Disclaimer: Unfortunately I do not own Once upon a time…but I can use my imagination to rewrite some character's faith! ;-)

Romance/Angst

Fandom: Once Upon a time – ABC TV-show 2011, pairing: Regina Mills aka the Evil Queen/Emma Swan aka we'll see soon!

Rating: K

One-shot

We have a slight female-slash situation here – don't like it? Don't read it! I know, it's not much, but I just was so intrigued and inspired by the personal scene between the two of them, that I wanted to recreate that feeling during the writing. If you'd like to watch a beautiful fan-made video about that scene, go to: .com/watch?v=h5mzWjBHf_A&list=FLzJEhlp2bP6AlGSw6w-v6qA&index=3&feature=plpp_video

Growing closer

The mine had collapsed. It was a catastrophe. Where had the strong earthquake come from and why had this damn mine appeared as a result? Since Miss Emma unbearable Swan was in Storybrooke, strange and mysterious things had started to happen in the mayor's perfectly created normal and in parts even boring town.

Henry meant everything to her. Regina was distressed. Suddenly all she wanted was to get her son back, little Henry, who has started a huge rebellion against her since Miss Swan, she had to correct herself, recently Deputy Swan, has emerged in Storybrooke some days ago. All she had suddenly been occupied with was to look after Henry and to make sure that he and the woman who gave birth to him weren't conspiring against her every second of every day. Why couldn't the blonde just leave? Regina Mills knew for sure, that this woman was to blame for almost everything that had gone wrong for at least the last 48 hours!

Currently they were standing next to an old hoistway in the ground, struggling for who was going to save Henry's and the shrink's life. She didn't want the Sheriff to go. She wanted to do it herself and demanded: "Lower me down", but Swan dissented. "Oh no way, I am going".

"He's my son", protested the mayor agitatedly. Emma tried to keep her voice down. She looked at Regina, pleading for her permission to finally be allowed to lower herself down in the mine's shaft. "He's my son, too", she replied weakly. Regina didn't answer, but just stared at her with prickling tears in her deep brown eyes.

Suddenly Emma started to feel sorry for Regina. In their love and fear for their son Henry they'd grown closer the last couple of hours and in a way Emma wanted her to know that she was not against, but with her. She tried to explain to Regina: "You've been sitting behind a desk for ten years. I can do this." Emma still expected the mayor to respond something she didn't want to hear, but instead, the graceful woman made one more step in her direction and therewith into Emma's personal space. At first Emma thought she would feel discomfort, but instead, to her surprise, she sensed something different.

Regina's face with those full red lips and big deer-brown eyes was now only inches apart from hers. It was astonishing: Regina's eyes seemed warm. Emma could feel the other woman's sweet warm breath on her face. It felt like they were two newly enamored people. Emma was spellbound. She wanted to look at Regina's delicate mouth forever. Why hadn't she recognized before how attractive Regina Mills actually was? Apart from all the fighting and all of Regina's predominantly unpleasant features, Emma had never noticed her supernal beauty. If only they'd had a better start. Maybe they could change their relationship into something more pleasant in the future?

The moment Emma realized that she was staring at the other woman rather intensively, she slightly dropped her gaze and Regina said gently: "Just bring him to me." Thereupon Emma smiled at her. She tried to inspire Regina with confidence she herself barely possessed. Then she turned around and lowered herself into the darkness to save their beloved child.

Regina waited impatiently for Swan's return. How long would it take to rescue the little boy? Henry, sweet Henry! Mr. Hopper would have to eliminate these fairytale delusions as soon as possible. Emma Swan and her son's far too imaginative mind were to blame for the disaster.

All at once there was an undefined noise coming up from the shaft. What was it? What was happening down there? Regina looked down into the deep and saw a dazzling light. After a little while she could see first Henry and then Emma who was holding him in her arms. Soon after her happiness about Henry's rescue, a sharp sting went through Regina's heart. Her son made a happy face and pressed his small fragile body very close to Emma Swan's. They were looking so natural and familiar with each other's closeness. Gratitude and rage waged a battle inside of the mayor.

Only a moment later Regina took little Henry away from Emma and back in her own arms. She embraced Henry as tight as she could, but he felt like a puppet in her arms. Henry didn't try to hug her back and because of that Regina let him go straightaway. She tried to hide her disappointment and smiled at him.

Suddenly Emma stood next to them and caressed Henry's face tenderly. "You'll be okay?" Henry smiled, but Regina commented coldly and formally: "Deputy, you can clear the crowd away." Then she turned to thank Dr. Hopper.

Emma was left alone, dirty and tired. She should have felt cheerful and relieved, but instead her heart was aching. Why did Regina Mills do that to her? Why wasn't she even capable of a simple "Thank you for rescuing our son"? Emma watched the other woman closely. Her exterior was so wonderful, but her heart seemed to be colder than ice, but then again, hadn't there been a glimpse of warmth in Regina's eyes not so long ago?

When Regina stood apart from her to talk to Sheriff Graham, Emma walked over to Henry and sat down next to him. Both silently watched Archibald Hopper and his older friend talk for a while. Emma couldn't quite concentrate on Henry, when he told her about Dr. Hopper and the other guy. She caught herself thinking that she truly wished Regina would be able to appreciate or like her, even if just a little…

END