Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time or any recognizable characters
AN: This is written for sqfangirl who was the 300th reviewer of Meet Me Halfway. Another Neverland-arc story where Regina and Emma are more in tuned with the other because of their combined magic. Full prompt at the bottom. Also, finale 3A didn't happen (yet) in this 'verse. Thanks for the prompt, and I hope you enjoy it!
TW: There is implied child abuse and borderline but not really incest.
Snow knew something was up with Regina and Emma, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. There was always that fiery way they argued with each other well before the curse broke, but something was different about them that was more than just her daughter vowing to save the Evil Queen's life time and time again. Even that was a little strange, but it was something Snow could live with. Emma was a Charming and the Saviour after all, so it was no surprise she'd fight to save everyone.
But this difference, the tiny shift in Regina and Emma's relationship was a strange phenomenon yet.
Snow knew, from twenty-eight years of being a school teacher and looking for the signs and from one year of being Mary Margaret, roommate of Emma, that the blonde had anger problems. Not as quick to temper as the Evil Queen, but boy, when Emma got upset, Mary Margaret took precautions. Still, Emma had taught herself to hold back on it, suppressing and repressing that anger until it came out as a vicious attack on a household appliance. That's why when Snow and her band of followers were on the Jolly Roger to Neverland negotiating tactics with a mermaid that Snow was surprised by the anger her daughter showed.
Probably fueled by the raging thunderstorm and the unforgiving seas and encouraged by the indecision between herself and David versus Regina, Emma screamed out just as Regina grinned wickedly at David's sword to the mermaid's neck. "Just filet the bitch already!"
"Emma!" Snow scolded, astonished at her daughter's language. So consumed in her shock, Snow didn't see the impressed glint in Regina's eye as she turned away from their captive to stare proudly at Emma. All she saw was Emma rolling her eyes in a way that looked so familiar that it nearly startled Snow for a moment until Regina laughed beside her, and with a wave of her hand tuned the mermaid to wood.
"Regina!" Snow turned her glare to the brunette who looked quite pleased with herself.
"What? Did you expect to win her over with rainbow kisses and unicorn stickers?" Regina yelled through the storm.
"And you think killing her is more effective?"
Regina growled and rolled her eyes, and in that moment, Snow White knew where exactly her daughter had learned it. Perhaps it was instinct, some long overdue need to have the upper hand with Regina, or perhaps it was a deep-seeded barely recognized motherly protection, but before Snow realized it, her fist connected with Regina's smug face.
Half a second of victory didn't make up for the fact that Regina reacted, her fuel and hatred seemed to ignite Snow's as they threw punches back and forth. For once, Snow was grateful that Regina had cursed her with shorter hair for the brunette's grip in her hair was weak, giving Snow enough momentum to grab the collar of Regina's blazer and swing her around.
The rain pelted down on them. The ship rocked precariously. Snow was acutely aware that David had gotten into a tiff with Hook. She always knew when he was in trouble, but she knew he was winning against the pirate. Regina's nails connected with her cheek just before she felt Regina grip her arms down and thread a leg around hers from behind to lock her in place. Snow knew that Regina was planning on pushing her to the deck, but Regina paused and turned swiftly, her rain soaked hair smacking Snow in the face.
Her vision cleared and Snow saw just what had gotten Regina's attention. Emma had climbed up onto the ledge, wet tank top stuck to her back and drenched hair sticking to any exposed flesh. Without a look back, Emma jumped.
"Why would she do something like that?" Snow ranted as she paced back and forth across the length of the cabin, running an already damp towel through her hair. "She could have gotten herself killed. What if you didn't jump in?"
"Why wouldn't I jump in?" David asked defensively.
"I'm just saying," Snow snapped, tossing her towel just shy of hitting him.
"Snow," David said cautiously, standing up to wrap his wife in her arms. "Emma knew what she was doing. She settled us all down. Plus, she had you looking after her." He leaned down and kissed her forehead, giving her arms an affectionate squeeze. "Okay?"
