"So. We're agreed. We stick to the plan. We get Henry. We get out. No heroes. No old vengence to… whatever. Just the plan." She looked at the circle of faces staring back at her. Charming was nodding enthusiastically, obviously trying to recall the actual plan so recently discussed. Hook was glassy-eyed, looking like he'd disappeared into some porn-riddled fantasy starring none other than Emma herself, with perhaps a handful of fairies. Rumple was pouting in the corner, but wiggled his fingers in what Emma took to be agreement. And Snow. Snow wore that smile, the one that spoke of complete disregard for the plans merit, while convinced of its brilliance solely because Emma had thunk it.
"To mete out?" Regina's low voice offered. She met Emma's quick glare with a blink and a steady, challenging gaze.
Emma tilted her head and looked harder at the lovely and infuriating woman who was wearing her usual veil of assurance along with that impossibly inappropriate and inexplicably dismantling suit right there in the middle of the forest. Emma pursed her lips and silenced the "Really?!" that yearned to breathe free.
"You seemed a loss for words." Regina shrugged lightly, the nearly imperceptible lift of a brow the only indication she was having a lark at Emma's less than bookish vocabulary. "I was being helpful." Now Emma watched as a tiny corner of Regina's mouth lifted.
Emma leaned in, close enough to whisper, "Careful. Don't laugh. You might break something."
Like another goddamm button off that goddamn shirt. Jesus H.
"Right!" Emma spoke louder than necessary, as she stood up straight and tried to ignore the faint trace of Regina's lush scent, lingering—not entirely unwelcome—in her consciousness. "No more talking then. Let's try and rest. We're up before dawn."
With nods and shuffles the group disbanded, each moving to their separate plots of land. Just like the first night, Emma placed herself far outside the circle so she could keep watch. She plopped herself down on the cold, packed dirt and tried to avoid the woman camped across from her. Emma'd moved herself a dozen times that first night, yet each time, Regina's unavoidable form always seemed to wind its way to the center of her horizon.
As the camp settled in, Emma worked to adapt her senses, to memorize the baseline of sights, smells, and sounds of the forest. Right away, though, she noticed something changed from their first night. Tonight, Regina lay not rolled away with her back to Emma. She was facing her.
And her eyes were open.
Even from 50 yards off, Emma felt the pull of Regina's gaze, and so she looked back, hoping to convey the strength and decisiveness she knew Regina worried she lacked. Regina blinked, and her hand lifted to tuck a bit of dark hair behind an ear, but still she stared. Emma didn't waver, either, for there had been something going on since the mines … maybe before. They'd been sizing each other up in a very new way. Less antagonism, perhaps, though with equal parts intensity.
Suddenly, Regina pushed herself to sitting, one foot tucked under her body, her two hands flat on the earth, gaze still drilling into Emma. With an arch in her brow, Regina stood, scrubbing her hands together, ridding them of dirt and abruptly, she turned off. Emma blinked rapidly at the loss of those eyes, and breathed.
Regina was, wait… Leaving? She was three paces out of camp before she looked over her shoulder at Emma, then turned once again and kept moving quickly away.
Emma sprang to her feet and surveyed the rest of the group – all apparently conked out. Checking her weapon was fast across her back, Emma moved to catch up.
/
Regina stood along the bank of the small lake they'd discovered yesterday, her expensive boot toeing at wet, tumbling sand, waiting for her. The moons of Neverland reflected off the still waters, making the whole world glisten in the dark, and leaving Regina awash in a captivating glow of blue.
Perhaps it was her quest to redeem herself, perhaps it was her utterly unrepentent love for Henry, but whatever it was, Regina had lately become almost unbearably beautiful. Emma had figured out a long time ago that the whole 'fairest in the land' thing hadn't been a fiction of their son's book, but something about the beauty of this Regina produced a dull, thud, thud, that beat down under Emma's belt buckle and she worried at that. In such beauty, there was so much sadness and as Emma felt her care and concern for Regina growing, it was this ever-present sadness that she found completely unnerving. She wanted to push it away and had absolutely no idea how.
