"What do you think you're doing?" Regina asked and sighed in frustration. Zelena sat on the sofa looking utterly relaxed and content which annoyed Regina even more. This whole situation had gotten out of hand and that wasn't what Regina had anticipated in the first place. She had wanted to make things right and in the end they have been off worse than before.
The last thing she needed is Zelena bonding with her evil half. They had just gotten a little bit closer, shedding off old habits and grudges. Regina understood all too well how Zelena felt. Being excluded and left alone but that hadn't been her intention but her sister failed to see that. Regina couldn't even blame her. They both had lost someone and they have different ways of dealing with it but if there was one thing Regina knew better than anyone else it was getting lost in revenge and hatred. She didn't want her sister to go back there, certainly not with her baby. That's not the life they deserved, not the life anyone should have.
Regina paced the living room, attempting to remain calm as the frustration threatened to get the better of her.
"What do you want from her?" Regina asked and stopped to look at her sister. "What did she promise you?"
"I don't see how that's any of your business, sis," Zelena smiled, knowing that it would irritate the hell out of her sister.
"I know you're mad at me," Regina started, ignoring the last remark. She wasn't in the mood to pick a fight and she tried her best to avoid it. "I know you feel like I tried to get rid of the part that was most like you,' she said and Zelena avoided her sister's gaze, crossing her arms in defiance. "That was not my intention at all."
"What were you trying to do achieve?" Zelena asked. She still had to understand why her sister had done that. Deep inside she knew but it didn't seem all that reasonable to her, not at the moment. "Did you really think you could get rid of her so easily?"
"Actually... Yes," Regina admitted and shrugged her shoulders. It sounded as stupid as it probably had been but there was nothing she could do about it right now, she'd simply have to deal with it.
Zelena laughed. There was no humor in it, maybe she was mocking her and it served Regina right. "And I always thought you were smarter than that."
"That makes two of us," Regina said and Zelena looked at her. "I'm not proud of what I did. Not proud of anything. I tried to get rid of her because I thought it would change who I am. I had tried so hard to be a better person."
"And where did that get you?" Zelena asked and the bitterness in that question hurt deep inside. She was right, Regina had been asking herself that same question over and over again but she refused to give in now.
"Not everything has been bad, you know," Regina said and Zelena rolled her eyes.
"Stop mothering me!"
"I'm not, for God's sake!" Regina almost yelled, loosing her patience. She had enough of that childish, defiant behavior for once. "I'm trying to help you and I'm sick of you being such a sulky child," she held up her hand when Zelena set off to interrupt her. "Yes, things have gone wrong, not everything is how it should be and things suck but you're not helping anyone, especially not yourself or your daughter, if you simply revert back to old habits."
Zelena seemed quiet for now. Regina didn't know whether she was actually thinking about what she had just said or whether she was ignoring her.
"I tried to be evil and it got me nowhere and I tried to be good and Robin still died. I tried to get rid of the part that was most like me, and it had nothing to do with you. You want to know where it got me? I'm still not so sure, this is a terrible mess I don't know how to take care of. It was stupid to think I could just get rid of her, she will always be a part of me. I am scared of her, she is intolerable and ruthless and far worse than I had ever been because now I took the good part away from her," Regina took a deep breath, sitting down on the edge of the armchair in front of Zelena.
"You and Henry are the only family I have left and I won't let the Evil Queen take it away. Whatever she's doing, whatever she has promised you, it's not worth it."
"What do you know of the promises she made?" Zelena wanted to know and Regina smiled to herself. She knew how the Evil Queen fought her battles, it's not like she hadn't been familiar with that once.
"She has promised you that evil always wins and that you and her will one day rule this place again... Blah, blah, blah. We've all heard that before. She has told you how terrible a person I am for trying to kill her and that I've gone all soft. She's put salt to the wounds, she has told you exactly what you wanted to hear."
"It just felt like at least someone listened for once. Without trying to reprimand me!"
"She has been manipulating you," Regina said and it almost hurt a little. "She is using you to get her revenge. We've all been there, done that. I'll listen to you but you refuse to talk to me!"
"Well, it's not as easy as it might seem to you,"
"So help me out!" Regina almost begged. "I really don't know what to do. I try and try but you keep fighting me."
"I thought things would be better once I got what I wanted," Zelena admitted after a moment of silence. Her voice was quiet, almost resigned. "Somehow it feels like nothing changed at all."