Snow nodded, letting David unwrap his arms to sit on the quaint single bed. She sat on the edge as her husband tucked in for the night and contemplated the fact that she had nearly lost her daughter twice already in the last twelve hours. She'd never make that mistake again, letting Emma go, so it was easy to always have an eye on her, to see whether she was doing okay or getting ready to jump off the ledge of a pirate ship. Luckily Regina had stopped when she did or Snow would only have one eye to keep watch over her daughter.
She faltered, her hand to her cheek still stinging red from where Regina slapped her.
Snow had let Regina land in a few decent throws, to give her the sense of the upper hand before Snow attacked, of course, but why on earth did Regina suddenly stop? It didn't matter. The important thing was that Emma was safe and soon Henry would be too.
She couldn't do it. After twenty-eight years of stripped motherhood and having to watch her daughter fight evils Snow wished she'd never have to face, she just had to make sure that Emma was okay. So creeping out of the bed, a gruff snort the only indication David was feeling her absence, Snow tiptoed out of the cabin and crossed the hall to peak her head into Emma's. The lack of blonde hair under any blankets was a sure sign that Emma was not in her bed. Panic rose quickly. Who knew what else Emma was getting herself into?
Not even realizing that a certain brunette with whom her daughter was sharing a cabin with was also missing from the room, Snow shuffled down the hallway, past the sleeping cabins and past Hook's quarters. She reached the makeshift dining area with a small kitchenette and table, but as her foot lifted to climb the stairs to the deck, Emma's voice caught her attention.
Instantly her worries faded just a little bit. Clearly Emma wasn't attempting to skydive or parasail anytime soon, but she was still out of bed at an unreasonable hour. Another voice, darker, huskier, spoke up, and for a moment, Snow couldn't figure out who Emma was talking to. But then again, the obvious attraction between Emma and Hook didn't go unnoticed so Snow was relieved the good captain was comforting her daughter.
She was about to turn back toward her cabin when she realized something grave. It was not Killian at all.
"Is drinking yourself into a stupor another one of your brilliant plans, Ms. Swan?" Regina? What the hell was she doing there?
Metal connected with wood with a soft clink. "It's Emma, and I'm pretty sure I found you out here with that bottle first."
"The pirate won't miss it."
"Judging by how much he likes his rum, I'm betting he will."
"Perhaps not as much as he likes you."
Emma coughed what must have been her choking on her drink. "Where did that assumption come from?"
Regina scoffed out a laugh. "Don't tell me you don't see his pathetic look towards you."
Snow furrowed her brow as Emma muttered. Emma liked Killian. She'd set the older woman straight. "Believe me, I'm not looking at him," Emma insisted. "We're here to find Henry and that's it."
There was a brief silence, and Snow wished she had ascended further to see what had struck both women dumb. Then a soft "good" whispered so quietly she wasn't sure she heard it come from Regina, and the confusion welling up inside her became almost overwhelming.
"We'll find him and bring him home," Emma promised.
"Not finding him isn't an option." The threat was clear in Regina's tone, but it was almost watery, pleading, begging for the false hope to be true.
"I'll drink to that." Cups clinked overhead and more rum was poured as the women above began to drink in a comfortable silence.
Tension knotted in Snow's stomach, and she had no idea what to make of what she had overheard. She knew Emma and Regina could set aside their differences and be civil, but this interaction, it was different. It was familiar and confusing and appreciated and strange all jumbled into one.
Another set of murmurings came from the captain's quarters, cutting Snow's time short as she scurried away.
She hadn't noticed anything strange between Regina and Emma since that time on the deck three nights ago, but still, the feeling swirling within her was unusual and uncomfortable, so if she made sure her baby girl stayed within reach of her then so be it. The only time Emma was out of her sight was when they all slept, and though she shared a cabin with Regina, Snow was confident that they couldn't kill each other or anything else while in their sleep.
For the most part, as they navigated the rough waters in search of shore, Regina kept to herself, doing what was required of her whenever the sail had to be manned or an extra burst in magic was needed since their gang hadn't the strength of a full pirate crew. More often than not, Regina would watch the waters roll over and collapse with one another, the constant to and froing temporarily easing the growing tension and agitation of the darkest corners of her mind when she thought too much about the consequences other than Henry home safe and sound.
