A/N: This idea came to me last weekend. A little bit of an alternative to the dock scene between Regina and Emma when Regina told Emma she had to die in order to get rid of the Evil Queen. I hope this story is a little refreshing after the way season six has been playing out so far.

On a side note, Happy Halloween to everyone! Hope you had a good one! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT, its storylines, or its characters.

SQ One-shot, set after the events of 6x04. Established SQ with RegalBeliever and SwanBeliever feels. Emma finds Regina crying in her study and comforts her. They have a deep conversation about what their futures appear to have in store for them, and Emma gives Regina a reason to believe that their fate may not be what it seems.

~We'll Make It Through Together~

After Emma finished her shower that evening, she went to go check in on Henry. She had been doing that more frequently since the onset of her visions two weeks ago. She had told Regina the news soon after they started, and after a long night of crying in her arms and discussing what the visions could mean, she found the strength in herself to tell Henry and her parents.

Despite the visions, they all tried to live their lives as normally as they possibly could. Henry started up school again and had gone on a few dates with Violet. (Emma and Regina absolutely adored her, and they were glad Henry had met her in Camelot.) Her mother had also gone back to school, taking up her old teaching job she had before the curse was broken. Her father worked alongside her at the station, and Regina resumed her mayoral duties. All the while, they learned more and more about the Land of Untold Stories. And unfortunately, most of what they were discovering didn't make her so called fate any less inevitable.

But Emma was trying to stay optimistic. She wanted to believe that there was something missing that she wasn't seeing in her vision, that there was a way to win that battle against the hooded figure, a way in which no one got hurt. Both Henry and Regina had taught her to believe in the impossible, and she was going to hold on to that. So she was going to keep searching for that missing something until she found it.

It was a little after midnight, and she could see that Henry was still up. He had left his bedroom door slightly ajar, and the light filtered into the hallway. She walked over to his room and then knocked on the door. When she heard him say she could come in, she opened the door and leaned against the frame with her arms folded across her chest. He was sitting on his bed with his laptop in front of him, and he looked up at her.

"A little late for a school night, don't you think, kid?"

"I'm fourteen, Ma. I can handle staying up late."

"Really? Huh. Because I recall you stayed up this late on Sunday night, and you were seconds away from falling asleep with your head in your cereal bowl Monday morning."

"Just five more minutes? I need to finish my thoughts on my story."

Henry had told her and Regina that he started writing a story, but they couldn't get him to share what it was about. He wanted it to be a surprise, and when he finished, he would let them read it. Emma didn't protest and came over to him, kissing him on the top of his head. "Five more minutes."

"Thanks, Ma."

"Still no hints on the story?"

He turned his laptop away from her and grinned. "Nope."

"Just thought I'd check. You're not going to make your mom and I wait a year for this, are you?"

"I'm hoping it won't take that long. That's why I need my five minutes."

"Well, I won't keep you then. Goodnight, Henry."

"Goodnight!"

Emma took one last look at him and then left his room. She headed downstairs to the study, which was where her and Regina had been working before she had gone to take a shower. Regina hadn't been particularly talkative that evening, and she didn't force her to talk about what happened earlier that day. She knew Regina would talk more about it when she was ready, and she would give her the time she needed, just like Regina had done with her when she first told her about the visions.

They had discovered that there was still a potential for the darkness to grow back in Regina, even though she had separated herself from the Evil Queen. They had also found out that the only way to bring about the Queen's end was for Regina to die.

Emma didn't want to believe either of those things. Rather, she had her heart set on finding another way to save Storybrooke from whatever the Queen was planning. Regina was not going to die. She wasn't going to let that happen.

When she walked into the study, Regina immediately turned to look up at her with tear-filled eyes. She had a photo album opened in her lap and a now empty wine glass in her hand. She tried to form the words to say her name, but it only ended in a choked sob.

"Regina."

She took the wine glass from her hand, placed it on the table, and sat down on the couch next to her. Regina pushed the album aside and wrapped her arms around her. Emma rubbed her back and gently rocked her as she cried into her shoulder.

