Authors Note: Okay, so I thought I'd take another stab at a Swan Queen fic after the lovely reviews from my debut. This story takes place during the season 5 finale so some spoilers ahead!

This is a Swan Queen fic all the way, however, there are mentions of Outlaw Queen.

Rated M for sexual content in later chapters.

Reviews are massively appreciated and so important to a writer. You really can't tell if your work is worth continuing without them so please take a few moments to let me know what you think, thank you.

By The Prickling Of My Thumbs

By

Red Andraste

Sunbeams from the setting New York sun illuminated dust particles in Neal's former apartment. Twinkling in the sunlight, it reminded Emma of their adventures in Neverland and the hunt for the illusive pixie dust during the daring rescue of their son. Regina had uncharacteristically opened up to Emma letting her see a vulnerable side Emma had only glimpse sightings off over the last five years. It was heartbreaking.

The once strong and powerful woman on the brink of tears pouring her heart out to her former enemy. Unused to such admissions by the former Evil Queen, Emma had placed Robin's letter in Regina's hand, holding her wrist to convey an unspoken understanding and to provide at least some comfort in Regina's hour of need.

Regina removed Emma's hand from her wrist, placing it to her cheek as she shed a single tear.

"Regina..." Emma started

Regina took her own hands, trailing them up Emma's arms to cup her face.

"Regina" Emma tried again

Regina looked into Emma's eyes, smiling sadly as more tears threatened to shed. Moving her head forward slowly, Regina quickly looked from Emma's eyes to her lips. Emma felt Regina exhale against her lips realising at the last moment what Regina was intending to do.

"Woah!, woah!, Regina! What the hell?" Emma said grabbing Regina's hands from her face and holding them between them.

"I'm sorry, I..." the former Evil Queen trailed off turning her back away from Emma as she let her tears finally fall.

Emma frowned letting out a breath she didn't realise she was holding. She moved towards Regina touching her elbow softly "Hey..." coaxing her to turn back to face her "I know you're feeling pretty messed up right now. Robin's death..."

"...is going to destroy me" Regina stated flatly walking away from Emma's touch to move to look out the window "This is how it always happens Emma. I let myself believe in happy endings. I open myself up to love and then its ripped from me. I don't think I can go through this again"

"Regina, you are one of the strongest people I know. Right now, it's awful..it's terrible and it's going to feel really raw" Emma said placing her hand lightly on Regina's shoulder " I get that you're hurting, I really do. It can make you do crazy things...but I know you can get through this"

"You don't understand Emma" Regina replied moving backwards away from the Saviour "For all my sins, for all the despicable things I've done. In my lowest moments, my strength, it comes from her"

"Her?" Emma questioned raising her eyebrows

"The Evil Queen" Regina replied "I can feel her...clawing at me to get out. I don't think I have the strength...god, right now, I don't think I even have the inclination to stop her"

"So...that thing just now...that was her?"

"No...that...I'm sorry, that was me" Regina admitted quietly

"Ok..." Emma said feeling entirely confused at this turn of events.

"This is going to be hard for you to understand" Regina said, a trace of the patronising Mayor Mills colouring her speech.

"Try me" Emma retorted, a hint of the cockiness of the old Sheriff Swan. Old patterns, Emma thought to herself.

"When her darkness threatens to overwhelm me, I seek solace in the things that bring me back to the light"

"Makes sense" Emma said placing her hands on her hips.

"But when the urge to turn back to the darkness becomes so strong that I cannot or will not resist, I need something more..."

Emma frowned, trying to connect the dots before wrapping her arms around herself, her leather jacket creaking with the gesture "So, to stop the Evil Queen from coming out to play..."

"I need something that overwhelms my body, my senses. A short circuit to disconnect my brain from my heart. A momentary reprieve from madness"

"Ok, so like a er...physical act?" Emma prompted

"Yes" Regina said staring at the floor

"And that's the only way?" Emma asked hesitantly

As Regina looked up from the floor, her pain stricken face was now gone, replaced with the smirk and soulless eyes of the Evil Queen

"Regina?" Emma asked nervously

Without answering, The Evil Queen formed a fireball in her hand smiling wickedly.

"Regina stop!" Emma shouted before throwing herself out of the way of the oncoming fireball.

"Oh no dear, I'm just getting started" The Evil Queen moved over Emma's body picking her up off the floor by her throat and holding her against the wall

Emma struggled to breathe as the Evil Queen's hand tightened around her neck "This is a trip to the Underworld you won't be coming back from Saviour"

"Regina" Emma gasped "Please..."

The Evil Queen sneered tightening her grip further. Emma used all her strength to grab around the hand the Evil Queen had on her throat before hitting her with a blast of white magic. The Evil Queen flew backwards landing on her back on the floor in a heap. Before she could conjure another fireball, Emma was on her, pinning her arms to the floor.

"I can't believe I'm going to do this" Emma said quickly before lowering her face towards the Evil Queen

"Don't you dare touch me!" The Evil Queen shouted her eyes wild and maniacal

Emma fought against the Evil Queen's thrashing body, quickly sealing their lips. The Evil Queen struggled for a moment before relaxing with a soft moan, allowing Emma's tongue to explore her mouth.

Emma, feeling the change after a few moments, pulled away but kept Regina's arms pinned to the floor.

"Regina?" Emma asked softly

"Yes dear, it's me...I'm sorry for..."

"Yeah...I...er...I wasn't sure what would do it so I went all in" Jumping to her feet, Emma absent mindedly ran her hands down her skinny jeans before offering a hand to Regina. Pulling her to her feet, an awkward silence descended between the two.

"Look, Emma. I know this is unconventional..."

"You're talking to the former kinda good kinda not Dark One here..." Emma offered with a small smile which Regina returned.

"Thank you, for doing that for me. I think its best we keep this between ourselves. The last thing Henry needs to hear right now is that the Evil Queen tried to kill his birth mother...again"

Emma smiled puffing out a sigh "Do you think you can hold her off? at least until we figure out a way to keep her under control?"

"I'll...try" Regina said quietly, unsure if she really was able to do so.

TBC?

Authors Secondary Note:

Ok, I promise if I pick up a couple of reviews before the weekend (good or bad) I'll post Chapter 2 (which is worth the wait I promise!)

If you've favourited this or are following this, why not let me know what you think?

Oh! and lastly, just so you know, I'm a Brit trying to write in American English so I apologise if in future chapters, some words get a little lost in translation!.