizzying effects of the brunette's mouth on her skin to grip the tie of the robe and flick it open. She pushed the silk from the mayor's shoulders. She ground herself down on the mayor's lap, not caring how wanton she appeared to be.

Regina slid her hand down the blonde's torso and beneath the lace, groaning against the skin beneath her mouth when she felt exactly how wet Emma truly was. "Miss Swan…" She detached her mouth from the sensitive flesh of her breasts to look at her, her eyes darkened with desire.

"Please Regina…" She wasn't sure what she was pleading for. Was it just to have the skillful fingers that were stroking through her wetness dip inside of her? Or was she begging for Regina to actually feel this, to feel _something_? Maybe she was pleading for both. But Regina was only willing to concede to one.

She pressed two fingers into Emma's dripping entrance, thrusting at almost an excruciatingly slow pace.

Emma ground down on the fingers, moving her hips rapidly to get the friction she needed, but then Regina's free hand wrapped around her waist, stilling her movements.

"I want to feel you for a moment."

If not for that arm around her waist, Emma was quite sure she would have toppled right off Regina's lap in shock. What had she just said? She stilled and let Regina continue to softly stroke inside her, feeling fingertips drag down her walls every time she pulled out. Regina was… _exploring_ her. Her heart pounded at the thought and though, just moments before, she had begged to be fucked harder, she found she was getting just as much from this gentle exploration. She laid her head down on Regina's shoulder.

Regina acknowledged Emma's cooperation by rubbing her thumb across her clit. It took longer than usual but the blonde still came undone in her arms and this time she was in a better position to appreciate it than she normally found herself when they were in bed together. If she allowed kissing of the mouth, she supposed she'd kiss Emma Swan right now, but she didn't, so she found herself placing a soft kiss to the blonde's shoulder blade as she came down from her high.

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"What's the special occasion?" Graham eyed the box of pastries in the crook of her arm and the two coffees, one in each hand.

She set one down in front of him, tilting her arm just enough for the box of baked goods to slide easily onto his desk. She set down her own coffee so she could open the box. She looked at him, seeing the Huntsman writhing on the bed as he held her hand. "You're a good guy Graham."

He raised an eyebrow. "Uh… thank you?"

She rolled her eyes and swatted him on the arm. "You've been a really great friend, and all the help you've given me with Regina… you're a really decent guy." She grabbed a fresh bear claw from the box, popping it into her mouth and taking a bite.

He stared at her suspiciously as he grabbed a cinnamon bun from the box (he'd learned better than to go for the bear claws unless one was specifically offered to him). "You got laid, didn't you?"

Emma rolled her eyes and turned to head out her desk. "Yes, actually I did."

He chuckled. "Women. I told you flowers are your guy's thing."

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"You are so whipped." August sat at the counter and watched as Emma negotiated the hand mixer, trying to put the arms into the machine. He frowned as she jabbed one of the arms into the hole, looking frustrated as it didn't perfectly slide in. "Would you like help with that?"

Emma glared at him murderously. "No!" She finally got both sides in and locked down. She placed it in the bowl and pressed the speed button up to Low. Nothing happened. "What _now_?" She growled as she checked to make sure she'd secured the arms.

August held up the power cord, still unplugged.

She snatched it from his hand. "I knew that!"

He rolled his eyes. "Sure ya did, Betty Crocker."

Emma plugged the small appliance in, screaming as the arms, now out of the mixture, lurched to life. She quickly put them back in the bowl.

"So, first flowers and now you're cooking for her? Try again and tell me why you're not whipped…"

Emma frowned. "First of all, I'm not _cooking_ for her. Kitchens and me have a complicated history and I'm not suicidal." She eyed the stove pointedly as if expecting it to spontaneously catch fire. "I'm _baking_ for her… and it's not even for her, it's for Henry. He was sick yesterday and he still wasn't one hundred percent when I dropped him off at school this morning. I thought I'd try and do something nice and motherly to cheer him up. Mothers bake, right?"

"Right… You really expect me to believe this is all for Henry? Makes sense seeing as _he's_ the one with an obvious thing for apples..." August rolled his eyes to show he wasn't fooled for a second.

She turned off the mixer and glared at him. "What does it matter if I **am** baking for her? What do you care?"

He held up his hands in surrender. "Hey, I'm not saying it's a bad thing. I'm just pointing out that you're over the moon for Mayor Mills."

"Am not!"

"You're so in love with her, you might as well have 'Property of Regina Mills' tattooed on your ass."

Emma had to fight off the urge to dump her batter over his head. Instead she turned and poured the concoction into the baking dish, scraping the bowl to get all the batter out. Then she poured the caramel apple concoction over the top of the batter. She opened the preheated oven and stuck the dish in, setting the timer and closing the door with a relieved sigh and a prayer that it would at least turn out halfway decent. She turned back to August, who was smirking at her. _Screw him! I do not have Property of Regina Mills tattooed on my ass!... I wonder what a tattoo like that would cost? The skin's pretty thin there; it would probably hurt. Oh God… I'm so whipped!_

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Emma stared down at the dish in her hands. Yet again, it occurred to her that this would almost surely backfire. Regina hadn't invited her to dinner this evening. But if the woman didn't want her to stay she'd just leave the dessert, which had blessedly come out perfectly, and run for the hills with her tail between her legs. What else could she do? She had to tread carefully now that the Fate of the Enchanted Forest rested on making things work with Mayor Mills.

She raised her hand and knocked on the door. It didn't take long for the brunette to appear.

"You're late Miss Swan."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "I am?"

Regina sighed. "Yes. I called and left a message on your cell to be here at six."

Emma frowned. "I must have left my phone in my desk at the station."

"Yes well, better late than never I suppose." She frowned disapprovingly. "Are you going to come in or would you rather stand out there all night?"

Emma sighed and entered the house. This night would certainly be interesting.

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"Is Henry asleep?" Regina looked up at Emma standing in the doorway from where she was perched at the edge of the bed, slowly rolling her stocking down her leg.

Emma nodded and came into the room, shutting the door. She crossed to the bed and fell to her knees on the floor in front of the brunette. She swatted the mayor's hand away and continued to roll the stocking down herself. Once it was off, she kissed her way from the brunette's foot all the way back up to the hem of her skirt on her thigh. She reached for the other side and repeated the process. As she stood, she grasped the mayor's hands and brought her up with her. She unbuttoned the woman's shirt, untucking it from her skirt and pushing it off her shoulders. She grabbed the zipper on the side of her skirt and drew it down, pushing the fabric down her legs until she could step out of it. She set that next to the shirt and stockings. She reached around the brunette and unclasped her bra, hooking her fingers through the straps at her shoulders and drawing them down her arms. She set that article of clothing with the others. She grabbed the barely there nightgown Regina had already brought out, drawing it down over her head and body. She smoothed the fabric down as soon as she was done, looking into unreadable brown eyes. "If I tried to touch you… would you let me?"

Regina seemed like she was internally debating the topic. Finally she shook her head.

Emma nodded, taking a step back. "It's okay… we'll get there." She smiled. "I'll be back in the morning to take Henry to school." She turned to go. A hand caught her arm, stopping her. She turned back to find the mayor staring at her intently.

"Will you come early for breakfast?"

Emma nodded. "If you want me to."

Regina gave a nod.

Emma smiled. "I'll see you and Henry at six thirty then."

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Emma stared down at the dish in her hands. There wasn't much left, Caramel Apple Cobbler had gone over very well at dinner, especially with her son, but she had made a promise.

August opened the door.

She held up the dish. "I brought you the leftovers, as promised."

He raised an eyebrow. "You could have just put it in some tupperware and brought it by tomorrow. It's almost eleven."

Emma rolled her eyes and pushed in past him, holding up two forks with a flourish. "Then we wouldn't be able to share."

He chuckled and closed the door.

She sat cross-legged on the bed and put the dish down in front of her. She held a fork out to him, digging in with her own after he'd taken it from her.

"Hey, save some for me Killer." He sat down on the other side of the dish and dug in.

For twenty minutes, they silently binged on Emma's, surprisingly awesome, dessert. Finally they were staring at an empty dish. They tossed their forks in and August set the empty dish on the bedside table.

"I thought you'd be wrapped up in Madam Mayor's bed sheets at this hour."

Emma sighed. "No."

"Trouble in paradise?" He leaned back against the pillows.

Emma shrugged. She crawled to the other side of the bed and laid down on her stomach.

His playful expression turned to one of genuine concern. "What is it?"

"I met Rumpelstiltskin in the other world. He told me that the prophecy leaves us stranded here after my twenty eighth birthday. The Enchanted Forest will… I don't know, just disappear I guess. I didn't ask for the gruesome details."

He frowned. "I thought you said it was your choice."

"Up until yesterday that's what I believed. But I was wrong."

"And you were going to choose the Enchanted Forest?"

Emma nodded, looking at him apologetically.

He took a moment to process the information. "Is that why you've been going so hardcore at the mayor?"

Emma bit her bottom lip and nodded. "If I can break 'the curse' and reunite everyone's souls with their other halves in the Enchanted Forest, then maybe I might be able to save them."

"And if you can't?"

Emma shook her head, tears stinging her eyes. "I can't even think about it. There is no other option. I just have to find some way to get through to the mayor. I **have** to. There's no other way."

He sighed. "Well I'm not sure what I could possibly do to help, but I'll do whatever I can."

She gave him a small smile. "Thank you."

He nodded. He stood, crossing to the dresser. He opened the top drawer and tossed her a clean pair of boxers.

She looked at the design. "Superman, _really_? Everyone who's anyone knows it's all about Batman."

He looked affronted. "He has super strength!"

Emma sat up. "He's an alien! At least Bruce Wayne is human! And, I mean, the man wears red _underwear_, on the _outside_ of his suit, come on."

They spent the next half hour on the age old debate of Superman vs. Batman. By the end Emma had beaten him into submission, and exhausted, he traded the traitorous Superman boxers for a pair with the Pillsbury Doughboy on them. She kicked off her jeans and slid into the boxers, curling up on her side of the bed.

August slid into the other side. He flipped out the light.

For a long time they were both silent. Then…

"Hey Emma?"

"Hmm?"

"It's going to be okay, I promise."


	37. You Never Have To Be Alone

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: just a quick warning, the first conversation between regina and emma might punch some of you right in the feels. be aware and keep tissues in the vicinity. that being said, enjoy and review as always.

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**-Chapter 36: You Never Have To Be Alone-**

Movement startled Emma awake. She was on a horse, navigating its way down a dense roadway that looked as if it hadn't been used in years. The forest encroached in on both sides, broken tree branches discarded across the dirt, still laying in the places they'd toppled to after breaking off from the surrounding trees at some time or another. The trees on each side of the roadway had grown in an arch, their branches reaching for each other. Over time and with growth, the limbs from trees on either side had commingled, forming a ceiling of greenery over the path, blocking the sun from view.

A solid heat against her back told her that Regina was riding behind her. The brunette had warned her that they were leaving at first light, whether Emma was able to awaken or not. Why had she stayed up with August?

"Morning my love."

She smiled at the whisper in her ear, and relaxed back against the soft body behind her. "Mm, I like this. Remind me why I ride my own horse again?"

Regina chuckled, a warm sound in such dark circumstances. "As wonderful as this is and as much as I always choose to have you in my arms, it is quite faster moving when we're on separate steeds."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "Is that cue for: I'm about to pull this thing over and kick you off?

Regina nuzzled the back of her neck. "I don't think that's necessary quite yet."

Emma smiled. "Where's the Huntsman?" She looked around and didn't see him anywhere, nor did she see her horse.

"He rode ahead to scout. He's meeting us at Fiastro."

Emma rubbed absentminded circles on the skin of the hand around her waist. "Did the mirror give you any updates before we left?"

"They are well across the second Hex. They'll be at Maleficent's before peak of night or early tomorrow morning." She sighed. "She seems to be treating Savya well."

"Like you said, she's baiting us. Her goal isn't to hurt Savya, it's to use her to draw us out. I just wish I knew why. If it had simply been to kill us, wouldn't she have done it already? She saved me from Hadrian; she easily could have fell me right there at the palace if that was her intention from the start. Why wait until now to make a move that was simpler before?"

Regina bit her lip. "The Huntsman offered up another theory as soon as we were off my old lands."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"He thinks she's using Savya to draw us away from Rumpelstiltskin and his influence. I'm not so convinced she has pure motives just yet, but it does make sense."

Emma frowned. "Interesting theory and possible, but I don't see what influence he has. I mean, he gave me the creeps sure, but he also earned my respect."

Regina laughed. "You cannot be serious?"

"He's the only one who's told me the truth!"

"Oh Emma, really, you must learn to take what that man says with a grain of salt. He thrives on being manipulative and vexatious."

Emma shook her head, her fingers halting their play across Regina's hand. "I'm glad what he said means so little to you."

"Will you **stop** already? You're not the one facing death here Emma! So stop acting like it! It isn't the end of you; it's the end of _me_. Don't you think I'm the one that deserves to be angry or upset?"

"You **should** be!"

"Why… when I know you're already despairing enough for the both of us?"

Emma looked over her shoulder at Regina, anger uncoiling in the pit of her stomach like a snake. "You may be the one who will die, but I thought you'd understand my fear more than anyone. It's hard to die, but it can be just as hard to be what's left behind." She turned back to face forward.

All the anger that had been welling up inside Regina dissipated in an instant. More than most, she did know what it was like to be the survivor. And Emma was right, it had been far from easy. It had shaped her into the Evil Queen. It had ruled her life, fueled her vengeful purposes. It had defined her for many years. "If, and I do mean if, Rumpelstiltskin spoke the truth, promise me you will not become me. Do not do what I did… do not become something so dark you don't even recognize yourself anymore. I can make peace with the end of my life, it has been coming for many years, but I cannot accept the destruction of your soul. **Promise me** Emma."

Emma felt tears make trails down her cheeks, but she couldn't bring herself to utter the words. Her heart was already splintering and there was still time. "Are you scared?"

"I have not done all I wish to in life, but I have done much. Before I was put under that spell, if you would have asked me, I would have answered no. I had long anticipated death and there was a part of me that was so broken I would have welcomed a reprieve from the pain. But now… one only fears when there is something to lose. I don't want to lose you, so yes, I am afraid." She took a shaky breath. "The Elves believe that after we die, we go to this place that's like paradise, the most beautiful place you can imagine and there's no sorrow, there's no pain."

Emma pursed her lips. "Yea, I've heard of it." She thought of Earth and the idea of Heaven. The Elves believed in something even more grand than that. Emma found it hard to believe all souls could be so lucky.

"If I get to go to a place like that…"

Emma held up a hand to shut her up. Her heart was already on the brink of shattering completely. "I don't want to think of you not existing."

"But I will exist… _there_."

Emma felt more tears release from her eyes as Regina leaned around and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "If this world is to end, Savya and I will go there. I'll be with her, I promise. And you'll have your son, and a part of me. She is the part I wish to forget, but regardless, she is **me**. You'll have her and your son and you will _live_. You will live and be happy and…" Another shaky breath. "Savya and I… we'll _wait_ for you. When you've lived your life and it's finally at its conclusion and you're ready… we'll be waiting for you."

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They reached Fiastro within two hours. The small town was at the base of the first Hex. The makeshift ceiling of trees had blocked the mountain from Emma's view for most of the ride, but about two miles north of the city, the roadway opened up and she saw the mass of purple-grey stone towering above her. The Hexes, though the same size as the Sunfair mountains in the North, were far more imposing. They looked threatening and harsh, which was probably why so many unsavory creatures favoured them.

The rules were different in the Forbidden Forest than they had been in the Enchanted Forest. There were no city walls, nor city guards to question them of their motives. In the Forbidden Forest, everyone coming or going had questionable motives. The people of Fiastro seemed to be more interested in the fine breeding of the horse they rode than the two women who rode it.

The Huntsman was waiting outside the town's inn. He had stuffed the two horses' saddle bags, apparently with food stores from the inn for their journey. He smiled at Emma. "Good to see you awake Your Grace."

Emma rolled her eyes. "We are no longer in a place where I'm considered royalty. Here, I am just a friend. Please, call me Emma." Regina slipped off the steed and helped her down, placing a hand under each arm and lifting her down as if she weighed barely anything at all, just like she constantly did with Savya.

"Starfire needs to rest. Take him to the stables Huntsman, make sure he is fed and rested and I will do the same with the Queen." Her tone brooked no argument.

Emma managed an apologetic frown in the Huntsman's direction before he strode off, the reins of all three horses bunched tightly in his fists.

Regina's expression softened once they were again alone. "We will be recognized here. To the passerby on the road, they take a moment to size up your threat level and then they keep to themselves, but here in town I will be recognized. Most likely, so will you. We can claim you are my prisoner, that I have you under a spell, if you wish to save face."

Emma slipped her hand into Regina's, entwining their fingers. She looked down at their clasped hands fondly. "I love you. I'm tired of hiding from that. I am not afraid of how I feel. If that loses me my crown, so be it. It was always a dreadful heavy thing anyway."

Regina smiled. "Alright. Together then." She squeezed Emma's hand and they made their way into the inn.

The moment they stepped into the common room, all conversation ceased, though because of her presence, Regina's presence, or their intimate proximity to each other, she couldn't tell. Slowly, a man got up from the bench where he was enjoying a pint of ale and he bowed. One by one, the other patrons followed suit, bowing before their Queen.

Emma had a feeling it wasn't to her they were showing fealty, so she too dipped low, bowing to her lover.

Regina put her free hand under Emma's chin. "Rise." She was speaking only to the blonde but everyone else obeyed the command as well.

A place was hastily cleared for them, the seat of honour, though it looked no different than any of the other tables.

Emma waited through a long parade of people coming to welcome her Dark Highness back to her proper place in the realm. By her demeanor, Emma could tell Regina was once again playing the part of the Evil Queen, adopting that dispassionate countenance to fool her followers. No one paid any attention to her, for which she was grateful. A runaway Queen from the Enchanted Forest apparently became yesterday's news in the face of the return of the Evil Queen after three decades of absence.

However, once the novelty had worn off and everyone had gotten a chance to say their peace and Regina and Emma had finally been allowed to dine quietly, the talk in the inn shifted to something Emma had not been expecting.

"The King of the Enchanted Forest, that foreign fellow, Hadrick or whatever… he's declared war."

"War… on who?"

"The Queen."

"Our Queen?"

"No, his Queen."

"No, not against the Queen, you stupid fool, on the Forbidden Forest."

"I heard he ain't know who he's declaring war on."

"The Queen left him to sail across the sea, I heard."

"I heard she killed herself just to get away from him."

"Well I heard he really _is_ the Queen. She dresses herself up like a man so she can run the kingdom without being married."

Emma saw Regina's hand tighten around her fork, her jaw working as she chewed a chunk of potato and tried to keep her composure.

"Either way, he's marching south."

"He wouldn't dare come into the Forbidden Forest."

"He already is. His camp is just south of the Saltmire gate. I saw it with my own eyes."

"**Enough**!" Regina stood abruptly. All conversation halted and the patrons turned to her in fear. She looked to the man who had just spoke. "You… tell me everything you saw."

The man, in his forties and scrawny, paled. "I was coming through the gate at Saltmire, Your Majesty, and I noticed a lot of men in uniform just this side. I stopped one and asked after them and he said the King of the Enchanted Forest was coming after his wife, that she was in the Forbidden Forest."

Regina asked more questions of the people, gathering information, but Emma just tuned it out. She should have known it wouldn't be so easy. They had enough of a headstart and if they could make it to Maleficent's, Regina claimed they would be safe. But Hadrian wouldn't stop, not when his pride was the cost. She pushed away her plate, suddenly at a loss of appetite, and rubbed her temples. Wasn't this supposed to be the easy world? Wasn't this the place of magic and happy endings? It seemed at times that she struggled more here than she did in the other world. At least there, you always knew what you were getting. That world was fucked up but from a young age, she knew it never claimed to be something better. Life there was hard, everybody would tell you so. But here, on the brochure, it made it seem all about fairytales and true love, when it was much more complicated than that. It lured you in with a deceptively sweet exterior.

She felt a hand on her upper arms, guiding her out of the bench and she let herself be led from the clamour of the room and back out into the breezy air wafting down off the mountain.

"Are you alright?" Regina brushed some hair behind her ear. "You looked a little lost in there."

Emma frowned. "He may never let it go… he may never give up. I'd like to settle this peacefully, but it may become necessary to kill him."

"And if it comes to that, it was his pride, his part in all this that will bring him to that place. It's no fault of yours. You cannot be blamed for following your heart dear one."

Emma nodded. It made sense, but she couldn't help but feel the smallest seepings of guilt. This marriage had been her idea, because, in the beginning, she had bent so easily to the will of her people. This was all the tricklings of that original weakness.

She sighed. "It matters not. This is all worry for another time. Savya is our priority."

Regina nodded, instantly back to the task at hand. "If we make good time, we'll be halfway over the first Hex by nightfall. We'll make camp near Crenshaw Pass"

Emma started off in the directions of the stables. "Let's head out then. My time for today grows shorter with each passing minute."

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They made it to the other side of Crenshaw Pass, strategically their best spot for camp. This way, they could see anyone following after them and block the pass accordingly and if the woman in the white cloak tried to double back out of the Hexes, they'd be there to apprehend her. The Huntsman agreed to keep watch and Regina curled up on the bedroll with Emma, whispering comforting words to her until she succumbed to the pull of the other world.


	38. When You Refuse Me You Confuse Me

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: again, this august and emma behaviour is pulled from that of me and my roommate. thank you charlie for the inspiration. you always are a right ass when you want to be and you wouldn't hesitate to pull a stunt like august if given the opportunity. angsty at the end, i know, but i'm planning on making up for it. enjoy and review.

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**-Chapter 37: When You Refuse Me You Confuse Me-**

"You're going to be late if you don't wake up soon Emma." August poked the lump curled under his covers again. She had told him the night before about her breakfast plans and he knew she'd kill him if he didn't wake her up, but she was stubborn, even in sleep. "Come on Emma." He pulled the duvet off her and she groaned in response. "Good morning Sunshine."

She sat up and managed to roll her eyes at him. Her hair was sticking up in crazy angles and she looked exhausted. "What time is it?"

"A couple minutes before six."

She nodded. "I have to go home and get ready." She slipped out of bed and grabbed her jeans, pulling them on over the boxer shorts. "I'll wash your boxers and return them later."

He smirked at her as he held open the door. "No rush. Have a _good_ day Emma."

She frowned at his tone, like he knew something she didn't. But she didn't have time to dwell on it. She was already behind. Probably just the assumption that her and Regina would be screwing like rabbits later, which, if she had any say, would most definitely be happening.

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"Where were you last night?"

Emma rushed up the stairs. "With August. No time to talk. Running late." It was already six ten and she still needed a quick shower.

Mary Margaret filed away her questions for later when the blonde wasn't in such a rush. She put on some coffee for Emma as she heard the shower turn on.

Just as it dinged that it was ready, she heard the shower switch off. She grabbed one of the travel mugs out of the cupboard at the same time as a shriek emanated from the bathroom. Mary jumped, dropping the mug. She rushed to the bottom of the stairs. "Emma? Are you alright? What is it?"

The bathroom door opened and Emma stormed out, her face red with rage. "Oh it's nothing… I'm just going to kill August the next time I see him!" She let out a frustrated growl. "I don't have time to deal with this now. I'm late as it is." She turned and marched into her room, slamming the door.

Mary, completely confused, returned to the kitchen, picking up the dropped travel mug as she went. She finished pouring the coffee into the mug and screwing on the lid just as Emma came thumping down the stairs in a fresh pair of jeans and a new wife beater.

She grabbed her blue leather jacket from the arm of the couch and took the mug Mary offered her. "I'll see you later okay? Thanks for this."

"Have a good day Emma."

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She stepped up to the door just as the clock ticked to six thirty. At least she'd be spared the lecture about promptness.

Regina was there to open the door, just as she always was. She ushered Emma in. "Good morning Miss Swan."

Emma sighed. "I wish."

Regina frowned as she shut the door. "Excuse me?"

"Sorry, yes, good morning Madam Mayor."

Regina eyed her suspiciously. "Henry's just setting up the table."

Emma wandered in the general direction of the dining room. "What are we having?"

"Pancakes. Henry's choice." She trailed behind Emma. Something was off about the blonde this morning, she just couldn't put her finger on it. She looked… almost nervous.

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Breakfast went quicker than usual, leaving Henry fifteen minutes to go upstairs and read his books before they had to leave.

Emma helped Regina carry the dishes to the sink. As Regina went to collect the remaining cups from the table, Emma leaned over the sink and flipped on the hot water.

And that's when Regina saw it. Emma's wife beater had ridden up to the small of her back, revealing the tiniest flash of black over her jeans. Well this was a new development. "Miss Swan, you have a **tattoo**?"

Emma whipped around, pressing her backside safely against the edge of the sink, yanking her wife beater down, a look of utter horror on her face. "Nope, no tattoos. None whatsoever." She tried to chuckle it off, rather unsuccessfully. "Wow, seeing things much?" She had been caught and they both know it.

Regina deposited the dishes in the sink and grasped Emma's denim-covered hips. "Alright Miss Swan, let's see it."

Emma shook her head back and forth furiously, pressing herself even heavier against the sink behind her.

"Really Miss Swan, I'm going to see it eventually. You might as well get it over with now."

Emma again shook her head, just as furiously as before, her blonde waves flying. "There's nothing to see."

Regina crossed her arms across her chest. "You will let me see it Miss Swan."

Emma gulped at the certainty in her tone but managed to shake her head once more. "Nope, I'm good."

Regina felt the anger flare in her stomach, hot and bright, as it always was with Emma. But just before she unleashed her fury on the blonde, she decided to change tactics. After all, one caught more bees with honey than with vinegar. She reached forward and undid the blonde's jeans.

Emma glanced down in alarm at the unexpected change of events. "What are you doing?"

Regina's hand slid down into Emma's underwear. "What does it look like I'm doing?" A second later her long fingers were teasing the blonde's entrance.

Emma bit back a moan. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to fight her mutinous body, keep it from responding to the brunette's attentions. "If you think this is going to work…"

"I don't think Miss Swan, I _know_." Regina slipped her fingers into her and Emma had to fight not to rise to meet the thrust. Regina kissed her neck up to her ear. "Don't fight me." She traced the shell of her ear with her tongue. "I only want to make you feel good." She continued to thrust shallowly into and back out of the blonde, just enough to get her going but hardly deep enough to send her over the edge.

Emma fought against it with everything she had, staving off her urges until she thought she would burst. And then finally, inevitably, she gave in. Her body moved away from the safety of the sink to meet the mayor's thrusts.

Regina did not waste a second, gripping the blonde's hip with her free hand and spinning her around. She kept her one hand buried inside the blonde, though her thrusts ceased for a moment.

Emma braced her hands on the edge of the sink and waited for the inevitable humiliation. Man, she was going to **kill** August.

Regina's free hand hooked in the back of Emma's jeans and dragged the material steadily downward, revealing the black ink inch by inch. Once fully revealed, her fingers traced over the black letters. Her eyes widened in surprise at the words, but once over the initial shock, her mouth fell into a smirk. She squeezed the inked flesh of the blonde's ass. She pulled the woman up and back against her, pressing her body hard against the blonde's back, resuming her thrusts, harder now. They had only a few minutes before Henry would be back downstairs. "Are you my _property_ Miss Swan?" She nipped at the blonde's earlobe.

Emma tried to pull away, but the brunette held her firm. She felt her orgasm building inside her.

Regina used her thumb to apply pressure to a ready and waiting clit.

Emma resisted the urge to cry out as she ground down on the brunette's hand. It took another minute but finally she felt herself clench around Regina's fingers, a sigh escaping her lips as she sank back against the body behind her.

Regina placed a languid kiss against her neck. "There now dear, that wasn't so hard, was it? You really must learn to just submit to me."

Emma finally managed to get her legs to function properly and she zipped her jeans back up. She turned to meet the smug gaze of the woman behind her. She considered telling her that August had wrote the words in Sharpie across her ass cheek as she'd _slept in his bed_ last night. It would certainly trigger Regina's jealous side and when the mayor got jealous, she became all sexily possessive. But besides earning her some rough sex so Regina could re-establish her territory, it wouldn't benefit any party involved. Though she had big plans to flog her former best friend herself, it would be cruel to expose him to the undue wrath of Regina Mills. She could be a real witch when she wanted to be. So instead she shrugged. "I am **not** your property…"

"Your **ass** tells a different story."

Emma scowled, narrowing her eyes at being interrupted. "I am not your property, however, I am _yours_."

Regina frowned. "I don't see the difference."

Emma smiled. "I know, but one day you will. And I'll be waiting when you do." She turned back to the nearly forgotten dishes.

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It was her turn to retrieve lunch from Granny's and Emma was happy. If August had slunk his way out of the bed and breakfast, that would be where he'd be. But as she entered the little diner, she found him surprisingly absent.

"Hey Ruby."

The younger girl looked up with a wide grin. "Hey Emma. The usual."

Emma nodded, leaning against the counter. "Heavy on the cheese for me."

Ruby gave her an apologetic look. "Been one of _those_ days, huh?"

Emma sighed. "You have no idea." She watched the flirtatious waitress put in her order. "Have you seen August today?"

Ruby nodded. "He came in for breakfast like he usually does, then said he had stuff to do today."

Emma nodded. "Figures."

"He said not to expect him back because he'd be too busy."

"Yes, more likely because he values his life."

Ruby raised an eyebrow. "Boy troubles?"

Emma shook her head. She was saved from having to elaborate any further by the prompt arrival of her order. She paid, thanked Ruby and headed back for the station.

She headed straight for Graham's office, handing him his burger.

He motioned over her shoulder and she turned to find August staring at her from where he was casually leaning against her desk.

Emma had assumed she'd calmed down. But apparently she hadn't. She saw red and tossed down the bag with her lunch on Graham's desk, storming out into the main room. "You're brave showing up here when I'm armed."

August shrugged. "I figured it was safe. You can't kill me in front of the Sheriff."

"Graham?" Emma called over her shoulder without taking her deadly gaze off August.

Graham held up his burger. "Sorry, I'm on lunch. I only handle crime on the clock."

She smirked. "Still feeling safe?"

"Come on Swan, it was just a joke." He held up his hands defensively.

"She **saw** it August! She saw _**Property of Regina Mills**_ written plain as day across my ass!"

"Huh, so that's what she meant when she said the Sheriff's Station was obviously back under her control." Graham sounded thoughtful.

Both August and Emma turned their gazes on the Sheriff. "Not helping Graham," they said in unison.

"I can go to her and explain…"

"No!" Emma shook her head. "You think _I'm_ gonna kill you… you have **no idea** what Regina would do to you. Just let it blow over. She'll make digs at me about it for a while, but then she'll get over it." She frowned. "But make no mistake, you owe me, big time."

He grinned. "And I know just how to start paying you back."

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"You can do this Emma." She stared at her reflection in the mirror of the master bathroom. Regina was down the hall putting Henry to bed. She had been thoroughly enjoying picking fun at the blonde all night with comments like "your ass is mine" and other immature (yet somehow still hot coming from Regina) puns. August had explained his plan to her. It was a simple age old one, but he seemed determined to see it work. But the first step was doing something she really didn't want to do. She knew the mayor would just laugh in her face for even suggesting it. But she needed to do something to make the brunette fall for her, and fast. Time was precious and it was dwindling. She looked down at her hands, each with an iron grip on the sides of the sink. She could do this. It was just one stupid little question. Besides, it's not like the brunette hadn't said no to her countless times before and that was the worst she could do... well, except maybe laugh. She took a deep breath, stealing her nerves and exited the bathroom.

Regina was waiting for her, her shirt and slacks already discarded.

Emma's mouth went slack. The question could wait. No, it couldn't. If she waited until after the mayor's mouth was on her, she'd lose her nerve. "Before we… Regina, would you like to have dinner with me?" She cringed at how awkward the words sounded.

Regina raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that what we do every night dear?" She took another step towards Emma.

"I mean… just us… like, you know, a date."

Another step closer. She was almost close enough to touch Emma now. "Are you unsatisfied with our arrangement, Miss Swan?" The smirk on her lips said she obviously didn't think so.

Emma shifted uneasily. "No…. I mean, sort of. I_ love_ you Regina. I've told you that countless times. There's only so much of this I can take before I need… **more**."

Regina's progress halted and the smirk fell from her face. "More?"

Emma nodded. "I want to spend time and have a cuddle and… I don't know."

Regina scoffed. "I'm **not** your girlfriend Miss Swan."

At that was the truth of it. She was the new Graham, Regina's new plaything. She was a sex buddy, nothing more. Her extenuating circumstances, aka Henry, kept her closer than most of Regina's toys, but in the end maybe that's all she would ever be. She was sick of it. "You know what? Forget I asked. Have a nice night Madam Mayor." She pushed past the brunette, who was already scrambling for her silk robe. She went down the stairs as fast as she could, hoping to just be done with the conversation for the night. Fate was not on her side it would seem.

"Miss Swan!"

Emma froze halfway down the walk. She turned.

Regina was standing in the doorway, hugging her robe about herself. "What do you want Miss Swan?"

"Don't you get it by now? I want **you**!"

"Every time you lie to my face it insults me and my intelligence Miss Swan."

Emma shook her head. "I have no reason to lie! If you took a moment to pull your head out of your ass, you'd see that!" Emma rubbed her temples, mentally reminding herself that she loved this woman.

"You're here to take away everything I hold dear."

Emma shook her head once more. "You're paranoid." She reached up, running a hand through her hair. "You've barricaded yourself so tightly behind those walls you put up around yourself that you're suffocating." She turned back up the walk. "If you decide that maybe, just maybe, you want to let something in, to possibly get back what you once lost, go ahead and let me know."


	39. Help Me Chase The Shadows Away

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N::excited about this update mainly because the creature involved in it was from one of my stories when i was in high school. i got high praise from my professor, but i always wanted to revisit it, and now i got the chance. except i made it evil, where before it was good. hopefully it works well as fantasy is not really my forte. anyways, enjoy and review. loving the feedback this is getting.

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**-Chapter 38: Help Me Chase The Shadows Away-**

It barely took them any time to break camp once Emma awakened. Regina was set on making it over the second Hex and to Maleficent's fortress before the peak of night. But that was only if luck was kind enough to be on their side and luck had never favoured either Queen.

The morning stretch over the remaining portion of the first Hex proved uneventful. The Huntsman kept a distance ahead of them, using scouting as an excuse, though Emma was rather sure he just disliked being close to Regina. He'd begrudgingly admitted to the blonde that something in her eyes had changed and he no longer saw the callous and cold woman who'd taken his heart. Emma had been good for her, had changed her. But no matter how changed she may be, Emma knew he would never forgive the past misdeeds. She may no longer be the Evil Queen, but she existed in the physical shell of the cruel ruler and it was too hard to separate the two in his mind. So he only came near when Regina insisted on riding ahead to observe the way for herself, which she did every hour or so, magically probing for any traps the Huntsman may be unable to see.

"Where will you go after Maleficent's?" He came apace beside her.

Emma shrugged, her eyes scanning the surrounding landscape for any signs of an impending ambush or hidden trouble. Regina had been gone for longer than usual and she found it exceedingly worrisome. Unlike the first Hex, which had been sparsely dotted with foliage here and there, but mostly barren, the second Hex was it's opposite. The surrounding area was thick with forestry and places to hide. She had no knowledge of these woods and even the Huntsman seemed unfamiliar with the territory. If any unsavory characters were going to attempt to cause trouble, this would be the place to do it. "I have not thought so far ahead. Time… it is not my friend at the moment, mayhaps it never has been. I do not have long. A week from today. That is all time has afforded me to solve the riddle of my life. I would call it unfair but it is a drop in the bucket of all I have endured. Unfair has been such a constant companion to me in my life, I should like to call it friend."

"She took the news well."

The corners of Emma's mouth lifted in the smallest of smiles. "She is a Queen in every way, much more so than I have ever been. And a Queen's reaction is what she allows people to see, even me. Ever dignified, even when facing Death. I quite expect she won't even flinch when the time comes. Me, I shall come undone, but not her, never her. She shall face the end calmly."

The Huntsman was quiet for a time. Finally, "What of her other half? Surely it will not be so bad to give up one when you still have the other?"

Emma shook her head. "Have you ever been in love Huntsman?"

He nodded his head. "I once thought so."

"I know nothing of the losses you've faced in your life and maybe you can understand because of the loss of your heart. Without it… you will always be an incomplete being. That is what Regina is. She may still have her heart, but she does not have her soul, not all of it. No matter which side I love, I am only loving a _part_ of her. Mayhaps that is enough, but I dream only of having all of her. Her dark and her light. Beyond that, I have children, one each in both worlds that do not exist in the other. Henry was born there, after the curse, and Savya here in the same fashion. I do not love one more than the other. They are **both** my children. I am no stranger to loss Huntsman, I have lost much in my life… my mother to the war, my father to his mind, my best friend to yet more battle… Death has walked beside me, her cold hand on my shoulder for all my life. I know her intimately, like an old lover. But this… this is the one thing I do not want to give Her. She can have everything, this world and all the people in it, as long as I keep Regina and Savya." She looked away, blinking back tears. "But no one has ever accused Death of being a good listener."

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It was another hour and Regina had still not returned. The Huntsman insisted they pull the horses over to a clearing and have a small meal from their food stores. They were almost halfway across the second Hex unmolested, an amazing feat, and they were making excellent time. If they continued at their current pace, they might make it to Maleficent's just after nightfall.

Emma slid off Freedom's back, rubbing her stallion's nose fondly. He had seen more work this past month than the rest of his days put together, but he'd come through. She reached into her bag and fed him an apple.

"I should try and find a place for them to drink." The Huntsman gestured between Freedom and Mary Brave.

"Let me." Emma grabbed for the reins of the other horse. "I need to stretch my legs." She offered him no time to protest and led the horses into the trees. They had crossed a stream a while back that would have continued a little to their east and she headed in its direction.

Finally she stumbled upon it. It was thicker this far up, almost river-like in size, though it had all the calmness of a burbling stream still. She led the horses to its edge, tying each to a separate tree and leaving them to drink, while she bent down herself and splashed some of the cold water across her face.

A giggle made her look up.

On the opposite bank stood Savya, looking just as she had the last time Emma had seen her. Emma stood up, blinking her eyes several times to clear them of any dredges of sleep that could be forcing a hallucination. But the girl still remained. "Savya… sweet one?"

The little girl held out her hand and beckoned Emma before disappearing into the trees.

Emma looked over her shoulder, back the way she'd came. She should tell the Huntsman, but there might be no time. She was already losing sight of the little girl through the thick press of trees. No, she'd just have to go collect her daughter and come right back. She touched both horses on the nose. "I'll be right back." And then she plunged forward through the water. It went up to her knees, soaking her riding trousers, but she cared not. Savya was her only goal.

She wasted no time when she reached the opposite bank, plunging ahead into the trees, following the sound of giggles as her only indication of which direction her daughter had gone. Every so often she'd catch a glimpse of her up ahead through the trees. "Savya? Slow down! Honey, please, Momma and I were so worried about you."

As the sounds of the stream became a distant memory far behind her, it occurred somewhere in the back of her mind that she should be more cautious than this. Something Regina had whispered to her this morning tugged at her memory, but she couldn't seem to remember the brunette's exact warning. She knew, despite the nagging sense of alarm, that she couldn't stop; this was her _child_. She pressed on, following the little girl deeper and deeper into the trees.

She paused against a tree, her chest heaving. The air was thin this high up the mountain, making it harder for her to breathe. She'd lived in the lowlands so long that she was unaccustomed to the high altitudes. Her lungs were screaming at her to stop, to rest for a bit and then go back. But her heart was telling her that her child was waiting for her. Her head was still undecided.

"Mommy!"

She shot away from the tree at the scream, her motherly instincts erasing the pain in her lungs, dwarfing it to an insignificant throb that mattered not. She rushed through the trees, branches and brambles tearing at her trouser legs, slicing little holes into her skin, but she couldn't bring herself to care.

Finally she stumbled into a clearing. Savya stood at its other side, her back to the blonde.

Emma's chest heaved with each breath she took. "Sweet one?"

The little girl turned to her slowly, her face blank. Slowly, a wicked grin spread across her features. And just like that, Savya wasn't Savya anymore. Where the little girl had just stood was a woman. Or that was the closest thing to describe what she was. She was female in form, her body long and elegant, perfect in proportions. Her deceptive beauty was the only indication Emma had that she wasn't human. She was taller than the average woman, at least 6'2". Her skin was pale, but not alarmingly so and had a bluish green tinge to it like one who had been in the water a bit too long. Her hair was black as ink and long, her eyes a deep violet. She grinned, her teeth all straight and perfect, but otherwise normal. She wore a tight lavender dress. All in all, she looked rather… well, if Emma was being honest, docile.

And that's when she attacked.

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Regina caught up with her party slightly off the road. Or rather, she caught up with the Huntsman. Scouting had yielded little results. There was no traces of any threat magical or otherwise until the beginning of the third Hex. She had expected to find traces there. Maleficent's fortress was not without its protection, but she knew how to cut through Maleficent's traps easily enough; she'd done it so many times she was sure she'd meet with no trouble. She dismounted Starfire next to the man, who was alternating between carving new arrow shafts from a branch and eating some hard bread. "Where's Emma?"

He shrugged and gestured into the woods with the half-completed arrow to the east. "She went to water the horses."

"How long ago?" Something wasn't right. She felt a disturbance in the air.

He looked down at the pile of completed shafts by his feet, seeming amazed at how big the pile was, fifteen maybe sixteen completed. He paled. "Before all those."

Regina's anger flared. "You fool! I told you to protect her!"

She pushed through the trees, heading straight east. She kept running, unable to stop until she came upon the stream, and the horses. They were restless now, having drank their fill and had wandered as far as their secured reins would allow them.

"Emma? Emma, my love, are you here?" Regina looked around, her eyes skimming everywhere, trees, the opposite bank.

The Huntsman emerged from the trees behind her, leading Starfire. "Is she here?"

Regina frowned. "No. Something made her leave. If it had been a mountain cat or a bear, it would have attacked the horses as soon as it ran her off. She left here on her own. Why?" She skimmed the water's surface and then back up to the other bank. "There!" On the opposite side, in the mud near the water's edge were the distinct impressions of women's riding boots.

Regina turned to the Huntsman. "Stay with the horses. No matter what you see or hear, do **not** move. Do you understand me? I think I know what did this. If it has already… if she has come to harm, it may return for you. No matter what you see or hear, do not move. Your _instincts_ will not help you here Huntsman. Stay where you are. It cannot cross water."

He nodded. "I'm sorry I didn't protect her."

Regina regarded him coldly. "Not as sorry as you'll be if she's dead."

With a flick of her fingers, smoke consumed her form and just like that she appeared on the other bank. She proceeded into the trees without a glance back. She had known leaving Emma in the Huntsman's care was a risk. He may have incomparable knowledge of the Forbidden Forest, but in the Hexes, he was just as clueless as the next hunter. There was hardly any reason to venture into the mountains, if you were mortal. There was enough game to hunt in the lowlands and the Hexes were full of the realm's darkest creatures.

She could sense the magical trace now as if she were following an actual visible trail in front of her. It curved around trees in an odd path, almost as if it had been dancing through them. There were times it had gone around the same tree several times, looping in a circle. Waiting for its prey to catch up. She pressed onward.

She saw the trees breaking up ahead and the magical trails inevitable destination. The forest around her, as well as the clearing up ahead, were dead silent. Was she too late? She could already feel the violent wrenching of her heart in her chest as she pushed forward.

She emerged from the trees, tears already streaming down her cheeks unbidden.

Two bodies littered the floor of the clearing, both deathly still.

The first lay on her back, her blonde hair splayed all around a face, which was scratched in several places, some shallow and superficial, some deep and angry. Her eyes were closed and she didn't move. Blood soaked the legs of her riding trousers, torn nearly to shreds.

Regina fell to the ground beside the still form, pulling Emma's body up into her lap. She placed a kiss to a sliced forehead and smoothed down blonde hair. "Oh, my love. I'm so sorry. I left you unprotected. I was so _foolish_. This is my fault. I promised to protect you and I've failed." She leaned down, pressing her lips to the soft ones beneath hers, her tears falling from her eyes and onto cold cheeks. She pulled up and buried her face in her hands.

"Regina? What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

Her hands fell away and she stared at the woman still propped across her lap. Sage green eyes looked up at her questioningly.

Regina's eyes went wide, her mind still not quite able to believe it, and she gathered the blonde up and into her arms, hugging her fiercely. She refused to let go and Emma allowed her the embrace. "Hey, it's okay. You're fine."

Finally, Regina released her hold slightly, taking it down from bone-crushing to just tight. "I thought you were… that I'd lost you."

"Savya was at the stream and I followed her here. There was this thing, this woman… she lunged for me."

Regina pulled away enough to look in her eyes. "I thought I told you this morning not to be fooled by what you see. The eyes can be deceptive Emma. Sometimes they show you that which you want to see, not that which is truly there." She pressed a kiss to her forehead once more. "Did it hurt you?"

Emma brow crinkled and then she winced as the action split the cut, opening it fresh. She raised a hand, wincing again. She pulled it away, her fingers covered in blood. "I… I don't remember. It ran across the clearing. It was so fast, like a blur. It jumped and her… _claws_ went into my shoulders. She… she knocked me in my ground. I… something hit my head and…I don't remember anything after that." She glanced around until she saw the other body. Her eyes went wide as she turned back to the brunette, crawling deeper into her lap as she regarded the body in fear.

The other body was laying on its side, its back to them. It pale skin was tight against the ridge of its spine. They saw the lump of each separate vertebrae in the curve of the spine.

One of Regina's arms cradled the blonde against her, while the threw out the other one, magically rolling the body towards them to assess the thing's wounds.

Throwing knives and arrows littered the creature's body. It was dead.

"What is she?" Emma clung tighter to Regina.

"It's not a she. It has no gender. They're called Apasmas. They're like Chameleons. They change form at will. They draw you in by appearing to you as the form you most wish to see and then they pull your essence from you. An Apasma is a dangerous creature Emma, and they are all over the second Hex. I should not have left you alone."

Emma shook her head. "You cannot be there to watch me at all times my love."

Regina looked back at the dead Apasma. "The question is… _who_ killed _it_?" She held Emma protectively against her and looked around.

Emma narrowed her eyes, trying to recall the memory.

_Emma winced, letting out a cry of pain as long, needle-like claws sunk deeply into her shoulders. She fell backward with the force of the impact. The beautiful woman was heavier than she appeared. It used the leverage of its claws to pick her shoulders up off the ground and slam her head back against the ground. Stars shot off behind her eyes, the sting blinding. It repeated the process and black dots danced across her vision. The woman was about to lift her once again when something slammed into it._

_An arrow protruded from the woman's chest. It was quickly joined by another. The woman let out a scream and released her hold on the blonde. She stumbled back as a throwing knife smacked into her stomach._

_Emma vision swam, moving between darkness and consciousness. Her head lolled to the side and she saw a flash of white move from the trees, raising a beautifully carved bow. An arrow flew from the bowstring and smacked with the others into the woman and she finally went down._

_The figure in white moved forward and crouched beside her. She tried to see up into the hood, but her vision was already darkening, already clouding over. Soft fingers pressed against her shoulder and she felt a sharp pull against her skin. It was excruciatingly painful and she thrashed until the pain became too much and she let the darkness claim her._

Emma grabbed for her tunic, pulling it aside to reveal the skin at her shoulder. Circular scars covered her skin in an arching pattern.

Regina's fingers traced across the fully healed wounds. "What are these?"

Emma looked back at the fallen creature. "It's where she grabbed me. I think… I think the woman in the white cloak… _healed_ me." Though she wondered why she had left all the other cuts and why the healing had hurt so much.

"The woman in the white cloak? The one who took Savya?"

Emma nodded. "She killed the Apasma. She saved me."

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The Huntsman jumped as the riverbank swirled with a cloud of purple smoke and then Regina appeared with Emma carried bridal style in her arms. "Help me."

He laid down a saddle blanket and helped the brunette lower Emma onto the blanket. Regina removed the tatters of her leather riding trousers, leaving her clad only in her small clothes.

The Huntsman tried not to look, to preserve her modesty as best he could.

Regina began to heal Emma's legs, running her fingers slowly across each cut as if she were applying a thin line of salve. "Get me some water from the stream."

The Huntsman grabbed one of the waterskins and fetched fresh water from the stream. He ran back up and handed it to Regina.

She poured some on Emma's leg and the blonde yelped at the low temperature of the mountain run-off. Regina cursed under her breath and muttered an incantation to warm the liquid. She tried again. "Is that better?"

Emma nodded tiredly.

Regina cleared away the blood. The cuts were all small and superficial, there would be no scarring. She turned her attention to the blonde's face. It took nearly half an hour to heal all Emma's injuries. No trace remained of any, except those at her shoulder.

Emma yawned once she had finished. "I know not why I am so tired. It's not even nightfall yet."

Regina frowned. She grabbed a fresh pair of trousers and tried to slip Emma into them. "You'll be fatigued for a few days yet, until the poison has time to leech from your system."

Emma paled. "**Poison**?"

Regina nodded. "Apasmas use the needled tips of their claws to inject poison into their victims. It's not fatal except in extremely high doses. Apasmas generally don't use it as a means of killing, merely to incapacitate their victims while they steal their life force. This particular one seemed to want you dead however. It would have merely started to drain you right away otherwise. That means someone **sent** it after you."

The Huntsman frowned. "Mayhaps the woman who conjured the Shadow Wolf."

Emma shook her head. "No, she killed it. She saved me."

Regina nodded. "I think it was something much darker. The woman in white wants us to reach Maleficent's. She's doing everything in her power to make sure we make it there. Whatever sent the Apasma after Emma is hoping the exact opposite. Going to Maleficent's is going to give us answers, answers that **someone** doesn't want us to have. Without the assistance of our mysterious friend, I fear Emma would not have made it. My powers are great but even I do not possess enough knowledge to extract Apasma Venom from a victim. It takes great skill and even greater concentration. I've only ever seen it done once, in my childhood days."

"By who?"

"A traveling mystic by the name of Manja. She was a beautiful woman, with long white hair and eyes the colour of roses. She was quite remarkable in her skill, but my mother had her sent away. She didn't like considering that there was anyone out there more skilled in the arts than she."

"Could the woman in white be Manja?"

Regina shook her head. "Hardly. Manja had to be nearing forty when I knew her. She'd be over eighty five by now. No, this is someone younger, but with just as much skill."

The Huntsman patted Mary Brave's nose. "I suppose the only way to find out for sure is to go where she's leading us."

Regina pursed her lips. "Yes, I suppose so."

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They had lost a good portion of the day. Emma was still too weak from the venom to ride herself so Regina got onto Freedom's back, for Starfire had been overworked already, and the Huntsman handed the younger Queen up into her arms. She wrapped her arms around the blonde and grabbed the reins. They made quick progress despite riding double, but only managed to make it to the base of the third Hex before they had to make camp.

Regina set up wards around their small campsite. If someone wanted the Queen of the Enchanted Forest dead, they wouldn't stop at one Apasma. There would be other, possibly darker foes. Her first thought was of Hadrian. He was certainly the one with the most motive and having the Queen die at the hands of some creature would appear enough of an accident to secure his rule, but also leave him blameless, the grieving King. But he had no such sway here. Apasmas were not easily controlled. They came at a high price, and it wasn't gold they asked for in return for their service. Many lives had been lost to buy their cooperation, of that Regina had little doubt. Hadrian was too noble and proud a man to sacrifice so many lives. This _wasn't_ him. Which meant their problems were a lot bigger than any of them had ever anticipated. Something dark was coming, and fast. She could only hope they'd be ready for it when it arrived.


	40. Is It Too Late To Try?

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: and we've reached another one of the original three chapters written for this story and our turning point. to those of you who've stuck with the story so far, i thank you. your continued support means everything to me. though emma's twenty eighth birthday is fast approaching, this story is still far from over. i hope everyone will stick around for the rest of the ride. enjoy and review.

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**-Chapter 39: Is It Too Late To Try?-**

When she woke up, the room spun and she put a hand to her head, groaning. This was not good, this was not good at all. She really didn't feel like being sick today. Of course, when did one **ever** really feel like being sick?

She threw the covers off and got out of bed, trudging down the hall to the bathroom. She refused to look in the mirror, not really wanting to see her reflection as she reached for her toothbrush. Once she had brushed her teeth and her hair, she left the bathroom and went downstairs. The look Mary Margaret gave her told her she _should_ have checked her appearance in the mirror after all.

"Emma, are you feeling alright?" Mary Margaret's face was a mask of concern and she immediately set about making Emma some decaffeinated tea.

Emma sat down at the counter and put her head on her arms. "What gave it away?"

"Well, besides the fact that you look like someone shot your cat?" She set the cup of tea in front of Emma and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You missed a spot on your hair and it looks like you have a cowlick."

Emma looked up in horror and ran back upstairs. Upon looking in the bathroom mirror, she discovered that Mary Margaret hadn't been exaggerating. She was pulling an Alfalfa. She thanked whatever higher power was up there that her roommate had been decent enough to point it out to her before she went into work looking that ridiculous. If either Graham or Regina caught sight of her looking like that, they'd never let her live it down.

When she came back downstairs, she at least looked slightly more decent, if not almost composed.

Mary Margaret smirked. "Much better."

Emma grumbled as she grabbed her tea. She took a long drink and just had enough time to grab the rubbish bin before it came right back up.

Mary Margaret frowned. "I'm calling Graham; you're **not** going into work today."

"No!" Emma held the rubbish bin at the ready just in case but she looked pleadingly at her roommate. "Regina will just use it against me. The only reason I'm still deputy is because I have yet to mess up at the job. If I call out, knowing her, she'll find some fine print attendance clause that authorizes my immediate termination." She turned back to the rubbish bin as the remnants of last night's dinner decided to make an appearance.

"I don't care. You're in no condition to go to work. You're staying home and that's final." Mary Margaret grabbed the landline and dialed the station.

Emma felt too crappy to stop her.

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Emma heard the knock and lifted her head from the arm of the couch, ever so lightly, staring at the closed door and willing whoever was intruding upon her peace to just go away. She didn't want to deal with anyone right now. But the knock came again, more persistent this time and with a heavy sigh, she pulled herself up off the couch and slunk across to the door. She opened it to find Regina on the other side, with a look of pure… was that _concern_?

"Miss Swan…"

Regina pushed past her and Emma let her, not up for the fight today. She closed the door. She eyed the couch longingly, but it would be rude to just ignore the mayor as if she weren't currently standing there, waiting for… god knows what.

"Can I help you with something Madam Mayor?"

Regina frowned. "You weren't there."

Emma managed to make it to the sofa, despite her spinning vision, and balanced on the arm, regarding Regina with a look of pure exhaustion. "There was somewhere I was supposed to be?"

"This morning… you're always there… I… And then when I called the station and Graham said you hadn't shown up for work… I thought after last night that maybe you were..."

Right, it was _Saturday_. Their morning rendezvous at the bed and breakfast. She'd missed it. If she wasn't feeling so lousy, she would have smirked. It wasn't very often she could reduce someone as complex and trained in the art of wordplay as Regina Mills to speechlessness. But today, she wasn't in the mood to celebrate the small victory. "I'm sorry Regina. I'm just having an off day."

She never saw it coming. She'd grown so used to the cold shoulder, the insults, the disparaging looks, that it had become commonplace to predict a negative reaction. So she nearly fell off her perch when Regina stepped up to her and put the back of a hand gently to her forehead.

"You have a fever." She let her hand linger just a moment longer than she needed to, a fact that registered with Emma but she chose to file it away for processing at a time when her head wasn't pounding quite so much.

"Oh, it's still there? I thought it might have run away."

Regina rolled her eyes at the sarcasm. At least Miss Swan wasn't sick enough that her wits weren't about her. "An emergency has me in the office for a couple hours this morning, but I'd like to return and check on you once I'm off work."

Emma shrugged. "That's not really necessary. Mary Margaret just went out to market to get some groceries and will be home by then. I'll be fine."

Regina nodded. "I have no doubt you will Miss Swan, but I'd still like to confirm for myself if it's all the same to you."

Emma got up and walked to the door. "By all means then." She held it open for Regina, the politest way she could think of to convey _'get the hell out, I feel like shit and I just want to sleep'_.

"Feel better, dear." For perhaps the very first time she didn't hear the usual venom in that word. Regina was being rather genuine.

"Have a good day Regina." She closed the door and slid back into the comfortable embrace of the couch.

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She never remembered falling into a fevered half sleep or Mary Margaret arriving home from the store. She dozed through the day, oblivious to the world around her until that knock sounded once more. Emma woke, but refused to open her eyes, once again willing the intruder away. She heard the door open.

"Mayor Mills. What brings you by?"

"I told Emma I'd be stopping by to check on her. Did she not tell you?" Regina sounded like she could care less whether Emma had told her or not.

"She's been asleep since I got home."

Emma heard Regina's heels tapping against the floor as she entered. "Sleep is good."

"Uh…" She could hear Mary Margaret struggling for some way to make small talk with the normally un-chatty mayor and part of Emma willed herself to make her awakened state known so as to save her roommate from any unnecessary awkwardness. But a greater part of her kept her from fully waking herself up. Laying there, in the semi-aware place between asleep and awake, felt so good. When had this couch gotten so comfortable? She felt a cool hand touch her forehead and didn't even flinch at the intrusion, the touch was welcome.

"She still has bit of a fever."

"When she wakes up, I'll make her some tea."

"Don't bother. I'll do it. We wouldn't want you to get sick, now would we?"

Mary Margaret immediately became defensive. "And what about you?"

Regina ran a hand absentmindedly through Emma's blonde locks (an action that did not go unnoticed to Mary Margaret, or Emma herself for that matter) and smirked. "What ailment would **dare** infect me?"

Mary Margaret would have done a perfect spit-take had she been sipping something at that moment. Had that been… a _joke_? From _Regina_?

"Besides dear, if I get sick, I can work perfectly well from home. You, however, cannot teach from this pitiful excuse of a residence. I don't want you infecting my son or his classmates."

Mary Margaret found she had no retort, except maybe _'my house, my rules'_ which sounded so childish that she dismissed it a second after it entered her thoughts. Finally, she nodded. "I need to take a shower anyway. Tea is in that cupboard, cups in that one." She indicated the cupboards in question. "Please be nice to her when she wakes up."

The brunette schoolteacher expected Regina to get defensive and argue, but she didn't. Instead, she just nodded and stared down at Emma.

Emma waited until she heard the shower turn on upstairs before she finally forced herself to wake up and confront the normally fickle brunette. She rolled over and glanced towards the small kitchen and the mayor currently filling the tea pot with water. "You came back."

"I told you I would." She said it as if it should be obvious.

Emma sat up slowly, wary of a possible headache. "I know. But saying you're going to do something and actually doing it are two very different concepts."

"I, Miss Swan, am a woman of my word."

Emma looked at her thoughtfully. "I believe that." Headache averted, she stood and walked into the small kitchen to join the mayor as she continued to make the tea.

Regina was methodical in the way she moved about the kitchen; it was almost graceful. She moved with a practiced ease, the simple way of someone who had an intimate knowledge of the room. In that moment, she looked very much the doting mother she claimed to be.

"Thank you Regina." Emma leaned against the counter and managed a small smile for her.

"For what dear?" Regina reached up into the cupboard for a mug to pour the tea into.

"For checking up on me. For _caring_, in your own way. I know it's not incredibly easy for you and you didn't have to do it, but you did. So, thank you."

Regina offered a small half smile as she shut the cupboard slowly. She placed the tea in the mug, wrapping the cord around the handle to hold it in place and then poured the hot water over it. She held the cup out to Emma. "I did miss it, you know."

"Miss what?" Emma gratefully accepted the cup the mayor offered her. She breathed in the fragrant tea with a smile.

"_You_. Having you there." Regina shrugged and leaned back against the sink. "I've grown accustomed to seeing you in the mornings, especially Saturdays."

Emma managed a grin. She stuck out her leg and nudged the other woman's calf playfully with her knee. "Admit it. You **like** me."

Regina rolled her eyes and tossed the dish towel at her. But, Emma noticed happily, she didn't _deny_ the accusation either.

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It took some convincing, but Emma finally negotiated Henry and Regina to have dinner with her. Regina left to pick up Henry and get take out from Granny's because lord knows Emma wasn't fit to cook in her condition and, beyond that, she had no culinary skills to speak of. Mary Margaret declined an invitation to stay, saying she'd go out instead with Ashley and Ruby. She claimed she'd rather not be present for "the next world war". She was gone by the time Emma's two dinner guests returned.

"Emma!" The little boy ran through the door and towards his birth mother.

"Henry, no!" Both women said in unison.

The little boy stopped in his tracks, looking dejected.

"Sorry kid, but you just recovered from your flu and until we're sure this is not just some twenty four hour bug, it's safer if you stay in the safety zone."

Henry nodded and slumped over to the table. Regina followed, setting the take out bag down and opening the containers, putting the correct Styrofoam box in front of each person.

Emma smiled at the brunette. "Thank you Regina. I know this isn't exactly as fancy as dinner at your place, but I'm glad you're both here." She looked at Henry who was staring back at her with a slightly perplexed expression, probably curious as to why she'd ever be glad to be dining with the Evil Queen.

"You're welcome Miss Swan. Thank you for having us."

Henry looked even more shocked at that comment as it left his mother's mouth. She never genuinely thanked anyone for anything. Most of the time when the normally polite remark left her mouth, it was of the "thank you captain obvious" variety. But he turned to his dinner and tried not to focus too much on the polite exchange between his two moms. It just made his head hurt.

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"Henry is asleep." Emma came trudging down the stairs. They'd spent the entire night after dinner watching movies, just as they would at Regina's. It had been a nice night, but too much for little Henry. He'd cut out and gone up to Emma's room about halfway through movie number three. Now that they'd just finished number four, Emma had gone to check on him. He'd been curled up under her covers, out like a light. The sight had warmed her heart.

Regina nodded. She patted the spot beside her on the couch and smiled when Emma took it.

The blonde squeezed Regina's knee. She would have attempted to initiate something on a normal day, but today her body still felt like it had been run over by a semi. "Thank you. I know you aren't fond of being here."

Regina nodded. "It's alright. The evening wasn't entirely unpleasant." She took a sip from the cup in her hand.

Emma smiled but it broke quickly into a yawn.

"You_ can_ sleep you know. Don't keep yourself up just because I'm here." Regina set the cup back down onto the table.

Emma frowned. "I want to be up when you leave. If I go to sleep with someone… I want to wake up the same way. I'm tired of…" She couldn't say _'going to sleep in your arms and walking up alone'_, though that was what went through her mind.

Regina pulled Emma down until the blonde's head rested in her lap. She momentarily caressed her cheek with the backs of her fingers. "Close your eyes Miss Swan, I'll be with you in the morning."

Emma frowned for a moment before accepting it. She knew Regina; Madam Mayor would not last the night. She'd bow out gracefully once she'd done her due diligence by seeing Emma off to sleep. Then she'd slip out into the darkness. But it also wasn't an entirely false statement. She'd awaken the next morning in the Enchanted Forest where her Regina would be waiting. It was the best she could hope for. "Just in case I forget to tell you this later… I'm really glad Henry found his way to you. You're a wonderful mother Regina. I owe you _everything_ and I hope one day I can repay even a portion of the debt I owe you." She rolled onto her side and buried her face against Regina's stomach. She was asleep within seconds.

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Regina stroked Emma's hair as the blonde slept peacefully, her head still buried against Regina's abdomen.

"You're still here?"

Regina nearly jumped at Mary standing behind the couch; she hadn't even heard her get home. "You sound surprised."

"Probably because I am."

"I do care for her, Miss Blanchard." The truth of the statement was blatant by her continued presence.

"She loves you, ya know? There are times I see in her eyes that she doesn't want to, that she constantly struggles with it, but she does love you… so very much." Mary put a hand on Regina's shoulder. "Please, don't disappoint her."


	41. I've Loved And I've Lost

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: so i originally intended to make the huntsman's story be that he just became a drunken sellsword, but this popped into my head and i like it much better. that being said, enjoy, especially the fluffy ending, and as always, review.

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**-Chapter 40: I've Loved And I've Lost-**

If Emma had expected a reprieve from how she was feeling in Storybrooke, she was sorely mistaken. She woke with the same soreness and sickness. From the sweat on her brow she could tell she had a fever. Her face was pressed against something stiff and solid, too muscular to be Regina. She looked up into the face of the Huntsman. She was riding side saddle in front of him on Mary Brave.

