Meet me at my vault she said. Though she seemed upset by what Emma said, she still wanted to see her, so that is a good sign, right? Then why was she nervous? It angered her that Archie would breach their confidentiality and out her secret in front of her family. Is he losing his mind? Can a fake therapist degree be revoked? She will be looking into having a talk with him about what he had done. As predicted, everyone was upset by her secret vision she had been hiding and they all wanted to know who was trying to kill her. She offered up the only idea that she had: the Evil Queen. And as soon as she uttered that name, she could feel Regina's heart sink. Emma tried to apologize on the spot, but Regina removed herself from the group, saying she was going to help her by finding out the real meaning of her vision. She tried to block Regina from leaving; maybe Regina just invited her to her vault to make her get out of her way. Maybe she didn't mean it.
Presently, the Evil Queen had been the only threat in Storybrooke, so for Emma, her interpretation made sense. A few weeks earlier she and Henry had an actual encounter with the Evil Queen and she had threatened her, told her that she wanted to show her how pointless she was. Ever since Dr. Jekyll had appeared, she started to suffer the vision and tremors. She had problems with her magic. She wondered if the Evil Queen knew all this and was just playing psychological games with her.
It was unnerving to be looking at Regina, and not have it be her Regina. She was so mean. It has been decades since that Regina had lived her life or been her. As far as Emma understood and came to know Regina, she was never her. But Regina did tell her she was still inside her. But literally?! Magic would never cease to amaze her. The only part of the Evil Queen that looked like her Regina was the way she looked at and spoke to Henry that day. Even so, it was difficult for Emma to wrap her head around the fact that they were the same person.
All these thoughts ran through her head as she drove to the vault nervously. Even if Regina was not the Evil Queen, Emma still didn't like to anger Regina. It wasn't out of fear, but out of extreme discomfort both mentally and physically, in a way that nobody else could make her. She could feel the wedge put between them in a very real way that was unlike anything she ever knew before.
She lingered outside her car and the vault for a bit before going in. She was really starting to feel like an ass for even thinking of her. Correction, not her, the Evil Queen. The vision bothered Emma so much, not only because she sees herself die, but because of all the family members she expected to see there before she died, Regina was not there. How could she not be there for her? Was she dead? Did the Evil Queen kill her? Did they merge back into one, Evil winning? If anyone could or would try to save Emma, it would be Regina, so how could she not be there for her, after all they had been through? Back at the apartment with her family, and Hook, she tried to get them to help her through these questions; but where was Regina was not their concern. They were busy chastising her for not sharing the vision with them, and consequently, starting to fear the Evil Queen once more. This was not how Emma wanted the revelation of her vision to go down. Perhaps Regina asking her to meet her at her vault gave her an outlet Regina knew she would need. This thought that Regina had her best interest in mind, their best interests, inclined Emma to go inside without hesitation. Still, she armed herself with a mouthful of apologies.
Emma lingered at the threshold for a few moments but she didn't hear a sound. Nevertheless, she held her breath and counted "one, two, three" and she stepped in. Regina was in direct eyesight, facing her, but hovering over a boiling cauldron. It glowed Regina's signature magical color of purple, illuminating Regina's face. Emma stood for a moment to watch her stir, throw in ingredients, mutter to herself, and reference her book. Regina's stare was intense, dark eyes deep in concentration, and clearly oblivious to Emma standing there. That is when the forehead vein comes out most prominently, gracing her golden, flawless skin. Emma has always loved to watch her work her magic. Many of their magical lessons involved Regina falling into moments of deep concentration like this. It allowed for long periods of time where Emma was able to stare at Regina and study her features. The admiration for her teacher certainly grew during their lessons. She was an amazing magical mind and Emma felt lucky to be learning from her.