"What's up?" Emma asked, going for casual as she prepared internally for whatever surprises might be unleashed.
Regina sighed deeply as she lifted her head and met Emma's eyes. "I'm ready to change the rules, Sheriff." Though her gaze was kind, there was fire in it, a daring, eloquently telegraphed. "Are you?"
"Maybe…" Emma started. "Though there already seems to be a lot of, uh, room for interpretation around here.
"I mean between us. Our rules." And Regina stepped forward.
Already standing quite close, Regina's approach left little room to maneuver, and that thud, thud, below Emma's belt sounded a bit more loudly, dropped a bit lower. Regina's hand again moved up to tuck that stray lock of midnight hair behind her ear, brought a finger to own, red lips, and tapped, tapped, and Emma tracked each miniscule movement, while Regina watched her watching…
"I've a proposition for you, Emma."
The air between them quickly changed, now hot and thick with electricity, but the glint in Regina's eyes wasn't real, and Emma rejected the dishonesty she saw with an unhappy snarl.
"What the hell, Regina?" She wanted to push the woman away, angry at the ruse, but she instead stood firm.
Red parted lips snapped shut and a moment of self-defeat swam in dark eyes which Emma was more than close enough to witness. Regina laughed a sad, little laugh and lowered her head, a wistful smile gracing her face.
"Excuse me." Regina took a big step away and clasped her hands before her. She drew a deep, steadying breath. "You know I'm trying to do things a bit differently, but…" She looked past Emma, out onto the clear lake, "Old habits."
Emma recognized what was an honest and painful admission. She swallowed the discomfort of the previous moments, and took a chance. She and Regina rarely touched, rarely crossed that last thin span of space between them, but the moment seemed right. Emma reached out and gently held her, above the elbow with a reassuring pressure. Regina started, though she suppressed it immediately, and stared at the touch offered in support.
"It's okay." Emma gave a soft smile.
Regina nodded in thanks and slowly extracted her arm, stood with her hands clasped once more.
"I want you to know that I heard you. We work better together." She smiled back and Emma was grateful, renewed. "Now I know you meant to include everyone in our cozy little legion, but I do beg to differ."
"You want to split up." Emma stated, and waited for the confirmation, her expression neutral.
"I think you and I have the same intentions here. Surely we can agree on that?" Regina posed a potentially awkward, but hopeful question, and Emma found the answer was easy.
"Yep."
"We've established—quite spectacularly, I think—that together, you and I, make quite the formidable team."
"Yes." Emma nods, and grins at the memory of the mines.
"As to Neverland, well, I know this place."
"Uh huh…" This, Emma was less sure of. Regina looked surprised.
"You doubt me?"
"You have history here, Regina. I'm not positive that entirely… helps."
Regina considers this a moment before, "Perhaps, but I'll trust you to keep me on task."
Emma's eyebrows shoot upward. "You will?"
"I will."
"Why?"
"Let's not delve too deeply into that." Regina looks at her fingertips, clearly steeling herself from the inevitable follow-up question.
"Regina – I need to know what you're thinking. You want us to split off from the rest of the group, when frankly I'm not sure they won't all stop looking for Henry, and start looking for us. Or worse, fall apart without adult supervision."
That rankled the Queen.
"I do not have time to supervise people who should be able to supervise themselves. I want to find Henry!"
"And we will." Emma knew she didn't sound all that reassuring, not keen on the potential problems of working with the whole team, either.
"Yes, WE will." Regina moved in again, taking over every inch of Emma's world. "Please, Emma, I can hardly stand another moment of this. WE will wind up finding him anyway, you must know that. Why delay?" Quieter now, "Let's just go, you and me, and find our son. Okay?"