When he saw she was awake, he smiled. "Good morning Your Majesty."

She rolled her eyes but was too tired to pull away from him. "I told you, I am not royalty here, it's Emma."

The Huntsman seemed to consider her statement a moment. "One cannot change the nature of who they are simply from drifting from place to place. You may not hold a title in this land, but that does not erase the fact that you are indeed a Queen. Just as the Evil Queen had no governing rights in the Enchanted Forest but was still called Queen there. Who you are is who you are Emma, no matter your location. It is nigh impossible to turn your back on what defines you."

"You speak as if from experience."

"It was not my desire to forever be known as the Huntsman. After the fall of the Evil Queen, a time of peace settled upon the lands. For the ten years until war broke out, I believed myself free of my servitude. I took up honest work out of a village, working for a local farmer who was getting up in his years. He had no children and his wife had long passed, so when he died he left the farm to me. I married the baker's daughter, a beautiful girl by the name of Layla. Within our first year of marriage she had given me a daughter. I was Karl to them. Karl, Layla, and Brady." He got that far off look in his eye, the telltale of someone living in a memory. "We can hide from our true selves, Your Majesty. We can turn a blind eye to who and what we are and even build a life around convincing ourselves otherwise. But deep down, under it all, we will always be what we are."

Emma regarded the stiff set of his jaw and his eyes, now staring straight ahead with a laser focus. "How did they pass?"

He raised an eyebrow, but otherwise gave away nothing. "What makes you assume they passed? Maybe they threw me out once they discovered what I had been."

"I know much of loss Huntsman. I have lost many and more in my life. I also know what it is to be abandoned. I can recognize both when I see them."

He stiffened. "The war swept through the valley where my village was. Soldiers in dark armour knocked down doors and demanded… _everything_, food, shelter, our women and children. We hid Brady in the false bottom under the boards of our cottage. They took Layla and tied her up with the rest of the women and children near the edge of town. They gathered all the men in the square, lining us up one by one. They asked us to swear fealty to their leader and join their ranks. Those who refused were killed on the spot. Those who agreed were led over to their family and forced to slaughter them before everyone or be slaughtered themselves, their family killed anyway for their coward's soul. The leader they followed believed love and family only slowed one down. To fight, one must be heartless."

Emma looked horrorstruck. "You didn't choose to join them, did you?"

The Huntsman shook his head. "No… Brady… She was so brave. She came running into the square. The guards hadn't expected her. They'd searched everywhere and were confident that they'd captured everyone. She brought me my bow and arrows. She handed them to me just as they grabbed her. Layla cried out for her and the nearest guard slit my wife's throat mid-cry. It was the simplest of motions, but it ended her life. The men in the square took the moment of confusion to spring into action. They fought against the soldiers. I rallied who I could and we made for the forest. I told one of the women, a friend of my wife's to grab Brady. She did and they took off running for the trees. I went back to help the men fight but the guards were just too many. I made it out of town into the forest on the opposite side of our village just as the soldiers put it to the torch. I camped out and waited for them to depart, just as I had many times in my younger days. Once they had cleared the valley and moved on, I went in search of those I'd helped to escape, among them my daughter." He closed his eyes for the briefest moment, pain evident on his features. "They had caught up to them, collecting them all in a pit and burning them alive. There were claw marks in the soil along the side where they'd tried to climb up as they burned. The few who'd managed to get out didn't make it far before they were felled by flaming arrows. I pulled out the bodies one by one. Some were harder to identify than others. I spent five days burying the dead, some in marked graves, others marked only by a cross when the damage had been too severe to recall who they'd been. I found and buried my wife. And on the fifth day, I found a small body, wearing the necklace I'd made for my daughter for her fifth birthday." He pulled down his collar, revealing a leather cord. On the end was a leather pouch. He opened it and pulled out a small silver chain from which dangled a wolf pendant. He stared at it for a long moment before returning it to the pouch and tucking it back under his shirt. "I buried my daughter by her mother on the hill. They would have wanted to be together."

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She was switched to Regina's steed the second the brunette joined them. Again she had gone scouting ahead, but now she was better prepared. She had left the Huntsman with an enchanted arrow. All he had to do was fire it into the sky and she would know they had ran into trouble. She had warned him that if anything happened to Emma again, the welfare of his heart was not all he should fear. But they had been unmolested so far.

She leaned back into Regina's embrace, the saddle blanket wrapped heavily around her to ward off the chill and fever. Their progress was much slower than anticipated as they had to stop every time she fell into a violent coughing fit, which was more often than she liked. But Regina still believed they would make it there by nightfall.

The third Hex was colder. Snow began to blanket the ground before they were even halfway up. The trees were sparser and grew in small patches rather than the dense woods of the second Hex. It was easier to see any impending attacks but also provided for little cover should a conflict arise.

As they rode through a pass carved between two stone walls on either side that stretched up at least a hundred feet above them, Regina looked forward to the Huntsman. "She'll know were coming by now, though I'm sure she's known long before this."

"Did you leave your friendship on a good note or did you muck it up as you do with most things?"

She ground her teeth together and narrowed her eyes at him. "I took something from her, something she should have freely given. But I doubt it matters. Maleficent and I always did have a volatile and rather unusual friendship. We just weren't happy unless we were trying to usurp the other. Back stabbing was an activity we played at over afternoon tea."

Emma frowned. "Sounds like a best friend to me."

The Huntsman chuckled, but Regina was not amused. "She will no doubt have forgiven me by now. No matter… we will be safe within her halls. It's the getting there that concerns me."

Emma glanced over her shoulder at her lover. "If she knows you are coming, will she not prepare? Will she not let down her wards?"

Regina pursed her lips. "I'm afraid my lovely friend believes in a good challenge."

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A good challenge ended up taking them longer than Emma had anticipated. They were less than four leagues from the Forbidden Fortress when they encountered the first challenge. The Snow Dogs, cold beasts the size of massive bears with stark white fur and an appearance somewhere between a gorilla and a bull dog, were easy enough to dispatch of. The Huntsman noticed them before they noticed the intruders and was able to dispatch three of the six with his bow before they took the offensive. As one lunged through the air at him, he lifted his dagger and impaled it midair. The last two proved harder. They circled Mary Brave nipping at her legs. The huntsman seemed undeterred however and after a couple missed shots, he caught the fifth through the eye. The final one threw everything into its attack but he dispatched it with his dagger up through the beast's chin.

They came upon another pass, a narrow path between two snow covered peaks. Regina ground them to a halt. She closed her eyes and tried to magically probe for a threat. She found none until she moved higher up.

The Huntsman studied the way before them. He looked at Regina. "It's rigged to fall?"

She nodded. "I can put up a shield around all of us to protect us from what comes down on top of us, but if snow falls before us to block our way…"

He nodded. "Put up the shield. We ride together and we ride **hard**. Do not stop for _anything_."

She nodded. It was only one hundred feet to the other side, but that was one hundred feet to escape an avalanche.

They rode up side by side. It was risky with Freedom tied to Starfire's reins, but they'd have to risk it. On the count of three they rode. The world thundered to life around them and Emma closed her eyes. She heard the ice falling in sheets and shattering all around them and the ground shook. A deafening rumble blocked out all thought, but still they rode.

Emma's eyes snapped open as they traversed the last twenty feet and what she saw chilled her to the bone. Snow raced down either of the stone faces on either side of them. It loomed above her, thundering down at an unbelievable pace to consume them. She tensed for the impact but they shot from the other side just as the snow made contact with the ground, shaking the entire mountain with force of impact.

The Huntsman and Regina turned the horses to stare at the pass now closed behind them.

"How many more challenges will she have for us?" The Huntsman frowned at the wall of snow, resting where they'd been only moments before.

Regina pursed her lips. "Bad things come in threes. There will be one more."

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But to all their surprise, there wasn't. They rode into the courtyard of the Forbidden Fortress unmolested by any other traps. It unnerved Regina. She looked around the courtyard. There were no guards, no signs of life.

"I see you're getting a little lax in your protection of this place old friend." She called the words out to the wind with a smirk.

Maleficent materialized before them with a chuckle. "I never could get anything past you Regina dear." She snapped her fingers and guards seemed to appear out of everywhere. She turned to a servant girl. "See to the guest's horses, will you?"

The Huntsman dismounted and helped Emma down so Regina could dismount herself.

"Pardon the unwarm welcome. I know it's not the usual display I give you. I did have something planned that involved swords made of ice, but the peanut gallery said you'd been through enough." She rolled her eyes to show what she thought of the peanut gallery's opinions.

The heavy entrance doors of the fortress opened and a small blur came flying out. Snow crunched under her little boots as she ran across the courtyard.

The smile that lit up Regina's face made Emma fall in love with her all over again. The dark woman crouched down just in time for the little girl to throw herself into her arms. She stood, clutching the four year old to her chest, placing soft kisses to the dark hair.

Emma held back near the Huntsman. She had no idea what the venom was doing in her system or how it would effect the little girl. It was best to hang back.

Savya pulled her face from Regina's neck and placed a kiss on the dark woman's tear stained cheeks with a flourish. She looked towards the Huntsman and gave him her usual grin and then an affectionate howl. Then her eyes landed on Emma and she held out her arms towards her other mother.

Regina walked her over and easily transferred the girl into Emma's arms. The blonde reached greedily for the girl once she saw Regina seemed unworried.

The weight took a toll on Emma's strength but she tried not to let it show, hugging the little girl just as fiercely as Regina had. She smoothed down her dark hair which had been braided into pigtails. Someone had been looking after her.

"What a _charming_ family moment." Maleficent clapped her hands together. "Not to interrupt dear, but shall we go inside? There's only so much cold these bones can take before I get cranky."

Emma could have sworn she saw Maleficent huff and smoke curl out her nostrils as the blonde woman turned to stride back inside. She tilted her head towards Savya and Regina got the message, scooping the girl back into her own arms. The blonde almost sighed in relief. Her strength for the day was already dwindling. They all followed Maleficent inside.

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Regina appeared in the doorway of the bed chamber, closing it behind her. "Maleficent says we will be able to speak with the woman in the white cloak on the morrow. She is not easy to scare, but she seems to fear this woman's power. Not something to be concerned about quite yet, but worthy of note."

Emma looked up from her place on the edge of the bed. "Savya?"

"Is down for the night. Apparently Maleficent has been letting her play with the unicorns all day. Combine that with our arrival and you have one very exhausted little girl." She held out a hand to Emma, who stood slowly and took it. Regina led the blonde to the other door, set in the side wall. It opened to a bathing chamber. The bath was huge, set into the floor like a pool. The water in it was steaming, heated from some magma stones buried underneath the concrete bottom.

Regina reached over and removed the blonde's tunic, tossing it aside. She undid the tie on the leather riding trousers and slid them down her legs.

Emma put a hand on the brunette's shoulder to step out of them. She managed to kick them aside.

Regina removed her smallclothes and urged her towards the steps down into the bath.

Emma descended into the warm water with a satisfied groan. It eased every sore muscle in her body, many of which she hadn't even been aware were sore. She waded to the edge and crossed her arms on the stone, setting her chin on them and unashamedly watching as the brunette removed her clothes piece by piece until she was standing gloriously bare before Emma's eyes. The blonde felt that familiar fire flare up in the pit of her stomach, that unquenchable thirst for the woman who'd turned her life upside down in less than a month. She licked her lips as the brunette eased herself down into the bath. And then she found herself moving through the water like a deep sea predator, her limps wrapping around the other woman's body as she brought their mouths together.

Regina smiled into the kiss, her hands playing over the bare skin of hips and thighs and back underneath the water. "I see the venom has done little to effect your… _appetite_."

Emma smirked. "I could be on the brink of death and I would still hunger for your touch."

Regina nipped at the blonde's neck, her nails digging into the flesh of her hips, pulling her tighter against her.

Emma pulled back a little, wrapping her arms around the brunette's shoulders and pressing their foreheads together. "It amazes me how everyday I love you more." She reached a hand up and grasped her chin, pulling her in for a deep kiss. As it broke her eyes remained closed. "Regina, I..." Her eyes opened, uncertainty clouding them. She pulled back slightly, suddenly unsure, shaking her head and trying to pry herself from the older woman's embrace.

Regina's head tilted in concern, her arms wrapping firmly around the blonde's waist to keep her from pulling too far away. "Hey…" She brushed her fingers down the blonde's cheek, leaving a glistening trail of bath water in their wake, but neither seemed to mind. "What's wrong?"

"With your help, I'd like to send birds out tomorrow. I noticed Maleficent's rookery. I'm sure she has plenty to spare."

Regina shrugged. "Of course I'll help you my love, but whatever for? Who are you planning on communicating with?"

Emma smiled. "Everyone. I wish to rescind my marriage. If Hadrian wants to declare war, let him, but he will do it as a renegade citizen of a distant country. I will not reward his power play. I am sovereign of the Enchanted Forest, not him, and I will not condone such a tantrum."

"But the consequences…"

"The consequence I faced was always war. If I am to have that anyway…." She shrugged. "I will not be unhappy any longer. I'd rather be a Queen unspoken for than quit this life the wife of that man."

Regina smiled. She placed a passionate kiss to the blonde's lips. "Oh you will be a wife, just not _his_ wife."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

Regina nodded. "What do you say, My Queen? Want to make an honest woman of me?"

The blonde seemed to actually consider it for a moment. "I suppose since I have nothing better to do…" She looked off with an air of boredom and resignation.

Regina gaped and splashed some water at her.

Emma grinned and tackled her. They roughhoused for several minutes before playing turned into caressing and kissing once more. Neither one cared to think about the impending deadline and how that would effect their plans. Right now they were content to lose themselves in each other's embrace as if they had forever.


	42. I've Come To Burn Your Kingdom Down

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: longest chapter to date. not to toot my own horn, but this chapter ended up turning into something quite spectacular. **toot toot**

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**-Chapter 41: I've Come To Burn Your Kingdom Down-**

When Emma awoke, her face was pressed against something warm. She looked over and saw that her face was tucked against the mayor's neck. The usually dignified woman was pressed close beside her on the couch, fast asleep. She had _stayed_? But that was impossible! Still, if this was dream or mistake, she'd enjoy it while it lasted. She burrowed deeper against the warm body and closed her eyes. This was the most content she'd felt with both her lives, ever. In one world, in their world, she was to be with the former Evil Queen without consequence. She would be free from her marriage and happy with her true love, she had their daughter back. Anything that happened with Hadrian was of little consequence. And here… she may not have the love she so desperately sought, but Regina had **stayed**. That was _something_. That was_ hope_.

A hand touched her forehead. "You feel slightly less feverish today." The sleepy voice was like music to her ears and she found herself smiling against the shoulder she was buried against.

"You stayed." She still didn't open her eyes, not wanting to break her contentment just yet, nor did she move from the warm body beside her.

"How many times must I repeat myself Miss Swan? I am a woman of my word. I told you I would be here when you awakened, did I not?"

Emma took a risk, placing a soft kiss on the mayor's neck. Surprisingly the brunette allowed it. "I don't trust easily. Promises are often broken and betrayal generally comes from the last place you expect it."

"Just as allegiance also can come from the last person you expect."

Emma's eyes snapped open to regard the brown eyes in front of her. Was Regina implying they were something more than enemies now? Maybe they had been all along.

Regina sat up, leaning over the blonde. She smiled softly. "Good morning Miss Swan." She leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on Emma's forehead. She got up before Emma could pursue the matter further, straightening yesterday's clothes. "I think I'll make a quick breakfast for all of us while you run up and shower."

Emma couldn't argue with that. When one is sick, hygiene is not really their first priority. It comes after sleeping, trying to stop the head from pounding, trying not to have last night's dinner make an encore appearance… the list continues. She probably looked like shit. "Sounds good."

"Good, I wouldn't want you going on our date looking like **that**." Regina's lip curled in distaste.

Emma, who had just stood up, fell back down on the couch in shock, overlooking the blow to her pride in favour of the shock over the statement. "Our **what** now?"

"Our date Miss Swan. Surely you weren't planning on rescinding the invitation?"

Emma stared at the brunette. Yep, definitely body-snatched. "Who are you and what have you done with Regina Mills?" She narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

Regina rolled her eyes. "I never refused the offer Miss Swan. Your request merely caught me off guard. You took to heart a response I hadn't even given, storming out before I properly had time to consider the offer. My answer, had you stayed and waited for it, would have been yes."

"Well when one hears 'I'm not your girlfriend' one draws an inevitable conclusion."

Regina opened the fridge and pulled out the carton of milk. "I am _not_ your girlfriend Miss Swan, that's the truth of it. But you never thought to ask me if I want to be."

Emma chuckled and raised an eyebrow. "Okay, seriously… what'd you do with Regina?"

Regina sighed. "You are insufferable sometimes."

Emma stood. She walked slowly over to the counter, contemplating the woman behind it the whole way. She paused on the other side. "Do you want to be my girlfriend Regina?"

Regina was silent for a long time, her eyes staring at the milk carton still clutched in her hand as if it were a magic eight ball providing her with answers. "I'm… open to the possibility."

If Emma's jaw was physically capable of hitting the floor, it would have. She had expected the mayor to be baiting her into some sort of trap, playing with her emotions just to throw them back in her face. But that didn't appear to be the case. Regina looked almost vulnerable as she finally set the carton down and looked up into Emma's probing gaze.

"Let's just see how the date goes first before we start labeling this, shall we?" Regina turned her back on Emma's incredulous stare. "Now, go shower. You smell… ripe."

Emma's nose scrunched as she frowned. She lifted her arm and took a sniff, cringing. Ripe was an understatement. But still she didn't move. There was still the scared little girl in the back of her mind that was afraid that if she let the mayor out of her sight, she'd disappear. She didn't know why she was so afraid of her leaving… she didn't live here so she'd have to eventually, and her house was only a mile away. It wasn't as if she couldn't follow her if she did decide to take off into the morning.

"Miss Swan?"

Emma shook her head to clear her thoughts before looking at the brunette who was regarding her with a raised eyebrow. "Sorry, yea, I'm going." She turned for the stairs, her thoughts immediately falling into a confused jumble. What was this sudden desperate need for Regina to be around? It was one night. So she had stayed one night, let's not expect her to be playing happy families quite yet. But no matter how much she tried to convince herself not to get her hopes up, the small bright spot of hope lingered in her chest, telling her she was _winning_.

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Emma stared at her reflection in the mirror above her bureau, contemplating her look. It was the same look she'd had for the last… six years now. She'd learned fashion was not the friend of the nomad rather quickly and had adopted the plain shirt/jeans look for its simplicity. It was easy to pack up, could, at times, look better washed and faded than it did brand new. It was practical for her lifestyle. Until a month ago at least. Now she was going on a date with Regina Mills. She was almost positive that she had never seen the mayor wear the same 'you know you want to fuck me' power suit twice. Regina was a fashionista, well… in the professional sense anyway. Emma had never really cared much of what anyone thought of her appearance, but Regina… a lot was hinging on tonight being a success. Suddenly her tight jeans, though they were her newest and best looking pair, and her dark green long sleeve shirt didn't seem very appropriate.

"You're over thinking it."

Emma glanced over to Mary Margaret, leaning in the doorway to her little bedroom and regarding her with fondness. _She still looks at me like Mother used to, even though she has no clue who I am, and probably never will_. The anxiety over making this date work washed back over her ten fold and she returned her gaze to the mirror. "Why don't I have any nicer clothes?"

"Fret not, fair Princess, I have come to save the day!" August appeared behind Mary, causing the brunette to startle and stumble into the room. He held up two long garment bags with some fancy logo embossed on the front.

"What in the hell is that?" Emma eyed the bags warily.

"I have come bearing date-worthy clothes."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "_You_ went shopping?" She smirked. "If I would have known the permanent marker incident made you feel **that** guilty, I would have taken advantage of the situation."

August scoffed. "Are you kidding, Swan? I just forked over the credit card. If it had been my choice, I'd just tell you to go naked; that would be sure to get her attention." He helt up the first bag, the bulkier of the two by far. "This, is three possible options for tonight's date, a collaboration of your son and Miss Blanchard's effort."

Emma looked at Mary Margaret in shock. The teacher was blushing, unable to meet her flatmate's eyes.

He held up the thinner bag. "And this is for your birthday, courtesy of Ruby."

Emma raised an eyebrow. Knowing Ruby… "Is there even a dress in there?"

August smirked. "There's something in there, dress might not be the correct word…"

She grabbed the bags, tossing the bulkier one on her bed and taking the other to her closet and hanging it up. She was afraid to look inside and see what x-rated outfit the waitress had deemed appropriate for her twenty-eighth birthday.

She turned back to the bed, staring at the garment bag warily.

August, sensing her hesitation, strutted over and unzipped it. "Option 1." He held up a very modest and extremely cute floral print dress that nearly made Emma gag at the mere thought of putting it on. It had Mary Margaret written all over it. In fact, it looked as if the schoolteacher might have contributed it from her own closet.

"It's… _charming_."

Mary seemed satisfied with that description. Figures.

"Option 2." August held the next ensemble up. "Henry's choice. He figured she'd like it if you dressed like her."

Emma couldn't help it. She facepalmed. This particular contribution looked like it had come from Madam Mayor's closet. Tailored slacks, meant to accentuate one's hind end and a silk blouse, too fancy for even her tastes. "I am losing hope for my next choice."

Mary Margaret shrugged apologetically. "Henry and I picked the last one out together."

Emma sighed. So it would be floral printed tailored slacks then…. But that wasn't what August pulled from the bag. As the bag fell away from the garment, Emma mentally thanked God and her mother and son for saving her.

Mary Margaret and August both caught the relief in Emma's gaze. They gave each other a firm nod.

"Option 3 it is then." August held the hanger out to Emma.

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"Okay, are you ready? I'm coming down."

August turned towards the stairs. He felt like it was prom night and he was waiting for his date, her mom breathing over his shoulder, making him anxious. But this wasn't _his_ fairytale; Emma wasn't his date. No, that honour belonged to the mayor. It was sad really, that someone who was his best friend, in both lives if he was being truthful, was in love with someone so resistant to love her back. But he knew Emma loved her, it was apparent every time the brunette's name was even brought up. And loving Emma, being her best friend, meant loving her enough to fight for her happiness. Even if it didn't lie with him.

Black heels came into view first, cradling delicate feet. They were followed by bare calves and then knees, just above which began the hemline of the dress. Slender hips appeared next, encased in red. Next came a torso and then bare shoulders and arms, a neck. Finally, Emma's uncertain face came into view. The strapless dress fit her perfectly, not tight, but not too loose either. It wasn't meant to seduce, merely to catch the target's interest. Red definitely suited Emma well. Her hair was up in a ponytail, normally not considered especially elegant, but in combination with the dress it accentuated her slender shoulders and her long neck.

"So… do I look alright?"

Mary Margaret put a hand to her chest. "Oh Emma, you look stunning."

Emma smiled. Her eyes slid to August expectantly.

He let his eyes travel over her length, a soft pang tugging at his chest when he remembered that she was not his. "She's very lucky."

Emma smiled. She looked down at her dress. Regina would love it, of that she had little doubt. She just wished she didn't have to take her out to dinner in her rickety old bug. She loved her car. It had gotten her from point A to point B and saved her ass many times in a bind, despite its unsightly outward appearance. But it was not an appropriate date car. If a teenage boy had rolled up in her car to pick her up for a first date when she was younger, she would have laughed.

As if sensing her train of thought, August grinned. "Don't worry, I took care of transportation."

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While Queen Emma may have enjoyed the fineries of royalty in the Enchanted Forest, Emma Swan had never been anywhere near fancy. She was sure her prom had been one heck of a party, but she'd been too busy conceiving Henry in the backseat of her boyfriend's car to even make it from the parking lot into the hotel ballroom for the dance. She'd always had a steady enough income doing whatever work she could find to keep her afloat. But glamour and the good life had never seen fit to grace her with its presence. And she was okay with that. She hadn't expected to win the financial lottery in both lives. There was something she loved and craved about her vagabond ways. She was a drifter and material possessions were not the tool of the nomad.

But as she pulled the borrowed car to a halt in front of Regina's mini-mansion, she couldn't help the small thrill that raced through her as she got out. Tonight, she was one of them, of a class with the mayor herself.

She had been surprised to say the least when August had escorted her to the bed and breakfast. She'd noticed the garage attached to it before of course, but never had she thought anything to be in it. But he'd held up keys and lifted the wooden door to reveal a dusty tarp covered car. She had wrinkled her nose at the smell of neglect that permeated the small space. August had grinned and tore the tarp away with a flourish, like a Price Is Right showgirl. Underneath that dusty cover had been the sweetest jet black 1971 Chevy Corvette Stingray Convertible (Emma had worked at a body shop in her early twenties; she knew cars).

She let her hand trace reverently along the driver's side door as she closed it. She really shouldn't have been surprised that Granny had a car like 'Miranda' stashed away. In the Enchanted Forest, Widow Lucas had always been quite the ball buster. She smirked to herself as she started confidently up the walk. She stopped in front of the door, pausing to take a deep breath before knocking.

To her surprise, it wasn't Regina who answered the door, but a blonde woman. She'd seen her around town several times, but had never thought to introduce herself. The woman smiled warmly at her and extended a hand. "Hello Deputy."

"Um, hi. I'm sorry…"

"Oh, Kathryn Nolan. I'm a friend of Regina's."

Emma nodded and shook her hand.

"Won't you come in?" Kathryn stepped aside to let her enter into the foyer. "Regina's just finishing getting ready upstairs. She'll be down shortly. Can I offer you anything to drink?"

Emma shook her head, her confidence slowly draining, losing steam with each passing moment. She'd anticipated the mayor's reaction upon opening the door and seeing her in her dress that she hadn't even considered the possibility that Regina wouldn't be the one opening the door. "I'm fine thank you."

"Hey Emma!" Henry poked his head out of the den, a huge grin on his face. His eyes roamed over her dress and his grin only widened.

"Hey kid!" She strode forward, glad to have an excuse to move out from under Kathryn's soft but studying gaze.

"Come in and see what we're teaching Daniela to do!" He didn't wait for her but disappeared back into the doorway.

Emma gave Kathryn a tentative smile and followed her son. He wasn't alone in the den. She took a long moment to watch her boy and her father play around on the floor with the black puppy. It warmed her heart.

"Watch this Emma!" Henry held out a hand which Daniela playfully nipped at. He pushed his hand down through the air. "Sit Daniela."

The puppy promptly dropped her wagging bottom to the ground.

"Good girl." Henry fed her a treat. He turned his hand palm up. "Shake. Shake."

The puppy waved her arm in the air a few times before her paw landed on his hand. He grasped it and shook.

"Good girl." Another treat before he rubbed her head affectionately and she clambered forward into his lap.

David caught her out of the corner of his eye and gave her one of his lopsided grins. "Hey Emma."

"Hey Dad… David." She felt herself flush at the slip, her neck only reddening more as she saw Henry's pleased secret smile.

David either didn't hear the slip or chose to ignore it. "That's a nice dress. Is it new?"

"Me and Miss Blanchard picked it out!"

"Miss Blanchard and I, Henry." A correction came from over her shoulder.

Emma froze. The deep voice caressed her skin causing gooseflesh to spring up across her arms. She turned slowly to find Regina standing in the doorway behind her, looking every bit the panther she was. Her own small frame was encased in a black dress, basic in cut, sleeveless to show off her toned arms. She was wearing dark hose and black heels. Her hair was its usual perfect coif. Her red lips were twisted in a lazy grin, her eyes sparkling dangerously. The blonde tried not to visibly gulp as her mouth ran dry.

Regina smiled and the glint in her eye flickered brightly. "Good evening Miss Swan."

"Madam Mayor. You look very…" She trailed off, aware of the two males behind them, listening to their every word. "Regal."

Regina looked behind Emma at the man on the floor with her son, her eyes instantly shifting to something harder than they'd been. "He's to be in bed by nine o'clock. That… _mongrel_ is allowed in no other rooms but his bedroom and here. It's hard enough to clean that black fur off the hardwood in here; if it gets on the carpet it'll be a nightmare."

David nodded. "Sure thing Regina."

Regina's brown eyes softened as they fell upon Emma once more. "Shall we, Miss Swan?"

Emma nodded. "See ya later kid. Bye David."

"Have a nice evening Emma, Regina."

"Bye Emma."

Emma followed Regina out into the foyer where Kathryn was just grabbing Regina's coat out of the closet. She handed it to Regina. "Have a lovely night."

Regina took the coat and draped it over an arm. Her hand clasped Kathryn's shoulder. "Thank you for watching Henry."

Kathryn waved it off. "It's no trouble at all. You hardly ever go out. I'm happy to help." She turned her attention to the deputy. "It was wonderful meeting you Emma."

Emma nodded. "You too." She followed Regina out onto the walk, taking the lead as the door shut behind them. "Now, to say what I couldn't say earlier… You look breathtaking Regina."

The brunette smirked as Emma opened the car door for her. If she was surprised by the Corvette in place of Emma's usual mode of transportation, she didn't show it. "And you Miss Swan…" Her eyes followed Emma as the blonde made her way around the car and slid into the driver's seat. "Look good enough to eat."

Emma heard her own breath audibly hitch and the devilish smirk on the brunette's face told her Regina had heard it too. She swallowed her sudden arousal and turned the key in the ignition, the car thrumming to life. She gripped the wheel firmly and pulled away from the curb. She felt a pressure on her knee and looked down. The mayor's manicured hand was wrapped around her knee. The gesture wasn't meant to do anything more than offer a comforting presence. She smiled softly to herself before bringing her eyes back to the road.

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Dinner was a interesting affair. Emma was out of her element. Storybrooke only had two dining establishments of the more upscale variety, an Italian restaurant, Bella Notte, near the center of town, and Sebastian's, a seafood restaurant out by the harbour. The building was on stilts out over the sand, a beautiful wooden two story restaurant with lights twinkling in the windows. A deck ran the outside perimeter and looked out towards the Atlantic, its waters dark but dangerously beautiful in the night, much like her companion. August had gotten them reservations here over Bella Notte for its seclusion and incredible view.

The hostess led them to a secluded corner table upstairs next to a big window that faced the ocean. The blonde held out Regina's chair for her and then went to take her seat on the opposite side of the table. Emma briefly wondered how August had managed to score such a great reservation on such short notice, but one cursory look at the hostess as she encouraged them to enjoy their meal and strutted away gave Emma her answer. August, quite like Graham, had that rugged handsomeness about him. It seemed to serve him well.

She watched Regina over the top of her menu as the brunette perused her own. "Do you come here often?"

Regina shook her head but didn't look up from the menu. "Not since Henry was born. He's not very big on seafood and beyond that, unless it's under special circumstances, fancy restaurants really aren't the place for children, even one as well behaved as Henry."

Emma browsed her own menu. She didn't do one on one very well. Dates had never really been her thing, but if she did have them, it usual involved playing billiards in a bar, or mini golf, or that one time when she went go cart racing. She wasn't used to mellow nights like these and wasn't particularly fond of them either. Dinners forced conversation, else wise things began to become awkward. A more interactive date allowed for an easier atmosphere. But she had no idea what Regina liked to do for fun, and sadly, Storybrooke's options were far from plentiful.

"Are you feeling better today?"

Emma smiled and nodded. "Yes. I am. Thanks to you."

Regina shook her head. "I'd hardly call anything I did helpful."

"You stayed."

Regina rolled her eyes. "Again, hardly helpful."

"It was enough."

Regina's eyes shot to Emma's as she felt the crack in her armour widen slightly. "Miss Swan I…"

"Can I offer you ladies anything to drink? Perhaps you'd like a copy of our wine list?" The waiter appeared, interrupting her. By the time he'd departed with their orders, the moment was lost.

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The conversation had revolved around Henry and the goings on in Storybrooke for the remainder of dinner and by the time Emma had paid the bill and they'd retrieved their coats, the blonde deputy was starting to think this had been a bad idea. They walked silently to the car, Emma wordlessly cursing herself for thinking she could have things as easy as she did in the Enchanted Forest. This Regina wasn't in love with her like the Regina in the Enchanted Forest was. It wasn't going to be a one look and done kind of thing.

She was just about to open the car door for Regina when she noticed a sign not far away next to a trail. _Beach Access_. Well maybe there was hope for this date yet. She leaned down and took her heels off, tossing them to the floorboard of the Corvette, then grabbed Regina's, removing them as the brunette placed a hand on her shoulder to steady herself. She stood, wrapped an arm around Regina's waist and steered her towards the path.

Regina raised a questioning eyebrow, but surprisingly didn't resist.

The ocean was rushing in and back out, letting out a soft roar that made a soothing song to the twinkling lights cast out over the sand from the wharf side buildings. Emma released Regina's waist, not wanting to push the brunette past her tolerable limit, as they reached the tide line. They fell into a lazy pace as they started to walk up the beach.

When the lights of the wharf started to disappear behind them, and just when Emma began to fear that she hadn't improved the night much by bringing them out here, Regina's hand found hers. She looked down at the hand clasping hers and a smile slowly appeared on her face. She squeezed Regina's hand and then turned her attention back to the ocean.

"I spend inordinate amounts of my day trying to remember you, reliving memories I haven't thought about in nearly twenty eight years. I've thought about my childhood, my teen years, young adulthood… everything up until the curse and I can't remember you. But the more blanks I draw, the more desperate I become to know where it is our paths have crossed."

Emma bit her lip. "Though we had seen each other once before, we didn't officially meet until much later. We met at your childhood home, though it had long since been left to ruin. The tower room behind the tapestry in your bed chamber. That's where we first truly met."

Regina shook her head. "But I haven't been back there since I…"

"Since your marriage to Leopold?"

Regina nodded. "I just never saw a need to go back."

Emma squeezed Regina's hand. "I wouldn't have either. After what you lost there, not just love, but your innocence as well… it wouldn't have been a fond place for you."

Regina tensed briefly. This woman knew so much of her past, so many of the things she was afraid to share, for fear of being abandoned. Emma knew who she was, what she'd endured, what she'd done as a result and yet… she still loved her anyway. "Did you love me there? Did you love the Evil Queen?"

Emma nodded. "I have loved the Evil Queen from the moment when our eyes met. True love never gives you a choice I suppose. It'll justify any crime, appreciate any flaw."

"True love?" Regina tried to hide the shakiness in her voice. "Was I in love with you there then as well?"

Emma nodded.

Regina stopped them. "Then why can't I remember you Emma?"

"The curse prevents it." Emma looked back towards the lights of the wharf longingly. This was not a conversation she wished to have right now, if ever. It would be too complicated to explain and even if she could manage to make Regina understand, it would ruin all the progress they'd made. She couldn't risk not being able to break the curse in time. And, more than anything, she didn't want to lose Regina, **either** Regina.

"Bullshit! I remember everyone in this town. I remember who they were and how I felt towards them. Every single one. Except for _you_!"

"Not your curse! My curse!" Emma pulled her hand away and turned her back on Regina, facing the sea. "You're not the only one in the Enchanted Forest who had magic Regina or who's life has changed because of it."

For several minutes she was met with only silence from the other woman. Regina could have easily left her there and she wouldn't have known it. She looked to the waves for answers, something she always found herself doing whenever she found herself at the beach. Most of this world was water and yet it was the most unexplored part of it, the part the wasn't mapped. There was a mystery in that fact that drew her to it.

"Was it me?"

Emma frowned at the soft question. "What?"

"Was I the one that cursed you?"

Emma glanced over her shoulder. Regina looked small standing there behind her, an unguarded look of sadness etched across her face. "Why would you think it was you?"

"I'm not very good at protecting the things I cherish. They always seem to get hurt, often times at my own hand. It would have been just like the Evil Queen to have loved you, and then hurt you in the end. And even more like her to magically erase your presence from her mind. Above all else, it must be she who does not hurt."

Now Emma turned fully around to face the brunette. "But you **do** hurt, don't you Regina? You hurt deeper than anyone truly knows." She regarded the woman in front of her, who appeared unable to meet her eyes. "Sometimes we get broken, becoming so shattered, that when we look at what remains, at the ten million tiny fragments of who we were, we get overwhelmed. We can't even begin to figure out how to put it all back together. Repairing one's soul is a long process. It's done one piece at a time and when you're faced with so many pieces, it seems impossible. And after a while… you start to forget the person the pieces comprised in the first place. How are you supposed to put the pieces back together when you can't even remember what they once were?" She wanted to reach out and comfort the brunette, but she knew better. This wasn't the Regina in the Enchanted Forest, the rules were different here. "Life _broke_ you Regina. You're still a pile of fragmented pieces. But you've protected that with this fortress you've built around yourself, this life, this town… it's your walls, your castle. You've created this… _kingdom_ of lies to protect you."

"And yet you see through them as if they aren't even there." Regina's voice was thick with pent up emotion and she still refused to meet Emma's eyes. "Why is that? Why do you want so badly to expose what I am? Is it for revenge, for this curse upon you?" The accusation, another one of the things she loved to hide behind, seeped easily back into her tone, and now, with a place of attack she was finally able to lift her gaze, her eyes already labeling Emma traitor.

"It's true… I've come to burn your kingdom to the ground." She watched Regina's eyes go wide with a brief flash of pain before starting to narrow in anger. "But not for the reason you think. I do not wish to take anything from you Regina and I can no more destroy you than I could Henry. I come because I've _seen_ what the walls are hiding. I've seen what your fragments are, I've seen the broken queen." She took a deep breath. "And I've come because I love her."

Regina's face was blank, unreadable. "And if she cannot love you back?"

Emma shrugged. "I don't believe that she can't, because I've already seen her do it. She's capable of loving, **you're** capable of loving, whether you believe it or not. But, for the sake of hypotheticals, if she truly could not love me back, I would still spend everyday trying to save her. Love should not be given solely on the condition that it be returned. I love her… I love _you_…" Emma's eyes closed, scared of being so vulnerable with a woman who had proved time and again that she could and would take advantage and go straight for the throat. "I love you because it is what my heart was made for. I know no other way than this."

"Emma I…"

Emma heard the apology in her tone without her even having to utter the words. "It's alright Regina."

"No, Emma, it's not." She stepped forward, a hand coming up to Emma's cheek, stroking her soft flesh with a thumb. She traced that thumb across her bottom lip and Emma placed the gentlest of kisses on it's tip as it passed. "You deserve so much more Emma."

"Nothing in this world, or the next, could ever be _more_ than you."

Regina pulled her hand away, starting to shrink back into herself again. "You deserve someone who'll wake up with you every morning, who'll let you touch her, who'll let you _kiss_ her. You deserve happiness without complications. That is **not** me."

"No, you're right, it's not." Emma saw Regina try to cover up the pain of that statement. She wrapped her arms around the woman's waist and pulled her close. "But it will be. I'm here to save you Regina, and that's what I plan to do."

Regina let herself sink into the embrace, let herself, for this brief moment in time, consider that redemption was possible. She let her head rest on the blonde's shoulder. "I may _never_ be what you need."

"If that's what it comes to in the end, I can live with that. The question is… are you willing to _try_?"

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Emma pulled to a stop in front of the large manor house and cut the engine. She slipped out of the seat and came around to the passenger side. She opened the door for Regina, grasping her hand to help her out. She closed it, walking slowly with the brunette up the walk, neither of them saying a word. She stopped on the stoop. "So, as far as first dates go, how'd this one rank?"

Regina smirked softly at her. "On a scale of one to ten?"

Emma nodded. "One being when we see each other in town we avoid eye contact and cross to the opposite side of the street and ten being a glass of cider and a chance at getting lucky."

Regina's smirk became more pronounced. "Care to join me for a nightcap Miss Swan?"

Emma nodded, grinning. "Lead the way Madam Mayor."

After Regina had thanked David and Kathryn once again for watching Henry and agreed to bring him by for dinner on Wednesday night (to which, oddly enough, they invited Emma too) at their insistence, she shooed them out and poured Emma and herself a generous glass of cider. She handed one of the crystal cups to Emma and then grabbed her free hand, leading her to the stairs and slowly up them.

She paused at Henry's room, handing her glass to Emma to hold as she opened the door. She crept in slowly and crossed to where their son was fast asleep on his bed, his book tucked under one arm. She slid it out from under his arm and set it on the bedside table before leaning down and placing a kiss on his forehead. Then she crept back over and took the glasses from Emma's hands, surprisingly, allowing the blonde to go over and do the same.

Once they were in the safety of Regina's room at the other side of the house, Emma finally took a drink, appreciating the burn as the liquid slid down her throat. She set her glass down and turned to Regina, feeling the thrum of emotional charge in the air. This was a different night than they'd shared before, things were different now.

As if sensing it too, Regina set her glass down. She looked almost lost.

Emma stepped up to her, gently grasping her hips and turning her. She found the zipper at the back of her dress and dragged it down. Once it had parted, gravity did the rest and the material sunk down to Regina's feet. She stepped out of it and turned back around. The blonde was surprised, and more than slightly aroused to find that the hose were not hose at all but thigh highs, held deliciously in place by a black garter belt.

Emma grabbed both her hands, pulling her over to the bed and sitting her down. She fell to her knees in front of her, leaning down to remove each of the mayor's patent leather stilettos in turn, setting them aside. She unclipped the thigh highs and rolled them down her long legs. Finally she reached around and unhooked the garter belt, pulling it away. Unable to resist, she leaned forward and pressed fervent kisses to the smooth expanse of abdomen before her. Regina's hands tangled in her hair, holding her there. She smirked against the tan skin, nipping at it lightly before pulling away. She stood, slipping out of her own heels and kicking them aside. She reached for the zipper on the red dress, but Regina stood.

"Let me."

Emma nodded and turned so Regina could get at the zipper. Regina dragged the zipper down with one hand, her other trailing down the flesh it revealed as it parted. She let the dress fall to the ground, her hands resting firmly on the blonde's lace clad hips, drawing Emma back against her.

Emma turned around. She leaned in, kissing the brunette's forehead. "As much as I love it when you touch me, when you're _inside_ me… that's not what tonight is about."

Regina shook her head. "Emma, I'm not ready for you to…"

Emma placed a finger over her lips to silence her protests. "Shush, I know. As much as I **want** to do that, I won't touch you without your consent, okay?" She waited for Regina to nod before she withdrew her finger. "We've been through some heavy stuff tonight, so we are just going to sleep." She leaned past Regina to pull down the covers. "We need to recharge and clear our heads, take this one day at a time."

Regina nodded and slid into bed.

Emma turned off the lights and crawled in beside her. She stared up at the ceiling, trying to relax. It had been a big day. She had felt a big part of the brunette's armour break away as she had promised Emma that she did want to try. That was _something_. Only time would tell if it was enough.


	43. My Life Could Change In A Second

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: explanation of curse contained herein

SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN

**-Chapter 42: My Life Could Change In A Second-**

Emma was the first to awaken on the day that would change everything she had ever known to be true. Regina was asleep on her back next to her. Curled up against her chest was Savya. She must have appeared sometime after Emma had fallen asleep the previous night. She took a long moment to watch her two favourite women in this world as they slept together. Savya's head was tucked comfortably under Regina's chin. Regina's right arm was draped softly across the little girl's back. Her left arm was stretched across the bed to rest on Emma's chest, her hand splayed over the blonde's heart. Emma wondered if the woman was aware she did that. Was it a byproduct of her old lifestyle, when she'd taken hearts without thought? Or was this something much more intimate, a need to make sure Emma's heart was still there and beating? Either way, whatever the reason, the gesture comforted her.

She moved out from under Regina's hand and slipped out of bed. With a quick glance at the two girls on the bed, she exited the bed chamber and moved into the parlour, making sure to close the door quietly behind herself. The parlour was smaller here than the one had been at Regina's former castle, but that was to be expected. They were in guest chambers here, the normal chambers that Regina stayed in when she stayed at Maleficent's. Emma found that she missed the big open wall in Regina's parlour. There wouldn't be much of a view here, the Forbidden Fortress was nestled in a hidden valley between several peaks of the Third Hex, nothing but snowy mountain faces in any direction, but she felt so locked in here, so closed off from the world. Maleficent had gone to great lengths to hide herself from the rest of the Enchanted Forest. Emma couldn't help but feel slightly sad at how lonely the blonde witch must feel up here. Over three decades of isolation from the rest of the land. She was sure she couldn't do it.

She sat down and stared at the fireplace. It was magically operated, not the good old log burning kind, so there was no fire to warm the frozen room and she crossed her arms across her chest and curled her legs under herself on the couch to keep in her natural body heat. She wasn't used to the mountain climate. She'd lived in the palace almost her whole life, the exception being the year in Bridalveil. The coast never saw snow and the palace was always a warm place. The cold here seeped into her bones and stayed there, lingering, permeating. She didn't like this place. And yet, it was the only place she'd felt even slightly safe since they'd left the ruined stronghold where Regina had spent her childhood. But then again, sometimes danger took different forms. Just because they were safe from Hadrian's pointless war of pride, didn't mean they were entirely safe. There was still a question of who had sent the Apasma after her. _Someone_ wanted her dead. Why? What threat could she possibly pose?

A shiver ran through her body and she couldn't tell if it was from the actual temperature or this unforeseen threat. She glared at the fireplace, not for the first time wishing she had magic. She'd just light the fire herself instead of waiting for Regina to wake up and do it for her.

The fire roared to life.

Emma jumped up and turned on her heel.

Maleficent gave a small wave from the doorway. "You looked about to pop a vein trying to light it." She walked into the room and sat with a flourish in one of the chairs by the now-roaring fire. "How was your night?"

Emma tried to fight an eye roll and took the other free chair in front of the fire. "It was fine."

"Well, since we're still here, I take it you were… _unable_ to seal the deal in your conquest of the other world."

Emma frowned. "Regina told you." The brunette had conveniently failed to mention that little detail the previous night. But in her defense, Emma really hadn't given her the opportunity to say much of anything, with the exception of the blonde's name every time she came.

"No, unfortunately my dear friend is just as untrusting of me as ever." Maleficent pursed her lips, obviously dismayed by this fact. She didn't seem to be used to sharing, nor particularly good at it.

Emma raised an eyebrow as invitation for her to continue.

"I was informed of your condition from our friend in white."

Emma sat forward. "She's here?" She looked over her shoulder as if she expected the woman to be standing behind her.

"She arrived less than an hour ago with her…_package_ in tow."

"Package?"

Maleficent's eyes sparkled with some unknown secret. She smirked. "All in good time dear."

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"You look pensive, my love." Regina hiked up her skirts and straddled Emma's lap.

The blonde had spent the morning reading histories of the war in Maleficent's considerable library. She had a stack of impressively sized tomes in a little tower next to the lounge chair she'd been sitting in for over four hours. She looked over the top of the book she was reading, the V of concentration between her eyebrows deepening. "No one would ever really tell me about the war. I was too young, it was too traumatic, and honestly… most people who left to fight never returned." Her mind went to Pinocchio.

"I think…" Regina grabbed the book, prying it from her hands and pulling the ribbon through the seam to hold her place, and then closing it and setting it on top of the tower. "That you need to take a break from reading about a war already over."

Emma shook her head. "But that's just it! Maybe it's** not** over. No one can conclusively say what ended the war, or even how it ended. One day they were fighting and the next day, the opposing army had retreated, leaving no trace. It just doesn't…"

She was cut off by Regina's lips on hers. The brunette pressed her shoulders against the chair, deepening the kiss, her tongue begging entrance.

Emma obliged, opening her mouth to receive the welcome gift of Regina's tongue. Her hands finally came up to run up the older woman's sides, dragging her nails so hard that Regina could feel them through the press of the fabric.

She groaned into Emma's mouth, her own hands slipping from the blonde's shoulders and down to the hem of the tunic she wore. They slipped under and back up the lean skin of her torso towards her breasts.

Emma broke the kiss with a smirk. She kissed a hot trail up Regina's jaw to her ear and then down to her neck. She sucked deliciously hard on the skin over the brunette's pulse point, reveling in the feeling of its flutter against her lips.

The doors burst open. "Really, Regina dear, you would think this place a bed chamber."

Emma frowned at the sickly sweet voice, just another thing she hated about Maleficent, her propensity to interrupt at the most infuriating moments.

Regina slowly withdrew her hands, sliding them back down Emma's torso and out of her tunic. She climbed off Emma's lap, but sat on the side of the chair, grabbing Emma's hand and pulling it possessively into her lap.

Maleficent stood in the doorway, with two figures on either side of her. To her left was the woman in the white cloak. She still wore her cloak, hood up to hide her face, but the front was parted enough to see that she was lean and fit. She wore dark brown leather pants, so tight they looked painted on. She wore a vest of the darkest sapphire, an intricate pattern worked through the satin, craftsmanship in the like that either woman had only seen it once before.

She reached out a squeezed the shoulder of the third of their trio before skirting the edge of the room. With lithe grace she hopped onto the cushion of the chair nearest the fireplace, then to the mantle, one shelf and then the next, before grabbing the marble rail that ran the length of the second floor gallery and easily hauling herself up to sit on it, her legs dangling, her well worn leather mid-calf boots kicking back and forth through the free air in front of her like some little kid in a chair too tall for their feet to reach the ground.

The other next to Maleficent also wore a cloak, this one a forest green. The hood was pulled up, the cloak closed, hiding not only the newcomer's identity, but also gender.

Emma sat up a little more, swinging her legs over the side of the lounge, regarding the blonde sorceress and her friend in green, while keeping the woman in the white cloak within her peripheral vision. The anticipation in the air was thick and after several beats of silence, she wondered if they were waiting for something specific, some magical introduction.

But then a smirk that could only be described as evil crossed Regina's face. It was directed at the figure in the green cloak. "I had a feeling you'd show yourself eventually. You never could seem to stay off-radar for long, even when your life was at stake."

Pale hands snuck out from the cloak and went to either side of the cloak's hood, lifting it up and off.

Before them stood Snow White.

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"Emma, darling." Regina's voice sounded far away; she was off somewhere in the distance. Emma couldn't seem to will her eyes open to look for her, they were just too heavy.

"Emma, baby, wake up." She felt a tingle on her cheek and she wanted to swat the tickling pressure away, but it was gone before she could will her hand to rise.

"Let me try." This was a different voice now, softer and almost unfamiliar. Almost.

"Don't you _touch_ her! It's _your_ fault she's like this." The anger in Regina's tone was unmistakable. Why was she angry? Was it because of her? She tried to remember what she'd done, but her memory was hazy.

"How was I to know she'd just pass out?"

"Maybe you might know her a little better if you hadn't run out on your family when she was just a child." Her contempt for Snow White and her decision was evident in her tone.

There was silence and then a resounding crack, followed simultaneously by a gasp and Maleficent's delighted chuckle.

Another voice registered to Emma. But it wasn't from above her. It was coming from inside her consciousness, a soft, delicate lilting thing. _Wake up Your Grace, before they kill each other._

"Regina." Her own voice was soft, and she noticed a slight pounding in her head. She tried to open her eyes and was thankful that the library was dim enough that adjusting wasn't difficult.

"I'm here." And Regina's concerned face filled her vision. Her right cheek was bright red, how odd. The brunette pushed a strand of blonde hair behind her ear and leaned down, kissing her forehead. "Are you all right? You gave me quite a scare."

Before she could answer, Regina was unceremoniously shoved out of the way and a face that only existed in the depths of her memory swam before her eyes. Though it had been the better part of two decades since she'd last seen her mother's face, with her father's never ending supply of sketches she had never truly been allowed to forget the delicate face. A scar cut across her features now, marring the softness but she was still beautiful. And dead. Or supposed to be dead.

Emma yelped, her disorientation forgotten as she scrambled backward. She saw Regina out of the corner of her eye, glaring openly at Snow and clambered over to her, burying her face against her neck like a frightened child and willing the haunting specter to go away.

Regina softened and stroked her fingers through her hair, whispering consoling words as she placed soft kisses on her head. She regarded Snow with barely disguised anger. "Proud of yourself dear?" Her sneer dripped with her old contempt. It seems even when one's soul was split, some things never change. Her hatred of Snow White had obviously been so deeply rooted that it permeated both halves. Interesting, but unsurprising.

"Emma." Snow White blatantly ignored the older woman, choosing to focus solely on her grown daughter.

Emma slammed her eyes shut and buried her face deeper against Regina's neck. _Begone_. She repeated the word like a mantra in her head as if that would somehow banish the ghost of her dead mother from the room.

Regina cradled the blonde in her arms. "It seems obvious Emma is not quite ready for all of this. Maybe if we reconvene later, after she's had time to process all this."

_Listen to her Your Grace. What she has to say is important, and there is little time left to us to make things right._

Emma tried to ignore the twinkling voice. It needed to get the hell out of her head. It wasn't welcome.

"Emma. You _need_ to listen to me." Snow reached out a hand towards the blonde's back, imploring her to turn around.

That one word sparked something in Emma, a deep seated anger, long buried. Faster than anyone could have predicted, she whipped around, unfathomable anger coursing through her veins and reflected in her gaze. "_Need_? I _need_ to listen to you? I do not _need_ to do anything! I owe you nothing! You who abandoned your throne! You who left your own kingdom to ruin! You who deserted all who held you dear!"

Snow put both hands up in a placating gesture. "I know I have a lot to answer for, and when we have more time perhaps…"

Emma shook her head. "No! I can forgive you for the life I have lived in your absence, unfulfilled though it was. I grew up long before I ever should have, lost my innocence before my time, and suffered in silence, all to make you proud, to honour your memory. I can forgive you all that because that life, barren and empty though it was, gave me **her**." She reached behind her without looking, bunching her fist in Regina's skirts, needing that tangible connection.

Regina stepped closer, her own hand sliding firmly into place at the small of Emma's back.

"But I will not forgive what you did to him! Gone was the great King who once ruled this land fairly. Gone was my hero. You broke him. That, _Mother_, is unforgivable."

Snow White flinched as if her words had been a physical blow. Her skin paled and she looked ready to retch all over the ornate rug beneath their feet.

Maleficent, obviously enjoying the show, clapped her hands in delight. Sadistic bitch.

"I know what you must think of me; it's obvious by your words. I did not come here for forgiveness, though I do hope you will find it in your heart one day to accept my apologies once I have the chance to better make them. I did what I had to, to protect my family and my people. I made a sacrifice. I never realized how negative the repercussions would be and by the time I had, it was too late, I'd made my choice." She looked truly haunted, the bulk of some heavy burden weighing down her features. "But I come here, not for me, but for you…" A sour look crossed her face. "And Regina. Because I have something you need."

"And what, pray, do you possibly possess that either of us could need?" It was Regina who spoke, her protectiveness coming through in tone. Obviously, she was convinced there wasn't anything Snow could provide.

Snow White looked between them. "Knowledge."

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She didn't care that she looked like a small child, curled up in Regina's lap as she was. That's how she felt in her mother's presence, a child. She had been one the last time she'd seen this woman after all… well, this version of her at least. So when Regina had reclined regally on the lounger and pulled Emma down into her lap, she hadn't objected, but instead caved in on herself, curling as small as her adult body would allow and resting her weary head on the brunette's shoulder. Her wary gaze never left the scarred woman who claimed to know all they didn't.

Maleficent perched in a chair by the fire, gazing between them all with a look of mirth. Emma was quite positive the woman had lost her mind in lieu of her solitary confinement. Either that, or she was just born with a twisted need to revel in others' suffering. The woman in the white cloak had not moved from her perch on the gallery rail, high above them all, nor had her gently kicking legs even broke stride once. They both seemed content to just observe the other three women's conversation.

Snow White paced anxiously in front of the fire, looking conflicted. "You must understand, this is forbidden. By interfering, I am no worse than those who have already been doing so for the other side. We are not supposed to upset the balance of Fate." She ran a hand through her raven curls. She unclipped her cloak and tossed it on a vacant chair. She too was in tight leather trousers, light brown, and one of the intricate vests, also light brown, over a plain cambric shirt. "But Rumpelstiltskin upset the balance before any of us, with what he did to you." She glanced regretfully at Emma. "It took us so long to figure out how he'd altered the very fabric of the prophecy." She took a step in the direction of her daughter. "If only we had known _sooner_… maybe I could have saved you some of the hardship. I always understood you switched worlds every night, but I never thought…"

Emma paled, sitting up in Regina's lap. "Rumpelstiltskin did this to me?"

Snow White nodded. "Yes, he did. When I was heavy with you, I sought out Rumpelstiltskin. I was desperate. I knew the Evil Queen would be after you, whether to kill you or kidnap you. She made no attempts to hide her desire for my unborn child. Your father, he never believed Rumpelstiltskin to be the answer…. I should have listened. In exchange for the sleeping curse he put Regina under, I granted him his freedom and all lands and possessions belonging to the Evil Queen. He promised to refrain from directly harming any member of the royal family or our friends, to expire twenty eight years from your birth. In exchange for knowing why that specific length of time, he asked to feel one kick. I let him. That's when it must have happened."

"I don't understand… I was **meant** to walk in both worlds, it's a part of the prophecy."

Snow looked into the flames of the fire. "That's what we all believed to be the truth at first. The prophecy was made long before you Emma. You are the child from the prophecy; you were meant to help save the world."

Emma frowned. She already knew all this.

"The individuals who bore witness to the prophecy all agreed to keep part of it a secret, a mutual accord to prevent either side from tipping the scales in their favour. The prophecy, at least its written record, is only half of it. The event of your birth is what split the worlds, that is true, however it is not _your_ job to repair them. In fact, you **can't**, even if you tried. It's **not** _your_ curse Emma… it's _Regina's_."

Emma's head swiveled so fast it looked about to fly off her neck, as she stared in stunned shock at her lover.

Regina rolled her eyes. "Of course, yet another thing for you to blame on me. I really shouldn't be surprised."

"Oh come off it, Regina dear. She speaks the truth. I'm not quite fond of her either, but she has little reason to tell it false." Maleficent looked as if she was starting to get bored.

"How do you know all this?" Emma stared at her mother, still not quite ready to believe it.

Snow fell down into the chair she'd draped her cloak over, suddenly looking exhausted. "The war started suddenly. There was no warning, no call from the border villages to warn us of an approach. They came in the night, black ghosts, converging on our borders to the South, North, and West, forcing us back against the coast, the sea the only direction from which we weren't being attacked and consequently the only direction from which we were able to seek help." Her eyes glazed over, transporting her back to a time she'd rather forget.

_"Where did they come from?" James stalked into the room, still pulling on his doublet. His eyes were cloudy from being woken so abruptly from sleep._

_The guards and the rest of the high council were assembled, in various states of exhaustion, ranging from still asleep (Sleepy) to ready to take this invading army down barehanded (Widow Lucas)._

_"They just appeared, as if from nowhere. They moved as one, hitting the border villages simultaneously. No one stood a chance. They lined up the men, making them kill their families to swear loyalty and join, or die themselves. After they'd made their choice, every one, they put the village to the torch. I ran the northern border as close as I dared, but I found no survivors." Red looked apologetic, as if the lack of survivors were her fault._

_"What is it they want?" Snow sat up, looking troubled._

_Everyone in the room collectively shrugged._

_"They make no demands, send no birds. They just move across the land like Death herself." Red shook her head, looking truly afraid._

_They spent until after dawn, discussing the best course of action. The only course of action really, was to join the battle, every one of them. They only way they would beat this army would be with sheer numbers and determination. Until demands were made they had no other choice._

_She walked down the corridor, pausing outside the door. She looked over at the white cloaked woman next to her. "She is precious, not only to me, but to the Fate of this world. Protect her. If anyone is capable of that, it's you."_

_The hooded figure bobbed her head in promise._

_Snow White sighed and opened the door._

_Her daughter slept unaware of the destruction going on in the kingdom she would one day rule. Emma. Fair Emma. Snow grieved for her innocence. It would surely be lost after this. Pulled from home, forced to live among strangers. But, at all costs, she must remain safe. Otherwise, they'd all be gone._

_Snow sat on the edge of the bed, reaching out and caressing her young daughter's face._

_Slowly, Emma's eyes opened. She blinked away the sleep and regarded her mother with confusion._

_"Get up sweet one. You must quickly pack a bag."_

_"Why mommy?"_

_"You're going to go on holiday to the mountains. Won't that be exciting?"_

_After a tearful farewell, Emma left with the woman in the white cloak to Bridalveil, not knowing it'd be nearly two decades before she'd see her mother alive again._

"We held back their advance, losing no ground, but there were mass casualties. It's not an easy thing to watch people you're responsible for… people you _care_ about, die before your eyes. After a year, our spies were able to discern what the army was after."

Regina could easily guess the answer. "They wanted Emma." Her arms wrapped tighter around the blonde's waist as if that would protect her from the threat in her past.

Snow nodded. "We never saw a leader. Every battle there was a different soldier selected as a general. They would follow his orders unequivocally, without the barest hint of hesitation. But there was never a King or Queen or governing body. It was easy to infer their leader was working from a distance, through magic. If we were to make any negotiations, we knew we'd need someone with magic, someone who could contact the leader, wherever he or she may be and speak on our behalf. To use the fairies would have been futile. We needed someone who knew the dark arts. You were incapacitated and long missing. Rumpelstiltskin never told me how to wake you, even if I could find you, just that Emma was the key and there was no way I'd risk bringing her back to the Enchanted Forest. So, the task fell to Maleficent."

Regina glanced at her old friend in surprise. "You? Playing nice?"

Maleficent shrugged. "What can I say? They gave me an offer not so easily refused."

"Maleficent was able to make contact with their leader and negotiate a deal."

Emma frowned. "Which was?"

Snow looked at her apologetically. "That **I** must die." She sighed. "Upon confirmation of my death, the army would withdraw."

"Who was behind this?" Regina sat slightly forward, keen to know who had this kind of power.

Maleficent shrugged. "We never communicated directly, merely through the fire. A mask was worn, voice disguised. It was annoying. What's the point of conquering the world if you're not willing to admit it's you who's doing it?" She rolled her eyes as if it was the most absurd idea ever. "But whoever it was… power was involved, great power. I haven't felt something that raw and visceral since… well, since _you_ Regina dear." She glanced down at her nails. "Well the old you, the _fun_ you, anyway. Domestication has weakened you."

Emma narrowed her eyes and glared at the blonde witch.

Snow sighed. "We faked my death, magically, and I was sent to live under the protection of the elves, never to return. It was the only way to avoid detection. I tried to reach out. With your condition, I was unable to make contact with you. But Charming… I went to him every night in his dreams."

Emma felt anger well up in the pit of her stomach again, contempt for this woman who was once her mother. "Do you know what that did to him? Do you have **any** idea?" She tried to lunge off Regina's lap, but the brunette held her back with the firm grip around her waist. "He thought he was going _insane_! You should have let him move on. It wasn't enough that you left him, you had to_ torment_ him too? What kind of monster are you? You are **not** my mother!"

Regina wrapped a hand around Emma's head and pulled it back down to her shoulder. She made soft shushing noises, trying to calm her down. They needed to hear the end of this and Snow already looked about ready to bolt. "I take it the elves told you of the true prophecy?"

Snow shook off whatever she was feeling and nodded. "I learned a great many things with them, watched Emma's life from a distance, with help of course." She glanced up to the woman in the white cloak. "The prophecy is not about Emma, not entirely. Emma's birth was a turning point, in your life Regina. It's the moment everything changed. A crucial decision was put to you that day, to enact the curse or not. When Emma was born and the prophecy fulfilled, it split the world. In one, life continued as if the curse had been enacted. In the other, in this life, it continued as if it hadn't. Fate dictated that you would live out both your chances, conscious of each, and would have twenty eight years to make the decision. At night, when you laid to rest in one world, you would emerge in the other. At the end of that twenty eighth year, you would choose one world or the other. Emma's only part in the prophecy was meant to be her birth. But Rumpelstiltskin transferred the burden of living in both worlds to her. She is two separate people, just as everyone else is. She shares a consciousness, an awareness if you will, with the other half of herself. But, she may have noticed that her other half doesn't share her morals. If they were the same person, affected the same way, that wouldn't be so. It was meant to be you all along."

Emma thought back to her date with August, letting him kiss her, despite having this Regina waiting and trying to court the Regina there. It suddenly all made sense and she knew without any doubt that Snow spoke the truth. All at once, she felt the burden she'd carried her whole life lifted, and a deep sense of loss of control of her own destiny. It was a bittersweet melancholy.

"So it's **my** decision?" Regina felt her stomach drop. "How am I supposed to make that decision when I can't communicate with my other half?"

