The idea for this story came up after the scenes between Regina and Snow in 3x18. Basically what the title/summary says. It's a SwanQueen story through the eyes of Snow White.
Of course I had to make up pretty much all of it but these are mostly canon moments (except for those when Snow processes what she has seen/knows about SQ) where I chose to interpret Snow's reaction to either Emma or Regina or both. It's the first part; there will probably be more.
Also, I hope my timeline isn't wrong, but I haven't re-watched the episodes just for that story.
I encourage you to share the story on your Twitter/Tumblr if you like it! PM are also welcome if you have ideas of scenes that happen after 3x11 where I could interpret Snow's looks as knowing looks about SwanQueen.
Let me know what you think and forgive the mistakes; this is unbeta'd and I am not a native English speaker.
Snow White knows.
The first time she sees it, she has to admit it does not even really surprise her. They are in the sheriff station behind the tainted glass and they observe Regina. Archie is dead—or so they believe—and there is a witness placing Regina at the crime scene. Snow and David are certain that Regina, the Evil Queen, killed their friend Archie.
Emma is not.
The blonde defends the older woman. She says that Regina is trying hard to change, to be worthy of Henry's love. Emma believes her. Snow observes her daughter's face carefully when Emma speaks.
"I know her. I believe her."
And she sees it for the first time. There is one little unspoken word in Emma's eyes that changes the meaning of her entire sentence. Emma believes Regina, but it's more than that.
She believes in her.
After they go home that day, Emma looks just as shattered as Henry. The little boy has just lost his faith in his adoptive mother and Snow understands why he wants to be left alone. What she does not quite understand is why Emma locks herself in her room and does not come out for several hours after that.
That night, Snow lays awake next to her sleeping husband and she thinks back on the events of the past couple of months. The curse is broken and she is reunited with her family. She has been sent to the Enchanted Forest with Emma and they have bonded over the experience; a different bond than the one that existed between Mary Margaret and Emma. This feels more like family. It is family.
Snow frowns. They had been through a portal that Regina had managed to open. But she also remembers that Regina failed several times to open said portal before succeeding. She did not pay much attention at the moment, but now that she thinks about it…
Emma touched Regina's arm. That is what opened the portal. Emma is a magical child; she knows that already. But it is her magical essence combined to Regina's that opened the way to another realm.
She is getting ahead of herself and she should probably not think too much about this.
But in the back of her mind, there are words that she can't forget; they've been burned in her memory forever.
"Love, True Love is magic. And not just any magic: the most powerful magic of all."
The kind that would transcend realms and open portals with a simple touch.
Snow does not want to think about it; not after what just happened with Archie. But as she drifts off to sleep, she can't erase the image of Emma touching Regina's arm. She sees the hurt in Regina's eyes when Emma accused her of murder. She sees the fury in her daughter, though she is still unsure if Emma is furious with Regina or with herself.
When she wakes up the next morning, Snow stays in bed for several long minutes. She has dreamed of magic. Her subconscious has told her more than she would have wanted to remember.
Regina absorbing the death curse to make sure that Emma and Snow come back alive from the Enchanted Forest. She hasn't asked Rumplestiltskin but she's pretty sure that it should have killed Regina. Then Emma inviting Regina to the welcome back party. Snow had been surprised, just like everyone else. Yet Emma had smiled this very special, very precious smile that Snow has too rarely seen on her face. She had brushed it off as Emma simply being polite, but now she isn't sure anymore.
Emma is way too upset over the events of the previous day. Maybe there is another layer in her relationship with Regina that Snow does not know about. She promises herself to be more attentive from now on.
Regina had ample opportunity to kill her if she really wanted to do so. That's what Snow keeps reminding herself. After being responsible for Cora's death, Snow can't help but think that she has done something truly horrible. And yet she is still alive. Regina can't kill her. Snow is not exactly sure what's keeping the other woman from taking her revenge but she realizes that over the years, Regina has had more than a few hundred opportunities to end her life.
Now, Snow thinks it might be the universe holding Regina back for some unknown reason. Now, Snow thinks the reason might just be Emma and Henry.
