Strange Case of Dr Swan and Ms Hyde

by Lex Noctis

Story of how one misstep had changed everything in Regina Mill's life. Of how she had lost her love to the darkness, had to give her up and then inexplicably was reunited again. Story of how Doctor Emma Swan became Allison Hyde. (Swan Queen, Victorian Supernatural AU, for SQ Week)

1. Chapter 1

Title: Strange Case of Dr Swan and Ms Hyde

Fandom: Once Upon a Time

Pairing: Regina Mills / Emma Swan

Warnings: Explicit sexual content (F/F, vanilla); violence, blood and gore later on.

AN: Hello, Swen! This is the first chapter of my submission for the Swan Queen Week. Just to make something clear from the start: 1) This is a rather explicit story featuring sex, violence, and quite a bit of gore later on. Each chapter will have a warning for specifics. 2) I can not promise that all chapters will follow the same length and I only have five more chapters planned so it's not going to be entirely compliant with the 7 Sins theme. And 3) This story takes place in a fictional AU to our own. Therefore some historical aspects will not be accurate by design. One such being – the Victorian England setting is wildly different to accommodate the story I want to tell, especially so where equality of genders within social classes is concerned. Such as women being allowed to pursue higher education and choose whatever profession they wanted granted they had the money and social status for it. And another reason being that I could not afford to do all the properly detailed research time-wise. Hopefully, it will not put you off. Enjoy the read!

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Strange Case of Dr Swan and Ms Hyde

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Chapter 1: Lust

No. 86B, Baker Street, Marylebone, London.
17th of August, 1866.

The silence that greeted her once Regina stepped out of her study having read the telegram she had received had been her first clue. Difference in lighting – her second and a new, barely there scent on the air – third. Regina hadn't been gone for more that half an hour, or precisely 27 minutes, and the subtle changes piqued her curiosity. She moved down the corridor back towards the dining room picking up on more subtle tells that something was amiss. Regina wasn't trying to pry, she was quite aware of her uncanny ability to ruin a perfectly romantic evening by dissecting every little detail. However, her analytical mind, instincts honed to perfection to work in conjunction with her deductive method were beyond her control. Willing or not, she was bound to notice, her eyes were bound to see things that others would overlook. Regina was too much of a detective, too much of a scientist, fascinated by all and everything to be able to just switch that part of her off on command. No matter how much she, or someone else, wished for some times.

Though, where she was skilled enough, despite occasional gripes with the unnecessary complexities of it, was tact. Regina moved forward, a small smile forming on her lips. As she had already concluded their dining room had been abandoned. She surveyed the table from her spot at the archway – the dishes had been cleaned away, tablecloth straightened out enough to avoid any wrinkles even for her eyes. Only the candles still burned softly. Under the two silver candle holders in the middle she saw a dark red rose, the stem contrasting against the white cloth. Moving closer Regina noticed a card left upright next to the flower. She picked both items up. This was the scent she noticed before.

Regina lowered her face to the rose inhaling its scent. Her smile grew when she opened the card and read the message waiting for her. The prim and proper handwriting, those sharp lines and strict curves, and not a drop of ink splattered on the paper. She knew it well, could tell a lot about the owner of that handwriting, regardless of the fact that she knew exactly whose it was. It was a hand of a surgeon that left those words. A steady hand. A hand of a person sure of their place and motivations. The little stiffness of some letters was telling of high discipline, Regina would surmise a military background. But there was also a hidden playfulness peaking from between the words, only reinforced by what the note entailed.

"Miss Mills, on this lovely occasion Doctor Swan would like to invite you upstairs to enjoy a glass of wine and dessert in culmination of a wonderful evening."

Beneath the note there was another sentence written in a smaller type.

"Follow the roses."

Frowning slightly Regina turned towards the staircase and immediately her expression spread into a wide smile. Emma had to have prepared this for some time. There was a rose carefully placed at the small table over at the archway leading out of the room. Regina moved over to it picking up the flower and naturally bringing it to her face. She inhaled the scent, her keen mind picking up on the rosy blush tinting her cheekbones. Another rose awaited her on the first stair. And than another and another.

