Disclaimer: I don't own anything!
A/N: This was a little something I wrote in my tumblr a couple of days ago. It earned me like 30 new followers, so I assume I might have done something good.
Enjoy!
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Part 1
Emma was a wreck. She had walked to the docks after telling Henry to wait for her in the apartment. She couldn't tell how long she was sitting in a bench looking at the ocean. She was waken up from her reverie when she heard the clapping sound of heels against hard wood.
"I just heard what happened." Regina's voice sounded low and raspy. Emma looked up at her with a frown in her face.
"We need to find that witch, Regina." Emma stated with rage written all over her features.
"Emma…"
"She needs to be brought to justice!"
"Emma."
"I won't let her hurt anybody else."
"Miss Swan!" Regina called more forcibly.
"What?!"
"This is not about revenge, Emma. Take that stupid idea off your head!"
"She deserves to die!"
"No! Stop it now!" She would not allow that. Emma could not turn to be like her.
"She killed him, Regina!" Regina could see the red anger and fury in the green eyes.
"Miss Swan, stand up!" Regina commanded, and suddenly, Emma's anger was pointed at her.
"You are not going to boss me around, Regina!"
"I said stand up, Emma!" The blonde stood up with flare glaring at the shorter woman with hostility.
"I'm up. Now, what?!" Before Emma could process it, she found herself inside of a strong hug. Regina's hands went around her shoulders and her head was now settled in the crook of her neck. The hug stole the air out of her lungs, and slowly Emma found herself relaxing against the foreign contact.
"You must know, Miss Swan, that I don't do hugs, so you should consider yourself lucky right now." That did it. Emma let herself go. The tears were falling freely down her cheeks and her whimpers made it difficult to breathe, but she didn't care. She broke down inside Regina's embrace.
Emma's knees gave up, which cause Emma to fall to the ground, but Regina never let go off her. Emma wrapped herself around Regina, and found strength in the way the older woman was holding her and in the nonsense that she kept whispering next to her ear.
"It's ok, dear, I got you."
"What am I suppose to do now?"
"Nobody is asking you anything, Emma."
"Yes, they are! I was happy! Henry and I were happy! Everything was perfect until somebody decided to bring me back."
"I know. I'm sorry."
"Everybody wants me to be the Savior! But I think that is quite obvious now, that I can't save anybody!"
Regina felt her heart break for the blonde woman. She knew Emma Swan for a while now, and she knew that she was the strongest person she had ever met. Seeing Emma like that was torture for Regina, especially since she couldn't do anything to help her, so she stayed there, rocking Emma's body against hers in a soothing manner.
It had been a while after until Emma finally seemed to calm down a little. However, when she spoke again Regina could still hear every bit of fear encased within Emma's broken voice.
"Please tell me that everything is going to be alright." Emma begged grasping Regina's blazer with her fingertips. The gesture was almost childlike and it spoke volumes about the current vulnerability in the younger woman.
"I wish I could, dear." Regina answered in all honesty. "But you do know I became the Evil Queen after Daniel died, right?" Regina's tone of voice made the confession to sound almost as a minor detail in her life. Regina was in some strange way trying to cheer her up, so Emma allowed it. She actually laughed at the comment; although, it sounded more like a wounded cry than a laugh.
It was true. If somebody understood what Emma was feeling right now, it was Regina.
"Though, this is different. Back then I didn't have anything else in my life when Daniel was taken away from me. Now you are not alone, Emma. You have Henry, your family, friends and… you have me as well. You know I didn't like Mr. Cassidy a lot, but I understand what he means to you, Emma."
Regina's confession struck Emma leaving her completely flabbergasted. She pushed herself out of the embrace and looked at Regina in surprise.
"Regina… Neal told me to be happy. He told me to find somebody to love," Tallahassee "but I don't think I can. Every time I allow myself to care for somebody something bad happens to them."