Snow frowned. "Rumpelstiltskin never dreamed Emma would be able to find you in the other world. But she did. He never factored in, never could have dreamed, that true love would deliver her to your doorstep." She looked at Emma, who was still too angry to meet her gaze. "Emma… you cannot make her choice for her. But you can _help_ her make it."

Regina frowned. "If what you say is true. If that Regina enacted the dark curse, then she will not be easy to negotiate with. Convincing her will be almost impossible. You cannot expect all that of Emma."

Snow frowned. "We have no choice. It is not fair, but it is the only chance we have."

Emma looked up. "How am I supposed to break through her defenses?"

Snow looked up to the woman in the white cloak. "Daneiria can help with that. She's the only known expert on cracking _that_ Regina."

The woman in the white cloak dropped soundlessly to the stone floor, looking towards the lounge where the two lovers were sitting. She reached up and pushed off her hood. It was Daniela.


	44. You Came Crashing In

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

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**-Chapter 43: You Came Crashing In Like The Realest Thing-**

The Evil Queen had been Regina Mills for so long now, she felt as if she was really becoming the disguise. She remembered two separate lifetimes of memories, two very distinct identities, but Storybrooke felt more tangible, more real now that she'd been living here for so long. It was her safe place, her chess game in which she carefully placed every piece. Perfect order.

And then Emma Swan had swept in, knocking all her carefully placed pieces to the ground, like some huge wrecking ball hellbent on her destruction. She'd seen fit to ruin everything Regina had crafted so carefully. Years of work reduced to rubble in less than a month. And she had hated her for it. She hated that she made her remember who she used to be, throwing her former identity in her face. She hated that she had an intimate understanding of all that she'd been through. She hated how she didn't have to try to fit in, as if she'd always been that piece of the puzzle that had been missing and now the picture was whole. But most of all, she hated that she couldn't remember having **loved** her.

If she were being truly honest with herself, she could see the Evil Queen taking Emma on as a body slave. Her body was enticing, despite its scars, though she believed the majority of them were the result of her years in this world and hadn't existed before the curse. And with a will like hers… just like Regina had here, the Evil Queen would have relished the challenge of breaking her. The willful ones always were the most satisfying once her hands and tongue reduced them to a whimpering mess. Yes, the Evil Queen would have enjoyed conquering Miss Swan. So when had Emma turned the tables and conquered _her_? Had it been a gradual thing, spread out over months, even years? Or had she been fell with one glance? Her heart had been so far gone by the time she enacted the curse that she hardly could comprehend it had been able to love something at all.

But as she laid there in bed on her side and watched Miss Swan sleep in the dim glow cast from the window, she believed that if the Evil Queen had been capable of giving her black heart to someone, it would have been Emma. The blonde slept soundly on her back, the sheet having been kicked down to pool just below her waist while she dreamed. Regina wondered briefly if the blonde dreamed of her. Did she dream of days long past, of a Queen she believed worthy of saving? Or were her dreams of now, of a mayor and their son? Regina scolded herself for even thinking such thoughts. Emma probably dreamed frivolous musings just like the rest of humanity wherein she was in some impossibly absurd situation that seemed unquestionably real.

She watched the delicate rise and fall of the blonde's chest. Her breasts were encased in a lacy strapless bra, white that seemed to glow blue in the moonlight cast through the window. Regina reached out and ever so gently laid her hand over where the blonde's heart resided. She felt the steady rhythm pulse beneath her hand, beating a soft and even melody in time with the deputy's breathing. Her fingers delicately traced the soft skin, aimlessly drawing a heart shape. If this world had magic, it would be so easy just to reach in and claim it. All she'd have to do would be… She applied the lightest amount of pressure to the skin, digging in softly with her fingers. Nothing came of it. Emma's chest did not allow her hand to sink into it as she had known it wouldn't. Without a thought to what she was doing, she leaned forward and placed the softest of kisses over the skin there. Maybe this would be a heart she'd come to possess a different way.

As if sensing her presence, the blonde's body turned and pressed into hers. She felt her body instantly warm. She'd been reluctant to have the blonde sleep over. Sleepovers were hardly her thing, especially not with Henry in the house, but she had promised Emma she would try.

_"I have loved the Evil Queen from the moment when our eyes met."_

_"I come because I've seen what the walls are hiding. I've seen what your fragments are, I've seen the broken queen."_

_"I love her… I love you…"_

_"Nothing in this world, or the next, could ever be more than you."_

Suddenly, she knew she wanted to try; she wanted to remember. She looked at the clock. Almost five. She'd go check on Henry, see that he was still sleeping and then she'd come back. She'd wake Emma, she'd touch her, and then she'd let Emma touch _her_. It was time to let someone in.

She kissed Emma's forehead and slid out of bed. Grabbing her silk robe and throwing it on over her own lingerie, she crept over to the door and opened it. She threw one last look at the sleeping blonde before closing the door softly and creeping down the hall to the door of her son's room. She opened the door slowly, spying the lump under the blankets that indicated he was out like a light. She was about to close the door, her thoughts on the delicious possibilities of how to wake Emma, with her mouth or her fingers, when she saw the window open beyond his bed. She sighed. What had she told Henry about leaving the window open at night? She stepped into the room, approaching the bed. When she was within a couple feet, she noticed how odd the lump on the bed was positioned. She pulled back the duvet and was met with two pillows where her son should be. She moved quickly over to the window, wondering where he'd gone at this hour. She looked out into the night. Her questioned was answered: _not far_.

"Henry!"

Her son lay on his stomach at an awkward angle at the base of the tree outside his window. His backpack lay a couple feet away from him, a tear along its side and its contents partially spilled out. His eyes were closed. He wasn't moving.

She shot away from the window. Her chest was tightened with fear as she tumbled into the corridor. "**EMMA!**" She glanced in the direction of her bedroom door but decided her son was her priority right now. She raced down stairs, grabbing the cordless phone on her sprint to the back door. She was dialing the numbers before she'd even reached him.

She pulled Henry into her arms as she called the ambulance. He was breathing; she could feel the faint puffs of air coming from his mouth. She tried not to jostle him, afraid of making anything worse. She said prayers under her breath to every god she could think of. Regina Mills wasn't a religious woman, but she wanted to have her bases covered just in case someone was up there listening.

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Graham arrived with the ambulance in a fine display of lights and sirens, August in tow. The EMTs assessed the damage and loaded Henry onto a stretcher, while Regina stood by and yelled at them the whole time. The sight of her only child having an oxygen mask placed over his little face made her stomach turn violently and last night's dinner threatened to come up.

"Isn't that Granny's car out in front Regina?" Graham picked up Henry's bag, pushing its contents back inside and holding the tear closed in his hand.

Regina remembered the occupant of her bed for the first time since she'd called for the ambulance. "Emma! Wait here, I'll be right back." She was loathe to leave Henry, but she wasn't about to let Graham see his deputy in her bed, clad only in lacy lingerie. She ran back inside and up the stairs. She was honestly surprised the sirens and lights hadn't woken the blonde up. When she burst through the door of the bedroom, she found Emma much as she'd left her. "Emma, Emma wake up. Henry's been hurt." She walked over to the bed. "Emma?" She squeezed the blonde's shoulder. Nothing. She shook her. Still no response. "Emma? Come on. This isn't funny." She shook so hard that the blonde fell onto her back. Regina was panicking now. She put a hand to Emma's forehead. The blonde still seemed slightly feverish, but not enough to cause worry. Still, something was wrong. Very wrong. She took a deep breath and stared at the body on the bed, trying to calmly think what to do. Her eyes caught sight of full lips, slightly parted. Her own lips tingled, urging her towards a solution. If it was true love, if it had been true love in the Enchanted Forest, then it would still be true love here right? Even if she couldn't remember it; it would still be true love here. It could save her. Slowly she leaned down, and the closer she came, the less hesitation she felt. This would save Emma.

"Regina?"

She froze six inches from her destination and looked up at August in the doorway.

He saw her panic and instantly was on alert. "What's wrong?"

"It's Emma. I can't get her to wake up."

He walked over to the bed. "The ambulance just took Henry. You should get dressed. I'll wake Emma."

She looked down at the blonde a moment before nodding and moving off towards her walk in closet.

August looked down at his less than decent best friend and tried to keep his eyes strictly on her face. She was breathing, that was obvious from the rise and fall of her chest. She just appeared to be, well, sleeping. He shook her, slapped her cheeks lightly, called her name. Nothing came of any of it.

Graham appeared in the doorway. "What's the holdup?"

"Is she still out?" Regina reappeared in a pair of wrinkled black slacks and a grey shirt. She looked more put together than most people in this town did on a daily basis, but she was more scattered than Graham had ever seen her in all the years he'd known her, which happened to be quite a few. That, more than anything, convinced him of how worried she was, and not just for Henry.

Graham nodded as he caught sight of Emma unconscious on the bed. "Get something loose to put her in. We'll take her in my car. Storybrooke only has the one ambulance."

Regina ran back into her closet and returned a moment later with the one pair of sweats she'd invested in, purchased for nights when Henry was a baby and content to never let her sleep, and a semi-loose t-shirt. She worked on pulling on the sweats and Graham and August handled the shirt. The second they had her dressed, Graham picked her up in a fireman's carry and they went downstairs. Regina ran to lock the backdoor, grabbing her purse from the foyer table and then opened the front door for them. She locked the door behind her and followed Graham and August to the patrol car.

He placed Emma gently in the backseat and both men were shocked when Regina crawled in the other side beside her. He closed the door while Regina buckled herself in and laid Emma down in her lap. Graham got behind the wheel as August slipped into the passenger seat.

"Hurry Graham." Regina was cradling Emma's head in her hands, looking down at her in complete fear.

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Hospitals were something Regina both respected and loathed about this world. Medical advancements had their benefits, of course. Medicine was a little archaic in the Enchanted Forest. To be able to do a few tests and, more often than not, find out exactly what was wrong with someone, was consoling and something not experienced in her home world. In the land of fairytales it was more a hit and miss kind of deal. But in trade off, ailments were more easily rectified with magic healers than doctors. Once one knew what problem they were facing, it was just a series of spells and potions to make them right again. When one was sick there, they were allowed to stay with their family, healers came to them most of the time. She'd never understood, save for the sake of efficiency, grouping the sick together like herding lambs for the slaughter.

Henry was rushed into surgery. She'd run alongside the gurney as they'd whisked him towards the OR, as he fought in and out of consciousness, mumbling about Emma and a snake, he needed to warn Emma about a snake. It made no sense and both the doctors and herself just believed it to be the incoherent mumblings induced by the situation. The medical personnel had been infuriatingly vague, as medical staff had a nasty habit of being. Here, she wasn't a feared sorceress, able to demand whatever information she required upon threat of death. The fear of her only went so far in this world. Here, she was just another distraught mother worrying after her child. So they'd closed the doors leading to the hospital's operating rooms in her face with an air of finality, condemning her to an anxious wait.

Emma Swan had been taken into the ER, also removed from where Regina could reach her. When she demanded information from the nurse at triage, all she'd say was "Deputy Swan is still undergoing tests Mayor Mills". It had been over two hours since they'd stumbled into the ER lobby, August carrying Emma, while Regina had a hand placed softly on her forehead, needing a tangible connection. What if she died? What if she was in some bizarre coma and never awakened? The thought had flashed through her mind briefly that that was exactly what she'd been asking for since the blonde had decided to stay in Storybrooke, but she had banished the thought as soon as it sprung up. Things had changed, as much as she was loathe to admit it. Just because she wasn't in love with Miss Swan, didn't mean she didn't want her around.

"Regina?"

Her head snapped up at August's voice, trying to keep the worry from her eyes.

He looked exhausted, this morning was weighing on him too. "They've admitted Emma, Room 274. She's still out, but stable."

Internally, she breathed a sigh of relief. At least one of them was okay, for now.

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She didn't open her eyes, just relished in the warmth of the body on the bed next to her, unusually warm… wrong almost but she ignored it. She reached up and delicately traced the face beside hers, the nose, the eyes, the lips, the facial hair… _facial hair?_ Her eyes snapped open.

August was grinning at her. "Morning Sunshine."

Emma shot back so far, her body rolled off the bed and into open air.

August reached out and snatched her back before gravity got hold of her, pulling her back onto the small bed. The really small bed. The 'I'm definitely not Regina's bed' small bed.

She glanced around, taking note of the white walls, the powdery mint green of the countertops, the ugly brown and eggshell curtains. "What in the…. Am I in the hospital?"

It was a rhetorical question but August nodded anyway. "Yep. You were admitted earlier this morning. Dr. Whale has already made morning rounds and checked on you. Mary Margaret came by a little while ago, but had to leave for school. Graham was here all morning until about ten minutes ago when he had to go back to the station to answer a couple calls."

"What happened?"

"You pulled your Sleeping Beauty act and had Graham and the mayor blowing a gasket."

Emma put a hand to her head. "Graham was there? Oh God, Regina is going to _kill_ me."

"She called Graham and the ambulance. Graham and I were at Granny's having coffee at the time. I showed up with him."

"She called the ambulance?" Emma groaned. This just kept getting better and better. She could just imagine how angry Regina would be, not to mention the fact that she'd have to hear about this incident around town. Everyone was going to know before the day was out that the ambulance had to pick up an unconscious Deputy Swan from Mayor Mill's house in the middle of the morning.

"Henry…"

Emma felt her stomach sink even more. "Oh shit! Shit!" Now she _really_ was dead. Was he traumatized? "Where is he?"

"Well, he's here."

"In the hospital? Regina let him skip school?" That was so unlike Regina. Henry must be really traumatized if she allowed him a truancy. But the question was, was his trauma because of his biological mother being rushed to the hospital unconscious or because his two mothers had been in bed half naked together? Man she really wasn't looking forward to **that** talk. Henry was so convinced Regina was evil. The only reason he'd even been on board with the date was because she had told him it was all part of her plan to break the curse. While that was one hundred percent the truth, she had known he would assume the date was just a ploy to get close to Regina and not legitimate.

August shifted uncomfortably. "Yes…"

Emma raised an eyebrow, just now noticing his deep frown. "August… what aren't you telling me?"

He got off the bed. Smart man, putting distance between them so she would have a more difficult time killing him once he'd said what he had to. "Um… well Henry's in the hospital…"

Emma raised an eyebrow, clearly not getting it. "As you already said…." She motioned for him to continue.

"No Emma… Henry's** in** the hospital, as a _patient_."

"What?!" Emma started ripping off her leads and scrambling off the small hospital bed, thankful there were no IV's to remove.

August stepped in front of the door. "Get back in bed Emma."

Her eyes went wide in disbelief. "That is my **child**! You will move out of my way voluntarily, or I will _make_ you move, but either way I will be leaving."

Wisely, August moved away from the door and she stormed out into the nearly empty corridor, her head whipping from side to side to get her bearings. It looked like any hospital corridor, long and barren, a stale smell of antiseptic permeating the air. A lingering feeling of melancholy clung to the walls. She hated hospitals. Nurses flitted in and out of the doors that dotted the hallway. If any of them noticed her, they paid no attention to her. But there was one thing at the far end of the corridor that caught her attention. A figure in black slacks and a loose grey blouse was standing at the opposing end of the corridor from Emma. Her hair was slightly messy, unbrushed. The slightly wrinkled and haphazard state of her clothing, combined with her hunched shoulders… she looked more out of sorts than Emma had ever seen her. To the casual observer, it might not be cause for alarm, but Emma knew better. Regina valued her image and the way people perceived her too much to let them see her like this. She was in distress.

And then Emma's legs were moving. She walked down the corridor with purpose, striding towards the brunette. She was still twenty feet away when Regina seemed to sense her presence. The mayor turned and immediately brown met green. There was a mixture of relief, fear, pain, and joy mixed in the intense brown gaze. Emma stepped forward and didn't even hesitate to pull Regina into her arms.

The brunette immediately squirmed and tried to break free of the embrace. "Let me go."

"I'm not letting you go." Emma pressed a kiss to her hair and locked her arms around her resolutely.

"Let me _go_ Miss Swan." Regina deployed her _don't-fuck-with-me-you-have-no-idea-what-I'm-capable-of_ tone.

Emma ignored it. "I won't let you go." She kissed her hair once more and then her temple. "I will never let you go."

And that was all it took to crack open the floodgates and Regina's body went limp in her arms, sagging with the weight of the stress she'd been internalizing all morning. Her hands clawed uselessly in the back of Emma's hospital gown, her face hiding in the crook of the blonde's neck.

Emma felt hot wetness against her skin and she knew Regina was crying, though she heard no sobs. One arm stayed around the mayor's back, supporting her, while she brought her other hand up and ran it through Regina's hair, stroking her fingers through brown locks soothingly. She didn't ask what had happened, there'd be time for that. Right now, the only goal on her mind was doing whatever she could to take Regina's hurt away.

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They were alone back in Emma's hospital room. They were waiting for Emma's latest test results and then she'd be discharged. After her emotional display in the corridor, Regina had been tensely silent and Emma dreaded that she may have lost ground with the woman. She seemed to be withdrawing back behind her protective walls once more and the blonde had no idea how to stop it. She felt helpless, as if it was futile to even try, when this was the time where fighting was more important than ever. Regina was near the door, unmoving, not speaking, refusing even to look at her.

Finally Emma sat down upon the hospital bed with a sigh. "Regina I…"

"You scared me half to death Miss Swan!" Regina still wouldn't look her in the eye.

"So we're back to Miss Swan now, even in private?" She tried to keep the disappointment from her voice. Back to square one, surprise surprise. She should have known it wouldn't last.

Regina slowly walked across the room.

Emma could bring herself to look up at her. She hung her head and stared at the floor tiles.

Regina's hands came to rest on her knees, rubbing soft circles. "I do not _like_ being scared. I went to check on Henry… seeing him on the ground like that… I called out for you, I _needed_ you. And you were so **still**, no matter how hard we tried. I thought I had lost you both."

Emma looked up at the mention of Henry, her guilt momentarily forgotten. "What happened?"

"Henry was sneaking out his window. He didn't know you were in the house and he wanted to go see you. He kept mumbling something about a snake… do you know anything about it?"

"Not a _cobra_ by any chance?" The blonde groaned.

Regina frowned. "That's the one. What is it?"

Emma sighed. "He was just coming to see how the date went I'd wager."

Regina pursed her lips. "Yes well. He fell from the tree."

Emma inhaled sharply, her guilt doubling. Why was he so persistent? Well, he was _her_ child after all. Could she really blame him when she was the queen of persistence? It's the same kind of thing she would have pulled when she was a kid. "Is he okay?"

"Yes, fortunately, it was less than twenty feet, so the damage wasn't as bad as it could have been. His arm's broken and they're repairing it right now. They said he'll be in a cast for a while, but beyond that there are only a few scrapes and bruises."

Emma released the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. He was going to be okay. Her kid, **their** kid, hadn't died trying to get to her.

"Miss Swan?"

"Hmm?" She focused on the brunette who was staring at her intensely.

"Henry's going to need round the clock supervision for the next several days and I was wondering if you'd be amicable to doing it. I can take the time off work if need be…"

Emma held up a hand to stop her. "No, I'd be happy to do it. There's only one mayor. I'm not even sheriff. Graham lasted for how long without a deputy before I showed up; I'm sure he can manage a few days without me."

A look of genuine relief washed over the mayor's face and Emma realized for the first time how tired she actually looked. "I'll work from home as much as I can manage, but there's several meetings that will unfortunately have to be dealt with off-site."

Emma shook her head. "It's no problem. I'll be there in the mornings by the time you leave for work and I can leave after you get home. It'll be nice to have a holiday from the station."

"Don't be ridiculous Miss Swan."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "I wasn't aware that I was being ridiculous."

"You will stay with us while taking care of Henry. I don't want you driving so much in your condition."

Both Emma's eyebrows shot up so high they met her hairline. This was news to her. "My condition?"

"He didn't tell me all the details, barely anything really, but Mr. Booth told me it was part of your curse."

Emma paled. "He _what_?" She felt her lungs constricting. All the progress she'd made, all of it, it had all hinged on Regina not being aware of her other half. If she even suspected that Emma was only doing this to save the Regina in the Enchanted Forest, which wasn't even entirely true, then she'd never open up to her. He'd ruined everything!

"Hey, Emma… look at me."

Emma lifted her eyes to look into Regina's, her tears suddenly making their appearance at August's betrayal.

Regina wiped away her tears. "I wish you'd tell me. About your curse. I'd like to know."

Emma sighed. "You don't know what you're asking."

Regina frowned. She wasn't used to being denied. "What are you afraid of?"

Emma reached up and placed her hand over the one that had been wiping her tears away and still rested on her cheek. She turned her face so she could kiss the palm of the hand under hers, her eyes gazing sadly up into the brown irises of the mayor. "Losing you."

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"Is he still asleep?" As she entered the quiet room, Emma looked towards the still form on the bed, his arm, already in its cast, kept protectively between inflated barriers so he wouldn't accidentally jostle it in his sleep. He has a cut above his right eye, encompassed in a blue-black bruise. Another bruise takes up the majority of his right cheek and she knows there are even more hidden under the blanket and hospital gown.

"The painkillers are keeping him pretty much under. It's good. He needs to rest." Regina looked up from the paperwork on her lap, eyeing the bags in Emma's hand appreciatively. "Thank you, for getting dinner. I haven't eaten a thing all day."

Emma shrugged. "It's understandable. It's been an emotional day." She reached into the bag and handed Regina the Styrofoam to-go box that Ruby had placed the mayor's dinner in. She passed her a coffee from the drink carrier, which the brunette accepted just as gratefully. They were keeping Henry overnight for observation, standard procedure, just to make sure he wasn't concussed and no problems arose. If all went well, they'd release him late tomorrow morning. Regina had already insisted on staying the night, despite Graham and August both insisting she should go home and rest. Emma hadn't. Their son was in the hospital, their son… You don't leave your kid in a place like this. It's not what parents, at least decent ones, should do. And Regina had always been a decent parent, an extraordinary one really, if a little strict at times.

Regina bit into her sandwich with a groan of appreciation. She chewed and swallowed. "I could kiss you right now Miss Swan."

Emma froze as she was pulling her own container from the bag, looking at Regina. "Don't make promises you can't keep." Her words were serious, truly meant, but she kept her tone playful. There was no need to jump up and down on the thin ice she was already treading.

Regina set the container aside on the small table provided between the two guest chairs in the hospital room and stood, rolling her eyes. She stepped towards the blonde and Emma rose to meet her, her dinner temporarily forgotten. "How many times must I tell you Miss Swan? I am a woman of my word."

Emma's chest sped up, rising and falling at a slightly more rapid pace as she watched the mayor lean closer, her eyes going wide in anticipation. Was this it? Was this their moment?

Regina's lips connected with her cheek, and then, graciously, with the very corner of her mouth.

She smiled sadly as the brunette pulled away, unable to hide her disappointment fast enough.

Regina grabbed her chin and stroked her thumb across the blonde's lower lip. "Patience dear. We'll get there."

They ate their dinner in silence after that, content in each other's company to just watch Henry, both assuring themselves that he was indeed going to be alright and that the damage had the potential to have been much worse.

Emma discarded their empty containers in the trash when they were finished and then resumed her seat with a yawn, cradling her decaf coffee in her hands.

Regina glanced at her. "You can leave if you're tired Miss Swan. I promise I'll call if any problems arise."

Emma tilted her head and regarded the sleeping boy on the bed. "If it's alright with you, I'd like to stay. For him." She glanced over at the woman sitting beside her. "And for you."

Regina regarded her for a long moment, before finally giving a slow nod. "I'd like that." She reached over and slipped her hand into Emma's before turning her attention back to the bed, taking a sip of her coffee.


	45. Every Action In This World

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: backstory on Daniela. chapter mostly from regina's pov.

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**-Chapter 44: Every Action In This World Will Bear A Consequence-**

Regina stared at the fire. She hadn't slept. How could she? She'd held Emma until she fell asleep and then had checked on Savya before coming back to the parlour and sitting before the fire. The previous day still didn't even seem real.

_"Ella?" Emma shot up. "It's been you this whole time?"_

_The uncloaked woman nodded her head. She didn't look the same as she had. Her eyes were more almond shaped, the normal dark blue of her irises was replaced by a near white ice blue. Her long brown hair was more lustrous and bouncy. Gone was the meek young lady who once taught Regina the meaning of love, and taught Emma how to cope with her condition. In her place stood a confident, strong woman, magical in her very presence._

_Daniela, or- Snow White had referred to her as something different, hadn't she?- Daneiria, tilted her head and looked at Emma, but didn't answer. At least not vocally, though Regina saw Emma flinch and knew that the magical woman was probably communicating with her telepathically, transporting her words right into the blonde's head._

_Finally, she turned her ice blue gaze on Regina. "Hello dear one."_

_And Regina acted impulsively, doing the first thing that came to mind, choosing to strike out. She threw her magic out and knocked both Snow and Daniela back with a sheer propulsion of energy, grabbing Emma's hand and disappearing in a swirl of smoke._

They had returned to their chambers. It was late, but she had still expected them to seek them out. But surprisingly, Snow had decided to keep her distance for once. They all let them be, let them have time to process everything. Even Maleficent was strangely absent, and she never missed a chance to revel in Regina's discomfort, or anyone's discomfort for that matter. Snow, or more likely Daniela, must have said or done something big to make her pass up an opportunity like this.

"You always were a deep thinker, always trying to look at the puzzle and solve it in your mind before you even made the first move. I always admired that in you." White heat flared in the seat of the other armchair, quickly replaced by the woman who'd been the subject of her thoughts all night. Her voice was different than Regina remembered, higher, like a twinkling bell. It was pleasant, but so foreign on a person she'd already associated with a different sound.

"Emma's not awake yet." She tried to fight the clipped tone of her voice but it came through anyway.

"I came to speak with you."

Regina laughed, a dry, brittle sound. "You've had four decades to speak with me. I've believed you dead for forty years." She shook her head in disbelief. "It killed me when I first thought about it. So much time that I wasted mourning someone not even dead. Foolish girls and their tendency to offer up their hearts to the people who don't want them."

Daniela nodded, seeming at once very sad, and also very accepting. "You believe I never loved you." It wasn't a question, just a statement of obvious fact.

"You _abandoned_ me. That is not love."

"I gave you the best chance I could."

Regina laughed once more at the absurdity of it. "Really? I became the Evil Queen because of your death, and that was my _best chance_? I'm just **dying** to know how that logic works itself out in your head."

"You have to understand, I didn't have the power then that I do now. I hadn't ascended yet. I was still a magical apprentice to a Wisdom, a sorceress you know well."

It clicked then. The rose-eyed woman from her childhood, the only other person she'd ever seen remove Apasma venom. It made perfect sense. Daniela became the stable girl after that, became a fixture in her life. "Manja."

"Yes. Manja was my Wisdom, my teacher."

"Was?"

"She died, many many years ago." Daniela sighed. "I suppose I should start from the beginning."

Regina said nothing to encourage her, but nothing to stop her either.

"I was born in Bridalveil three hundred twenty six years ago. Daneiria was my name. I come from a long line of guardians, protectors. It is in my blood and I knew from a small age that I would be trained to look after those who were destined to be something important to our world. Manja was assigned to teach me. At the time, she wore the white cloak. It was an honour to be chosen to train with the best. That's who the white cloak is, The Light One, the balance to the person Rumpelstiltskin is now, others before him. The source of light magic. But, even though it was a great honour, it also meant a great sacrifice. When you become the apprentice of The Light One, you forfeit your life. They choose an elf that has lost their parents, one with no familial ties and then, once training begins, you are not allowed to be around your people any longer. I went to live with Manja in the lowlands of the Enchanted Forest, away from my people and their customs. She was my only contact with a living being for so long. They wish you not to form bonds, you see, so that when you ascend, when you take over the role and the power, you have no bonds to be exploited. You can only take over upon the death of your Wisdom, the previous white cloak, and by then, they have been your only contact for so long." She gazed sadly into the fire. "You were my first assignment. I met you on the day you were born. Manja, who had by that time magicked herself and I to look as common servants so we could take up residence and service at Millhaven, delivered you. You were so wondrous, the most amazing and beautiful creature I had ever seen. Cora wouldn't even hold you, so I wrapped you up in a blanket and carried you up to the nursery and we danced, spinning around and around, until you fell asleep. I loved you even then. After that night, dancing was the only thing that calmed you. Dancing and the piano. I'd play for you, sing to you, and dance with you. And I would do magic for you. I'd take you out to the garden on nights when you just wouldn't sleep and I'd set you in my lap and shoot little bursts into the air. You loved it, you loved **me**…, that was never supposed to happen, or maybe it was. Fate has always been fickle like that. Queen Snow White…" She paused when Regina bristled. "She believes it was Rumpelstiltskin who first attempted to tip the scales of the prophecy, by cursing Emma. And maybe he was the first to _intentionally_ do it, but it was me who first upset the balance, with **you**."

Regina, who had remained quiet for the whole conversation thus far, sparked at this comment, but still she said nothing.

"Manja saw how close I was growing to you. You were a toddler and we spent all our time together. Cora didn't really have the time."

Regina flinched. When had _that_ changed? "Manja didn't approve?"

Daniela scoffed. "Far from it. You were three when she sent me away. Servants come and go from wealthy noble families all the time, so your parents didn't pay any attention to my departure. I lived in the woods, in a cottage, while Manja kept watch over you."

"But Manja wasn't in our service. The first time I remember her, was when I was seven, and she was just passing through."

"She was until you were four. Something changed then; Cora became interested in everything you did, your every action. It was as if she suddenly realized she had a child. She sent Manja away, claiming she wanted to do all your rearing herself. Manja had no choice but to leave. Now that she was on Cora's radar, she couldn't just alter her appearance and go back, but **I** could. We kept watch, waited for a position to open up that I could easily slide into. We put up magical wards to protect you from the brunt of Cora's magic until we could find a way back in. You were twelve when the position of stable hand emptied. Cora had discovered the wards, broken through them and inflicted the injury that gave you that scar." Daniela chanced the contact and reached across the space between them, running a long finger down the scar on Regina's lip. The brunette tensed, but didn't flinch away from the contact. As if seemingly realizing it was no longer her place, she drew back her hand. "You probably weren't old enough to remember Mr. Locknee, the older gentleman who tended the horses before me, but he had a kind soul. He stumbled, and like one would do with their horse, Cora put him down. We had hoped for a position in the keep, a serving girl or something, so I could keep closer watch, but it was too risky to your well being to prolong my absence any further. I showed up the next day, claiming to be a sixteen year old maiden, seeking work. I knew a lot about horses, most elves do, and I was a logical choice for the position. Manja and I had lightened my hair, darkened my eyes, made them wider, more human. Cora didn't even bat an eyelash in suspicion. I slid right into the position and it was just as if I hadn't been away from you for almost a decade. You came in for riding lessons that first day and…." She glanced off at the memory.

"I was quite taken with you. I may have only been twelve, but I'd read the tales of true love and heroes. I wanted that, just like any other young girl. I walked into that stable, expecting to see Mr. Locknee. My mother never told me when she'd killed a servant, unless of course, she'd killed them specifically to punish me." Regina's eyes ran the length of the woman sitting beside her. "He used to give me honey sticks to suck on before my lessons. But you were there instead, and you were young and beautiful, the most beautiful person I'd ever seen. I wanted to spend every second with you, right from the beginning."

Daniela smiled. "You say that as if I wasn't just as taken with you."

"Were you?" Regina didn't sound for a second as if she believed that.

"You may not believe it now. But I… I was never supposed to love you. All my training left my mind in the four years that followed. I went with my heart instead. None of what I ever said to you was a lie. I did love you and I did want to run away with you."

"But…" Regina prompted.

"When Manja found out, she was so cross with me. But she asked me if I was willing to forfeit my life's work, my destiny, to stay with you. I agreed without hesitation. I couldn't imagine a future without you in it." Daniela smiled sadly to herself. "Manja knew Cora would not easily let you go. When Snow White became a pawn in Cora's plans, Manja had me go to the cottage in the woods. She took my place that night, altering herself with magic to look like me. She was going to sneak you away and bring you to me, where I'd tell you the truth and she'd take us to Bridalveil. It was the only place we'd be safe from Cora. No humans can breech the boundaries in the North without express permission from the elves. We would have been safe."

"Manja never expected my mother to show up that night, did she?"

Daniela shook her head. "No. When your mother…. Because I had not denounced my vows and I was still Manja's apprentice, despite my decision to abdicate, with her passing, her powers automatically went to me. I became The Light One. Cora forced you into a loveless marriage, and me into a power I never asked for with her actions that night. I felt it when it happened, and I _knew _right that second that I would never share your life as anything but your secret guardian. I never truly left you; I was always there. You just never knew I was."

Regina couldn't decide what she felt more, relief, confusion, or betrayal. "If you saw the path I was heading down, if you saw me becoming the Evil Queen, why did you not stop it? You would have saved so many."

"I didn't have a choice. Once your mother discovered the wards protecting you, wards made from light magic, back when you were twelve, she adjusted to work around them. Your mother was quite adept at adjusting to fit whatever circumstances were thrown her way. Manja and I had no choice but to seek the help of another being, one who knew your mother's arts better than we did."

Regina paled, her hands gripping the armrests of her chair so hard her knuckles went white. "_Rumpelstiltskin_." She said the name as a curse, with a sneer.

Daniela nodded. "Yes. I went to him and asked him to protect you from her. She would no longer be able to inflict any lasting damage on you."

"In exchange for what?"

Daniela bit her lip and met Regina's intense gaze guiltily. "I could not interfere with your life if you ever became a Queen."

Regina closed her eyes and nodded.

"You must understand that you were twelve at the time. The King was still married then, to Snow's mother. I thought there was no risk of it ever coming to that." When the other woman said nothing, Daniela placed a frantic hand on her forearm. "Regina!"

Brown eyes flashed open. "What?" She knocked Daniela's hand away. "What is it you'd have of me?"

Daniela sat back in her chair, momentarily chastised. "Obviously forgiveness is not something you're fond of."

Regina's eyes widened at the very audacity of her implications. "I have spent my adult life hating a woman for taking away the one thing I held closest to my heart, only now to find all of it was a **lie**! You wish my _forgiveness_?"

Daniela nodded. "I don't claim to deserve it, but I _hope_ for it."

Regina stared at her for a long moment, looking regally down her nose. For her part, Daniela didn't squirm, but sat calmly under scrutiny.

"In time you'll have what you hope for." Regina stood, extinguishing the fire with a wave of her hand. "I cannot hate you, either of you, anymore. Without both of you, I wouldn't have **her**. Any debt owed me was paid in full the day she was born." She looked to the bed chamber doors. "If you'll excuse me." She started towards them.

"I have faith that she'll break through to the other Regina, but if she doesn't…" Daniela looked to the other woman's back. "I may have a way… a last resort. Just something to consider."

Regina whipped around in surprise, but there was nothing remaining in the chair but tendrils of white heat where Daniela had been.

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Emma felt the warm wetness between her thighs as she stirred. A smile crossed her face moments before it broke to allow a moan to escape. She felt fingers digging into her hips, anchoring them down, and then a tongue moved adroitly up her length. She bucked against the hold on her hips, squirming with pleasure. Then she finally found her voice. "Regina!" A lump moved underneath the duvet, pleasuring her continually. She reached out with a shaky hand and managed to grab the edge of the duvet, flinging it off and away. Brown eyes met hers, darkening seductively as a skilled tongue continued to swim between her folds. Emma let her hand snake down and into brunette locks as she bit her lip and rolled her hips against the assault.

Regina's left hand released its hold on her hip and skimmed down the outside of Emma's thigh and then wrapped around to the inside and traveled back up. She didn't hesitate to push two fingers inside, smirking against Emma's sex as the blonde gasped.

It didn't take long at all before Emma was clenching around her fingers, coming undone right there against Regina's mouth. The brunette stroked softly inside her until she stilled and then removed her fingers, crawling back up the blonde's body, placing kisses at random spots against the flushed skin of her torso. Emma grabbed her upper arms and dragged her up faster, slamming their mouths together, tasting herself on the brunette's tongue.

Regina pulled away first, her hands running through messy golden hair as she gazed down into the green eyes below her. "You were worth it, you know."

Emma's brow crinkled in confusion. "Worth what?"

Regina placed a soft kiss to the corner of her mouth. "_Everything_. All that I have endured. I'd do it again and again, live the pain a thousand times over, if every time, at the end, I got you." She sighed and rested her head down on the blonde's chest. "You are the greatest gift I have ever received."

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Emma's entire day was spent in lessons with Daniela. **Evil Queen 101**. So Regina spent the day with their daughter. It hurt to spend the day apart. Their time together would be limited, and she wished they could spend what little was left to them together, as a family. But neither she nor Savya had any interest in helping Emma learn to seduce another woman. She didn't have the stomach to bear having her ex fiancée teach her current fiancée about how to make her other half fall in love with her. It was just a little too much.

So she and the Huntsman, who Savya affectionately woofed at all day, took the little girl out to play in the snow all afternoon. Snow White was nowhere to be found and Regina found herself hoping the woman had left. All she brought forth were feelings of guilt now that Regina knew she wasn't responsible for Daniela's death. Her broken promise had still killed Manja; she was still just as guilty as she'd always been. But Regina knew she could no longer punish her for the crime of taking away her love. That honour now belonged to her former love herself. But she couldn't even find it in her heart to hate Daniela either. That part of her life was gone. It was time she laid the Evil Queen to rest and enjoyed what time she had left.


	46. You're Heading Straight For Love

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

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**-Chapter 45: You're Heading Straight For Love-**

Emma snapped awake. She glanced over to the hospital bed; Henry was still fast asleep, looking peaceful despite his injuries. Her weary eyes slid to the chair beside hers. Regina was curled up small in the chair, her legs tucked under her and her arms wrapped around her torso to ward off the chill in the air generated by the hospital's central cooling system, which had obviously been going full force all night. Emma had stopped by Mary Margaret's before grabbing dinner last night at Granny's and had showered and thought to dress warmly in jeans, a light sweater, and her red leather jacket. Emma pulled the jacket off and got up, walking over to Regina's sleeping form. She draped the red leather jacket across the brunette's upper body, tucking it snug around her, and instantly the other woman relaxed and stopped shivering. Emma leaned down and kissed her forehead softly.

She walked over to the hospital bed and stared down at their son as he slept. She ruffled his hair. "I'll be back kid." She walked away from the bed and, with one final glance at Regina, exited the room.

She checked in with Dr. Whale for any updates, pleased to find out Henry would be going home just after noon. Considering she still felt it was her fault the kid had even been attempting to sneak out the window, she was greatly relieved to find out he was doing so well. She knew she would never have been able to forgive herself if his injuries had been more severe.

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Granny's was packed with the weekday morning usuals. She'd missed Graham already, but August was sitting at the counter, nursing a cup of coffee and jotting notes in a notebook. He grinned at her as she entered, holding up his coffee mug in a greeting salute before taking a big sip, wincing at the bitterness of the brew as he set it back down.

"Emma!" Ruby caught sight of her and came out from around the counter, pulling the blonde into a hug.

Emma's lips turned down in the slightest of frowns and she tapped the waitress on the back lightly in lieu of any better ideas. She'd never been very good with unsolicited affection. "Hey Rubes."

The girl kept firm hands on her shoulders, but pulled away, holding her out at arms length and seemingly looking her over for any visible injuries. "How are you doing? I heard how you got on yesterday. Everybody's been worried."

Emma looked over the young woman's shoulder to glare at August, her eyes alight with accusation.

He held up his hands in a gesture of surrender, shrugging back from her fury. "Hey, don't give me that look; it wasn't me."

Ruby grinned and shook her head as she finally broke away and made her way back behind the counter. "Actually it was Graham when he returned Granny's car yesterday. He stopped in to drop off the keys and told us both you and Henry had been in separate accidents and were in the hospital. Mary Margaret came in later and confirmed the story." She made a move to get Emma a fresh mug of cocoa.

Emma stepped up to the counter. "Actually Rubes, can I get that cocoa to go? A couple bear claws and an apple turnover too please? I have to get back to the hospital as soon as possible. I want to be there when Henry wakes up."

Ruby blinked at her, uncomprehending for a moment, her hand wrapped firmly around the mug meant for her cocoa, before finally nodding. "Sure. Just give me a second to get all that together."

Emma nodded. "And a coffee also please. You know how Regina takes it right?" She didn't wait for an answer, knowing the waitress would just answer in the affirmative anyway. Ruby's shock and awe moment threw her off. She got breakfast to go most mornings for her and Graham. What was the big deal? She turned and rested her right hip against the counter, crossing her arms as she regarded her best friend as he drank his java in silence.

As his skin prickled, finally registering the eyes on him, he turned his head from his notes to look at her. "What? Coffee mustache or something?" He wiped at his upper lip before waiting for her answer.

"What's with her?" She gestured over her shoulder with a thumb.

August shrugged. "She's just surprised the mayor's allowing you around Henry after the accident. They all are. It's not really her normal line of behaviour."

Emma frowned. "Well maybe she's such a bitch all the time because it's what everyone expects of her." She couldn't contain the bitter edge to her voice.

A gasp, followed instantly by a splash made her stand up straight and turn.

Ruby was busy cleaning up a spilled to go cup of coffee, the insulated paper cup rolling lazily in an arch as the brown liquid stretched out in tendrils in all directions. The bitter smell of coffee permeated the air.

Emma grabbed a spare rag off the counter and crouched down to help her clean the mess up, especially since she was responsible for its creation.

Ruby looked up at her apologetically. "You've been good for her, everyone thinks so, really. We're just shocked is all. It's been…well, it's been a long time since someone broke through to her, since someone's had _any_ effect whatsoever really. We're just not used to that here."

Emma sopped up the last of the spilled coffee and stood, nodding. "I get it. I'm just… protective of her and Henry. I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it." Ruby held up the drink carrier, the bag of pastries balanced between the two cups. She used it to gesture towards the coffee soaked rag Emma still held in her hand. "I'll trade you."

Emma handed over the rag and grabbed her order. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her wallet, placing a note on the counter. "Keep the change. Thanks Rubes."

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Regina smiled as her dream dissipated, the memory of Emma holding her as they danced around the great room at the manor fading back into the void of her subconscious as she became aware of the room around her. Her eyes blinked open, adjusting to the light in the room, muted though it was by the curtains. She was warm and cozy despite the obvious chill in the air. She couldn't feel the cold against her face. The air conditioner always seemed to be running in hospitals. She looked down to find a red leather jacket draped over her like a makeshift blanket. The sight of it brought an unexpected but not unwelcome smile to her face. It meant Emma Swan was near, that she had stayed and that she cared. She couldn't recall the moment when the idea of Emma staying changed from filling her with dread to infusing her with a permeating warmth. Could it be true? Could true love happen twice in a lifetime? Is that even possible? Maybe her chance at a happy ending to her story wasn't over yet.

The door quietly opened and Emma stuck her head in. A smile lit up her face as she caught sight of Regina fully awake. The blonde mouthed 'good morning' and slipped silently in, closing the door softly with her hip. She held up the drink carrier with the bag of pastries balanced on it.

"Really Miss Swan, all this extra diner food is going to clog my arteries." There was no malice in the jape; it was more of a preprogrammed response than an actual admonishment.

Emma rolled her eyes. "If I haven't keeled over from over-exposure yet, I'm pretty sure you'll live to see another day." She set the bag down on the small table between their chairs and then handed Regina her coffee.

"Thank you baby." Regina took the proffered cup, oblivious to the term of endearment that had slipped from between her own lips.

Emma felt her heart stutter, a joyous skip, but she chose not to acknowledge the slip up, not wanting to freak out the brunette. "I figured you'd need a little pick me up after sleeping in that chair. It couldn't have been comfortable. I spoke with Dr. Whale. He said Henry had a good enough night and he'll be good to go later today."

Regina took a deep breath of relief, relaxing. "Thank God."

"Did my jacket keep you warm enough?" Emma sunk down into her seat, reaching for the bag and pulling out a bear claw.

Regina looked down at the jacket in question as if she had forgotten its presence. She had slipped her arms into the sleeves and was wearing it backwards. "Oh, yes, thank you." She set down her coffee so she could remove it. She held it out to the blonde.

"No, you keep it for now. It's still cold in here and besides, red looks good on you." Emma smirked at her.

"Are you trying to _seduce_ me, Deputy?" The corner of Regina's mouth quirked up into a smile.

"That depends… is it working?" Emma raised an eyebrow in challenge. _She's easily off put by straightforward kindness. She doesn't expect it. It disarms her, and the second she feels as if she's starting to lose control, she'll withdraw and you'll be left grasping after her. So, do something sweet for her, and if she starts to back away, come back with something flirtatious. Put her back in an element she understands, make her feel like she has the upper hand again, even if she doesn't. She'll respond to your gesture and no ground will be lost._ Daniela's words rang in her head.

Regina smiled, that predatory gleam returning to her eyes for the first time in days and she slipped the jacket back on the correct way. "Miss Swan, the things I could do to…"

Whatever she was going to say was cut off by a hoarse voice. "Mom?"

Regina shot up, all signs of the seductive predator replaced by the concerned mother, and was at the side of the bed in an instant flat. She smoothed down his hair and smiled down at their son.

Emma would be lying to herself if she didn't admit that it hadn't stung just a little when he'd called out for Regina instead of her. It was an irrational little flare of jealousy. Regina had spent his entire life taking care of him. Emma was such a new edition to his life; she probably hadn't even crossed his mind. So she wouldn't lie and say it hadn't hurt a little. It had. But as she watched Regina doing the 'mom' thing, asking how he was feeling, if he had slept well, and if anything hurt overmuch, then following all that up with a gentle scold for trying to climb out his window in the first place… it made her realize **she** was the intruder here. Regina and Henry had lived a put together life before her. In her absence, Regina had done a bang up job of raising Henry on her own, all while still managing to take care of an entire town at the same time. Emma slid out of the room, unnoticed, and into the corridor, leaving them to their family moment. She rested her forehead on the wall of the corridor and took a deep breath. Was she even doing the right thing? She wasn't so sure anymore. She shook her head as she splayed both hands on the wall, supporting herself. Of course she was. She loved them both and this was the only way to save them both. She needed to get a hold on herself.

She hadn't heard the door open behind her and she nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt the hand on the small of her back. She turned around to find Regina. The brunette was staring at her with a look of concern.

"Miss Swan, are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Emma sighed when she realized from the look on the other woman's face that Regina wasn't going to accept that.

"Henry thought I had sent you away yesterday or else he would have been asking for you."

Emma shook her head, truly touched that Regina was trying to reassure her, to protect her feelings. "It's not that." She frowned. "It's just… how come you never had children of your own? Certainly you wanted them?"

Regina frowned. "I did. But after I married Leopold… we just didn't come together that way. Our rooms were separate for a reason. And after him, the opportunity just never seemed to present itself. Besides, who would have feared a bitchy pregnant woman?" She smiled, attempting to inject some humour back into the conversation.

"If I was anything to go by, they can be pretty goddamn scary." Emma chuckled. She'd been an absolute terror on two legs while pregnant with Henry.

Regina chuckled, her fingertips coming up to run down Emma's arms soothingly. "So, what's brought all this on then?"

Emma sighed, ignoring the question. "You really are a great mother, you know that? It's one of the things I love most about you. I see you with Henry and I wish I had half the finesse with him that you do. It's as if you have some secret manual somewhere that explains it all, how to be the perfect mom."

A look of something akin to affection crossed Regina's face. "Emma…"

"Mayor Mills?" Dr. Whale came up the corridor towards them. "We're just getting together the paperwork to discharge Henry. There's some care instructions you'll need to read over and sign."

Regina glanced at Emma as if she wanted to say something.

Emma managed a smile. "Go. I'll stay with Henry. You can update me later." She turned for the door of Henry's room and went in, leaving no space for objections and hoping that Regina would not withdraw from her after she came back from getting Henry's discharge instructions.

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"You doing okay kid?" Emma leaned against the doorframe as the boy adjusted and readjusted on the bed, trying to get comfortable, a look of sheer determination on his face. Regina had jumped in the shower the moment after she'd got him from the car and upstairs, wanting to wash away the dregs of yesterday's emotional roller coaster.

He pouted in her direction. "Mom won't let me have Daniela up here."

Emma sighed. The old go behind one parent's back to the other parent. Good to know he wasn't so firmly on the 'good' side of things to be above parental manipulation. She knew there had to be some evil in there somewhere. "Sorry kid, your mom's right. Daniela's just a puppy and we can't risk her using your cast as a chew toy."

Henry let out a petulant huff.

Emma shook her head with a smile. Ah, the joys of parenthood. How had she ever survived without this in her life? "Do you need anything?"

"A root beer would be nice." He grinned at her hopefully.

She chuckled. "Do you think I have a death wish? Nice try. No soda." She pointed meaningfully at the glass of water on his bedside table. "Call if you need anything." She held up a finger in warning as he opened his mouth to say something. "That you can actually have." She nodded as his mouth fell closed again. "That's what I thought." She turned to go.

"Hey Emma?"

"Hmm?" She turned back.

"Why was my mom wearing your jacket earlier?" He tilted his head.

Emma shrugged. "Because she was cold and I wasn't."

"Are you gonna be living here now? With her?" He didn't seem entirely upset over the thought, but rather just curious.

"Just until you're better. Your mom's job is really important and she shouldn't miss it, not while I'm available to make sure you don't climb out the window again."

He rolled his eyes.

"Does it bother you?" She bit her lip. "That your mom and I are closer?"

He thought on it for a long time, causing her stomach to drop more with each passing second. Finally, he answered with a shake of his head. "No. I like how things are now. She's nicer, and happier."

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"You're back." Regina came into the foyer from the dining room as she heard the front door close.

She seemed… no Emma must be imagining things… did she look _relieved_? No, that couldn't be it. Not the stoic Mayor Mills. Realizing she hadn't commented yet, and was still standing in the middle of the foyer, she gestured to her duffel with her free hand. "I told you I just had to pick up a couple things." _Never just assume with her Emma. Chances are you're right, but Regina is the type who wants to feel as if things are her idea. Defer and she's likely to surprise you with what you wanted in the first place._ "I'll just go put them in the spare room and then I can help you with dinner."

Regina smirked. "So quick to escape my bed Miss Swan?" She gestured flippantly up the stairs as she turned to go back to the kitchen. "Just drop the bag in my room, we'll discuss sleeping arrangements later, after we've eaten."

Emma grinned. "As you wish." She went upstairs and dropped her duffel in the mayor's bedroom, stopping to check on Henry (who was out like a light thanks to the strong painkillers) before coming back downstairs and following her nose to the kitchen.

She walked into the pristine space and took a moment, pausing in the door, to watch Regina move about, from chopping, to tasting the sauce on the stove, to checking on the contents of the oven. Her movements were practised and graceful, like a dance. It struck her then how domestic Regina Mills actually was, despite her prickly exterior. Had things actually worked out the way they should have and she'd been able to make the life she'd planned with Daniela, Emma could easily imagine her being the stay at home, domestic-goddess type. Before she was tainted by loss and a broken heart. Now, after all that she'd been through, Emma knew Regina would never be able to relinquish her power-seeking side. Now, her domestic side was confined to these rare moments when she was able to let her guard down and remember the person she was **before** all the pain. Emma was honoured that Regina let her witness these moments, a testament to her progress in the short time since they'd met in this world.

"You're staring." Regina's back was to the blonde, but she could still feel her eyes.

Emma smiled, resting the side of her face against the doorjamb. "It's an easy pastime where you're concerned."

Regina rolled her eyes and beckoned Emma with a finger. "Come taste this and tell me what you think."

Emma pushed away from the door to come over to Regina's side.

Regina dipped the spoon into the sauce and brought it up, cupping her other hand a few inches under the spoon, just in case some sauce got any funny ideas and decided to take a suicide dive off the end of the spoon. She leaned in and blew softly to cool it down, the action causing desire to rapidly pool between the blonde's thighs. Finally, Regina held the spoon out to Emma's mouth.

Emma kept her gaze locked with Regina's as she used her tongue to pull the spoon into her mouth, sampling Regina's cooking. It was some kind of cream sauce Emma had never tasted before. Needless to say, it was sauce-crack. Her eyes widened. "That's amazing."

Regina smiled. "It's my own recipe. When I first got to this world, I was floored by the culinary difference between it and the other world. There were just so many possibilities, so many ingredients to experiment with. Some things I tried were not so successful, but others, like this sauce, came out quite spectacularly." She set another pot on the stove and measured out some water and jasmine rice.

"When did you stop?"

Regina raised an eyebrow. "Stop what?"

"Being fascinated by this new world."

Regina stared at her for a long moment before shrugging. "I guess with time the fascination goes away with anything."

Emma shook her head. "See, I don't believe that."

Regina's eyebrow shot up. "No?"

Again Emma shook her head. "I'm still as fascinated by you as the day we met. I don't think I'll ever find you any less breathtaking than I always have."

Regina's eyes widened in shock, the edges tinged with fear.

_If you see fear in her eyes Emma, don't chase it. It will do nothing for you, but back her into a corner, where she will either lash out or close herself off from you, neither of which will help us. You don't want her to be scared of you or threatened by your presence._ She was pushing it. Time to back off. "I'll go set the table." She moved away, afraid she'd already messed things up.

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Dinner conversation revolved around Henry and what Emma was expected to do while Regina was away at work each day. She wasn't the normal stone façade she gave everyone else, but she was colder than she had been, some of their progress seemed to be lost. Emma washed the dishes, since Regina had cooked. She packed up the leftovers and wiped the counters. Finally, she made her way upstairs, checking on Henry once more before moving towards the master bedroom.

She knocked lightly on the door before she opened it. Regina sat on the edge of the bed, looking as if she'd been sitting there since she'd come upstairs over a half hour prior.

The brunette looked up as Emma closed the door behind her.

Emma walked over to where she'd dropped her duffel before. "I didn't mean to disturb you, just came to grab my stuff."

"Don't."

Emma froze, her hand midway to the bag. She straightened and raised an eyebrow at the brunette. When the other woman didn't move, or even spare her a glance, she walked over to the bed and sat down beside her.

It was only after several minutes of silence that the brunette relented and spoke. "I don't know how to do this."

"Do what?"

"This." She gestured between them. "I've never really been a girlfriend before, here or there. The closest I ever came was stolen moments in a stable or on this hilltop behind Millhaven."

"If it makes you feel better, neither have I. We have a lot more in common than you might think, both forced into marriages beyond our control back in the Enchanted Forest."

Regina's eyes widened as she turned them on her. "You were _married_? Did I know?"

Emma nodded. "It was common knowledge."

"You didn't love him?"

"No." Emma shook her head. "It was a matter of diplomacy, not love."

"How old were you?"

Emma bit her lip. "Sixteen, just like you."

"You were married when we started our relationship then?"

Emma nodded. "Yes, I was."

"So you were married when I enacted the curse?"

Emma smiled as if at some private joke. "No." She stood. "Listen. How about we get changed and get in bed and I'll answer any more questions you may have?"

Regina nodded and they both changed into their night clothes. Regina went to check once more on Henry before they turned in for the night. When she returned, Emma was already in her bed, looking tired. The blonde held up the duvet so she could slid into bed. She turned off the light and walked over, sliding under the duvet after only a moment's hesitation. Emma never pressed the situation physically when they were in bed. She'd taken care to make Regina comfortable and it occurred to the brunette that maybe she'd at least earned a little cuddle. She slid close to the blonde, draping her arm across the other woman's stomach and laying her head on her shoulder. "You never answered my question on our date."

"Which question was that?" She began to stroke her fingers absentmindedly through short brown locks.

"Was I the one that cursed you?"

"No."

Regina felt a shadow she hadn't even realized she'd been carrying, lift. It wasn't her. She hadn't been the one to hurt Emma. But then, that begged the question, who had?

As if reading her mind, Emma answered. "It was Rumpelstiltskin. A long long time ago." She yawned, the events of the day finally catching up with her. "One more question and then we retire for the night."

Regina thought long and hard about what question she most wanted to ask, knowing she may never get an opportunity to grill Emma like this again. Finally, the perfect question entered her head and she realized it's what she'd been wanting to ask all day. "If you could change one thing about it all, your life, what would it be?"

Emma pondered the question.

Regina's anxiety grew with every passing second. It was only logical that the blonde would answer with the curse. So when Emma actually gave her answer, the brunette was shocked.

"I would have met you sooner. I would wish to have more time with you."


	47. We'll Run Away If We Must

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: sorry for the long wait. i was on a month long holiday and then came back to jury service. but now that i've completed that, i am once again focused on getting this posted. i was hoping to have it finished before the season 2 premiere but that is a pipe dream now. oh well, the new season won't affect this either way. thanks to everyone who's stuck with this so far, more updates to come. enjoy and review.

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**-Chapter 46: We'll Run Away If We Must-**

"She's beautiful, isn't she?" Snow White came up beside Regina, who was holding a hand mirror and staring into it; its reflection depicted the blonde Queen, fast asleep.

"We don't have much time left, her and I; I use this to know when she wakens so that we may spend what time we do have left together."

Snow White watched the blonde fondly for a moment in the glass before moving to a nearby seat and sitting down. She'd watched Emma this way many times since she'd faked her death; it was the only way she could. She stared out the closed window at the snowy landscape beyond the fortress walls. "She sensed you, even from a young age; she'd spend hours staring curiously into the mirror. When I asked her why, she'd claim she was waiting for someone to appear. At first I panicked; I thought you had somehow been in contact with her. But as time went on, I realised she never had seen you, but somewhere deep down she was searching for you, even then." Snow took a deep breath. "Hearts call to each other when they're in true love." She couldn't keep the melancholy from her voice; it obviously didn't please her.

Regina ran her fingers over the image in the hand mirror. She still had yet to look at her lover's mother. "My curse was different than yours you know. I trapped you inside your body, unable to move, to function, but still aware of everything around you. It wasn't the same for me. I was asleep, a consumingly deep sleep, and the only thing I saw, for nearly twenty eight years, was her. Her face. Maybe it was true love's way of making sure I'd reconise her when I finally woke up. From the moment I first laid eyes on her in the nursery, I've never truly been without her." She set the mirror in her lap. "I love her Snow."

Snow sighed, tears stinging her eyes. "She is my _daughter_."

"She is my _everything_." Regina finally turned her brown eyes on the woman who had been her sworn enemy since she was but a child. "I would do anything for her; I would **die** for her."

"As would I. I already have."

"And I'm about to."

They were quiet for a time in the mutual realisation that they were martyrs for their shared cause, their shared love, for Emma.

"Snow!" Daniela burst into the parlour.

Both women looked up in surprise at the woman.

Snow stood, instantly alert at the worry in the woman's eyes. "What's happened?"

Daniela's eyes shifted to Regina as if weighing whether she should speak in front of her or not.

Regina stood. She'd be damned if she wasn't going to hear what she had to say. "I would know what you know. If Emma is under any threat whatsoever…"

"We all are." Daniela spoke softly to Regina as if trying to soothe a raging bull. She turned her attention back to Snow White. "Your presence back in the realm has been sensed."

Snow paled. "We knew it was a risk, but I didn't think it would happen so soon."

Regina frowned, looking between the women. "What are you talking about?"

"When I faked my death, I was sent to live among the elves. Their border lines are protected by an old magic, no enchantments can be carried across. When I escaped to the North, all enchantments being used to track me became useless, it was as if I no longer existed. It's why I haven't returned until now." Snow frowned. "But now that I've reentered the realm, the evil we fought during the war… it knows I'm alive."

"And it's angry." Daniela looked at Regina meaningfully. "We must leave this place. Emma must be taken North; she must be protected, as must you."

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Emma wasn't alone when she awoke. Savya was curled against her body, her small head resting in the crook of her neck. She kissed the top of the little girl's head and glanced around, looking for Regina. The former Queen was not in the bed chamber. She sighed and gently removed the small girl from her body. She got up and stretched.

In the parlour beyond their chamber, she found Regina standing next to a chair with a hand mirror set face down upon it. She met the brunette's eyes, taking in their worry and the rigidness of her posture. "What's happened?"

"An army is headed this way. We are, at most, a sun's turn ahead of them."

"How has Hadrian snuck up on us so fast?"

"It is not Hadrian." Regina glanced to the window as if she could see beyond the shelter of the mountains to where the threat was coming from. "It is a much bigger threat we must now face. Snow White wishes us to go North, to the elves."

"How did they find us so quickly?"

"Your mother believes they were tracking her magically. Once she left the North and crossed into the Enchanted Forest, the spell attached itself to her again. The how is regardless, the point is, you're in danger, we all are."

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"War is upon us once again Emma. I thought I did the right thing sixteen years ago; I thought the madness would end and that I'd be able to protect you. But the choice I made… it didn't win the war, just delayed it. I see that now." Snow White looked the most forlorn Emma could ever remember seeing her. Her regrets of the past must be weighing heavy on her. She had chosen a life of exile from those she loved, a great sacrifice to be sure, and yet it had not accomplished that which she had traded it for.

"Are they coming for me? Am I the target once again?" She paced around the parlour. Regina was tending to Savya.

Snow White sighed. "I believe it to be so. Thanks to Rumpelstiltskin, Regina has no control over her other half. She can no more dictate that Regina's actions than her other half can of her. To apprehend her is pointless, but you…. You carry the fate of the world in your hands, dear one. Though it was never meant to be your burden to bear is beside the point now, it is yours. You are all that is left between the destruction of this world or its salvation. The leader of this army wants to see this world destroyed."

Emma closed her eyes, part of her wishing that when she opened them again she would find herself curled up in the arms of Mayor Regina. Her entire existence was about running from one world to the next, always trying to use one world to buy time to think about decisions in the other. She was on a precipice, tipping dangerously towards the abyss below, an abyss that threatened to overwhelm her. How could one person be expected to do so much? She didn't even realise she was calling out for her brunette lover, too ensconced in her own thoughts to be aware of what she was saying.

Cool hands slid around her and she struggled against them, her eyes still closed, fighting the contact. She still had not entirely forgiven Snow for her abandonment and she wasn't about to let the woman hold her. But the embrace persisted.

"I am here my love. You are safe in my arms; I will protect you."

_Regina_. She began to breathe again, only becoming aware she'd stopped as air once again filled her lungs. _Regina_. That's what kept her from the abyss. That was the answer to everything. Why must she do this? _Regina_. How would she find the strength? _Regina_. What was she fighting for? _Regina_.

She stopped struggling and let herself be held securely in strong arms. Soft lips pressed against her temple as the arms pulled her against the warmth of Regina's body. Her hands clawed desperately in the older woman's skirts, trying to gain purchase at the same time as pulling them even closer together.

"We must leave soon."

Emma's eyes squeezed even more tightly closed as if that were the way to block out her mother's voice. She felt Regina tense and shift. Fearing the woman was trying to pull away entirely she gripped the woman more tightly, a muffled whimper escaping her lips in protest. Another kiss touched her skin, this time at the peak of her forehead.

"We need a moment."

"Time is not on our…"

"We need a moment I said!"

Emma felt instantly safer. Though she knew Snow White meant her no harm, it still eased her anxiety to hear Regina be so openly protective of her to her own mother.

Some wordless exchange must have occurred between the brunettes because after a long pause, Emma heard the sounds of boots retreating across the floor and then the door opened and closed. Only once she was sure they were alone did Emma chance opening her eyes. She was wrapped securely in Regina's arms, her head resting against the woman's shoulder.

Regina looked down into her eyes, concern the only emotion evident in her gaze.

"What if I cannot do this?" Emma sighed, not moving an inch from her position.

Regina shrugged. "I have faith in you."

Emma lifted her head, leveling Regina with an intense gaze. "Why? What makes you so sure I can do this, especially when I was never meant to?"

Regina stared back with just as much intensity. "Because I love you, and she's a part of me."

Emma shook her head. "That doesn't matter. Just because you love me, doesn't mean she will as well."

The edge of Regina's mouth turned up in a smile. "That's exactly what it means."

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"How does this work?" Emma looked around the library, the room where she'd first learned the truth about her mother's existence. All the lounge chairs and side tables had been pushed towards the towering shelves along the perimeter, leaving the middle of the chamber barren and open. Regina was holding Savya with one arm, resting the four year old on a flared hip, while her free arm was firmly wrapped around Emma's waist, holding her close. Emma saw that her lover's eyes were boring holes into Snow White who, for her part, stared right back, unflinchingly. Daniela seemed preoccupied, as if going over a checklist in her head. The Huntsman shifted uneasily, unsure of this new development. Maleficent, who had been surprisingly absent most of the morning, hung back by the ornate fireplace, out of the way of their activities.