"It won't unless you change the way you used to think," Regina said. "I learned that the hard way, it wasn't pretty and it took me a lot of work to convince everyone that I don't want to kill them any longer simply because they looked at me," she said and Zelena chuckled. "It was worth it."
Regina sighed.
"You have a child now," Regina said, trying her last approach. "I'm not telling you how to raise your child but do you want her to grow up in a world where revenge and hatred are ruling? Loneliness even? She doesn't deserve that, that was our battle, not our children's."
Regina watched quietly as Zelena rose from her place and walked toward the window. Zelena loved her child more than anyone else and she knew that these words had hit home somehow. Almost two minutes passed in silence before the witch spoke, almost whispering.
"I don't want her to grow up like I did," she said without looking at her sister. The truth was that Regina didn't know much about her sister's past, her childhood or the way she grew up. A few of their memories had been restored in the underworld but that simply accounted for a small period of time. There was still so much that they didn't know about each other and Regina wondered whether they would ever get to that point. There was only so much information you found in a book and they both knew the stories were only half-told.
"In a world where I didn't belong, raised by people who didn't want me. Where no one wanted me," she said quietly. She was the one that Cora had kept but still hadn't been easy on Regina. Much like her sister she had fought loneliness but it had been a different kind of loneliness. There was more a betrayal than a disappointment.
"She never will," Regina said. She approached slowly, keeping a respective distance. "You love her and you would never let anything happen to her. Neither will I or anyone else," Regina told her. It was the truth and they both knew it. "You won't be lonely, I won't allow that but you need to help me out a little."
"Ok," Zelena whispered with a sigh and the brunette knew that this was probably all she'd get for now and it was enough.
"Stay away from her," Regina softly urged her sister. She didn't want Zelena to get hurt and she meant it. "Apart from what she has been claiming, she has nothing to offer."
"And how do you think you'll solve your problem?"
"Is that... A yes?" Regina asked carefully before proceeding.
"Do I really have a choice?" Zelena answered quietly and looked at her daughter, sleeping soundly in the crib in front of her. For a moment Regina thought that there is always a choice but she didn't want to push it. She had already gotten more than she had hoped for.
"So, what now?" The witch asked when they heard something move behind them. They both turned to find a tall blonde woman leaning against the doorframe. Zelena immediately took a step in front of her daughter, regarding the stranger. Regina, on the other hand, didn't seem threatened or alarmed. A little surprised maybe.
There was something impressive about the women, elegantly dressed in an all-black outfit. Her hair was tied back in a loose bun, wearing a light red lipstick that worked perfectly for her. She seemed comfortable around this place, self-conscious. Zelena noticed that she had an impressive but also dangerous aura about her. Regina had not taken her eyes of the blonde women and Zelena noticed that they had probably met before. Any stranger would've been confronted the minuted they stepped in here, uninvited.
"What do you want?" Regina asked calmly. She knew the answer to that question, had seen it in the sorceress eyes the second she showed up and she prayed that the blonde would keep it to herself. She didn't know if she'd have the nerve to put up with that now. She felt Maleficent's eyes on her, ignoring the shiver it sent down her spine.
"You," was the answer the sorceress had on her lips, the mischievous smile almost gave her away but she kept it to herself and slowly walked toward her former lover.
"I heard of your little... Problem," Maleficent said and raised an eyebrow at Regina. Zelena remained quiet, taking in the whole scene in front of her. The blonde seemed perfectly at ease; Regina didn't appear to be intimidated but Zelena couldn't put her finger on it.
Regina sighed and crossed her arms in front of her chest.
"Haven't you learned anything from me, dear?" Maleficent asked which caught Zelena's attention. As far as she had been aware Regina, much like herself, had only been taught by Rumple.
"If you're here to mock me, you can show yourself out," Regina said calmly, trying not to let the sorceress get to her. It had been a while since they had seen each other but the attraction between them had never faded the slightest.
"No need to be offended, Gina," Maleficent said equally calm in that soft, low purr that made her a little weak in the knees. She walked around Regina, staying close enough to put a hand on the brunette's hip. Her hand barely touched Regina but she felt it, knew exactly where it was and she found herself unable to stop it.
