This had been their third day in the Enchanted Forest searching for Emma and still nothing. Regina was beginning to lose hope that they'd ever find the insufferable blonde. She couldn't help but feel guilty over the entire situation and think the words 'it should've been me' over and over in her head. She laughed at the thought of what Emma would say if she were here.
"Nice dress you have on, your majesty," Regina heard from behind, her head instantly snapping to the source. All she could see was darkness but she swore it had been Emma's voice she heard. She blames it on the lack of sleep. Ever since Emma took on the darkness, Regina has been having terrible nightmares centered on the blonde.
As Regina slowly turned her head back forward, the voice spoke again.
"Lovely weather, huh?"
This time, Regina was sure it was Emma's voice speaking. She abruptly stood from her seat on the balcony and turned toward the same seemingly-vacant corner she had stared at previously. This time, there was a figure present.
"Who are you," she demanded, not wanting to fully believe Emma was present.
The figure seemed to move closer to her, causing her to step backwards, then it stopped. "I think you know who I am," spoke Emma's voice evenly. A million questions fled through Regina's mind in that moment.
"How," Regina asked hesitantly.
The figure didn't respond this time. Instead it brought a leather-clad hand to its hood and revealed its face. It was Emma.
"Emma," Regina breathed, a small smile dancing at the corners of her lips. She was compelled to run up and hug the savior, but refrained, knowing that this wasn't her Emma. Her Emma? She liked the sound of that.
"It's okay, Regina," Emma soothed. "I'm me." Regina eyed her skeptically.
"How do I know this isn't some trick," she questioned, folding her arms protectively across her chest.
"I'll be me until I'm not," she tried to explain. "It's confusing. I can feel the darkness trying to lure me in, but for now, I'm resisting. If I don't give into the darkness, it can't control me."
Regina eyed her up and down, taking in her present form for the first time that night. She was wearing a simple tan-colored tunic with a blue, hooded robe.
"What are you wearing?"
Emma chuckled at the question and replied, "I have no idea. I just know I can't change out of it, no matter how hard I try." Regina hummed her response.
"So," the brunette began. "How do you like it here in the Enchanted Forest?"
"It sucks," Emma answered almost instantly. Regina laughed aloud at the blonde's bluntness and nodded. "There's no good food, either, and I'm starving."
Regina smiled because that's something she does have control over. Without warning, Regina used her magic to create one of Emma's favorite meals…Granny's burgers and fries. She also added a water and hot chocolate with cinnamon on the side. When Emma took notice of the food, her eye bugged out of her sockets.
"God, wow," she exclaimed. "Remind me to bring you with me, well, everywhere!" Regina chuckled at the thought, though she wished it to be true.
"Go ahead and eat before it gets cold," Regina tried to sound authoritative, but both women knew it was an act. Emma thanked her and dug right in, savoring each bite.
They both realized that this was one of the first times Regina had ever shown that she truly cared about Emma. Emma smiled at the implications of Regina's action.
"What's so funny," Regina questioned, suddenly insecure.
Emma looked up to meet her eyes and saw her change in emotion. She could not remember a time when Regina looked more…was it scared?
"Nothing. It's just that…" Emma was mesmerized by the brunette's caramel orbs. She just couldn't take her eyes off for them. Regina noticed this, then averted her gaze to Emma's lips.
"It's just what," Regina prompted.
This time Emma didn't bother responding, instead taking Regina into her arms and crashing their lips together. After the initial shock, Regina moved her lips passionately against Emma's. It was Emma who deepened the kiss, reveling in the taste of the brunette. When they parted, both were out of breath, not wanting the feeling of closeness to end.
Emma stared into Regina's eyes then felt a familiar feeling in her chest. This time, it wasn't pleasant. Regina sensed the change in the blonde's demeanor.
"Is everything okay, Emma," she questioned, wondering if the blonde suddenly realized that it was the Evil Queen she had just kissed and felt repulsed by it. Emma saw the fear in Regina's eyes and reassured her that everything was alright. Seconds later, she was grabbing for her chest as she fell to her knees, crying out in pain. Now, Regina knew that something was definitelywrong.
"What can I do? What's happening?" Emma inhaled deeply.
"It's my heart," she replied. "I can feel the darkness trying to overpower it." She was about to say something else, then an idea came her mind. She looked up to meet caramel eyes staring back down at her.
"I need you to take out my heart," Emma told her, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Regina stared at her as if she had just grown two heads.
"You want me to what?!"
"Just for now," she added. "Just until you can fix this." Regina was shaking her head. "I believe you can do it, Regina. You canfix this." Emma was gleaming up at her with a look of hope that could rival her mother's.
"How can you be so sure?" Regina couldn't believe what the blonde was asking her to do.
Emma lurched forward, once again, in pain. "Please," she begged. "You owe me this." Emma knew it was a low blow, but she couldn't help it. She needed the pain to stop.
Regina, eyes now red with unshed tears, brought her hand to the blonde's chest. She shut her eyes tight, not wanting to see the Emma's pained expression that she was causing, and retrieved her prize. Thankfully, none of the darkness had penetrated it yet, she noted.
She glanced back at Emma, now not able to keep the tears from trickling down her face. Emma cupped her cheek and told her, "You will survive this, Regina. You're strong. You're brave. And you can be strong and brave for the both of us." Regina began to shake her head again, not wanting this to be the end.
"I have to go," Emma said with finality, her own tears falling down the sides of her face. "I need you to take care of everyone for me. Henry, my mother, the town. You have to be the savior now." She took in a hallowed breath. "I can't hold back the darkness much longer. I have to leave."
"No," Regina interjected.
"I'm sorry, Regina, but this is the way it has to be. We will find each other again." And with those final words, Emma's form disappeared in a cloud of blue smoke, leaving behind a sobbing Regina in her wake.