Emma's own concentration was lost when Regina looked up and their eyes met. She got caught, though she was doing nothing wrong, but Regina holding her eyes brought forth the nervousness in her and she blurted out, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to upset you…" but Regina held up her hand before she could complete her thought, "Don't. It's not necessary. That isn't why I asked you here." Regina walked over to Emma and put her hands on her shoulders with her eyes full of care and intensity, asking, "How are you doing?" Her simple question is loaded with pure care and consideration that disarms Emma. "I'm ok," she says with a weak smile. She isn't ok. This has been ripping her up inside—the secret, the meaning, the death. But she holds back telling Regina these things because the most vulnerable she has ever been with her friend is apologizing. Regina squeezed her shoulders, "This secret you have been holding in, how have you managed? Being privy to your death is not easy to handle." Emma gives her a weak smile. She doesn't know what to say, it's true. Regina adds, "I'm not upset at your interpretation of the vision. It did bother me for a second, I'll admit, but I understand."
"I am very sorry that the Evil Queen ever crossed my mind. I feel guilty that she was the first person to pop in without any thought, and in my sessions with Archie I tried to work reason and omit her as a candidate, but he wasn't much help; he seemed to reinforce that she was the most immediate, present danger. She had already threatened all of us with direct confrontations, even you. So my brain said no, but my gut said yes, why?"
Regina looked at Emma with a regretful look. She doesn't know how to dissuade Emma. With Dr. Jekyll gone, who else is there? But Regina knows any threats she made to Emma were empty. The Evil Queen wouldn't hurt her, she knew that about herself when they were one. Regina split herself as an easy way out of ridding herself of her daily, inner-conflict—Regina wanted to become a better person but the Evil Queen was always in her ear, pointing out the cracks in her hopes and desires, filling her with fear and doubt. But she should have known all magic comes with a price, and instead of eliminating her problem, she just gave it a life of its own: pure evil, incarnate. The terrifying part was she had no control over the Evil Queen. She was free to terrorize at will, and she went after her old nemesis, someone Regina now trusted, and called friend and family—Snow. She threatened Emma, but after the apple turnover incident back when she vowed to never harm Emma again. In time, it was a promise she made not only for Henry's sake, but for her own.
"Gut is usually right, and it may be sensing some kind of danger from her, but I don't think it's in relation to your vision. I am hoping this potion I am working on will reveal some leads. It does not sit well with me that I am not there for you." Regina walks away from Emma back to her cauldron.
"So you think she is a threat?"
"I am sure she still wants to go after your parents."
"So what if killing me is part of that revenge? You have to admit, that is killing two birds with one stone."
"As much as I hate to admit it, there is some truth to your reasoning." Emma catches the shame in Regina's eyes. "The Evil Queen's quench for revenge was never fulfilled and she would like to complete her revenge. But she will not use you."
"I'm my vision all the people I care about are there except for you, which concerns me just as much as my death. Where are you?"
"I do not know why I am not there. If it means I am dead, then that would mean the Evil Queen is dead too, remember how Dr. Jekyll and Hyde couldn't exist without the other? When one died, so did the other. Well, look at that, mystery solved, she's not your killer!" Regina shrugs with a wry smile. Emma grimaces. Maybe she should refrain from making jokes.
"That doesn't make me feel better. Nor the idea that the Evil Queen is still plotting against my parents. So in between that and dying, I still have a lot to worry about."
"Emma, you're not alone. I already confronted her and protected your parents. I will do everything in my power to protect the idiots… I've really grown fond of them," Regina looks up at Emma and smiles.
"I trust you. So you're sure the Evil Queen won't come at me?"
"Yes."
"How can you be so confident? She told me she wants to hurt me and show me how pointless I am as the Savior."
"That's different than 'destroy.'"
"Semantics, Regina? There's a difference?"
"Only you have the ability to lose faith in yourself. She can try to shake and rattle you, but you have so much love and family around you."
"The threat isn't idle. If she means my parents harm, what if I can't save them? That would be a blow."
"If she does manage to do something, I believe in you, Savior. And I will be by your side."
"Thank you."
"You won't have to ever worry about the Evil Queen harming you or Henry directly, trust me. Her feelings are…" at this Regina stopped.
