The Last Dance
The night sky shone above them as she held the blonde angel in her arms. The darkness gave them the private canopy as the stars shone, the personal diamond fairy lights that shone tonight only for them. Regina looked into Emma's eyes and saw a world she never thought she would see again, the happiness in her heart finally being let back in through her skin, she felt the pure bliss overwhelm her as her eyes started to prick with the warm feeling of her tears as she danced her lover into the night. Emma rested her head against Regina's chest, holding close to her she closed her eyes listening to the queens heart beat, that steady rhythm that only played for her now as she felt the tears drop onto her cheek, she didn't even have to tilt her head as her hand as she simply cupped Regina's cheek and wiped them away. "I promise I'm here" she whispered. But with each comforting word Emma gave, Regina knew the truth, she knew everyone, Snow, Charming, Ruby, even Rumple would try to tear them apart. Though she had this moment, this one waltz tonight she could have Emma all to herself until the morning sun shone against the clouds and she would have to go back to the life she had built. More tears continued to fall as she gripped her lover softly in her arms, dancing her around the marble courtyard, the silhouette of her beloved apple tree casting shadows against Emma's white gown. Regina stroked her golden spun hair kissing the top of her head gently as her silver diamond encrusted heels clicked the moves she had been trained to lean, leading Emma across with her, the two had become one in the minutes as they passed she breathed deeply. She spun her around and watched the white fish tail gown spread out catching the air as if it were weightless, as if Emma floated, dancing on the air that surrounded them, her own black gown mingling its sparkling jewels against the white fabric, opposites yet perfectly in harmony. She danced to forget, danced to remember and danced because she loved her, she loved this woman, the woman who gave her the only person who could melt the shattered fragments of the icy stone she once called a heart. This woman who bore true love in the form of their son, Henry, to both was the one link they had found that mattered most to them. Now that true love had infectiously spread into her veins, she, despite having to hate Emma, was turned the other way, each time those emeralds looked into her onyx eyes she felt something inside, something stir that had not awoken in a lifetime. "Take me with you" Emma asked as she played with Regina now longer hair, twirling the end of it around her fingers as she continued to listen to Regina's heart. "You know they will hunt us down and kill us both" she tried not to cry again as the words spilled from her ruby lips. "I will protect you, I promise, I will keep you company in this nightmare forever Regina" Emma spoke trying to calm her a little, Regina smiled and closed her eyes doing another turn she rocked Emma in her arms gently "We are lucky, the lucky ones to have but just this night, as the time dances with us we ….. for me, your heaven is beyond my grasp" she confessed, the images of a happy life, a happy family, they were always just out of her reach as her vision blurred to the stage she had set for herself, the stage of death. "Don't talk like that" Emma said finally looking into Regina's tear stained eyes, like tiny raindrops they feel from her eyes constantly the darkness only making them sparkle brighter in the moonlight. She couldn't tear herself away from Emma's gaze as her feet moved them just a little slower, the clouds that had fallen from the sky now drifted around their ankles, they really would dance in heaven tonight as Regina had caught a fallen angel in her arms. She knew it belonged in heaven, she knew it belonged with its kind and not on earth with her. "Emma please, I…I can't….." she tried to say the words but the sharp pain in her chest stilled her tongue, the only thing she could do was swallow them down back into the very darkness of her soul as she placed her hand around Emma neck and pressed her red lips against Emma's pale pink ones. The sweetness of her poured into Regina's mouth, as Emma returned the kiss just as passionately. Heated bodies pressed close, the shock buzzed through Regina's body, like a spark of electricity finally jolting her to life once more. She felt Emma's powers, the true loves kiss as the rainbow jolted out from their lips and into the kingdom. She finally understood, finally knew why Emma had been so special as the golden angel pulled her closer, with lips parting against the others Emma smiled. "It is true love's kiss" she said softly stroking Regina's face which only read a look of despair. She had denied it, shunned it, hidden away from it all for this reason. She wanted to keep Emma safe but now their fates intertwined had just proved beyond her doubt that they were made to be together. "Emma..I" but as a finger was pressed to her lips she quietened. "Shhh my darling, my Queen Regina, let's not think of anything but dance with me more, dance with me all of tonight and I don't want to think of anything or anyone but you, take me away with you just for now." Emma begged as her lips connected and a second rainbow streamed out across the lands. Regina had never felt a love so strong as this, she wanted her destiny to be in Emma's hands, she wished, hoped and even looked up to the stars for a savior to save her destroyed heart as the gods had answered her prayers the single truth remained, everything comes with a price. But she honored her lover's