"It's quite a complicated spell. I can only transport one being at a time normally. Ideally, I would transport myself, the Huntsman, and your mother, and Regina could transport you and Savya. However, because Regina's magic is not whole- even though magic is dormant in that world, half her powers still lie with the other Regina- she is not capable of transporting all of you that far yet. So we must use elemental magic."

Regina paled. "No." Her voice was firm, insistent. "This is my betrothed and my child we're talking about. It's too risky."

Snow flinched at the word betrothed, but no one took notice.

Daniela frowned. "It's our only option."

"If we stay here, the risk is greater yet." Snow took a step forward. "You have not faced this foe Regina, you know not what this evil is capable of."

Regina glared at her old, though apparently not forgiven, enemy. "You have no idea what I'm capable of when the things I love are threatened."

Snow's look went from anger to pain instantaneously. "To the contrary, I believe I know that better than anyone."

Regina's back straightened in acquiescence. "Perhaps. But even you never saw the extent of what my powers could achieve."

"Enough!" Emma pulled from Regina's embrace, leveling a glare that she swung back and forth between her mother and her lover. "What is this elemental magic?"

Regina's look softened. "It doesn't matter, because we are not going to use it."

Emma turned her gaze on Daniela, obviously the only person capable of answering her questions without subjective commentary.

Daniela glanced briefly at Regina before answering. "I use magic to break us down into our basic substance components and then transport those and reassemble them once we are safely across the northern border."

Emma frowned. "Well that doesn't sound too bad."

Regina let loose a sound somewhat akin to a growl. "What they're not informing you of is the risk involved. If one word, one syllable even, of the spell is wrong, we will not reassemble correctly."

Emma looked to Daniela. "Does she speak the truth?"

Daniela gave a sharp nod. "What she says is true."

"Can you do it?"

"I've never attempted it with this many people before. There is greater risk the more people involved. I have to modify the spell, it becomes more complex."

Emma's head swiveled her gaze back to Regina. "Are you capable of it?"

Regina nodded. "I have done it successfully, but only a handful of times. I always had enough power that it was not necessary."

"Do you think you could transport yourself and one other?"

Regina nodded.

"Then you will take yourself and Savya. Daniela can transport herself, me, the Huntsman and Snow White."

"No! I will not leave your side!"

Emma stepped forward, coming close enough and lowering her voice so that only her small family could hear. "I will be right behind you my love. You told me to have faith that I will break through to your other half. Now I'm telling you to have faith in Daniela, in her magic. I will be fine." She placed a soft kiss to her lips.

Regina didn't look pleased but she nodded. "Very well." She glared past Emma at the other two women. "If this doesn't go perfectly, you will answer for it."

Daniela raised a challenging eyebrow. "Believe me, young one, I know."

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Emma hadn't seen Regina this focused since she'd healed the wounds the blonde suffered in the Apasma attack. She was standing over the basin, whispering words Emma had never heard spoken before. Slowly a ball of water separated itself from the liquid in the basin, lifted by Regina's magic. It moved to the right of the basin and began to expand outward in all directions until it made what could only be described as a door.

Regina glanced over her shoulder at the blonde, her hand clutching their daughter's.

"I'm right behind you. Go." She willed herself not to cry; Regina would surely refuse to leave if she did.

Regina nodded and then her and Savya stepped forward. The second they touched the wall of water, both it and they dissolved into nothingness.

Emma turned to Daniela. "Don't prove me a fool."

Daniela nodded and the three women as well as the Huntsman stepped to the basin. Maleficent had already refused to come, claiming to be above running, but Emma knew her refusal went deeper than that. Still, it was her decision to be made and Emma didn't have time to waste convincing her to change her mind.

She watched as Daniela lifted the water from the basin and the process repeated, just as it had for Regina. "Will it hurt?"

Daniela slipped one hand into hers and the other into Snow White's. "No, little swan, it will not cause you pain." It seemed as if there were a but to her statement however she said nothing else.

Emma wasn't given time to inquire as Daniela pulled her towards the water and the room dissolved away behind them. She saw nothing. The sensation wasn't painful, though it wasn't entirely pleasant either. She felt herself being tugged in all directions at once, her strength plummeting away from her until, for a brief moment, she actually believed she would become too weak to sustain breathing and would die. And then, just when she felt the end was near, she smacked back down into the solid world again. Vegetation caressed her cheek. She tried to open her eyes, but found she wasn't yet able to. Her strength still had yet to return to her and with the way her body was feeling, she feared it may never come back.

"What did you **do** to her?"

It was Regina's voice but she sounded far away, almost beyond vocal range. Emma couldn't tell if it was a trick of her own ears or if Regina really was at a distance.

"I was worried, with her condition, that it might force her to go back prematurely."

"So, you're telling me I've lost half a day with her."

"It's better than losing her altogether."

Strong arms lifted her into a bridal carry. She tried to make a sound, open her eyes, anything, but she had no energy left to do anything but let the rocking motion of her holder's body as they walked lull her into sleep.


	48. The Way Your Lips Look Kissed

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: this chapter is a mini step back, but fear not, regina will come around. the only question is will she come around _in time_.

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**-Chapter 47: The Way Your Lips Look When They've Been Kissed-**

Somehow she knew she was back. Her eyes sprang open and she sat up, looking around the mayor's bedroom, which was slowly becoming as familiar a setting as her room at Mary Margaret's flat in this world. "No. No. No no no." She fell back down on the pillow and frantically shut her eyes. This was not good. What if something had gone wrong? She had never woken up after going through the elemental portal. What if part of her, or all of her for that matter, had gotten lost somewhere between the Forbidden Forest and the northern border? This was not good. This was not good at all. She had to go back. There was still so much she needed to tell Regina. And Savya? She had to go back.

"Emma."

She thought the voice was in her head at first, calling to her from the other world. Had she really been able to force herself back to sleep, to return? She'd never accomplished it before. But it seemed slightly different than the voice she associated with the former Evil Queen.

"Emma, you're fine. It's okay."

The brunette's name slipped through her consciousness, replaying over and over, a mantra meant to soothe. She couldn't tell if it was only in her head, or if the name was slipping from her lips too. _Regina. Regina. Regina_. Arms attempting to pull her close confirmed that she was muttering the name aloud.

"It's alright. It was a nightmare. You're **safe**."

And just like that, she calmed. It seemed Regina in either world had the propensity to ground her. She opened her eyes and saw the brunette leaning over her, worry spelled out across her face in the dim glow of moonlight coming in through the window.

Regina put a hand to her cheek, running her thumb across the soft skin in a gesture meant to soothe. "Hey, you're okay."

It was one of the softest moments Emma had seen from this Regina and suddenly feeling guilty, she stared up into her eyes apologetically. "I didn't mean to wake you. I'm sorry."

Regina's thumb continued its soothing strokes upon her cheek. "Shh Shh Shh. Hush now." She finally removed her hand, but only to lay down beside the blonde on her side. She ran her fingers down Emma's arm, stroking the bare flesh. She didn't ask, didn't pry, though her mind was burning with curiosity. Emma had been calling out her name for far longer than the blonde probably realised. She had been gently thrashing in her sleep, calling out that one word and then she'd sat up, looked around, and fallen back down onto her pillow. Regina couldn't imagine what had been plaguing the blonde's mind in sleep, all she knew was that it revolved around _her_. It was part of what kept her from asking, not that she didn't want to know, but a part of her believed she might not like the answer.

Emma looked over at the brunette, who was studying her scrupulously. She knew she'd probably be refused, but despite being well aware of it, she found the fragility she felt superseded her fear and she turned on her side, curling her body against the brunette's. But she was surprised when long arms wrapped around her, holding her close. She buried her face against the older woman's chest.

Regina stared at the moon outside the window, one arm securely holding the blonde against her, the other running through silky golden locks. It wasn't in her nature to do this, to do intimacy. But then again, she'd been doing a great many things she'd never done, all since that night the blonde had shown up on her doorstep to return Henry. It had been a vast amount of years and a different world since she'd felt someone's love, an even greater number since she'd been able to love for herself. Her heart was no longer capable of such things, but she found herself wishing somehow it were. Regina Mills _wanted_ to love Emma Swan, but it simply was no longer possible.

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"The sun's coming up."

Emma groaned, causing Regina to chuckle. They'd been laying together for hours, trading turns holding each other, pressing unhurried kisses to each other's foreheads and temples. It was the most relaxed either of them had been with each other since they'd met in this world, something reminiscent of Queen Emma's relationship with Queen Regina. Emma didn't want the sun to come up, because it signaled the end of this, it was the sign that they needed to return back to reality, to the push and pull of this tumultuous relationship they had developed. In the confines of Regina's bedroom, the brunette had let down so many walls, now, with the sun, they would build themselves back up again.

"We have to get up. I have to get ready for work. And we need to check and make sure our son is alive."

Emma shook her head childishly and buried her face against Regina's chest, her arms wrapping tighter around the brunette.

"_Emma_." Regina tried to sound stern, but the mirth could not be kept from her voice. She nudged the blonde. "Emma, come on."

Again, Emma shook the head still buried against the brunette's chest, like a petulant child refusing to hand over a toy. She expected to be flung off, to be threatened with exile to the spare bedroom. What she was doing was completely against all the training she'd received from Daniela, but in this moment, she didn't care. She wasn't Queen Emma after all, she was Emma Swan, and Emma Swan did things differently.

But Regina didn't push her off. "I suppose I could be late to work just this once."

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"Madam Mayor, what brings you by?" Graham stood from his seat.

Regina said nothing, just tossed her purse on his desk as she came quickly around it, placing a firm hand on each side of his face, and bringing her lips to his so harshly it was as if she were trying to suck out his soul through his mouth.

For a long moment, Graham, ever the docile bed slave he'd always been, fell back into old routine, accepting the kiss without complaint. Then his senses returned to him and he began to push back even as she pressed harder into him. Finally he managed to pull back far enough to break free and get the chair between them.

"What are you **doing**?!" He wiped away the lipstick residue evidence from his lips with the back of a hand, looking at her with wide, frantic eyes. "Emma is my deputy! She's my _friend_!"

With her smeared red lips and mussed hair, Regina Mills looked the picture of broken as she looked down at her hands. "I… can't care like this. My heart doesn't work that way anymore. It isn't possible!" She sounded more as if she was trying to convince herself rather than stating fact. She'd been this way all morning at work. Once she'd left the safety of the bed and Emma's arms, the panic had taken root in her chest and spread like a cancer, growing with every moment she was left to her own musings.

"You love her." He stared at the woman, one who he'd feared for so long, everyone did. Now the blonde newcomer, the first person he could ever remember stopping through and deciding to stay really, had reduced her to _this_. In an instant she had gone from stoic politician to broken woman. He didn't know whether he was more amazed by the transformation itself or by the blonde's ability to punch through the hard woman's armour like a hot knife through butter.

"No, I don't." Regina looked so melancholy that he almost believed her. She sighed. "But I **could**."

It was that admission, more than anything else, that convinced him Emma had already found her way in. Not only had a hole been created in the armour, but the mayor was willing to bring that vulnerability to light. Regina Mills cared deeply for Emma Swan. And that **care** looked a lot like love. "You should be telling her all this yea? And you most definitely should be kissing her, not me."

The brunette shook her head. "I can't do that." At his raised eyebrow and skeptic expression, she just sighed.

"Are you afraid the world's going to come crashing down around you just because you kiss her then?"

Regina bit her lip and shook her head. "No… I'm afraid it _won't_."

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She stared at the keys blankly. Without the warm body at her back, it was as if she forgot everything she'd learned. She played the first few chords again, trying to bring up the memory. Why couldn't this be a song that wasn't of the brunette's own invention; she'd never wished for sheet music or that she'd stayed with piano lessons as a kid so badly in her entire life. She hummed the part she'd just played but her mind drew a blank at the same spot. Why did she always forget that line?

And all of a sudden a voice was humming it to her. She grinned triumphantly. "That's it!" Then it occurred to her that the voice hadn't been in her head. She whipped around to find her son standing in the doorway, still in his pyjamas, his arm in its cast. "Kid? What are you doing out of bed?"

He shrugged and came fully into the room. "I heard you playing my lullaby."

"Your _what_?"

"When I was younger, on nights I couldn't sleep, my mom would come in and hum that to me. It always helped me get to sleep." He sat down with a thunk on the piano bench beside her. "Why are you playing my lullaby?"

Emma looked down into his curious expression and then turned back to the keys. "It's a present for your mom. She used to play the piano and I noticed she doesn't anymore. I'm hoping this will help her remember why she loved it."

"You love her don't you?"

Emma froze, her fingers landing on the keys with an ungraceful chorus of notes. "Yes, I do. It's hard to explain Henry, but I knew her, apart from the curse."

"But you were a baby."

"Not exactly." She bit her lip before proceeding to tell her son the truth about the curse, and both worlds. He took it better than she could have hoped. She left out some small details, such as the fact that they had a daughter in the other world. The last thing she needed was Henry feeling like he had competition of some sort. But he was excited, and just like that, Operation Cobra's main objective became getting the Evil Queen to fall in love with the White Knight.

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"Hey, you're home." Emma came through the dining room and into the foyer. "How was work?" She helped Regina slip out of her coat and got the faintest whiff of cologne. It was a scent she recognised easily enough. She worked with it everyday.

Regina began to rattle off the finer points of her first day back since she'd been out for the past couple days for Henry's accident. Emma listened half heartedly, her brain trying to figure out why Regina smelled like Graham. She knew what the easy explanation was, the mayor had dealings with the sheriff's department all the time. It wasn't wholly unusual. But it was unusual that enough physical contact happened that his cologne transferred onto her clothes. No, she shouldn't let her mind go there.

"Did you see Graham today?"

The tension that knotted through Regina's shoulders as she froze gave Emma the answer she'd been dreading. Regina turned with a raised eyebrow. "Why would you ask me that?"

Emma tried to play it off, shrugging nonchalantly though she could already feel the painful cracking of her heart. "I was just wondering how he's doing? I've been gone for a few days. We're not generally that busy at the station, but you never know."

Regina relaxed, obviously feeling more confident that she hadn't been caught. "Oh, yes well, I didn't hear anything distressing."

Emma shrugged. "I'm going to go see how he's doing then."

"But... what about dinner? And Henry?"

"Dinner's in the oven as per the instructions you left me. I should be back, but if not, it needs to come out at six thirty. Henry's upstairs reading and you're here now. I shouldn't be long, just wanna check in, make sure everything's running smoothly." She turned for the door.

In a last ditch effort to stop her, Regina reached out and grabbed her arm. "And what if I want you to stay and… keep me company?" She raised an eyebrow seductively.

Emma smirked, leaning in and kissing the brunette's cheek. "Good things come to those who wait." She pulled her arm away and was out the door before Regina could protest.

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She strode into the station, already knowing it was true. Anything that happened from now on was just confirmation.

"Hey, look who's here." Graham got up and came around his desk and out into the main room to greet her. "How's babysitting duty going?"

"Good. It's nice to spend time with Henry, even under these circumstances." She decided to come out and get right down to it. "So, Regina was by earlier?" She already saw her proof, quite literally, on his face.

Graham, like Regina, tensed. His voice went up a couple octaves. "What? No, I haven't seen the mayor since yesterday."

"So Regina _wasn't_ here earlier?" Emma eyed him suspiciously.

He shook his head, remembering his promise to Regina that the events of this afternoon had never transpired. "Nope. Just been here by myself all day."

Emma took a step closer. Slowly she reached out and brushed a finger firmly across the space between his chin and his bottom lip. She looked at the offending digit before holding it up for his inspection. The glaring evidence, accusingly bright red against the creamy tone of her skin, stared back at him, proclaiming him guilty of not only what he'd done but of denying it as well. Once she saw the flashes of recognition, fear, and shame in his eyes, she wiped the lipstick off her finger and across the front of his shirt, the red staining into the fabric, his own scarlet A for the world to better know him for what he was.

"Emma…"

"**Don't**!" Her eyes flashed dangerously. "Don't you dare try to explain yourself to me. You haven't _earned_ that. I **love** her Graham. I love her so much it hurts. My heart breaks every time I say it because I know she'd love me too, if she only let herself _feel_. This…" She pointed angrily at the red streak on his shirt. "This is her fear. She sought out something familiar because she's scared. I can forgive her that. But you…you just let it happen! You're my friend! You despise her most days. How could you do that to me?" The wounded look that graced her features made Graham's heart wrench violently in the cavity of his chest. Betrayal seemed to be something he was good at. First he'd betrayed Regina by letting Snow White go and now he'd betrayed Emma by letting Regina run from her fears instead of face them.

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Emma was surprised but thankful to find the front door still unlocked. She didn't know where the spare key was or if there even was a spare key; Regina had never seen fit to tell her. She closed the door quietly, not wanting to wake Henry and flipped the deadbolt. She turned and nearly screamed but was lucky enough that her quick reflexes got her hand over her mouth in time to muffle the shrill cry emitted from her throat.

Regina stood before her on the raised level of the foyer, blankly regarding her. "Where have you been?"

Emma's surprise at finding the woman blocking her path quickly melted to make way for the anger she felt. She rolled her eyes. "You're not my mother Regina. I don't have to answer to you and I'm certainly old enough to not have a curfew." She watched with delight as Regina visibly bristled.

"It is common courtesy for one to call when one is going to be out late. It prevents unnecessary worry."

Regina had been _worried_ about her? She quickly pushed the warmth that thought brought back down and away where it belonged. She wasn't going to let words talk her out of how betrayed she felt. "Well it's also common courtesy that when one has a girlfriend waiting at home, taking care of their child, one doesn't seek out one's ex-lover and kiss him."

And just like that, the wind left Regina's sails. She didn't try to suppress the look of pure shame, tinged with a small bit of self-loathing, that crossed her face. "Graham told you."

"He didn't have to tell me." She stepped up the two steps to the raised half of the foyer and grasped her chin, running her thumb along Regina's bottom lip. "You left evidence." She released her, pushing her chin away, hating that she still wanted to kiss her right now despite everything.

"Emma." Regina looked almost as if Emma had just slapped her.

Emma shook her head and held up a hand to stop whatever she had been about to say. "Just tell me **why** Regina. Why can you kiss _him_? Why is he allowed to touch you?" She shook her head again as if that would dispel the pain. "That's always the way these things go, isn't it? A girl goes and gives her heart to yet another person who doesn't want it. I was so stupid to think I could change anything."

"No." Regina slid into her personal space expertly, as if she belonged right there, in that space where they weren't quite touching but were close enough to feel each other breathe. "You are **not** stupid." She reached down and grabbed Emma's hand. She stared down at it as she held it in hers. "You _scare_ me, Miss Swan; you have from the moment you came up that front walk a month ago."

Emma watched in fascination as Regina seemed to decide something, a look of determination crossing her face. She looked up at Emma shyly, through her lashes. "Take me to bed. I'll let you have me tonight."

"No." The word, when she uttered it, was so soft that even she barely heard it.

Regina looked up in shock.

Emma leaned in, kissing her forehead to reassure her. "Not because I don't want to. I do want to, **badly**. But I don't want this to be something you give me because you think it's what I want or that it will appease me. Love doesn't work that way, at least it shouldn't. I love you Regina Mills, **all** of you. When you're ready, and not a day before." She entwined her fingers with the hand still holding hers. "Now, come. I'm tired and I'd like to curl up in bed with my girlfriend and forget this world for a spell."


	49. I'm Scared To See The Ending

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: getting a new laptop and my internet back at the end of next week. i'll be able to update much more often then. thanks for waiting. this chapter is entirely regina, no emma herein, but we'll join her again next chapter. enjoy.

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**-Chapter 48: I'm Scared To See The Ending-**

Regina had heard of Bridalveil, most children raised in the Enchanted Forest were told of it in bedtime stories, the capitol of the elven race. It was said to be a place of untold beauty. But none of what she'd heard prepared her for the real thing.

The elemental magic had transported them just within the northern border, weakened by the enchantments that protected the North from the southern kingdoms. Their magic was the oldest in known existence, and it was not easily contended with. No one, not even Regina herself at the height of her power, had dared try to take on the North. Not only did the Elves have their magic, they had their environment on their side. No one knew the land better than they.

Daniela had assured them that despite how far Bridalveil appeared to be away from the border on a map, that they would make it there before dawn.

They saw no one, but there were horses waiting when they arrived, one for each of them, except Savya. The Huntsman, still physically the strongest, rested Emma's unconscious form before him on his horse, tying her horse's reins to his saddle. It took Regina several hours of riding in silence to finally calm her worry enough. Daniela had assured her that the spell had been completed correctly, and Emma _was_ still breathing. But she knew her heart would not completely calm until the blonde Queen awakened. Savya slept in her arms, her small head resting against Regina's shoulder as they rode. When her arms grew too heavy with the weight and she decided she'd have to wake the girl to ride properly, Snow had slipped over and taken the toddler from her arms, bearing the weight herself so Regina's muscles could relax.

By peak of night, Daniela claimed they were almost there, no more than three hours from the capitol city. Regina felt as if they had barely rode fifty lengths, but the elven woman insisted that things were very far from what they seemed in the Sunfair Mountains.

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It was in the darkest part of the morning, the hours preceding dawn when they emerged onto the lantern lit thoroughfare that led to the city. Here Regina finally felt the presence of others, though she saw nothing except the lanterns lit magically, spaced every ten feet or so along each side of the wide road.

"I think we're being watched." She squinted into the dark depths of the forest around them, trying to discern the smallest of movements in the dark foliage.

Daniela laughed her bell-like laugh. "They've been with us since we arrived dear one. I am surprised you did not sense them until just now; they must be very well trained."

Regina pursed her lips. She wasn't particularly fond of being spied on. She moved her horse closer to the Huntsman's, unconsciously putting herself close enough to protect Emma should there be an attack of some sort.

It was another hour up the lantern lit land before they saw the beginnings of the city. A wall of trees was quickly coming up in front of them. The road ran straight into it, there was no gate, no doors, no portcullis.

Daniela rode ahead. She stopped before the wall of trees, spreading off in either direction, trunk to trunk, with nary a space between them for one to squeeze through. She put her right hand over her heart, brought it up in an arch over her head and muttered a word in what the brunette assumed was the Elvish language.

The leaves on the closet tree rustled and then a figure swung down to the ground. He was tall and lean with bright green hair and pale skin. His eyes were a piercing bronze, seeming to take them all in at once. A flute of some sort was tucked through his belt, a quiver of arrows and a bow strapped to the back of his leather jerkin.

"Ruza." Daniela smiled and inclined her head in greeting.

"Daneiria, you have returned." He inclined his head as well. His voice was deeper than she'd expected it to be, but somehow it retained the bell-like quality.

"I have brought the Queen of the Enchanted Forest to Bridalveil for sanctuary within our walls."

Ruza walked over to the Huntsman's horse, peering up into the face of the blonde with unblinking eyes. "You were so young when last I saw you human, a mere innocent. What a life you've lived since then." He spoke directly to the sleeping woman as if she could hear every word he said. He turned back to Daniela. "Queen Rowanaldi is expecting you. She is most curious to meet Lady Regina."

"Many thanks Ruza. May the wind guide you." It was Snow White who spoke these words.

"And the forest always protect you Lady Snow." He grabbed the flute from his belt and played a four note tune.

The trees before them began to shift and twist, branches and roots snaking this way and that, slowly forming what could only be described as a grand archway. The lane continued into the city as if it hadn't been impeded just a moment ago by an impenetrable block of trees.

As they rode through, Regina got her first true look at Bridalveil. Built into the side of the mountain, the palace was cut brilliantly from its face, the rock, with its white and soft grey swirl of colours, seemed to make the castle sparkle. The residences of the city's citizens were made from the very trees in the forest. Instead of cutting down the trees for materials to build their houses, they built their houses using the living trees. Doors were built into trunks of the great sentinels, staircases curving up their base to the higher levels, platforms built on branches at the topmost level. None of the forest had been sacrificed to make this city prevail. It was all a little too 'child of nature' for Regina's tastes, but she had to admit the effect was magically ethereal.

Before them stood two guards, both female, in what Regina could only assume was full uniform. Their tunics were weaved from some type of lavender silk, covered by a silvery jerkin. She couldn't place the material; it was very possible it was something she'd never encountered before. Their leggings basic and light grey. Both wore no helmet, but each had a sheathed sword strapped to their belts, a skinny blade that met with a silver hilt, carved beautifully with patterns of ivy. Like Ruza, each had a bow and quiver of arrows strapped to their backs. They could have been twins, with how uncannily similar they were, one a mirror image of the other with their white curls that fell silkily to the small of their backs, eyes that mirrored the blue of the sky, and their creamy complexions. The only difference between the two was the patches sewn onto the right shoulder of their jerkins.

As soon as the horses reached them, they abruptly turned without a word and led the way down the lane as it curved through the city. Though it was still before dawn yet, Regina no longer maintained any allusions that most of the city's residents were awake and watching them, though the streets remained quiet. But Snow and Daniela both looked at ease, so she willed her nerves away, instead focusing on the palace they were slowly making their way towards.

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The palace itself, when they got close enough, seemed to sparkle all the more. Silver sprinkles of glitter ran through the stones like veins and when they passed under the portcullis, it seemed to glow all the more brightly. So it was magic of some sort. She resolved to inquire later as to its purpose.

Another woman, this one similarly garbed as the two who had escorted them here, greeted them in the courtyard, among a burbling fountain and lush gardens. "Welcome friends." She dismissed the identical guards with a wave of her hand. "I am Arazera, advisor to Queen Rowanaldi."

Arazera was hauntingly beautiful, her skin as tan as Regina's own. Her black hair fell in silk waves to the middle of her back. Her eyes were as deep a green as the darkest part of the forest, like a copse of dense foliage encircling her pupils. If not for her unshakable love for the blonde, still cradled before the Huntsman on his horse, she might have once been charmed by this woman's looks and the dazzling smile she wore.

"Ruza told us Queen Rowanaldi is expecting us."

Arazera inclined her head. "The Queen is anxious to speak with all of you, but first… we offer you the hospitality of Bridalveil, and a chance to rest from your journey." With a barely imperceptible flick of the woman's fingers, several women in the same uniform appeared. Many helped the riders dismount, two carefully brought Emma down from the horse and deposited her into the surprisingly strong arms of a third. The animals were led away and the remaining women each took the hand of the Huntsman, Daniela, Snow, and Savya, who was still asleep in Snow's arms.

When the elf holding Emma made a move to walk away with the Queen, Regina finally raised her voice in protest. "She stays with me."

Arazera stepped forward. "We shall take good care of the Queen, fear not." She waved the girl onward.

"No!" As a reflex reaction, Regina threw out her hand to magically stop the girl, but nothing happened and she continued into the palace unaccosted. Regina stared at her hands in disbelief.

"Your magic will not aid you here Lady Regina. The threads of enchantment you see running through these stones prevents the use of magic for dark purposes within these walls. As I said before, Jajara will take good care of Queen Emma. She is most precious to all our futures after all." Arazera gestured towards the palace doors. "Will you come with me?"

Regina's mouth remained in a firm line, but she followed the elf into the palace. The entrance hall they stepped into was decorated in the lavender of the tunics. Arazera led her to the grand staircase to the left that twisted up and away in a tight coil.

Up and up they went until Regina had counted seven floors. The exited on the seventh floor and Arazera led Regina down and airy corridor to the last door. It seemed to be carved from pure ivory. Arazera pushed open the doors. It was a parlour chamber, decorated much lighter than the one at her own castle, Rumpelstiltskin's castle now, but none less lavishly. The whites and creams that covered the room gave it an open and airy feel.

"These will be your chambers while you're here. We have assumed you will wish to be roomed with the Queen of the Enchanted Forest, but if we have made an error, just let any of us know and alternate plans will be made."

"Where was Emma taken?"

"To a bathing chamber. She is being taken well care of. Jajara will return her to you shortly."

Regina nodded. "I want something to be understood. It was not my desire to come here. While I am grateful for the hospitality being shown to us in such difficult times as this, I will not tolerate being ordered around. Emma is **not** to leave my side. I wish to have Savya room here as well."

Arazera's eyes flashed and her smile faltered. "Just because you find an orphan on the street and show her kindness, does not make her your _possession_. Savya will room in her own chambers. If you wish for the Queen to be under your supervision unless otherwise specified, we will be happy to accommodate your request."

Regina didn't understand the sudden hostility from the girl. It seemed deeper than just annoyance for being ordered around.

Arazera didn't explain however. She inclined her head. "I trust you can attend to your own bathing rituals. The bathing chamber is through there, sleeping through there. You will find a selection of tunics and leggings in your sleeping chamber suited to your measurements. I shall return when you are finished."

Regina watched her go, her head filled with nothing but unanswered questions.

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The bathing chambers were the oddest things she'd ever seen. From a corner of the ceiling hung a spout of sorts. Built into ground below it, were a drain and a foot pump. She looked around, searching for the bathing pool, or a tub, but there was nothing else except the small alcove that she assumed housed the latrine and a small wash basin with a mirror above it.

Regina walked over to the weird spout, sticking her leather boot out and tapping the foot pump. A gentle stream of water cascaded from the spout. She jumped back to avoid the splash and as her foot left the pump, the cascade stopped. So the pump fueled the flow of fresh water and the drain carried the used water away. What an odd concept. But it was all she had to work with, so she'd make due. She undressed quickly, draping her dress over a tri-fold screen that she assumed was to protect one's modesty. A shelf carved out of the wall beside her held an array of oils and washes. She pressed her now bare foot on the pump and stepped under the stream. It was pleasantly warm as it fell over her body, the effect oddly soothing, as if the water were carrying away all her distress and worry as it rolled down her body, carrying it all away with the water down the drain. She couldn't tell how long she just stood there, unmoving, letting the water just pour over her, stripping her down to her bare self. Tears began to pour from her eyes, mixing invisibly with the drops of water until tears couldn't be discerned from the bathing water. She cried for her lost power, she cried for the childhood innocence stolen from her too early, she cried for Emma still unawakened, she cried for the future they wouldn't have together… she cried because she could finally see Death waiting before her, and this time, unlike so many times before, she had no plan to escape. It was a funny melancholy to know the ending to your story and be unable to rewrite it. She wasn't afraid to die; from the day she'd truly first embraced the dark magic in her efforts to restore what she'd lost, she had known there was no other way for her story to end than this. She was a villain after all. But accepting death and being truly ready to die are two very different things.

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She stared at herself in the mirror of the bed chamber. The leggings were lightweight and surprisingly easy to move in, maroon in colour as they apparently didn't allow black here. She chose a tight fitting grey tunic that hugged her curves and an ivory jerkin. It wasn't her best outfit, but it would do.

"You look beautiful." She looked up in surprise. Arazera watched her from the doorway.

"Has Emma awakened?" That's all she'd been concerned about from the moment she'd stepped from the bathing chamber. "Why haven't they brought her here yet? Surely bathing her doesn't require so much time."

Arazera looked at her apologetically. "I'm sorry Lady Regina, but she is still asleep. She is being brought here to rest as we speak. We had our healer check over her to see if there was a problem with the magic."

"And your findings?"

"Daneiria's spell was successful; there was no fault with it."

Regina's fists clenched at her sides. "Then why has she not awakened?"

Arazera frowned. "We do not know."

"If she dies…"

"We all must die Lady Regina; we all return to the earth. Some may go more quickly than others, but trust that we all reach our time eventually."

Regina scoffed. "Is that supposed to _comfort_ me?"

Arazera shrugged. "Take comfort from it if you wish, or not. It is merely a statement of truth. You cannot keep her forever, only enjoy the part of forever you share."

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Arazera led her back through the palace to the great hall. There was no throne in the long silver room. When Regina inquired as to its location, Arazera merely responded by telling her Queen Rowanaldi had no throne.

The elven lady had been stealing glances at her from the corner of her eyes ever since she'd appeared in her bed chamber doorway, but Regina chose to ignore the attention. This girl had an attitude that she was not quite ready to deal with.

She was shown into a large chamber, the size of her parlour in her former castle, behind the great hall. Desks and chairs were scattered around the chamber, maps and scrolls and scraps of parchment littered most of the free surfaces. Standing in the middle of it all was a woman. She wore the same uniform as Arazera. Her hair was dirty blonde, ending just past her shoulders. Her eyes were blue. She appeared to be the same age as Regina herself.

Arazera inclined her head to the woman who responded in kind. "Many thanks Arazera, you may wait outside."

Arazera left without even a glance in Regina's direction.

Once the door closed behind her the woman spoke to Regina herself. "I have waited a great many years for this meeting Lady Regina. My name is Rowanaldi."

This woman was _Queen_? She didn't look a day over thirty. Of course, age should make no never mind. Regina herself was Queen before she was twenty. She bowed in a show of respect. Might as well please the royals while they're sheltering you, your lover, and your child from harm.

"You need not bow to me. To the Elves, Queen is merely a glorified term for strategist. I guide my people; I do not rule them."

"That is why there is no throne."

Rowanaldi smiled. "Clever woman. Yes. My title does not make me more important than any other being within my realm." She moved to a random chair and sat, gesturing for Regina to do the same.

The brunette selected one at a long table, closer to the door, but still facing the Queen of the Elves.

"Has Arazera been hospitable to you?"

Regina shrugged. "She does not appear to much care for me, nor I for her."

The corner of Rownaldi's mouth turned up in a smile. "Quite contrary, she requested the honour of being your escort while in our walls. She has devoted her life to studying you. At one moment in her life, she was quite enamoured with you."

Regina frowned. She certainly hadn't gotten that impression from the woman. "She has certainly done her best to convey the opposite."

"I believe that is what most might call jealousy. It is trying to devote one's life to someone who is destined to belong to someone else." Rowanaldi glanced away for a moment, as if she knew that trial all too well herself. When she met Regina's eyes again, there was no trace left of what she had felt. "I was Queen for only about two score before you were born, not long at all."

"How old are you?"

"Five hundred six."

Regina nearly choked on the air exhaled from her lungs in surprise.

Rowanaldi chuckled. "Time moves differently for the creatures here young one. When an elf celebrates their one hundredth year, they are given a choice. To age naturally or to freeze themselves there, ensuring they'll never age."

Regina smiled wickedly at the thought. "You have the option to live forever?"

Rowanaldi nodded. "Do not mistake it for immortality Lady Regina. It does not mean our heart becomes immune to the pierce of an arrow, our skin to the slice of a sword, our bodies to the hunger of an illness. An elf who chooses to freeze the aging process does not become immune to death, merely extends his or her vitality and energy."

Regina was enraptured at the very idea. What a wonder it would be to live forever, with Emma and Savya. The very thought thrilled her.

"Most choose to continue aging. Very few wish to be trapped at that age for the rest of their days."

Regina raised an eyebrow. "Who wouldn't want to live forever?"

"Many ages ago there was an elven Princess by the name of Lunamora. She was beautiful, revered and desired by all. But Lunamora had eyes only for one of the palace guard. The lovers would meet every night when the moon was high, loving each other only underneath the cover of the stars. For four score they hid their love. They were given to the world by the earth the same year, so they would reach their hundredth together. They made a plan to freeze their aging; that way they could be together forever. On the day they were to make the decision, the guard became impatient waiting for Lunamora to show up. Thinking there was no risk in going first since they were both planning on the same decision, the guard chose to live forever. Lunamora never showed. It was only when the guard made the journey back to the castle that it was revealed that Lunamora had chosen a life among the humans, as an ambassador to the North. Once you leave the Sunfair Mountains, the aging process begins to speed up. If you're gone long enough, you age at the same rate humans do. Lunamora lived six score among the humans before she died of old age."

"What became of the guard?"

Rowanaldi gave her a sad smile. "The guard still lives among us to this day, frozen at one hundred."

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It was several hours before Regina returned to her chambers. Rowanaldi was surprisingly militarian, explaining all Daniela and Snow had at Maleficent's in much deeper detail. Regina had been born for great things she said; Emma and her parents had just been unfortunate casualties in the fulfillment of her destiny. It was a little unsettling that she seemed to be somewhat of a case study here in this place. She saw it in their bright eyes that they all knew her story and Rowanaldi spoke of it.

After the Queen had let her retire, she had gone to Savya's chambers and spent a few hours in her company. The little girl seemed to be adjusting well to the new surroundings, looking quite content with all the toys she had been given to keep her occupied.

She was so emotionally drained that she felt the desire to do nothing more than collapse the second she walked through the door into the parlour chamber. She slumped under the weight of all she had discussed and moved to the bed chamber. She froze in the doorway.

Emma lay on the large bed, the gauzy privacy curtains closed, making everything but just her silhouette indiscernable.

Regina stepped forward, suddenly finding a new burst of energy at the sight of her true love. She moved the curtains aside.

Emma had been completely transformed from the bruised and battered woman she'd been running with the past three weeks. She looked much as she must have in the prime of her royal life. Her hair was shining like spun gold, framing her creamy face on the pillow. The worry had left her face in sleep, her brow unfurrowed. She looked calm, serene, at peace. Her lips were the deep pink of someone well nourished, the paleness gone from her face, no shadows under her eyes. Most of her body was nestled under the duvet, but her bare arms were folded over the top of the cover, showing every scratch, no matter how inconsequential to her health, had been repaired. Regina leaned in and stroked Emma's cheek, willing her to wake up.

"They were able to heal everything except the scars on her shoulder, something made those magic repellant."

"She was attacked by an Apasma, injected with a lethal dose of the creature's venom. Yet, she survived even that." Regina wouldn't take her eyes from Emma as she sat on the edge of the bed. "She is a survivor; she is sometimes so determined that I gather strength from it."

"She is fearless?"

"She is afraid everyday of her life; she just chooses to live with her fears, maybe even to spite them."

"I brought you your evening meal. I assumed you would wish to stay in her presence."

At this, Regina finally looked to the girl in the doorway. She was holding a tray with fruits, some familiar some foreign, as well as a bowl she couldn't see the contents of and two goblets.

"We do not partake of flesh in the North, our ways prevent the hunting or slaughtering of the creatures of the forest unless it is a matter of self-defense. However, we do keep a secret store of preserved meat for such occasion as this. I can procure you some if that is your preference."

Regina shook her head. "I've made due on much less than the contents of that tray. I will be fine."

Arazera nodded and brought the tray in, setting it on the bedside table. Her green eyes fell on Emma. "Children are precious to the Elves. We can only manage to have them before we reach one hundred. It may seem like a long time, but among the Elves, that is still very young, like a human having a baby at sixteen. Most do not wish to bear the responsibility, some have not found love yet. To have a child is a high honour, worthy of respect. An elf having more than one has only happened a handful of times in our history."

Regina wasn't sure why she was being told this. What did this have to with Emma?

"A lot of us didn't approve of Snow White's decision to leave the child. We grew quite fond of Emma during her stay with us, despite how brief it was. I just thought you should know that, in your absence, I protected her. Throughout her teenage years, through her marriage… I was never far. I'd never see her come to harm, nor you."

"How old are you Arazera?"

"I am ninety and nine."

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She asked the elf to join her for her meal and they spoke at length as she ate of the fruit and warm honeyed soup that was in the bowl. She found that the more she learned of the elf's life, the more she liked her. She was charming and wise, well traveled and worldly. She was quite sure if circumstances had happened differently, leaving Arazera as the stable girl of her childhood rather than Daniela, she would have been just as infatuated with this woman, maybe even more so. The elves were charming as a whole she was coming to understand, some enchantingly so.

It was after sunset when Arazera finally left her to her thoughts. Regina immediately crawled on the bed beside Emma. For a long time she just lay on her side, running her fingers absentmindedly up and down the woman's crossed arms. But as her exhaustion from all the travel and the trials of the day set in, she slipped, still clothed, underneath the duvet and curled up next to Emma, resting her head on the steady rise and fall of the blonde's chest.

"You promised me." Regina tilted her head to look at the unmoving face, the closed eyes. "You promised me we would face the end together. Come back to me. I can't face this alone."


	50. I Don't Know If I'm Ever Going Back

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: we're getting close to emma's birthday. is anyone else biting their nails?

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**-Chapter 49: I Don't Know If I'm Ever Going Back-**

It was near midnight when Regina finally fell asleep. They'd talked for hours, a seemingly endless rush of questions and answers, only stopping the flow of conversation to go to the bathroom or to check on Henry. Their son had finally passed out after his eight o'clock dose of pain killers, but Regina still insisted on checking on him at least once an hour, a testament to how much that morning she'd found Henry injured had truly shaken her.

After ten, Regina had slid into bed for the final time. She had apologized repeatedly for kissing Graham all evening. Emma didn't want to think about it. She forgave Regina, their time was too short not to, but it still hurt to think that Regina could kiss him without a second thought but was still struggling with the same intimacy with her. But she had to forgive her; it wasn't as if Emma herself hadn't made her fair share of mistakes when she got overwhelmed. People did stupid shit when they got scared; how could she expect Regina Mills to be the exception?

But if she still had any lingering doubts about forgiving her, they were banished instantly the moment right before the brunette had fallen asleep, when she had turned to face Emma from her side of the bed, looked up at the blonde with sleepy eyes, and said "I understand it now, why you didn't want to go to sleep last Saturday night when you were sick…. I don't want to go to sleep knowing that when I wake up you won't be here."

Emma had kissed her forehead in response. "You can close your eyes baby. I'll still be here in the morning."

Regina had not responded verbally, just managed a sleepy half-smile before drifting off.

The brunette's fear that she'd blown things, that despite Emma's constant assurances, she still expected the blonde to bolt, told Emma that she cared more than she would admit.

Emma looked at the clock. 11:56. She was surprised she hadn't nodded off already. Queen Regina would be waiting for her in the realm of the Elves.

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The panic started to set in at about 2:33. Why wasn't she asleep? She'd never stayed up this late before; she'd never been _able_ to. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. Why wasn't she going back? Had the magic truly failed? Had they been followed and attacked, her unconscious body left defenceless? Was she stuck here in Storybrooke indefinitely? Was she never to see Regina and Savya again? All these questions and more plagued her mind as she tried desperately to will herself to fall asleep. But it was no use; she was wide awake.

She occupied the next two and a half hours with watching Regina sleep. It was a luxury she wasn't really allowed due to her condition; she might as well take advantage of the rare opportunity to do so. In the safety of sleep all the brunette's walls seemed to come down. Her face was a direct link to the mood of her dreams. At some moments a smile would cross her face and she'd sigh happily in her slumber. At others, her brow would wrinkle in a frown and she'd whimper like a scared child. At these moments, Emma would hold her until the effect had passed. Regina was an open book in sleep. Emma only wished she would be that way when she was awake too.

At five, she slipped from bed and dressed in sweats and a t-shirt. There was maybe an hour until dawn. That meant an hour until the mayor's internal alarm clock would wake her to get ready for work. She had promised to be here for that moment and she didn't plan on breaking that promise. But there was enough time to walk the dog and clear her head.

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The air had a bitter bite to it as she and Daniela stepped out from the small door on the side of the garage and onto the driveway. She locked the door with the mayor's keys that she had borrowed. She got a good grip on the leash and set off past the black Mercedes and out onto the sidewalk. She decided to set off in the opposite direction from town, deeper into the residential area of Storybrooke, not really interested in risking a run in with anyone. Not many people would be up this early, but she had no doubt that anyone who was would stop to ask about Henry or work. She wanted to clear her head, to evaluate and try to accept the fact that Queen Emma of the Enchanted Forest might truly be dead. Like Pinocchio, she might only exist in this world now, just another tragedy to bind them together as friends.

On one hand, if her other half perished, didn't that make the pressure on her in this world just a little less extreme? What if it wasn't just her? What if the entire world had perished? Maybe she'd just imagined those voices before she'd come here yesterday. What if she had nothing left to go back to? What if Regina, Savya, Snow White, and the Huntsman were gone? What if there was just Storybrooke now? What if, what if, what if… She could speculate until she went crazy, but she knew it wouldn't help.

Now the only question that mattered was what to do now. Should she still try and persuade this Regina to break before her birthday? She only had today, tomorrow, and then then her birthday to convince Regina to love her back. Or maybe, she should go. Maybe she should run and leave this place. She'd never been the type to stick around anyway. She could leave Regina to whatever she'd been looking for when she'd cast the curse and brought everyone to this world. She had ended up outside Storybrooke in this life, maybe that was where she belonged. She'd have to set up some sort of visitation schedule with Henry. Henry… her son; he'd never understand this. Not in a million years. Neither would Regina. She'd hate her, of that, Emma was certain. The brunette would name her enemy once again and all the progress they'd made would be gone.

Or she could _stay_, for once. She could try and live in this lie the mayor had created. She could spend everyday knowing a truth that she could never share with people she cared about, people who deserved to know the truth. Could she really handle living that way?

A horn blared, causing her to jump back to avoid getting hit by a car as it rounded the corner fast and sped down the street.

"Learn to drive, moron." She shook her fist and yelled at the retreating car as if the driver could hear or even cared about what she had to say.

"You should watch where you're going Deputy; you might get hurt."

Emma whirled around to glare at the man standing on the sidewalk, his hands folded on top of his cane. Daniela's hair stood on end as she froze and growled low in her throat at the pawn shop owner. Great, just what she needed right now. She did a half-sigh, half-groan. "What are you doing here Gold?"

Mr. Gold raised an eyebrow. "Why… I live here." He indicated the house behind him with a slight tilt of his head.

Emma looked up at the large Victorian house behind him. There was a low stone fence around the property. The yard was covered in leaves from the various trees in it. The house itself, while beautiful in design, was orange and green. Wow… it was kind of ugly. But she wasn't about to tell him that.

"How are things between yourself and the mayor coming along dearie?"

Emma narrowed her eyes. "That's none of your business. You've fucked with our lives enough." She stepped up onto the sidewalk so they'd be on level ground, raising her chin proudly. "I do however take comfort in knowing you fuck up those you love too. Tell me, how is dear Belle? I haven't seen her around this world. Did she finally get fed up with you and leave?" Her words were meant to incite anger or pain and she was rewarded with a mixture of both.

"How do you know that name!?" Seeming to find his own answer, a sneer crossed his face. "Regina."

Emma didn't feel like dealing with this man right now. She'd rather let him stew in his thoughts. "Good day Gold." She tugged on Daniela's leash and turned back the way she came. It was time to go back to Regina. Everything always seemed clearer when the brunette was around.

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The house was quiet. She snuck in through the back door after she had locked Daniela back up in the garage. She took off her boots, carrying them in her hand as she padded through the ground floor to the staircase and then up, to avoid making any noise. She stopped briefly to peek in on their son as he continued to sleep, before moving down the hall and into the master suite. The sun had just cleared the horizon line as she'd arrived home. Regina would be up any minute.

Emma stripped down to her underwear, removing even her bra. The last thing Regina would approve of is Emma wearing sweaty clothes in her bed. She slipped under the duvet and turned on her side to watch Regina in her last few moments of peace before the brunette's internal alarm clock would force her eyes open and bring her back to reality. She closed her own eyes, resting them as she thought over the past month and the uphill battle she'd been fighting for this Regina's heart. Regina Mills had not made this easy on her; she'd resisted every step of the way. Was true love supposed to be this hard? _The best things in life are worth fighting for_, the voice in the back of her head put in its two cents. If that was true, then Regina was undoubtedly the best thing in her life, because she'd been fighting her hardest.

She heard the breathing pattern of the woman next to her alter subtly. Regina was awake. Fingers traced her face, running over her features as if trying to memorise them. Emma enjoyed the contact for a moment before slowly opening her eyes.

Regina smiled softly, not stopping her caressing for even a moment. "Good morning Miss Swan."

"Hey." Emma's hand found the brunette's hip under the duvet and rested there.

Regina's own hand, which had been playing with a wayward strand of blonde hair, moved down over neck, bare shoulder, and arm to wrap around Emma's waist and pull her closer. When she felt no clothing on the blonde's torso she smirked and her hand abandoned the grab for her waist in favour of sliding slowly up to her bare breasts. Her hand found the soft flesh easily and she squeezed, not unpleasantly.

Emma's eyes fluttered closed. "Regina."

Regina slid closer, pressing her body against the blonde's. "Shh. I've been so distracted with Henry's accident that I haven't had time to properly…" Her mouth latched onto Emma's neck, sucking and nipping at the flesh and effectively cutting off the end of her sentence. She pushed the blonde onto her back and crawled over her. She looked down into green eyes, bringing a hand up to the woman's cheek. "I've missed this; I've missed you."

Emma's lips tingled. If the brunette kept looking at her like this, she wasn't sure she could hold back just leaning up and capturing her lips. "Regina…"

The brunette's hand slipped from her face and down her body to cup her through her underwear, the material now soaked with her arousal.

Emma rocked against her hand. "God, I've missed your touch."

Regina smiled before slipping her fingers past the cloth barrier protecting the blonde's sex and into the abundant wetness of Emma's core. And then she was in her. There was no hesitation, no resistance; Emma's walls pulled her fingers in, embracing them. She began to thrust slowly.

Emma groaned her pleasure as she met Regina's thrusts. Her hands slid over the brunette's neck and shoulders before falling limply to the bed, her fists balling in the duvet. She rolled her hips into the contact as best she could with her body pinned down by the one above it. She truly had missed the physical aspect of their relationship, this much needed release of their sexual tension. It wasn't long before she felt the telltale pressure blooming between her legs that signified she was close. She met Regina's fingers with more vigour, her body needing its release.

Regina, sensing how close she was, used her thumb to rub circles around her clit, grazing the sensitive skin every few rotations. Her gaze hadn't faltered from the green eyes below her even once the whole time she'd been inside the blonde.

"Regina!" Emma came hard. Her head slammed back into the pillow.

Regina pulled out slowly. She licked her fingers clean with no shame before collapsing on the body beneath hers, her head resting firmly on a chest that was still heaving from exertion.

Neither of them said anything as Emma came back down from her high. She stroked her fingers through dark locks, her eyes closed as she chewed on her lip. She didn't open them until she felt Regina shift.

Regina looked up into her eyes. "You look truly beautiful when you're coming around my fingers. In that one moment it's like… I know all your secrets; you're laid open before me."

Emma stared deep into brown eyes. Regina had been trying so hard, and the blonde just realized the woman was doing it all for her, to be what _she_ needed. Was she doing the right thing? Hadn't Regina being forced into a life she never wanted been what had started all this in the first place? Regina's life, prior to her turn to her dark side, had been decided for her, just as Emma's own had in the Enchanted Forest. It suddenly occurred to her what must be done.

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"I was thinking I'd come home for lunch." Regina paused in the foyer, looking at Emma with an eyebrow raised.

"Are you sure? You won't be too busy?"

Regina chuckled. "Probably, but remember dear, I'm the mayor; I make the rules."

Emma smirked. "Well then, I shall see you at lunch Madam Mayor."

Regina returned the smirk and was out the door a moment later.

The blonde listened quietly until she heard the car back from the driveway. The second she heard it drive off, she looked to the second floor. "Showtime kid!"

Henry appeared on the second floor landing. He came down, a huge grin on his face. "Ready?"

Emma nodded, clapping her hands together. "Let's do this."

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Regina watched the clock tick down through the last minute until lunch, a sixty second countdown that seemed to last forever. She'd been swamped with work all morning, barely having a moment to breathe much less check in at home. But she had to go home for lunch. Not only did she want to check in with how Henry was feeling, but she wanted to get Emma alone for a little bit of fun. This morning's activities had left her even more hungry for the blonde's body. _And it is past time for me to eat_. She smirked at the double entendre as it popped into her head before pushing her chair back from her desk and standing. She tossed her phone into her purse and scooped up her keys. She came around the desk and moved for the door. Before she could reach it, it opened on its own. Mary Margaret Blanchard peeked meekly around the door, her eyes searching the room for the older woman, finally locking on her.

"Good afternoon Mayor Mills." The schoolteacher stepped fully into the office and closed the door behind her.

Regina had to fight to keep from curling her lip. "Miss Blanchard."

The younger woman shifted uncomfortably, alternating between spurts of determination where she'd meet Regina's gaze, then falling back to her natural timidity as her eyes downcast to her hands, but she offered up no explanation for her presence.

Regina tapped her heel impatiently for several long moments before her impatience got the better of her and she sighed. "As enlightening as this silence has been, I have somewhere to be."

Mary Margaret lifted a hand as if to stop her.

The older woman's eyes widened at even the prospect of being touched by her truest nemesis.

Mary Margaret's hand dropped limply back to her side. "I need your help."

Regina raised an eyebrow. "Come back during business hours Miss Blanchard. My time is precious and right now it belongs to my son and Miss Swan."

"It's Emma I'm here about."

Regina regarded the woman; her eyes flashed up to the clock. "You have five minutes Miss Blanchard, make them count."

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"That was your mom on the phone; there's been a bit of a hold up at the office and she won't be coming home for lunch." Emma came back into the great room, biting her lip as she tapped the portable phone receiver against it absentmindedly. Regina had sounded… distracted on the phone. When Emma had asked her about it, she had dodged the question, brushing it easily aside to inquire how Henry was getting on. Emma had heard muffled sounds in the background but she was trying not to overreact. Regina was at work, there were going to be other people there. She was the mayor after all. Still, Emma had found herself placing a quick call to the station, after she'd hung up with Regina, just to 'check in'. Check up was a bit more accurate to describe her motives but Graham had been right where he was supposed to be, at work and far away from the brunette mayor. She took a deep breath and told herself it was just paranoia run away with her.

Henry grinned. "That gives us an extra hour."

Emma sighed. He was way too excited about all this.

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Regina didn't show her exhaustion in public where anyone else could see, but she had no such reservations behind the closed doors of her home. She visibly slumped as she shut the door and moved to the coat closet, opening it and removing her coat to hang up. Just as she was shutting the closet door, strong arms slid around her waist. While her back was still to the blonde, Regina allowed herself a moment to feel without the fear, granting herself just a brief respite from the blackness of her pain to welcome a small look of pure bliss to her face. Her arms slipped over the ones wrapped around her, holding them there as she leaned back against the solid body behind her. Cautiously, Regina allowed this moment of feeling, testing waters she hadn't navigated in so many years.

"You look tired baby." Emma nuzzled the soft skin of her neck, tilting her head up to place a gentle kiss to the spot below her ear.

Almost reluctantly, Regina pulled back from the light, sinking back into the dark she knew, something familiar. "I am tired; it's been a long day." She pulled away from the embrace and turned. "I'm sorry I missed lunch."

An apologetic look crossed Emma's face and it was only then Regina realized her jacket was on and the keys to her bug were hanging halfway out of her pocket. "And I'm going to miss dinner."

Regina frowned. "Where are you going?"

Emma weighed her answer carefully. Regina could easily overreact. In fact, it was almost a guarantee. "To see Mr. Gold."

Well that was the last thing Regina expected. "Why? What business could you possibly have with _him_?"

Emma shook her head. "It's complicated."

"This is about your curse, isn't it? Don't think I didn't realise you didn't sleep last night. That's never happened before, has it?"

Emma couldn't deny it. "No, it never has."

A dark look of anger crossed Regina's features, but Emma knew her well enough to know by now that it was just to mask the pain. "You tell me you_ love_ me… you want for me to return your affections, but yet you keep so much of yourself from me."

The blonde shook her head. "Don't pull away from me now. I will tell you everything; I promise."

"When Miss Swan?!"

"On Sunday." The day after her birthday. When the dust settled, no matter if the other world remained or not; she'd tell Regina the truth.

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The bell over the top of the door jingled merrily, a contrast to her sour mood at being in this place. She could honestly say this was a last resort, but he was the only person she believed may still have access to magic in this world, if magic could even exist and work in this world. But she had to know for sure; it had been eating her up all day.

"Deputy Swan. What can I do for you?" Mr. Gold stood behind the counter by the till, polishing an assortment of jewelry

Emma took a deep breath. "Can magic exist in this world? And if it can, do you have access to any?"

"I don't do love spells, dearie. Besides, they won't work in this case."

"This isn't about her."

That caught his interest. "Do tell."

"I need to see into the other world. I don't need a portal jumper; I'll be back on my own soon enough. What I need is to see what I'm returning to." Emma didn't want to provide him with any details that might prove advantageous if and when they returned to the Enchanted Forest.

"Perhaps…" Mr. Gold held up a finger in point, for a moment the image of his other half. "I may have something that could assist you. _For a price_."

"Name it."

"If you break the curse and the souls of everyone here merge with those of the Enchanted Forest, you, and Mayor Mills, will leave me and my own to ourselves."

Emma considered this for a moment before deciding on a counteroffer. "I will agree to your terms on the condition that you give us the same courtesy. If you attack us, or if you in any way provide aide to any others who may attack us, the contract becomes null and void. Do we have a deal?"

Mr. Gold agreed with an incline of his head. "Very well." He disappeared into the back room.

Emma heard nothing from the back, no rustling or shuffling of items. After several minutes she began to wonder if maybe he'd slipped out on her, but she dismissed the idea almost immediately after she had it; why agree just to run out on her when he could have just said no? Sure enough, he emerged a few moments later, holding something wrapped in a cloth.

He set the item gingerly on the table, with extreme delicacy and care. The cloth the item was wrapped in was old and yellowed around the edges with age. He slowly unfolded it. It opened to an exquisite ivory hand mirror. It was carved from ivory marble, an intricate rose stem twisting up the handle, around and around to the bud on the mirror's back. It was beautiful.

"Where'd you get it?"

He ran his fingers gently over the handle. "It once belonged to a dear friend." He pulled his hand away suddenly. "But that was another world ago."

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She stared into the handheld mirror, scared to do what she knew she must. She had to know if the Enchanted Forest was still there, if _she_ was still there. But she just couldn't bring herself to call forth the image, too afraid of her worst fears becoming reality. She'd been sitting here, in the parlour for over and hour. Regina had been upstairs taking a shower when she'd gotten back to the mayoral mansion, which Emma had to admit, relieved her. Her relief had only grown when the mayor had disappeared into her upstairs office to get some late work done. She didn't want to explain this right now.

But she knew eventually Regina would seek her out, when the brunette's curiosity became too great. She had to do this now.

Emma winced as she pricked her finger, a bead of blood forming on its tip. She turned the mirror over and squeezed the drop onto the carved rose bud. For a moment nothing happened, but then the rose slowly began to bloom. She turned the mirror back around and stared into the reflection. "Show me the Evil Queen." The glass shimmered as if reflecting back rays of sunlight and then the effect dissipated, revealing a scene of a beautiful and airy bed chamber. On the bed in the room Emma saw her own body, unconscious. She didn't look damaged or dead; she just appeared to be sleeping. Resting back against the pillows, curled up beside her, was Regina. She was wearing the traditional ensemble worn by the elves of Bridalveil.

Emma released a breath she hadn't even realised she'd been holding. They had made it. They were alive and they'd made it. Relief flooded her heart and as her fears were cast off, she found herself now unable to tear her eyes away from the two women on the bed. Regina stroked Queen Emma's hair lovingly. Emma watched the brunette's lips move, unable to hear her words, but she could easily tell the woman was singing to her unconscious other half. She knew enough about the other woman to see the barely disguised fear in her eyes. She was worried Emma wouldn't wake up.

She didn't know how long she watched what was happening in the other world, but finally she saw fingers tracing the image in the glass and it took her a long moment to realise they weren't her own. She started so badly, she nearly dropped the mirror. But her grip tightened at the last second, holding the glass to her protectively. She glanced over her shoulder to see the mayor leaning over the back of the couch.

Regina's face held an emotion Emma couldn't name, somewhere between melancholy, elation, and shock. The closest description Emma's head could come up with was that it was a look of wonder. "May I see?"

The desperation in the request alone was enough for Emma to nod her approval.

Regina walked around the couch and sat beside her. She took the mirror from Emma's hands and stared at the picture on its surface. "Is this what you went to get from him? You bargained for **this**?"

Emma nodded. "I needed to see her, just to answer something I was worried about."

Once again, Regina's fingers caressed the glass. "I never believed it. You told me, but my heart was so black… how could it be true? But… look at me, look at the… _love_."

Emma watched the play of emotions across the woman's face. She believed this to be their past, not the present that it very much was. She could practically see Regina's head trying to wrap around the possibility that her heart could still love. Maybe her seeing their other halves was beneficial after all.

"I saw this, saw **you** like this. That day in the bed and breakfast. It was just a brief moment; it came up like a memory. Obviously it was a memory. I saw you, like this, your old self. It's why I left so abruptly that day." She turned to meet the green eyes beside hers. "I didn't know what to make of it. I still don't."

Emma saw the honesty and the struggle in her eyes. It awakened in her a new need to have them both, to finish what she started. "The curse. I need to find out how to stop this from happening." She grabbed the mirror and with one word, ended the flow of magic. The rose turned back into a bud and the image faded to glass.

"Isn't that what you're here for Miss Swan? To break the curse as well as to turn my life upside down?"

Emma frowned. "It was; it is. If I don't… I risk losing…" She shook her head.

"Losing what?"

Emma met her eyes sadly. "You." She put the mirror down on the table. "I have to go to bed." She stood abruptly and left them room.

"Miss Swan?" Regina followed her out of the parlour. "Miss Swan! Stop! Please, explain yourself."

Emma shook her head. "I can't lose you… I mean her. I mean you **are** her. I mean… I don't know what I mean."

"Miss Swan, are you…alright?"

"I'll be fine Regina."

"Are you sure?"

"Yea. I just need to… sleep it off."


	51. May These Memories Break Our Fall

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: a whole lot of fluffy goodness, broken up by snow white getting a verbal beat down from regina, which is probably my favourite part of this whole chapter. enjoy my lovelies.

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**-Chapter 50: May These Memories Break Our Fall-**

Emma snapped awake. Sitting up, she looked around. The room beyond the confines of her bed was distorted by the gauzy bed curtains. Regina was no longer in her place beside the blonde on the bed. Emma reached out her hand and felt the empty space next to her. It was still warm, telling her that it had been vacated just recently.

She crawled to the edge of the bed, pushing the curtains aside. The room beyond was one she recognised. Not this chamber specifically, but this place, these walls, with the silver tendrils of magic weaving through its stones. They were in the Palace of the Moon, in the heart of the city. _Bridalveil_. For the first time in almost a moon turn, she felt as if they were safe.

Her feet hit the floor and she paused, testing their stability. They were strong, sure. The second she figured out they were, she was up and heading straight for the only door into the room.

She emerged into an open parlour, decorated in whites and creams. And standing in the centre of it all, looking pensive, was Regina, in her grey jerkin and maroon leggings. The brunette hadn't noticed her yet, too engrossed in her thoughts. She took a long moment to memorise this moment in her head, capture this mental picture; she may not have many of these moments left to her.

Finally, when her fingers twitched with the need to hold the brunette and her heart stuttered in her chest, she knew she'd wasted enough time. "Regina."

The brunette glanced up, still distracted, in part, by her musings.

Emma was able to see the realisation as it bloomed across her face. Her skin, pinched with focus, smoothed out and the blonde watched as the worry from the past day left her; she looked instantly younger.

Neither of them moved or said anything, the silence a line that both of them were wary to cross.

It was Regina who broke first. "Oh, thank goodness."

Those three words combined with the look on Regina's face were enough to remind Emma's legs how to work. She raced across the room, leaping into the brunette's arms, her legs wrapping around her waist, her arms encircling her neck. She held tightly, a small childlike belief that to let go was to lose her coming to the forefront of her mind.

Regina didn't mind. She had one arm slung low around the blonde's back to stabalise her while the other hand came to the back of Emma's head, holding her close. Her eyes slipped shut trying to will away the tears that burned behind her closed eyelids. Emma was back. She was **safe**. She was **here**.

Eventually gravity pulled Emma's legs back to the ground but the blonde kept her arms wrapped tightly around Regina's neck, unwilling to let go. The brunette's hand was still tangled behind her head so she knew the other woman felt the sentiment just as strongly.

It was Emma who moved first, pulling back just enough to look into the older woman's face. "I thought I might never see you again. I couldn't go to sleep. I tried…. Regina, I tried _so hard_, but I couldn't get back to you." Her words grew more hysterical as each one fell from her lips until she felt the hand in her hair guiding her head back down to the brunette's shoulder. Emma didn't resist, burying her head against it without protest.

"Hush darling. I'm with you. You're fine now." The hand untangled itself to stroke soothingly through her golden hair while the other was around her waist to keep her close.

Emma took a deep shaky breath, letting Regina's words and gestures comfort her frayed emotions. "We lost time." Tears streamed from her eyes, making wet trails down her cheeks. "I lost a day and all she gained was a night watching the mayor sleep." It had meant more to the two halves of Emma, that night without sleep, but the younger Queen was feeling slightly bitter and allowed her mind to lie to her and pretend as if it were less.