Regina took her time to find the best words to calm Emma down, but she didn't found any. It wasn't Emma's fault! Nothing was Emma's fault. It had been their fault for not being able to stay by her side no matter the cost. "Then maybe you should find someone stronger, dear." Regina said letting her own selfish thoughts come to the surface.
"It's not them. It's me who is weak." Her words were able to summarize Emma's burden throughout all her life. She had always believed that she was not worthy, that she was never deemed fit to any role. Not a good daughter, not a mother, not a Savior.
Regina sighed when she saw all the self-hate inside of Emma's eyes. What can I do to make you smile again, Emma?
... Be honest.
"Last year, when I saw Daniel again he told me something very similar. He told me that I had to try to find love again, Emma." Regina said with a soft smile gazing into greenish eyes. "I didn't believe it possible until today."
"Why today?" Emma asked with curiosity. Regina seemed to think her answer and sighed with a soft smile when she decided to tell everything to the blonde woman.
"When I was younger, Tinker Bell told me that my true love was a man with a lion tattoo in his arm." Regina started with easiness. "I met this man today, Emma." The sudden confession made Emma's stomach flip in distress. She felt her eyes stung with new tears, but she stopped them from falling. Why did it hurt so much to hear Regina talk about this?
"Oh… so you fell in love with him at first sight or something?"
"Don't be ridiculous, dear, I'm not that kind of woman."
"But you said…" Emma trailed off in confusion, and Regina smiled at her with a knowing smile.
"When I saw the tattoo, I…- how would you called it- freaked out. Not because I found him handsome or anything, but because suddenly I realized that I didn't wanted him to be my true love. In that moment, I realized that I have being ignoring some of my feelings, and that maybe I should stop being so afraid and finally tell that person my true feelings. I plan to do this as soon we defeat this wicked witch." Regina locked her eyes with Emma's, silently praying to the Gods that when she finally spoke those three words, she would finally get her happy ending.
"Why are you telling me this?" Emma asked in confusion.
"Because if I, who was an Evil witch for many years, still believe in the possibility to find love again, I'm sure you, the product of true love, can afford to give her heart a chance to fall in love once again. Don't think about Neal as a new obstacle in your life. See him as motivation for a better life. He wanted you to be happy, Emma, so stop fighting and let happiness find you."
Emma's gaze diverted away from Regina's. Doubt, fear and uncertainty were making her frown in distaste.
"I also know that you are mad, but I won't let you go after the wicked witch in search of revenge. I don't want you to end up like me." Regina's words made Emma to look at her in shock. However, Regina was being completely honest. She didn't wanted Emma to suffer what she did, to have her hands stained with blood. No, Emma was different. She was good in her own way. Regina wanted to protect that goodness in her.
"Mr. Cas… Neal he didn't die in vain. He did what he did to save his father, and I can assure you that his sacrifice will not be in vain. We'll fix this, but we'll do this the right way, Emma."
"I…"
"Promise me you are not going to go kill her in a fit of rage, Emma, please."
"I promise." Emma said locking her eyes with Regina's deeper ones. She wasn't sure she was ok with her promise because when she thought about Neal, she could only picture the body of her first love lying lifeless in the cool floor or the woods. Oh God…
"He's still there!" Emma whimpered burring her face in Regina's left shoulder. "He's still in the woods! Everything has happened so fast that I don't know what to do."
"I'll take care of it, ok?" Regina assured caressing Emma's hair with her long fingers. "Go back to your apartment and stay there until I get you. He'll get a proper burial, Emma."
"You are not going to the woods alone!" Emma jumped back and exclaimed now in fear.
"I'm going to be ok, dear." Emma's panic was tangible, but one caress from Regina was enough to make her relax once again. "I promise. I'll be back. Now go and try to relax, Henry's presence will help." Reluctantly, Regina stood up and helped Emma up to her feet again. She gave one last smile to the blonde and turned away heading back to her car while Emma watched her leave in silence.