There is something truly frightening in the power of Emma and Regina's magic combined. They are in the mines saying goodbye to each other when Emma comes up with her idea.
"You may not be strong enough, but maybe we are."
There is hope in her voice and desperation as well. It is poignant, heartbreaking. It might be their last minutes on Earth, and Emma wants to spend them with Regina, trying to save everyone. Snow wants to watch her daughter until her eyes close but David and Henry push lightly at her and they takes a few steps back, trying to protect themselves from the unpredictability of magic.
It works; of course it does. Emma and Regina, together, manage to save Storybrooke. But there is no time to analyze the situation because Henry is missing.
Neverland is exhausting. From the moment they set foot on the Jolly Roger, Snow wishes they could have just one day of peace. One day where they don't have to worry about kidnapping, torture and killing. Regina and Emma agree to a fragile truce but Regina takes out her frustration at losing her son on everyone around. They trade blows and when Emma jumps off into the sea, Snow glances briefly at Regina and sees that her expression is as horrified as hers certainly is. She is concerned for Emma, but she covers it up quickly. Too late, though. Snow has seen the worry in her eyes.
Snow and David watch silently as Regina teaches Emma magic. Without Rumplestiltskin around, Regina is the only one who can tell their daughter how to channel the power within her and summon it at will. There is something quite unsettling in watching the two women interact. Despite all the bad blood between them, Snow can see how much Regina believes in Emma—or at least in Emma's power. It makes her wonder just how much the former Evil Queen knows about Emma's abilities.
It scares Snow. She does not want to see this relationship evolve into something more. And yet, she is powerless to stop it. She keeps it to herself, because she is pretty sure that she's the only one who has noticed how things have changed between Emma and Regina. For now, there is absolutely no need to make anyone else aware of that. She notices more and more, really. She can hear the bite in Regina's tone every time Emma mentions Neal or Hook. Regina is not even trying to be subtle about it. Thankfully, Emma seems to be completely oblivious to it. There are looks, sometimes, but Snow prefers not to think about it.
Regina has no regret. Somehow, it does not come as a huge surprise to Snow. Somehow, she already knew that. Regina does not have any regrets, but Snow is fairly sure that she feels tons of remorse. Yes, Regina might think she's an idiot, but Snow is more perceptive than she lets on. The woman who saved her life ages ago is still somewhere, buried under years of pain and wrongdoings.
When Regina plunges her hand into Pan's chest and rips out his heart—well, Henry's heart, really—Emma looks at her in awe, but Snow is not that stunned: if there is one thing that she has learned early in her life, it's that Regina is capable of anything. She is the most unpredictable person that Snow has ever met.
Sure enough, they get Henry back to the Jolly Roger, along with all the Lost Boys and Tink. Snow watches as Regina places Henry's heart back in his chest. She doesn't miss the look that Emma sends Regina when she thinks no one is looking. It is a look of relief, because Henry is safe, but there is also something akin to admiration and adoration in her green eyes. Then Regina's eyes meet Emma's briefly and Snow can see that they have the same sparkle in them. It is a lot to take in, but she pushes the thought at the back of her mind. Now she just wants to be happy because they're finally getting out of this forsaken place that is Neverland and her family is safe.
Slowly, she comes to accept that there is probably more to Emma and Regina than meets the eye. Neverland has brought them a little closer. Emma has told her about the lunar eclipse but apparently her daughter does not exactly understand what it means. Snow is certain that Regina knows more. "True Love is magic", she remembers once again. The irony of the situation is not lost on her.
She likes Neal. He's certainly better than Hook. He obviously loves Emma and they have a son together. Snow ignores the part of her brain that tells her that Regina and Emma have a son together. She tries to push her daughter a little, to suggest that she gives Neal a chance. Emma doesn't budge. She is not interested. Snow can't help but wonder if it is because she is afraid to let anyone in or because she has her eyes on someone else. Someone who is not a pirate.
