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Chapter Text

Emma Swan checked the coast was clear in the corridor, outside the Mayor’s office. All was silent meaning the town had bought into hers and Regina’s ruse.

“How long do you think we have?” Regina asked Emma when she re-entered the office. Regina had hold of an old wooden box which she placed on the glass table and took out her magical ingredients.

“Until whoever cast this curse realises you’re not actually on the run from me. But until then, no one is going to suspect we’re working together,” Emma replied.

“Let’s see it,” said Regina and Emma passed her the small potion bottle that had contained the memory potion.
“Is that enough?” Emma asked, taking a seat at the table. Regina examined the small blue bottle, lifting it up so it shone in the light.

“To use? No. But to replicate? I think so.” Regina pulled the stopper out of the bottle.

“We can start waking people up. Figure out who the hell sent everyone back here.” Emma glanced at Regina, who continued to examine the bottle as if it were something very precious.

“And I can make Henry remember me,” Regina added, a hint of pain and sadness in her voice and expression. Emma could see Regina’s pain. Unlike the people of the town, Emma could always see Regina’s good side. She knew Regina cared for Henry more than anything in this world.

“Thank you,” Regina said, finally glancing at Emma. She replaced the stopper, putting the bottle on the table and turning her back. She knew it was the right thing to do, to thank her but she didn’t want Emma to see her face. To see how much the trust Emma was giving her, meant to her. Whenever something meant so much to Regina, she had learned to hide it. Feelings only caused Regina Mills pain, they always did.

“For what? We haven’t done anything yet,” Emma said, surprised.

Regina picked up an odd glass instrument allowing just enough time to put back on her brave, indifferent face. She turned back to Emma placing the object on the table to begin preparing the potion.

“You saw how quick this town was to blame me,” Regina explained. She looked into Emma’s eyes with a strong determination. “But you…you believed I didn’t cast that curse. I know that wasn’t easy for you.”

“Sure it was,” Emma replied, looking up at Regina with a small smile. “I knew that you were telling the truth."

“Even though everything that has happened, has put me right next to Henry?” Regina said, concentrating on making the potion and avoiding Emma’s eyes. This was everything Regina would have wanted, it would be obvious to anyone that it was her that had cast the curse. Henry was her happiness and she would do anything to get him back.

Regina did feel a little guilty. She would have cast the curse again in a heartbeat if she could, but she knew she hadn’t. To cast the curse she would have to kill the thing she loved most and Henry was the only thing she loved. “Maybe this was some complicated ingenious plan?” Regina knew she was pushing Emma by that comment. Testing her to see if she had any doubt in her.

“It wasn’t,” Emma replied, shaking her head with certainty. She looked sadly up at Regina. She was always full of doubt. Always ready for people to think the worst of her. Emma was determined never to do that, not anymore. She knew Regina had changed. There was good in Regina and every day she was battling against the dark and right now, she was winning. Emma was determined to keep her that way. She trusted Regina more than Regina realised. “My superpower may not be perfect but with you, Regina, I always know when you’re lying. This time you’re not. You didn’t do it”

Regina stopped what she was doing and glanced at Emma. Her brave indifferent face had slipped and Emma could see a hint of vulnerability. Could it be possible Emma trusted her more than she trusted herself? Was that possible?

“Even though you know I can’t live without him?” Regina asked softly. Yet again, Regina was pushing Emma, looking for doubt. If Emma had any doubt, then Regina would start doubting herself too. She had no memory of the past year. Goodness only knew what she had done. She just couldn’t believe that someone trusted her.

“There you go,” Emma grinned. “Telling the truth again.” Emma’s eyes shined with determination and it was at that point that Regina knew that Emma believed in her completely even if she didn’t believe in herself.

A hint of a smile curled up the corner of Regina’s dark lipstick lips. A sad and vulnerable hope entered Regina’s expression, the hard mask she usually wore completely wiped away. She didn’t look like an evil queen anymore, just a woman looking for someone to believe in her, someone to love her. All Regina had ever wanted was love, a happy ending. Fate had made it otherwise. The world had battered and beaten her until she saw no option but to fight back. Now, she was seeing a new way to fight.

“The only person to believe me in this town is you,” Regina remarked. “Your trust may be misplaced.”

“Regina, you need to stop doubting yourself,” Emma said softly, standing up and taking a step towards her. “I know you’re telling the truth and I trust you. It’s time you trusted in yourself too.” Emma knew Regina would continue to doubt herself unless she did something to prove to her that she had changed, that she now deserved to be trusted and deserved to be loved.