Regina offered no words of comfort. What could she possibly say that would make this all right? They had two days left to them, just today and the next. Had all her time as the Evil Queen warranted this? Was this to be Fate's retribution for all she had done?

"I want to get married." Emma pulled back just enough to look at her.

Regina smiled. "I know darling, we will." It was an empty promise, but she would make it until the moment she drew her last breath. Her hand moved from the blonde's hair to cup her cheek, her thumb stroking across the creamy flesh.

"No, I want to marry you. **Today**."

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Emma stared around the familiar chamber. She had spent a great deal of time in this chamber when she was ten. Back then, it had always made her feel like a grown up, important and respected. She could remember wishing she'd grow up faster so she could always feel that way. Now all she wished was that she could go back and tell her ten year old self to wish for something else, that once the initial wonder fades, all you're left with is long days at court, political decisions, and a life that is never again your own but belongs entirely to your people.

Rowanaldi was watching her carefully from the other side of the chamber behind the great hall. "They detected nothing amiss with you physically. The best summation is that crossing the northern border, with its protection spell, somehow confused the curse's sense of time. Because it enacted your sleep early, it skewed the timeline."

"So it won't happen again?"

The elf queen frowned. "According to our research, it should not, but we can't be sure."

Emma sighed. "I suppose it's a moot point now. Our time is almost at its conclusion anyway."

"Is that what all these preparations are for? You know how serious that which you call marriage in the lowlands is taken here. A Soul Binding isn't undone by sending a letter via bird to the nobles of the realm. This is **forever**, young one, whether forever is to conclude on the morrow or last for the next hundred years."

Emma fingered the corner of the scroll nearest her seat to avoid looking at the woman. "I know that you are wary of love Rowanaldi. Regina told me that you told her the tale of Princess Lunamora. You always seem to conveniently leave out the part about you being the royal guard who sacrificed eternity for one who didn't do the same. You were betrayed, and your cost was being imprisoned in your own body, unable to age. But love, true love, does still exist, and what Regina and I have… it's love at its truest and purest. Forever with her, as her soul mate… it's not long enough."

The elf queen smiled, acquiescing with an incline of her head. "As you will. You always were so sure. Even as a child, you always knew what you needed to do, what decisions to make. It was how I knew you'd make a grand queen one day."

Emma laughed so hard, tears formed in the corner of her eyes. "I know nothing! I am so unsure that I am not even aware of what sure feels like anymore."

Rowanaldi gave her a wise and knowing look. "Oh young one, you _are_ sure, you _do_ know; you just don't want to face what it all means."

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At Bridalveil's topmost level, seventeen levels above the city was a beautiful open air garden left open to the sun and sky. The face of the mountain behind the garden was opened to a wide tunnel that disappeared into the mountain, lit on either side by flameless torches. At its end it opened into a small valley between two mountains, a powerful but calm waterfall at its other side, a hundred yards away. It was there they would be married, at the base of the waterfall. It had been Emma's safe haven in her year with the elves, a place that, to her, symbolised tranquility.

For now, Emma was playing, unhurriedly, with their daughter while the elf maiden Presiann fixed Savya's hair for the ceremony. The little girl's gown made from cloth of silver was hanging nearby. Emma's own hair had already been done, knotted up with miniature lily blossoms. Her dress was hung up next to Savya's. Regina had begrudgingly agreed, after a heated argument, to get ready in their own chambers.

Finally Presiann tied the last braid up with a smile. "All done."

Emma smiled at the elf woman. "Many thanks." Emma stood and moved over to the dresses. She fingered the soft ivory silk of her gown. It was designed to fall with a loose closeness around her body, just hinting at her curves without hugging them, a halter strap holding it up on her body and allowing the back to fall to just above the level of being improper. It was simple, nothing like the gown she'd worn to her first wedding. It was elegant, sexy, but understated.

She reached for Savya's gown. "Come now sweetheart, let's get dressed."

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"You always were beautiful."

Regina didn't turn from the floor length mirror on the parlour wall. "And yet you sound so disappointed dear."

Snow closed the parlour doors and stepped deeper into the room. "What do you expect of me? The most beautiful things in life are often the most dangerous. You wish to despoil my only child."

Regina laughed. "Really Snow, you can't honestly entertain the notion that Emma and I have not lain together before this." She smiled to herself as she heard the grinding of the other woman's teeth.

"Regardless…"

"You just hate that she is mine now, not yours." Regina couldn't stop a small but triumphant grin as she adjusted the fit of her dress around her waist.

"She is not your possession Regina! She is not a spoil of war, not something to own; she is to be your lady wife. Does marriage still mean so little to you as it did the first time?" Snow shook her head in disgusted disbelief.

Anger flared in chocolate eyes, still on the mirror. "Do not dare speak to me of your father! I had no choice! _You_ never gave me one." She shook her head in disdain, stepping to the side just a little so she could see the woman reflected from her position standing in the middle of the chamber. "It's always been about what you want, hasn't it Snow? I suppose even that could be blamed on your father and his incessant need to give you all you desired, his need to spoil you rotten. You wanted a mother, so you condemned a young woman to a loveless marriage of misery. You wanted a way to destroy me, so you condemned your only child to a dual existence and the pressure of a destiny that was never meant to be hers. You wanted to play saviour, so you condemned the two people who needed you most to a life of hardship. Your desires, dear _stepdaughter_, bring condemnation. And for what? A life of exile to this place where you can watch the ones you claim to love live their lives without you? Your selfishness forced your daughter into a loveless marriage arguably as bad as the one I was forced to endure. Your father ignored me; I was a decoration, nothing more. But at least he was kind. Your daughter, this precious child, this wonderful woman who you never let yourself get to know, the brunt of every consequence of your so-called sacrifices… you **used** her Snow. She was the device you used to solve all _your_ problems. Do not talk to me of ownership where your daughter is concerned! You have done nothing but lord over her since she was in your womb. I **love** her! She does not belong to me out of ownership; she belongs to me because she wants to, because she loves _me_. I don't have to force her hand; she has willingly given it to me. You see Snow, for the first time, I don't have to take a heart, it has been entrusted to me of her own free will."

Snow collapsed to the couch under the weight of all Regina's words. Was the brunette right? Had she only used her family as a means to her own ends? "I don't deserve her…" It was a barely whispered admission of guilt for the crimes Regina just accused her of.

Regina stepped back into the full frame of the mirror, blocking the other woman from her view once more. "Finally, something we agree on." She checked her reflection over one last time. The strapless gown, made entirely from fine elvish lace, hugged her upper body tightly until it flared out to a full A-line skirt at her hips. It was beautifully crafted, though simple in design. Though she had always been one for the more extravagant in her time as the Evil Queen, there was something about the simplicity of this dress that she welcomed. Arazera had chosen well, especially so last minute. She had chosen to leave her hair down as she had often in her younger years before her first marriage, before she had become a Queen.

"But neither do you." Snow's back straightened with purpose, her voice strong once again.

"Perhaps." Regina looked sadly at her reflection before turning to face an emboldened Snow. "In the face of all I have done, I do not. But she wills it, and I love her enough to do as she wills. She has suffered so much in her life; if I can do something to please her, I will do it. And if it happens to save my own heart in the process, then all the better."

Snow shook her head. "This is her life too. Think on this Regina. Once you do this, it is permanent. You cannot take it back."

Regina took a deep breath. "And I never wish to." She came over and sat on the opposite side of the couch from Snow. "I've never spoken of this before, not even to Emma… especially not to Emma." She took another deep breath. "When I was a child, before I'd met even you… I used to have dreams of this woman. Not every night. But just when I believed I'd never see her again, I'd close my eyes to sleep that night and there she'd be. Then, when I gave myself over to dark magic, I lost her. I looked for her in my dreams and out of them, but she was gone, my _punishment_ for the life I had chosen. After years without her, I started to forget what she looked like, until there came a day when all I could remember were her eyes. I thought I'd never see them again. And then, when I looked down upon Emma for the first time in her bassinet… I saw those eyes again." She smiled to herself at the memory. "Emma was that woman from my dreams, the one I'd lost to my dark side. Now, I've found her again. I will never not want Emma in my life and I will never leave unless she wills it so."

"She is a child." The loss of this fight was already in Snow's eyes. Emma was Regina's; they both knew it. From her birth, Emma had been destined to be Regina's, even _before_ her birth it would seem.

"Emma is a woman grown. In our absence, she became so much more than either of us ever dreamed. She grew up without our prejudices. Our grudge never passed onto her. And we're both the better for it. Had we been there throughout her life, it would have just led to an inevitable choosing. We would have pulled her in both directions until she was old enough and then, we would have forced her to make yet another decision that should never be hers." Not for the first time, Regina wondered what their lives would have been had the sleeping curse never happened, had she been able to spirit away into the night with newborn baby Emma tucked away safely in her arms. Surely she would have protected her just as readily as she would now; she would have loved her just as truly. But it would have been as a mother. She would have missed the love of her life by twenty eight years. For all she could hate Snow for, there was also just as much she owed to her. Some of the worst moments of her life, inflicted by Snow, had also begot some of the most precious, again at Snow's interference. "Now… now she can have us both."

"Can she?" Snow didn't look convinced.

Regina stood. "It's no secret that I will never have love for you Snow. Our problems have passed, but though I can move past them easily enough now, I still have trouble moving beyond the suffering you have cost the woman I love. She deserved more, so much more, than the life she lived. But, if she can forgive you and wishes you to be a part of her life, I will not take that from her."

Arazera, as if somehow able to sense the conversation had reached its conclusion, chose this moment to appear. "It is time mi'lady." The raven haired elf inclined her head.

Regina joined her by the door. She looked back over her shoulder to where Snow was still sitting, looking lost. "I know you don't support this union Snow, but for your daughter's sake, I hope you come. She wants you there, and I do too, for her." She exited the chamber with Arazera.

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Emma had glided through her first wedding ceremony with a determined and slightly grim sense of duty. She had known it was something that must be done, for the good of the kingdom and her people. There had been no nervous anticipation, no starry eyed wonder. It was her duty. But this, the moment before her, was _destiny_. She felt the rightness of what she was doing all the way down to her bones.

The elves didn't perform the more traditional ceremonies that the citizens of the Enchanted Forest were fond of. Much like back in the magicless world, the people of the lowlands performed weddings that were geared more towards the pomp and circumstance. The elves, who valued marriage above all else save bearing a child, preferred to focus on something much more simple and intimate. A Soul Binding ceremony was permanent, tying one individual to another for eternity. The blonde figured this particular blessing was to ensure that only those truly in love would marry.

A thin screen, created and held up by magic was to her left, blocking her view of the brunette on the other side. Its presence was customary, a physical manifestation for the metaphor of the separate paths they walk that they wish to converge into one. She could sense Regina on the other side though she couldn't see her and she wondered if Regina could sense her just as clearly. Behind them walked all the ceremony's attendees, including Arazera, Jajara, Daniela, Savya, and the Huntsman, along with a staggering amount of elves wishing to pay tribute and witness an event they believed would prove historical one day. Snow was sadly absent, but Emma was so used to not having her mother around that she barely even felt the absence.

The waterfall, cascading down in a soft thunder, was before them. Near its base stood Rowanaldi in a long robe. It was light grey and shimmered in the sunlight of mid-afternoon. The procession came to a halt before her. With a wave of her hand, the screen between the two brides dissipated.

Emma saw the brunette beside her for the first time since that morning as they turned to face one another and for a long moment, her heart stopped in her chest. This was it. Somehow she felt as if her entire life had been in anticipation of this very moment. At least _this half_ of her life.

"Join hands."

At Rowanaldi's command both Emma and Regina grasped each others hands. At another wave of the elf's hand, a ribbon of shimmering magic wrapped itself loosely around the women's clasped hands, draping across wrists and forearms as well.

Emma could feel the tingle all the way down through her body. It seemed to hum through her veins, an electric current through her blood. She wondered briefly if this was what it felt like to possess magic all the time. Was this what Regina felt? If so, she had a new appreciation for the temptation, the draw of it; she could see becoming addicted to this.

The ceremony was not long. It was merely an exchange of vows as the magic wound around their hands, slowly tying them together with an intricate knot. By the time the last words passed through the blonde's lips, their hands were so tightly bound together that Emma couldn't even move a finger had she wanted to.

"And may you always find your happy ending in each other." Rowanaldi smiled at them both.

The magic released itself but Emma kept a firm grasp on Regina's hands as she leaned in and brought her lips to the brunette's. The kiss was a soft promise, of tonight, of a lifetime.

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"These were my chambers while I lived here." Emma ran her fingers across the enchanted stones of the playroom chamber wall as Regina came quietly out of Savya's bed chamber after tucking the girl in. Emma had already said her goodnights earlier.

"You liked it here, didn't you?" Regina walked over to her, her hand sliding down Emma's bare back to the small of it.

"I was enchanted. It was the first I'd ever truly seen of magic. Snow never allowed it in the palace."

"She was right to keep it from you."

Emma turned at Regina's words, her shock evident on her face. It turned to a pained expression before flashing to acceptance and she nodded. "Of course."

"Hey, no, look at me." Regina lifted the blonde's chin with a finger, looking into her eyes. "One should never be exposed to magic without the proper teacher. I didn't have anyone to show me the way, and look at how easily I was seduced into the darkness. I would never wish the same fate for you." She leaned in and kissed Emma softly. "But if we're still here come the day after tomorrow, and you still wish to learn, I will teach you."

Emma smiled. "Really?"

Regina gave a quick nod. "I promise."

Emma laced her fingers through the brunette's and led her from the playroom into the corridor and down to their own chambers. She opened the door from the corridor to the parlour with a shy smile.

Regina stopped her from entering. When Emma looked back at her with a questioning expression, she kissed away her worry. "It is customary, is it not, for the bride to be carried across the threshold?" She didn't wait for an answer, but scooped Emma up with surprising grace and strength.

The blonde gave a small laugh of delight, wrapping her arms around Regina's neck. She began nibbling on the brunette's earlobe as the other woman kicked the door closed with her foot. Her kisses moved across the brunette's cheek until she captured Regina's lips as the pair pushed into the bed chamber.

Regina set the blonde down softly. With careful hands, she slid the blonde's gown off before working her way out of her own. It would have been easier to remove them with magic (Arazera insisted her powers would still work as long as they remained without dark intent) but there was something very soothing about stripping away the trappings of their union slowly like this.

Finally they stood, naked as their name day, before each other. Emma gave Regina a warm smile as her hands slid across the warm skin of the older woman's hips, drawing her closer. Their breasts made contact first, pressing deliciously against each other to cushion the crash of their bodies colliding. The blonde's eyes slipped closed as their mouths came together. She felt Regina's hands at her hair, unpinning the braids as they kissed, letting them unfurl one by one as she removed each pin. Emma felt the miniature lilies fall around her feet like a shower of confetti, quite fitting for the occasion. Finally fingers moved through her hair unimpeded, nails scratching along her scalp, soothing the ache of having her hair roots stretched to their limit all day. It felt good and she moaned her appreciation into the brunette's mouth, earning her a smirk against her lips.

Regina could kiss Emma forever, her mouth was so addictive. If she were still the Evil Queen, she would have named it toxic. She would never have allowed this, never allowed herself to feel this way about anyone, least of all the daughter of the woman who'd been her sworn enemy for so long. Her hands slipped from Emma's hair, over her shoulders and down, skating over the skin of her back, until they reached her hips. She gripped them tightly and lifted the blonde until her feet just left the ground, spinning her around a couple times.

Emma laughed lightly as she broke the kiss mid-way through the first spin. Her legs wrapped around Regina's waist to relieve some of the physical burden from the brunette's arms. They were still spinning as Emma brought her lips back to the brunette's.

Regina dropped them onto the bed, laying Emma back against the pillows with her on top, still held close at the waist by the blonde's legs wrapped around her. She rested her arms on either side of the blonde's head and put her weight on them to pull up from the kiss and look down into desirous green eyes. "I love you. No matter what tomorrow brings, salvation or oblivion, know that."

Emma reached up and gently traced the brunette's full lips with the tip of a finger. "We are bound together now, our souls are one. Even if I prove unsuccessful…" She paused, for a moment afraid her composure may break, but she managed to hold herself together. "I will always be with you."

Regina's mouth sought hers once more and there were no more words, no more talk, just bodies melting into one another as the moon rose in the sky.


	52. I Can't Destroy What Isn't There

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: sorry this took longer than expacted. started job number three and i now seriously have no life, no time to breathe, and definitely no time to write. the next too chapters shouldn't be as long of a wait though, considering one of them is already written and the other is almost finished. until then, enjoy and review.

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**-Chapter 51: I Can't Destroy What Isn't There-**

The sky was grey and overcast, giving a pallid and sickly quality to the dawn as the sun peeked cautiously over the horizon. It matched Regina's conflicted mood. She felt grey inside, where normally her life had been, or at least she had always thought it had been, black and white. All her decisions either good or bad. But Emma Swan was starting to throw into blinding clarity just how wrong Regina had always been, just how grey she'd always been, always conflicted, always lost somewhere between good and evil. She saw the blurred lines between what she'd always been labeled as and what she truly was in Emma's green eyes every time the blonde looked at her. She was both saint and sinner.

She glanced over her shoulder at the blonde, asleep in her bed. She liked watching Emma sleep more than she could ever see herself admitting out loud. It was in the moments of unwakefulness that Regina was able to be soft with Emma and let her true feelings show without having to look into those knowing hopeful green eyes; it was in these moments that she got to be with Emma and yet not be disappointing her. She'd spent the entire night, sitting up on what had become her side of the bed, running her fingers through blonde hair and peppering the other woman's face with kisses. Emma always slept so deeply, the blonde never woke. She had, however, curled unconsciously into Regina's body, reaching for her even in slumber.

Regina closed her eyes, blocking off her view of the blonde and swinging her head back to the window and the grey sky. She opened her eyes and put a hand to the window, softly touching the glass. It was freezing under her touch. It would storm today.

She turned her back to the coming storm outside her bedroom window. It wasn't unusual that storms of this nature occurred in Maine, though it was slightly odd for this time of year. But she'd felt something approaching in the depths of her bones for a few days now. It hummed through her veins like a charge of magic. Something was coming, something big, something important.

She spared one quick glance at the sleeping blonde before going to the door. If it was going to storm, she'd need to prepare. She opened the door, but something stopped her from going into the dark hallway. She abandoned the open door to walk on quiet bare feet over to the bed. She sat softly on the edge, staring down at the sleeping deputy. She brushed blonde locks behind her right ear, her fingertips caressing the deputy's jaw. She moved them up Emma's cheek, tracing them across the path of her facial bones. She leaned down slowly and pressed a gentle kiss to the corner of Emma's mouth, the closest she dare get to kissing the blonde. Her eyes searched the woman's face as she pulled away slowly, inch by inch, part of her willing Emma to wake up, to pull her mouth back down to hers and undo all the not doing with that one gesture. But Emma, didn't wake, just as Regina had known she wouldn't.

Regina got up and went back to the door, this time not hesitating before going into the hallway and closing the door softly behind her. She walked down the hall to the next door and opened it cautiously. Henry's room was dark; the navy striped walls were familiar and they fit Henry so well but they made the darkness of his room seem all the more thick, especially in the grey pallor of dawn.

She slipped into his room and walked over to the bed, running her fingers through the thick brown hair on his head. Like Emma, he was dead to the world while he slept. She bent down and kissed the top of his head, smoothing it down into his hair as she drew back. She saw his book, the book that had led him to seek out Emma Swan and drag her into their lives, tucked protectively half under his body, shielded from all possible harm by his small frame. His casted arm rested on a pillow to relieve the pressure. She felt a pang of regret at seeing the injury. It wasn't her fault, the rational part of her brain knew that, but there was the small seed of guilt blooming in the back of her mind that she should have paid attention more, shouldn't have limited his access to the blonde. He wouldn't have sneaked out the window if he hadn't been afraid of her reaction should he have asked her to see Emma, or at least call her. She touched his cheek once more before tucking his blanket more tightly around his little shoulders and leaving him to his dreams.

She walked downstairs, heading straight for the kitchen and the coffeemaker. She powered up the Keurig and placed her cup below the spout to catch the falling coffee as she set about getting ready for the storm. She moved back into the back hall to the storage closet and grabbed several candles from her endless supply. She placed several in each room, small boxes of matches near them, just in case the power cut out. She checked to make sure all the windows were locked tight as well as the doors, retrieved some blankets from the linen closet that she stacked in the great room. Then she lit a fire in both the great room and the parlour.

When she made it back to the kitchen, her coffee was ready. She took it black as she usually did; she was so used to the bitterness that she didn't even wince anymore. Rain began to pelt the kitchen window. She sighed and she listened to the relentless rap of it; she might be forced to work from home today if it got any worse.

She set her half-empty mug aside and went about making breakfast. She made eggs for Henry; growing boys need protein. She knew she should make some for Emma as well but her experience had proven to her that Emma Swan hardly ever felt it prudent to make choices that would benefit her health. So she threw on a rasher of bacon for Miss Swan to better clog her arteries. She stared at the slivers of meat as they spit and crisped with a look of disgust. She grabbed granola and yogurt for herself to accompany her sliced apple wedges. Unconsciously she moved to the cupboard and pulled out Emma's favourite mug, a ratty old one that Regina didn't even remember buying that had a picture faded from years of washes of an old carousel horse; she had no idea how far back in the cupboard Emma must have had to dig to find it. She selected the appropriate coffee from her vast selection, a light flavoured roast that was much too sweet for Regina's taste and popped it into the Keurig placing Emma's mug where hers had been not ten minutes earlier. She tuned back to finish their breakfast just as a wave of thunder shook the house.

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A boom of thunder and her eyes shot open. The room was dim with the gloom of an overly grey dawn. The blonde was alone, the spot beside her still made and unslept in. Regina hadn't been to bed last night. She was surprised by this; if the mayor hadn't wanted to sleep with her, she was more like to try and rouse the blonde and exile her to one of the guest rooms than to sleep in one herself. Of course, maybe she had and Emma had been her usual unwakeable self.

Emma sat up, getting out of the warm safety of the bed to go to the window. Thick clouds blocked whatever sun may be rising up in the east. Rain fell down in a gentle sheet, soaking the yard and drenching the front walk to a dangerous slickness. It looked like one hell of a storm was coming. Another boom of thunder punctuated the thought. It would definitely hit today, a tempest coming to hail the end of days.

She glanced over to her duffel where it had made a semi-permanent residence on the chair of the mayor's vanity. Getting dressed seemed such a chore. She decided to attribute her lack of drive to the weather; it was easier to blame it on the rain than to admit it was the beginning of her acceptance of defeat. Emma Swan did not like to give up but with each passing moment the internal countdown in her head brought her one step closer to the end. Her time was drawing to a close, the still made half of bed a staggering proclamation of her failure. She wasn't going to save them, was she? Another boom of thunder sounded in response.

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The ground floor was eerily silent but the soft glow of light coming from the kitchen told her that the mayor was already up and awake. She stepped softly onto the hardwood, the smell of bacon finally attracting her attention. She pulled the mayor's silk robe tighter around herself; she had chosen to wrap her lingerie clad body in the soft fabric than try and shove herself into a pair of jeans and a shirt. She tiptoed across the foyer to the door that led to the kitchen. Regina was inside, nursing a steaming mug of coffee as she stared off, deep in thought, another cup of coffee full and ready on the machine behind her. Emma slipped in and headed straight for the necessary pull of caffeine. "I didn't mean to put you out."

Regina set down her now empty coffee cup in the sink and rested back against it. She was still in yesterday's suit; it would seem she hadn't slept at all. "You didn't. I… came upstairs and sat with you for a time. I just wasn't tired."

Emma grabbed her coffee and took a long sip before leaning back against the counter beside Regina.

Regina reached over absentmindedly and fingered the plum silk of the robe. She had to admit, though only in the safety of her head, that Emma looked beautiful like this, with her sleep mussed golden hair, in the mayor's clothes. She could get used to mornings being like this.

Emma's head fell to the side to rest on Regina's shoulder. "I missed you." She turned her head just enough so that she could nuzzle the darker woman's neck with her nose.

"I know. You were murmuring my name in your sleep."

Emma raised her head. She looked away to hide the blush that coloured her cheeks. She'd never had anyone catch her doing that, but then again, she didn't ever allow sleepovers with any friends or romantic conquests. It was an unfortunate but necessary by-product of her condition.

Regina decided to spare her and not question the nonsensical mumblings she'd overheard during the night, when Emma had moved between soft breathy exhalations to mumbling the brunette's name to mutterings of love here and there. It was odd, but Regina had given up trying to piece it together an hour after the words had started slipping through her lips. Instead, she turned the conversation back to safer topics. "I have to go into work today.

Emma's embarrassment was temporarily forgotten as she looked at the woman beside her. "In this weather?"

Regina nodded sullenly. "Unfortunately. I'm already behind." She bit her lip, looking slightly unsure. "If the storm lets up a little by lunch, I'd like to take Henry out to Granny's… alone."

Emma let the wounded look briefly flash across her features for a few seconds before she was able to rein it in. "Of course. I was thinking about having lunch with Mary Margaret anyway, take some sandwiches to the school or something, pick up Henry's schoolwork and catch up. Henry and I could meet you at Granny's and I'll pick up some take out. I could swing by and pick him back up an hour later." She managed a small smile and pushed away from the counter. "I'll go wake Henry before his eggs get cold." She didn't wait for the mayor to respond.

"Miss Swan?"

Emma froze in the doorway but didn't turn back. "Hmm?"

"Maybe tonight, it could just be us?"

Emma smiled to herself. "I'd like that." She continued out of the room.

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The wind was still blowing an inordinate amount by the time lunch rolled around, but the rain had stopped and the thunder had drifted outside the town limits, so Emma decided lunch at Granny's wouldn't be dangerous. It would do Henry some good to get out of the house. She had worried all through breakfast and into the morning what Regina could possibly have to discuss with their son that she wasn't supposed to overhear. Maybe it was something as innocent as Regina just wishing to have quality time with Henry, but maybe it wasn't.

They entered the diner to find it almost completely devoid of customers for a Friday afternoon, but considering the weather, Emma wasn't surprised most of Storybrooke's citizens had decided not to brave the outdoors.

"Hey!" Ruby lit up at the sight of fresh faces. "You guys here for lunch?"

Emma smiled at the young brunette. Trust her to be cheerful even when the weather was shit. "Henry's meeting Regina here and I have a to-go order. Me and Mary Margaret's usual."

Ruby grinned. "Grilled cheese and one cheeseburger, no tomato, got it."

Emma took Henry to their usual booth and sat down with him to wait for Regina and her take out order.

Regina was right on time. She looked surprised to see Emma and Henry already waiting for her, but the blonde couldn't blame her; she didn't have a good track record for being on time, let alone early.

Emma stood and offered her side of the booth to the brunette. "Just waiting for my order."

As if on cue, Ruby appeared beside the deputy, holding a bag of two white Styrofoam containers. "Here you go Em."

Emma accepted the bag. "Thanks Rubes." She handed the girl a ten note before turning back to Regina. "I guess I'll be going then. I'll be back in an hour."

"That won't be necessary Miss Swan. David Nolan has asked to have Henry over for the night, to play some video game or another. I'll drop him off on my way back to work."

Emma didn't know what to make of that, but she made a split second decision not to read into it. "Oh, um, okay. I'll see you back at the house later?"

Regina gave a quick dismissive nod.

Emma turned, slightly uneasy, and left the diner, unable to quite shake the feeling that something was going on and she was about to be blindsided.

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Emma waited as all the students filed out past her before she stepped into the empty classroom, take out containers in tow. "I come bearing a cheeseburger."

Mary Margaret glanced over her shoulder, a questioning eyebrow raised.

"Sans tomato." Emma added to her previous statement.

Mary Margaret set down her white board eraser, smiled, and turned. She looked at the take out in Emma's hands gratefully. "Thank you. I'm starving." She took the container Emma offered her and sat down at one of the desks. "With all the baking I did yesterday evening for your birthday party tomorrow, the only thing I felt like doing in that kitchen this morning was making tea, **strong** tea."

Emma pursed her lips. "You really don't have to go to so much trouble." She sat down in the desk beside the one Mary Margaret occupied.

Mary Margaret waved it off as she took a bite of her cheeseburger. She put a hand up to politely block her mouth before speaking with it full. "Nonsense! It's no trouble at all. It's not every day your best friend turns twenty eight. Besides, it's just a few friends hanging around the flat."

Emma absentmindedly stirred her pile of catsup with the end of a fry. "Who did you even invite?" Now that she thought on it, she hadn't made much of an effort to connect with the Storybrooke halves of everyone she knew, so great had been her focus on Regina and getting the brunette to fall in love with her.

"Oh, you know, the usual suspects… Ruby, Ashley, a few others. Nothing too huge."

Emma set down her fry and bit her bottom lip. "Do you, uh, mind if I invite Regina too?" When Mary Margaret didn't respond, she continued hastily. "It's just that… well, I know you're not fond of her and she's definitely not your biggest fan, but her and I, we…" She couldn't seem to find the right words to define just exactly _what_ she and Regina were. Even though she was temporarily living with the brunette and she had all but agreed that they were in a relationship, girlfriends seemed an unfit term, but neither were they something as simple as just friends.

The schoolteacher held up a hand to stop her. "It's your party Emma, invite who you want. Just remind her to play nice."

Emma nodded. She picked up her fry, staring at it, before deciding she wasn't really hungry and tossing it aside. She bunched up the carton and tossed it in the trash beside the front desk. She glanced at the clock and couldn't help her mind from drifting to Regina and Henry in the diner and what they could be talking about.

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Her son stared at her, his casted arm resting on the table next to his cleaned lunch plate. The way he'd tackled the hamburger and fries that he'd ordered at Granny's was a clear indicator that Emma Swan's culinary prospects had not improved. They had eaten in silence just as they always had in the year before Emma had come into their lives. Would this, once again, be what their lives would revert to once she was gone? It was a scary thought.

"Mom?" Henry raised an eyebrow, snapping her from her musings.

"Yes, well, I was wondering if you'd given any thought to what you'd like to get Miss Swan for her birthday present?"

Henry perked up at the mention of Emma's birthday. He grinned. "I have some ideas!"

Regina smiled. She listened as Henry rattled off outrageous idea after outrageous idea, most of which centered around fairytales and other such magical themes.

"Do you have any ideas Mom?"

Regina smiled conspiratorially at the little boy. "Just one."

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Since she had the opportunity, Emma took a detour to the station and rode patrol with Graham to survey the damage from the morning half of the storm and catch up on the goings on of Storybrooke. The storm looked like it was cycling back for more and wouldn't be letting up any time tonight. They stopped at several locations and helped citizens prepare for what was sure to be quite the night.

When she finally pulled into the drive, she noticed the lights in the upstairs window were on. A quick check of the garage confirmed that the Mercedes was indeed there; Regina had come home early. Not that Emma blamed her really. The wind had already started to pick up with a vengeance and the rain had been coming off and on over the last hour and a half. She wrapped her jacket tighter around herself and ran to the front door, thankful when she found it unlocked. She jumped inside and pressed it closed against the wind, locking it. She took off her jacket and hung it in the coat closet before setting her keys on the side table of the foyer. "Regina? You home?"

"Upstairs." The reply came from the second floor.

Emma ascended to the second floor and was met with a dark hallway. The mayor's bedroom door was open a crack, light spilling from it and into the hall. She pushed the door open and was confronted with candles everywhere, enough that it was almost as bright as the overhead light. She didn't see Regina anywhere, but she noticed the en suite bathroom's door partially open and more candles lit inside. "Did the power go out?" Thunder boomed deafeningly outside the window and she turned to look.

"Not yet, but I thought the candles were a nicer touch."

Emma turned to find the brunette leaning in the doorway to the bathroom, dressed in the plum colored silk robe that Emma herself had been wearing earlier that morning. She could see Regina nipples, erect and straining against the fabric. She wasn't wearing a bra, and Emma would wager that she probably wasn't wearing anything else underneath it either. She gulped, visibly.

Regina smirked, pushing off the door frame and stalking across the room. "I drew us a bath." She pulled Emma's shirt over her head and tossed it aside, her nails dragged down over the exposed flesh of her stomach and then sliding back up to massage the blonde's breasts through her bra. Her hands abandoned them quickly enough to go to her jeans where they undid the button on the zipper and drew it down, pushing the denim over her hips and down her legs. She reached around, unclasping the blonde's bra as Emma kicked the denim from around her ankles. And then there were only her hot pink lace boy shorts. "Are you going to remove them, or shall I?"

Emma glanced down her own body to her underwear. She stepped back out of the brunette's reach. "I'll show you mine if you show me yours."

Regina's smirk didn't waver as she reached for the tie of the robe and pulled it free. The silk fell open and Regina shrugged out of it. She stood confidently bare before Emma's eyes, her hands on her hips and her eyebrows raised expectantly.

Emma hooked her fingers through the flimsy lace at her hips and dragged it down her legs until it reached her knees and continued the rest of the way on its own. Regina held out a hand to her and she accepted it without hesitation, letting the brunette lead her back into the bathroom. The tub was full and waiting, with steam rising from its surface.

Regina released her hand to get in first, flinching a little at the initial burn of the hot water licking her skin, but she adjusted quickly and sank down.

Emma came to the edge of the tub. She looked down into Regina's brown eyes, inspecting her so intensely that she felt it underneath her skin. She felt something brush her leg and she broke eye contact to look down and watch as Regina's hand caressed the skin of her thigh softly. The blonde bit her bottom lip before stepping cautiously into the water. It was near scalding, enough so that she wanted to jump right back out but Regina's hands were already on either side of her hips, lowering her down and positioning her in her lap. She relaxed a little once she was situated and leaned back into the firm body behind her, her head dropping back onto the brunette's shoulder. The heat, which had seemed overpowering just a moment before, now seemed to be massaging away aches and pains she hadn't even realised she had. She felt the stiffness leaving her body, dispersing into water that she just now noticed was fragrant with some sort of oil.

Regina wrapped her arms around the blonde's waist and pulled Emma close against her. "When I was younger, a child at Millhaven, I used to dream of this woman. She came to me on nights, random as they were… maybe it was only when I needed her, maybe she was just a figment of my imagination. I never remembered the dreams after I'd had them, what we'd do or talk about or if we even did. Sometimes I wouldn't see her for months, sometimes I'd see her three nights in a row. I began to believe she was an angel, sent to save me from my mother. After… well I suppose you know what happened to the woman I loved…"

"Daniela." Emma uttered the name softly, knowing it was a sore point for Regina.

The brunette tensed for a moment, but the stiffness quickly ebbed away. "Yes, Daniela. After she was taken from me, I sought out Rumplestiltskin to aid me in learning magic. It was my first and perhaps greatest mistake. By embracing dark magic, stealing the hearts of others, bending their wills to what I wanted… the moment I began to play the role of a god was the moment my angel left me. The memory of her haunted me, but I never saw her again. I missed her presence; I had thought she'd always be there, the one thing in my life I could always depend on. But after I enacted the curse that brought us here, and she still didn't return, I knew I'd never see her again." She chuckled softly at the absurdity of it. "And then **you** showed up."

Emma frowned. "It was me?" If what the mayor was saying was true then Queen Regina would have had the dreams too. How come she'd never mentioned it before?

Regina nodded. "Losing Daniela, that betrayal, it caused hate in me. Your eyes were my one light in the darkness. When I lost them too…"

Emma forgot herself for a moment and reached out, stroking down the mayor's arm still around her waist. "I used to see you too, in my daydreams. I've never really had a true dream, but I imagine if I did, you would have been there as well."

Regina laughed dryly. "Please don't tell me you subscribe to that nonsense about fate and this all being preordained."

Emma shrugged. "Don't you?"

"No, I believe we control our own fates. If not, then really what's the point? It's easy to tell yourself it's all preordained, that life is some twisted play and were all just actors reading lines, but that's a cop out, a way to feel like you don't have any blame."

Emma was still stroking her fingers across the skin of the mayor's arm. "You believe all that you did in the Enchanted Forest, that it was your fault?"

Regina sighed. "It was."

Emma shook her head. "Life gives us our hand and we may choose how to play it, but we don't choose the cards we are dealt. Circumstances beyond your control led you to where you are Regina, just as mine led me here."

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The sweats were old, but they were warm. She pulled them on along with a sweater. The air had taken a chilly turn by the time they'd drained the bath and Emma was wearing all the layers she could. Their conversation had pattered off as Regina's hand had sunk between her thighs, moving against her and then inside her until she hadn't been able to speak even if she had wanted to. It had seemed like forever since she'd felt the mayor's touch.

Regina had gone downstairs to have a drink before bed. Emma exited the room and padded down the stairs until she reached the ground floor. She crossed the foyer to the parlour and found Regina, nursing a glass of cider. The blonde sat down on the couch beside her.

Regina took a deep gulp of cider and then an even deeper breath. "The way you look at me… sometimes I feel as if all I've done doesn't even matter. Your eyes absolve me of my sins. I wish you would tell me of our story. I **want** to _remember_."

It would be easy to unload it all, to tell Regina everything that had happened. That their fairytale world still existed and that they were married and had a daughter. That this world was fake in so many ways, a fabrication. They didn't belong here, they were living in a snow globe, trapped in a picturesque Maine town with nothing to do but exist forever as they were. It would be easy, but it wouldn't be fair. Why shatter her little world? If Emma was destined to be stuck here, she refused to have both of them be miserable. For _her_ Regina, she'd let this Regina be happy. "It's a very long story Regina and not one I think you'd like to hear. Besides, it no longer matters."

Regina was quiet for a long time, seeming to accept the answer. Then, "Do you really love me Miss Swan?"

Emma nodded. "You know I do."

Regina reached out, slipping her hand into Emma's. She entwined their fingers and allowed herself a few moments of bliss. They fit together like pieces of a puzzle and it occurred to her, not for the first time, that were this a place where magic still abounded and fairytales still had happy endings, she would love Emma Swan, in all the ways she deserved to be loved. But she knew that world was gone, a fragment of all their pasts. She pulled their clasped hands into her lap. "If you love me, then you'll leave. Leave Storybrooke. You are quite important to Henry and I care for you too much, for us to pursue this."

Emma shook her head. "For once, can you not fight? You're resisting what you feel."

Regina placed her free hand over Emma's chest. "Quite contrary dear, for the first time in a long time, I'm protecting someone else's heart." She kissed the blonde's hand that she was grasping and began to drop her other hand from the woman's chest.

Emma reached out and snatched the retreating hand back. "No! Regina, I love you. I've been trying to tell you that there is no other option for me than this. Tell me you don't feel it?"

"It doesn't matter!"

"Yes it does! It's all that matters! Look into my eyes and tell me they don't seem familiar to you! You know I'm right! You love me."

Regina shook her head furiously. "I am not capable of love."

"The sad thing is you've been telling yourself that lie for so long that I think you actually believe it."

"You're disappointed that I can't love you back."

Emma shook her head. "No." She let Regina have her hands back. "I'm disappointed that you refuse to try." She stood. "I'm not going to stop coming here. I will continue to pursue you, especially now that I'm stuck here."

"Stuck here?"

Emma nodded. "The choice has been made, and now we all are."

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Mary Margaret heard the key in the lock and nearly jumped out of her skin as she rose from the couch. She stared at the door, ready to face whoever was breaking in and yet unsure what she could really do against any intruder that may come through. After all, she was a grown woman in flannel pajamas with fluffy kitties all over them and her well worn copy of Persuasion in her hands. She supposed she could hit them with the book, not that it would do much damage, but still, it was something. She planted her feet defensively and raised the book over her head like it were a huge rock and not a binding of paper.

The door popped open and there stood Emma. She was thoroughly soaked, her blonde hair hanging limply around her face and dripping down to puddle on the floor outside the flat. Her sweater was dark with soaked in water as were her sweats. She clutched her keys in a wet cold hand. And she was barefoot. But it was her face that drew Mary Margaret's attention the most; even through her face was soaked, the schoolteacher could still differentiate between the woman's tears and the surrounding wetness.

"Oh Emma."

And that was all it took for the blonde to stumble in and seek the comforting embrace of the brunette's arms.

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The knock came just after ten thirty, nearly an hour after she had put Emma to bed. She had finally managed to get the blonde to stop crying and into dry clothes, but Emma wouldn't talk about it, just kept on mumbling about how she'd failed.

The schoolteacher opened the door to find a very polished, as always, Mayor Mills, a wet but closed umbrella clutched in her hand. She glared at the woman, her disdain written plainly on her face. "May I help you Mayor Mills?"

Regina bristled at the undisguised hostility in the woman's tone. But fighting with her old nemesis was hardly why she was here. "I came to speak with Miss Swan."

Mary Margaret shook her head. "I don't know what you said to her, but I'm not going to let you in there to do more damage."

Regina frowned. "She's upset?" Her anger with the schoolteacher ebbed away, forgotten for the moment.

"Well people don't usually sob uncontrollably unless they are."

Regina pushed past her and headed straight for the stairs.

Mary Margaret tossed the door shut and ran to get in front of her, jumping onto the bottom step to block her way. "No! She doesn't want to see you."

Regina stopped. Her first instinct was always to fight and this time was no different. Her fists clenched at her sides, but one thought to the blonde upstairs and her anger was easily swallowed back down. She looked at Mary Margaret. "I'm the only one who can fix this. You have to let me try."

Mary Margaret wasn't sure what made her step aside, maybe it was the genuine concern in the mayor's eyes, maybe it was something else, but she moved out of the woman's way.

"Thank you Miss Blanchard." She stepped past her and onto the stairs.

"Hurt her Regina, and you **will** pay."

Regina paused in her ascent for a brief moment but didn't respond. After a couple beats she resumed her climb, her hesitation the only indication that she'd heard and acknowledged the threat.

She put her ear to the closed door of Emma's small room. The was no sound from inside, no light under the door. She was probably already asleep. It had been a shock when the other woman had stormed out on her, barefoot no less, grabbing her keys off the foyer side table and running out into the rain. Regina had believed it was in anger, now she knew she'd been wrong. Either way, she wasn't sure she could handle letting the blonde go to sleep hating her.

She pushed the door open. Emma's back was to the door, but the irregular rise and fall of her breathing told Regina she wasn't asleep. The mayor slipped in and closed the door, pulling off her coat and kicking off her shoes. She went to the bed and crawled in beside the blonde, running a hand down her back, but not touching her in any other way. "I'm sorry."

It was a long stretch of silence before Emma finally answered. "I know."

"I want to be what you need. But I just can't."

"I know." Slowly Emma turned over. Her eyes were red and swollen from all the crying.

Regina felt her chest constrict painfully at the sight.

"I expected too much from you. That was my mistake." She took a shaky breath. "I will stay until Sunday, it'll give Henry time to enjoy the day, have some cake. I'll explain it to him Sunday morning before I go. We'll have to work out some sort of schedule, maybe a weekend a month, or over the summer or something."

"You're going to leave?"

Emma looked defeated. "Maybe it's better for both of us if I do."

Everything in Regina was screaming at her to tell Emma to stay, not to go, to just give her time. That was all she needed. But the logical part of her brain, that damn practical half that ruled her decisions in this world kept her mouth shut. And she held the blonde silently to her until Emma fell asleep. Then she slipped back out of the room and out of the flat, resolving that if the next day was to be Emma's last, she would make it Emma's best day in Storybrooke so far and give her the send off she deserved.


	53. I Think I've Already Lost You

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: we have now reached emma's birthday, covering the next two chapters. just a shout out to all readers: after the next two chapters after this i have two directions that this story could take. one would end it pretty abruptly in about three chapters or so, one would extend it longer. i need to know what the readers want. if i don't get many responses i will just go with the short ending. let me know if you want this story to continue. beyond that, enjoy this chapter. i cried a lot writing it, more because this journey is reaching its conclusion rather than it being super sad, but it does have a note of melancholy about it. this chapter was inspired by 'i don't wanna miss a thing' by aerosmith, i put it on repeat while writing, which should explain a lot. love my readers new and old and love love love reviews. mwah.

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**-Chapter 52: I Think I've Already Lost You-**

Queen Regina had never personally considered her life to be anything great. She had suffered much, been dealt a lousy hand several times over and every action she'd ever taken in life had been to correct her misfortunes, to win her way to greatness. And yet, for all her efforts, for every bit of magic expelled, every life she'd stolen, every favour she'd earned or forcibly taken, she had never achieved greatness. Until now. Until **Emma**. It's a funny thing to realise you've found everything you were ever looking for on the last day of your life. Irony had never claimed to be anything but a bitch.

Emma. Bold, brash, and beautiful Emma. The daughter of her greatest enemy. True love had an ironic sense of humour. And yet, there was something so right about it all. Snow White had a debt to pay her, a debt of happiness lost, and she had repaid it the moment she brought Emma into this world.

And now, this world would be over. She stared around at the garden she was walking through. The Elves called it the Eternal Garden, any flower planted within its perimeter would never wilt, never die. If only such a place existed where she could take her family, a place where they would not fade at the conclusion of this day.

It scared her now, though she'd never admit it outside the confines of her mind. She had known from a young age that the only conclusion to her story would be death. The wicked do not earn the favour of Fate, it is well known. Her life had been a bitter thing, fueled by revenge and hate. But now she'd met her second chance, her redemption, and all of it too late. The world could end tonight, or possibly just Emma would fade. They were still unclear on what would happen when the proverbial clock struck midnight. But Regina couldn't decide which was worse, the destruction of this entire world and everyone in it, or the thought that Emma would be the only one effected and Regina would have to endure the rest of her days without her true love. Both fates seemed too cruel a punishment.

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Emma awoke alone in their bed chamber. She wrapped her arms around herself, cold despite the warmth of the air in the chamber. She looked around for Regina but the woman was nowhere in sight.

As if on cue, the chamber door opened and Regina entered. When the brunette saw the blonde was awake, she smiled. "Good morning my love." She came over to the edge of the bed.

Emma got up to her knees, the duvet sliding down off her body as she crawled on her knees over to the brunette. "Morning my _wife_." She grinned. It wasn't until she saw the darkening of the brunette's eyes that she became aware of her nakedness. She looked down at her bare body and then brought her gaze back up to the brunette's sheepishly.

Regina reached out, her fingers dancing softly across the blonde's collarbone, down, ghosting over the full mounds of her breasts, and lower still, tracing the firmness of her stomach muscles. Slowly, her face crumpled and tears began to fall unbidden.

Emma frowned and shook her head, wrapping her arms around Regina's neck and pulling her close. "Hey, it's alright." It was a pre-programmed response. Of course nothing was alright. This might be their last day together. It might be the last day of this world for all they knew. Nothing she could ever say would change the fact that at the conclusion of this day, they would end, their fairytale would conclude. She just stroked her fingers through dark locks, knowing anything she said would be a lie.

Finally Regina pulled back, her hands stroking gently up and down the blonde's sides. Her tears had stopped but the wet evidence of their presence still lingered on her cheeks. "Happy Name Day my darling."

Emma smiled, her hands coming up to the brunette's cheeks. She dragged the woman's mouth to hers, kissing her fiercely for a few moments before drawing back and looking into Regina's eyes. "I love you. I will always love you."

Regina leaned in and stole another kiss. Her hands froze mid-stroke on the blonde's sides, gripping her tightly as she deepened it, her tongue sliding into Emma's mouth.

The blonde welcomed it, letting Regina explore her mouth.

With a flick of Regina's wrist, she was once again bare. She pressed her nude form against the blonde woman before her.

Emma moaned, laying back on the bed, dragging Regina's body down on top of hers. She could sense that the brunette needed this, needed to map her out, to remember her. Just as she needed to do the same. A memory was all that would be left to her now, all she'd ever have. It wasn't as much of this woman as she wanted, but it was something to wrap her heart around and that would have to be enough. For both of them.

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Snow White looked up as the door to her chambers opened.

Emma stepped through. She had spent all morning getting lost in Regina and all afternoon with her wife and daughter. Now she was making the rounds, saying her goodbyes.

Snow White was happy despite herself at the sight of her child, strained as their relationship may be.

Emma closed the door behind herself. "Mother."

"How are you?" Snow eyed her daughter's haunted eyes and the paleness of her skin. It was her name day, the day this was all to end, for better or for worse.

Emma came into the room and sat down. "I'm not sure. It's my name day, I should be happy."

"You're not?" Snow sat down across from her daughter, looking at her with concern.

"Part of me is. There's this piece of me that feels relieved. After today, it's out of my hands. I no longer have a part to play. There's something comforting about that."

"And yet you feel guilty."

Emma nodded solemnly. "I shouldn't be relieved."

Snow White got up and came over to sit beside her daughter. "It's okay to want it to be over. It doesn't mean you'll miss them any less."

Emma nodded and their discussion moved to much lighter topics for a while until Emma noticed the sun descending beyond the balcony. Her time was reaching its conclusion. She excused herself and made her way to the door. She paused with her hand on the door. "I'll miss you as well." She exited without waiting for a response.

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"Regina."

The brunette looked up from the scrolls she was reading on the couch. She saw the expression on the blonde's face and her eyes moved to the sky outside. She saw the darkening of the sun low in the west, the mountains blocking out most of its remaining light. She set the scrolls aside and held open her arms.

Emma fell into them wordlessly. She leaned back into the older woman's embrace, her head falling back onto the brunette's shoulder as they both looked with resignation out to the dying sunlight, knowing this was the last sunset they were guaranteed to have together.

"I can't help feeling guilty that I couldn't fulfill my destiny."

Regina clasped one of Emma's hands in her own. "You were chosen; you never had a choice. Don't feel upset that you didn't accomplish something that was never your burden to bear in the first place."

They lapsed into silence for a time. Emma turned on her side on top of the brunette, nuzzling her face into the side of Regina's neck, draping her arm across the brunette's torso. For a long while, they were just together, spending their final hours in each other's company, just existing.

"Will you teach me to do magic? I've always wanted to learn."

Even if Regina wanted to refuse, she couldn't deny Emma now. "Close your eyes and relax."

Emma took a deep breath and obeyed.

"Listen to your heartbeat, let it calm you."

Again, Emma obeyed the command. She listened to her heartbeat until it was a pounding in her ears, blocking out all sound but Regina's commands.

"Now, just feel the magic. We all are capable of it. Deep down, it flows inside each of us. Tap into it."

Emma tried but she felt nothing, no surge of magic, nothing prickling under the surface. She felt _nothing_. She tried for several more minutes but finally abandoned the effort. Maybe she wasn't meant to learn. She rested down against the brunette once more. The sun had gone down and the last bits of blue were turning to navy.

Her head back on Regina's chest, she listened to the steady thrum of the brunette's heartbeat under her ear, letting it soothe her. After several moments, she felt it, the flow of magic. She immersed herself in it and watched in wonder as white energy glowed across the fingers of her hand. It made sense; the brunette presence had always calmed her more than she ever could herself. She was doing magic. She lost the flow less than a second later, almost the moment she realised she'd found it, but that one moment was enough. "Did you see it Regina?"

"Very good my love." Regina smiled. "One day, I'll teach you to do this." She snapped her fingers and there was a brief burst of smoke and when it cleared, a small chain with a locket on its end hung from Regina's hand.

Emma sat up a little. She reached out, her fingers brushing the pendant. It was a heart locket, the metal so intricately carved with weaving symbols that made no sense to Emma, though they were beautiful in their entirety. "It's gorgeous. What's it for?"

Regina reached up and put the chain around Emma's neck, clasping it behind her. She slid her fingers along the chain until she reached the pendant, holding it a moment before letting it drop to the blonde's skin. The heart came to rest right at the blonde's breastbone. "It's your Name Day present, from me. The locket is sealed with an Elvish spell, that's what all the markings are. Inside is a piece of my soul. I want to be with you forever, and now, a part of me always will be." She put her hand over the locket on Emma's chest. "Now there's nothing to be afraid of, for I am with you."

Emma placed her own hand over Regina's, holding it there. This meant more than she'd ever be able to tell the brunette. But it didn't erase all her fears. "What if I leave you alone? I promised you I'd never do that." Emma's eyes welled up with tears.

"Emma, my love, if there is not to be a tomorrow, then I find solace knowing you will go on. I love you, you have my heart, you **are** my heart." She put a finger under the blonde's chin and lifted the tear streaked face until green met brown. "So you see, if you go on, so do I." She leaned forward and kissed Emma's forehead. "I will always be with you. In whatever world, I will always find you."

"If tomorrow never comes, know that right now, this very moment, it will never leave my mind. I may be destined to be the saviour of my people, but you were fated to save me." She nuzzled her face back into the crook of the brunette's neck once more, letting the contented silence overtake them again. Her eyes were starting to grow heavy. It was still early yet, but already she could feel the pull, that insistent tug towards unconsciousness. "I'm sorry."

The apology was so faint that Regina almost didn't hear it. "For what?"

Emma pulled away from the safety of the brunette's neck to gaze up into her face. "That of all the people in this world who could have been your true love, it had to be me. Maybe, without me, your life would have been easier.

Regina stared down into green eyes and all she saw was fear. Emma was afraid. "I've made so many mistakes." Regina brought her hands up to cup Emma's cheeks, rubbing her thumbs soothingly over her soft skin. "You weren't one of them."

Emma leaned in and captured her lips, tears falling from her eyes, trailing down her cheeks only to fall down onto Regina's, mixing with the tears falling from the brunette's own eyes. They placed small kisses to each other's lips for several minutes before Emma pulled away. She resumed her former position, lying on Regina's shoulder. Their hands came together, their fingers intertwining. Emma stared at their clasped hands. Regina's heartbeat once again filled her ears and she knew that if there was one thing she wanted to hear at the end, this was it.

Darkness was all the brunette could see now, the sun had finally retired.

"We should go tuck Savya in before we go to bed." Regina kissed the top of Emma's head.

The blonde didn't respond.

Regina ran her fingers through Emma's hair. "Come on darling."

Again, there was no response from Emma.

"Emma?" She unburied the blonde's face from her neck. Emma's eyes were closed. She was gone.

Regina choked down a sob and wrapped her arms tightly around the blonde, holding her close. She had known it was coming for weeks now and yet nothing prepared her for the pain she felt in that moment. It was happening again, history repeating itself. And this time, she wasn't sure she'd make it through.

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"Momma. Momma." Savya squealed and wiggled her little arms in the air as Regina entered the little girl's bed chamber. The elf nanny, Presiann was her name if Regina remembered correctly, glanced over her shoulder, from where she was perched on the edge of the bed, a storybook open on her lap.

Regina came over and scooped the toddler into her arms, holding her close, one arm wrapped around her little body, pressing her tightly to her chest, her other hand holding the back of the girl's head as she cradled the little body against her. "Oh my sweet one." She couldn't stop the small trickle of tears that escaped her eyes.

Presiann looked at her with sad and knowing eyes. She stood, silent as a shadow and left the room.

Savya leaned back in Regina's embrace and wiped away her tears with small swipes of her little hands across the brunette's cheeks. "Why are you sad Momma?" The little girl looked at her with innocent eyes.

Regina managed a smile and placed her hand over the little one, holding it there to her cheek for a long moment. She didn't answer, didn't have the heart to tell her the truth. Let her keep her innocence one more night. "I love you my darling. Mommy and I love you so much."

"Where's Mommy?" The little girl's head swung back and forth, searching for the blonde.

Regina managed to keep her expression soft, though her heart was ripping in her chest. "Mommy was tired; she went to bed early."

Savya frowned. "Mommy's always tired."

Regina nodded sadly. "Yes, sweet one, she is."

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She burst through the door to Snow White's chambers, throwing the force of all she felt against it. Something needed to bear the brunt of her emotions, better this door than someone's head. She stormed into the room, full of nothing but dark purpose for the first time since she'd first laid eyes upon Emma as an infant in her nursery. Just as with last time, there was one person she could throw the blame on for the loss of her love.

Daniela, not the former Queen, was in the chamber and she glanced up calmly from where she stood by the balcony overlooking the city below, unafraid in the face of the Evil Queen. "Has she gone then?"

Stopping, Regina felt her heart constrict so suddenly at the blunt question that she bent a little at the sheer force of it. Her hands tangled in the bodice of her dress, clawing at the material over her heart as if she were trying to rip the traitorous organ free from its cavity. Gone. Emma was gone. How was Fate so cruel to make her suffer this agony twice in a lifetime? Hadn't she proven well enough the first time that this was not something she was fit to handle? She raised her eyes pleading, to the woman she had once wished anything to save, who she now knew meant little compared to the woman resting in the bed in their own chambers. "Please, rip it out. Take it from me. I can't lose her. It **hurts**." Her nails tore weakly at the material of her own dress.

Daniela crossed the room in a few graceful bounds, pulling the former Evil Queen's body into her own.

Regina's first urge was to fight the embrace, even without her other half, her first instinct was always to fight kindness; it could only be an indicator of someone expecting something in return. Life had hardened her to the fleeting things like comfort that were only given with expectation of recourse. But she had no strength left in her to fight it. Her will to fight had left the moment Emma's eyes had slipped closed for the final time.

A wrenching sob escaped her throat and she burrowed her body against the elf's, clinging to her as if she were the only thing solid, a life raft in the stormy swell of the sea. The pain wrenched inside her threatening to drown her from the inside out. Her body shook with the force of it.

In her mind, the small part where practicality still had hold, she knew she wasn't responsible for the acts of her other half. She'd done her part; she'd loved Emma. It was the mayor's fault. But that woman was a part of her. As such, the self-loathing came. Her love was the kiss of death; it was the fate of all who loved her that they must one day die.

Daniela led her gently over to the couch, guiding them both down upon it. She held Regina like she had when they were lovers, stroking her hair and whispering soft nothings of comfort against her forehead as she kissed it. She had played a role in leading Regina to this place in her life; she was a huge part of not only what shaped Regina into the dark woman she had become but also of what brought the two women together in the first place. She had nurtured this relationship; now she was watching it crumble alongside the brunette in her arms.

It was over an hour before Regina's sobbing stopped. Tears still fell from her eyes without pause, but there was no more sound, as even her heart finally realised that wouldn't change anything. She sat up, glancing sadly over at the elf beside her. She stood, walking over to the balcony where the elf had been standing when she entered. The city below was alive in the night with the glow of werelights in the trees. It was beautiful, a view she would probably find enchanting if she were still capable of feeling wonder.

Daniela cleared her throat softly. "What would you do to change this?"

Regina's head whipped around, her tears inadvertently ceasing, her expression warning the other woman not to toy with her when her emotions were running so high.

Daniela stared back solemnly. "Answer the question Regina."

"I would do anything. There is no sacrifice too great, no place I would not go, no trial I would not face."

Daniela nodded, seeming to take her at her word. "As you may recall, when we spoke at the Forbidden Fortress, I told you I had a backup plan of sorts."

"You know how to save her? To save us?" Regina took a step forward, her eyes wide, a war going on in them to not let herself become hopeful and yet desperately wanting to believe hope still existed.

"I cannot promise it will change anything, and we risk making it worse. It is a long shot Regina, with slim chance of success. It will only work if every variable is in perfect position." The elf sounded doubtful, as if she were already talking herself out of it.

Regina rushed forward and crouched before her, her hand grasping the elf's pleadingly. "No, please, we have to try."

Daniela met Regina's gaze, her impossibly blue eyes searching the desperate brown ones before her. "If we do this… we risk her life, and your love. Is that something you can handle?"

She didn't get to answer, a knock interrupted them.

Arazera poked her head in. "They've put the Queen in the glass as you requested.

Regina looked at the dark haired elf. "Take me to her." She looked at Daniela. "I shall think on it. You will have my answer soon."

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She stared at the glass casket, at the woman down inside it. She looked ethereal in the pale moonlight streaming in through the window. Emma.

She put her hand to the crystal lid of the blonde's resting place. It was ironic how things had come full circle. Their beginning was also their ending. Their story had began with Regina in a coffin, asleep but not dead, and it was concluding now with Emma in much the same position.

She wondered briefly that if the blonde had known how it would all end, if she would have made the same choices, if she still would have sought her out. It was only a second's hesitation before she knew the answer. It's the same answer she'd give in Emma's position. Yes, she would have. Love, true love, is always worth it.

Suddenly, the answer seemed so clear.

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"Are you positive you want this? The risk…"

"I know the risks!" Regina couldn't keep the sharpness from her tone. The voice of the Evil Queen to match the dress she now wore. A selection from her wardrobe before she had fallen asleep in the crystal casket, imprisoned in her endless slumber until Emma had rescued her. Now it was time to return the favour. Emma had never given up on her and she was going to show her the same.

"Do you?" Daniela stood her ground. "Do you really understand what this could mean for you? For your daughter?" She frowned sternly. "You are a mother now Regina, you can't be selfish in your decisions."

Regina gritted her teeth. "This is for her as well as for me! Do you think I want her to live without Emma too? Emma was the one who saved her in that marketplace. She passed by our cart and I thought her some street urchin. I wouldn't have thought twice about turning her away. But Emma… Emma saw through the dirty rags she was wearing, through to her soul. She saw beyond the surface, just like she did with me. Do you understand how _rare_ that is? This world, any world, is better with Emma in it. I will do whatever it takes to keep her."

Daniela regarded the brunette in the circle drawn on the floor with a bit of coal. Regina stood, staring back, willing the elf to even dare to refuse to go the distance now. Her brown eyes were accusatory, practically taunting _'you were the one who put this option before me'_.

When Daniela didn't say anything, Regina knew she'd won. She held her chin up high, signaling to the elf that she was ready.

Daniela frowned. "Once I say the transit spell and the circle is complete, you will have roughly five and ten minutes. I cannot bring you back if you do not return to the circle and recite the spell's anchor. Do not… Regina _listen_ to me… do **not** attempt to confront her. This is a very fragile spell. The consequences are dangerous. If you alter _anything_…"

Regina rolled her eyes and held up a hand. She had always treated rules as more of guidelines, preferring to plow right through them rather than adhere to them. But the look of warning in Daniela's eyes told her that this was a time where she must obey the rules or risk losing Emma forever. "I'm ready. Say it."

Daniela nodded, her face smoothing out in intense concentration. She began to pronounce syllables in the Elvish language. They shimmered into the air before her in a continuous strand, glittering gold strokes, as if her voice was a pen writing them on the parchment that was the air in front of her. She pronounced them all carefully, all eighty one syllables. Once they were stretched out in a continuous strand in front of her, she grabbed each end between her fingers, holding each end of the spell like one would the two ends of a scarf. She made it into the a circle and tied the ends into a spell knot. She then held the completed ring of magic up, looking past it to Regina. "Are you ready?"

Regina gave a firm nod. She would do anything to get Emma back. "I'm ready. Do it."

Daniela stepped forward and raised the circle over Regina's head as if she meant to crown her with it. She dropped it and it fell around Regina's body to fall on the floor, encircling her. It began to glow, pulsing a deep shimmering gold until it ignited in white fire.

Daniela took a deep breath. "Five and ten minutes Regina. No more."

Regina nodded as the white fire rose up and engulfed her.

When it dissipated, she was gone, leaving nothing but an empty circle burned into the chamber floor.

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When the fire fell from around her, falling back down to the spell circle around her feet, she was in a place she'd been in many times before in her adult life. The dark stone walls were so familiar, she could close her eyes and still vocalise their every detail. She could talk of the grand fireplace and the furniture, of the balcony and the open air corridor that fed into the room. She could tell of the bed chamber beyond the door in the wall where less than one month ago, though it seemed much longer after all they'd been through, she had slept beside the woman who was to be her wife while they were the guests of Rumplestiltskin. It was her parlour, in her castle, as she remembered it from over twenty eight years ago, at the height of her power.

"Your Majesty?"

She whipped around. On the wall, in the face of her favourite mirror, floated the smoky blue face of the Genie. She clutched the box tightly in her hand and stepped out of the circle. The shimmering gold instantly dulled, going dormant until it was reactivated with the spell anchor. "Mirror."

"I thought you were meeting with the guards to discuss the plan."

She waved off his suspicions exactly as she would have were she really the mistress of old he thought she was. If it had been recited correctly, the spell had taken her to the day before she'd enacted the curse, the day before she'd stolen her father's heart, the day before her two lives had broken apart, the day before Emma was born, precisely eight and twenty years and one day ago. She needed to do this before her past self returned to the parlour. Time was of the essence. If she met face to face with her past self, she risked altering the past. Even being here, traveling across time, was an offense to Fate. She would be none too pleased once she discovered what Regina and Daniela had done, but that was a problem for later. This was her only chance to communicate with her other half, to go back before the split, when she was still a part of this world too and do what she could to change her mind about Emma. "I have a task for you Mirror."

He raised his chin, immediately ready to do what she bid of him.