"Regina, I…"
Two warm hands gripped Emma's, "I know they're your parents, but do either of us truly have the patience for those two id… bumblers? Hook?" Emma stuck a look of insult on her face, but it was hardly convincing. "You're a woman of action, aren't you? Stop THINKING so much. Act." The hope and the passion that lit Regina's eyes was something new, and exceedingly difficult to deny.
"That's probably not a great idea."
"Yes. It. Is." Regina growled out, her voice dropping an octave in her plea, and she was moving in on the blonde yet again.
Emma pulled her hands from their embrace and held them up in surrender.
"Regina! I get it, and I do, I trust you, too, but I, we need the others."
"No we don't." Regina effectively silenced Emma by dropping one hand to the bottom of Emma's belt, tucking her fingers up and under the buckle and pulling hard. The squeal of surprise was to be expected, as Emma stumbled forward and hit the Queen flush, their bodies colliding with a delicious thump. "We have everything we need. Right here."
"I.." Emma began.
"Shut up." Regina said, and kissed her.
The kiss began with a start but rapidly became needy. Regina tasted sweet and soft and her mouth felt like falling into heaven. Emma's body was shot through with something all sparkly and insistent. Regina drew back and ran a finger over Emma's lower lip, then dove in to capture it in her teeth. Regina's tongue traced and entered her mouth and a moan, a gasp, and Emma's hands managed to land on Regina's face, pulling away to meet the dark, hungry gaze she'd yearned to see far more than she'd dared to admit.
Regina was stunning, and smiling with an only slightly predatory smile. At the same time, she was also remarkably present. Whatever this was, Emma knew, it was real, and she couldn't stop the joy that flooded her heart, the rush of relief, or the tears that fell from her eyes.
"I knew there was more." She began breathlessly, her forehead resting against Regina's. "Much more to us. To you." And oh, was this the very thing to say, as Emma watched a light, buried somewhere deep in Regina begin to fill those dark, dark eyes and soften the lines of her face…
"Oh no, no, Dearies. What ARE you two up to?"
The women separated in a heartbeat, and both tried to leap in front of the other. But for the fact that Regina was still clearly rattled by Emma's words, she surely would have wound up shielding the Savior. Instead, Emma—newly filled with purpose and certainty—had instantly pulled and raised her weapon, while her other hand kept reaching back for Regina, assuring she was close behind.
"If you don't know, I'm feeling kind of bad for Belle." Emma was quick to retort.
"THIS, this won't do at all, all, all." Rumple shook his head in dismay.
"Now, why don't you run along, Gold." Regina grabbed up Emma's hand in her own and held it close, "Nothing concerns you here."
"What concerns me is for me to know." With menace, he added, "And you to regret." He began to pace, back and forth before them, effectively keeping their backs to the water.
Weapon steady, Emma started forward, confident of Regina at her back, in her heart. And tired of Gold's games.
"Step back, Gold. We are in no mood, and I've had more than enough of your damn interference."
"Surely you're not threatening, me?" He marveled, fingers crooking back to his own chest.
"Apparently, I am." Emma stated flatly, ready.
"Don't push me, Dearie."
"Don't you push, ME" Emma's anger was rising, and it was Regina she felt trying to gentle her, an open hand at the small of her back.
"It's all right, dear," Regina purred. "Let me." And the Queen raised her hand.
But Gold was faster, and Emma was lifted off the ground, looking to be unceremoniously tossed into the water behind them.
"Don't you touch her!" Regina was ferocious, and magic rushed out from her, sweeping underneath the blonde's falling body, catching her in mid-air.
"Touch her?" Rumple grimaced, "It's time I killed her."
He pulled his dagger from his boot, held it aloft, and that beautiful, radiant light of the moons that had framed Regina moments ago, was gathering and glinting off the blade. Rumple shifted the flat of the blade, directing the light which was gaining in intensity, directly at Emma. Regina's eyes widened n horror.
"NO!" She cried, and hurled another bolt of magic at the arcing light. In mid-air, the two powers collided in a shower of sparks.