“I don’t know how,” Regina said angrily. “I am the evil queen, I will always have this darkness in me. It’s who I am.”

Emma took another step forwards so the two women stood face to face with each other. They were stood together so close, in each other’s personal space as only close friends would be. “Yes, Regina. You will always have darkness, it is a part of you, but it doesn’t have to control you. Every day I see you choose good over that darkness. I believe in you. I believe you will continue to fight it and that is what makes you special, that’s what makes you worth loving.”

Regina stared into Emma’s bright and fierce, determined eyes. Emma’s eyes were so open, so full of hope, the opposite of Regina’s that only showed pain and doubt. But Emma could see vulnerability and also fear, something Regina would never show to anyone except maybe Henry. Thanks to Emma’s trust in Regina, despite everything, the two women now how a deep bond that could never be broken.

“You think someone could love me?” Regina asked softly, her voice full pain. She didn’t believe anyone could love her anymore. She believed she would never be able to find her happy ending.

“Yes, Regina. You deserve to be loved, you deserve your happy ending,” Emma replied, her voice breaking when an overwhelming sadness broke over her. She was shocked to feel tears in her eyes. She was sad that this beautiful woman who had been through so much, believed that she shouldn’t be loved, believed that she didn’t deserve a happy ending. She knew Regina had done awful terrible things but she had changed, she deserved to be happy now.

Emma felt a sob break through and without thinking, she embraced Regina, wrapping her arms around her shoulders and holding her close. Regina stiffened, as she knew she would. Her frame hard, the feel of her sharp cut jacket increased the feeling of someone who didn’t want to be hugged, who wasn’t used to being hugged. Then she felt Regina relax into the embrace and slowly, the other woman slipped her arms around Emma’s waist.

The two stayed embraced until they began to feel their hearts beat a little faster, their breathing picked up. Suddenly their embrace felt a lot more intimate than merely two friends hugging each other.

Regina removed her arms with a quick, fearful jerk, pulling away. Emma was quick and held Regina’s face in her hands, looking intimately into her eyes.

“Stop doubting yourself Regina. You deserved to be loved,” Emma told her and gently brushed her lips against Regina’s soft full ones. She heard Regina sigh. Emma smiled at the electrical contact she made. One of her hands slipped into Regina gorgeous soft dark hair and the other moved to the small of her back, pushing Regina into her.

She caught one glimpse of Regina’s dark fearful eyes before her mouth closed over hers. Emma kissed Regina passionately, holding the other woman tight to her. She had no idea what she was doing, only acting on instinct. The feeling she got as she held and kissed Regina felt good, it felt like the right thing to do. A hum of pleasure and happiness spread through her body as her heart hammered hard and fast against her chest.

Regina didn’t respond straight away. She was battling some internal struggle but then Emma’s tongue slid over hers, wiping away all rational thought. Regina brought her arms back around Emma’s waist, holding her tight and kissed back with equal passion.

The two women kissed heatedly. Emma stepped forwards, leading Regina back until her back hit the wall. Her hand fell from Regina’s hair to trace her finger across the smooth pale skin just above her breasts where her top shirt button was undone. Regina gasped and deepened the kiss, her tongue dancing with Emma’s.

With Emma embracing her in such a way, Regina felt a happiness she hadn’t known in a long time. Her body was on fire, full of happiness and pleasure. She never believed that she could feel such a way again. She never thought she’d again find such happiness, such love. Love? Regina’s eyes snapped open and she tore away from Emma. With a sharp twitch of her hand a wave of magical force pushed Emma back.

Emma let out a cry, stumbling backwards and looked at Regina with shocked wide eyes.“Regina?” Emma uttered, concerned.

Regina’s hard mask was on in full force. Regina looked cold, her eyes full of malice. “We cannot do this,” Regina told her. Emma could instantly hear her authoritative evil queen voice. “This cannot happen between us.”

“Regina?” Emma uttered again. “Why not? I told you, you deserve to be loved.”

“No,” Regina growled, pointing an angry finger towards her. “No, I don’t. Everyone I love, everyone I’ve cared for gets hurt. That’s my fate, the fate I have to live with.”

“No it isn’t, you’ve changed now, Regina. You’re fate is no longer what it was, I believe you can find love again,” Emma said, pleading her with her eyes for Regina to understand, for her to believe.