"Her feeling are what?"
"Complicated."
"Explain."
"Changed."
"Changed how? From destroying me to taunting? She did try to kill me once, remember? So, now she doesn't want to kill me. So, what is it? She doesn't like me. How could she even tolerate me? I mean, I'm Henry's birth mom he went searching for and brought back, how could she just get over that? What if she's been playing the long game to get me out of her way and finally have Henry to herself...suddenly, I don't feel confident again…"
Regina pulled some bottles from her shelf, and opens them one by one to pour into her potion as Emma goes on. She finds that she really doesn't want to say any more than what she has said, but Emma will not stop playing detective. She knows she cannot just say, "just because, believe me." Knowing Emma, that will drive her to more questions. Regina is hoping Emma will run out of steam. If she keeps prodding, then Regina is afraid she will have to lay out feelings she would rather not express. "Emma! I asked you here because I wanted us to talk privately, and go over this potion I have been working on that will give us answers," she snapped in one breath, sounding frustrated rather than sympathetic.
"A villain is a villain, Regina, there has to be something pivotal to change her mind, and you're not helping," Emma chides, but she repeats herself, "She still harbors a vendetta against my parents, but you think she has changed towards me… how did she do that? Maybe we can get her to change her mind about my parents?"
Regina could see Emma would not let this go. She tried, "Your parents are non-negotiable. Trust me, I've tried. When we were one, I held at bay my feelings for your parents. You and I have been through so much with each other, unlike your parents and I, and we share a son. That means a lot to both of us, right? The day you arrived in Storybrooke, I was filled with such dread and hate. You invoked in me something I have not felt in nearly 30 years. Yes, I tried to poison you, but after that, you forgave me and still stood by me. You never encouraged Henry to hate me, even though he did for a while. The both of you encouraged me to become a better person. We learned to co-parent, and I even came to like you," Regina softly laughs, and Emma begins to look uncomfortable. Emma has not heard many kind words from Regina. The change in Emma makes Regina uncomfortable. She wonders if she revealed too much. They stare at each other in a pregnant pause that leaves Regina wondering if Emma is weighing what she said— "I even came to like you."
Regina starts to regret saying that. She's a reserved and private person and though she and Emma are friends, she doesn't need to know her innermost thoughts, as in how she "likes" her. She said out loud to lighten the mood, but Regina knew "like" was an understatement and it left her feeling exposed. And the longer Emma went without saying something made her nervous. "Emma, please, can we stop psychoanalyzing the Evil Queen! Some other time, ok?"
Emma picked up on Regina's discomfort and resistance. What was she hiding? "What is there to psychoanalyze? It's you essentially we are talking about. Shouldn't you have the answers?"
"Henry!" Regina calls out.
"No, Henry is the thing she loves most in this world. The Evil Queen doesn't share. That isn't a game changer. Come on, Regina, I'm missing a piece here." Emma sees that Regina's eyes are not on her anymore, but behind her. She whirls around thinking the worse, but it is Henry behind her.
Henry passes Emma and walks straight up to Regina. "I'm sorry mom, but I heard most of your conversation, and you know what needs to be told." Regina lowers her head and stares hard at him. Henry is not taking her intimidation and continues, "Mom, I kept this between us for long enough now, but Ma is not going to let this go, and she needs assurance more than ever."
Regina keeps her eyes focused on her son, not in anger, but with pride in his willingness to tell the truth and be bold. The circumstances have changed and Emma deserves 100% assurance more than ever.
Emma places a hand on Henry's shoulder, "Um, I'm still here. Can you let me in on your conversation and what it all means? I'm not following."