The trail continued up the staircase and down the hall towards the closed doors to the bedroom. Regina caught herself grinning and carefully calmed her features before clasping the handle and opening the door.

The first detail that sprung at her were the candles. Emma had placed candles on every available surface. And though at any other time Regina would have reprimanded her on creating such a fire hazard, this time she just couldn't find it in herself to be mad. In addition to the candles the vanity and smaller tables were housing vases filled with more red roses. It was all very creative and appreciated, especially so after the grueling case they had closed not two days ago. Regina's mind automatically shifted back to the list of new cases she was in the process of evaluating when a subtle movement caught her eyes and her mind was immediately clear of all other thoughts. Her attention had been snatched by the source so completely like only one person could, leaving her thoroughly captivated.

Emma was laying on the bed, elbows supporting her reclined pose. Her jacket was gone, no doubt left on the drawing-room floor. She had shed the skirt and petticoats, the blue blouse she worn had been left hanging on the back of the vanity's chair. Her bare feet lay in full display on the silk sheets since she had rid herself of both shoes and socks. All Emma wore were her simple white linen drawers, though even the free cut and considerable length couldn't hide the muscled lines of her legs; just as simple a chemise left her arms bare to the same effect. On top of it Emma still had her corset. The white and tan material clung to her figure as it supposed to, tied to the limit, yet the two undone buttons at the top had only reinforced the allure of the state of undress Emma was in. As if to finish it off she had also removed some of the fastenings from her hair making several long curly locks fall out of the pulled up braided creation to frame her face. Another set of freed tresses reached down to her shoulders draping over the exposed curve where the neck met her shoulder.

Regina stared. And stared. Until the tightness in her clutched at the waist fist reminded her to exhale. Emma looked breathtaking, which judging by the brilliant smile and the coy downcast of her long lashes she knew well enough herself. Regina swallowed the sudden lump in her throat with greater than she anticipated. It had always fascinated her how Emma Swan could throw her off-balance. Ever since their first meeting, the first few weeks brought together by inconspicuous factors to share the same roof, since then Doctor Swan puzzled and infuriated Regina to no end. Usually cold and detached, entirely consumed by her deductive method and scientific work Regina found herself always on her toes with Emma. She was a strange, unsettling enigma. Simple and easy one day and surprising the next.

They had played this cat and mouse game for a long while. The lingering fascination had grown into attraction, it had remained there below the surface as they became colleagues, then friends. But after a while Regina gave up. She gave up and fallen head first into this incredible feeling, which if she was now sure was inevitable. Some chemical reactions are a part of the natural process.

She stepped through the closing after her doors, lowered the rose in her hands into an already prepared vase. Setting the red buds in a nice arrangement Regina inhaled their scent and glanced up at the temptress on the bed, who no doubt was waiting for her to react.

"Hmm, Doctor Swan, I was under the impression you were expecting company."

Emma moved her shoulder as her lips pursed tighter together in an attempt to hold her laughter. "That is correct, Doctor Mills. I'm waiting on a wonderful person who, perhaps, could help me unlace this so unfortunately tight corset."

"I was promised a glass of wine," said Regina in as stern a voice as she could muster, even though the corners of her lips were twitching upwards. "And desert if memory serves me right."

"Well," Emma drawled getting up from the bed and taking slow steps forward, "The wine needs to breathe a bit and desert," she trailed an index finger up the row of buttons on the front of her corset, "needs unwrapping."

Regina could not hold a burst of melodic laughter anymore. She closed the distance between them throwing her arms in a loose circle around the blonde's neck. Emma's hands immediately found purchase on her hips. Regina looked right into those magnificent eyes, bright green in the light of the candles, grinning with all her might. Her lover's smile rivaled her own. She tilted her head and placed a slow, gentle kiss on Emma's lips. Emma melted into the kiss that went on an on, pulling Regina closer by the hips until they were not an inch apart. Regina's hands traveled along Emma's shoulders, over her collarbones tickling the open skin. She moved her fingers over the front of Emma's corset, then sneaked her way around the blonde's body and under her arms. Their unhurried kissing – all lips and hot breaths and closed eyes – continued as Regina's skilled fingers found the tight lacing on Emma's back and started working on it, one pull of the laces at a time.