“I cannot allow something to happen to you, Emma. You’re the saviour.” Regina let out a hard evil laugh. “Not to mention you are Snow’s daughter. This would end badly.”

“There we go,” Emma smiled hesitantly. “You said it. I’m the saviour which means nothing’s going to happen to me, and if it does, I can handle it.”

“No,” Regina said, harshly. She straightened her back and pulled at the hem of her jacket to straighten it, a hard look in her eyes. She looked like a cold professional Mayor or rather the evil queen with her decision made. “We’re better off this way. It’s safer.” She gave a small nod and returned to the table to continue mixing up the potion. “Let’s get this potion made so we can return everyone’s memories and I can get Henry back.”

Emma watched from a distance as Regina Mills set to work. She hadn’t given up on Regina, just like she wouldn’t stop trusting her. Regina deserved to be loved and Emma was determined to make her see it. She would try again to make Regina happy.

Chapter Text

Emma had very little chance over the next few days to get to Regina again, recent events had gotten in the way. Neal had died and a part of Emma had loved him, he was Henry’s father. She knew she had to deal with it before approaching Regina again. Then Regina had found she had a sister, the wicked witch. Emma believed it wasn’t a good time to push Regina while she dealt with this new threat in her life. Regina needed to be strong to defeat the witch, she needed her mind in the right place.

Emma had stood by as Regina and Zelena had fought. She watched with her heart in her throat when Zelena had tossed Regina painfully onto the hood of a car. The two sisters had ended up in the clock tower and at that point, Emma’s heart shattered. She saw in slow motion as Zelena plunged her clawed hand into Regina’s chest to rip out her heart. Regina’s face screwed up in pain and Emma would have done anything to comfort her, to get rid of the pain.

Zelena, shocked, pulled her hand out of Regina’s chest, her hand empty. Emma was just as shocked as Zelena. What had happened to Regina’s heart?
“Where is it?” Zelena screamed in Regina’s face.

“Our mother taught me one thing.” Regina looked severely at Zelena, a look of triumph glittering in her eyes. “Never bring your heart to a witch fight,” she said darkly. “Something you would know if she hadn’t…abandoned you.” Regina hissed the last two words in her sister’s face. It was just like Regina, Emma thought. She couldn’t help playing the bad girl, even if she was fighting against evil. She liked to cause as much pain as possible to her opponents.

Regina shoved Zelena against the wall with a dark severe look. A look she usually wore when getting pleasure out of violence. Emma should have known that Regina could handle herself. She may not have won with magic but Regina didn’t always need magic to win, she was smart and cunning which is why she made such a deadly evil queen.

“You haven’t won, Regina,” Zelena spluttered. “I will get your heart! I will get everything you ever had!” she shouted and whipped out her broomstick.

“Not today,” Regina said with a deadly smile and Zelena flew through the clock and away into the night.

“Are you alright?” Emma called from the bottom of the stairs, running to Regina’s side with David and Mary-Margaret.

“I’m still alive, aren’t I?” Regina replied.

Ever the gentleman, David bent to help Regina to her feet. “Gold disappeared, we thought that meant…”

“She defeated me? Hardly,” Regina scoffed.

“What?” Mary-Margaret said shocked.

“Well don’t act so surprised. It turns out Zelena wanted my heart. It’s a good thing I wasn’t stupid enough to bring it with me.”

Emma glanced at Regina, detecting a note in her voice she couldn’t quite determine. Emma looked closer and could see something behind Regina’s eyes. A hint of hope and love that had never been there before. She had entrusted her heart to someone, someone she was beginning to love and it wasn’t Emma.

Emma’s heart tensed with a painful feeling and she felt a pricking behind her eyes. Was it possible Regina was beginning to love and in turn, believe she deserved to be loved? Someone else was doing what she had promised herself she would do. Regina was beginning to believe she deserved a happy ending. That thought caused Emma intense happiness but also intense pain for Regina’s happiness wasn’t her right now.

It was at that point, Emma decided to take a step back. If Regina was beginning to find hope and happiness in Robin Hood, it was worth it. All she ever wanted was for Regina to be happy and loved. She hoped Regina would find her happy ending, even if it wasn’t with her.

However, Emma’s decision to take a step back didn’t last long at all. She was busy, sat on the floor in her mother’s flat, struggling to make up a crib for her soon to be, new sibling, with her father. They were chatting about recent events, life and the new baby when Regina burst in.