And Emma disappeared.
/
"Oooooooooooooooooooaaaaaafff!"
Emma landed hard atop, a, what? Barrel of potatoes?
Everything hurt and she groaned in pain as she attempted to move. Taking another moment, she breathed out, "Wooooa…"
Directly above her, the rended fabric of what looked to be the ceiling of a tent. The hole was large. Emma-sized. No wonder she felt like crap and smelled like crushed potatoes. She'd just dropped from the sky.
"Oh, great." She grumbled.
Gingerly raising her head, Emma tried to asses if any part of her was busted. "So far, so good." And started to sit up.
"Oh my goodness! Are you alright?! What in the world happened?"
Emma turned at a startled voice, something about it very familiar, yet definitely not. A young woman was rushing to her side. Worried, warm, cinnamon eyes, hair black and flowing, a finely-boned hand over her mouth.
Who?
"What a tremendous racket!" And the hand moved away, revealing a face, a mouth that Emma could never mistake.
"Who…?" But, Emma couldn't finish. Couldn't believe.
And then a smile, and oh, such a smile. Wide and open, full of delight and wonder. And a laugh. A giggle, practically.
How…?
"Thank the Gods, you're not hurt?! Really?" And the beauty before her grabbed Emma's hand and carefully helped her up, and into a nearby chair, rattling on excitedly the entire time. "I can't imagine how you've survived such an ordeal. And wherever did you come from? Are there others coming after you?" The young woman peered up, through the ragged tent top. She giggled again, and slapped a hand back over her mouth to stop. "I'm sorry. I'm just so surprised. Please don't think… it's certainly NOT funny. But it is rather… odd. Isn't it?" The infinite softness of her eyes suddenly filled with remorse, "Heavens! I should get you some water. Something…"
And then she was gone.
Emma watched in stunned silence, her mouth agape.
As she dashed away, the long white dress was hitched up in the young woman's hands to as to not drag along the dirt. The perfect cascade of pitch dark hair lifted from her slight back, locks of it fluttering in the breeze created by her hurried gait.
Another face appeared at Emma's side.
"OH!" She cried.
The face was rather craggy, seasoned. The old man wore a curious smile surrounded by graying whiskers and framed by two watery brown eyes.
"You alright there… Miss?" Taking in Emma's attire, he seemed unsure what to call her. He himself wore what looked like a modified gunny sack under layers of animal pelts. His feet were warmly booted and the 'hat' on his head had quite recently been wrapped around a beaver.
…or some other Enchanted Forest equivalent.
Emma's quick recognition of having returned to the Enchanted Forest was one thing. The young woman? Quite another.
"Who is that, please?" Emma asked quietly as her eyes again found the woman on the square.
"Why, that's young Regina. Regina Mills."
Emma was speechless, watching the woman move through the market, gathering a cup of water here, a bit of food there, and then she was returning to Emma's side. Her brilliant smile was absolute, happiness literally spilled from her, filling up the world.
Unbidden, tears flooded into Emma's eyes as she realized she was being tended to by the woman Regina once had been, unfettered by the burdens of the woman she became, with none of familiar deep lines that now marred her brow. Here was a Regina lost long ago.
"Oh, you ARE hurt!" Regina hastily set down her burdens and knelt before Emma, her soft hands sweetly wiping at the tears that spilled from Emma's aching, green gaze.
Emma shook her head, and tried to stop the rush of feelings. None of this would make sense to this Regina. This Regina hadn't been trying so hard to find the best path, and Emma knew how hard the other Regina had fought, how much it was taking from her. To see Regina now, this Regina, so completely without the regret of those lonely years, years of enforced rigidity, and determined self-preservation. This Regina was utterly alive, and positively lovely.
"My God," Emma whispered out, staring at the woman Regina was meant to be. "No wonder."
"No wonder? What?" Bright dark eyes sparked with curiosity and joy.
I fell in love with you.