"So," Maleficent said, staying close enough so that Regina felt the heat of the dragon's body, smelled her perfume, felt her warm breath close to her cheek when she spoke over Regina's shoulder. "That's her? Your little sister?" She asked and turned toward Regina, their faces only inches apart. Zelena was pretty distracted by the display in front of her to acknowledge the strangers question. Zelena had never seen anyone so close to Regina, especially not since Robin died. This woman had stepped right into her personal space, touching her even and Regina hadn't flinched at all. There was something so familiar about it that it surprised Zelena.
"Yes, that's my sister, Zelena," Regina said, regaining her composure with a deep breath. She stepped away from the blonde woman, who smiled to herself, knowing exactly what kind of effect she had on the brunette.
"And you are?" Zelena asked and raised an eyebrow at the stranger, still not quite sure what to make of the whole situation.
"Maleficent," the blonde women said sweetly and offered Zelena her hand. Much to her surprise she took it and Zelena noticed that the hand was unexpectedly warm, for some reason she had expected it to be cold.
"The dragon witch," Zelena said more to herself.
"Oh, so you've heard of me?" Maleficent asked and Regina didn't miss the slightest hint of pride in her voice. "Pleasure to meet you, Zelena," the dragon said and focused her attention on Regina. The gaze with which they regarded each other made it seem like they were the only people in the room, Zelena was simply an outsider watching something unfold and for once she didn't mind.
"Tell me what you did," Maleficent asked and Regina sighed, not wanting to admit to the stupid thing she had done.
"I tried to kill her," Regina said. "I was so sick of her!"
"I'm not here to judge, love. I meant what I said: I'm here to help," the blonde said almost softly. "What other choice do you have?" She said before Regina had a chance to protest. She knew, if there was one person to help, would be her.
"Alright," Regina said and pinched the back of her nose with two fingers. Something inside of her was hesitating all of a sudden. There was a small voice inside of her that urged her to be careful.
"Regina," Maleficent said softly like they were alone in the living room. A single word spoken so softly that it caused a variety of emotions and long-lost memories to flood her mind. She had only used it that way, early in the morning when the world outside was still quiet and peaceful. After they had made love and whispered to each other as if anyone would hear them.
"I trust you," Regina said quietly and looked into the icy-blue eyes. Maleficent nodded.
"You know where to find me," Maleficent said and without regarding them both with another look she disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke. Regina remained frozen in place for couple of moments.
"What the hell was that?" Zelena asked almost amused, slowly grasping the nature of their relationship.
"She's... An old friend," Regina said and almost rolled her eyes at the lamest of excuses. She just wanted a couple of seconds to herself, a chance to regain her composure.
"Really?" Zelena asked and raised an eyebrow at her sister, following her into the kitchen. "What kind of things did she teach you anyway?" Zelena asked, actually curious.
"You really don't want to know," Regina muttered under her breath and turned her back to Zelena, taking her sweet time making herself a cup of coffee. Zelena leaned against the counter at the other side of the kitchen, watching curiously.
"Oh my God, are you sleeping with her?" Zelena asked, slightly amused. It was the only explanation that actually made sense and the scales fell from her eyes.
Regina stopped stirring her coffee, feeling caught and somehow exposed. "No," she said slowly and it didn't sound convincing, not even to her ears. Technically though, they hadn't had sex in quite a long time so that didn't count, did it?
"Maleficent and I have quite a long history," Regina started to explain, avoiding her sister's gaze.
"I'm sure you do," Zelena said sounding slightly amused.
"Our friendship," Regina explained, stressing the last word. "Is something that goes back a long time. I met her during a very troubled time and she taught me a lot of magic. Nothing more."
Zelena shook her head with a laugh.
"Cheeky you, now way," Zelena said. "Not buying it. You were totally sleeping with her."
"Even if there had ever been... Something," Regina said and prayed that she wasn't blushing because that would give her away immediately. "It was a long time ago..."
"Ha! So you're not denying it. I was right," Zelena said triumphantly and leaned forward, placing both underarms on the counter, facing her sister. "Tell me more," she said calmly but Regina wasn't sure whether her sister was simply curious or fishing for information that she could use against her. Either way she wasn't in the mood to talk about it.
"No!" Regina said with a certain determination and grabbed her cup of coffee, hoping that Zelena would just drop it.
"You were the one who wanted to talk," Zelena said, following her back into the living room.
"That's not the kind of talk I meant."
"Fine," Zelena said and settled back onto the sofa. "I'll just ask her then," she said and Regina regarded her quietly for a few seconds before she laughed and shook her head.
"Good luck with that," she said and left for her office.