“I’m finished,” she declared, holding a couple of potion bottles.

“So?” David asked enthusiastically. “Did it work? Were you able to put up a new protection spell?”

“One that can’t be undone by blood magic,” Regina replied smugly. She placed the bottles on the table and removed her blood red gloves. “Which means Zelena won’t be able to put her hands on that baby.”

“Any idea why she would want to?” Mary-Margaret asked worriedly.

“The number of spells involving baby parts, would surprise you. That greenie is clearly one twisted witch,” Regina replied thoughtfully. “But as long as we’re in here, we’re safe.”

“That’s useless,” Emma suddenly blurted. She closed her eyes, instantly regretting what she was doing but it was too late. She had to go with it now. She had told herself she was stepping back from Regina and here she was, looking for an excuse to be with her. “I think we need to stop playing defence and start taking the fight to her.”

“Did you not see how I barely out-witted her yesterday?” Regina said, watching Emma closely. Regina was surprised to see a pain similar to the pain she carried in her own eyes, in Emma’s. Was it possible she still cared for her, despite how close she was getting to the one handed wonder?

Emma looked up into Regina’s intense eyes. Did Regina knew what she was doing? Would she pick her up on it in front of her parents? Regina could be cruel but now she had changed and Emma believed she was nice enough to be subtle about such things.

“She has magic. Powerful magic.”

Emma felt her heart thump. It was the best possible reaction she could have got from Regina. The other woman was offering her the line and she was going to take the bait.
“I have magic too, you’ve seen me use it. I just can’t always control it. But if we teamed up…if you taught me...” Emma hesitated, she knew her plan was becoming more obvious to Regina. This was a good solution to fight the wicked witch but really it was an excuse to spend some time alone with Regina.

“Now why does this feel so familiar?” Regina said thoughtfully.

“I’m ready this time,” Emma said determined.

Regina chuckled. “Okay. But if we do this, we do this my way. This isn’t drinking stale coffee at a stake out or…whatever you did as a bale bonds person.” Emma felt her heart jump. Was this Regina’s way of subtly telling her she knew what she was up to? This was serious stuff. This time Emma had to fully concentrate on the magic. No fooling around which meant she couldn’t be distracted by Regina. Emma’s plan didn’t quite work but that was a good thing. She promised she would stay away from Regina while she found her happiness with Robin Hood.

“This is a way of life,” Regina grinned, placing her hand on top of her potions box. Emma felt a sinking feeling in her chest at Regina’s grin. “You have to fully commit to it.” She could tell she had something in store for her. In fact, was Regina teasing her? The sassy tone of her voice certainly made it seem so.

“Not a problem,” Emma replied, giving Regina a hard stare. She was going to prove to Regina she could do this. She may not have Regina’s heart but she would put her heart into learning magic, at least Regina would then respect her rather than tease her.

“Meet me at my vault in one hour,” Regina said softly, picking up her gloves and potions box. A small smile played around her lips. Just before Regina slipped behind the door, she gave Emma a playful smile. Embarrassingly, Emma felt herself blush. She was certain Regina had just been flirting with her. Maybe, just maybe, Regina had feelings for her too.
An hour later, Emma stood outside Regina’s vault in the graveyard. She was feeling a little nervous which was very unlike her. This would be the first time alone together since they kissed, plus god only knew what Regina had planned for her. Emma knew Regina took her magic very seriously so she knew these lessons would be tough, they may even be dangerous.

There were times when Emma had to remind herself who she was actually dealing with. Regina was the Evil Queen, a character from a book that was hated and feared by children, a Queen in the enchanted forest that was deadly, unmerciful and torturous. She had been a cold and calculating Mayor of Storybrooke, even feared and hated by the town’s people without her magic. As Emma had said before, there will always be darkness in Regina but now the tide inside her has shifted. She now uses that darkness for good deeds, she’s been doing everything she can to be a better and nicer person. She was now Regina Mills, a mother, a woman seeking love and happiness just like everybody else.

Emma gave a start when purple smoke billowed beside her, revealing Regina. Emma rolled her eyes, of course Regina wouldn’t drive to her vault like a normal person. She looked stunning. Her eyes dark and gleaming with a playfulness just for Emma. Her dark hair was as gorgeous as ever, ruffled slightly where it sat on her shoulders. She was dressed in her trade mark colour, black, with her blood red gloves.

