This is my first story, so I would really appreciate if you would write a review to let me know what you think. Thanks in advance!
Title: Ch 1- "Saving" Marian
Rating: T (setting up for next chapters which are all M, especially Chapters 3 and 4)
Pairing: SwanQueen
A/N: Inspired by SQ diner scene in Season 3 finale—written before Season 4 started.
"You...did this?"
"Oh, shit," Emma thought, caught off-guard by Regina's sudden rage. Panic swept across her face, her green eyes betraying her, revealing the reality in that instant that Emma was not prepared to feel the brunt of Regina's wrath...and Swan was secretly thankful that she stood shielded from it among the crowd gathered there tonight at Granny's.
The blonde knew this was not part of the plan. She knew it that night she spent locked up in the Queen's castle thinking of Regina wrapped up in Robin's arms, making dinner for Henry and little Roland—while Emma sat in that dungeon, alone, celled across from Marian, just waiting. As she studied the maiden's features out of sheer boredom and listened to her speak about her family and the hopelessness surrounding her impending death, the thought struck her. She had seen those same features in Robin's young son—he and Marian shared the same dark complexion and dimpled cheeks not present in his father. It made perfect sense..."What would happen, " Emma thought, "if...she didn't die?" The thought of having Regina all to herself once more was too enticing. She had to do something. Not surprisingly, it took minimal effort to get Killian on board.
Standing there now in the diner, Swan knew it was a selfish act, bringing Marian back to Storybrooke, but one that could not be undone. Jealousy had won out. Damn it. She thought she was stronger than that. Emma stared desperately into Regina's eyes, willing her forgiveness, silently screaming "I couldn't take it anymore!" Regina's eyes narrowed perceptively, as if she could read the mind of the poor dear. After all, she understood. These days Regina found herself growing less and less fond of Hook. But this? Emma had gone too far, foiling the mayor's carefully-laid plan to reinforce the perception in town of the solidarity of her falling in love with Robin—a perception Regina thought was sorely needed in order to deflect suspicions away from the intensity of whatever it was that had been building up between her and Emma. The thoughts that raced through the mayor's mind when she looked at the sheriff, the way they looked at each other...it was getting harder to conceal.
Regina's face grew hot and she felt a bit woozy when she realized Emma wanted Robin out of the picture badly enough to "save Marian," but she would not excuse Emma's blatant disregard for her plan—jealous or not. She briefly considered that The Savior was perhaps just following her instincts...but Emma really had no business being jealous with that pirate fawning over her incessantly—lovesick and pathetic.
Balling up her fists, using every ounce of strength she had to hold herself back from using magic to undo what Emma had done, Regina instead stifled her instincts and refocused her anger. "Hook," she thought as she smirked in disdain. As Regina stared at the blonde, her heart warmed a bit because she noticed both desperation and remorse in her gaze.
"You'd better hope to hell you didn't bring anything else back," Regina said, fuming, envisioning Emma splayed out across the deck of the Jolly Roger, the ship's masts draped around her naked body like sheets, her head tossed back and eyes shut tight while Swan convincingly imagined herself as being taken by the Queen's familiar force, rather than lying beneath an undeserving Killian.
The comment stung. "What the fuck?" Emma thought as the words burned into her. They cut deeply, and only she realized exactly what Regina meant. She wanted to respond, "Sure, everyone knows Hook has had his share of exploits, but to actually insinuate that I've contracted an STD is a new low, even for you, Regina." But she couldn't say that, not here. Not in front of everyone.
Instead, Emma rolled her eyes, threw back a shot of bourbon, nodded her head toward the door of the diner and then casually slipped out the back. Regina knew Emma wanted to continue this in private. Looking down at her clenched fists, now resting on the bar, Regina decided on her exit strategy and turned around. For effect, the mayor trained her eyes on Robin and Marian, woefully burying her head in her hands. She felt every eye on her. It was working. As the child clung to the legs of both his parents, she glanced down at Roland, astonished by the resemblance he bore to his mother, and that was all she needed to sell it. Of course...a mother! Above all else, Regina would make them remember her this way. She knelt down on Roland's level and forced the tears to fall from her eyes as she caressed his tiny face, and she cried out dramatically as she exited the diner to meet up with Swan at their usual spot—her place.
As Regina started the engine of her black Mercedes Benz, she congratulated herself on her little performance and then began cursing to herself about Emma bringing Marian to Storybrooke. Her anger quickly turned to lust, like it typically did between she and Emma, and Regina found herself thinking about what she was going to do to Emma when she got home, where the blonde was waiting for her. After all, Henry was spending the night with his grandparents tonight—she didn't want the alone time with Emma to be a wasted opportunity.