And Emma? Killian had been doing a marvellous job of keeping her company by teaching her how to steer the ship. Snow was glad that Emma was provided a distraction. The key to finding Henry was maintaining a clear head, but Snow wasn't worried. They were family and they would always find each other.
The uncertainty she felt whenever Emma and Regina were in the same room refused to dwindle down. Little innocuous acts would send a giant warning sign at her that something was amiss. When Regina had showed mercy and put everyone out of their misery from the constant intake of stale bread and ale (at least it wasn't rum), the brunette had made a porridge for breakfast and found in the deepest corners of Hook's storage a stash of preserved fruit. The crew sat around the dingy table, eating the porridge as if it were ambrosia, and though everyone's eyes were on their meals, out of habit, Snow sneaked a glance at Emma, watching as the blonde glanced up from her meal seemingly looking for something, and before Emma could truly give the table a once over, Regina blindly reached for the bowl of preserved peaches and handed them to Emma who took them without a word and began spooning helpings into her bowl.
Nothing was said. No one was hurt. But once again, Snow was befuddled by the interaction that looked far too familiar to be a one time occurrence only. But it was only that, right? Surely they weren't getting closer than shared civil motherhood. Not Emma and Regina. They hated each other. Most of the time. All of the time?
"Why are you staring at me?" Emma asked interrupting her thoughts, and the younger brunette simply jumped startled by the intrusion, providing no other explanation other than continuing to pick at her porridge.
It happened again later that day. A look shared between Emma and Regina as if a silent conversation occurred in which only the two women knew the language to. But what bothered Snow the most was that it was more than a look. It was an awareness of the other's presence, and though they didn't acknowledge it like how she and David did through knowing touches and meaningful glances, it was awareness nonetheless.
Emma had been a willing participant in learning proper form when handling her newly acquired sword, and David and Hook had been excellent teachers. Emma was a natural, just like her father, and soon the blonde was able to disarm her opponents with two flicks of her wrist. She had been in a heated battle with the pirate, both parying back and forth when Regina ascended from her cabin to get some fresh air. As soon as the brunette's head peaked through the entrance, Emma's entire posture shifted. Her form was near perfect and without a second glance she backed the pirate up until he stumbled over his own feet and fell onto the floor on his back, his sword skidded a couple feet away as he stared down the end of Emma's blade.
"If you wanted to be on top, Swan, all you had to do was ask," the pirate said saucily with a raised eyebrow and lecherous smirk.
Snow had always been rooting for Killian, but in that moment, anger flared. How dare he speak to her daughter in such a way? She was moved into action, but before she could do anything, Emma rolled her eyes and walked away, casually kicking his sword further from his reach. While David had helped Killian to his feet, Emma marched to the opposite end of the ship, not before chancing a glance at the brunette who was staring off into the rolling waves. As soon as Emma had turned to go down below deck, Snow was the only one witness to Regina watching as Emma disappeared.
Snow had been watching Emma more and more. After that lesson on the ship, she had also been keeping a wary eye on Hook as well. David was beginning to trust him more, and most times, Snow did too, but whenever he strayed too close to Emma or looked her way for far too long, all she wanted to do was cut off something he'd miss more than his other hand and rip his heart out. Wait what?
The jungle heat must have been getting to her for her mind to switch so frequently and quite suddenly. But she didn't start to question her sanity until they had actually arrived in Neverland. Emma never forgot that their group was near ready to kill each other only a few days prior, and as soon as they docked, her plea to work together or get out of her way had her heart swelling with pride.
She smiled fondly at Emma as she turned and marched straight into the jungle with no fear or hesitation. Regina followed closely soon after as Hook trailed along behind the pack.
"I'm proud of her," Snow said to David as he held a banana leaf away for her. "She'll make an excellent leader one day."
David nodded his agreement.
"She also has a great ass."
David stopped nodding and stared wide-eyed at his wife. "Wait, what?"
As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Snow slammed a hand over her mouth in an attempt to catch them, but they fell nonetheless. Everyone had stopped walking, and Emma turned slowly, looking fearful and disgusted and confused while Regina's expression was a mixture of wide-eyed shock and hilarity.
