Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Once Upon a Time.

Swimmingly Six: Alternate Ending

Regina fiddled with the buttons on her coat, studying them intensely as she murmured, "I have to tell you something."

Emerald eyes flashed with fear, "What is it? Are you dying? She looked her up and down, frantically turning her in a circle before her. "Is that why you came to me?"

"No Emma ," The brunette sighed, "It's about our time together and your memories of it."

Emma's shoulders slumped with relief, "Oh yeah, it's kinda totally weird. I mean I didn't remember anything until I kissed you."

"I admit I had something to do with it." Regina looked up then, her fingers tugging at the hem of her coat.

"No way? How?" She grinned, "Did we get in a car crash and that's why I forgot everything."

"No dear," Regina shook her head.

"Oh is it-"

Regina interrupted, her voice rising an octave in her haste, "You won't be able to guess and if I tell you, you'll think it's crazy and you won't believe me." She sighed sadly, "I just I care too much about you to lie to you."

Emma reached tentatively for her hand, grasping her fingertips in desperation, "Just say it Regina, is it drugs? "

"It's magic."

"Huh?"

The room was silent except for the near audible gears shifting in Emma's mind as she tried to grasp hold of the explanation. She cocked her head, searching for any sign that the brunette may be setting up an elaborate joke.

Regina shook her head in reply, it wasn't a joke.

Emma nodded slowly, "You made me forget our previous weekends together, by using magic?"

"Yes."

"What kind?" Emma asked.

Regina wasn't expecting such a question, "I..I didn't realize there were different kinds."

"Sure... like magicians and like supernatural type magic or like something more cultural...or religious." Emma shrugged.

"You believe me?"

Emma shook her head twice and nodded once. "This is crazy, but you know what? I've wracked my brain for an explanation and I've come up with nothing. I guess this just makes sense, in a crazy kind of way. You're the most level headed, straight edged person I know, and if you say this is true then of course I'm going to believe you. "

This girl, who constantly searched for answers, for the rational, logical truth, trusted her enough to believe her deepest of secrets. Her dark heart at once grew darker and shone with a brilliance it had yet to encounter in this world. "Emma," She breathed, words catching on the lump in her throat.

Grasping her hand more tightly, Emma searched for those logical answers in the situation, "So you'll do your magic thing and then I'm going to forget again? Like I won't even remember that we had this conversation?"

"No dear you won't."

Emma's voice took on slight panic, "And everything you told me about us and Henry..."

"It was true," Regina pleaded.

"But we'll be strangers again," The words came out in a strangled whisper.

"We were never strangers Emma." Regina longed to close the distance between them, to hold her tightly in her arms and take away the pain and confusion that strained her features. But something kept her feet planted where they were, their only contact their tightly grasped hands.

A soft smile played across pale pink lips, "That's impossible, but it feels true." The smile disappeared and her hand flew to her chest, "Regina you'll be alone again. Why are you doing that to yourself?"

"For Henry, to keep him safe."

For Henry, she mouthed. "You'd do that for him?"

"Yes," She replied simply.

"This is horrible," Emma objected, paling noticeably.

"I know."

"I trust you Regina, if this is what you think you have to do, then do it," She vowed earnestly.

Her hand shook in Emma's grasp and her voice wavered dangerously. "I don't trust myself."

"Well I do," Emma stepped forward, framing her face in her slim hands, " You'll come back , you'll kiss me over and over until I remember again and we'll keep moving forward, keep getting to know each other. "

"How do you have so much faith."

Emma shrugged, "It's weird, is it magic too?"

"No!" Regina started.

The blonde brushed a thumb across her cheek, "Shhh, it's ok. It's you Regina, you're...you're something special and I trust you and I trust what we have."

"Alright."

"Ok," The strong young woman took charge, "So will it hurt?"

"No, it shouldn't" Regina took a deep breath, leaning just a little more into the blonde's embrace. "You'd remember if it had."

"I don't associate anything bad with you Regina."

"I'm glad." She sagged then, all the air in her lungs leaving and all the fight in her disappearing.

"So you're gonna do it or what?"

"Once I'm outside."

"Alright," Emma agreed with forced cheerfulness.

The brunette glanced over at her suitcase resting on the floor by the door, "I guess this is goodbye."

The young woman clung to her, burying her face into her neck, "Until the next time you visit."

"Yes, just until next time." She forced herself to think, to be strong, but she felt helpless as her arms came to wrap around the other woman.

It was all Emma need to break loose from the fear and uncertainly that kept her from taking the comfort she so craved. She crashed their lips together in a bruising embrace, lifting her up so that her legs wrapped around her waist, and they fell against the door. She sucked on her lower lip, her tongue teasing and exploring the warm wetness of her mouth.

Their breath hitched, their kisses turned frantic and light.

Lips met cheeks, noses, chins in a frantic release of emotion.

Emma wrenched away, setting her down. "Goodbye Regina, be safe and give Henry a hug from me."

"I...I will," She stammered through swollen lips.

Emma's features closed off, resignedly, "Kiss me Regina, kiss me and don't look back."

Taking strength in the other woman's belief, she kissed her fiercely, kissed her cheek and tore herself away. She didn't look back as she closed the door, performed the spell and rushed down the stairs.

She got in her car, drove around the block.

And sobbed.

A/N: As you can see this would take the story in a much different direction and would deviate from the plan I have for the rest of the chapters. I liked the difficult situation presented here even if it didn't quite work, I hope you did as well :) Thanks for reading.