Disclaimer: Sadly I have not ownership of OUAT. Things would be very different if I did.


Emma slowly blinked her eyes open. Squinting into the darkness of her bedroom she looked for what might have awoken her. Titling her head to the side her alarm clock told her that it was definitely too early to be awake, as did the dark sky outside her window.

Rolling onto her back with a small huff she closed her eyes and waited for sleep to take over again. Snuggled up in the warm duvet she had missed so very much as she had journeyed through the Enchanted Forest, she thought.

Her thoughts trailed around the events that were to looming closer and closer no matter how much she - and everyone else - wished for otherwise.

Cora's arrival had been subtle. Her appearance in their lives was anything but. As much as Emma hated the woman for what she'd done, she loathed her dramatic reappearance.

As soon as Emma had set her eyes upon the witch and her pirate accomplice, synapses sparked as pieces began to fall together. At that moment Regina's innocence had been a blinding flash of light in the web of darkness Cora had spun.

The memory of Lancelot had shown her the truth, and relaying those thoughts to Snow had brought realisation and overwhelming sadness to her face.

Snow had always prided herself on being good. But the knowledge that she'd done the exact opposite to a woman who had tried to repent and redeem herself had broken the former princess.

Cora's shocking appearance had struck fear into the hearts of the citizens who had heard tales of her reign as the Queen of Hearts adding their own experience in the Enchanted Forest with the witch showed just how grateful the people were that they had yet to face her. Yet.

She'd given them a week.

Emma's eyes shot open as she heard a clink from downstairs. She was alone tonight. Snow and James had decided to take Henry out before everything was bound to go to hell in a few days time. Plus she'd received a text earlier to inform her that they were staying at David's house, now the Katherine was with her Fredrick.

Rubbing her eyes her right hand shot out, patting her bedside for her pistol before stopping with a sigh at the memory of the weapon being crushed by the ogre.

"Fucking fairytale land." She grumbled pushing herself from the warmth of her bed. Goosebumps erupted upon her skin at a cool draft noting that somewhere a window was open; Emma's second mission was to close it after finding the person who'd opened it in the first place and giving them a piece of her mind.

Deciding to forgo stealth, because she'd already knocked the alarm from its perch with a loud thunk, she plodded down the metal stairs. She hissed slightly at the cold metal and made as much noise as possible in the hopes whoever was here would up and leave in fear.

The first thing Emma noticed about her home was that the front door was ajar. A shaft of light from the outdoor hall light cut through the darkness. With a weary sigh she shuffled up to the door and closed it with a heavy hand, flinching at the loud sound. She leant against the wood and cast her eyes over the apartment.

A double take was needed for her sleep addled brain to process the outline of a body sitting in one of the kitchen stools, back to her, and hunched over something.

"Subtlety and smarts were never your style." A sharp voice said without turning.

The tone and voice shocked Emma out of her sleepy state, "Regina?"

"No, it's Granny." Regina retorted with a small snort that shocked Emma. The reinstated Sherriff watched in surprise as the former Mayor tossed back a drink before refilling her glass with a familiar shaped bottle.

"You're drinking my Jack." Emma stated with narrowed eyes, even Mary Margaret knew not to touch Emma's liquor without permission.

"You've got more." Regina said, waving her hand at the cupboards opposite, one that was filled with many more bottles she'd come across in her search for something other than water or milk.

"You're drunk." Emma stated as she walked cautiously up to the woman in her kitchen.

"Not yet. I'm getting there." Regina mumbled tipping her head back and letting the alcohol burn down her throat. "I don't even like this stuff!" She noted with a small sneer as she stared the glass down like she used to Emma.

"Then don't drink it." Emma responded slightly annoyed at the older woman's childish behaviour as she tried to remove the glass from the brunette's shaky hand.

"Fat chance." Regina held the glass close to her chest and filled it again before chucking it down her throat.

Sighing Emma just situated herself beside the woman who had made her life hell, just as she had done hers, reached over the counter to pluck a glass from the sink and poured herself a drink.

Emma silently sipped her drink as Regina swallowed most of the liquid without it seeming to touch her tongue. She waited, for an explanation of why she was here, where she had been, and why she hadn't come back sooner.

As the tense silence grew Emma finally broke it, "Where were you, Regina?" She watched as the former Queen froze her movements of swirling the liquid in her glass. Carefully she placed the glass firmly on the counter and clasped her hands tightly together, Emma saw the slight shaking of her fingers. Worry began to gnaw in her gut.

"I ran."