As if coming to some realization Regina broke the kiss and rested her forehead against Emma's a strained giggle coming out of her mouth. She felt a palm coming to rest on the side of her face and a thumb gently grazing her cheekbone. Regina opened her eyes to meet the sparkling emeralds of Emma's. The unspoken question lingered between them until Regina let out a soft laugh.

"I commend you on proper use of time, my dear. I suppose it was you who send the telegram, I should have seen it sooner, bravo. However, you do know it will take half an hour for us to undress me as well, don't you Em-ma?"

The barely covered body under her hands shivered in response to Regina's annunciation of her name. Emma let out a deep breath, she grinned wider lowering her face again to nuzzle Regina's forehead. "I am a patient woman, Regina. I had been taught the virtues of good discipline."

It had taken them about forty minutes to discard every article of clothing, every shred of fabric until they had not a stitch on either of them. Another twenty minutes had been spent on the loveseat emptying a bottle of wine and feeding each other crumbling slices of halva and portioned peaches. The slight breeze from the opened window made the otherwise hot summer night, rare as it was for London's fame, that much more pleasant. Yet as soon as the buzz settled in their bodies, and their hands had been washed in the basin left for that reason by the small table with the sweets, they had fallen into bed.

Regina rolled them both over the silk white sheets enjoying the contrast of slightly cooler fabric compared to the warmth radiating from Emma's body. She had pressed her front tight to Emma as their lips collided again and again. Hands were roaming and legs got tangled in a wonderful mess of heated skin. Regina broke the kiss peppering smaller nips and kisses along Emma's jaw line. The blonde underneath was letting out shallow breaths, her head thrown back on the sheets and long golden curls strewn around her head like a halo. Regina moved her lips lower right over Emma's throat enjoying the sensation; she could feel the air being sucked in and exhaled, the thundering beat of her pulse, the little shivers that covered her skin as Regina moved lower. Their nude fronts slid against one another, breasts pressed together and hardened nipples grazing the pliant flesh. The movement combined with Regina's mouth closing around her pulse point pulled the first loud moan out of Emma.

The smile formed on Regina's lips as they were pressed to the hollow of Emma's throat. So much for that discipline, she thought, though that comment flew right out of her mind as Emma raked her nails hard along her spine. Hard enough to entice, to cause the familiar heavy pull in the lower reaches of Regina's abdomen, but not enough to break skin. Emma was always careful, she never left hickeys or bites, her attention to Regina's olive toned skin could only be described as worshipful. Which was exactly the opposite of what Regina did herself. She sucked on that sweet spot where Emma's neck connected to her shoulder until the drawn to the surface blood colored that pristine skin purplish. Regina let go and lapped at the fresh bruise, the mark promising to stay for a while. Emma will just have to wear a scarf, not that she minded judging by how she withered and panted.

She wasted no more time in straddling Emma's waist, her mouth seeking out its counterpart. Emma answered the kiss with the same passion, her tongue sliding out to meet Regina's. Suddenly she rose up pulling Regina firmer in her lap and wrapping her arms around her waist. On instinct Regina weaved her fingers into the blonde tresses not wanting to separate for a second. Her hips buckled as she came into contact with Emma's taut stomach exactly where she needed friction most. Emma moaned into her mouth, she no doubt could feel the abundant wetness resulting from masterfully enticed arousal. They had played this game many times before. Keeping each other just there, wanting, waiting. With glances, subtle movements, a word, a gesture, a kiss, the intoxicating long battle to undress each other until all the barriers were removed and they could dive head first into the storm of uncontrollable passion. Their lust for each other had not waned with the years, nor did their appetite. That carefully constructed waiting game meant a whole night of making love. Again and again and again.