It was only a matter of minutes before the words behind the emotions came. When Regina did back away from her, she took her hands in hers and waited for her to gather her thoughts. She saw her glance back at the album, her eyes beginning to glisten once more as she relived the memories on those pages. They were pictures of the three of them, celebrating Henry's birthday two years ago.

It was hard not to tear up at the pictures herself. She knew what was going through Regina's mind. She'd had the same thoughts when she started having the visions. But now it wasn't just her that could be gone. They might both be gone from their son's life.

And that was exactly what Regina voiced when she began to talk.

"What if we both die, Emma? What if Henry loses both of us?"

"I'm not going to let that happen."

"And if it comes down to it? What if the only way to protect our loved ones is to sacrifice ourselves?"

It was likely that it could happen. And if it did, they would choose putting themselves in harm's way to save their family from the same fate. But Emma was still holding on tightly to the hope that they could find another way, that they would make it through this together just like they had with every other peril thrown at them.

"I don't know, Regina. But the future is full of uncertainties. And that's why I believe there has got to be another way. There's something we're missing, something we just don't know or haven't found yet."

She slowly nodded. "I'm sorry. I know that after you told me about your visions, we agreed to stay optimistic. That we weren't going to give up hope in finding another way to overcome it all. I just… I guess after today, I started to lose that hope. Because knowing that I might have to die along with the possibility of you dying… It was just too much. It's more than the fact that I don't want to die or that I don't want you to die. I don't want our son to lose us. His family. I can't bear to think that could happen to him."

"I know, Regina. I don't want that to happen to him either. And that's why it's more important now than ever that we don't let fate decide our futures." She gave her hands a gentle squeeze. "Besides. When have we ever let that happen anyway?"

Regina gave her a small smile.

"I was destined to break the curse, and when I did, I was supposed to start the final battle with you and be your demise. But look at what happened. I was never your demise. I was your happy ending."

Her smile grew wider at hearing that, and although there were still tears in her brown eyes, her face was glowing with happiness. "Yeah. And you still are."

Emma brought one of her hands to her cheek and wiped away a few of her tears with her thumb. "And you're still mine."

They leaned towards each other and shared a single, passionate kiss. Regina backed away only slightly after the kiss, and she stared up at her with concern in her eyes. "Emma… If I am the one under the hood…"

"We talked about this. I know you would never intentionally hurt me."

"But if I am being controlled by the Evil Queen, I want you to know that I am going to do whatever it takes to fight back. I am going to do the best I can to not let her control me so that I don't hurt you or Henry or our family. But if it comes down to it, Emma, and I can't fight it, you have to promise me that you will stop me, even if that means you must kill me to do it."

"Regina…"

"I made that promise to you in Camelot. I need you to make that same promise to me now."

Emma's eyes began to glisten at the thought. "I don't want to hurt you, Regina."

"And I didn't either in Camelot. But I'd rather it be one of us, than both of us, or more lives lost because the Evil Queen is controlling my heart and having me harm all of you. So please, Emma. Promise me that you will do what is necessary to protect our family from me."

Emma hesitated with her response, those two words stuck in her throat. She didn't want to make that promise to Regina, to have to go as far as destroying her as she had requested her to do in Camelot had there been no other option. But she knew if she had asked Regina to make that promise to her again, she would have listened to her. Emma was going to do the same for her, but that wasn't the only thing she was going to promise her. There was more that she could do.

"I promise." She pushed back a strand of Regina's hair behind her ear. "But I also promise to keep searching for another way to resolve all of this so that it doesn't have to come down to that."

Regina gave her a small nod and said quietly, "Okay."

They leaned back on the couch, and Emma put her arm around Regina as she rested her head on her shoulder. She planted a soft kiss on Regina's forehead and then rested her head on top of hers. They stayed quiet for several moments, and Emma found herself closing her eyes as she listened to sound of Regina's breathing. Despite everything they were going through, despite all of the battles they continually had to face, Emma could step back from it all and find solace in the little moments like these, even if they only lasted a short amount of time. Especially with Regina and Henry and her family by her side.

