Disclaimer: The characters or story lines aren't mine, just borrowing them for a while.

A/N: I recently fell in love with the show and Regina Mills, hence this is my first story in the fandom so please don't be too harsh if the characters are not themselves. Set at the beginning of 'An Apple Red As Blood'. Please enjoy and reviews are always welcome!

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"Tighter! She needs to feel our pain!" Granny cried, as Emma finished tying Regina to the apple tree in the middle of the main street.

"You took away our love and ripped it apart!" Mary Margaret spat with David holding onto her hand.

"And now, you are going to pay!" David hissed.

"Rotten to the core." Emma sneered as she squeezed an apple in her hand.

"I just wanted to win for once," Regina mumbled as Emma turned her back on Regina and re-joined the group.

"You took away our happiness and now it's our turn to take away yours!" Emma retorted, facing Regina.

"What," she muttered as David handed Emma his sword. "Henry, please, don't let them do this to me," Regina begged.

"You did this to yourself!" Henry shouted as Emma swung the sword towards Regina.

Regina bolted upright in her bed, sweat dripping from her brow.

"It was just a bad dream," Emma said, rubbing her back. "Go back to sleep." Emma mumbled as she rolled over. Regina glanced down at the blonde and lightly kissed her forehead. Carefully she pushed back the covers and crept out of the room. Regina was all too aware that it was not just a bad dream but in fact real. Her curse was just preventing everyone from remembering the truth.

Regina moved across to the window overlooking the back garden. She opened it a little to let in the cool night breeze. Pressing play on the CD player, the music began to play quietly from the speakers. She let the music wash over her as she stared at her apple tree. The chorus had come around again and the lyrics began to sink in.

Everybody's got a dark side.
Do you love me?
Can you love mine?
Nobody's a picture perfect.
But we're worth it.
You know that we're worth it.
Will you love me?
Even with my dark side?

Tears rolled her cheeks as she feared what would happen if Emma would ever found out about her dark past. All she wanted was her happy ending, 'Even if not with Daniel,' more tears shed from her eyes 'Then at least I deserve to be happy,' she sighed.

Footsteps on the stairs made Regina look up.

"Did the music wake you?" She asked quickly wiping away her tears.

"No, but the empty bed did," Emma answered.

"I couldn't go back to sleep and I didn't want to keep you awake." She lied not daring to look in Emma's eyes as Henry seems to believe she has a magical power of knowing when someone is lying. Minutes passed in silence before Regina spoke again. "Would you still want to be with me if I had a dark side?" she asked as her heart rate sky rocketed.

"What?" Emma chuckled.

"Would you still love me if I was evil?" Regina asked again in a low voice.

"Where is this coming from?" Emma asked confused.

"This song," she replied with a shrug.

"I will always love you. No matter what you think you have or haven't done," Emma whispered, kissing Regina on the lips. A faint smile appeared on Regina's lips but disappeared just as quick. "Come back to bed," Emma begged, taking the older woman by the hand, "You are exhausted, Madam Mayor." she added.

"Yes, Miss Swan." Regina agreed, sighing. She let Emma drag her back up the stairs and to their room.

- The End -

A/N: I know it's rather short and sweet but I felt it seemed right the way it is.