"Where?"

"Away."

"Am I only going to get two syllables?" Emma asked with a sigh as she pinched the bridge of her nose. She knew Regina was hiding something big - she saw the signs - something that she needed to get off her chest but she was never one to do things the easy way.

"There's a cabin, in the woods. Similar to Gold's. I went there. I…" Regina trailed off as her voice wavered, startling Emma to see the woman unravelling before her eyes.

"Regina," Her eyes rose slowly to meet Emma's concerned gaze as they began to well with tears, but never spill. "What happened?"

"I… I… I couldn't take it." She whispered with wide brown eyes searching for anything, searching for support in the green eyes staring back.

"What did you do?" Regina turned her face away, her hair hiding her face as she stared at her hands, slowly turning white as she held them tighter.

"I thought… I thought maybe they were right. Maybe you were right. I thought… you would all be better off without me." She finished so quietly, so brokenly, that Emma strained to hear the words. But she heard. And her heart broke.

"Regina… You didn't…" She stumbled for the right words to say, not wanting to have her suspicions confirmed but just looking at the woman ticked all the boxes.

"I wouldn't be here telling you if I'd succeeded, now would I?" Regina snapped, her mask slowly falling back into place. But now Emma saw the cracks. Unable to reply with something remotely understanding she picked up her glass and took a slow sip, watching as Regina copied the movements.

Swiping the hair from her face Emma caught the subtle movement of the Queen's hand as it brushed under her eyes, taking the tears clinging to the tips of her lashes away.

"I… We need you, Regina." Emma stumbled across the words, shocked by how honest they truly were and not just trying to comfort the obviously distressed woman beside her.

"No one needs me." Regina snapped, "Not any more." She finished quietly. Her thoughts revolving around the son she'd cared for who wanted nothing from her. For ten long years she'd loved him, and only to have it thrown back in her face by that stupid book and the blonde Sherriff.

"We do. We can't face Cora without you. I can't beat her."

"You've done it once, you can do it again. You're the White Knight! Destined to vanquish the darkness that is my family." Regina declared dramatically with smirk before knocking back another drink.

"Jesus, Regina. I can't do it! It was a fluke the first time! I have no idea what I did and I have no idea how to do it again! I can't go to Gold because I already owe him something, and Snow keeps reminding me that magic comes with a price. You're the only other person in this town that can do something about her. Please. I'm trying to… Will you put the glass down?" Emma reached for the glass again in exasperation, managing to get it out of her hand with little fight. Regina slowly turned with narrowed eyes at the blonde who had stolen her drink.

"I'm not giving it back." Emma said firmly, although slightly regretting it when Regina's glare increased, which she though it couldn't do.

"Ms Swan." Regina stated primly, flicking her hair back and acting, surprisingly, sober. "I am a grown woman and if I so wish to drink, then I will. Now hand me the glass. You're the Saviour, not me. Don't put your faith in me, dear. It will get you nowhere. Good always wins." Regina finished tight lipped as she repeated the words thrown her way so many times in smugness and victory.

"Maybe not this time." Emma said under her breath as she stared at the open hand waiting for the glass. Daring for her to disobey the command. Steeling herself against the brunette's wrath she slipped from the stool, glasses in hand and moved them to the wall counter, before returning to snatch the bottle of Jack and placing it in the cupboard.

"Ms Swan," Emma froze on her tiptoes as she slid the bottle back into its spot, hidden from Henry's prying eyes, and glanced over her shoulder. The streetlights allowed her to see the amused smirk playing across the brunette's lips as she waited for her to elaborate.

"Are you wearing pants?" Emma's eyes widened as she glanced down at, her pyjamas only consisting of her white tank top and old blue boxer shorts she'd taken from Neal many years ago.

"Not technically." Emma answered, a blush filling her pale cheeks as Regina's eyes slid down her body. Emma slowly lowered till her feet were flat on the ground and stepped up to the island, hiding her lower half from Regina's view.

"Something the matter, Ms Swan?" Regina asked, as her eyes finally rose to meet Emma's.

"Yeah, as a matter of fact there is." Emma responded with renewed annoyance, "My name is Emma. Use it. Regina."

"Fine, Emma." Regina smirked, leaning her elbow on the island and pacing her chin in her palm, her lips trying t fight the smirk she so desperately wanted to show. Losing in the end, as the alcohol exceedingly lowered her self-control.

Emma sighed heavily, running her left hand over her tired face at the woman's behaviour. Suddenly wishing she'd invited Regina to more of Ruby's girl's nights, if this was how she acted while drunk.

