The wine cellar of the palace was hardly empty. Besides the two women and the fermented liquid grapes in glass bottles, there were numerous boxes and artifacts surrounding the walls on cold stone shelves.
"You sure do keep a lot of shit in your creepy hidden wine cellar," the blonde commented, looking around in the dim light.
"Shut up," the queen hissed, blowing out the two candles barely lighting the room.
"What the hell!"
"Keep quiet!"
"Why don't you shut up for once?" the woman retorted, scowling at the queen in the darkness.
Luckily, the other woman couldn't see this.
"You're so pompous."
"Me? You think I'm pompous?"
"Yes. Actually, I do."
"You're one to talk."
"At least I have a little propriety. You have no standards."
"Are you kidding me right now?"
"No, Miss Swan. I'm not. I don't kid. In fact, I am deathly serious."
"Look, why don't we focus on the problem at hand, okay? How are we going to get out of here?"
"We're not. We're going to stay put until this blows over. You're just lucky I didn't leave you out there to get eaten."
"Shouldn't we be helping?" Emma asked quizzically. "I feel like we should be helping."
"Not unless you want to get killed."
"Where's Henry?" Emma suddenly gasped.
"He's fine. He's with your parents at their summer place. He's nowhere near us."
"Thank God," Emma breathed. "So why aren't we helping again?"
"Because it's suicide!" the woman snapped.
"What about the rest of them? They're completely helpless."
"I'm sure they're running too."
They were interrupted by the distant sound of a wolf howling. It wasn't the type of noise that was typical of the wolf they were hearing. It sounded distressed.
"Ruby!" Emma screamed, lunging for the door to the cellar.
"No!"
The spell reached the door before Emma did.
"You bitch!"
"We're staying in here until this is over. I'm not going to watch you get killed over some stupid troll."
But at the villagers' screams reached Emma's ears, her desperation grew. She grasped at the metal handle of the cellar door, pulling with all of her strength, but to no avail. Trying magic was even more of a disappointment - so much so that the queen actually laughed as she saw the sparks fly from Emma's hands, temporarily illuminating the cramped little room.
"I can't believe you're doing this. What do you care if I die trying to save people?"
"What exactly do you think you're going to be able to do? Use your magic? You're ridiculous. No, pathetic. You're pathetic."
"Just shut up and let me out of here."
"No."
Emma stepped away from the door and slammed the back of her head against the wall.
"I hate you."
"Why? Because I'm saving your life?"
"Because you're letting innocent people die!"
"How do you know that?"
Emma thought about this. She pictured the scene in the town, pictured the villagers running from the gigantic troll and screaming, pictured them collapsing, their lives taken. She also pictured them running, escaping, or Ruby and the others defeating the beast. Just as she was picturing the other possible scenarios, her thoughts were interrupted by the thunderous sound of the giant's cry.
"See?" Regina pressed. "I bet they're taking him down right now. Well, Gold probably is. The rest of them are imbeciles."
"Shut up! Those are my friends!"
"I don't really care," the queen quipped.
"You are so cold! How can you even call yourself a mother when you have no heart? How can you say that you love him when you clearly don't?"
Rage that Emma couldn't see flashed in the queen's eyes as she dove towards the woman and grabbed her by the throat, slamming her up against the wall.
"You say one more word about my son and I will kill you."
Emma swallowed hard, and neither of them moved, until Emma felt the woman's breath warm on her cheek.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I shouldn't have said that."
"No, you're not. But I promise you... you will be."
"Regina, please. I didn't mean it. I was just angry."
The queen's grip loosened, but she didn't let go. Instead, she stood still, staring into the darkness, trying to see Emma's expression, wanting to sense the sincerity there. But all she had to go on was the sound of her voice, and that, indeed, sounded sincere. When Regina took a threatening step forward and realized just how close their bodies were, it was too late to undo the move. Their chests were touching.
"I will destroy everything you love, Emma Swan. Watch your mouth."
"I'm sorry."
As their breath mixed in the air, Regina felt a sudden intoxicating wave of adrenaline. Without thinking, she leaned in a little further, their faces close together.
"I mean that."
"I know."
Luckily, the queen could not hear Emma's heart racing.
"Show me how sorry you are," the queen breathed.
Emma swallowed hard, looking deeply into the darkness, trying to see Regina, but all she could find was blackness. She wondered if this was what the woman's heart looked like. Maybe not. Emma moved closer until their bodies were touching again and reached up, sliding her hand around the back of Regina's neck and tangling it gently in her hair. When she pulled her closer, Emma heard a small gasp escape the brunette's lips. With a deep breath to gather her bravery, she pressed their lips together.
"Okay," Regina gasped. "I believe you."
Emma smiled at her victory, but Regina's lips were still close enough to feel the corners of her lips turn up. Before Emma could lean back or pull away, the queen was kissing her again, wrapping her arm around the blonde's waist to hold their bodies together. Realizing this was not just about an apology, Emma's face grew red.
"What are you doing?"
"Shut up and kiss me."
The longer they kissed, the deeper Emma's tongue went into the brunette's mouth, their kiss deepening with each passing moment as silence surrounded them. When they finally pulled apart, they were both gasping for air.
"What the Hell was that?" Emma asked breathlessly, without removing her hand from the brunette's hair.
"I don't know."
Regina leaned in again, kissing the blonde once more, and kept her arm around the woman. When they'd kissed for the last time, Emma finally noticed that the screaming at stopped.
"It's too quiet," Emma said, looking towards the door in the darkness. "We should go help."
"Alright, goddammit," the queen snapped, turning around and shooting a flash of magic towards the door, "but I'm only doing this for you."
The brightness of the flash lit up the room, allowing Emma to see the slight glistening of sweat on the woman's brow. She smiled at this as the door swung open, pleased with the effect she'd had on the queen.
"What a minute," Emma said, looking at the regal woman. "You mean you could have kept the room lit up that whole time?"
"Possibly," she replied with a grin.
"Then why'd you leave us in the dark?"
"To make you uncomfortable."
"Ugh! You're unbelievable!"
"I think you like it."
Emma went silent.
"I think you're an imperious jackass."
"I'm glad we feel the same."
"Why are we fighting?" Emma sighed.
"Because I hate you."
Emma laughed and shook her head, stepping out of the cellar and into the light. When she turned around to see Regina, the woman was scowling.
"Obviously, you don't."
"Shut up, Swan. You don't know what you're talking about."
"So, what? I'm just a toy?"
"Of course you are."
"Then why do you care so much about my life?"
"Because you entertain me," Regina mused with a smirk. "Where would I be without you?"
"Probably dead," Emma commented. "I've saved your ass plenty of times."
Regina said nothing. Instead, she hurried down the corridor and out of the front gates, with Emma trailing close behind her. Emma looked at her, but she didn't gaze back.
"Thank you," the blonde said.
"For what?" the queen asked, not turning around.
"For this."
"I suppose you're welcome."
"Regina."
Emma stopped and looked at the queen.
"What?"
"I mean it. Thank you." After a pause, she added, "Did that mean anything to you?"
"What?"
"You know what."
"Of course not."
"Regina."
"WHAT?"
"I'm serious."
"Yes, okay? Is that what you want me to say?"
"I want to hear that I'm not a toy."
"Alright. You're not a toy."
"That's all I wanted to hear."