Regina caught Emma's hands as they went to cup her jaw. She clasped her palms threading her fingers through the long pale ones and applied pressure on Emma. She wanted the blonde to fall back, to get on top and ravish her until she couldn't scream her name anymore.

But Emma didn't budge. She ended their kiss with a wet pop and looked up. Their breaths intermingled and lips didn't want to stray too far. Regina opened her eyes to see the blown,drowned in arousal green ones staring at her. The raw want pouring out of them, written all over Emma's face made her release a shaky gasp. That look was doing wicked things to her insides, causing her stomach to twist and heart perform a drum beat against her ribs.

"You were the first on top last night, Regina," rasped Emma, her breathing strained, "now it's my turn."

And Emma flipped them on the bed landing Regina on her back. She moaned and thrown her head back as Emma immediately trailed a string of open mouthed kisses from her neck down to her chest. Their hands were still clasped and Regina tightened her fingers. Her legs wrapped around Emma's waist of their own accord. It was her turn to moan and hiss and wither as Emma licked a trail between her breasts and then captured one hardened peak between her lips. She closed her eyes letting the blonde lavish attention on her breasts. Regina felt lighter, she let go of Emma's hands, knowing she would want to use them, and fisted them in the sheets. She couldn't even begin to miss that feeling of connection as Emma's talented hands went to knead and caress her breasts. Emma pinched and pulled on the nipple that wasn't in her mouth, the one that wasn't being sucked on and nipped with just the edge of her Emma's wonderful teeth. Regina moaned louder and arched into the touch, her hips buckled searching for Emma, for friction she needed.

"Emma…" the plea floated off her lips lost amongst the moans and gasps.

The kisses and caresses moved lower, yet Emma was taking her time intent on relearning every inch of Regina's skin she could get her hands and mouth on. She ran her fingers down her sides, then kneading the flesh of her hips and thighs, nipped gently along her ribs, swirled the tip of her tongue around Regina's belly button, until finally Emma pushed her legs further apart and settled between them. Unlike many other women Regina was clean shaven leaving only a wisp of hair right above her mound. It was a combination of her approach to hygiene and personal preference, plus Emma seemed to enjoy both the sight and feel of her immensely.

At the first broad swipe of tongue Regina let out a long staggering breath, her mouth forming a perfect 'o'. But then Emma dived right in lapping at her folds, gathering as much wetness as she could, sucking and nipping at the swollen lips, and Regina lost most of coherent thoughts she had left. She was spiraling towards her first orgasm of the night embarrassingly fast. And Emma wasn't slowing down. She swirled her tongue, ran the flat of it all along her folds, teased the tight ring at her entrance, even dipped inside for a few shallow, gentle thrusts.

The litany of "Yes!", "Emma!" and "God, right there!" was interlaced with breathy moans and choked breaths.

One of Regina's hands found its way down to tangle on the golden locks while the other was fisted in the sheets above her head so tight her knuckles went white. The pulling in her abdomen reached almost painful levels and Emma had only given her clit a few slow, teasing licks. Regina wanted more, she couldn't let Emma prolong this exquisite torture on and on, more so since she knew that Emma would. She relished Regina's responsiveness too much.

Regina pulled on the golden tresses, not too much, but enough to drag Emma's mouth to where she needed her. The needy push of her hips and meaningful scratching of nails on her skull were clear enough for her lover to understand that Regina was not about to wait any longer. Emma let out a sound against the parts of her that were slick and swollen, a noise that sounded suspiciously like muffled sniggering. Yet before Regina could reprimand her too smug for her own good lover, Emma latched onto her clit and sucked the bundle into her mouth. Regina arched off the bed, her arm coming behind her prop her up. Regina's legs clamped together and only Emma's timed help got one of the trembling thighs up over her shoulder while she held on to the other one. Emma sucked and flicked her tongue over Regina's clit as she buckled into that talented mouth. Regina dropped her hand to the back of Emma's head pulling her closer, her inner walls quivered and became rigid with the first quakes of her orgasm. Regina let out a silent scream, her eyes shut tight, arms shaking… and fell back into bed.