When Henry asks Regina if he can go home with her, Emma looks hesitant. Snow does her best to reassure her. The kid wants a little time with his adoptive mother because he has just been through traumatic events. Familiarity is the best way for him to feel safe. But Emma keeps watching their retreating forms until they disappear from her sight, and Snow has to look away.
When Regina is not answering her phone, they understand that something is very wrong. Of course, if Henry is in Pan's body it can only mean one thing. Pan is with Regina. Once they arrive at Regina's vault, Rumplestiltskin tries to open the door with magic and tells them it is going to take some time. Emma steps back almost immediately and turns her back on the group. Snow follows her. When she sees the expression on her daughter's face, her heart tightens. Emma is afraid. Whether it is for Henry or for Regina, she does not know. It's probably for both. Emma talks about being the Savior and how she's tired of never having a day off, but Snow can tell that Emma would never stop saving people. Emma would never stop saving Regina.
Everything happens really fast after that. Henry is brought into Gold's shop and they manage to get him back into his own body. Snow leans into David's side as they watch Henry hug both of his mothers. When Emma hands the scroll to Regina and Regina collapses suddenly; Emma's panic is immediate.
"Regina!" she calls. "Regina!"
Finally, after an endless minute, Regina opens her eyes and grabs Emma's arm while whispering her name. Snow watches silently, perplexed. What has Regina seen while unconscious? Emma asks her if she's okay and Snow can't pretend any longer that their relationship is cordial at best. Emma and Regina have somehow become friends; yet it does not feel quite like a friendship. It is less, but it is more. Snow can't explain it, she can't put words on it but she knows what it is. She was not exactly friends with David either.
The next minutes are heartbreaking. Rumplestiltskin sacrifices himself in front of them to take down Pan. There is a moment of stunned silence, during which Belle falls to her knees and starts crying and calling her True Love's name. Snow's heart tightens in her chest and she unconsciously steps closer to David.
Then Regina starts talking. Snow is feeling too much. She has to say goodbye to her daughter, again. She has to leave her behind. She has to give her up all over again and it hurts. Emma fights, of course she does. Her daughter does not want to lose the family she's just found. Snow can only stand there and listen as Regina explains that Emma will take Henry and leave. She is literally just standing there witnessing Regina giving up Henry because the choice to live with him has been taken from her. It feels familiar.
Of course Emma refuses to go. Snow has to tell her that everything is going to be fine. She does not miss the way Emma looks at Regina when she says that happy endings aren't always what they seem to be. Yes, she thinks, there is something more that neither of them have acknowledged yet. Of course it is not a surprise when Emma finally agrees to go when Regina tells her to.
Snow has always hated goodbyes. She feels Emma and David's arms around her and she does her best not to burst into tears. The idea of being separated hurts more than she could have imagined. It's real. They have to part ways, again. It's possibly the last time she will ever have her daughter in her arms. At least, she has David. They will help each other. Her thoughts turn briefly to Regina. Regina, who is about to lose her son and who has no one else that she loves more. A small voice in her head reminds her that Regina is also losing Emma, even though they don't realize exactly what this loss means.
Neal, Henry, David and Hook stand by her, a few feet behind Regina and Emma. It is close enough to hear everything that they say.
That's when Snow stops doubting. She is absolutely positive that Regina knows that being able to make magic with Emma means something. When Regina offers Emma the life that she has always wanted; Snow's heart melts. She understands the sacrifice that Regina is making. The brunette is giving up everything for Emma. She offers her memories of Henry. Snow can't be certain of that but she would bet her right arm that Regina gives Emma her own memories of their son's childhood. In that exact moment, part of her hopes that Regina is indeed Emma's True Love. If they are anything like David and her, they will always find each other. Maybe then, Emma will find them too. She has to hope. As she kisses her daughter one last time, Snow tries to convey that hope. Too soon, she has to step back. Helpless, she watches as the yellow car drives over the town line. The next minute, everything is enveloped in a purple smoke and she can't see anything anymore.
The next part will be posted as soon as it is written, but I might wait until the end of the season so as to have every possible Snow/Emma/Regina scenes available.
Thank you for reading!
OTH-FOQ