Just before Henry turns around, he takes his mom's hands in his, assuring her that it will be alright. They both know it's the right thing to do. Henry speaks up, "Ma, they love you, this is how we know the Evil Queen is not seeking to kill you." Henry turns to Emma and waits for her to respond. But it is as those words have no meaning to her. She stares at him blankly, waiting for more, or maybe she needs an interpreter, but something deep within her refused to turn to Regina for an answer, though she knows she is looking at her. She keeps her eyes focused on Henry. Henry gives Emma a sweet smile and cocks his head to one side. Henry says nothing, waiting for his ma to put two and two together, but after a moment, he sees nothing stirring in her solid, fixed eyes on him that are waiting for him to explain himself. He looks over to Regina, who though a moment ago had adoration in her eyes for him, now appears to grow uncomfortable at the silence.
Henry's eyes widen and he gives Regina a "tell her" look. Regina takes a deep breath before looking at Emma, who still looks bewildered, but reluctantly looks at her. Regina closes her eyes and begins, "When the Evil Queen came to speak with Henry alone, he asked her what was she up to and tried to plead with her not to hurt anyone he loved. She made it clear to him that she still wanted her revenge on his grandparents, but she assured him that his mothers' lives were safe. Henry, not following, asked about you, because he heard her threaten you, but she reiterated 'I already told you, I love your ma. I would never harm her.' Henry reminded her that to harm mom would harm her too, but the Evil Queen just told him, 'No, Em-MA. Why don't you ask your mom.' And left it to me to have to explain to him that I…" Regina took another deep breath, "I am in love with you, Emma, this is why I know you are safe."
Emma stared, wheels turning, but saying nothing, stoic. Regina continued, "I'm sorry if the news is shocking and I made Henry keep this to himself. What was the point of telling you? You and guy-liner have been working so hard on being together, and I didn't believe you returned my feelings, so what would come out of you knowing?" Regina felt so raw, exposed. Emma wordlessly stared at her. That wasn't helping. This is exactly why she didn't want to ever share this with Emma. "You kept hounding me for an answer, and that's it, that's the truth. The Evil Queen and I both share a love for you; a love that has never, will never and could never be the same for your parents. There is your assurance," Regina says to Emma, trying to sound as matter of fact about the whole admission, but there is a quiver in her voice that betrays her. Regina does not like being this vulnerable. She looks Emma in the eye, a last-ditch attempt at gaining control, and inhales deeply before saying, "I don't expect anything from you." Emma does not waver when Regina looks at her. In fact, Regina is not all that sure that Emma heard her. There is a half here, half gone look in her eyes. Regina decides to look away. Though it doesn't appear she has Emma's full attention, she cannot hold her gaze for as long as she thought while feeling so exposed. She'd rather not be looking at Emma when she came to.
Henry waited with bated breath through his mom's admission. He wanted ma to know the truth, and he pressed mom to tell Emma because he was certain she would return the feelings. After Neverland he was excited that his moms were getting along, becoming friends, feeling like a family, maybe even live under the same roof. When he found out there was actually love there, he was excited to put his family together, but Regina firmly told him to leave it alone. She was with Hook, it was probably too late, or maybe Emma didn't return her feelings. He would have to keep it to himself because a lot of people could get hurt, especially her. But the truth always finds a way of coming out, and here it was, the big reveal; was he right? He looked at Emma with all hope beyond hope that she would say she loved mom too.
Emma finally found her way back to the vault. She looked at Henry, and then at Regina, and Henry again. She frowned. She approached Regina, who had turned away from her, to get her attention. She reached out to Regina, took her face in her hand, and looked straight into her eyes that were filled with tears and sadness. "You love me?" Emma whispered.
Regina couldn't hold back tears, couldn't help smiling at Emma. "Yes. I am in love with you, Emma Swan." Emma's eyes rapidly looked at her back and forth as she slowly began to smile. She stepped back releasing Regina and ran her fingers through her own hair. Emma opened her mouth, about to speak, but nothing came out. She did this several times, looking like a goldfish.
"Emma, you don't have to…" Regina started. But Emma lifted her finger and stopped her. A sudden furry filled her eyes, and she looked intensely between Henry and Regina.
She grabbed their wrists suddenly and demanded "Come on!" and pulled them out of the vault.