She kept rocking against Emma's face, her tongue and mouth following the movements, prolonging the pleasure. Regina gasped finding her voice again, light tremors skidded along her thighs and calves, flexed the muscles of her stomach. She eased her grip on the mane of blonde curls, more caressing than holding now. Regina let Emma lap up all the wetness she wanted, too caught in the afterglow of her release to care. Emma was delicate knowing not to go near her clit right after and she wasn't all that sensitive yet, not after one orgasm. Which judging by the way their night began was going to increase in number exponentially.

Having gotten enough Emma left her folds with one last broad stroke of her tongue and crawled up her relaxed body, kissing and nipping here and there with complete disregard for the thin layer of perspiration that had covered the olive toned skin. She slid up between her legs and settled down atop of her in the mirror image of the pose they were in before. Feeling the curtain of long tresses shower her face and the affable bite at the corner of her jaw, Regina opened her eyes. She was greeted with the grinning look of utter satisfaction, tainted with just a bit too much smugness to her liking. Though, Regina couldn't dismiss the fact that she found that look more endearing than annoying, still she wasn't going to let the way Emma behaved slide. She opened her mouth, the beginning of a sentence dancing on the tip of her tongue, when Emma covered her lips with her own and all the sentences were swiped clean off by her lover's tongue. Regina moaned into the kiss tasting her own arousal off of Emma. It was intoxicating, entirely too delectable an experience.

They separated only when two sets of lungs had prickled in their need for oxygen and painted, their chests rising and falling in unison and foreheads touching.

"Dear," Regina swallowed, "I'll have to get back at you for teasing me like that," she breathed out, lips twitching in a crooked grin, "but you knew that beforehand, didn't you?"

Emma released a breathy giggle and poked her nose with the tip of her own. "I can't help it. It's too rewarding to get you worked up and then… mmm… They way your face changes, they way your whole body glows in the throes of ecstasy, it's absolutely magnificent. You're a work of art when you come."

"Oh, so I am not a work of art at any other time, then?" Regina raised one perfectly sculpted brow.

"You are. It's different though. Like the mountains and the waterfalls in India were impressive, but come to see them on a summer morning and the sun would paint them in all the colors of the spectrum. You are like that. Every time I find a new way to please you, you show me a different side. And I can't get enough of how beautiful you are."

"Since when did you become such a romantic poet, Doctor?" smiled Regina moving Emma's long hair out of the way and tucking the strands behind her ears.

"Love made stranger things happen." shrugged she giving Regina a ten megawatt smile.

They stared into each others eyes until Regina grasped at Emma's arms and brought them behind her back. Emma's eyes widened and Regina let her wicked smirk grow. She cocked her head to the side and whispered, "My turn. Remember, dear, what follows is all your fault."

Regina rolled them and pushed Emma higher on the bed letting her fall down in a splash of golden tresses. Emma yelped and then laughed. Her laughter continued as Regina descended upon her body, the energy drained by her release returning to her ten fold. That melodic, happy laughter filled her ears up till it transformed into the familiar litany of moans and sobs and pleas. Until all Emma could utter was her name.

They had loved each other for hours. Till most candles had burned out and their bodies became too tired and sore to continue. Regina collapsed into the bed laying down on her belly and drawing the pillow under her cheek. Her right hand sneaked underneath it while the other was laid freely to her side. She could feel Emma's body lowering down at her side, the careful hands covering her lower half with a sheet. Emma pulled the silk material up to the small of her back and left it there just as Regina liked.

"Regina," murmured Emma trailing a finger along the heated skin of her back.

"Hmm?" was the only answer she could give her, too relaxed in the warmth and lazy afterglow of sore muscles and still lingering buzz from the wine.

"I'm curious, why are you letting Arthur write his stories based on our practice?"

Regina smiled into the pillow. "I had only let him in on a few of our old cases, nothing major. And certainly nothing of our business with the supernatural or occult worlds. Neither will he be privy to our scientific work. Though," she felt her smile grow, "I can surmise that is not what you were truly asking, dear."