“Hello Emma, shall we get started?” With a wave of her hand the door unlocked and they slipped into the dark contents of the vault. “Don’t touch anything,” Regina warned her.

“How am I supposed to learn magic if I can’t touch anything?” Emma frowned. She paused by a set of draws that had some unusual objects on top of it. The claw of some strange scaly beast caught her eye.

“The same way I did with Rumple. We’re going to create a solid foundation first and then build your skills from the ground up…” Regina turned to face Emma. “I said…don’t touch,” She snatched the claw out of Emma’s hand returning it to its rightful place. Their hands briefly touched and a surge of heated electricity surged through Emma’s body at the contact. She glanced at Regina, wondering if she had felt the same.

“So, while we’re here, who’s looking after Henry? The uncharmings?” Regina asked, turning her back on Emma, she opened a chest. She didn’t want Emma to see her face, for her to notice that she had felt something in their brief contact.

“Actually Hook is,” Emma grimaced. She didn’t want to talk about Killian with Regina. It was all too complicated. Regina looked around at Emma. Emma could see a hint of panic and pain in Regina’s expression.

Regina’s heart constricted at the mention of Hook. She knew Emma was getting close to Hook and now so was her son. Yet again there was a force acting against her happy ending. She hadn’t spoken to Emma about Hook because she could see he made her happy. She didn’t want to destroy Emma’s happiness, she wasn’t that person anymore. She couldn’t say anything.

“Well those two have been spending a lot of time together lately,” Regina remarked, watching Emma closely.

“Hook’s good with Henry and Henry likes him,” Emma replied, looking everywhere but in Regina’s eyes. Regina really did have some odd stuff down here.

“He’s prone to violence, impulsive and has a hook for a hand. What about him would a twelve year old boy not like?” Regina remarked keeping her back to Emma. She didn’t want her to see her jealousy, for her to see how much Emma cared for Hook, hurt her. What did Emma see in such a man?

“I trust him. He brought me back to Storybrooke and he didn’t have to,” Emma muttered quietly.

Regina kept her back to Emma as she searched through the chest, picking out a book. She trusted Hook? Once before, Emma had said she trusted her. Did she still trust her? Did she still believe in her? Regina found it hard to believe, in the end, everyone turned from her.

“Well, of course he brought you back,” Regina remarked snidely. Regina instantly regretted what she said but she couldn’t help it. She couldn’t help the jealousy taking over. Hook was in her way and she always ploughed down the thing that was coming between her and her happiness.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Emma asked, surprised.

“Seriously?” Regina said, turning to face Emma. “You’re going to pretend everyone doesn’t see the yearning looks and doey eyes?” Regina’s voice was beginning to raise and she had to hold back from shouting angrily. Her jealousy was bubbling over and she need to rein it in. A Queen was always calm and collected.

“I don’t yearn,” Emma remarked.

“Well maybe,” Regina agreed. “But he does,” she added with a whisper.

Emma watched Regina and frowned. Regina was totally jealous! She had no right to be jealous. Right now Regina didn’t have her heart but entrusted it to Robin. Robin had her heart and not Emma and here Regina was, jealous because of Hook?

“Okay, if we’re doing this. What about you and Robin?” Emma demanded. “You two are looking pretty cosy.”

“Don’t bring Robin into this,” Regina said, pushing her hair back in frustration.

“Why not? You’re the one who brought up Hook. I said I trust him nothing more, Regina. You’re the one who suddenly got all jealous.”

Regina opened her mouth in shock. “Jealous? You think I’m jealous?”

Emma put her hand in her back pocket, looking at Regina affectionately with a small smile. “I know you are.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Regina scoffed. “Why would I be jealous?”

“Because you felt something back in your office when we kissed and you were scared, Regina. You were beginning to love me but wouldn’t allow yourself because you didn’t want to lose me,” Emma explained. Her eyes suddenly widened in understanding at her words. “That’s why you gave Robin your heart. You didn’t want to put me in danger, did you?”
“Emma, I…” Regina’s face and voice softened. Her beautiful dark eyes shining with warmth.

“No, don’t deny it, Regina. You told me, everything you allow yourself to love, you lose. You don’t want to lose me so you’re scared to love me, giving me your heart would confirm…”

“Emma…” Regina said as if the word was ever so precious. Regina stepped forwards, reaching out to cup her face in her gloved hand and gently press her lips to Emma’s. Emma’s hand dropped from her pocket, reaching around to grip the hem of Regina’s jacket. Her mouth parted with a sigh to allow Regina to deepen their kiss. Their full moist lips brushed together and Regina touched her tongue against Emma’s, tasting strawberries and goodness.