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When Regina knocked the door of the Charming's household, it was Mary Margaret who opened the door.
"Are you ready?" Regina asked noticing that the pregnant woman was dressed in a black dress.
"Yes, David and the others will meet us at the cemetery, but Emma has locked herself inside her room." Snow said gazing worriedly at the direction of Emma's room. Regina sighed and stepped into the house taking a deep breath. She spotted Henry immediately, and the young boy walked towards her to greet her.
"Hello, Miss Mills."
"Hi, Henry. How are you feeling?" The real question was explicit. Henry simply shrugged dismissively. Regina frowned when she saw the cold gesture directed at Henry's father. If she happened to get injured in the near future, Henry will probably act as dismissively with her as with Neal, and that simple fact terrified her.
"I'm ok, mom is the one who seem off." His words were not sensible, but the concern in his tone of voice revealed his inner distress. He was good keeping his feelings inside, just like his mothers were.
"I'll go talk to her." Regina walked to the door, followed closely by Snow and Henry. She knocked two times at the closed door and waited.
"Emma, sweetie, please open the door." Snow said at loud waiting for a response, but there was none.
Regina sighed in concern and stepped closer to the door, letting her hand linger softly against the hard surface.
"Dear, please open the door." Regina requested and soon enough the door swung open. What Regina and the others weren't expecting was that as soon as the door was open the blonde woman jumped out of the door to trap Regina in a fiery hug.
Regina didn't dwell in the reasons of the hug; instead, she quickly returned the hug with equal passion and strength. Snow and Henry were surprised by Emma's spontaneous hug, but they both knew that Emma needed privacy right now, so silently they walked back to the living room leaving the two magic users alone in the bedroom hallway.
"You were taking too long." Emma said against the crook of her neck, causing a small shiver to travel down Regina's spine in response. Emma had been worry about her. Maybe she should have called.
"I'm sorry, dear. It took a while longer than I expected." Regina stepped away from her breaking the embrace between them. She immediately noticed that Emma was still wearing the clothes from before, and that a black dress was laying just at the edge of her bed.
"I don't think I can do this, Regina." Regina took her hand and gave it a little squeeze in reassurance.
"I'll be next to you all the way, Emma. You don't have to say anything if you don't want to, but I think that you would regret it if you don't attend the ceremony."
Regina was right again. Emma scowled at herself. She wanted to be strong and yet, her body was trembling in fear and insecurity. Suddenly, she was enveloped in a purple cloud, and when it vanished she found herself dressed in the black dress that had been over her bed.
"You should wear dresses more often, dear, you look beautiful." Regina complimented with a small smile. Emma blushed at her words, but squeezed Regina's fingers lightly as thank you.
"Ready?"
"No, but you are right. Thank you, Regina, for all your help right now." Emma said with a smile.
"There it is…" Regina said with a bigger smile on her features. Emma looked at her in confusion and tilted her head with curiosity.
"What?"
"Your smile. You look way better with it." Emma's blush deepened in seconds. She diverted her eyes and they ended up falling to their joined hands. They fitted so well together. All of they did.
"Let's go."
The ceremony was small and simple. It had been beautiful, and yet Emma had wish that they have had more time to invite more people to it. Not many people attended because not many people knew Neal in Storybrooke. Regina stood by her side all the time and Henry at the other. She didn't cry until it ended.
David and Mary Margaret were surprised by Regina's determination to stay near Emma. But ultimately, she didn't care. When they were heading home, Emma had asked Regina to stay with her for a while longer, and Regina didn't hesitated when she smiled at her with a nod.
Now the two of them were lying next to each other in Emma's bed. Such a strange situation, so not fitting for either of them and yet it felt so right it scared Emma to the bone.
"I'm sorry to be a nuisance. I know it should be torture to be under Henry's same roof and be stuck here with me instead of him."