Regina spoke up suddenly. "There might be a way to stop her. I'm just not sure I want to go down that path."

"And what might that be?" she prompted gently.

"I was able to separate myself from my dark half. Maybe there's a way to bring the two of us back together again." Regina turned her head slightly to look up at her. "Would you be okay with that?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Maybe… Maybe you like me better like this. Without her and all of the remnants of the terrible past I created with her still residing inside me."

Emma backed away slightly to look at her. "Regina. I fell in love with you. Whether that be separated or together, I love all of you."

Regina beamed at her and gazed longingly into her eyes. She reached her hand up to her face and brought her closer to her. "I love you so much, Emma. I'm so glad Henry brought you into my life."

"Me too."

They met for another kiss, and they hung on each other lips for several moments more before they leaned away and rested their heads against one another's. Emma ran her fingers through the brunette's hair, massaging her head as she did so. They were quiet again, only their steady breathing and the crackling of the fire from the fireplace filling the silence. No more words needed to be said at this point. Being this close to each other, enjoying the peace the quietness brought together, was enough for them. They wouldn't trade anything for nights like these.

Emma closed her eyes.

This is why I fight for her. For us everyday.

I can't let this go. I won't let go of us.

I will protect her and Henry and my parents. I will protect my family and our future together.

The sound of footsteps outside the study woke her from her thoughts, and they both raised their heads to peer around the edge of the couch towards the doorway. Neither of them were surprised to see who emerged from the shadows outside in the hallway.

I should have known he would stay up longer.

"Moms?"

Emma raised an eyebrow at him. "Henry. I thought we agreed on five more minutes?"

"Yeah, but… I was bringing down my backpack for school tomorrow and I heard Mom crying… I just wanted to make sure she was okay."

She smiled at his response.

"I'm okay, dear," Regina said. "Thank you for checking in on me."

He nodded and took a few steps towards them. "We're going to get through this together. Just like we've always done."

Emma and Regina exchanged a glance with each other and then smiled up at him.

"Operation Cobra Part 2, remember?"

"How could we forget?" Emma said. "We can never have a plan without a good operation name."

"Exactly. And this operation not only involves helping the people from the Land of Untold Stories. We're a part of it, too. We're going to keep our family together. No matter what." He put out his hands to them, and they wrapped their hands around his. "I love you, Moms."

Emma and Regina glanced back at each other once more. They both knew what the other was thinking.

Time for the big group hug.

This is another moment I always look forward to.

They pulled him into an embrace and said simultaneously, "We love you, too, Henry. We love you, too."

Where would I be without these two?

A kid with the heart of the truest believer.

And a woman who loves with the biggest heart.

I'm lucky to have Regina and Henry to call my family. To call my home.

"So," Regina began as they backed away from the hug. "This five more minutes…" She looked at Henry with curiosity written in her expression. "Staying up late to work on that story of yours?"

He grinned immediately, to which Regina took as a "yes" to her question.

"And let me guess. You're still not going to give anything away?"

He shook his head as he replied. "Nope."

"I already tried earlier. We've got some time to wait."

Regina shrugged. "That's okay. I think the wait will be worth the while."

"Yeah," Emma said as she turned to look at Henry. "I bet it will."

He simply smiled at her comment.

And as they headed out of the study and back upstairs, Emma couldn't help thinking more about their story, of how it all came about. Of how she met Henry and then Regina, and how that soon led to a curse being broken and finding the family she'd always dreamed of having. How all of the memories, both good and bad, had interwoven into elegant words and created the beautiful story she was currently living. And as she said one more goodnight to her son, then walked hand in hand with Regina to their bedroom, she thought about how yet another page in their story was turning, another chapter finishing as the evening came to a close. She knew there would be many more chapters to come, with many more pages to be filled. Because while they had faced many hardships in their pasts and would undoubtfully have more to encounter later on, this story of theirs would be one where they lived happily ever after. No matter how uncertain the future was, Emma believed this. Because with Regina and Henry, she knew things would be okay. Together, they could make it through anything.

As always, I hoped you enjoyed. Leave a review and let me know what you thought! Thanks for reading everyone :)