wishes; taking her hand again she nodded her head, her glittering crown reflecting the moonlight as she once again moved Emma across the marble floor, the soft clicking of high heels in time with each other as she dipped her in her arms. The lights in the distance grew closer as the torches helped them see the dark castle in the valley. Regina saw them on the horizon but simply continued to dance with Emma as they had been. She wanted to see her smile, she wanted to hear her laugh and she wanted to kiss her again tonight, those were the memories she wanted to feel in her afterlife, the good memories she wanted to cling to when she was cast down into her down darkness. So with another dip her first wish was granted, that glorious smile brimmed the woman's face as she was pulled back up into Regina's arms, her blush slightly unseen thanks to the cover of the warm night they now shared together. "Your smile is more beautiful than any crown I will ever wear" Regina remarked turning her around to the white arches and under them sweetly. "My Queen you flatter me" Emma tried to be formal but instead granted Regina's second wish and laughed. The magnificent sound drifted into Regina's ears as she laughed along with her waltzing her slightly faster their dresses flying up into the air again. The happiness between them beamed through the ebony of the night as Regina's hand found its way into Emma's hair, she smiled for a moment forgetting the mob hounding for her blood below as she used her magic to illuminate the floor, the pale glow from the white stones cascaded over Emma's body as the angel's tenderness reflected into Regina's eyes. She had missed this, the small pleasure of being in love that was torn from her not once but now twice she would suffer the same tragedy, that painful corruption destined to repeat itself always, she knew that the circle would not end. "Regina," Emma spoke softly but with an excitement "how did you?" "Magic, the magic you once gave me back" she said pulling her back into her arms wrapping them around her tightly. "My sweet savior that fell from the sky down to me, who braved the very core of evil and unfroze this witches heart, you truly are a gift from the gods" she said his a hushed tone as it was now Emma's turn to shed tears for her other soul. "Your words, Regina you speak like a poet" she said feeling her words lacking in the majesty that Regina's did but still held the same meaning. "It is you who inspires me to speak them." Regina said finally having her third wish granted as Emma kissed her for the last time that evening. It was something that they both would never forget, like the first kiss, all the passion and power of each of their hearts drained up to their lips. Regina became lost, she heard nothing, felt nothing and said nothing but only the whisper of Emma in a language that could be only spoken by her tongue. It was the last and only gift Emma had left to give, a broken heart that would mend another, the two halves now whole she cried hearing the roar of the mob closer below. Regina brushed away Emma's tears and spun her out once more. "Its just us now nothing more" she said taking her final steps against Emma's side as they made once more the turn around her apple tree. She would always remember the way Emma looked as she waltzed into her fate. The way the white glow made her skin sing, the night sky skinning down on the gems of her dress and in her hair, the sparkle in her tear soaked eyes as she spun Emma out. Now standing alone beside her tree, she had a vision flash before her eyes, it was of the three of them, Henry, Emma and her, all in back in Storybrooke, back at the manor, baking cookies and laughing as if nothing bad could ever harm them. But the image quickly faded as Emma regained her balance and started to rush back towards her, Regina quickly reached up and took a bite of one of her apples. And with a sad smile her lips parted for her last words, "I love you Emma Swan" slipped out as she fell to the white floor, the light now fading from both the magic and her eyes. Emma held her tightly in her arms crying and patting her head, desperately trying to kiss her back to life but nothing worked, the poison apples had taken their last victim as Emma held the Queen limp in her arms. "No no no no no" were the whispers she tried to give. "I didn't even get the chance to tell you I loved you back" she cried over her lover's body when her mother and father reached the top of the court yard. The sad sight making the mob stand cold, only the sobbing of Emma was the sound made now, her desperate cries and please of I love you Regina, I love you my Queen always and forever, where the chilling sound now echoing back through the looking glass, back to those who wished the Queens demise in the other realm, who watch from the cowardly distance. Snow tried to help her daughter and the dead eyes of her princess only looked back as she took the apple that was still stead fast in Regina's hand and took her own bite. "I'm sorry Mom and Dad, I can't…" as the angels light now too faded from this world, she slumped over Regina's body. The devastated parents rushing to lift their daughter apart could do nothing of the sort as the two maidens were turned to stone, the magic of a sorrowful cursed one as he simply walked away. "Let them share the eternity they so longed for" he spoke as Snow and Charming chased after him. Though as the chaos surrounded the castle, two small shinning sparks of light, dancing with each other and drifted up into the sky, to forever dance together in that one moment they had awaited a lifetime to share.