"I want you to record everything I am about to tell you, word for word, remember it. The next time you see me tonight, replay it for me. It is very important that you do this. Do you understand?"

It wasn't in his nature to question her, and he didn't now, though she could tell by the way he looked at her that his suspicions had only grown. "Of course Your Majesty."

She spent the next few minutes relaying her message to the Mirror before going over and setting the box onto the cushion of her favourite fainting couch where the Evil Queen was certain to encounter it.

She glanced back to the Mirror. "Show that to me once I return." She made for the gold spell circle. Her time was closing fast; she'd already stayed too long as it was.

"Majesty?"

She looked up at the Mirror. "Yes?"

He looked at her knowingly. "You're from the future, aren't you?"

She knew there was danger in telling the truth, but there was also great danger in lying. If he didn't show the Evil Queen her message, all might be lost. "Yes."

He was quiet for a long moment. "Does she get her happy ending?"

Regina offered up the only smile she could manage, though it was small and tinged with a hint of sadness. "Let us hope so."

She stepped into the circle, saying the two syllables to anchor it. The circle once again began to glow and a second later she was engulfed in white flames. Once they disappeared, the Mirror saw that nothing remained except the faint and fading scorch marks on the chamber floor.

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Daniela paced the chamber. She was taking too long. What was she doing? Did she not take the warnings seriously? She threw her hands up in exasperation. She should have known. Regina was strong willed as a child and obviously her stubbornness had not improved with adulthood.

Suddenly a circular wall of white fire appeared. Daniela raced over, muttering the five syllables that would end the spell. The white fire dissipated, the gold spell chain breaking.

Regina's limp form fell to the ground.

Daniela crouched down to help the younger woman up.

Regina clawed at the arms helping to lift her, the spell having suddenly seeped all her energy from her. "Did it work?"

Daniela rubbed her hands up and down Regina's arms, comforting the frantic brunette. "We won't know until tomorrow. All that's left to us is to wait."

"For what?"

Daniela gave her a sad smile. "For the end."

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It pulled at her heartstrings to not be with Emma as the moon made its ascension in the sky. But she had made a promise to Emma, to protect Savya in the afterlife, a promise to wait for Emma there. So she lay beside their daughter in the little girl's bed chamber, watching the moon through the window. A mirror rested by her hand, the same hand mirror she used to watch for Emma to wake in the mornings. Now it showed the Queen of the Enchanted Forest as she rested in her crystal tomb. Even at the end, she needed the blonde with her.

She ran her finger through Savya's soft hair, leaning down to kiss the girl's temple. She rested her head behind the girl's on the pillow, wrapping a protective arm around her and holding her close. Savya turned and curled against her chest, resting her face against Regina's neck. The brunette could feel the little even puffs of breath against the base of her throat and it calmed her as she watched the moon move closer towards the top of the sky. She closed her eyes. If oblivion was to come, Emma, Savya, and her would all face it in sleep.

Outside the castle, the city was alive with the voices of the Elves, each contributing to the song of mourning they sung for their fallen friend, the young Queen of the Enchanted Forest, who'd once lived among them and been as their own.

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The Evil Queen strode down the corridor and into her parlour with grim purpose. She waved her hand at the side table and a tray appeared, loaded down with a crystal decanter and her favourite goblet. She poured the liquid into the goblet and took a gratifying sip.

"Did your plans go well Your Majesty?"

She turned to the mirror and the face inside it, taking another sip. Her lips curled in distaste as she pulled the goblet away. "Incompetent fools, the lot of them, but they'll suffice. At least they know to poke the bad guys, or in this case good guys, with the pointy end of the blade."

"You had a visitor while you were away."

The Evil Queen's entire body went rigid. No one was allowed in this chamber. She had so many spells and incantations surrounding her chambers that no one could enter but herself by magical means and there was a guard posted at the door at all times to prevent anyone from just walking in. Either someone had found a way to circumvent her magic or her guard had left his post, however briefly. She had a feeling the latter was the more likely answer and if she hadn't done so long ago, she would have marched out there and ripped the man's heart from his chest. She glared at the mirror. "Why didn't you find me and inform me straight away?! What did they take?!"

The mirror had no shoulders to shrug, but if he could that is exactly what he would have done in response. "You took nothing, only left a message for yourself."

Before the Evil Queen could demand he stop being so fucking cryptic, his face disappeared, revealing the reflection of the parlour. But the light was wrong. This was her parlour, but from earlier in the evening. The shadows cast from the setting sun hitting her furniture told her it had been early evening. It was twilight beyond the balcony now.

She walked to the mirror and stared, at her own reflection, but not. There was something different about the woman staring back at her. Her eyes weren't proud, but resigned and sad. She was wearing black leather pants and her crimson velvet dress coat, the same one she had worn when she'd rescued Prince Charming from King George's guillotine. She glanced down at her own outfit, an all black, close fitting gown today.

"Regina." The woman in the mirror spoke to her with her own voice. "The time is short. You must listen. Tomorrow, you will enact the dark curse. I'm not here to stop you. I'm here to help."

The Evil Queen narrowed her eyes at the woman. What was this woman getting at?

The woman in the mirror glanced over her shoulder, looking at something on the ground. Finally she turned back. She looked into the mirror desperately. "Emma. Remember that name. **Emma**. _Trust_ her Regina. Forget your pain and just listen to what she has to say. _Listen_ Regina."

The woman turned and went to the fainting couch, setting something upon it. The Evil Queen could now see what the woman had been looking at. There was the dull gold circle of a dormant spell ring resting on the floor of the parlour. The woman looked back to the mirror. "Show that to me once I return."

The view faded and the floating blue face in the mirror returned.

The Evil Queen walked over to the small object on the fainting couch. It was a box. On it sat a note card with eight words scrawled in her own hand: _For Emma, On Her Twenty Eighth Name Day_. She glanced to the empty spot on the floor where the spell circle had been. She could still sense the remaining traces of the magic, the magical signature of the spell caster that lingered long after a spell of this magnitude was complete. The signature was distinctly her own.


	54. I'll Keep A Part Of You With Me Part 1

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: yea, so it was pretty unanimous for the long version, so that's what we're going with. i like it better that way anyway, i just didn't want to draw it out if everyone was going to stop reading after the birthday chapters. anyways, update. this chapter ended up being ridiculously long, over 13000 words, so i've split it in two. it's emma's last chance to win mayor mills over. can she do it with the help of queen regina's trip to the past? we shall see. enjoy and as always, kindly drop me a review.

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**-Chapter 53: I'll Keep A Part Of You With Me Part 1-**

The day of her birthday broke the sunniest in the month since she had arrived in Storybrooke, despite the awful weather the previous day. It was almost as if the cheery weather was mocking her for her pain. She should be happy. It was her birthday after all. She would get to spend her birthday with her son for the first time in his, or her own, life. But a dark cloud hung over her, raining heavy on her soul. That look in Queen Regina's eyes as she'd drifted off to sleep for the last time in her arms, that look of utter fear, a fear of loss, in the eyes of a woman who had already lost so much. Would this break her? Would it even matter if it did? She asked herself, not for the first time, whether that world would even still exist after today, or if it would simply fade away, into the void. Would Regina just become a memory? Maybe it was already lost and everything she did here on this day meant nothing anyway.

This past month had been a tumultuous one of revelations. She'd found the love of her life, in both worlds. She had children. Her life was as complete as any one person could ever wish for. Both lives, when considered separately, were very fulfilled. But when considered together…. There was a part of her that belonged to Queen Regina, but she couldn't deny that she also belonged to the mayor. Regina Mills had a part of her heart too, and until she had them both, she'd never be entirely happy. There would always be something missing.

Before she could dwell on the subject too much, her door flew open and a short blur burst through, launching himself onto the bed. "Happy Birthday Emma!" Henry fought his way up the duvet, careful of his casted arm, to throw his good arm around the blonde.

"Thanks kid." Emma held him tightly against her for a long moment, savouring the precious seconds, before she forced herself to pull back. "Does your mom know you're here?" She pushed his brown hair out of his eyes and did her best at the stern parent look, though it failed rather miserably, not being a look she'd ever truly attempted before. But now, she'd have to dedicate her time to being a better parent. He was all she had left, him, and her, tenuous at best, relationship with his mother.

"Since I drove him here, I'd say that's a fair deduction."

Emma looked past Henry to where Regina was leaning against the door frame with her arms crossed across her chest. She wasn't in her usual power suit or fuck me heels and Emma was glad that her birthday had fallen on a Saturday this year and Regina didn't have to dress up for work. Instead she was in a loose fitting silk shirt, a rich burgundy in colour and jeans almost as tight fitting as Emma's… they **_were_** Emma's jeans! Emma didn't know whether she was more horrified by the fact that Regina fit so comfortably into pants that she had to spend nearly ten minutes every morning squeezing herself into, or that she'd worn Emma's clothes in front of not only their son, but Mary Margaret. Henry might not notice something like that, so wrapped up was he in his fairytale mindset that he sometimes forgot the world around him, but Mary Margaret had done Emma's laundry on more than one occasion. She was the only person almost as meticulous as Regina in this town and this change in Regina's attire would certainly not escape her radar.

"I should tell Mary Margaret to make a bigger breakfast. We didn't expect you until later." Emma looked away to avoid looking at Regina, afraid that the brunette would see the desire in her eyes. With the way they'd left things the previous night, she was still unsure of where she stood with the brunette.

"Mom suggested we take you out to breakfast at Granny's for your birthday. Even Miss Blanchard is invited."

Henry's excitement pulled Emma out of her thoughts and she smiled at him. "That sounds great kid. Why don't you go downstairs and turn on some cartoons while I get ready okay?"

He nodded enthusiastically and jumped off the bed, running past his mom and thundering down the stairs.

Emma stood with a stretch and trudged over to the dresser. She heard her bedroom door close and figured Regina had gone downstairs to join their son, but arms encircling her waist told her she'd assumed wrong.

"Happy Birthday Miss Swan." Regina kissed just behind her ear causing Emma to shiver involuntarily.

"I see you raided my wardrobe." Emma bit her lip as a hot, wet mouth moved down to her neck, leaving a trail of fire in its wake.

Regina smiled against her skin before nipping at it. "I wanted you to know the same ache I get between my thighs every time I unzip them when you have the opportunity to take them off me at our own private birthday party later." She sucked and bit at Emma's pulse point.

Emma's teeth bit down harder on her lip to keep herself from letting out a groan. Her mother and the son she shared with this woman were both downstairs and these walls were not exactly known for their thickness as Mary Margaret had proven several times. "Henry's downstairs."

Regina pulled her mouth away with a sigh. She unwrapped her arms from around Emma's waist, but as she was pulling them free, she squeezed Emma's hip, her fingers slipping over the lacy material of her boy shorts. "I can be patient Miss Swan. But this evening, you're mine." She turned abruptly and left the room.

Emma grabbed a spare pair of jeans and slipped into them, but as she looked down at the denim on her legs, she changed her mind. She didn't want to be standing next to the mayor and give Mary Margaret a visual beacon of comparison. She pulled the jeans off, refolded them and stuck them back in the drawer. Then she went over to her closet and grabbed the garment bag containing the dress Ruby had picked out for this very occasion. She had been telling herself she wouldn't wear it, that it wasn't her style. She unzipped the bag and smirked. This was a special occasion after all. So, Regina thought she was the only one who could play a game of seduction? Two could play that game. She took the dress off the hanger and pulled it on. After she ran her brush through her hair, she grabbed her cell phone, dialing the teacher's number. She heard the other line ring downstairs a couple times before she heard the double echo of Mary Margaret's voice from downstairs as well as through the phone.

"Hello?"

"Mary Margaret, it's me. Is Regina still downstairs?"

"Uh, yes."

Emma frowned. Just as she'd thought. She couldn't let Regina see her in the dress until the right moment. "Do you know your trench coat?"

"Which one?"

Emma had to admit that Mary Margaret's wardrobe consisted vastly of trench coats, cardigans, and dresses. The woman had one in every colour of the rainbow it would seem. "Let's go with the light brown one. Can you bring it up to my room?"

"Sure. Can I ask why?" She heard Mary Margaret leave the great room, the sounds of the Saturday morning cartoons on the television becoming muffled, apparently to go fetch the coat.

"I don't want Regina to see me in my dress. Not yet anyway."

"Not **_that_** one?" The schoolteacher couldn't keep her tone from sounding scandalized.

Emma nodded, though she knew Mary Margaret couldn't see her from downstairs. "Oh yea, that one."

"Okay, sure, well I have to go now Ruby. Yea, I have to check and see how Emma's getting on." The brunette's voice got louder as she started up the stairs.

The blonde smiled at her roommate's attempt to throw Regina off. "You're the best."

She could practically hear Mary Margaret's smile through the phone. "I know. Talk to you later Rubes."

Emma hung up just a second before the knock on the door. She pulled it open and the schoolteacher's smile faded as her eyes went wide at the sight of the blonde in the dress. She handed over the light brown trench coat and Emma slipped it on gratefully. After buttoning it up, she quickly disappeared into the bathroom to finish getting ready.

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Fifteen minutes later she emerged down the stairs into the great room. Regina was the first to notice her arrival and her eyes raked briefly down from her head, where she had left her hair down in its natural waves, doing nothing extreme to dress it up, to the trench coat and her bare legs extending out from the bottom of it, finally ending at the tan ankle boots with the three inch heel, which was three inches more than she usually wore, all with a look of curiosity. Emma chose to ignore the questions in brown eyes. Let Regina's curiosity go unsated for a while.

"You look nice Emma. Doesn't Emma look nice Mom?" Henry finally noticed her presence, or rather, Henry noticed how his mom had stopped telling him about his sugar consumption limit for the day and then, when he'd looked at her to see why she stopped, he saw her look of interest and followed it. He'd turned his head to find Emma on the receiving end of that look.

"Yes, Henry, she does." Regina was still eyeing the coat curiously, the fringes of suspicion in her eyes.

"Thanks." Emma smiled warmly at the woman before turning her attention back to their son. "We ready?"

He switched off the television and nodded, hopping up from the couch and racing over to grab Emma's hand.

She smiled down at his enthusiasm. Maybe she'd be able to be happy like this. Maybe she could be satisfied here, with her son and this Regina and all the people she'd known growing up. Sure they'd forgotten who they were, who they'd once been, but maybe that wouldn't matter. Maybe. She'd have Henry. For today, and hopefully for forever, that would be enough to dull the absence of the sorceress with the long hair and the deep eyes. Suddenly overcome, she knelt down next to him. "I love you kid, you know that right?"

Henry's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You're not leaving, are you?" The hysteria already starting to seep into his voice.

She smiled in reassurance and shook her head. "Not today kid. You're stuck with me."

He grinned, hugging her.

She met Regina's eyes over his shoulder, apologising with her gaze. She hadn't meant to come so close to having to tell him the truth about leaving tomorrow; she'd slipped. Regina met her with an expression she couldn't quite decipher.

As Henry pulled away his enthusiasm was back. "Come on Emma. I hope you're hungry." He pulled her towards the door.

She wasn't sure what possessed her, maybe she had a momentary lapse in judgment, maybe she was just glutton for punishment, or maybe she'd forgotten which world she was in for a moment, but whatever the reason, she reached out and grasped Regina's hand with her free one, pulling her along for the ride. She knew when she did that Regina would pull away, giving her some sort of scowl, but maybe she was feeling generous because it was Emma's birthday, as she allowed the gesture, letting Emma pull her from the flat.

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The second they stepped out of the building, Regina dropped her hand. She gestured to the black Mercedes. Emma slid into the passenger seat. Mary Margaret had declined the invitation; she had to get the flat ready for the small party they we're having to celebrate her birthday. The schoolteacher had been cooking up a storm for the past few days, but she hadn't had any time to set up any decorations. Emma had told her it wasn't necessary, but she had insisted.

"Everyone buckled in?" Regina looked pointedly at Henry in the back seat.

He sighed and buckled his seatbelt rather dramatically with a huff and then they were off. They could have easily walked to Granny's. Had Regina decided to drive to Granny's so that Emma and Henry would just walk back to Mary Margaret's while she continued home after they had breakfast? Was Regina even coming to the party?

They pulled to a stop in front of Granny's. Emma got out and chuckled as Henry nearly launched himself from the car and inside.

"He's in a good mood." Emma raised an eyebrow. She could practically see those white cartoon running lines following after him.

Regina stepped up beside her. "He's excited about today."

Emma smiled as she glanced at Regina. "Are you?"

Regina smirked. "Might be that I am." She gave a half-hearted shrug and disappeared inside the diner.

Emma smiled to herself before following them.

"Happy Birthday Emma." Granny greeted her from behind the counter as she walked in.

Emma raised an eyebrow. "Thanks. Where's Ruby?" Not only was the waitress absent, the diner was pretty dead for a Saturday morning.

Granny shrugged. "You know that girl; she'd forget her head if it wasn't attached."

Emma chuckled. Ruby wasn't exactly known for being the most responsible citizen in Storybrooke. But her aloofness was rather adorable more often than not, so everyone let her slide. She turned to the booth Henry and Regina had selected, towards the back. She walked over and, in a move that surprised everyone but Henry it seemed, she slid in on Regina's side, not his.

"What's looking good kid?" She picked up her menu, pretending to examine it to avoid the questioning gaze the mayor had trained on her.

"I'm having waffles with a ton of syrup!"

Emma laughed. "You might want to make that half a ton… remember what your mom said back at Mary Margaret's place about not having too much sugar today? And I happen to know that Mary Margaret baked a lot of sweets for my birthday party. So you might want to save room."

Henry's eyes seemed to light up at the prospect of so many sweets at his disposal. "You're right Emma. I'll have eggs instead."

Emma felt a hand squeeze her knee and when she glanced over at Regina, the woman gave her a small nod of gratitude. It filled her with a sense of accomplishment to know she'd made a move Regina approved of. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all, being here for the rest of her life.

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Regina had never thought she was meant for the domestic life, not after Daniela. She had no dreams of being married, of coming home from the office to find someone there waiting for her. Henry had been all she'd ever needed, been content with. And then Miss Swan had stumbled in. These past few days with Miss Swan staying at her home, taking care of their son, being there whenever she came home, sleeping in her bed. She may not love the woman, but she could admit that she loved that. She loved life with Emma and the way it felt. But could she really trust that feeling?

_Emma. Remember that name. Emma. Trust her Regina._

Her own voice from ages ago filled her mind. The memory, which had eluded her all month, was suddenly all she could think about. It was as if it was brand new, but that was absurd. It was before the curse. Her one true memory of anything that had to do with Emma. She may not be able to remember the blonde's presence in her life, but there was no denying anymore that she'd been there.

She glanced sideways at the blonde woman. Their son had run off to the bathroom and Emma sat next to her quietly picking at her breakfast, a spice muffin, her eyes lost in thought.

"Are you not hungry?"

Emma looked down at her muffin. She had been tearing little chunks off every few minutes, chewing slowly. She had no appetite, but if she told the brunette that, Regina would certainly want to know why. And she couldn't answer that right now. "Just saving room." She finally looked up into the probing brown eyes next to her and tried to smile.

Regina saw through the fake smile to the sadness underneath. Something was distressing Emma. She was surprised to find that her first urge was to comfort the woman beside her. Slowly, her hand raised up, coming to cup the younger woman's cheek. "Miss Swan, there's something…"

Henry slid back into the booth across from them.

Regina's hand snapped away and she turned back to her own breakfast, her courage suddenly gone.

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Emma opened the door of the diner and held it open for her son and his other mother. Once they were all out in the soft breeze of the late morning, Emma walked back over to the black Mercedes. "I hope Mary Margaret had enough time to get everything set up for the party." They really hadn't been gone more than an hour at best. She glanced at Regina. "You're coming right?" She paled at the weak hope that infused her tone. It was not something Regina would approve of, and their morning had been going so well. She tensed, waiting for the hard look of reprimand.

But it didn't come. Regina nodded, a small hint of a smile playing on her lips. "Of course. How else would I keep you from corrupting my child?"

Emma smiled, her eyes sparkling. That had just been Regina's way of telling her that the momentary weakness was acceptable. She got into the passenger seat of the car and buckled in.

Regina glanced over at Henry with a smile. "We ready?"

Henry nodded, a grin on his face. "I'm ready for cake!"

Regina rolled her eyes at their son's one track mind, but couldn't keep the small smile of contentment from turning up the corners of her lips. She hadn't seen him this happy in her presence in a very long time; it was refreshing to know he still could be, even after finding out the truth about her in that wretched book. Maybe she wasn't giving them enough credit, this woman and their son, or more accurately, maybe she wasn't giving herself enough credit. Was it possible they could look past who she'd been? Could there really be someone out there to see through the darkness and love her still?

She put the car in drive, but kept her foot on the brake as Emma's cell phone rang. "Who'd be calling you today?"

Emma stared at the screen. "It's Graham."

"But you're on sabbatical."

"He probably just wants to wish me happy birthday." She accepted the call, putting the phone to her ear. "Hello?"

There was heavy breathing on the other side. "Emma?"

"Graham, where are you? I can barely hear you." He sounded so far away.

"I need back up at City Hall. There's been a break in. I think the perps are still here." He was whispering.

Emma glanced up at Regina. "We need to get to City Hall, right now. There's been a break in."

Regina's eyes flashed in fury. "My office?"

Emma was about to pose the question to Graham but the line was already dead.

Regina peeled away from the curb and sped through the streets towards City Hall, her expression caught somewhere between angry and lethal. Emma felt sorry for whoever was responsible for the break in. Magic or not, Regina would skin them alive.

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When they pulled up in front of City Hall, the building was dark. She saw Graham's patrol car parked off to one side; it appeared to be empty. He must already have gone inside. Emma turned to the other two occupants of the car. "You guys wait here." Her eyes focused on Henry pointedly, and then softened as they moved to Regina. "It could be dangerous." Her gaze slid back to Henry. "No…"

She jumped as something hit her window. She looked up to see Mary Margaret standing outside her window. The schoolteacher climbed into the backseat next to Henry. Emma turned in her seat to look at her. "What are you doing here?"

"Graham was helping me set up for the party. We were just running out to pick up some last minute items when he got the call. He didn't have time to take me back, so he told me to wait in the car."

Emma nodded, her gaze turning serious once more. Now yet another person she cared about was in danger. "No matter what any of you see or hear… stay together and stay in the car. Do you understand?" She didn't wait for an answer but opened her door and got out. She closed the door and set off up the side walkway to the front of the building. She heard a car door open and shut and she froze. When she turned around, she saw Regina following after her. "Did you not hear what I just said?"

"On the contrary dear, I heard you perfectly. However, you are ten shades of delusional if you think I'm going to wait in a car like a scared little lamb while some criminal is rifling through my office."

Emma knew she wouldn't win this. She could see the determination burning in the mayor's gaze. They would just waste precious time fighting over it. She sighed. "Stay behind me. If it gets too dangerous, you **will** leave."

Regina rolled her eyes. "Fine."

Emma set off towards the front doors of City Hall. She walked up to the right most red door, the one closest to her and tried the handle. It was unlocked. She held up an arm to block Regina should there be any unexpected gunfire when she opened the door, but when she opened it, she was met with an empty lobby. She ushered Regina to stay behind her as she cautiously stepped across the threshold, cursing herself for not having her sidearm. If they ran into the perps, they'd be totally defenceless.

A door at the far corner was flung open and Emma had just enough time to push Regina directly behind her and pray that the end was quick and that the brunette had time to get away and get her mother and their son to safety. The barrel of a gun poked out. It was followed by Graham.

She put a hand to her chest. It was heaving. "Graham."

He put a finger to his lips. If he was surprised to see Regina with her, he didn't show it. He was probably used to her demanding to be included in everything by now. He waved them behind him as he headed for the double doors that led to the conference hall that took up most of the first floor. He motioned Emma and Regina to one door and he took the other.

She grabbed the handle of the left door and nodded. They'd do this together.

He held up his fingers, first three, then two, then one. They each clutched their handles and yanked the double doors open.

For a moment, Emma saw only blackness and then the lights turned on, throwing the room into blinding clarity.

"SURPRISE! Happy Birthday Emma!"

The whole town seemed to be shoved into the conference hall, all with bright smiles focused on her. Emma's first instinct was to run from all the grinning faces and streamers and confetti and balloons. But just as her flight instinct convinced her legs to move her away and she managed to take two steps back, she felt something, or rather someone, warm press lightly into her back and Regina's voice slide into her ear, grounding her. "Don't look so terrified dear. Your friends, our son, and even myself did go to quite a bit of trouble to plan this for you." Emma relaxed at the words and finally let a smile cover her face.

"Were you surprised Emma?" Henry pushed his way through the crowd. Him and Mary Margaret must have snuck around and in the back entrance to the building.

She crouched down and pulled him into a hug, always mindful of his arm. "Yea kid, I was."

He beamed proudly. "Mom helped too."

"She did, did she?"

He nodded enthusiastically.

She had to admit that Regina had been a very convincing actress. She had seemed genuinely angry. She glanced over her shoulder, but Regina was too deep in conversation with Graham to notice her and Henry. She stood. It was time to unveil the secret weapon. She slowly unbuttoned Mary Margaret's trench coat and let it slip down her shoulders and off.

All conversation in the room ceased. White was definitely Emma Swan's colour. The dress reached down to her knees, making it an appropriate length, but it was so tight it fit like a second skin and had a slit that ran up the side of her thigh all the way to just below her hip. It was backless as well, the combined effect of both elements showing off more of her body than she was used to, but nothing inappropriate. She knew the effect it would have on the male population (and apparently a good chunk of the female) and she felt the surge of power in the pit of her stomach that one gets when you know you are desired, to know you possess something someone else wants and therefore have leverage over them. But when she saw David Nolan's jaw hit the ground, and his eyes flash as if he was imagining peeling that second skin off of her, she quickly felt the power drain away, replaced by violation. She grabbed Henry's hand and let him drag her through the crowd, feeling a pair of eyes burning into her back until the crowd swallowed her up.

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"Did you see the mayor's face when you took the coat off?" Mary Margret appeared next to Emma where she was leaning against a wall in the back of the room, partially hidden from the prying eyes of the crowd, taking a much needed breather from all the dancing she'd been doing, mostly with Ruby, who seemed to appreciate the dress almost as much as the men in the room.

The party had gotten into full swing quickly, everyone dancing, eating, or chatting animatedly in groups. Emma had spent the first thirty minutes mingling with everyone, thanking them for coming; she had purposely avoided Regina during that time, knowing it would only work to frustrate the mayor. Then she'd found Ruby and they'd spent two hours dancing to every song that had an adequate beat, and many that didn't, another action Emma knew would get under Regina's skin. In both worlds, Regina's jealousy and possessiveness were something Emma could bet on.

She shook her head. "Was it priceless?"

The schoolteacher nodded. "I thought her eyes were going to pop out of her head. I've never seen her look so…"

Emma understood exactly what her roommate was unable to put into words. She grinned.

Mary Margaret's own eyes grew wide as she caught sight of something across the room. "Speak of the devil…" She glanced at Emma and gestured with her head.

Emma had already spotted Regina, cutting her way through the crowd like a laser, her destination obvious. She'd kept the brunette in her peripherals all afternoon, observing her growing frustration with a sense of pride. The woman may not love her, but she certainly wanted her. "Looks like somebody finally got tired of being ignored." The blonde smirked slyly at her roommate.

"Do you want me to stay?"

Emma shook her head. "That won't be necessary."

Mary Margaret squeezed her shoulder and then departed, just as Regina reached her little hidden space of wall and came to a stop.

"Madam Mayor." Emma smiled innocently at the brunette as if she hadn't been ignoring her for nearly three hours.

Regina stepped close enough so that only Emma could hear her, but kept enough distance that any of the other partygoers wouldn't suspect anything. "You walk around here with a body that'd be considered a sin in any religion, eyes that speak of a world no one can recall, a smile like honey dripped on sugar, encased in that dress, and they have the audacity to name me evil."

Emma smirked, taking a step closer, pressing in near to the brunette and daring the mayor to step away from her, feeling her heart skip when she didn't. "Does that mean you like my dress?"

Regina met the smirk with one of her own. "I'm going to like removing your dress." She nuzzled the blonde's neck with her nose, breathing in her perfume as if it was her oxygen, a necessity for her to breathe.

Emma's smirk only became more pronounced as her eyes fluttered closed. Her hands slipped over the mayor's denim clad hips. "Who says I'm going to consent to…"

"Emma!" Henry seemed to appear out of nowhere, interrupting the two women and shattering the sexual tension between them instantly. Regina took a small step back, putting an appropriate distance between them, though a reassuring hand stayed on the small of the blonde's back for a lingering moment before being pulled away. Henry didn't seem to notice any of it. "You need to open your present."

"Henry, we already decided that we'd do that later, back at Mary Margaret's. There's just too many to do it here." She glanced at the table covered in brightly wrapped packages. Her hand ached just thinking about all the thank you cards she'd have to sign and send.

Henry rolled his eyes. "Not _those_ presents. Just this one." He held up a plain silver box with a white bow on the lid. It was compact as if for jewelry but the shape was wrong, it was too big to be a ring, too small to be a necklace, not long enough to be a bracelet. He pressed the box into her hand. "It's from me, and mom helped me with it."

Emma glanced at the little box in her hand and then at Regina. "You're in on this?"

Regina just raised an eyebrow with a smirk. "Why don't you open it Miss Swan?"

Henry was practically bouncing, so great was his excitement.

Emma opened the lid and stared at the object inside curiously. She picked it up and inspected the shiny object in puzzlement. "A key?"

Henry nodded so fast, she thought he might actually launch his head right off his shoulders. "It's to our house. You can come stay whenever you want."

Emma smiled down at the small object in her hand. This was the beginning of Regina letting down her walls. This was her ticket in. It wasn't enough to save the Enchanted Forest, to save her other life, but it was _something_.

"Do you like it?" Henry looked up at her, hope the most prominent emotion on his face.

She leaned down to kiss the top of his head. "It's amazing kid. I love it. Thank you." She glanced over at Regina, who was watching her closely, judging her reaction. "And thank you. It couldn't have been easy for you to allow this." _Considering what we discussed last night_ was the part she left unsaid.

Regina pursed her lips. "Despite my best efforts to the contrary Miss Swan, I've grown quite accustomed to having you around."

Henry glanced between his mothers. "That means she likes you."

Regina rolled her eyes, but Emma could see it was more playful than annoyed.

"Well Madam Mayor, I've grown rather accustomed to being around."

Henry looked at Regina, the ever widening grin still present. "And that means she likes you too."

Emma was about to respond when she felt his presence. She scanned the room until she saw him. He was standing off to one side, looking comfortable despite being obviously out of place here. Everyone seemed repelled by him, though he exchanged polite nods with several of the partygoers. She frowned in his direction and as if sensing her disapproval, he glanced across the room and straight at her. His direct gaze beckoned to her. "I'll be right back." She set off before either Henry or Regina could have the opportunity to object.

"I believe a Happy Birthday is in order Deputy Swan." Mr. Gold smiled as she stopped in front of him. "You do look quite lovely dearie."

She ignored the compliment. "What are you doing here Gold?"

He didn't seem offended by her tone, merely shrugging in response. "I was invited and it is a lovely party."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Something tells me you're not the party type. So what really brings you here?"

"You failed in your task dearie. Your birthday is over halfway to its conclusion."

"I can't make her love me if she doesn't." Emma looked over her shoulder back across the room to where Regina was staring back, her face blank and impossible to read. Emma knew her well enough to know that the gears were turning in her head, wondering what the pawnbroker and the blonde could possibly be discussing, a million conspiracy theories flooding her mind because she was always prone to suspicion over trust.

Mr. Gold looked positively pleased with himself, grinning with wicked intent. "Oh, but dearie, she **does**. Just as with her other half, her heart belongs only to you." His eyes danced with the insane merriment inherent of his other half.

Emma's head snapped back around to regard him, her eyes narrowing. "Then why…"

Mr. Gold shrugged, still looking rather amused. "Her head hasn't quite caught up with her heart yet I'm afraid. You see dearie, the challenge was never to make her fall in love with you; it was to make her realise that she already is."


	55. I'll Keep A Part Of You With Me Part 2

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: here is the big one, part 2, the one everyone has been waiting for. will regina realise what she's feeling in time? we shall see. but know that she is about to get properly fucked. emma did not enjoy being denied. thank you to all who continue to add this story to their alerts/favourites and those who take a moment to review. this journey would be nothing without all of you. i would hug each and every one of you if i could. enjoy and review.

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**-Chapter 54: I'll Keep A Part Of You With Me Part 2-**

Regina picked her way carefully across the grassy soil of the graveyard, working her way cautiously around the headstones towards the mausoleum at its heart. She stood before it, staring up at the stone structure that supposedly housed her father's body. He was here of course, but not in the stone sarcophagus like everyone assumed he was, but underground, as was everything else she had brought from the old world to this one.

She climbed the steps and pushed inside, closing the door behind herself. She didn't think anyone would be in the graveyard today, but her privacy was too important to risk someone stumbling upon the open door of the mausoleum and deciding to investigate. Most of the townspeople were still partying at City Hall; she had left Graham in charge of keeping order. She had dropped Henry, Emma, and Mary Margaret off at the schoolteacher's flat, quickly bowing out on the opening of gifts, stating she still had to get things ready for dinner. In truth, dinner would take very little time at all. It left plenty of time to stop here to retrieve Emma's gift.

She pushed aside the hollow stone sarcophagus and descended down the staircase into the darkness. She emerged in the torchlit underground corridor. She glanced first left and then to the right. To her left the sound of thousands of heartbeats called out to her. She ignored them and turned to the right, turning down three more matching corridors until she came to the correct door. She stepped into the room. The only thing in it was a marble podium in its center, a glass case resting on top of its flat surface. Under the glass sat the box.

She stepped up to the podium, lifting the glass and grabbing the small box. She took the note card, looking yellowed around the edges with age, and pocketed it. She replaced the glass before turning and leaving the room, clutching the small box to her heart. It had taken her until last night as she slept, when she'd finally recalled her only memory that had anything to do with the blonde, to remember the small box she'd found on her fainting couch.

She'd traced the signature of the magic later that night, just to be sure, but all tracing spells had labeled her as the caster. It had been a time transverse spell, so the only thing she could infer was that the woman who had left it had either been her past self or her future self. Considering the next day she had cast the curse and come to Storybrooke and the woman had obviously been of Enchanted Forest stock, she had decided that she must be from the past, a failsafe to remind the Evil Queen of Emma's existence, a last ditch effort to make her remember what was important.

As she found herself back in the main corridor heading for the stairs up, she stared down to where it ended at her vault of hearts. She was burning to know why she hadn't been with Emma when she cast the dark curse. She had seen the look in her eyes in the image in the hand mirror Emma had gotten from Gold; she saw the look in the blonde's eyes every time Emma looked at her. She saw in Emma's eyes that the woman knew her, on a deeper level than what they'd learned about each other over the past month. This memory, and this box, were the evidence that Emma had been telling the truth, all month long. She heard the beating of her stolen hearts and for the first time in twenty eight years, she wished she had left them in the Enchanted Forest. They were of no use to her here, gave her none of the control they did there. She had brought them here as souvenirs to her time of power, a reminder of her greatness. But she no longer felt great; she felt tired, exhausted really.

She turned and went up the stairs. There was still so much she needed to recall, blanks that Miss Swan needed to fill in for her, but one thing was for certain. After that memory, her confirmation that she had known Emma, had loved her once upon a time, she couldn't let her leave tomorrow. She had to find a way to make Emma stay. She looked at the box in her hands, hoping it would be enough to do just that.

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Emma sat amidst a graveyard of wrapping paper and bows. Behind her was a stack, a mini mountain really, of gifts. If she put together all her birthday gifts for the first twenty seven birthdays in this world, it still wouldn't equate to even half of the pile behind her. "Well that's the last of it."

Henry shook his head. "There's one more."

Emma glanced around, tossing aside discarded wrapping paper, looking for the elusive last gift. "I don't see it."

Henry plopped down on the couch. "That's cause my mom has it. It's her present for you. She said she was going to pick it up for you on her way home."

Emma regarded him with a raised eyebrow. Regina had dropped her and Henry back at Mary Margaret's flat after the party and continued home to finish preparations for the birthday dinner they'd agreed to have as a family. "Well then I suppose it's time we take all this stuff upstairs and then go home and see what it is."

Henry shook his head. "Miss Blanchard and I are having dinner at Granny's and then Ruby's coming over for movie night."

Emma glanced at her son. "I thought you were having dinner with your mother and me?"

Mary Margaret piped up from her place in the kitchen. "We thought it might be better to let you two have a night alone."

Emma shot her shocked gaze to the schoolteacher.

Mary Margaret grinned. "Happy Birthday Emma."

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She twirled the key around her fingers. She had traded out her heels for more practical flats and her borrowed trench coat had been returned to its rightful owner in favour of her red leather jacket. She had walked over to the mayor's house to give herself time to mentally and emotionally prepare for what was to come. Tomorrow would change everything. This key was going to open the door to the last night of her life as she had been living it for the past twenty eight years.

She closed her fingers around the key, clutching it so tightly that, when she opened her hand again, the outline of the key was impressed into her skin. She willed herself to take one step, then another and another. Finally, what seemed far too quickly, she was staring at the shiny gold 108. She looked at the key one last time before sticking it in the lock and turning it. The lock clicked free. She stared down at it in shock for a brief moment, only now realising that a part of her had expected it to not work, that this had all been some joke. But the key worked. She stepped inside. "Regina?" She pulled her key free, closing the door behind her and locking the deadbolt.

"In the kitchen."

Emma followed the voice to the kitchen, noting the candlelit dining room table with two place settings as she passed it. So the mayor had known about Mary Margaret and Henry's plans for the evening in advance; she must have been in on it too. It surprised her to know that her mother, her lover, and her son had managed to plan this whole day behind her back and she hadn't even suspected a thing. Regina was waiting for her with a bottle of wine and two glasses.

"You're early. I was planning on being in something slightly more… _revealing_ by the time you arrived." She was still in Emma's jeans and the silk shirt, now with a blazer to ward off the slight chill in the air of the evening. "You do love to spoil my plans Miss Swan." She appeared stern but her eyes and her tone were teasing. She set about opening the wine and pouring some into their glasses. She handed one to Emma.

The blonde accepted the glass and took a grateful sip. It was a good vintage, smooth, but it did little to calm her nerves or make her feel better. "What's for dinner?"

"Angel hair pasta, lightly dressed. But before we get to that, I have a present for you." She set down her own wine glass and then grabbed Emma's glass, putting it beside hers. She grasped Emma's hand and led her back to the foyer. "Wait here."

Regina disappeared quickly up the stairs.

Emma heard a door open and close and then some muffled shuffling. Finally the door opened and closed once more. She watched as Regina came back down the stairs just as slowly, something clutched in her hand. When she reached the bottom step, she saw it was a small box, even smaller than the one that had contained the key. It was wood, carved with sunbursts, beautiful craftsmanship for something so small. It was in impeccable condition, but there was something old about it too, antique almost. And yet it seemed familiar, as if she'd seen it before, though she couldn't decide from where.

Regina wouldn't meet her eyes. Finally, almost reluctantly, she handed it over.

Emma ran her thumb over the lid of the small box for a moment. She took a deep breath and opened it. The air left her lungs in one fell swoop. She'd seen this before but not in this world. Her mind flashed back to the moment Queen Regina had snapped her fingers and caused it to appear out of thin air. Emma traced her finger over the small locket, the memory of the brunette putting it around her neck still fresh in her senses. She set the box carefully aside on the table below the foyer mirror, letting the fine chain dangle from her fingers as she gazed at the pendant resting in her palm. "How'd you get this?" There was no way she could have known about this.

Regina frowned. "It was nearly three decades ago now, before the curse. I'd found it on my couch in the other world. I had forgotten it until just this morning." She stared at the blonde's face, noting the emotion with which Emma regarded the gift. "You've seen it before?"

Emma nodded, still unable to tear her eyes away from the necklace. "It was mine once. You gave it to me, as a birthday present, my first ever from you… and my last, there."

"May I?" Regina didn't wait for an answer. She took it from Emma and stepped around behind the blonde, moving her hair aside so she could put the necklace on and clasp it. She guided Emma around to face the round mirror on the foyer wall and they both stood in front of it, Regina's face hovering just over Emma's shoulder.

Emma touched the charm and closed her eyes; she could feel **her** there, under her fingers. It was the barest hint of feeling in a sea of a billion sensations, but she was there. Emma could feel her. Tears slipped from her eyes and down her cheeks.

"Miss Swan?"

"You have just given me something more precious than you could ever know." Emma turned and placed a kiss to Regina's forehead. Slowly she wrapped her arms around Regina and pulled her into the most honest hug either woman had experienced in this world.

The pureness of the moment unsettled Regina and all too soon, for both women, she was pulling back. "Shall we have dinner now Miss Swan?"

Emma nodded and turned for the kitchen.

Regina caught her upper arm to stop her. "No." She pulled the blonde into the dining room. She pulled out the seat at the head of the table and directed Emma into it. "Relax Miss Swan. It's your birthday." She disappeared into the kitchen, returning a few minutes later with plates of pasta and their wine glasses. After she had placed everything on the table, she took the free seat to Emma's left.

Dinner was a languid affair, broken intermittently by Emma with kisses to the back of the mayor's hand and her fingertips or so her hand could squeeze the mayor's knee under the table. Regina allowed her the little touches all with small smiles.

Finally the meal came to a close. Regina gathered the dishes, pausing to place a soft kiss to Emma's cheek before disappearing into the kitchen.

Emma grabbed their wine glasses, blowing out the candles, and followed. She set them on the counter and walked over to Regina who was rinsing the last plate.

Regina turned as she felt Emma draw close.

Emma braced her hands on the counter on either side of the mayor, effectively caging her there.

"Miss Swan…" Regina raised a questioning eyebrow as she saw the blonde's eyes fall to her lips meaningfully.

Emma leaned in closer, almost pleading. "Don't stop me now. I know you're falling for me. Your walls are breaking. Don't fight it."

Regina turned her head to rebuff Emma's advance. "Love doesn't exist here." She didn't sound angry, just defeated, as if she'd resigned herself to this impassable truth long ago.

Emma nodded, pulling away. She felt it all slipping away. "I've thought many things of you Regina, called you many names in my head and out loud in anger. But never once have I truly thought you a coward… until now." She shook her head and turned for the door, for an escape from her failure. "Don't worry." She tried unsuccessfully to keep the emotion from her voice. "We have all the time in the world now. Take as much as you need."

"Emma… I don't want to hurt you. Why do we have to define this? Can't we stay here where we are? I like where we are." _It's safe_, that went unsaid.

Emma couldn't turn around. She couldn't let Regina see how much this was destroying her. She refused to use her pain to get her way. If Regina wanted her, it couldn't be from guilt. She refused to use that to manipulate the mayor's emotions.

"Emma, come upstairs with me."

Emma hesitated, and her pause gave way to the click of heels and she knew what was coming, yet she couldn't bring herself to run from it. Arms slipped around her, dragging her back into a tight embrace.

"Come upstairs." Regina moved aside the blonde's hair and pressed a soft kiss to the tender flesh of her neck. "Let me wish you Happy Birthday properly." One of the hands around her waist started to sink lower and then slipped under the hem of her dress, sliding back up the inside of her thigh.

She grabbed the wrist before the hand was able to find its way high enough to feel how wet she was and pulled it back out of her dress. Finally she turned. She met Regina's eyes and willed herself not to cry before grasping the hand that had just been trying to invade her. The blonde headed straight for the stairs, pulling the more than willing mayor behind her. When they reached the second floor Emma made a beeline for the mayor's bedroom. She pulled Regina in, releasing her hand and closing the door softly behind them. She leaned her forehead against it a moment as she took a deep breath to steel her nerves. Then she turned to face Regina.

The mayor reached for the top button of her own silk blouse, though she still had yet to remove her blazer.

Emma stopped her with a hand over hers, stilling her movements. "Let me. It's my birthday. Let me unwrap my present."

Regina nodded and dropped her hand, sensing that Emma needed this.

Emma grabbed the collar of Regina's blazer and slowly pushed it off her shoulders and down her arms. It fell with a rustle of fabric to the ground. She pulled the tucked in silk shirt from the waist of her pants. She undid the brunette's jeans, _her_ jeans, and they slid off down her legs. Regina stepped out of them and kicked them aside. Emma ran her hands possessively over the brunette's hips and up over the silk of the button up blouse. She undid the buttons one by one from the bottom up with agonizing slowness until the soft fabric completely parted and was knocked off lean shoulders to fall soundlessly onto the growing pile of discarded clothes. Emma ran her fingers over the black lace covering Regina's chest with an almost reverence. Slowly she reached around behind the brunette until that barrier too was gone. Her fingers caressed the flesh that had just been uncovered with the same reverence. This body was one she had explored several times before in the other world and the familiarity quelled any nervous hesitation left in her. She stepped back from the brunette, shrugging off her jacket. She peeled her dress up and off, tossing it aside. She kicked off her flats and removed her lingerie before she grabbed Regina's hands. She led Regina to the bed, reached down, and hooked her fingers through the black lace between the mayor's legs, sliding down the final piece of cloth blocking her from unrestricted access to the brunette's body. Once that had been tossed aside, she took a moment to stare at the brunette before her, not with lust (though there was copious amounts of that in her system), but with a look of pure love.

Regina sat down on the edge of the bed and regarded the blonde through lust filled eyes that were somehow much softer than Emma had ever seen from the mayor before. It occurred to Emma that she was trying, fighting her own internal battle to let down her walls. It was already too late. It wouldn't be enough. But, for this Regina, it was a huge step. She'd made a lot of those lately, so much progress in such a short time, and all for Emma's benefit. It had been too much to expect her to save the world. Emma had once promised herself that she would never wish her decision on anyone else, no one should have to carry the weight of the world on their shoulders, much less the weight of two worlds. Yet Emma had broken that promise. She had just expected Regina to save them all, when that had never been her role, nor her responsibility. She fell to her knees in front of the brunette.

Regina reached down and brushed some wayward strands of blonde hair behind her ear.

Emma managed a smile. She placed a soft kiss on each of the mayor's bare knees and then softly pushed them apart. She could see Regina's need pooling at her centre, the aroma of it dizzying Emma's senses for a brief moment before she was able to collect herself. She kissed her way with deliberate slowness from the mayor's right knee, up towards the apex, skipping over it once she got there, and kissing back down the left thigh until she reached the opposite knee.

Regina rocked forward a little in quiet frustration. "Emma, I need you."

Emma smiled, her hands gliding up the outside of powerful legs until they latched firmly onto the woman's hips. She gripped them tightly as she brought her mouth to where Regina needed it most, placing gentle kisses on slick folds before finally giving the length of the older woman one strong lick.

Regina once again rocked forward, this time into her mouth, silently begging the blonde for more contact.

The blonde used her shoulders to nudge the other woman's legs even further apart before leaning in and pushing her tongue inside the brunette, not deep, just enough to tease her. Her right hand slipped down the curve of a hip and down to Regina's inner thigh, where it waited in the wings until Emma decided she had need of it. She dragged her tongue up to the hard bundle of nerves, swirling her tongue around it but avoiding direct contact.

"Emma, please, make me co…_Ohhhh_." She was cut off by her own moan as Emma pushed two fingers into her without preamble, her tongue still continuing to tease at her clit.

Emma paused for a brief moment, savoring the feel of the hot walls surrounding her fingers. She hadn't realised it would feel so good to get this, to finally earn the mayor spread out and craving her touch. If this was all she was ever going to get, she might as well relish the experience. She removed her fingers almost completely before thrusting them back in, eliciting a sweetly sharp moan from Regina. She quickly found a steady rhythmic pace as her tongue continued to swirl teasingly around the brunette's clit without touching it. It was making the apex of her thighs become sticky and slick with her own need to hear the frustrated whimpers coming from Regina. After several minutes of guiding her to the edge but not letting her tumble over, she took pity on the panting brunette and sucked the engorged bundle of nerves into her mouth, painting it with the sweet possessiveness of her tongue.

Regina's eyes slammed shut, her lips parting as the blonde's name tumbled from them in a whisper of ecstasy as she came. Her head fell back on her shoulders, a smile crossing her features. It was unintentionally obvious that she hadn't felt this good in quite some time.

Not quite yet ready to relinquish her power, Emma got up off her knees. She helped the mayor to move her body up the bed to rest her head on the pillows, her body stretched out. She draped her body over Regina's, positioning herself over her on all fours.

Emma grasped her chin, her eyes flashing down to Regina's parted lips, looking at them with such longing that Regina was sure she'd kiss her. But Emma used her firm grip on her chin to turn her head forcefully to the side, pressing her cheek down into the pillow and exposing the long column of her neck, which the blonde immediately began to nip and suck at. Her movements contained a desperate hunger, a lust driven brutality, a punishment for the month she'd been denied. The heat that rippled underneath her skin, an invisible fire that was consuming her from the inside out, made Regina question why she had thought it in her best interests to refuse the blonde for so long. Certainly there could be nothing conceivably better than this moment. She hadn't realised how much she'd truly been denying herself; the craving she'd been suppressing and ignoring was so potent that it threatened to unravel her. She wanted Emma to sink into her, not just into the source of her desire, that space between her thighs, but into her entire being. She wanted Emma's soul, this thing, this connection the blonde claimed they once had in a different world. She wanted that _here_. The feel of Emma's body against hers rang against something long buried inside her and in that moment, Regina Mills realised she wanted to love Emma, more than she'd wanted anything in a very long time. "Kiss me Emma."

Emma's head snapped up. She regarded Regina with cautious eyes, certain this was some kind of trick. She decided the brunette had been messing with her; she leaned back down and bit Regina's pulse point in retaliation. Her tongue traced the line of Regina's collarbone, dipping into the hollow at the base of the mayor's throat. Her right hand ghosted down the planes of the brunette's stomach, moving slowly southward.

"Emma… kiss me." Regina rolled her hips, silently begging the hand to keep moving closer. She was already so wet again, wanting the blonde buried deep inside her.

Once again Emma's eyes raised to regard Regina. Her hand was just inches above Regina's wetness.

Regina stared up into Emma's suspicious green eyes. She reached up and stroked the tip of a finger down Emma's cheek. "Kiss me."

Emma's fingers slid between Regina's pliant thighs.

Regina's eyes slipped shut, her lips parting in a whimper.

Emma leaned in, her mouth hovering inches above Regina's, their laboured breaths mingling together. She slid one of her fingers teasingly up and down Regina's length.

Regina forced her eyes open to find Emma's face drifting inches above hers. Her lips tingled; they wanted the soft promise of the blonde's mouth.

Emma knew better than to ask Regina if she loved her. It was too much to ask, too much to expect. She shouldn't do this, shouldn't kiss her, not like this. But what did she have to lose?

Regina watched as, inch by inch, Emma's lips descended to hers. She took a deep breath a second before they made contact. Warmth suffused her system, radiating out to her body from her lips, searing through every vein as it shot to even the darkest corners of her soul, illuminating the blackness. For a moment, the shock of feeling, truly feeling, rendered her immobile. All that changed however as Emma's exploring fingers thrust inside. She released a low moan into the blonde's mouth. Suddenly not content with being subservient, she nipped at the blonde's lower lip, aggressively deepening their kiss as her arms wrapped around Emma, her nails scratching down the creamy flesh of the blonde's back. Her hips rocked against Emma's fingers.

Emma smirked against the brunette's lips, thrusting hard and fast to meet the brunette's gyrations. She couldn't bring herself to break the kiss. She'd finally been given unrestricted access to both Regina's mouth and her body; Emma was not going to give that up without a fight. Finally, she broke the kiss, but kept her mouth close, within capturing distance. Her breathing was coming hard, sweat rolling down her back between her shoulder blades at the exertion of slamming into the brunette.

Regina's second orgasm hit with barely any warning at all. "Emma!" The brunette cried out her name, louder than the first time but no less passionately. She tangled her hands in blonde locks, directing the mouth above hers back down to hers, kissing Emma sloppily. Finally her head dropped back down to the pillow.

Emma rolled off the brunette. She hadn't nearly had her fill of the woman, but she knew she needed to give the mayor a moment to catch her breath. Her own sex throbbed achingly, practically begging her to guide the mayor's hand, or even her own, down to it, to ease its desperate ache. But she fought against the urge; it was going to have to wait.

Regina's head turned in her direction and Emma was surprised when she managed a predatory smile and rolled up to straddle the blonde's hips, placing herself dangerously close to the blonde's need.

Were this any other time, any other day, Emma would let Regina take over from there. But this wasn't any other day. It was **her** day. So when Regina looked as if she was going to make a move, Emma gripped the brunette's hips, dragging them up her torso. Regina, noticing what Emma was trying to accomplish, crawled forward until her knees were on either side of the blonde's head. Emma's fingers dug into the flesh of the brunette's hips, directing her centre down to her mouth. All it took was one lick to savour the taste before she buried her tongue deeply into the brunette.

"_Oh Emmmaaaaaa_." The end of the blonde's name was slurred as Regina placed her hands back on the bed on either side of the blonde's torso, locking her elbows so she could put her weight against her arms. She rocked into Emma's mouth, her own head falling back on her shoulders. Graham had never been this good, never felt like this, no one had.

The whole thing was having an effect on Emma's own core that made it impossible to feel completely comfortable. For every moan of abandon from Regina, Emma felt her own centre clench painfully. But it was worth it to taste the spicy essence of the woman coating her tongue, hear her various sounds as they emitted from her throat, see her head thrown back in pleasure. She had been working towards this very moment from the night she'd arrived in Storybrooke, the night she'd first met and made physical contact with Mayor Mills. Something had passed between them that night, something that had always been leading them here.

"Oh God Emma."

Emma had abandoned the mayor's entrance to suck on her clit, hard. She held Regina's hips as still as she could as she used lips, teeth, and tongue on the hard bundle of nerves. With one last hard suck, Regina's third orgasm of the night struck with a ferocity neither woman quite expected.

Regina was frozen, pressed against Emma's hot mouth as aftershock after aftershock hit. She didn't yet trust her arms not to collapse if she tried to move. Finally after the blood stopped pounding in her ears, she fell down beside Emma, resting her head against the blonde's shoulder.

After several minutes, when hearts and breathing had slowed down to a normal pace, Emma reclined on an elbow, looking down at the sensitised and spent body beside her. Her own core continued to throb, but she knew the satisfaction of her own release would never compare to watching Regina come undone. She ran her fingertips possessively over the brunette's face, reminding herself that she hadn't lost everything, this Regina still remained. Though it didn't feel the void in her heart completely, at least she got to keep a piece, a half of the woman she loved. "I really do love you."

Regina, for once, didn't tense. She reached up, pushing a few stray strands of hair behind Emma's ear before leaning up and kissing her gently. When she pulled away to look into Emma's eyes, her brown depths were filled with genuine apology. "You want so much from me." She sighed, her head dropping back to the mattress. "I'm afraid you ask too much. You must know by now that I care for you, deeply. But love… is there even such a thing here? I will ruin you dear, and I'm not sure I can handle that."

Emma nodded silently. The war had been lost. It was time to lay down her arms and retire the battlefield. "I know. Don't say I never tried." She shrugged sadly before pulling Regina into a tight hug. She placed a soft kiss on the nape of the mayor's neck. Her legs pinched against her unaddressed arousal and she winced.

As if sensing her body's desperation, Regina's hand slid slowly down the blonde's torso.

Emma trapped the hand under her own, stopping its progress.

Regina pulled back enough to look at her, her brow furrowing, just slightly, in confusion. "But it's your birthday."

Emma brought the hand she had stopped up to her lips and kissed it softly before slipping her fingers between the brunette's. "Are you happy?"

Regina looked at their intertwined fingers, a small smile gracing her face; she nodded.

Emma leaned down and kissed the brunette gently. "That's the best birthday present I could ever ask for."

Regina's eyes flashed briefly with something Emma didn't catch before the brunette rolled onto her side and curled her body against Emma's, both women noting how they fit together perfectly. She yawned deeply. "One day." The words were a whispered promise, but a promise of what, Emma had no idea. She couldn't ask Regina to elaborate, couldn't bring herself to ruin the moment with pointless talking. Regina kissed Emma's shoulder and closed her eyes. It didn't take more than a minute for her to drift off.

Only then, in the silent symphony of the mayor's breathing, did Emma Swan let the tears come.

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It was dim on the ground level of the mansion. The tall candles that adorned the surface of the dining table as they'd had dinner had been blown out immediately following the meal but she knew where Regina kept the matches. She went to the side table and retrieved the box, striking one and lighting the nearest candle. She carried her light source to the parlour. It's not as if she truly needed it; she could find the cider decanter without help but something about the small glow and the spicy apple aroma the melting wax produced was comforting. She set down the candle and poured herself a drink before taking it and the candle across the foyer and into the great room. She walked to the back windows, opening the curtains. It was dark outside, but even in the blackness she could make out the silhouette of the apple tree. She traced its outline with her eyes even as she sipped the nectar of its fruit from her glass.

She hadn't been able to bring herself to go to sleep, not when she knew she wouldn't wake up in the Enchanted Forest. This was her life now. She was stuck here in Storybrooke and even though that idea wasn't quite as daunting as it had been a month or even a week ago, it was still bittersweet. For every gain in her life, there always seemed to be the requirement of a sacrifice. But hadn't she sacrificed enough? Wasn't it time for her to get what she wanted? Just this once, couldn't she win?

Savya. Snow. James….**Regina**. They were gone now, people only real in her memory. How long would it take her to start forgetting? Twenty years down the road would she still remember the moment she'd awoken Regina from her slumber? Would she remember her childhood home or the way her father used to place her upon his shoulders and walk down to the edge where the land met the sea? He had always promised to take her across it one day, to the far away lands on the other side. They'd never have that chance now.

She turned from the window as the first drops of rain hit the glass. The piano was just before her. If she closed her eyes she could just picture Queen Regina sitting at one, in a different room, in a different world. She smiled to herself even as the tears slipped once more from her eyes.

The bench was cold as she sat on it. She didn't have the sheet music but as she set the glass down on the bench beside her and her left hand found the locket around her neck, she realised she no longer needed it. The memory was strong and her fingers slipped easily over the keys, putting music to the falling of her tears. The rain pattered outside, a thundering backbeat to the melody she played.

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The bed was empty when she awakened. The sheets beside her had already gone cold. Emma was gone. She had left. Regina was hardly surprised but unpleasantly disappointed. Why should she care? Wasn't this what she had wanted from the moment the blonde had shown up on her doorstep with their son? _Their_ son. It was remarkable the little changes that had occurred in her since Emma had arrived. As much as the blonde had the ability to infuriate her, she also was starting to realise that Emma Swan also brought out the very best in her. All she had been before she'd found herself thrust into the role of villain she saw reflected back in Emma's green eyes. She was the first person to look at Regina and see beyond what everyone else saw. She saw the woman not the deeds. How could she do that? How could she look into Regina's eyes and see straight down to her very soul?

And then there was the always prevalent question of why she couldn't remember her. There was no longer any doubt in Regina's mind that she had known Emma in the Enchanted Forest. She had seen the other night in the mirror… and that memory from her past this morning. She had known Emma, had loved her once upon a time. They fit together so well. But why couldn't she remember her? Had it been to protect the blonde, or herself? Either way, Emma came here to this world, with all her memories, knowing exactly who Regina had been and all she had done; she could easily have just gone on with her life, knowing Regina would never remember her. She could have laid their past to rest, started over, but she hadn't. She had come here to Storybrooke, saw that she hadn't yet changed her ways, and she still wanted her anyway. She still loved her just as much as she once had.

She felt her heart clench painfully. Emma was gone. She'd made it clear to the blonde yesterday that she thought she should go. What if she truly had? What if she had left Storybrooke for good, as Regina had suggested? Henry would hate her. She hated herself. What had she _done_? Had she just thrown away the only person who could possibly make her happy?

As if in response to her question, she heard music. It was a song she recognised, a song long buried in her memories. She got up from the bed, grabbing Emma's jeans and sliding them on. Her silk shirt was not among the clothes on the floor; Emma must have it. She saw Emma's overnight bag still on her vanity chair. She unzipped it and grabbed the first shirt she saw, a loose fitting band t-shirt covered in small holes from several years of wear. She held it to her nose, surrounding herself with the scent of Emma. She pulled it on and exited the room. She crept down the stairs, her bare feet making no sound at all. The song was descending towards its conclusion as she reached the ground floor.

Emma was at the piano, her fingers drifting across the keys with a practised familiarity. Regina could see the tears glinting in the candle light on the white of the keys. Emma had been crying; it was possible she still was. The brunette felt her heart clench once more, urging her to correct the situation, to make the blonde smile again. But how could she when she was the reason for the tears in the first place?

She sensed Regina's presence but couldn't bring herself to stop. Stopping would mean she'd have to turn and turning would certainly let Regina see the carnage her tears had ravaged across her face. But the song had an end and she reached it all too quickly for her liking. She picked up her half full glass and brought it to her lips. She didn't notice how bad her hand was trembling until she opened her mouth to drink. She took a quick gulp and held the glass in both hands in her lap. "What are you doing up?"

"I could ask you the same thing." When Emma wasn't forthcoming, Regina continued. "My sheets became cold."

Emma managed a small smile but she hid it behind the tumbler as she took another gulp of her drink. She set the glass down on the top of the piano and looked up to see that the mayor had once again pulled on her jeans and had thrown on her favourite old band t-shirt. She looked so sexy in the blonde's clothes, her normally perfect hair mussed from sex and sleep. Emma turned back to the keys, trying to quell the desire pooling in her stomach. "I'm sorry. I couldn't sleep and I didn't want to wake you."

Regina came over and sat down next to Emma on the bench. She reached over and grabbed Emma's glass, still a quarter full, and downed the rest with a throwback of her head. She set the empty glass down, taking a deep breath. Her eyes watched as the rain hit the window and then trailed down the glass outside, casting the edges of the rose bushes just outside to an indistinct blur. "Will you be leaving Storybrooke Miss Swan?" She dreaded the confirmation she knew was coming. What if her chance had passed?

Emma shook her head, her own eyes staring at the rain on the window. "No. I'm quite sure I couldn't leave, even if I wanted to."

Regina glanced at her in surprise, her eyes vulnerable. "Why?"

Emma felt the tears once again sting her eyes, tumbling from the corners in a waterfall of betrayal, metaphorically exposing her throat to the one person who could cut it. "Because I know, with time, I could survive you not being able to love me back, and I also know, with certainty, that I can never survive not seeing her… _your_ face again." She closed her eyes, willing the tears to stop. "You're all I have left of that world, and even though you can't remember what we had together, you are her and she is you." Emma stood. "I am in love with the Evil Queen, and you are the only part of her that remains. Where else exists for me now?" She walked out of the room. This was too much. It was all too much.

Her feet carried her through the dining room and down the corridor to the back door. She unlatched it and stepped out into the tears falling from the eyes of the sky. The rain fell in a torrential downpour now, a constant sheet that seemed unstoppable. It soaked through the silk shirt, slicked down her bare legs, pasted her hair to the sides of her face. She wasn't quite sure what made her come out here, maybe she was hoping it would wash it all away, the pain, the disappointment, just wash it all out of her system.

She gripped the locket in her hand, wanting desperately to know that she'd get the other world back, that she'd get to hold her once again. She was supposed to be the saviour. Why couldn't she have them both? She loved them both. The Mayor _and_ the Queen. The Dark _and_ the Light. She loved them **both**.

"Emma."

She could barely hear the name being called from her place beneath the apple tree. She turned, finding the rain so thick that she could barely make out the brunette's body, framed by the halo of light in the doorway from the kitchen corridor. But somehow, she could see her eyes crystal clear. And she saw something in them that made her heart stop. It couldn't be.

For a moment, they stared across the space between them, only some thirty feet but somehow it seemed greater. It was both a physical and an emotional distance, each tangible in both their minds, the distance that separated them both vast and diminutive all at once. Neither of them moved, Regina still afraid of showing weakness and Emma not willing to be the only one giving herself over anymore.

And then… Regina moved, launching herself from the safety of the house and into the downpour. She ran barefoot across the grass, her clothes soaking through before she'd even made it halfway to the blonde. She threw herself the last few feet and slammed into Emma, throwing her arms around the blonde's neck. "Stay with me." It was barely a whisper into Emma's ear. "Don't leave me. I love you."

The second the words left her lips, Regina realised the depth of that truth. She was in love with Emma Swan. She _could_ love. She was still capable of it. Emma, and Henry, they were proof of that. "I love you." She said it again, stronger this time.