"No, no that's not what I meant," Snow rushed to explain. "I mean, you do have a lovely figure, sweetie."
Emma stepped back, hands up and making herself big as she continued to retreat. "No," she said clearly and firmly before turning and speed walking ahead of the group.
Snow moved to race after her, but David held her back as Regina looked from the remaining crew to the departing blonde and found Emma more appealing. Though Snow could see why. Her arms were sculpted from– No! She scolded herself before any true thought could form. She was conflicted. More than anything she wanted to explain to Emma she meant no harm, but right now, she had no idea why the hell she had said that.
When Hook tried to push past the couple in order to join in comforting Emma, Snow reached out and hauled him back, grounding out a "don't you dare."
The two men exchanged a look before the pirate bowed his head and lead the way.
"What the hell was that?" David questioned fiercely.
"I don't know!" Snow threw up her hands and paced.
"Snow," David warned. "She is our daughter."
"I know that," she hissed. "It wasn't me, it just came out."
Before David could respond, Snow shoved her backpack at him and crept through the jungle in hopes of apologizing. It didn't take long for her to hear a consistent crunching of twigs and from the spaces in between the leaves, Snow could see Emma pacing back and forth, her arms over her eyes as she breathed in and out. The blonde stopped suddenly and crouched to the ground, nearly squatting in place as she tucked her head into herself.
"Emma." Regina's soothing voice sounded from the side as the older brunette approached cautiously, crouching down to Emma's level though keeping a distance.
A sudden pang in Snow's chest made her bite her lip. She suddenly wanted to apologize for everything. For giving Emma up. For forcing her to live in this world and go through the traumas she had gone through all by herself. Tears stung her eyes, but in a blink, they were gone and all she wanted to do was comfort the woman.
Emma slowly lifted her head, her eyes clouded in memory as she met Regina's softened eyes.
"Hey," Regina said quietly, her hand coming up slowly and silently asking for position to lay it on Emma's shoulder. The blonde nodded so imperceptibly so Snow almost missed it if it hadn't been for the fact that Regina gingerly cupped a pale shoulder and let her thumb rub soothing circles over it.
"Hey," the blonde acknowledged quietly, holding a chocolate gaze.
They fell silent once more, and though their inevitable staring contest broke when Emma sniffled and dropped her head inward again, Regina continued to rub circles on Emma's shoulder, and Emma leaned into her touch. Any other time Snow would have burst in to take Emma away, but she found she was content to have someone comforting Emma.
After a few long minutes, Emma had looked up again, smiling shyly as best as she could before whispering a sincere "thanks."
Regina gave a smile of her own as she squeezed Emma's shoulder affectionately.
"Don't mean to ruin the moment, love," Hook said emerging from the jungle with David behind him, "but we need to be getting a move on."
Snow nodded and when she turned back, Emma was already coming toward them as Regina followed a few paces behind. Her daughter ignored her completely as she passed but waited to make a path for the brunette, holding some shrubbery back for Regina to walk through easily.
Snow thought she and Emma had been making progress since the breaking of the curse. The first time Emma had called her Mom, the trigger was threatening to destroy their existence. That was something, right? But now, ever since her word vomit comment, Emma was avoiding Snow like the plague and David by association. David, god bless his soul, tried to be entirely supportive of his wife, but even he had been uncomfortable that his wife seemed to be checking out their daughter. Emma also steered clear of Hook, and for that Snow was thankful, but that meant the only person she truly spoke to was Regina, and at times Snow didn't like that. She didn't like it at all. But sometimes, completely out of the blue, Snow would get a fluttering in her chest and a longing in her heart, and all she could think of was how Emma was something special. She was truly the saviour, and she was happy that Henry had such a strong mother.
It made Snow want to throw up.
She honest to god had no control over these thoughts, and no matter how many ways she spun it, even she could see how ridiculously crazy it sounded to say out loud that Emma was a hot piece of ass.
Oh dear god.