She heard Emma grumble under her breath. The fingers at her shoulder were replaced by a playful nip of Emma's teeth – revenge for using deductive skills on her. Emma perched her chin atop of the shoulder and continued her thought, "I simply do not understand why do his fictional characters have to be men? Doctor Watson. I can just picture mustache and pathological attachment to the proper etiquette. What a preposterous image of me! And what kind of name is 'Sherlock' anyway? They have barely anything in common with us."

"And that is the point. Do you suppose I would have given my blessing if those stories could lead back to our work?"

Regina almost purred when Emma leaned closer still splaying her front over Regina's back. Her melodic laughter sounded close to her ear and Regina could feel her heart flutter at the sound.

"That was very clever, Ms Mills," whispered Emma into her ear. She placed a careful kiss just behind the shell, the heat of her body lolling Regina into the pleasant foggy state before sleep.

It was all she wanted at the moment. To turn on her side, bring Emma's arms around her middle and drift off. A perfect end to one perfect day. The day they had deserved after closing that case. She felt so at ease, safe and loved. Happy. So sharper was the shock of what Emma said next. The tone of her voice changed. Instead of the warm, loving if a bit teasing pur Emma let out a hiss. Mocking, harsh. Regina jerked as if doused in a bucket of icy water. The coldness of this voice chilled her to the bones.

"If you're so clever, Detective, why haven't you found me yet? Why haven't you stopped me?"

The warmth of the body next to her was gone. The lips next to her ear disappeared. Even the mane of free golden locks that was tickling her shoulders went away. Regina lifted up on her arms ready to turn, the sticky ball of fear gathering up low in her abdomen. She turned her head back and, even though she somehow knew what she was going to see, the sight knocked the air out of her chest.

Emma was there. And wasn't. This wasn't her Emma Swan. This was someone else. Her whole body was tightly draped in leather, though Regina only reflectively noticed it. Her gaze was magnetically drawn to her face. Pale, glinting, yet filled with an almost manic glow of unspent energy her skin had changed. Instead of pale pink her lips had been painted a deep shade of red. Dark brown mane of hair with strands that were an even darker tone of inky black cascaded around her face and down her shoulders, which had only made the sparse golden hairs, like the aging white, but so very different, this much wilder. But the most striking were her eyes. The blue-green sparkling irises were gone along with that curious and loving expression Regina found irresistible. The woman looking at her was cold, wild and the unnatural golden color of her eyes, the hawk-like expression of ferocious superiority was stifling, pressing.

"Hyde…" breathed out Regina frozen in place. She could feel strength draining from her extremities.

"Why haven't you found me yet, Regina Mills? I have killed again. You're supposed to be the greatest detective who ever lived. Or are you?" Regina just swallowed, the head-spinning turn of events hard even for her to get used to. The taunting alter-ego gave her a salacious leer, slithering closer. "You know, I could just replace her. Right now."

And she liked over Regina's opened in horror lips.

"NO!"

The shout escaped her mouth as Regina bolted upright. She blinked bringing her hands up to clear the hair out of her face and swiping the cold sweat off her forehead in the process.

The bedroom around her was cold and drown in twilight of the pre morning hour. The light bluish hue of the light reaching from the outside the window illuminated the floor a bit. No a single red rose was in sight. No burning candles. Instead of the light summer breeze, Regina shivered at the breath of winter. There was a half-empty crystal decanter of cider and the empty glass next to it. Regina was alone in her bed. The sheets and duvet rumpled. She exhaled feeling how the linen nightdress clung to her ribs. Her skin was covered in cold sweat and the warm pooling at the base of her thighs was only making it all worse. Regina was aroused, shocked, scared and alone.

Stifling a sob she wrapped her arms around her middle and dropped back into bed, her face burrowed in the pillow.

On the vanity's table – severely damaged by splashes from the alcohol and ringed with the heavy glass still standing on top of it – was yesterday's newspaper. The date atop the page read 1of November 1888. The headline stood out on the page in big bold letters.

'TWO MORE BODIES FOUND IN THE CITY OF LONDON. THE RIPPER STRIKES AGAIN.'