Emma pulled their mouths together, her head swimming, flashing between images of Queen Regina and Regina Mills like a movie on fast forward. Her arms drew the brunette closer and, in response, she felt the brunette smile genuinely against her lips.

Regina's hands tangled in fabric at Emma's torso. She dragged them back towards the safety of the house. The second they stepped into the kitchen corridor, the brunette was pulling off her ruined silk shirt from Emma's body. It fell to the floor with a wet plop. She shimmied out of the wet jeans and pulled the t-shirt off over her head, never letting their lips part for more than two seconds. And then she was dragging Emma through the house, their ice cold skin bumping as they blindly shuffled to the stairs and then up them. They ran into walls here and there as they fumbled back into the master suite, ignoring the bed in favour of the en suite bathroom.

Emma turned the shower on, turning up the hot water, as Regina crouched down behind her to remove her saturated underwear, kissing the backs of her thighs and then back up over the rounded curve of her ass and slowly up the trail of her spine. She pushed aside limp wet locks to kiss the back of her neck. Her arms slid around Emma and over the blonde's stiff cold breasts. Emma lifted her hands to press down over the ones on her breasts, holding them there, luxuriating in how they brought warmth back to her skin.

She finally broke away and stepped into the shower, pulling Regina with her. Their flesh slapped together as they crashed against the shower wall, attached at the mouth.

Emma pulled her mouth away first. "Say it again." She sucked at the flesh of the brunette's neck.

Regina smiled, her hands sliding over the slippery skin of the blonde's torso. "I love you Emma."

Emma bit her bottom lip to suppress the grin that wanted to break across her face.

Regina pressed Emma harder against the tile wall and bent, taking a hard nipple into her mouth, sucking the peak to warm it up. Once some of the cold stiffness was gone, she moved to the other.

Emma ran her hands across the expanse of the brunette's back, dragging her fingers around, tracing muscles through her skin. Finally she put a hand to each of the brunette's cheeks and lifted her face, capturing her lips again. Regina loved her. Regina, _both Reginas_, loved her. She'd done what she had been destined to do. The only question now was would it be enough?

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Emma's head laid over Regina's heart, tapping a finger on the brunette's stomach in time with her heartbeat. She glanced up at the woman who was reclined back against the pillows running her fingers through blonde hair. "What changed your mind?"

Regina was quiet for a long moment before she answered. "I came to this world to get my happy ending. Maybe that's you. Maybe my happy ending has always been you, in this world and the last."

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A/N2:: so to balance out the lack of a new episode tonight i have bestowed upon you a happy mayor chapter. yay! enjoy it while you can because all good things must come to an end. true love was never meant to be simple.


	56. Seems A Heavy Choice To Make

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: an update unlike what you've seen before in this story, i think it's about time regina met herself, don't you? it's going to be an interesting reunion. the plan is to take this to 70 to 75 chapters, possibly more.

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**-Chapter 55: Seems A Heavy Choice To Make-**

Apparently those three little words, while they hadn't broken her curse as she had suspected they would, had worked some kind of magic. They had imbued Miss Swan with a hearty sexual appetite. It was as if the woman was desperate to refrain from sleep, afraid of something that would come when she closed her eyes. Any questions from Regina had been silenced with kisses and touches. Her fingers had this distracting way of slipping between the brunette's thighs every time the mayor opened her mouth to discuss what was to come next for them. The blonde was insatiable.

But her energy had finally run out sometime in the dark hours just before dawn, unable to keep herself awake any longer. She'd had tears in her eyes as they'd finally slipped closed, a terror set deep into their swirling green depths as if scared of what sleep might bring. Quick to jump to the more obvious conclusion, Regina had brushed her fingers through the blonde's hair with a smile. "I'll be here when you wake up darling. I'm not going anywhere."

Tears had slipped from Emma's eyes. "I know. Tomorrow is going to be…. I want you to know that, I may be sad tomorrow, but I love you. You're enough, you and Henry **are** enough. Always know that."

The words had confused Regina in that moment and they confused her still as she tiredly watched the gloom outside their window recede in the wake of the coming dawn. She had expected the world to crumble around her when she'd finally tore down the last of the walls around her heart and let Emma Swan in. But it hadn't. There had been no storm of magic filled smoke, no outraged mob of townspeople crying for her head. It had been amidst a cleansing downpour, rain that had effectively washed away all the barriers that remained between them. She let herself become exposed, let the blonde see through it all to the Queen. And Emma had loved her still, as she had promised she would. Maybe that was a better kind of magic. But still, every curse had a conclusion, something to end it, so why hadn't this one broke? She was trying not to dwell too much on the details, knowing how easily she could become consumed with trying to puzzle it out.

Her eyes started to drift closed. They would need to discuss it all once they both had rested. Before they went to pick up their son, together, they'd need to get everything on the table. They had to go into this with open eyes; it was the only way it would ever work. They couldn't hide from each other in the disguise of who they'd once been in a different world. Emma deserved more and, honestly, Regina Mills was exhausted with keeping up the charade. Maybe it was the right time to let everyone finally see the truth. What was the point of keeping it up anymore? With Emma Swan by her side, she suddenly didn't fear the coming days. They'd figure it out… _together_.

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She didn't remember falling asleep but she woke not long later. The sun had barely made any progress in its ascent into the sky, a confirmation that she hadn't slept long, though she felt as if she had been out for hours. Emma still slept soundly beside her. She smiled and pressed her body closer to the blonde's, nipping softly at the woman's shoulder. Emma didn't respond. Regina nuzzled the blonde's neck, kissing her jaw. Again, no response. She huffed in frustration, her hand sliding under the duvet down to Emma's thigh, stroking her skin softly. Not even a huff, or a grunt. In fact, not even a breath.

Regina sat up, her eyes staring intensely at the woman beside her, watching for the telltale rise and fall of the girl's chest. It was nearly thirty long seconds of stillness before Regina cupped her hand over the blonde's mouth. She felt no rush of wind, no puff of breath expended from lungs. Emma wasn't _breathing_. Regina crawled over the blonde, straddling her. She gripped Emma's shoulder and shook her hard. "Emma! Emma!" Not again. Her panic manifested physically, bile rising up in her throat, threatening to make her retch, but she managed to hold it down. This wasn't like last time. Last time she'd just been sleeping, but at least she'd been breathing.

Despite the twenty eight years she'd spent in this world, she still leaned toward the surreal when there was something in her life she couldn't explain. It was easier to tell herself that this was all the result of a sleeping curse, rather than admit that Emma might actually be…. Had this been what Emma had meant? Had the blonde somehow known that if Regina didn't realise her feelings before the conclusion of her birthday, that she would…? It made all Emma's cryptic statements make sense, all her desperation. Had this been Regina's fault? No, she refused to think that. This couldn't be over.

CPR. That was what she needed to do. She felt for the appropriate spot on the blonde's chest and thrust five counts in. She leaned down, plugging the blonde's nose and blowing air into her lungs. Her eyes caught sight of her clock as she sat back up to continue her thrusts and her efforts ceased. The second hand was frozen, leaving the clock stuck at six. She reached for her cell on the bedside table and picked it up. She accessed the clock feature and it too was frozen. _Time_ was frozen.

Her first response was to breathe a sigh of relief. Emma was alive. She was fine. Just frozen at a moment in time. But that begged the question of why Regina **wasn't**. She looked around the room. Nothing was out of place. Everything was as they left it in their lust fueled haze from that morning.

Slowly, she got off the bed, reaching for her silk robe. She pulled it on to cover her modesty and went to the door of the room. She was loathe to leave Emma, but obviously staying here was going to do nothing to make time start again. This was the work of magic, there was no other possible explanation for it. But it couldn't be the breaking of the curse, could it? She had expected storms and an apocalyptic type display, but was this what it was truly meant to be? Had time stopped for good?

She checked each of the rooms upstairs, looking for any sign of what had caused the time freeze. She found nothing. A search of the ground floor proved just as fruitless. The house was exactly as it should be. Everything was where they had left it, from the empty crystal tumbler on the piano bench to the pile of discarded wet clothes in the kitchen corridor.

She wasn't sure why she made the decision to go into the back yard. But she found herself standing in the doorway of the kitchen corridor, just as she had the night before, staring out towards her prized honey crisp apple tree. Beneath the tree, in the gloom of early morning, stood a mirror.

The surface of the glass rippled. She couldn't discern the picture on the other side, just that it wasn't a reflection of the yard. It was gloomy. She recognised the mirror instantly; it was quite like the one she'd pushed her mother through so long ago. It was a portal to another world; the only question left was, _where_? Her mind irrationally told her to consult Gold, after all, he'd brought the first mirror to her magically, instructing her to dispose of her mother through it. But, if everyone else was frozen, Gold would be too, he could offer no help. She only had one option. She knew that she needed to go through it, to resume time; her answers lay on the other side of the glass.

She turned and went back into the house. It wouldn't do to escape into some foreign world for an indeterminate amount of time in just her robe. She had no idea what she'd be met with on the other side of the glass. Wonderland? The Enchanted Forest? Neverland? Another of the thousand realities that she hadn't even heard of? There was no way to know until she went through.

She dressed in a long sleeved shirt and grabbed a light jacket. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. She opted for grabbing a fresh pair of jeans from Emma's duffel. She liked the way they felt on her body and she could admit that the idea of having something of the blonde's when she went through the mirror calmed her to a certain extent. It was always good to have something to tie you to your world; it made it easier to get back.

As soon as she was dressed, she sat on the edge of the bed, running her fingers gently through Emma's hair. She leaned down and placed a kiss onto still lips. "I'll find out what has happened, I promise." She stood, biting her lip. "I won't let you down."

The mirror was still there as she stepped once more into the backyard. There was no need to lock the door behind her. With time frozen, no one would attempt to break in. She crossed the yard to the apple tree for the second time in less than twelve hours. The glass of the mirror rippled the closer she came, reacting to her presence. She came to a stop before it. It roiled in tight waves like liquid mercury, urging her to step into its unknown depths.

She took a deep breath, sparing a moment to look up at the house, not knowing if she ever would see it again. She steeled herself against the consequences and stepped through the surface of the looking glass.

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She stepped out into the world on the other side of the mirror, a shot of energy crackling through her body, prickling her skin as it traversed her veins. She smirked to herself at that old familiar feeling, not felt in so long, but so fresh in her memory like a lover's touch. **Magic**. Wherever she was, magic existed here. She'd have an advantage over whatever she was here to face. It helped calm her uncertainty. She wasn't defenceless.

She glanced over her shoulder and was met with the surface of the mirror just as it had been on her side except now it was black and dormant. She turned and touched it. Her hand met a solid unyielding surface. She wouldn't be getting back this way. Her only option was forward.

The room around her was unfamiliar to her; she'd never been here before that she could recall. She appeared to be in a cave of some sort. It was gloomy, with stalactites and stalagmites, all the trappings of a typical cavern. For a brief moment her mind considered that she might be in the old mine, deep in it's heart where she'd stashed the remnants of the old world, but then she shook the thought away. The transport mirror could only connect worlds, not two places in the same world. This was somewhere new, but _where_?

A muttered word and she was cradling a heatless fireball in her hand. She used it to inspect the wall of the cavern closest to her. She was in a wide tunnel. The mirror seemed to block the way completely behind her, so she started forward, deeper into the darkness. Etchings covered the cave wall in a language she'd never heard before. Something was atypical about this cave, it seemed to hum with power. Wherever she was, it was magical.

She wasn't sure how long she walked. It could have been hours, or merely minutes. The darkness persisted, the walls unchanging. Just when she was certain she was trapped in a labyrinth of some sort, she emerged into a stone chamber. It looked like the typical receiving hall in any castle, carved ivory marble columns lined the walls, strands of blue threading through the stone like veins under porcelain skin, tapestries hung between them, depicting scenes she'd never seen before, from histories she'd never heard of, battles and love, an array of unrelated pictures, each tapestry telling an different story than the next and yet they all seemed to belong. The only furniture was three regal looking chairs arranged in a triangle, facing each other, on a rug at the center of the room, a low table between them. Torches adorned each column, lighting the chamber. She extinguished her own light source with a clench of her fist, it sizzled in its dying lament and was gone.

She walked cautiously towards the chairs, looking around her, readying herself for an attack. It could come from anywhere at any moment. She felt eyes in the darkness. She could see mouths of other tunnels, identical to the one she'd just emerged from, looming in the dark beyond the columns.

"Somehow, I _knew_ you'd fail. You always were agonizingly stubborn."

Regina froze. She recognised the voice that spoke as her own, the octave slightly off, but just a hint, almost the voice of… but that was **impossible**.

The Evil Queen emerged from behind a column, her hand trailing over its marble surface. She regarded the mayor from halfway across the hall, her eyes skimming over the woman. "Somehow, I expected you to be a little… well, _**more**_. The way she talked of you, I expected to feel more intimidated." Her voice dripped with it's familiar disdain, as if she were speaking to some lowly slave.

The mayor pushed aside her ire at being talked to in such a way and frowned. "Who?"

Regina rolled her eyes as if she were regarding someone insufferably stupid. "_Emma_."

"You know Emma? You _remember_ her?" The mayor took another step forward before catching herself and halting her progress. She still didn't know if this apparition was a threat. It could be a ghost, some kind of wraith meant to trick her. She had to be prepared for anything, an attack could come from any place at any time. She kept repeating that to herself.

The Evil Queen rolled her eyes. "Of course I do. She's my wife."

"Your wife?" Well that was an unexpected response. It threw the mayor off for a moment.

"Or at least she was, before you **ruined** everything." The woman seemed lost in her own thoughts, continuing without acknowledging the mayor's question. "I handed the answer to you on a silver platter. How could you still manage to mess it up? Well, look who I'm talking to. You always were willful and obstinate, never letting anyone in."

That wasn't true. She had let Emma in. She had spent this whole month fighting to let the woman in. She loved her. Regina felt the electricity in her system prickling just beneath the skin of her fingertips, flaring dangerously hot.

The queen didn't miss a beat. "I warned her that you were no good for her, that you would only break her heart. You're too far gone I warned. But she wouldn't **listen**. She thought you were _redeemable_." She glared for a moment at the mayor. "Because she was good, and you destroyed her like you destroy everything else in your path!"

In that moment, the mayor saw her mother in the brown eyes staring at her in hatred. And there was nothing she wanted more than to wipe that image, the mirror image of her every failure from this place. She threw out her hand instinctively, sending a bolt of violet energy careening across the space between them.

The queen raised a hand, narrowly deflecting the attack, sending it straight into one of the marble columns. Instead of splintering under the energy as it should have, it absorbed it, glowing briefly for a moment before paling again to white marble.

The mayor didn't take time to think about what she had just seen as she dodged a bolt of magic sent straight for her head. Again she shot back in retaliation. There was nowhere to hide in this empty room. The chairs and table would provide no shelter. Her only option was the columns. She dived behind one, pressing her back against it to catch her breath. She peeked around the corner just in time to see the queen disappear behind a column on the other side of the room. She waited until she saw the woman's head peek out, sending a bolt crashing at her. The column she was hiding behind absorbed it. The queen sent one right back at her, then another. Both were absorbed by the mayor's column. This obviously wasn't effective. "Where are we?" She called out, her voice echoing clearly through the chamber.

"Some version of the afterlife I would assume." Came the reply.

"We're not dead. At least, _I'm_ not. I have no idea what you are."

The Evil Queen smirked. "Don't you recognise me dear? I am your failure. You failed to let her in and now, I'm sentenced to endure eternity here, without my love and without my daughter."

"How is your presence here **my** fault?"

"I see you two started the reunion without me." A new voice interrupted.

Both women turned to the head of the hall to face their newcomer, coming cautiously around their columns, switching between regarding the woman coming towards them and each other, trying to decide the bigger threat. Delicate bare feet crossed the floor attached to long legs. She was very obviously female with curves for days. Her dark brown hair fell around her shoulders in dark waves, reaching down towards the small of her back. Her skin was deeply tanned, her exotic eyes a deep gray. She was barely and simply dressed in a toga-like garment of navy roughspun. If she wasn't so clean, both Reginas would be inclined to think she was a street urchin of some sort, a courtesan. But she looked more the part of oracle. Maybe that's exactly what she was.

The woman smirked, walking into the midst of the chairs and taking a seat in one. She gestured carelessly for the two women to do the same. "As entertaining as it is to watch Regina, as you tear yourself apart, I am a busy woman, and time is against you here."

The mayor narrowed her eyes. "Where is here?"

The woman regarded her. "You are in Eternity."

"And you are?" The queen regarded the woman, her arms crossed over the ivory of her gown. Ivory? The mayor had never remembered wearing ivory as the Evil Queen.

The woman stared between them with a knowing smirk, the confidence of someone who holds all the cards. Again she gestured to the other two seats. Reluctantly, the women each took one.

"I have a name, though few know it, but many know me by title. I am Fate."

Both Regina's mirrored the same look, a look of disgust.

Fate pretended as if she didn't notice. "You." Her head swung to the right to regard Queen Regina. "Don't play fair. You broke the rules."

"We were facing death, do you think I care for rules now?"

Fate smirked. "Hardly, you never did care for them much anyway."

"I did what I had to do." Her mouth was a thin line. "It's not my fault that **she** is too stubborn to heed good advice." She turned her glare on her Storybrooke half for a long moment before she looked at the other woman. "Please, give me Emma back."

Fate's face fell into a sour expression. "She didn't fail. On the contrary, she succeeded quite spectacularly."

All the anger left the queen's face. "She did?" Her gaze fell once more on her other half. "You did?"

The mayor had never been so confused. "I have no idea to what either of you are referring."

"Emma!" The queen's exasperation came back. "Did you or did you not fall in love with her?"

"I don't see how it's any of your business." She glared back at her other half with just as much disdain. "But yes, I did."

"Regardless of your interference in the matter…" Fate look displeased.

The mayor narrowed her eyes. "What interference?" And then it hit her like a ton of bricks. "The time transverse spell… that was_ you_?"

"Oh look, she's finally catching on." Queen Regina rolled her eyes. She knew she was being more than a little hostile towards her other half, but it was more difficult than she had ever imagined sitting in the room with everything she never wanted to be again. This woman was the reason why she didn't get Emma all to herself. Regina did not like to share.

"The fact remains that the prophecy has been fulfilled."

Queen Regina sat forward in her chair. "So what happens now?"

"That is up for you both to decide." Fate gave the barest twitch of a finger and an hourglass appeared on the small table between them, the navy sand cascading down. Another flick and a large mirror, similar to the one the mayor had traveled through to get to this place, appeared. "You have until the last grain falls to make a decision. One day. The mirror will be your guide. All you need to do is think of Emma and step through and it will show you all you need to know. Plead your case to each other and come to the best conclusion for both." Fate stood and turned from them. "At the conclusion of your day, you will be transported back here, regardless of where you are. Then you must make your decision. Choose carefully, for there is no changing your fate once it has been determined." She started up the hall.

"Wait." The mayor stood as well. "What will happen to the one we don't choose? Are we condemning all those people to die?" How was that fair? No matter what they chose to do, they'd lose.

"The souls will be returned to whichever world you choose. They will lose all their memories of the lives their other halves have lived. The world you choose not to save will have never existed." Fate let the implications of that hang between them as she retreated once more into the darkness and was gone.

The mayor glanced over at the other woman, this imposter who was a mirror image of the woman she used to be. "Well that's settled then. You forfeit your world; it's as simple as that."

The queen's eyes widened in anger. She practically launched herself out of her chair, stepping up to the mayor threateningly. "No, you forfeit yours!"

The mayor examined her nails as if she found this line of conversation exceedingly tiresome. "And why should I do that _dear_?"

"Because I loved her first."

The weight of that statement hung heavily in the air between them, crackling with an energy of its own. One Regina had nothing to fire back with while the other felt her desperation slowly consuming her, the words she just uttered taking her anger with them.

"She is everything to me. She is my wife. We have a daughter."

"And we have a son! Don't you see? This is an impossible choice!"

Queen Regina's eyes swung to the mirror. No matter what it showed them it wasn't like to change either of their minds, but they had nothing to lose. "Show me. Show me who she is when she's not with me."

They each moved to the mirror. Just as before, the glass began to ripple the closer they got. The mayor took a deep breath. She felt something touch her hand and looked down. The queen's fingers slipped through hers as she grabbed hold of her hand. She looked into brown eyes that were a reflection of her own. They both gave each other a nod and closed their eyes. Both thought of the moment the blonde had entered their lives. Mayor Regina thought of Emma's eyes, filled with wonder that night they'd first met when Emma had returned Henry to Storybrooke. Queen Regina thought of Emma that night she had awoken her from her slumber in the crystal coffin, the blonde's smile just moments before she'd fallen asleep. Together, they stepped through the looking glass.


	57. If I Only Could Decide

DISCLAIMER:: do not own ouat or its characters. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: finally an update. i know it's taken a long time and for that i do apologise but i am an adult with a job and that job has demanded the greater part of my attention during the holiday season. luckily things are winding down starting the 7th.

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**-Chapter 56: If I Only Could Decide-**

Queen Regina felt the magical tingle fill her veins as she passed through the mirror hand in hand with the mayor. A crackle that dispersed through her system as it did every time magic touched down in her system. She felt the mayor's hand drop from hers and for the brief moment when they were stepping between worlds, she felt around blindly to get it back. But before she could find her other half in the void, she slipped through the surface of the mirror and into a world she'd never seen before.

An array of sensations assaulted her at once. The crackling of magic left her system so suddenly that she felt a shock like touching metal when filled with static electricity and that sharp bite you feel at the release of it into the metal. Her boots made a squelching sound as they touched to the ground and she smelled recently fallen rain on the air. The air was chilly and bit at the tan skin of her face, sending a blush across the flesh.

She had stepped out beneath a tree. She looked up at it. It was a tree she recognised. It was _her_ tree, her apple tree. She put her hand to its trunk and stroked the bark fondly. "Hello, old friend." She bit her bottom lip as she stared lovingly at this tree that she'd nutured from a sapling. Her first true child and the first thing she'd ever cared for, prior even to Daniela.

The area around her was foreign to her. A white building stood off to her side. It was odd. Not big enough to be a castle, but too big to be the cottages and manor homes that filled the cities of the Enchanted Forest. It wasn't secure enough to be a stronghold. Her hand dropped from the tree and she stepped closer to the building. It appeared to be a residence of some sort.

A back door was not far away. She walked cautiously toward it, her senses attuned to the world around her. It was dawn, the sun just barely peeking out over the horizon beyond the trees that bordered the yard where the tree was. She knew an attack could come from any direction. Her eyes swept the yard as she slowly moved towards the door.

Her hand touched the handle and she tried to open it. It was unlocked. She stepped from the chilly morning air and into a thin corridor. Wet clothes lay strewn haphazardly in little piles on the floor of the corridor. She closed the door quietly and stepped over the piles. She emerged from the corridor into a kitchen. It was smaller and much more compact that the kitchens in the palaces in which she'd lived, even smaller than the one at Millhaven. She walked around. The ovens had odd doors and there were several machines she'd never seen before.

She moved into a smaller corridor and emerged into a room with several doors and a staircase leading off of it. One room with no door just an archway that led into it was dominated by a dining table with several chairs around it. Another had a piano and couches visible through the open archway. The door to another was opened to reveal a dark room that smelled faintly of apples and alcohol.

She climbed slowly up the stairs, listening for any signs of life. The residence was eerily silent. When she reached the second floor landing she was faced with a u-shaped corridor of several closed doors. The first one she tried opened up to a messy chamber of blues. A child's room by the looks of it. There were bookshelves with loads of books, toys collected in piles on the ground, the bed was unmade. She smiled softly to herself as she closed the door.

A few more she tried offered up odd looking bathing chambers and several bed chambers that appeared impersonal and unoccupied. Finally she reached the last door at the end of the left arm of the U. She listened, her ear pressed to the white door but no sound could be heard. Just as with the others, she opened it slowly, wary of a possible attack.

The room was slightly messy, clothes once again strewn around. There was a bag open on a chair with even more clothes falling from it. But that was hardly what grabbed her attention. Her eyes were fixed on the figure on the bed, blonde hair and the arch of a bare back turned towards her that she knew intimately. "Emma." The name came out of her lungs in an exhalation.

She raced around the bed to the other side, crouching before the blonde. Her eyes were closed but the rise and fall of her chest suggested that she was just asleep. Regina let out a sigh of relief. A sheet and duvet protected the blonde's modesty from the world. Regina reached out a tentative hand and stroked the woman's fair cheek softly. Emma mumbled softly in her sleep and shifted. The duvet fell away at the slight movement, leaving nothing but the sheet carelessly draped over the woman's torso, her nipples straining against the soft satin of the material.

Regina closed her eyes, tamping down her sudden surge of arousal. The way this woman affected her was instantaneous and mind-blowing. No one had ever had this much power over her before. Once she was sure she could handle the view, her eyes slipped open again.

Emma turned over in her sleep, mumbling more incoherent musings that Regina couldn't decipher and she was met again with the familiar sensuous curve of the blonde's spine. But... Regina's heart froze in her chest. Her fingers reached out and slid over an iridescent imperfection in her skin. There were several more randomly strewn across her back. Scars. Scars she did not recognise. This was Emma, but it was not _her_ Emma.

She stood so fast she almost fell backward with the momentum. A door stood open to another bathing chamber on the far wall and she rushed towards it, shutting the door softly behind her, cutting off her view of the blonde on the bed. She placed her hands on either side of the sink, staring down into it, breathing deeply trying to calm herself. What was this? What had happened to Emma? What was this place? And where was her other half?

She looked up into the large mirror before her and a yelp escaped her throat. Staring back at her was the face of the mayor. She lifted a hand, as did the reflection. She brought it up to her cheek and the reflection mimicked the gesture. Her fingers ran through her hair. It was decidedly shorter than what it had been before she'd stepped through the mirror hand in hand with the woman whose reflection now stared back at her. What was this? She looked down at her body for the first time. She was dressed in the odd clothing that the mayor had been wearing in Eternity. Somehow, she was in the mayor's body.

It hit her then. Fate's message. They had one day to show each other why their world was the one to be saved. What better way to do that than to live a day in each other's world, to live their life, see what they see, do what they do. It was quite brilliant actually. The most direct and best way for each of them to make an educated decision.

Slowly she pushed away from the sink and went back to the door, opening it just a little. She peeked out at the woman asleep on the bed. So this was Emma when she wasn't with her. This was her other half. She looked mostly the same, but then again, so did she. She was the mirror image of the mayor with minor adjustments, such a wardrobe and haircut, so she shouldn't be surprised that Emma so closely resembled the Queen of the Enchanted Forest. But there was something decidedly less regal about her, even in sleep. Her body was looser, more relaxed.

She crossed the room and sat on the empty half of the bed, observing the woman, who was now turned towards her. Her nails were shorter than the Queen's and had a paint of some sort on them. Smaller scars dotted her fore and upper arms here and there. This girl seemed to be a battle ground of suffering. She stroked down the bare arm, her fingers mapping out the scars on the woman's skin.

"Mmm, why are you dressed?" Emma's half opened green eyes regarded her. "And your hand's cold. Have you been outside?" Her eyes opened fully, her head lifting a little off the pillow as she regarded the woman before her.

Regina felt her heart thump happily in her chest, or rather, the mayor's chest. Emma's eyes were the same. She looked into them and the eyes of her Queen stared back out at her, unchanged. This was her Emma but, just like she was herself, wrapped in a different skin. She smiled. "I was just running an errand darling. I didn't mean to wake you, go back to sleep."

The blonde laid her head back down to the pillow but didn't close her eyes. "Are you coming back to bed?" She seemed to be testing Regina somehow, though the brunette didn't understand the fear and hesitance on the blonde's face.

Regina didn't respond, just began to peel off the clothes that covered this body. As soon as they were all condemned to the floor, she slid under the duvet and sheet, pulling both up and around them.

Emma smiled and pulled her close. Their naked bodies collided and Regina felt a familiar spark ignite in her system. She found the blonde's lips, kissing her hungrily. She had expected never to feel this again. She had been so sure the moment she'd put her wife in that crystal coffin that her world had reached its inevitable conclusion. But she felt hope blossoming inside of her now. Maybe all was not truly lost, not yet.

Emma's hunger for her reared up full force. The blonde pushed the brunette down into the bed, crawling over her, all notions of returning to sleep gone the instant they touched. She nipped at the brunette's jaw, her tongue darting out to soothe wherever her teeth briefly touched flesh. One hand found Regina's left breast and began to slowly knead the flesh.

Regina moaned. She found that the mayor's body responded to the blonde's attentions much as her own would. The arousal pooled between her legs and she lifted her hips off the bed, rocking up into the body over hers suggestively.

Emma smirked down at her. Stopping her ministrations on the brunette's jaw to stare into her eyes.

Regina saw the pendant dangling down, as if reaching for her, from the blonde's neck. The separated piece of her soul straining to connect with its owner.

Emma's hand abandoned her breast and snaked down her torso, gliding over the planes of her stomach, and straight into the wetness between her thighs. Her eyes slammed closed at the contact and she moaned, a low growl clawing its way from her throat.

Emma's mouth feasted on her breasts, sucking and nibbling at her nipples as she sank two fingers deep into her. She began a maddeningly slow place, dragging them out, caressing her inner walls with their tips as she did, only to thrust them slowly back in.

Her fingers threaded through Emma's hair dragging the woman's mouth back up to her own in a bruising kiss. She brought her hand to the blonde's sex, stroking her fingers through Emma's wet folds. It was all she could think of to encourage the woman to pick up the pace.

Emma's breath caught in her throat. "Oh Gina baby please."

Regina smiled. "Of course darling. I'll take care of you." She circled the blonde's entrance slowly with the tip of one finger, before sliding it inside.

Emma groaned happily. "More."

Regina obliged, adding two more fingers. Emma stretched around her. She gave the blonde a moment to grow accustomed to the stretch and then she pulled out of her and plunged back in, picking up the pace with each thrust.

It had the desired effect as the blonde picked up her thrusts to match the brunette's. Regina kissed the blonde hard, their mouths coming together in a clash of teeth and tongues. Regina bit Emma's bottom lip, swallowing down the moan that bubbled up from the blonde's throat. She brushed her thumb across the blonde's clit.

Emma pressed herself harder against Regina's hand, meeting her thrust for thrust with her hips as her hand strained to match the older woman's pace. She was determined for them to orgasm together. After she'd spent the previous night, and well into the morning, ravaging the brunette's body, she was finally ready to share in the pleasure.

It was a quick build up when it came. One moment Regina's tongue was exploring the blonde's mouth, her hips rocking at a frantic pace, the next she was coming undone around Emma's fingers as the blonde came undone above her. Watching Emma above her, her back bowed in ecstasy, her mouth open with a cry that had no volume, her eyes slammed shut, it was almost as satisfying as the spasms that pulsed through her body.

Emma collapsed forward onto her body, spent from the exertion. Her chest heaved in time with Regina's, her face buried against the brunette's sweaty neck. Her breath came out in heavy puffs against the tan skin and she placed sloppy kisses to the flesh as she waited for her lungs to function properly again.

Regina smiled to herself at the feeling of the weight pressed down on her body. She wrapped an arm around the blonde, holding her close. She could see why the mayor would be loathe to give this life up.

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"You're acting weird." Emma glanced over at the brunette from the driver's seat, a frown furrowing her brow as she stared at the brunette, who appeared to be oddly fascinated by the seatbelt.

"Keep your eyes on the road!" Regina's eyes went comically wide as she gripped the 'oh shit' bar with white knuckles.

Emma raised an eyebrow but turned her attention back to the streets of Storybrooke. Regina had been acting weird from the moment she said they were going to have breakfast and then go pick up Henry. Breakfast had been an interesting affair. They both knew Emma's track record with kitchens and their many appliances and Regina had claimed she didn't feel like cooking, so it had been cereal. The brunette had taken to that bowl of Lucky Charms with a gusto even Emma couldn't match, hungry as she was, and she'd been left to gaze in wonder as the woman downed two bowlfuls of the sugary cereal. Then, she'd offered to let Emma drive the Mercedes. That thing was almost as prized as Henry. But Emma had just decided it must be a sign of good faith on Regina's part, but now she wasn't so sure. The woman seemed more on edge than usual.

Emma pulled the sleek black car to a stop in front of Mary Margaret's building. "Let's go get our son."

Regina bit her bottom lip and stared out the car window at the old building. Almost reluctantly she opened the door and stepped out into the afternoon sunshine. Despite the smell of rain that still permeated the air, the day was splendidly clear.

Emma came around to the sidewalk and walked towards the front door. She looked down as Regina slid her hand into hers, lacing their fingers together. She gave the brunette a genuine smile, which was instantly returned.

"I love you Emma."

"I know. I love you too." Emma opened the door and led them inside. She went straight upstairs, not even pausing to knock as if she still lived in the apartment full time.

Henry looked up from the couch, his little face lighting up at the sign of them. "Mom! Emma! You're here!"

Emma let go of Regina's hand to embrace their son as he ran towards them. "Hey kid." She ruffled his messy brown hair.

He threw his good arm around Regina's waist, burying his face for a moment against her stomach. She smiled and smoothed down the hair that Emma had just mussed. She wondered what had happened to his arm but to ask was to give herself away and she wasn't sure that was the best idea. She knew Emma was already suspicious of her behaviour. She had tried to keep herself in check but this world was so different from everything she knew. It was odd, like Wonderland, though in a much more practical way. The odd soup, with the colorful shaped sweet things, ahe'd had while they broke their fast, that had been a real treat. But the look Emma had given her had told her that was not a selection the mayor normally would have made. She thought she had been smooth in getting Emma to drive the horseless carriage, mostly because she knew she would crash the thing if she had even attempted it. But her fascination with the town as they'd passed it had also drawn Emma's attention. She resolved that she had to be more mayor-like to avoid further suspicion. The thing was, she didn't know what the mayor normally acted like.

"How was your birthday dinner with mom, Emma?"

Emma smiled, a private smile meant just for her, and Regina found herself wondering what had transpired the night before that she was supposed to remember. Emma turned her attention back to the boy. "Oh, nothing really major. Tell me about your night."

Regina sat on the couch as Henry leapt into some story about his evening with Mary Margaret. She had yet to see the woman who Henry had stayed the night with but the groan of the old pipes told her she was probably in the bathing chambers getting cleaned up.

"Miss Blanchard is getting ready so we can go to Granny's for lunch. I'm starving."

Emma rolled her eyes. "You're always starving."

Henry's little hand touched the pendant at Emma's throat. "Is that what Mom got you for your birthday?"

Emma nodded and put a hand to the pendant reverently, her hand protectively clutching it. She looked oddly sad for a moment as she held it, before turning to meet Regina's eyes. She nodded. "Yea, kid, it is."

Regina wanted to hold her, to chase away whatever it was that was making her less than happy, but that was the moment Mary Margaret Blanchard chose to make her entrance.

The petite woman cleared her throat and everyone in the room looked up.

Regina froze. Snow White. As with Emma and herself, there were slight variations to the original copy, the hair was shorter, the countenance more demure. It was her greatest enemy muted somehow by the effects of the curse. She stood off to the side, staring at Emma and the boy.

"Can we go eat now?" Henry was practically bouncing on the couch cushion.

Regina smiled at his enthusiasm. He was full of life, just like Emma. He was every bit her son. A new sense of protectiveness for the boy took over. He was part of Emma, that meant he was something to be loved and protected. She stood and held out a hand to him, which he took. She smiled as his hand wrapped easily around hers. Their little man.

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She stared blankly ahead of her at the wall, thinking about everything she'd seen at lunch. What must it be like for the mayor to live this way? She'd recognised them all. They were all a part of her history, faces she knew, faces that had all been twisted in hate, anger or fear at some point or another, all for her. It must be quite a lonely existence here for her other half, to know all the people around you, know who they were and how much they once loathed you, and yet she did so, alone. To carry the burden of that knowledge would be hard, all the while knowing that if you ever let the truth slip, if they ever did remember, you may no longer carry such a big secret, but they would also resume hating you as much as they always had. There was no escaping her deeds, so the mayor beared the burden in silence. No wonder she had taken to Emma. It must have been scary as well as exhilarating to find someone who knew who you were underneath it all and yet not judge you for it.

"I wrapped up Henry's arm so he could get in his bath before dinner." Emma walked in and immediately began picking up all the discarded clothes strewn across the floor. It was so very domestic, seeing her like this. The sight warmed Regina's heart. Emma, without the pressures of war and a kingdom counting on her to rule. This was Emma unburdened. It was a beautiful thing. The blonde caught her watching and raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Regina tilted her head and bit her lip. She had to be careful how she worded the question if she wished to maintain the guise that she was the mayor. "Do you regret this curse? That we're stuck here, in this world? If there had been no curse, do you think you would have liked that life better?"

The corner of Emma's mouth turned up in the ghost of a smile. "I guess it would have its upsides. I would have been someone of importance you know, nobility. Life would have been... simpler in many ways, complicated in others. The grass is always greener on the other side." The look of sadness from before, at Mary Margaret's place, crossed her face once again, her hand shooting up to the pendant absentmindedly. "It doesn't really matter. Here and now, this is what we have."

"I'm sorry Emma." And she was sorry. Sorry that she couldn't save her, sorry that this had been her burden from the start and yet Emma had been the one to carry the burden. It was never meant to be like this. It was all so unfair.

Emma set the clothes on the edge of the bed and crawled across it, curling up beside Regina. "Don't be."

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Putting Henry to bed was an easier experience than Savya. The six years age difference between them made him much more calm about the process. She tucked the blanket up around him, smoothing down the creases. Then she leaned down and gave him a soft kiss on his forehead. She turned for the door, flipping off the light so that only the light from the hallway illuminated the room.

"Mom?"

"Hmm?" She looked over her shoulder at him, pausing in the doorway.

"I really like having Emma here with us. Do you think she could stay here all the time?"

His little face looked so hopeful that the sight nearly broke her heart. She nodded softly. "We'll talk about it tomorrow, okay?"

He nodded, appeased.

She exited the room, tears stinging her eyes as she shut the door. Her heart wrenched as she realised only one of them would get that tomorrow and as she set off down the hall towards the master suite where Emma was waiting, she couldn't decide whether she wanted it for her or for him more.

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The minutes ticked down on the bedside clock as she held a peacefully sleeping Emma Swan. She knew her time here was dwindling. She'd came here and learned what she was sure Fate had intended for her to learn, but she still felt as if she needed more time. She wanted more time, time with the son she hadn't been allowed to know, time with the woman with the scars, time with this life that a part of her had built. This was the world she had created and yet she'd only been allowed one day to live in it. It wasn't enough. She wanted more.

She felt Emma freeze against her and she knew it was time to go back. She reluctantly pulled herself from the warm body beside hers, laying the blonde softly down against the pillows. She pressed a kiss to her brow. "I'm sorry I never got to know you, Emma Swan. That is perhaps, my greatest regret." She brought her legs over the side of the bed and slipped her feet into the boots waiting for her there. She grabbed her sweater from where she'd draped it over the chair earlier, pulling it on over her pajamas. She spared one last look at the bed. She knew she'd never see it again, not as herself. She closed her eyes against the view. It was time to go.

The mirror was once again where it had been when it had brought her here this morning. She stood a few feet back from it, staring at her reflection in the pale dimness cast by the moonlight overhead. This morning, when she had come through that mirror, she had believed nothing could change her mind. Now she was leaving knowing she had seriously underestimated the life she would find here. On the other side of that glass, Fate waited, expecting an answer. And for the first time all day, Queen Regina didn't have one.

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A/N2:: i have two things of note to say, first of all being, can we just take a moment to remember update 25 (chapter 24: cause i'm a gypsy) where we first met up with savya, and remember that we also met up with hadrian's lead guard, a man named Killian, who was named and invented prior to season 2 (late june 2012 to be exact) and then all of a sudden in the show, they name captain hook Killian... coincidence, I THINK NOT! the second thing i have to say is that i personally love each and every one of you readers out there who've made this story what it is. i owe a huge hug to each of you. continue to read and review and i will do my best to keep this story coming.


	58. But I Can't Make Up My Mind

DISCLAIMER:: do not own ouat and its characters. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: sorry it took so long to post the mayor chapter, but anyone who reads he gets that from me knows that i have been on a writing ban. the ban is still in effect, however i have a week to post what i want and since that has been ready to post for two weeks, i figured it was the perfect opportunity to post. please review and enjoy.

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**-Chapter 57: But I Can't Make Up My Mind-**

They were barely in the void between the worlds in the mirror when the mayor felt the queen's hand slip from hers, pulled away by some unseen force. For a moment, she panicked. No, they had to do this together. Her hand swung around in the encroaching darkness, searching for even the faintest brush of fingertips and then she was stumbling through the glass surface of the mirror and into reality again.

All it took was a cursory glance around the chamber before her to know that she was back in the Enchanted Forest. The chamber itself was unfamiliar to her, made from curving ivory marble, intricately carved, too intricate to have been done by hand. This place was magically designed. Wherever she was, magic existed here. She hadn't felt her powers leave her when she fell through the mirror. Good. She didn't know if whoever dwelled in this place was a threat to her.

Queen Regina was gone, as was the mirror. There was no furniture in the ante-chamber, nothing to decorate it. An elegantly carved wooden door stood before her, behind her was a curtain that hung blocking an open archway. For a moment, she stared between them. Which should she try first? Her instincts told her the curtain was a better choice. She walked towards it without hesitation. Whatever was beyond it was no match for her, not with her powers.

She parted the curtain and stepped through into a larger chamber that was equally as undecorated. The only thing in the chamber was a crystal coffin, more expertly formed than the one that had once protected Snow White, though it served the same function. A body rested inside the coffin. A veil blocked her face from view at this angle, but the grand design of her dress bespoke of nobility. She was a Princess of some sort, possibly even a Queen.

Slowly, cautiously, Regina approached the glass. She had no clue if there were any type of traps set around the woman. The chamber around them was obviously meant as a place of honour to put her as she slept. She was loved, whoever she was, respected and adored.

Nothing happened as she came to stand before the crystal encased woman. No spells protected her, no magical failsafes. That was odd. She was obviously someone of note. If this was somewhere in the old world, as she suspected it was, then Regina had been gone twenty eight years; she hardly believed she'd recognise whoever had become royalty of what remained. She looked down into the coffin at the face beneath the translucent veil.

Her breath caught in her throat. Emma's face looked so peaceful beneath the crystal glass that covered it. Regina's hands splayed across the crystal and she bent in close, peering down into the woman inside. What happened to her? She was fine when Regina had left her in Storybrooke. Wait, if she was in Storybrooke, how was she here? What was this?

The only person who could answer that was encased in the coffin. She had to get her out. She pressed on the glass. It didn't budge. There was no way to lift it physically; it was simply too heavy. Magic. It was her only option. She began to recite a spell under her breath, slowly the glass began to slid free.

She didn't hear the footsteps coming behind her until they were through the curtain.

"What are you doing?!"

Regina abandoned the spell and spun to face the woman who'd spoke. She was flanked by two female guards in uniform. Regina threw out her magic to zap them back but nothing happened. She stared at her hands. Her offensive powers were blocked somehow. She glanced down at the woman still in the coffin behind her. No matter how she had come to be here, this was Emma and she needed to be protected. If she couldn't attack them, she could at least protect herself and Emma from their attacks.

She was able to conjure the magic wall of defense between them and the three women from memory, as if she hadn't been without magic for the last twenty eight years. It rose up in front of her, a clear wall, like its own sheet of glass.

The woman who had spoken stepped away from the guards, up to the wall, staring closely at it. She flung her fingers out toward the wall and the magic she expelled slammed loosely against it. She looked to the guards and they also tossed their energy against it but it did not give.

"What have you done with Lady Regina?"

Regina frowned. What in the hell was this woman babbling on about? "I haven't been called Lady Regina since before I was married. Mind who you're talking to. I am still a Queen." She went through hell to earn that title, the lowly witch who stood before her now would not take it from her.

The woman narrowed her green eyes, scrutinising the woman on the other side of the wall. "What do you want with Queen Emma? She is under my protection here. Make no mistake, I **will** defend her."

"As will I." Regina narrowed her eyes right back. She wouldn't let this woman anywhere near Emma.

The woman glanced back at the guards. "She cannot attack me; her offensive magic is useless here. Altira, go get the Queen. Gandra, go protect Pressiann and the young Princess. Do not let anyone through without my say so." Both guards gave one quick nod and departed. The woman turned her attention back to Regina. "Your energy will wane and when it does, I will be waiting."

Regina matched her pace for pace on her side of the shield. She could sense the threat from the other woman even through the defense shield. The woman was powerful, possibly lethal. "I will not let you harm Emma. I may not be able to attack you directly but I think you will come to learn that I have more energy than you could possibly imagine when it comes to protecting those I love."

The woman stood tall on the other side. "Who are you?"

Regina rolled her eyes. "I am Regina."

The woman walked slowly forward. "I see it in your eyes, you are not her. The changes are subtle. You may fool even the most practised of beings, but I know better. My life has been devoted to the study of the Evil Queen and you are not her."

Regina rolled her eyes. "Well twenty eight years away has an effect on a girl."

The woman's dark green eyes narrowed. "Twenty eight years away?" She turned away, getting lost in her own thoughts.

Regina didn't have time for this. Obviously this woman knew Emma and Emma knew her. She'd clear this all up. Keeping most of her energy trained on fueling the defence shield, she began to mumble the spell to remove the lid once again. She had to get it off.

"You could _kill_ her." The woman beat against the defence shield with her magic, hitting it with everything she could, battering against it while Regina's power was divided.

Regina knew she couldn't hold the shield with her attention divided but she had to get Emma out of there. Finally, with one last heave of energy she was able to push the lid off enough that she could get to the blonde inside. She ran to the open tomb and crouched down beside it, stroking her hand across Emma's cheek.

The blonde's green eyes fluttered open. She seemed disoriented as her head turned from side to side, her veil falling off as she did. Then her eyes focused up on Regina and a smile broke out across her face. "We gotta stop meeting like this my love." She sat up and brought her lips to Regina's.

The brunette sank into the kiss. For this moment she didn't care how Emma had gotten there with her, she just cared that she was here.

Emma broke away from her with a smile. Her eyes caught sight of the woman standing on the other side of the magical shield. Her brow furrowed. "Arazera, what is this?"

"My Queen, she is not Lady Regina."

"Miss Swan, will you please tell this tart who I am?" She couldn't keep the annoyance from her voice as she threw a seething look over her shoulder at the woman.

Emma's hand fell from Regina's cheek. "Miss Sw..." Her eyes went wide. "_Madam Mayor_?"

Regina turned her full attention back to the blonde. "Who else would it be? Really Miss Swan, do keep up."

Emma rolled her eyes. Oh yea, it was definitely Regina Mills. "Well darling, you don't exactly look like yourself."

Regina frowned. "What do you mean I don't look like myself?"

Emma pointed. "Well the wardrobe for a start."

Regina looked down at herself for the first time since arriving. She was in a gown, a decidedly familiar gown. It was the one her other half had been wearing in Eternity. Her hand went to her hair, touching the long strands. This was not her body! Well it was, in a way, but not how she lived in it everyday. She looked up at the blonde in shock. "What is this?"

"That's what I'd like to know." A blonde woman strode in through the curtain, flanked by a few guards.

Every single pair of eyes in the room turned to Queen Emma.

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They sat around a conference style stone table, each looking from one to the other. Arazera's suspicious gaze never left the imposter in Lady Regina's body, Rowanaldi looked to Emma for answers, Emma couldn't take her eyes off Regina, still unable to believe the mayor was actually here, and Regina studied Rowanaldi, her interest piqued now that she had been informed of who the woman was.

"How is this possible?" The Elf Queen looked between the blonde and the brunette sitting across the table from her and Arazera.

Regina cleared her throat. "Obviously when your Regina and I stepped through the mirror together, something happened that switched us." She had told them about her rendezvous with her other half but had conveniently left out Fate's ultimatum. Regina was determined that her world would be the one to survive at the end of this day and no one here needed to know that. Fate's little idea of having them take a walk in each other's shoes was cute but it would do little to change her mind. Nothing would ever make her turn her back on her girlfriend and her child. Everything she had done had been to get to this point in her life, she loved and she was loved in return. There was no way she could be convinced to sacrifice that. No possible way. She given up too much to get her happy ending; she'd protect it to the death.

"Is it permanent?" Emma seemed more distressed than any of them.

Regina shook her head. "It is only for today."

"Good, then it won't be an issue to lock you up for the duration of the day. Problem solved." The raven haired elf, Arazera she had been called, gave Regina a cheeky predatory smile.

"Arazera, calm yourself." Rowanaldi frowned. She turned to the women across the table once more, her gaze finally centering on the blonde. "The situation is a delicate one, but the magical protections we have on the palace will keep any... _accidents_ from occurring within these walls. Therefore, it is your decision."

Emma placed her hand over Regina's that was resting on the stone table. "I love her. And she deserves the opportunity to know this side of me, and to know our daughter."

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"Really Emma, it's not necessary. I am only here for today." Regina tried to pull her hand away from the blonde's grip.

Emma would have none of it. She smiled, a dazzling smile that had none of the sadness that Emma Swan's always seemed to be tinged with. Her eyes had a life to them, a playfulness, a vivacity, all that seemed to be lacking in her Emma's own green eyes. Emma Swan always seemed resigned, there was a loss of hope, the tinges of a hard life lived. The differences between the two were subtle, easily unnoticed by someone who wasn't intimately familiar with the blonde, but Regina was not fooled. "All the more reason for you to meet her while you're here. You will love her Regina."

Regina let herself be dragged to the chamber doors and Emma pushed them open. The room inside was covered in toys of all kinds, it looked like the display floor at FAO Schwartz. A small, thin girl was playing with a pair of stuffed horses in the center of the chamber. She was in a beautiful blue gown, her black hair was pinned half up to keep it out of her heart shaped face. It fell down her back in soft ringlets, a blue bow keeping it pinned at the top of her head. She looked up with a tan face that was punctuated by the deepest sapphire eyes Regina had ever seen. When they focused on the two women, her entire face lit up, her stuffed horses instantly forgotten.

"Momma! Mommy!" The girl ran across the room as fast as her stick legs would carry her, running straight for Regina like a moth to a flame. She launched herself at the brunette and instinctually, Regina bent low, opening her arms to receive the child's embrace. She lifted the girl effortlessly into her arms as the small arms locked around her neck. "Will you play with me Momma?" The girl looked hopefully into Regina's face, the picture of innocence. She reminded Regina of Henry when he was her age, back before he'd found out who she truly was and named her enemy. She stared into Regina's eyes, into the eyes of the Evil Queen, without fear. It was a rare commodity that Regina was unused to.

She nodded. "Of course I will."

Emma smiled softly at her two girls. Her face glowed with love and pride. She was relieved that the mayor was getting to see her life like this, even if only for a day. If she returned to Storybrooke when she fell asleep tonight, at least she now knew that they'd both go into the coming days with open eyes, even if they couldn't manage to break the curse and reunite the souls.

Emma watched Regina sit on the floor, smiling at how funny the thought of Regina Mills on any floor was, with Savya in her lap. She had one arm wrapped protectively around the little girl's waist as she pointed a long finger at the stuffed horses the girl had been playing with. The plush animals sprang to life, neighing and whinnying as if they were real miniature horses. Savya giggled and clapped her hands together in delight, staring between the horses and Regina in wonder.

Emma bit her bottom lip. It felt good to know that she hadn't lost this life. She got to keep them both. She'd have the mayor and the queen. She couldn't help but feel as if she should be more paranoid, as if waiting for the inevitable 'but'.

"Mommy, come play with us." Savya was looking at her.

Regina gave her that classic smirk that was all Madam Mayor. "Yea _Mommy_, come play with us."

Emma gave a dramatic sigh. "If I must."

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"What is this place?" Regina looked around the beautiful landscape. One of her hands was gripped in Emma's, the other holding up her skirts to keep them from getting soiled on the ground.

Emma smiled delicately. "This is where we were wed."

Regina froze. Her eyes drank in every detail as if trying to soak it in and memorize it. This place was now that much more important. "It's still amazing to me that you so easily tamed my heart in this world. I saw the look in her eyes. She'd do anything for you."

"And I would do much the same for her. And for you."

Regina looked down at the ring on her finger. She had to admit that there was something so right about the feel of that band around her finger. It felt as if everything was as it should be. "The elves believe in binding souls. Did we...?"

Emma nodded. "I am yours and you are mine."

Regina felt the weight of that settle in her stomach. A soul binding was not something to be taken lightly. Her other half had made quite a life here. She had known what she wanted her life to be. She had a daughter, she had been so sure about Emma that she had magically bound their very souls together. That was not something one just tossed under the rug.

And Savya. Regina had to admit that it was difficult not to be charmed by the little girl. She was young, innocent. She still found wonder in the world. "Will you tell me about your life here so far? I think I'm ready to know now, how you've lived your life in my absence."

Emma nodded. She led them over to a grassy knoll. After Regina magically produced a blanket for them to sit on, the blonde pulled them down onto it. Emma sat back, pulling Regina back against her to sit in her lap. She spent the next few hours telling her everything, who she was, what had happened to her, and, most importantly, what her life had become since she'd met Regina.

As they reentered the palace, a guard appeared before them. "Queen Rowanaldi requests the presence of Your Grace in the war room."

Emma frowned. She glanced at Regina, seeming to consider whether this was something she needed to know. Seeing the stubborn set of determination on the woman's face, she knew it would just be an argument to refuse to let her come. She intertwined her fingers with the brunette's. "Come my love, let's see what all the fuss is about."

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Rowanaldi stood at the head of the table in the war room, bent low over a map the was spread out there. Arazera leaned in close beside her, pointing to a spot on the map and whispering to the older blonde Queen.

Emma's brow was furrowed in worry. "What has happened?" Her hand fell from Regina's as she made her way around the table towards the two elves, who looked up, their eyes stoic.

Arazera's eyes flashed up to Regina, silently questioning her presence.

Emma rolled her eyes at the dark haired elf. "I have told her everything already; no secrets will be given here."

Slowly, Arazera's eyes slipped down to the map once more, though Regina noticed that the rigidity didn't leave her posture. The woman still didn't trust her.

"Forces are gathering outside our borders. I believe they mean to attack."

Emma frowned. "I thought you said the borders were magically held, that they could not be breeched?"

"By humans, no, but we have received word from our guards along the perimeter that they have powerful spell casters in their midst, some among them elves."

"So, they can break through the magical barrier?" Emma tried to keep the panic from her voice.

Rowanaldi pointed to the map. "They're making camp here, a huge host, with smaller camps along here and here. It appears to be the same army that plagued these lands before. The main host is led by two people, a man and a woman. The man is your former husband."

"Hadrian? What does he have to do with any of this?"

"We know not."

Emma couldn't believe it. Hadrian was just a human, from across the sea at that. But the more she thought about it, the more anything seemed possible. Truly she knew very little about her former husband's origins. She knew he was royal, but with the exception of their wedding, she had never had any contact with his family. It was hard to believe that a man she had once cared for and respected could be so different from what she thought he was.

"I have sent more guards to the perimeters. We can hold them while we figure out a plan, but I do not have faith that we will hold them indefinitely. I fear, for the first time in the existence of my kind, the elven lands may be in danger."

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Regina sang the same lullaby to Savya that she had sung to Henry when he was little, a soft cooing thing that soothed the little girl much as it had her brother. Henry was a _brother_. She smiled even as she sang at that thought. He'd always used to beg her to have another child when he was younger, but any hope of that had gone out the window with the knowledge he was adopted and later when he found out where she had truly come from and the curse that affected everyone in town but him. He would love Savya; he would protect her and keep her safe. Regina's heart wrenched because she knew he would never know her, just as she herself would never truly know her. After today, she would leave this world.

She shot lazy glittering bursts of magic, like contained fireworks, into the chamber above their heads and Savya watched them with tired eyes. Her sapphire irises followed the bursts even as they continued to sag, lulled to unconsciousness by the sound of Regina's voice.

As soon as she was off in dreamland, Regina reluctantly slipped away, closing the doors to the little girl's bed chamber behind her.

Emma was waiting for her in the toy filled parlour. "She loves you, both of you."

Regina fell into step beside the younger blonde Queen as they exited the chamber and made their way back to their own. She looked at the marble walls of the corridor. This was a beautiful palace, much more grand than her own. She could see living here for the rest of her days. "How were you going to do it?"

Emma entwined their fingers as they walked. "Do what?"

"Choose."

Emma sighed. "There is no easy answer. I was bred from a very young age to believe that staying in the Enchanted Forest was an inevitability. It was just what I was supposed to do. I hadn't found the other halves of anyone I knew. I was alone, in a strange land. Here, I'd be surrounded by people I knew. Up until a month ago, it was always this life that was to be mine. But then, you happened, and Henry, and you both helped me realise something very important."

Regina glanced at the woman beside her. "What's that?"

"That I've spent just as much time in that world as I have in this one. I can match each life day for day. It's just as much a part of me as this life is." She smiled sadly. "I knew the moment I met you that I wanted them both, that I was going to fight to keep them both. That's why I tried to break the curse. I figured combining the souls, correcting the split was the only way that was possible. I could care less which land endured, whether the Enchanted Forest or Storybrooke, just as long as I got to keep you both."

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Regina stared down at the woman sleeping soundly beside her. It wasn't yet time to go back. She could feel it. She still had unfinished business here. She got up from the bed and crossed into the parlour. Her time was drawing closer to it's conclusion.

"Hello sweet one."

Regina whipped around and came face to face with a ghost. Emma had told her that afternoon that Daniela had lived, but hearing it and actually seeing her first love standing before her were two entirely different things. She found, after her month with Emma, she didn't feel quite as strongly towards the woman before her, but it was there, that old love, like a long forgotten memory. "Daniela."

A ghost of a smile crept across the woman's face. "It is so good to see you."

"According to the young Queen, you've been seeing me for a great many years."

Daniela's head tilted in acquiescence. "True, but there is a difference between her and you. You were the one who enacted the curse for your broken heart. You are the half that missed me more. I have missed you, the part of you that still loved me so."

"I also am the half that, had I the time to do so, would resent you more. Your absence did not ruin the last twenty eight years of _her_ life. I mourned a life that was never truly lost. I almost turned Emma away because of the love I held for you, because of a loss I was holding in my heart that never truly happened. Your absence made me vulnerable, made me become the monster that stole so many hearts." There was only bitterness in her tone. She didn't have time to care what had caused her to enact the curse; she had more important things to consider.

Daniela smiled sadly. "I know. If I could change it... if I could go back and do what I promised... what it was my duty to do, and protect you from, all this, I would."

Regina frowned. "If you had, I wouldn't have Emma, I wouldn't have my children. Good came from your mistake. I see that now. As hurt as I am, I wouldn't change a thing."

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She stared at the surface of the mirror. Time had frozen again. It was time to return to Eternity; their hourglass must be reaching its end. They would have to decide what was to become of their worlds. It seemed impossible. When she'd arrived here this morning, she'd been so convinced that nothing could change her mind. Now, she wasn't quite so confident. How would she ever decide? She loved Henry, and Emma Swan, but there was a part of her that already knew she couldn't turn her back on Savya and the young Queen. She loved them all.

She took a deep breath as the surface of the glass rippled before she stepped back through and out of this world.


	59. The Only Solution

DISCLAIMER:: do not own ouat or its characters. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: I sincerely apologise. I didn't touch dreamscape (on purpose) during the work season because it takes a lot of thought and once work was over, I find that the four chapters I had managed to produce were consumed by a virus. Had to be rewritten. This isn't as great as it was before, but it's as close as I could remember. I hope to update weekly, maybe even faster, if I can manage. sorry again, hope you're all still with me.

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**-Chapter 58: The Only Solution Was To Stand And Fight-**

Mayor Regina Mills stepped through the darkness and emerged into Eternity. The grand hall they'd left from was as it had been when they'd departed that morning. As her feet made contact with the marble floor, the mirror behind her faded. She turned back to the space it had just occupied as if it might somehow reappear.

"Suddenly the decision isn't quite as simple as it was when first the hourglass was turned, is it?"

The mayor rolled her eyes before she'd even made the full turn back to regard the queen. The woman was standing near the table with the hourglass, still dripping away the last remnants of their time before their choice must be made. A small amount of sand remained them, just enough to discuss what they'd seen and reach a mutual verdict. The sharp comeback left her lips at the sight of it, the weight of the coming choice weighing heavy on her heart. How was this fair?

"I must admit, the life your curse created for you... it has its charms." The queen traced a finger around the top of the glass. She looked up to the mayor with the closest thing to respect she could manage flooding her eyes. "You've created quite the life for yourself. It's...impressive."

The mayor saw the statement for what it was, an olive branch. They had wasted too long fighting already. "Your daughter, she's quite enchanting."

The queen smiled. "Yes, she is. Emma... my version of Emma, rescued her from the market at Peppergrey. You remember the one?"

The mayor nodded. "I've had nothing to distract me from remembering for the last twenty eight years. The curse gave me many things, including freedom from the judgement of others, but not from myself. I have lived with my... with _our_ countless sins a long time."

The queen gestured to the chairs they'd occupied before walking over, falling into her own. "It seems we are both cursed to walk with our sins the rest of our days."

The mayor hesitated only a moment before walking to the center of the room. Her gaze kept on diverting back to the hourglass, their time limit never far from her mind. "That is true. But perhaps if we work this right, we won't have to walk this path alone." She took her seat.

The queen narrowed her eyes at her other half. She didn't want to allow herself to hope she was hearing what she thought she was hearing. Could there really be a way? "What are you saying?"

"You have your life, a daughter, a... wife. She's your **wife**. You tied your soul with hers. I may have been in a magicless land for the better part of the last three decades but even I know the depth of a soul-binding. And even more, she made the same choice. She knew both of us. This little day in the life showed me that she kept her memories. My Emma and your Emma, they are one and the same. And she chose to tie herself to you. That _means_ something. But, as you've just found out, I have a life too. And I think my actions twenty eight years ago are proof enough that I will do whatever it takes to ensure my happy ending." The mayor tilted her chin up, her body falling easily into a role the muscles still retained memory of, the Evil Queen.

The queen raised an eyebrow. "So what is it that you propose? Go ahead, make your stand, but just know that I am just as committed to protect what I have. You have no idea what I have been through these past two fortnights to keep her." Her hands gripped the arms of the chair, her knuckles white as her nails sunk deep into the fabric. "Do **not** underestimate me. I am still you."

The mayor's lips turned down at the corners in a grimace. "And I am you. But as unfortunate as that fact may be and as simple as it would be to just turn my back on an existence I left behind twenty eight years ago, I can't. My Emma is connected to yours. I can't erase yours from existence anymore than I can mine."

"And I cannot condemn yours either." She looked at the dwindling hourglass. "So what is it you propose we do? Fate will want an answer from us when the last grain of sand falls."

The mayor crossed her legs and steepled her fingers. "We fight back."

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The queen was still skeptical that the mayor's plan would work. Fate was not to be trifled with. She had powers beyond their own, though even her powers were not limitless. They lay within the flow of events. Her abilities only extended so far as to affect the procession of time. Even she could not delve into the arcane arts, such as bringing people back from the dead or forcing love for one being onto another that does not already harbour it in their heart. And above all else, she must remain neutral, she must protect the balance. And Mayor Mills' plan hinged on this limitation to her power.

"You do realise that at the end of all this, if all goes according to plan and we don't lose our lives in the process, one world will still be lost when the dust settles?" The queen stroked her fingers along the length of her dress. Her clothing returned to its prior state when she passed back through the mirror into Eternity.

The mayor pursed her lips and sighed. "Yes, I realise now that we are aware of each other, we can never return to life as it was."

"I hated having to compete with you. The moment she woke me from that curse, I knew I could never be without her. There was no question in my mind of where I belonged, what I was fighting for. I would do anything to protect the current Queen of the Enchanted Forest, just as I would have done anything to take down the former. But there was always this part of her that could never be mine. Every night, she would go to sleep and she'd go to you." She chuckled dryly. "I will never understand why you didn't love her from the moment you met her. Though we have lived a separate existence, we are still two halves of the same whole."

The mayor sighed. "I did love her. But loving her meant losing her, and I...we...," she gestured between the queen and herself, "have never done well with loss. I had to protect myself. I would not, could not, go through that again." Her hand slid over where her heart beat beneath her chest as if making sure it was still there and working effectively.

"What changed your mind?"