She had kept these thoughts to herself, too absorbed in her own musings of her sanity to notice the way that when the Lost Boys attacked, Emma and Regina fought back to back, covering one another. She was oblivious to the way that with one look, the other would get up just to be nearer and used gathering wood fire or practising magic as an excuse to simply be in one another's presence.
But what she could not ignore, and what made her waking up with bile rising in her throat and her core heated in arousal was the very vivid dream she had just had.
Emma was kneeling over her as she rested on her back in a bed, and the darkened way the blonde was looking at her was predatory and exciting and she could not wait. Then Emma leaned down, her fingers tickling the inside of her thigh, and dear god, it was sticky with wetness that her hips cant up in needy want. She wanted Emma so badly. More than just physical. More than just for one night. She wanted all of her.
Then Emma's fingers disappeared under the hem of her night gown as she dipped her head down whispering a name into her mouth. "Regina."
Snow shot up in a cold sweat, trying desperately to shake the image of her daughter on top of her. She choked down the vomit that nearly reached her tongue and ignored how aching she was as she ripped the blanket off of her and stormed across the camp where Regina had bunked for the night. Whatever she had been feeling, no doubt the witch was behind it.
"Regina," Snow hissed as she stormed over to the older brunette. "Regina!"
Regina remained sleeping, but the soft moan she heard from the sleeping women infuriated Snow. She ripped the covers off the older brunette and nearly shrieked when she saw Regina's hand unconsciously tucked into her underwear, legs bare for the night and thighs glistening with.
"Oh my god!" Snow yelled turning and covering her eyes.
Regina woke, pulled her hand from her panties with a hidden blush and scrambled to gather the blanket around her. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"What the hell did you do?!" Snow yelled back, refusing to face the older brunette.
"What the hell is going on here?" Emma had awoken, lighting the fire again with a simple flick of her wrist as she moved around Snow and stood in the middle ground. Had Snow turned around and uncovered her eyes, she would have seen how Emma's eyes were drawn to Regina half naked in her nighttime wear and the air around her smelling just a little bit like sex. "Regina?" Emma's loud concerned voice lowered to a near whisper when the blonde had called her name as if to make sure the the brunette was indeed okay.
"Regina put a spell on me," Snow accused.
Their argument had woken up the two men, and they were jostled from their sleep to watch the show.
"Do you think if I put a spell on you, it wouldn't be one that involved sewing your lips shut?" Regina growled as she stood to her feet, embarrassment gone in favour of anger.
Snow turned then with furious eyes and flushed cheeks. "Yes you did! You made me have a sex dream about Emma!"
Emma covered her ears and shut her eyes. "Oh my god." She looked like she was ready to throw up.
Snow also squeezed her eyes shut and pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. "It's not like that," she whined.
David looked mortified and Hook nodded contemplatively, but Regina was the one to look disgusted and spoke up.
"Just like your father," Regina began haughtily as she stood, crossing her arms over her chest. "Preying on innocent daughters was certainly a trait you picked up from him."
Snow's jaw nearly hit the floor at that, and without another thought she took a step toward Regina, ready to connect her fist against her jaw, but then Emma was in between them, towering over Snow White with resentment in her eyes. "Don't you dare touch her," Emma warned, the threat well-noticed by everyone around the camp.
Snow groaned loudly and tugged at the roots of her hair. She was so frustrated she could cry. Wait. . .cry. . .the tear. She paused and stared past Emma to Regina, who had maintained her ferocious pose until Snow stared at her for too long. Her arms fell limp to her side, and the snarl etched on Regina's lips turned into a nervous frown.
Moving from Regina to Emma, Snow kept switching her gaze back and forth between the two women, both so protective of the other, their bodies reacting instinctively and so fluidly they didn't even need to be in the same space to read each other. Emma was using her body to shield Regina, though Snow could see that Regina was just as concerned for Emma's well-being.
Not just concerned, she had feelings for her. And likewise, Snow loved Emma.
Regina seemed to have jumped to a similar conclusion, and with a threatening "don't" she disappeared into the jungle with a worried Emma trailing after her.