The chemistry between them was hot and electric. The feel of Regina’s body pressed against hers, their lips moving together was a feeling like none other. Never before had the two women felt such pleasurable satisfaction. They kissed each other with a heated passion, their bodies tightly pressed together, until they were panting.

“If we do this, we do it my way,” Regina breathed. “This is a way of life, you have to fully commit to it.” Regina broke the kiss and looked Emma directly in the eyes. The other woman was panting, her face flushed. “I wasn’t just talking about magic, Emma. If I want to love without losing, I’m going to have to be careful and cunning to escape fate and only you can help me do that.”

“Not a problem,” Emma grinned. “As long as you continue to believe in yourself Regina, believe you deserve to be loved, I’m with you.”

“Good,” Regina returned the grin. She then turned and picked up a leather bound book decorated with a gold knotted pattern and inset with a blood red ruby. It was her mother’s spell book and had helped her magic twice, once when she was first starting out and the second when she was struggling with her magic when it came to Storybrooke. She opened it up to a page full of glyphs and runes and odd mystic diagrams. “Let’s start with routes for incantations.”

“Are you kidding me right now?” Emma exclaimed, taking the book. “What language is this? Spanish?”

“We’re not making tapas, we’re making magic. It’s elvish,” Regina smiled, knowing Emma was out of her depth. “…well, half anyway.”

“I’m never going to get this,” Emma admitted, defeated. “Is this how Rumple taught you? Just think about your training, what other methods did he use?”

“Rumple was a bully,” Regina remarked dismissively. “He didn’t suffer fools and he certainly didn’t coddle his students. And if he tried to teach you to swim and you couldn’t learn…you drowned.” Regina didn’t want Emma to learn magic in the way she did. Rumple was harsh and cruel, part of Rumple’s training was to turn her dark, and she couldn’t do that to Emma. Rumple had taught her to use dark magic but Emma’s magic was different, so her training needed to be adjusted.

Regina placed the book back in the chest, closing it firmly.

“Drown?” Emma remarked.

Regina spun around with a triumphant smile. A mischievous glint shone in her eyes that made Emma feel a little uneasy.

“That’s it!” Regina cried. Maybe there was a way for her to appear cruel to push Emma into using her magic without actually being cruel. To create an illusion of danger without there being any real threat. Magic is used and controlled through emotions and instinct, she needed to show this to Emma. It was why Regina had been so powerful, her anger had fuelled her magic.

Regina whipped up her hands with an evil smile and a cloud of purple smoke billowed around them. Emma let out a cry as they disappeared from Regina’s vault to an old rickety wooden bridge. Or rather, Emma was transported to the middle of the bridge and Regina safely on one side amongst the forest.
Emma held the rotting rope for dear life as the bridge swung in the breeze, creaking ominously. It was over a hundred feet drop below and underneath, a raging rocky river.

“What the hell are you doing?” Emma cried, terrified.

“Teaching you to swim,” Regina replied coolly.

“Are you out of your mind?” Emma cried, as the bridge swayed dangerously.

“Every time you’ve exhibited your power it’s been spurred by your instincts,” Regina explained. “So today, we are going to push those instincts until you master them.” Regina gave Emma a small smile, her eyes shining with amusement. Emma gave her a hard look. She was enjoying this! Regina was enjoying seeing her so terrified.

“A little reading doesn’t sound so bad now,” Emma remarked, a pleading note in her tone. What was Regina doing?

“You can stop me,” Regina challenged.

“Stop you from what?” Emma gripped the rope tightly. She suddenly had a very bed feeling.

“This!” Regina flicked out her hand and the wooden boards on the bridge behind Emma, started to break off, flying into the air and plummeting below. The wind whipped at her hair and rocked the bridge wildly. Emma struggled to keep her balance on the bridge, desperate to not fall.

“What are you doing?” Emma shouted, truly terrified. Emma was truly scared for her life now. Why was Regina doing this? She was going to kill her! Had all this been some twisted plot? Was Regina still the Evil Queen at heart? She had made Emma trust her, even love her, just so she can kill her.

The boards in front of her flew off and Emma quickly had to move her feet as the boards she stood on were ripped apart from the structure.