"I told you I was going to stay by your side as long as you need me, Emma." Emma felt herself blush once again. She was so close to Regina that her left arm was touching Regina's arm. The touch was barely there, but curiously enough, it was like Emma's entire brain was focusing in the feeling of Regina's touch against her skin.
"This is weird…" Emma said cutting through the silence that had just formed between the two women.
"Would you like me to move to the chair?" Regina asked willingly.
"No. I don't want you to be uncomfortable; after all I was the one who asked you to stay."
"Ok…" They both fall into silence again. Exasperatedly, Emma shook her head and turned to gaze at Regina with questioning eyes.
"Can I do something stupid and incredibly embarrassing?" Emma said in a rush with a deep blush on her cheeks. Regina froze in place thinking about the things Emma could be referring to; however, taking a deep breath she nodded, and Emma smiled with gratitude.
Slowly, Emma moved down a little, and decided to rest her head over Regina's lap. The older woman stiffened in a second, but after a couple of minutes Emma felt the woman relax beneath her. She was tense to, but minutes later she felt Regina's hands caressing her hair in the most soothing way.
Emma hummed in approval and closed her eyes. The moment was surreal. It was so perfect, that Emma felt all her worries slip from her body. It was just for a second, but Emma allowed herself to forget and relax.
"Regina…"
"Uhm?" The hum over her head sounded soft and sluggish. Emma smiled contently when she felt the vibrations of Regina's torso against her back.
"Do you think we could go to a family vacation after we defeat the broccoli bitch?" Emma asked while she turned her head a little so she could gaze at coffee eyes. "Just you, me and Henry."
Emma saw the small tug on Regina's lips followed by a soft smile filled with acceptance and warmth.
"I would love to, Emma." The beam Emma directed at the former Queen couldn't be bigger.
Regina felt a tug in her heart when she saw Emma's smile. She once again was able to see that puppy-like smile on Emma, and she was proud and happy that she had been the one to cause it. Quietly, Emma took hold of her left hand and mindlessly started playing with the slender fingers and tracing the soft lines in the palm of her hand. Regina almost purred at the teasing feeling in the palm of her hand; nevertheless, she remained calm and staring deeply into greenish eyes.
"Where are we going?" Regina asked with curiosity. Regina noticed how Emma's eyes looked for her own as soon as the words left her mouth. The intensity of Emma's stare was so strong that Regina felt like if the blonde was trying to answer her telepathically. She was about to voice say something when Emma cut her off.
"Tallahassee" Emma said with a look of pure devotion in her eyes. Emma's smile grew into a smirk when she noticed Regina's stiffness, and how the regal woman was fighting inwardly to not be the one to break the staring contest first. Why everything between them felt like a competition?
"What?" Emma asked amused, when she saw the older woman lost for words. Regina cleared her throat and decided to stare at the wall instead of Emma.
"Nothing, I just thought you were more like a Disney Land type of woman." Emma chuckled because Regina was right.
The lack of attention from Regina was bothering her, so she softly pinched Regina's thumb with her fingers causing the woman to look down at her again.
"We can go there later." Emma smiled softly and watched in fascination how Regina's walls crumbled down before her eyes.
"We can go wherever you want, dear. I'll go wherever you and Henry will go…. but why Tallahassee?" Regina asked with curiosity, once again searching the expressive eyes of the woman that had been around her life for the last two years.
Emma smiled at the question. She remembered Neil and his last words. She wanted to be happy, if not for him and his memory, for herself.
She slowly lifted her head and moved to lay right next to the older woman, but this time she didn't quarrel with the possibility of making things uncomfortable or awkward. She snuggled closer and laid her head over Regina's chest, who was watching her every movement with painfully intense eyes.
Emma closed her eyes and let the fast drumming of Regina's heart to relax her and assure her. Leisurely, she let herself to be consumed by the presence of the older woman. Right now, this was all that mattered.
"It's a secret."
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A/N: This story is not beta read. I decided to leave this at the end to force you at list to start reading it. Buwahahaha!
Please review!