"Why are you here, Regina?"

"Not for the company I can assure you." Regina slurred slightly. "I knew you'd have something to drink, and it's not like anyone will serve me anything in this town that I kept running for 28 years. They all seem to forget that. I could have let it go to waste. Watched them ruin each other, enjoyed it even."

"No. I'm tired not stupid, Regina."

"Well that's new." The Queen slurred sending an amused, drunken, smirk at the blonde.

"There's just no getting through to you, is there?" Emma asked rhetorically while pinching the bridge of her nose. Putting up with the mayor in the light of day was tiring enough, but having her drunk, and it being the dead of night was definitely not helping.

"You sound like my mother." Regina spat. There was hardly any venom in her tone instead just a weariness that came with having heard the same thing too many times.

As Emma sat beside the woman who had effectively ruined her chance at a happy childhood, she was shocked to note how much they had in common. Emma had been told countless times that she would do nothing with her life because she was abandoned, and it seemed Regina had heard the same thing but worse. Worse because it came from someone who should have said the opposite, who should have supported her, cared for her. Cared like a mother should for a daughter.

Apparently there was a lot more to the Evil Queen's story than they knew. And Emma thought she knew a lot.

"Are you even listening to me, Ms Swan?"

"…yeah. Yes." Emma with false confidence, hoping that the alcohol in her system would let Regina think she had. But evidently whether the brunette was drunk or not, nothing got past her keen senses.

"What did I say?" She asked innocently, though her brown eyes shone with a malicious glee at having caught the woman beside her off guard. Catching Emma's stumped look a wide, unsettling, grin settled on her face.

"I dunno." Emma groaned out, "It's late. You're drunk. And-"

"And now you're just stating facts." Regina interrupted, the glint in her eyes remaining.

"You can have a go at me tomorrow. I bet that'll be fun with a hangover." Emma stated, her own smile falling on her lips.

"I'll have you know, Ms Swan, I don't get hangovers." Regina insisted a finger thrust out toward the blonde. The intimidating effect was lost as the finger swayed before the Sheriff.

A soft smile fell on Emma's lips as she watched the brunette follow the path her finger made without permission from her brain. "Come on. You can crash here. Just don't hate me in the morning."

The mayor startled from her drunken daze as Emma's hand fell on her shoulder.

"You're touching me." Regina stated unnecessarily as Emma gently pushed her to stand from the stool. Moving her arm around the older woman's shoulder and holding her upper arm with her left hand, together the woman stumbled toward Mary Margaret's old bed.

"And you're going to bed." Emma let the brunette down on the bed gently, kneeling down to remove her muddied boots.

"I'm not finished drinking."

"Yeah, you are." Emma spoke softly, as the mayor looked down on her with a scrunched brow.

"Why are you helping me?" Emma stopped her motions at the question. Her green eyes met with brown in the dark apartment.

"I'm saving you from yourself." Emma said under her breath as she placed the boots by the bottom of the bed. Pushing her self to stand she froze as the brunette met her eyes in a piercing stare, all signs of drunkenness gone from her gaze.

"Saving me?" Regina whispered with wide eyes. Emma shrugged it off like it was nothing, "I'm the Saviour. Remember? Kinda my job." She finished with a small chuckle.

Regina blinked a few times as she stared at the blonde. Emma began shuffling, feeling awkward under her dark gaze.

"Sleep, Regina. You can thank me in the morning." She told the Queen, running a hand through her blonde hair. Sending the woman a fleeting smile the blonde turned to the stairs, hissing through her teeth at the first touch of the metal against her bare feet.

"Regina." She warned looking at the woman who hadn't moved. At her reproach the brunette began mumbling under her breath, probably cursing the blonde, before lying on the bed and shifting to a comfortable position.

"G'night." Emma called softly. Her only reply was a flippant hand gesture and grunt. Pulling herself up the stairs, Emma finally let herself feel how tired she actually was. Falling on to her own bed she knew that to get through tomorrow she would need as much energy as possible to put up with the sleeping woman downstairs.

As sleep descended upon the Sheriff she wondered if what she'd spoken were true.

She was the Saviour. It was her job to save people and everyone had seemed to forget that Regina was just that. A Person. A person who needed saving.

So with the final resolve a semi-conscious mind can conjure, Emma Swan made it her next mission to do what she could for the Mayor.

To save her.


AN: What do you guys think? My first OUAT fic. Should I continue? Or keep it a one-shot?

Review, tell me what you think.