“Making the bridge collapse,” Regina replied coolly. “You can either stop it…or die.” Emma stared, horrified at Regina. Those last two words were said with such dark malice that all Emma could see was the Evil Queen within her. How could she do this? How could Emma’s super-power be so wrong about Regina?

There was a loud crack and the structure of the bridge broke apart under Emma’s feet. Emma felt a feeling of weightlessness before she dropped suddenly with a loud scream. She managed to keep her hands on the rope however and hung there, staring at the raging river below.

“Regina!” she cried, struggling to hold on much longer. “Enough! Stop this!

“No! You stop it!” Regina cried back. “No more hand holding. You have to do this. Reach into your gut. You know you can do this”

Emma watched horrified as the rope started to fray.

“It’s inside you, Emma,” Regina persisted. “Save the bridge. Save yourself.”

Emma let out a cry of pure terror as the rope snapped apart and she fell.

For one moment, Regina’s heart plummeted. She was certain Emma would use her magic, she had to! Had she failed? No! She wouldn’t fail.

Suddenly Emma appeared, floating in mid-air on the broken bridge towards Regina. Regina smiled in triumph.

“Did I…? Did I just do that?” Emma gasped, looking around in astonishment. She floated right up to Regina, to safety.

“Yes. When all I wanted was for you to re-tie the rope,” Regain answered, a little frustrated.

“It’s like you said,” Emma remarked in wonder. “Instinct. Why are you pissed? I did it. Why does it matter how?”

“You think I’m mad because you didn’t listen to me? I’m mad because look at all this potential inside of you and you’ve been wasting it,” Regina replied severely. “You have a remarkable gift Emma, you should be using it.”

Emma glanced at Regina. She had known Regina would take learning magic very seriously. As she had said, magic was a way of life, something that was very important to Regina. She could almost see it from Regina’s point of view. To deny such magic would be a terrible crime where she is concerned. Maybe Regina was right. Maybe she should progress her magic. To look on it with pride just as Regina does.

“Okay, so I use my magic through instinct. I’ve got it,” Emma confirmed thoughtfully. “But Regina, that wasn’t the best way to go about it. I could have died!”

A small smile lifted the corners of Regina’s lips. “I was fully confident you would use your magic. You were never in any danger.”

“But what if I didn’t?” Emma asked. For a brief moment, she had doubted Regina and she didn’t like it. She needed to confirm something, be sure that her super-power is still working and Regina actually had good inside of her.

“Like I said…” Regina waved her hand and a shimmer appeared just below the bridge. A large net materialised. “You were never in any danger. I used a concealment charm to hide the net so it appeared you were about to meet your demise. I wouldn’t put you in any real danger Emma, I thought you knew that by now.”

“Of course,” Emma chuckled. “Regina, you’re…You’re just…come here.” Emma grabbed Regina and pulled the other woman to her. They pressed their lips together in a heated passionate kiss. Emma held on to Regina as if her life depended on it. No words could describe how much she loved her. She struggled and fought against the darkness every day and was still able to choose good. That thought made Emma’s heart ache for Regina and a single tear dropped down her cheek.

“Emma, why are you crying?” Regina whispered against her mouth.

“I was just thinking about the struggles you’re going through. How much you’re trying to be a good person now and yet it still goes wrong, Regina. I want you to have happiness. No matter what happens, I promise you, I will help you find it,” Emma explained, leaning forwards she kissed Regina softly, affectionately.

Regina deepened their kiss, turning it hot and full of desire. Emma let out a small moan, setting Regina’s head spinning with need. She pressed her body against Emma’s, her hand moving from where it was buried in her hair, down to cup her breast. Emma sighed, her lips moving to plant small soft kisses at her neck. Hot burning desire coursed through their bodies.

“Emma, wait,” Regina whispered softly. Emma stopped the kisses but remained embracing Regina. “We do this on my terms. Don’t forget, everything I love, I lose. That is my fate. I’m playing a long game with fate, Emma, and this cannot happen yet.”

“What do you mean?” Emma asked confused, taking a step back.

“I cannot lose you, which means I cannot love you…yet.” Regina gave her a mischievous smile. “I have a plan to twist my fate but it’s a long game. Let the story play out between me and Robin, you and Hook. It will be tough and painful for the both of us but our destiny is set until a certain point in time. It is then, Emma, that we can be together and both find our happy ending.”

Emma gave Regina a curious look. “I trust you Regina. We do this your way. I will do anything to get you your happy ending,” Emma agreed.