The mayor smiled to herself. "As you said, I could not be without her. And Miss Swan is rather persistent when she's set on something." She met the queen's eyes, _her_ eyes. "And she was set on having both of us."

"And yet, she will only have one of you." Fate stepped from the darkness between the columns, her face dispassionate. She looked just as she had a day ago, or maybe it was only a second; neither half of Regina had any doubts that time moved slower here in Eternity. Her curls framed her face and the mayor mused that she might actually be earth-shatteringly beautiful if she would venture a smile. The flowing navy chiffon of her toga-like dress almost touched the floor as she moved towards them, her bare feet moving across the cold floor with familiar ease.

Both the mayor and the queen's attention shot to the hourglass at her sudden appearance. Neither of them had seen the last grain of navy sand slip down to join the others on the bottom. Their time had reached its conclusion; the choice needed to be made.

The mayor watched the woman with narrow eyes as she sat soundlessly in the seat she had occupied when she first put this choice before them. Fate stared at them with her cool gray eyes. She said nothing, just looked back and forth between the two, expectant but patient.

The queen and the mayor's gazes met across the space between them. The queen gave the smallest of nods, a barely perceptible tilt of her head. The mayor's eyes flashed briefly, the only response.

The mayor cleared her throat and turned to regard Fate regally. "Spending a day in each other's lives... it was slightly cruel, wouldn't you agree?"

Fate's steely gaze swung to regard the Regina from Storybrooke. "I was merely showing you both what you would be sacrificing. It is quite easy to make a decision when you only know one side of the story. I should think you know that better than anyone, or have you so quickly forgotten your own persecution?"

The mayor drew her breath in sharply, her eyes widening in anger. "I will **never** forget." As if she could. Everyday of her long life she'd lived with the knowledge that her side of her own story was left untold.

The smallest hint of a smile curled Fate's lips and the mayor immediately realised that the woman had been trying to get a rise out of her. How easily she'd been manipulated. She ground her teeth together and continued. "We have reached our decision."

Fate's eyes turned to the queen. "You are both in agreement?"

Queen Regina nodded. "We have discussed it at length and we have reached a verdict that is mutually beneficial."

Fate stroked her long fingers along the arm of her chair. "Is it to be the creation of your mind, where all is as you made it so and your son?" She glanced at the mayor. "Or is it to be the world of fairytales and magic?" Her gaze swung to the other Regina.

The mayor cleared her throat and sat up a little taller in her seat. "We have chosen... both."

Fate looked at her blankly. "That was not one of the proposed choices. You must choose."

The queen took her cue from a brief glance from the mayor. "This war in the Enchanted Forest, it wasn't part of your grand design. Your will has been circumvented."

"I fail to see your point."

The queen continued. "Somewhere along the line, something, _someone_, slipped through the cracks. It is your job to maintain the balance between good and evil. You are the reason I was never able to kill Snow White. You are the reason Emma was born, the reason she and I crossed paths. You maintain order. But somewhere along the way, someone slipped past you. All those years ago, this evil swept across the land, killing everything it touched. It wasn't until it succeeded in doing what I never could, killing Snow White, that it stopped."

The mayor jumped in then. "I'm sure you then thought that everything was back in order. You regrouped, had Emma take the throne earlier than she was supposed to. But now, Snow White has resurfaced, and so to has this evil. No one knows who this threat is. Not even you."

Fate glanced between them before crossing her legs. They were getting to her. "I still fail to see what this has to do with your decision."

It was the queen who answered. "This war is messing up your balance. We've discussed it and we agree that the reason whoever is behind this has stayed hidden is because, until you know who's doing this, you can't intervene. You can't change fate, unless you know **who's** fate to change."

The mayor leaned forward in her chair. It was now or never. Either Fate would accept their proposal and they may yet be able to save both their worlds, or she would refuse and they'd have to make the decision. "With a little time, we are confident we can draw whoever is doing this out. If we can expose whoever it is long enough for you to rewrite their story, it might end the war without an upset in the balance."

Fate looked back and forth between them for several drawn out moments. Though her expression was unreadable, she was obviously considering their words. "And in return?"

"A month. We go back to our own worlds. We work together to expose the threat. If we succeed, we come to an agreement that lets everyone live. If we fail, we make the choice. One world dies, the other lives on."

Fate looked back and forth between them with her stormy eyes. "You always were quite adept at finding the loopholes in any rule. I should not be surprised that you would find them in mine." The look on Fate's face was far from surprised, but they took her at her word. "Very well. If it is a month you want, a month you shall have. You will be able to communicate through the looking glass. Collaborate how you wish. At the end of the month, if I have been able to restore order, you may propose an alternate solution. But if you fail... **I** will be the one to decide which world perishes."

The mayor and the queen shared a long look before they nodded. "We accept."

Fate inclined her head in agreement. "And there is one more stipulation."

The mayor knew this had been too good to be true. "We're listening."

Fate smirked, a true smirk in every sense of the word, one that made even Regina, both of them, envious of its impact. "The Queen of the Enchanted Forest has lived her entire life switching between her two separate existences. Yesterday marked twenty eight years; her time is done. If you do this, you do so without her help. She will not remember one life from the other; she will be separate pieces of one soul, just as you are. This is your battle." Fate stood, lithe like a cat. "This will not be easy. You will know desperation. You will know what it feels to live every single moment believing that no matter how hard you fight, you will lose... just as she did."

The mayor stood, her hard gaze meeting that of Fate's. "I am no stranger to inevitable loss. It has been my... _our_ constant companion since we were young." A big part of her endless quest to win sprung from knowing deep down that she was destined not to. The only person who had ever changed that belief was Emma. Emma had made her feel like she could win, and now she needed to let that faith fuel her.

Fate gave a small smile and nodded. She walked back towards the shadows beyond the columns, ghosting across the marble without a sound, going as quietly as she came. Just before she was lost entirely to the darkness beyond the torchlight, she looked back over her shoulder. "Your time is short. Use it wisely." And with those words of caution, she left them.

The queen stared after her until she was sure the woman had disappeared from their presence. She turned her head back to the mayor, looking at the regal woman with a new respect. "It's quite the relief to know that eight and twenty years have not robbed you of your resolve."

The mayor inclined her head in a recognition and return of the respect. "Neither have you."

The queen chuckled dryly. "Well I did have the benefit of being asleep for all but the last moon turn of that time. But I'll admit, though my anger and my lust for revenge has waned, my ambition has never been as great. I still seek my happy ending with the same amount of fervour; I just now know that it does not lie with the death of Snow White, but with the life of her daughter. Emma is my happy ending, our happy ending."

The mayor gave a sharp nod. "She, Henry, and Savya must be protected at all costs."

"Agreed." The queen stood. "If what you say is true, we will be starting preparations for war upon my return."

Mayor Mills nodded. "And I must find a way to break my own curse, without the aide of the one person who can best help me." She couldn't imagine, now that she herself knew the truth, what she was going to do without Emma on her side. There was little doubt in her mind that the blonde deserved the ignorance she was being granted, but at what expense?

"Just because she doesn't remember her life with me in our world, does not mean that she still can't be of use. She is the same woman, all the qualities she has displayed in her time with you are still there. You just have to tap into them." She ran her hand over the back of her chair. "And I will be with you. Fate has given us a way to communicate. We can fight this war and break this curse, together."

The mayor nodded, trying to adopt the same look of confidence in her other half's eyes, though she didn't feel it. "I suppose this is goodbye."

"For now." With a wave of her hand a trail of magic lit up before the long haired royal, snaking it's way back into one of the many cave mouths beyond the columns, leading the way back to her mirror.

The mayor watched her go before waving her own trail into existence. She followed the purple mist back into the darkness, weaving through it to its end. The surface of the mirror rippled, calling her home, back to her girlfriend and son. But, as she stepped through the liquid glass, she couldn't help feeling a small piece of herself reaching back towards the blonde queen and their young daughter, telling her to go back.


	60. I Never Meant To Start A War

DISCLAIMER:: do not own ouat or any of its characters. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: this has been done for a while, and I do apologise for not posting it sooner, but I've been an emotional wreck for the past couple weeks and I gotta do me before I worry about posting my work. the next update should not take nearly as long. I hope you're all still with me and this story. the adventure is not over yet.

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**-Chapter 59: I Never Meant To Start A War-**

This time the portal was unforgiving as it flung her back into the elven palace, almost as if it were mirroring Fate's frustration at the queen for her discovery of a loophole in their decision. She stumbled to the cold marble floor, landing hard on her hands and knees as if climbing out from an ocean, coughing and hacking to expel the water from her lungs. But there was no water only the deep inhalations of someone trying to recover their breath.

She stood on shaky legs, pulling herself up from the white marble, brushing the skirts of her gown down her legs. She turned slowly to stare at the dormant mirror. Energy swirled around the large surface, traveling over it, morphing every inch that it touched, folding it in on itself over and over until, floating before her was a small hand mirror, a small perfect square of ornately framed glass just the size of her palm that glinted, almost begging her to take it.

She grabbed it, settling its weight in her hands. It was only as she looked into it that she realised what it must be. _You will be able to communicate through the looking glass_ Fate had said. So this was her means of reaching the other world, of reaching her other half. But all that stared back out from the surface of the glass was her own reflection. She didn't have time to puzzle the secrets of the mirror out at the moment. She tucked it into the bust of her dress, tucking it down between the boning of her corset and her skin. She'd find out how it worked after she'd dealt with the more pressing issues.

Emma. Now that the mirror was no longer distracting her, she regarded the anteroom. She turned toward the curtain and pushed her way into the chamber where the Queen was at rest once more in her crystal coffin. With a wave of her hand and a whispered word, she dispelled the alarm system Arazera had set up around the blonde royal to protect her from intruders.

Emma lie there, just as she'd left her, peacefully at rest.

She approached the glass cautiously. She wasn't sure what she'd find when she took the lid off the enchanted crystal that held her wife in stasis. Would she remember her life? Would she remember the last two fortnights and all they had endured together? Would she remember that she was a mother? Would she even wake? The former queen wasn't sure whether she was more terrified that her eyes would never open again or that they would.

The glass was too heavy to lift unassisted. She placed a hand over the lid and it crackled with energy, letting her slide the glass aside as easily as if she were brushing an errant strand of hair from her face. It slid off the base, falling to the marble floor on the other side, the boom echoing through the chamber, nearly deafening in volume. A crack slowly crawled outward from point of impact, working its way through the crystal, a jagged trail ripping its way up the previously pristine surface. But she had little time to worry about the destruction of the coffin.

Instead her focus was solely on the blonde resting, peaceful below her gaze. She crouched beside the coffin on its dais, nearly falling to her knees next to the unconscious Queen. "Emma, my love." She stroked the back of a finger down the fair skin of the younger Queen's face. "Please." It wasn't in her nature to beg, but the whispered plea, barely a breath from between her lips was all she had, the only magic she could conjure that would possibly cause green eyes to open.

It was only one word, but its power was great. For, after a long moment of hesitation, that's exactly what they did. Pale eyelids fluttered delicately on the fragile face, slowing steadily with each blink as they adjusted to the light and the blonde's surroundings. Stiff muscles rippled underneath skin as she unfurled from the position the elves had placed her in.

Regina felt the solitary tear trailing down the skin of her cheek. She let it come. "My Queen." The title was a sigh.

Emma's eyes found her, noticing her as if for the first time. The green irises stared at her intensely, boring into her very soul and giving nothing away.

Regina felt her breath catch in her chest, the function of her lungs ceasing as she lay in wait of her fate, of the answers to her earlier questions.

Recognition broke across Emma's face. Delicate fingers rose to the older woman's cheek, the pads dragging down gently over the tan skin. "You are a welcome sight, one I believed to be gone from me forever."

Regina felt the breath escape from her lungs in one powerful swooping exhalation. Emma was awake, she was here, and perhaps greatest of all, she knew who the older woman was. "We are bound, you and I. We will never truly be gone from each other, not while the other still belongs to the living realm." Her finger stroked through silky blonde curls before tangling in the golden locks and pulling the younger woman's head up, capturing eager lips with her own.

Her mouth was extracting, demanding, though it forced nothing, merely guided Emma, pulling her deeply into the contact they both desired.

Emma's fingers gripped the edge of her crystal resting place as she leaned into the mouth moving against hers. She held the contact for as long as she could before withdrawing slowly. She rested her forehead against the older woman's, her eyes falling closed. "One night apart and I'm already famished for you."

Regina pressed her lips firmly against the blonde queen's before pulling back. She stood, wrapping one arm around the younger woman's back beneath her arms and one under her knees, lifting her from the coffin to set her upon the marble floor. Her arms slid around the younger queen's trim waist, pulling her protectively into her body. She buried her face in blonde hair, breathing in deeply the scent of her.

Emma buried her face into the older woman's shoulder, her hands clutching at the fabric of the queen's bodice. She nuzzled the brunette's neck. "I love you."

She was here. Even if they were only delaying the inevitable; they had bargained time. And time with Emma, however fleeting that time may be, was all she wished for. "As I love you."

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Savya was content in her spot sitting on Regina's lap, playing with her plush horse. Regina had an arm looped loosely around her waist, holding her protectively back against her torso. Emma had seized her other arm, holding it in her lap, tracing a delicate line from the wrist to the inside of her elbow and back.

The dragging of her fingertip over her flesh, even through the fabric of her sleeve was maddening. Her head rolled to the side to regard her wife. She hummed low in her throat as she stared at the blonde with hooded eyes. Despite the fluttering of her heart and the sudden warmth trailing over her skin, she tried to infuse warning into her gaze.

Emma tilted her head, smiling coyly at her. She knew the effect her touch was having on the older queen. But she hadn't been expecting to ever come back after the previous night. She hadn't been expecting to ever have another moment with her. She leaned down, pressing a kiss to the top of Savya's black waves before resting her head on Regina's shoulder. She pressed a gentle kiss to the woman's throat. "I heard you ask Pressiann to gather Arazera and Rowanaldi in the war room before returning. Are you going to tell me what this is about?"

Regina looked meaningfully down at the toddler in her lap, currently 'galloping' a horse across the skirts of her gown as if it were the rolling lands of a meadow, rather than folds of satin. "Now is not the time to discuss such things."

A frown furrowed Emma's brow. "It's not over yet, is it?"

Regina leaned her cheek against the blonde queen's head. "No, my love, I'm afraid it's only just begun."

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The Queen of the Elves was in heated discussion with Arazera when Regina and Emma entered. Both women fell into silence the second they were joined by the two royals, unwilling to share any of what topic had them so worked up only moments before.

Rowanaldi glanced first at Emma and then shifted her piercing gaze to the older woman at her side. "Lady Regina, what is it you'd have of us?"

"You are soon to receive word from the perimeter that an army is advancing on the North. We must send more bodies to hold the borders."

Arazera smiled, a fake thing tinged with condescension. "I assure you, our boundaries will hold."

"Against your own people?"

The smile fell from Arazera's face.

"Among this enemy, there are elven spell casters."

The twitch in Rowanaldi's upper lip was the only indication of any emotion that showed on her face. "I've heard no reports of distress from the perimeter."

Regina pursed her lips. "They will come shortly." She strode forward to the maps on the table, flipping through them until she found the one she needed. "There are two major hosts, centered here and here." She tapped her finger in two equidistant spots on the map. "One of the hosts is led by the former King of the Enchanted Forest. The other, a woman of unknown origin, though she appears to be human."

"Hadrian?" Emma stepped forward, leaning over the map beside Regina. "But... we left him in the Hexes. How could he cross the land at such a rapid pace? It is impossible." She shook her head.

"He couldn't... not without magic." Regina turned her attention back to the two elves across the table. "I believe someone with great power is behind this." She tapped the Hexes on the map. "Queen Emma was attacked right here, by an Apasma. The location is not surprising; dark things lurk in the Hexes. But it targeted her, lured her out. The way it attacked her was far from common for their race. It was sent for her; I have little doubt of that. _Hadrian_..." She spit his name out through clenched teeth like a curse. "He does not have that kind of power. Even if he had managed to learn magic without the Queen's knowledge, there is no way he could have rallied the Apasmas to the cause of chasing his fleeing wife. This is much bigger than I think any of us thought. Hadrian is a piece in a much larger puzzle."

"If this unknown foe is gathering the darker races, then I fear our problems are much greater than protecting the border. This will mean war. The Elves have not taken part in external wars for..."

Regina shook her head. "You put yourself in this war the moment you granted safe haven to the royal family, first the Princess and then Snow White after she was presumed dead. This war has been going on for years now; it has merely been dormant, laying in wait."

Arazera frowned. "In wait of what?"

Regina shrugged. "I would be quick to assume that it was Snow White's re-emergence that triggered it, but Emma was attacked in the Hexes before Snow White came south. She was still protected here in Bridalveil at the time of the attack. No, I believe whoever was behind this believed the rouse, believed she had perished in the Battle at Fallen Tree." She turned away from the table and the three women. She had thought about this at great length ever since the attempt on Emma's life, running through possibilities. Her conclusion was a grim one. But it made the most sense.

She took a deep breath and turned back to the three women, all staring at her intently. "I believe that this was never about Snow White." Her brown eyes shifted to her wife. "I believe it's about Emma."

"Me?" Confusion coloured Emma's face. "I was just a child then. I was no threat to anyone."

Regina nodded. "But you weren't just _any_ child. You were the child from the prophecy. And you were also the only person with the ability to wake me." She stepped back to the edge of the table. "Think on it. The battles didn't escalate until the Princess left the kingdom. She was stowed here, beyond the reach of whoever wanted her. They knew that as long as Snow White was alive and fighting, she would protect the Princess, as well as ensure that I was never awakened. They had to lure Emma back into the Enchanted Forest. She couldn't play her role if she was safely hidden here. So a truce was offered in a war that was already being won. They were winning. Why make an agreement with an enemy who has nothing to offer you? Snow White thought it was her death they wanted. I believe it was what her death resulted in that they were after."

Emma shook her head. "If it was all to bring me out to where I was vulnerable, why continue to wait before striking?"

Regina bit her lip and gave her wife an apologetic look. "My love, whoever is behind this _didn't_ wait. They put Hadrian in the palace. They used you to make him King. One of this person's generals became the highest authority in the land. That was the move. You were of no worth dead. You were the child of prophecy, and your prophecy must reach its conclusion. Hadrian was meant to keep you in line, make sure everything went according to plan." She ran a hand down the younger queen's arm. "Not all moves in a war are made with sword in hand."

Emma gripped the table to keep from collapsing. It all made sense. She knew Hadrian didn't love her. She had expected that he had been so opposed to her leaving because he had been afraid of losing his title, but with the voicing of Regina's theory, she could easily see that he had been afraid of losing her before the prophecy could come to fruition. He had been less than a moon's turn from completing his part of the mission, a mission that he had been working for over a decade. Her entire marriage had been a lie, for both of them.

Regina saw the strain of the muscles in the blonde's arms. She was bearing most of her weight on them. She grabbed the arm nearest her and pulled the blonde into her.

Emma fought against the hold at first but finally leaned into the embrace, burying herself against the older woman.

"What could this enemy possibly hope to gain from ensuring the prophecy completed?"

Regina stroked Emma's hair as she looked at the two elves. "Emma was groomed to believe that she would choose this world. By having Hadrian keep her on that path, the enemy ensures that she makes that choice, thereby essentially destroying the other halves of everyone who had been in the Enchanted Forest at the time of her birth."

"What does that accomplish?"

Regina pursed her lips. "That is the question, an definite answer to which, I do not know. Without the missing half of our souls though... once they are truly lost, all those who remain incomplete can never achieve their former power. My magic is not as strong without my other half; that will be true for everyone who was divided. Perhaps that is the goal."

Emma pulled back suddenly, her devastation written plainly on her face. "And I played right into it. I made the choice they expected." As the realisation dawned over her, she shrunk more in on herself, shaking her head at the enormity of it. "I've doomed us all."

Regina reached for her, her first instinct to pull the blonde to her and reassure her, but the Queen slipped through her fingers as she turned and fled the room, all three of the other occupants watching her go.

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Regina's fingers traced the crack in the lid of the coffin, running along the length of its rough edges.

"You requested my presence." Arazera had come as silently as she always did.

Regina didn't respond, not at first. She stood from where she was crouched by the damaged glass.

"She wasn't supposed to wake up." Arazera walked up to the base of the coffin, still on it's podium, touching the outline with her fingertips.

Regina shook her head. "Perhaps not." She sighed and looked up at the elf with eyes that sparkled with unshed tears. "I asked you here because I need your help."

Arazera raised an eyebrow. "My help?" It was obvious she was surprised by the request.

"Things haven't exactly run smooth between us, that's true enough, but I have no doubts about your loyalty to Emma and to stopping this war."

Arazera regarded her with suspicion. "How do you require my assistance?"

"I need your help reuniting the souls. If I'm restored to full power... I believe it is the only way to stop this war before it destroys everything."

"But, the other world, it was lost when the Queen made her choice. There is nothing left to restore."

Regina took a deep breath, and then she told Arazera everything.

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Somehow she had known it would be here that she'd find Emma. In the valley, in the shadow of the waterfall, where they'd been wed... it was a safe haven in her own mind as well. So she was unsurprised when she walked over the crest of the knoll and found the blonde royal sprawled out on her back in the grass, the skirts of her gown fanned out around her, contemplating the sky above them. Here in this secret place that held nothing but pleasant memories for the both of them, Emma looked much more like the scared little girl who'd been robbed of her childhood far too early than the responsible fair ruler that she was expected to be.

Regina picked her way down the small slope. She fell down into the grass beside her wife, laying on her back beside the younger woman, and looking up to nature's ceiling above their heads. Clouds drifted past, stained in rich violets, bright oranges, and burning reds with the sunset. A few stars twinkled, heralding the fast approaching dark of night.

"It's hard to think that I will never be called back. For the first time in my life, I have no cause to fear the night. For once, it is my decision how best to spend the dark hours, and yet, I haven't the faintest idea what to do with myself." Emma laughed dryly. It was irony at its best. Truly, her head was too alive with questions to be concerned about what she would do with her night, the most pressing of which was whether or not she had chosen correctly. She knew better than to inquire whether she had made the right decision. Who would ask a person they'd saved if saving them had been the right decision? No matter what she had chosen there were losses and gains to be had and she wouldn't insult the older brunette by asking if her life had been worth what she'd given up.

Regina said nothing. Emma didn't need her reassurances. They'd only sound forced and hollow in this moment.

It was a long stretch of time before Emma spoke again, and when she did, her tone was marinated in sorrow. "I'm starting to forget her." Her voice was thick with yet unshed tears. "I know that I have lived everyday of my life twice, but it's as if my life there happened to someone else, someone who only described the events in that world to me. It doesn't feel as if I lived them anymore; I feel detached. I didn't know what today would bring, no matter which world was my choice, but I didn't expect this." Emma took in a shaky breath. She finally turned her head to the side, looking at Regina as silent tears poured from her eyes. "I never expected to forget her."

Regina wanted to pull the blonde into her arms and assure her that she wouldn't forget her for long, that this was merely a side effect of her own deal with Fate, but she held her tongue on the matter. Fate had made it clear that Emma could not aid her in this quest. She must do this without Emma's knowledge on the matter. The blonde must continue to believe she had chosen this world over the other. For now, the only comfort she could offer her was to seek her hand, tangled in their skirts and clasp it in her own; all she had to give was her presence. She prayed that was enough.

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A/N2:: if that last part didn't get you in the feels just a little, then you are a robot...


	61. Will She Have The Same Laugh?

DISCLAIMER:: do not own ouat or any of its characters. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: sorry, I know this has been insanely long of a wait, but for those of you who don't also read my story 'He Gets That From Me', I have been on extended hiatus. actually, I was planning on being on indefinite hiatus and never posting again, but certain people have changed my mind. so, enjoy. I still will only be posting about once every other week, because I work insanely long hours now, but hopefully I can keep it steady at every other week for this story. Enjoy and review.

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**-Chapter 60: Will She Have The Same Laugh?-**

The mirror spat her out onto the earth beneath her tree, dropping her unceremoniously into grass wet with the dew of pre-dawn. She glared accusingly back up at the surface of the glass, still rippling with magic that could transport individuals between worlds, as if it were a thing she could actually reprimand for its callous treatment of her.

She pushed herself up off the ground, brushing the soil and loose blades of wet grass from her clothes. She felt its absence from her body as keenly as she'd felt its presence in both Eternity and Bridalveil. Her magic was gone. She felt once more that small hole of emptiness deep inside her. Magic had always been a potent addiction in her life, the one drug she could never seem to outrun and, oftentimes, truly believed she didn't want to. It was perhaps the one thing in her life that had never failed her. Sure, it had taken its price from her, but it was the one thing that had always delivered on its promises one way or another. There was a comfort in that. It was her security blanket, and though she knew she could and most certainly _should_ live without it, as with any drug, she also knew that there would always be a part of herself that longed for it.

The mirror still rippled before her, its magic still running strong. What had Fate said? They could use the mirror to communicate with each other? She had assumed that she hadn't been referring to this particular mirror. Wouldn't an eight foot mirror suspended in midair beneath her apple tree be just a little conspicuous? It wouldn't exactly be easy to hide or to explain away its presence there, especially if she were caught conferring with her own reflection. Or worse yet, was she expected to travel back and forth to Eternity to parley with her other half on neutral ground?

As she was contemplating how best to account for the mirror's presence, the object in question began to fold in on itself, getting smaller and smaller as she watched it, fascinated. Finally, when it was slightly smaller than a hand mirror, its progress stopped and it dangled as if by some invisible wire in midair, waiting for her. She plucked it from the air, staring down into its glossy surface. It appeared as an ordinary mirror now, its surface flat and unremarkable. So this was to be how they'd communicate? Magical FaceTime?

She turned it over in her hands, looking for some sort of inscription to activate it, or a spell of some sort, but there was nothing. Seeing nothing but her own reflection staring back at her, she resolved to figure out how this thing worked later. She had little doubt that they'd need to work together if they were going to save both their families, but there was nothing they could possibly tell each other yet that they didn't already know.

Emma. She had to check on Emma. She didn't trust Fate enough to think her girlfriend would go unchanged. Was she even that same confident streetwise pain in the ass that Regina had fallen for? A lot of who she was had come from living in both worlds and remembering them. How would she be without the history that made her who she was? Was she someone different now? Someone Regina wouldn't even recognise? A small voice in the back of her mind whispered that she'd still love her anyway. It was the truth. She could no longer deny that she and Emma were destined to walk the same path, whether it be to salvation or destruction.

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She stared down at a figure that she had no desire more than to memorise by heart. Emma had kicked the duvet down in her sleep and her body trembled slightly with nothing to cover her nude form but the thin satin sheet. She wanted to touch her, to hold her, to kiss her, in some way convey how sorry she was that she had wasted precious time guarding her heart from the inevitability of them. If only she'd let her in past the walls sooner, maybe... But none of that mattered now. They couldn't go back; Fate had been adamant about that. All they could do was go forward.

She sat down gently on her half of the bed, bending down to place a kiss on the blonde's shoulder.

Emma stirred gently in her sleeping, humming her pleasure. "Hmm, you're up early."

"I had something to take care of." Well that answered one question. At least Emma retained memory of her. She could work with that. It was at least a foundation to build upon.

"Well there's something right here that you need to take care of." She puckered her lips at the mayor, her eyes still closed, half between sleep and awake.

Regina rolled her eyes, but she couldn't bring herself to ignore the offered lips. She leaned down, bringing her lips to Emma's. She crawled over her, straddling her hips, only releasing her from the kiss once she had her pinned down.

After a few moments to enjoy post-kiss bliss, Emma cracked one eye open. "You're in a good mood this morning." Her other eye opened and she regarded Regina cautiously, as if she was handling a live grenade, sure it would blow at the smallest pressure.

Regina smiled, tracing the lips of the woman beneath her with a finger. "Why wouldn't I be? I have Henry; I have you." She leaned in and pecked Emma's lips.

Emma's hands captured hers, lacing their fingers together. "Do you regret last night?"

So it was Sunday. A smile crossed her face. She got her day back. She hadn't lost a day when she'd taken a walk in her counterpart's shoes. She still had a whole month. She looked down into Emma's eyes, eyes that had haunted her all her life. She shook her head. "Do you?" She already knew the answer even before she'd asked the question but she still wanted to hear the confirmation.

"I could never regret anytime I spend with you." Emma smiled, though there was a sadness encroaching around its edges.

Regina felt her warmth ebb away just a little; she knew where that sadness originated from. Emma felt as if something were missing, like she was forgetting something she was supposed to remember. That's how all the citizens of Storybrooke had felt just after the curse. Eventually the feeling had dissipated for everyone, but they had all felt an absence of something for a time in the beginning. Emma was feeling it now too. She wanted to tell the blonde that if she could have spared her, she would have. But she kept silent. If they were successful, Emma would get her memories back.

Emma's left hand went to her own neck, closing instinctively around the locket. Queen Regina. She closed her eyes. She could never tell this Regina that she'd lost her other half; it just wouldn't be fair. She'd have to take the secret to the grave. Regina had just assumed they knew each other before the curse; she'd continue to let her believe that. She could never tell her the truth. It would be cruel. There was no saving the other world; apparently, she'd made her choice, though she never remembered making it. But she must have. She'd chosen the mayor and Henry, over Savya and the Evil Queen.

She nudged Regina off of her before the brunette could catch her crying. She got up. "I'm going to go make us some cocoa." She grabbed a loose shirt and some cotton shorts, slipping them on without any undergarments. She kept her face turned away in profile to the older woman. She didn't trust her glazed over eyes not to give her away. The last thing she needed right now was questions; Regina wouldn't let it go until she'd pried the answers out of her. She stopped in the doorway. "Regina?"

"Yes, Miss Swan?"

Emma felt the corner of her mouth turn up in an almost smile. Some things never change. "Say it again?" She needed a reminder that she hadn't just made the wrong decision.

Regina slid off the bed and padded across the room to the door. She wrapped her arms around Emma's waist from behind, dragging the younger woman back into her embrace. She nuzzled the back of her neck through her messy blonde curls. "I love you Emma Swan."

Emma rested her own arms over Regina's holding them in the embrace. "I love you so much. I may be... sad for a while, but never question that." She pulled from the embrace so she could turn around, capturing Regina's lips once more. She pulled back, closed her eyes, and rested her forehead against the other woman's. This existence would have to be enough. She'd make it enough. But, without realising it, her hand had already moved up to clutch at the locket containing her only direct connection to a Queen she now believed dead.

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"Mom! Emma!" Henry jumped up from the couch as they entered Mary Margaret's flat.

The glee on his face tore at Regina's heartstrings and she felt an unwelcome prickling behind her eyes as she took in his joyous expression. That look, that's what she was fighting for here. It would be hard to undo all she'd done to create this world, destroying the world she'd built from the ground up, but she had to do it. She had to make sure her son always looked that happy. After all, wasn't that what it meant to be a parent? To want for your child more than what you had yourself? "Hello sweetheart." She opened her arms, smiling as he fell into the embrace enthusiastically.

She didn't want to let him go and was ecstatic when he actually let her hold him for a prolonged moment. But eventually he did pull from her arms in favour of Emma's.

Emma held Henry close with one arm as she ruffled his hair with the other. She stared over him at the other woman. Her small little family. They were quite the unlikely bunch. She grabbed for Regina's hand and pulled her forward, sandwiching Henry between them. She gave her a quick peck on the lips.

Finally Henry wiggled, careful with his injured arm, popping free from between his two mothers. He looked from one to the other expectantly. "So, how was dinner?"

Emma pulled Regina closer, smiling, though she refrained from grossing Henry out with another kiss, instead just holding the mayor closely to her side. "It was better than I hoped it would be." She met Regina's eyes and smiled. "I think everything is going to be okay from now on."

Regina couldn't drag her eyes away from Emma even for a moment to see what Henry's reaction to her words was, but she had no doubt his response was positive. Having no such qualms about testing Henry's gag limits, that was a mother's job after all, she leaned in and stole a kiss.

A throat cleared and all three looked to the other side of the living room where Mary Margaret was standing, shifting a little awkwardly.

Henry turned back to his mothers, looking exceedingly more excited. "Yay! Time for lunch!"

Emma rolled her eyes. "I swear kid, your stomach is like a bottomless pit."

Regina looked at Emma and their son. The Queen had lived this same day; how had all this looked to her? She remembered what a drastic change this world had been when she'd woken up here that first morning after the casting of the curse. It had certainly taken her more than a day to puzzle it all out; it was just too much to process at once. She couldn't even imagine how it must have appeared to her in twenty four short hours. At least she herself had won an advantage in that she'd been to the Enchanted Forest before. Though appearing in Bridalveil had been somewhat of a surprise, there was nothing she had seen there that was too spectacular for her to comprehend. But Queen Regina had been dropped into a world she knew nothing of.

Emma waved a hand in front of Regina's face, trying to get her attention. The mayor seemed lost in thought. "You okay?"

Regina snapped back from her musings and nodded. "Perfectly alright dear." She looked around at the other three people in the room. "Shall we?"

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"Are things going to be different between you and Emma now?" Henry stared up at his adoptive mother as she tucked his duvet up around his chin. They'd had so much fun at dinner, laughing together and spending time in a way they never had before; they had been like a real family, a complete family. He wanted them to continue to be.

Regina smiled softly and nodded. She sat on the edge of the bed beside him and smoothed down his hair. "Would you like that?"

He nodded enthusiastically. "I like it when you guys aren't fighting. You're both happier."

"Well, I can't promise Miss Swan and I will never fight, but yes, I do believe things will be much more agreeable between us from now on."

"You love her right? And she loves you?"

Regina chuckled. "Yes. That is how True Love works, is it not?"

He grinned. "Exactly! All our happy endings."

Regina bit her lip. Fate had said she couldn't use Emma's help to solve the puzzle that was her curse, but she hadn't said that Regina couldn't have _any_ help. "Henry, sweetheart, I need your help with something."

He sat up, the duvet she'd just tucked up, falling down to his lap. He was totally alert. "With what?"

Regina took a deep breath. It was now or never. "I want to break the curse. I want to take us back to the Enchanted Forest."

His eyes grew wide. It was all true. It was one thing to be influenced by the stories in his book, but to actually hear it confirmed, from the Evil Queen herself no less, was a shock he had been unprepared for.

Regina glanced down at her hands, unable to meet his eyes, afraid of the accusation she was convinced she'd see there. "There's much more to the story than your book could possibly tell you Henry."

He studied his mother. She looked defeated and afraid, nothing like the heartless woman his book made her out to be. "Will you tell me?"

Regina's head snapped up and she regarded him with eyes that barely dared to be hopeful. When he stared patiently, waiting for her answer, she simply nodded. "Yes, I can do that." She suddenly remembered where they were. "But not right now. Right now it's time for bed."

Henry rolled his eyes, but laid back down, pulling the duvet back up.

She leaned down and kissed his forehead before getting up. She switched off the light. "Sweet dreams."

"Mom?" Henry stared out at her through the darkness.

"Hmm?"

"You love her right? That's why you changed your mind? It's for her?" His voice was already starting to break apart with the descent towards sleep and he punctuated his questions with a yawn.

"Yes Henry. For her. And for you. For happiness. And just maybe for a happy ending to the story."

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Emma's back was to the bedroom door when Regina came to bed. She heard the other woman's movements as she got ready for bed, but she didn't turn around. The tears she'd been crying since Regina had gone to tuck Henry in soaked both her face and the pillow. She couldn't let Regina see it, couldn't let her know that a part of her was dying inside. It was only a part of her, but how does one continue to function when they lose half of themself?

She had never really thought of the consequences. She'd known long ago about this choice. She'd been groomed for it; she'd always known that when the time came it would have to be made. But she had always thought of what it would be like to choose, never what that choice would mean, what would come after it was made. She had never considered what it would feel like, truly, to never see one of her homes again, to lose an entire world and everyone in it. She'd never see Savya again, or her father, or the elves, or... Regina. She closed her eyes tightly to prevent the fresh wave of tears that came over her. They were gone. Maybe a small part of her had believed, deep down, that once the choice was made, she'd forget the other life, the one she didn't choose. She had stupidly believed that she'd be granted ignorance. How wrong she'd been.

"You were different today."

Regina glanced over as the words broke through the silence. Her bedmate had been so quiet she had just figured she'd been asleep. Emma's back was still to her. "How so?"

"Just different." Shit, why had she even said anything? She should have kept her mouth shut.

Regina flicked off the overhead light and clicked on the bedside lamp. She crawled under the duvet on her side. "Why are you evading the question?" She stared at the woman beside her's back.

Emma could feel eyes on her but she didn't turn. "You're softer. Still you, but not as sharp around the edges."

Regina studied the other woman's form. She was stiff, but not rigid. Her posture wasn't a result of tension, but of emotion. She was upset. She reached out, her hand sliding from the small of her back up between her shoulder blades. "Knowledge can humble a person."

Finally Emma turned around, surprised by that response.

Regina took in the cheeks that shined faintly in the dull glow of the lamplight and the red-rimmed eyes. She knew what it meant. She wrapped her arms around Emma and pulled her close. She stroked a wet cheek with the back of a finger before tucking a stray blonde strand that had gotten caught in the track of her tears and was thoroughly soaked. "I promise that things are going to get better."

Emma closed her eyes and nodded her head. Regina couldn't know that; she didn't know the truth. And Emma wasn't ready to tell her.

Regina frowned. "Hey, Emma, look at me." Once the other woman had reluctantly opened her eyes, she looked into them, willing Emma to listen to her. "I'm right here. You have me. You have **all** of me."

Did Regina _know_? Emma opened her mouth to ask, but then thought better of it. If Regina did know, she wasn't the type to keep it hidden. And if she didn't, Emma couldn't tell her. This was her burden to bear. It had always been her burden.


	62. Slow Is The Memory

DISCLAIMER:: do not own ouat or any of its characters. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: sorry this has taken an extremely long time, like two months. this story takes a lot of thought and careful consideration, and work has been far too demanding to give it its proper due. I hope to have at least one more update before I return to work in a week. Still, I hope you all enjoy it all the same. We're building up to war and I'm really excited to get there, and hopefully earn our ladies their happy ending. But we'll see what Fate has in store. Enjoy and review.

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**-Chapter 61: Slow Is The Memory-**

Regina woke up to a new energy thrumming throughout the very walls of Bridalveil. The stones of the castle walls seemed to hum with a melancholic but anticipatory buzz. Even the place itself seemed to know war was upon them, like an old soldier called to duty once more after decades of dormancy. It was remembering the long at rest thrill of battle combined with the uncertainty of one out of practice. Did it even know how to do this anymore? It needn't worry, Regina thought, war had changed little since its birth. Once one knew it, it could never be unknown again.

She could sense the magic now, not just in the walls, but in everything. It seemed that the forest itself sensed the impending danger and was preparing itself for the battles to come. She couldn't hear them, graceful beings that they were, but she had little doubt that every elf for leagues and leagues were preparing themselves as well. They had remained apart from the fickle spats between the lower realms for hundreds of years; it was time to get involved once more. War was knocking and they planned to answer.

Golden hair fanned out across the pillows, forming a halo around the slightly pained face of the Queen of the Enchanted Forest. It was only the first night in her life that she had truly been without her other half, that she hadn't changed realms. It was a new beginning, not just for her but for them both.

Regina felt an impulsive draw to wake her, to spare her from her dreams, but she knew it would only hurt her in the long term. She needed to learn to dream, how to exist as one half of herself. If they weren't successful, and there was a good chance they wouldn't be, then she would spend the rest of her days this way, as half of a whole, as would they all.

She rose from the bed, doing her best to disturb her wife's troubled sleep as little as possible. The marble of the bed chamber floor felt cool and smooth beneath her bare feet, but the chill was not overbearing, probably another compliment of the magic veined through the very stones of which the palace was built. She reached for a bed robe, garbing herself in the flowing elvish fabric to ward off the worst of the chill in the air. With one quick glance over her shoulder, she quit the bed chamber.

The parlour was no more welcoming, frigid and dark in the dawn gloom. But a moment later flames ignited from thin air in the marble fireplace, causing her heart to stutter as the room was illuminated. The elf woman whom she had known and loved as Daniela- though that seemed a lifetime ago now- was sitting in a chair by the fire that she'd created.

"I hear that, once more, war is upon us." She didn't look up, her intense stare into her own magically produced flames hard to read.

"You hear true. War is at hand."

Daniela sighed, looking all at once weary. "I have fought many battles in my life, too many for someone of my age. But I fear this one may be my last."

Regina ventured closer, falling into the chair at the other side of the fire. "Loss is not a certainty." She couldn't help the thread of defensiveness in her tone, though she wasn't entirely sure she believed her own words. The odds were greatly against them, and that was even before considering the grim truth that they knew nothing of their foe, not origin, not motivation, not even their numbers. They knew from perimtere reports that their size over tripled the size of the elven army, and that they moved like a plague across the land, destroying everything they touched. Nothing was spared. Clad all in black, they were an ebony tidal wave leaving ruin in its wake.

"Whoever this is, they have power Regina. True power. More than any one elf can hope to match, I fear even me."

Regina shook her head, her long hair moving with the force of her denial, whipping around her face. Her gaze moved to the flames, letting the leaping dance entrance her. "I refuse to believe we've lost before it has even begun. Our number is not one."

"I did not say we've yet lost. The entire magic of the north is a formidable force in its own right. Then, bringing into consideration your power and the young Queen's host... we do have much to face them with. Will it be enough? That, I do not know. But I am not resigning us to our graves just yet." Daniela rubbed at her eyes. "But, make no mistake, the situation is dire. This army stands undefeated. Last time they ceased their advance only on diplomatic merit. An agreement where they have since discovered we did not honour our half; they will not be quick to make such an accord again. This will be destroy or suffer destruction."

"I know." Regina glanced toward the closed door of the bed chamber, as if she could see through its thickness to spy on the slumbering queen. "I am entertaining the thought of sending her away to Mirabella. It is the only way she will be protected, safe."

Daniela raised an eyebrow. "She will not like that overmuch." A hint of a smirk played at the corner of her mouth, a mixture of amusement and pride. "She will not go easy."

"No, I suspect she won't, especially once she discovers I will not be with her." Regina frowned. She had given this much consideration and it was their best option, their only real option. If she died herself, the other Regina, the mayor of Storybrooke, would still be able to continue on towards their cause. But, if Emma were to die, if she were to lose her carelessly in the coming battle... her very reason to fight would be lost. She'd lose, be forced to concede, not just her life but the lives of everyone in her world. She would have to let the mayor win. "But she must go. Savya as well. They are casualties we cannot afford."

"Free will is still hers; the elves will not force her away if she does not wish it. They will stand with her; all odds are against you."

Regina pursed her lips in distaste; she had suspected it would come to this. "All odds but one."

Daniela raised an eyebrow, the smirk of amusement back once more. "You presume to have **my** support in this?"

"No, not yours. But I know I will have her mother's."

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Snow White's complexion looked much more like her name suggested than when Regina had last spoken with her, on the day of her marriage to Emma. It was only three short days past, but the former ruler had aged greatly in the small time. Her black hair had lost most of its lustre, the scar on her face seemed angry and jagged in contrast to her smooth milky complexion.

She looked up from her seat by her balcony, watching silently as Regina blew into the chamber like an unstoppable wind.

The former Evil Queen came to stand a small distance before the scarred woman's chair. "I must speak with you."

Snow didn't look at her, her gaze gone straight back to where it had been before she'd entered, out to the city and the forest beyond. "So speak."

Regina sighed. "I understand that you have no desire to be in my presence, let alone assist me in any matter, but I do believe that you still care for your daughter somewhere in that bitter heart of yours."

Snow's head snapped around, shocked by her words. "Of course I do! Just because I disagree with her choice to bind herself to **you** for eternity does not change that she is still my daughter!"

Regina inclined her head in acquiescence, knowing better than to make a battle of the woman's words, though she could easily do just that. But Snow was already so broken, she felt no need to tear her down anymore. She'd won her victory of destroying Snow White long ago. "Fair thought. And though you continue to object, the fact does remain that I **am** her wife, even more, our very souls are bound. You may be bound to her by blood, but I am bound to her very _existence_."

Snow's hands balled into fists. "Make your point or get out of my chambers."

"My point, dear Snow, is simple. We are bound together too, you and I, by Emma. And I believe we hold mutual interest in seeing her safely through what is coming." She walked to the edge of the balcony, putting her hands on the rail as she gazed out at the city below and the treetops that spread out as far as the eye could see. "The last time war plagued this land, she was but a child, not yet touched by violence. She was hidden away then, protected. She has known little of war and even less of combat. She cannot hope to survive what awaits us on the horizon. When the fighting reaches us, she will fall, and fast."

"She is more capable than you may think."

Regina closed her eyes, shaking her head softly. "She's too important to risk it, capable or not. This enemy wanted her once; whoever it is might want her still. If it gets her, we are all doomed. She _must_ be protected."

"On that, at least, we can agree. She needs to be kept safe." Her fisted hands relaxed. "What is it that you propose we do then?"

"Savya and her must be sent to Mirabella; it is the only place none of this will be able to reach them."

"The secret city? Impossible. They wouldn't even send me there when hiding knowledge of my existence was the only thing warding war away from their borders. It's location is unknown to all but the most trusted elves and only the elves are allowed to pass through its gates."

Regina looked down her nose at the older woman, once known throughout the land as younger and fairer than she. "So too once was Bridalveil, impenetrable to all but the elves." She waved away the former queen's concerns. "Besides... Arazera has already agreed to take her."

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Regina hadn't seen much of her wife or her daughter throughout the course of the day. Emma had been busy studying in the vast library-far more grand than any either of them had ever seen- going through histories of the previous battles, of which the Elves seemed to have kept a detailed account.

Graham, who had taken quite the liking to Pressiann, Savya's elf nanny, had rode out with both her and Savya to a nearby elf's shop, where a kindly male elf carved children's toys from wood or made them from other natural materials. She had just heard word of their return.

As the sun was waning, she made her way to the young girl's chambers to hear all about her time at Rinkley's shop.

As she pushed into the outer chamber, she heard the soft voice of her wife, floating out of the bed chamber. She was speaking in a low, soothing voice, obviously talking to Savya. Regina tiptoed over to the door of the bed chamber. It was cracked open just a few inches, offering her a small glance of the dim room inside.

Savya was tucked in under the layers of fluffy bedding, staring up at Emma, who was sitting with her back against the headboard, carved with majestic looking wild horses. Her legs were stretched out down the length of the bed and she was smiling down at their daughter, stroking her fingers through dark locks. "A story hmm? Is that what you're after?"

The little girl nodded.

Emma tapped her nose with the tip of a finger, causing her to giggle. "I know just the one." She took a deep breath, resting her head back against the carved headboard. "Once upon a time, there was a world without magic, where magical beings were cursed to live in secret among many many people who didn't believe. All the magical beings lived together in one village, a place called Storybrooke. And the leader of that village, who protected and watched over all who resided there, was a beautiful but sad woman by the name of Regina."

Savya grinned. "Just like Momma!"

Emma nodded. "That's exactly right sweetheart. So for many many years Regina protected and watched over all the magical beings in her village, keeping them safe from all the non-believers who were certain to hurt them out of fear and misunderstanding if they ever found out who they truly were. Until one day when one of the non-believers, a young woman of common birth by the name of Emma, was led into town by Regina's son, Henry, a boy of ten."

A small smile crept across Regina's face and she backed silently away from the door, leaving them to their bedtime stories. She would return later to kiss Savya goodnight. For now, she could wait.

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Regina was already in bed by the time Emma quit her research for the night-she had returned to the library immediately after Savya had been tucked in- and came to their chambers. She watched the younger queen as she methodically moved through the routine of stripping off her cumbersome gown and preparing for bed. Once all that remained was her simple night shift, she finally came over to the bed and crawled into her side.

Regina raised an eyebrow. "The village of Storybrooke huh?"

"I thought I felt you eavesdropping."

"I was not. I was merely coming to hear about my daughter's day, only to find that you had arrived before me. Agreed that I couldn't help overhear a little of your story in passing."

Emma sighed, sliding closer to the brunette so she could curl against the older queen's body. Her hands roamed over Regina's body through the thin material of her night dress, seeking comfort from the contact, any contact. It wasn't a physical need she sought to fulfill, but an emotional one. "I don't want to dishonour that life by forgetting it. I feel it slipping away from me, like a dream receding. I lose little details the more time that passes. Perhaps it is a consequence of the choice, that I forget. It seems all at once a blessing and also terribly cruel." She buried her face against Regina's shoulder and for a moment the older woman believed her about to cry. But just as suddenly she had composed herself again. "I have, in between my readings on the war, recorded what memories I still retain of my life in the other world. There are fewer than I had hoped. I was hoping that telling it to Savya..." This time, when she buried her face, it took considerably longer for her to compose herself. Finally, she looked up once more, her eyes glassed over. "They deserve to be remembered, the mayor and her son. They deserve to have their story told, even if it is as a bedtime tale, even if no one will ever truly know who they were or how they sacrificed their very lives to ensure this world was able to continue." Her eyes fell guiltily. "How **I** chose to sacrifice their lives."

Regina felt that ache that was now becoming her constant companion, the pull to wrap Emma up in her arms and assure her that the mayor and her son lived on, that Storybrooke still existed out there in another world, beyond their sight and reach. But she couldn't offer that comfort, not now. So she offered what little she could. She placed a kiss to golden waves. "You do them great honour my love. I trust that if the mayor were here, she'd tell you that she understands why this choice had to be made as it was, and that all is forgiven."

Emma shook her head even as she buried it against Regina's neck. "You cannot know that."

Regina kissed her temple and stroked her fingers through her hair. "Oh, but I can. You see, embittered she may have been, but even so, she has always been me and I her. Deep beneath the surface of our opposite experiences, we are and have always been one."


	63. The Routine Is Getting Old

DISCLAIMER:: do not own ouat or any of its characters. just borrowing for the purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: sorry for the delay everyone. here it is. i hope it is worth the wait. read, review, and enjoy.

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**-Chapter 62: The Routine Is Getting Old-**

Regina's eyes sprung open. All that greeted her was the monotonous white of her ceiling. The day seemed heavy around her. She'd had her one day, her Sunday, to just soak it all in, to bask in the fact that their plan had worked. Her and the Queen had bought themselves another month. If Emma Swan could manage to melt through the arctic crust that had encased her heart in a mere month, she was quite confident she could manage to find a way to reverse what she'd done under the same time constraints. Regardless of Emma's prophecy and the splitting of their souls; she had still cast the curse. Which meant she could break it. It was just a matter of discovering how, and in doing so with as few casualties as possible.

Her head rolled to the side even as her arm slid out across the other side of the bed, but no one was there, the sheets cold in the absence of a body to warm them. The blonde's half of the bed was deserted.

For a brief moment her heart twisted with panic. Their original agreement had been that Emma would leave Storybrooke. Had she changed her mind and decided to follow through with their plan? How would she ever find her if she'd disappeared for good? This world was much bigger than the Enchanted Forest, with many more places to hide. Emma could be anywhere with enough of a lead. How would she ever be able to bring her back before the deadline?

She sat up in bed, throwing the duvet off. The door to the en suite bathroom was visibly open. No one was inside. There was no trace of Emma in the room, no discarded clothes tossed carelessly on the floor or any other outward signs that this was anything more than what it had always been: a space belonging to her and her alone.

For the first time since she'd come to this fantasy town she'd created, she felt the sharp blade of the loneliness slide into her chest. She had lived for twenty eight years convincing herself that she didn't need anyone beside her. Henry had been an unforseen blessing, something she hadn't known she craved, a need she immediately fulfilled the moment she realised she desired it. She had told herself there was nothing else she wanted.

Until Saturday. Until the moment Emma Swan had touched her, body and soul. The blonde had cracked through her walls, ripping through them with bloodied hands after a month long struggle, a battle she had made all the harder with her refusal to assist her. It had only been as Emma crashed through the last of her defenses that she'd finally realised they were on the same side, that they always had been. She'd just been too blind to see it, to see any of it.

She looked around her room, despite all the trappings of her life seeming barren and devoid of any realness. She saw it now, the falseness of it all, as if she were living in a dollhouse she'd spent so many years meticulously designing, saw it as if she could see the very magic that sustained this place, that kept it what it was. Unlike their chamber in Bridalveil, where even the meagre possessions they'd travelled with made a borrowed chamber seem more substantial than this, it felt cold and impersonal. How had she convinced herself this charade was worth living? How had she ever thought that pausing life where it was had been the best way to achieve her happy ending?

It had been a lie. This hadn't been about finding her happy ending. Perhaps it hadn't even been about getting her revenge. Maybe this had always been about not having to face her broken heart. She hadn't wanted things to get worse, hadn't wanted to feel so broken anymore, so she had pressed a pause button, leaving them to move neither forward nor back in time, stuck where they were. And it was only as Emma waltzed in and pressed play that anything had changed.

She traced her fingers over the other side of the bed. It was made, not with the meticulous hotel corners that she usually did, but decently enough. Emma had done it, before she'd left, though Regina couldn't tell if it had been to erase her presence from the room completely or if it had been in polite consideration of Regina's penchant for organization.

She finally convinced herself that Emma wasn't going to magically appear in her bed once more and began her usual routine for the morning. Somehow it all seemed rather futile now that she had dedicated herself to breaking the curse. She had no choice; she risked losing not only Storybrooke but also her family forever if she didn't. That was not a gamble she wished to make. But keeping up appearances, while she tried to research how to end what she had started, was necessary.

Still, as she went into her walk in, she found that she had slightly less zeal in choosing her wardrobe for the day. It no longer seemed to matter if she appeared intimidating or not. All she really cared about was being clothed and colour coordinated enough that it wouldn't arouse anyone's suspicions. In the end, she decided on a pair of tight grey slacks and a muted blue button up that had always been a favourite of hers.

She set them out across the bed and left the room to go wake up Henry. If she didn't wake him now, he'd never make it to school on time.

But as she kniocked once before entering her son's room, she found him already wide awake and sitting cross-legged on his bed, already ready for school. He looked up from the note book he was jotting something down in when she entered, her mouth agape, ready to coax him out from beneath the covers. He wasn't a morning person; she knew it was a trait he'd inherited from his birth mother.

"Morning Mom. Emma left some breakfast for you in the kitchen. She had to go, but she said to tell you that she would stop by the office for lunch."

Regina did her best not to smile. So Emma hadn't snuck out, and she most certainly hadn't left town. She had just wanted to let her sleep in. "Make sure you're all ready for school. We have to leave by fifteen til."

She returned to her room, heading straight for the bathroom. She'd slept in slightly longer than usual and she needed to hurry if she hoped to keep the deadline she had just given her son.

When she turned on the light, she was greeted by a bright green square on her bathroom mirror, small but readily noticeable among the darker decor. Her brow furrowing, she stepped up to the mirror to get a closer look at the small post-it someone had affixed there.

This time she couldn't contain her smile as she read three simple words written in Emma's loopy script: _I love you_.

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She stared at the small mirror. How did this thing even work? It looked like nothing more than an ordinary handheld mirror that any women might have in her purse. It certainly wouldn't arouse any suspicion that it was actually a means of talking to the other side, to a world no one but her and her family even knew existed.

Her fingers played over the glass. She'd tried every spell she knew that might work, trying to get the damned thing to work properly. She had discussed the plan of attack very briefly with the Queen, but Fate had not allowed them long to form their plan. They had just covered the very basics, the Queen would prepare for the coming war in the Enchanted Forest and she would do her part by trying to break the curse in Storybrooke.

But that was precisely why she needed to talk the Queen. She had no idea how to break the curse. There was always the fail safe. She knew where it was. With a little effort and a less than welcome scuffle with an angry dragon who had spent twenty eight long years nursing a boiling grudge, she could obtain the stone. Her former ally would do everything in her power to incinerate her upon first sight, but she could get to the fail safe. But she didn't possess the power here, even pulling all the risidual magic from the few items she'd brought and stored in her vault in the crypt, to transfer everyone back to the Enchanted Forest before the fail safe destroyed Storybrooke and everything, living or dead, within its borders. She may have the power to save Henry, herself, and Emma from the danger, but she wasn't sure Emma would ever agree to abandon her family or any of the people she'd grown up loving.

Still, it was in the back of her mind as a last resort. If it came to it, and her month passed without finding any alternative solutions, she would go down into the cavern beneath the library, she would get the fail safe and she would save her family, with or without Emma's consent.

There was also the option to rip up the spell, reversing the curse as if it never was. But in doing so, she would lose Henry, and possibly Emma as well. Henry had not come about until after the curse. He was of this world, even if his parentage was of another. This was the only home he had ever known. To save him, she would have to send him, alone and afraid, over the town line. He would become an orphan. He would lose everything he had ever known and loved in life. And he would be put into the system, a thing that had filled Emma's life in this world with so much upset and bad memories; they would be condemning him to a life that would embitter him.

And Emma, the curse hadn't affected her. It wasn't what had transported her here. So it was possible she wouldn't return with them either. She'd be left there with their son, in the ruins of a town that had never existed. She would be forced to leave her family behind to save the rest of the town. It was the exact opposite of what she faced with the fail safe. To the right she saw rock, to the left was hard place, and there she was, caught between them.

There had to be another way. There had to be a way to save everyone.

"Knock, knock."

Regina set aside the mirror, resolving to puzzle it out later that night, smiling as she glanced up at the blonde head peeking in through the double doors. "Hey stranger."

The smile Emma gave her was still fringed with the sadness it had possessed the day before, still tainted with the guilt of the choice she still believed she had made, but it seemed altogether less heavy than it had before. She was floating towards acceptance, realising that she had no choice but to move on with the only life she thought she had. She slipped fully into the office, closing the door softly behind her. "I'm sorry about this morning. I didn't want to wake you." She sauntered slowly closer to the desk but didn't completely approach it.

Regina knew her reputation, especially with the woman before her, and Emma was still expecting her first response to be displeasure. Well things were different now, but she would allow the blonde an adjustment period.

She stood, coming around her desk and closing the rest of the distance remaining between them. Her hands found their way onto Emma's arms, squeezing gently on her biceps. "I got your note." She leaned in and pecked Emma gently on the lips.

"Oh that." A small amount of pink crept into her cheeks. "I know that you don't..."

"Emma?" She whispered the name against her lips.

"Hmm?" Emma's green gaze was laser focused on the full lips inches from her own.

"Shut up." She claimed the younger woman's mouth, pulling her body into her.

For a moment, Emma was surprised. This Regina was acting wholly different than she had over the course of the last month. When she broke her walls, she must have truly shattered them, granting her unimpeded access to the woman underneath. Of course, a part of her wasn't surprised. Regina was comfortable in lustful situations; she had learned long ago how to use her body and use it well.

Emma drew back, slightly breathless. "If I would have known that's the welcome I'd get, I would have snuck out more mornings."

Regina pursed her lips.

Expecting a sharp retort, she decided to head it off. "I know, I know, shut up." She met the older woman's lips again.

She didn't tell Emma that she wanted to wake up with her, that she never wanted to feel that deep panic ever again. Now that she knew the other woman was her destiny, she didn't want her out of her sight for long ever again. Past experience had taught her to be prepared for danger from around every corner. But she had the feeling saying any of this out loud would only make Emma even more suspicious. She would start asking questions, the answers to which she wasn't allowed to know yet.

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"Mom?" Henry walked toward her where she was leaning against the driver's door of her Mercedes. "I thought Emma was picking me up." He didn't sound disappointed, merely curious. Maybe they had moved beyond his hatred for her.

She pushed off of the car and met him in the middle, wrapping an arm around his shoulders as she guided him back toward the car. "I took the afternoon off. I thought we could maybe go to Granny's, have that talk we discussed last night." She steered him around the front of the car, opening the passenger side door for him.

He turned in the door, looking up into her face, searching for either deceit or sincerity. He appeared to find what he was looking for, finally nodding.

She smiled down at him, running her fingers through his short brown hair.

He dropped his backpack on the floorboard and slid into the leather seat.

Regina closed the door, smiling to herself as she made her way back around the car. It had been a long time since she and Henry had been able to sit down and eat a meal together without a stone cold silence between them.

The strain had been there even before he had found and sought out Emma Swan. If she was being entirely honest, it had been over two years before his birth mother had come to town that he had looked at her without suspicion in his eyes. Maybe it was something he'd gotten from Emma, this innate ability to look through her disguise to the remnants of her dark past that still lingered beneath the surface.

But she was hoping they could tackle her new mission with a united front. Two heads were always better than one, and she knew it was in Henry's best interest that they were successful in this. Out of all of them, he had the most to lose.

They chose a booth in the back corner of the diner, away from the other patrons. The last thing she needed was any of them overhearing the conversation they were about to have. It had sounded crazy enough coming from the mouth of a ten year old for the past few months; it could only get worse if she were seen as entertaining the idea.

They waited in silence while Ruby took their orders, eyeing them curiously, but knowing better than to pry. But the second she had gone to put their orders in, Henry turned bright eyes on her.

She cleared her throat, shifting uneasily in her seat. This wouldn't be the easiest thing to do. Admitting the dark deeds she'd committed in her past was hard enough, but doing so in front of only one of two people who had the power to condemn her seemed almost impossible. But Emma had known her, had known every dark secret she'd locked away in her black heart and had loved her still, despite the darkness. Maybe Henry could to. She had to try. She needed him, now more than ever.

"Where should I start?" She expected him to tell her to start from the beginning or to ask her straight forward what Snow White had ever done to earn her hatred. A part of her even expected him to ask why she was telling him all this now. But when he finally spoke, it was none of those responses that passed his lips.

"You've had twenty eight years here. Plenty of opportunity to do what you couldn't do there: kill Snow White. Why haven't you?"

The question drew her up short. She had never really considered why she hadn't just finished what she'd started so many years ago. She just had stopped feeling the need after they'd come to Storybrooke. She knew he was waiting for an answer, so she gave the most honest response she could think of. "I suppose I was just satisfied with taking away everything that had made her happy in the Enchanted Forest. What more could I have possibly gained by killing her? It would have simply relieved her of her misery."

Henry nodded, sipping at his lemonade quietly, contemplating her words. "Do you still hate her?"

"Yes." She didn't hesitate. A part of her would always hate Snow White; there were some things one holds onto so tight that letting them go is just not possible. She saw Henry's face fall just a little, warring internally with disappointment at her words and gratitude that she was honest. "But I no longer wish to destroy her." That had to count for something right?

"Why?"

"Because, as much as I have loathed her, she gave me the two most important people in my life. Without her, there would never have been Emma, and without Emma, I never would have had you. She took something from me once, but now she has given me something back. Her debt is paid." As she said them, the truth of her own words began to sink in.

Henry watched her through eyes wise beyond his years. Finally, seeming to internally decide something, he cupped his hands around his glass of lemonade and met her gaze. "I guess you should start at the beginning then."

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"Are you going to be staying here a lot Emma?"

Regina leaned against the door frame in his room, looking in at her lover and their son. Emma had been waiting for them when they'd arrived home and they'd spent their first evening as an actual family together. Emma had offered to help her put Henry to bed and she'd agreed. There would be many more nights like this if she had anything to say about it.

Emma pulled up his duvet. "We'll just have to see kid."

They said their goodnights, and after they had each placed a kiss to his forehead, they departed the room.

The second the door was closed, Regina slipped her hand into Emma's, leaning her head against her shoulder as they moved down the hall to the master bedroom.

They got ready for bed with the ease of old lovers with a practised routine. They didn't speak, didn't fill the silence with meaningless conversation; they didn't need to. There were kisses pressed to bare shoulders, gentle touches of fingers along backs, sweet nudges to arms or hips, all every time they passed each other as they got ready for bed. It felt very familiar, as if they'd been in a relationship for years, rather than mere days.

Their bodies found each other after they'd turned out the lights and gotten under the duvet on opposite sides of the bed, magnets drawn to each other. Legs entwined, hands caressed over skin, mouths met. Regina hadn't felt this in love for a long time, not since the days when she'd still believed that fairy tales always had happy endings.

She pulled back gently. Her eyes were just starting to adjust to the darkness in the room; she could make out the contours of Emma's jaw, but her features were all shrouded in shadow, save her eyes, which seemed to glow, even in the darkness. "I don't want to wake up without you. Not again."

Lips found Regina's, kissing away her fears. Emma felt something in her heart warm, bringing back a bit of the vibrancy she had lost when she'd woken up knowing she'd never see the Queen again. But, as she stared into the mayor's eyes, she saw little glimpses of the part of Regina she thought she'd lost. Maybe a happy ending, or something like one, was still possible.


End file.

Once Upon a Time, Fantasy, Romance