After that night, it seemed as if everyone avoided the pariah that Snow had become. She hadn't felt this much like a social outcast since she had been Storybrooke's tramp. There wasn't much she could do about Emma except give her space, and whenever she attempted to speak with Regina the older woman none too subtly produced a fireball and decided that moment was a good time to practise her aim on the trees just behind Snow's head.
Regardless, she refused to watch Emma and Regina interact. She felt enough as it was and the last thing she wanted was for her control to be taken over. When Regina had had enough of their group and left in order to find her own way around, Snow thought the distance would be good, but boy was she wrong. She was left with watching from afar as Emma looked simultaneously lost yet determined. The daughter she longed to comfort was not only scared of her but angry as well ever since admitting her want of a second child in the Echo Cave. Add that to the deep seeded longing she felt pulling at her chest at random hours of the day, and Snow was in over her head, taking her frustration out on a dying David.
The sooner they were to finding Henry, the more Snow became more in control of her feelings. She thought perhaps it was a residual effect from the tear and had sweat it out by now. Or maybe because Regina had shoved down any feelings that didn't involve Henry that Snow was able to actually contribute to the group, but whatever it was, Snow and her gang had fought Pan, defeated him, and brought Henry home.
It should have all been smooth sailing from there, but then as soon as Henry was engulfed in a hug by both his mothers, both Regina and Emma gazing and smiling fondly at one another, that constant tugging on her chest made her yearn and want and never let go so much she had to physically turn away from the sight.
They're a family, Snow thought to herself. Whatever they were in the past, they would always be a family. With a reluctant sigh, Snow leaned against David's arm as the ship set sail. What she was feeling, it was something she was used to, something she had known ever since she had met David. Emma and Regina may not have fully deciphered what their behaviour was like, but they would. And Snow was okay with that.
Two weeks later, Snow found herself walking home from Main Street where David, Henry, Hook, and Neal were teaching the boy how to properly sword fight. Well, David was teaching him while Hook and Neal tended to bicker about who Emma liked better. Neither of them, Snow was ready to admit.
In fact, if her eyes didn't deceive her, she was sure that her daughter and Regina had come to an understanding of sorts. Their relationship progressed exponentially since returning from Neverland, and thankfully, Snow was kept out of feeling anything out of the ordinary.
After explaining to her daughter what had happened with the tear and unintentionally implying Regina's feelings for Emma, the two grew closer and closer. To make sure Snow never felt Regina again, she drank water and peed and sweat and watched Nicholas Sparks until she was sure she held a new stock of water within her body. For two blissful weeks, she was ignorant to any emotion going on with Regina, and Snow wouldn't have it any other way.
She decided to surprise Emma with a lunch that afternoon, so she trekked up the stairs to their apartment already thinking about the French onion soup she'd be making. But when she entered the home, something was amiss.
Someone was home, and it wasn't just Emma. Emma's room above them was closed shut but murmuring and the creaking of the mattress traveled down to the foyer.
Naturally, Snow's curiosity weighed more than her logic to get out of the apartment, so she ran up the steps and knocked twice on the door, not waiting to open it and get a very full view of two very naked women, limbs tangled so it was difficult to differentiate who was who.
She yelped and covered her eyes. "Emma!"
"Mom, get out!" A pillow hit her side, and it was just enough motivation for her to retreat and shut the door.
"Can I kill her now?" Snow heard Regina ask through the door.
She didn't get an answer, but the only sounds coming through the door was a breathy moan and a half-restrained curse before Snow fled down the staircase and out of the apartment, so thankful she wouldn't have to suffer as Regina edged into climax from Snow's daughter very skillful tongue.
Prompt: Fun times on the Jolly Roger on the way to Neverland - Ever since combining their magic to destroy/shut down the diamond failsafe and save Storybrooke, Regina and Emma can read each other better (sort of communicate in that true love kinda way...without words). This leads to awareness (either intentionally or unintentionally) of romantic SQ feelings. Plot twist: Snow still gets residual effects of that eye-drop magic, and is shocked when she experiences some of Regina's current feelings.
AN2: Apparently I like to name my stories after Black Eyed Peas songs, and I may have taken on the plot twist and made it the focus of the prompt. I hope that's okay.