A/N: Okay folks! So I was really inspired by the whole Lucifer and Michael thing on Supernatural and so of course my brain went and started fitting OUAT into the story of Lucifer and Michael trying to get their vessels. It has been nagging me for years so I figured, "Hey why not write a one-shot and see if I should make a story out of it." So this is it! My one-shot that has been trying to claw its way out of my head for years now. I hope you enjoy it and please comment and review!
Life used to be normal… well closer to normal… okay fine! Life used to be not so normal, but at least it was semi-good! Emma thought to herself as she tightened her grip on the steering wheel of her vintage yellow bug. The blonde couldn't help but instinctively look up into the review mirror to make sure that her son was okay, things had been rough the past few weeks and they weren't getting any better. The kid has already been through so much, he shouldn't have to be on the run like this! He should be in school! He should have friends! He should be getting amped up on soda and candy and trying to stay up late watching movies! He shouldn't have a shotgun full of rock salt and an iron dagger! Emma scowled as she realized Henry would never get the normal childhood he deserved. The scowl softened however and changed to a worried frown as her emerald eyes glanced over at the passenger's seat of the bug where Regina had managed to fall into a clearly restless sleep. How is this fair? Emma wondered for the billionth time. How is this fair to us? How is this fair to her? She's already battled her demons, why the hell does this type of stuff keep happening to her! She doesn't deserve it!
Emma wanted to scream and yell until her throat was raw, she wanted to hit stuff with a crowbar until her arms gave out and her muscles screamed in protest, but most of all she wanted everything to stop. She was tired of always having to be stuck between a rock and a hard place, tired of never getting to just live her life, of never getting to help raise her son, of never getting to try and work on hers and Regina's relationship. I've already been the savior! I broke the curse! Everyone is supposed to have their happy ending now! Henry is supposed to be happy! Regina and I are supposed to be happy! Why…why can't we just be happy? Emma silently begged for an answer as she drove through the empty roads and the clock on her phone illuminated the numbers 2:34 AM. "God!" She huffed silently.
"I don't think he's listening anymore." A soft, tired voice uttered from beside Emma. The blonde turned to see Regina's brown eyes were opened and gazing off into the seemingly endless night just outside the car window. The woman looked so tired, dark bags had become more noticeable under her bottom lashes, her usually glowing tanned skin was pale from constant stress and lack of any real sleep, but what sunk Emma's heart most of all was the look of hopelessness dimming the once bright fires in Regina's eyes.
"I think you might be right." Emma agreed after a moment. She had given up on getting any help from the big man upstairs the moment Henry, Regina, and herself had been forced to flee Storybrooke in order to escape capture by black eyed mobs and the heavenly jackass army.
There was a hollow chuckle from Regina that, due to months of experience with the woman beside her, caused Emma to dread the former queen's next words. "It's sort of ironic. I mean after everything, after how much I tried to change and how far I came from the woman I used to be, Lucifer decides he wants to wear me to the ball." There is a pause and Emma can feel there is more to come, and she's right. "And not only that, but Michael wanted to wear you but has now decided to wear Snow instead. I mean after so long, after how much we have done and what we have gone through, it still manages to come down to Snow White vs. The Evil Queen." Regina's voice is empty of any signs of emotion. "It seems that no matter what realm I run to, I'm always caught in the darkness…destined to destroy."
Emma removed her right hand from the steering wheel and placed it on Regina's hand. She immediately felt the woman beside her look up and gaze at her, it was the first time in days that Emma had tried to physically comfort Regina and it was clear by the look in their eyes that neither of them had realized how greatly that one touch was needed. "That's not gonna happen Regina. You're not going to say yes, you aren't going to let him in." Emma said firmly and squeezed Regina's hand reassuringly.
"I won't." Regina said and returned the gentle squeeze. "I just…I wanted so much more for Henry. I thought after everything that we've been through that we could finally find a way to be a family and live a normal life." Regina sighed and looked into the back seat at the sleeping form of her son. "I guess it was just never in the cards."
Emma turned off of the paved highway they had been traveling on for hours and began to maneuver the bug along an uneven dirt road. "Then let's buy a new deck." Emma suggested and smiled when she heard a small laugh come from Regina, and even though it was small it sounded genuine which made it music to her ears.
After that the two women sat in a comfortable silence, both taking the chance to just breathe and enjoy each other's presence, the presence of their son sleeping in the back, and the moment of peace that certainly wouldn't last. It never lasted.
At around 3:57 AM Emma pulled the bug to a stop in front of an old rugged looking shack in the middle of the woods. The shack was small with a total of two rooms; from the outside it was impossible to see anything through the dirt covered windows. Paint peeled off the rotting wood and a good chunk of the porch roof was missing, along with several patches of shingles. The front door to the shack was shut and looked swollen into its frame causing it to appear as if the shack's entire structure was resting solely on the door staying stable. Looking out the window Emma gave the shack a fond smile before turning to look at Regina. "Alright, we're here." The blonde announced.
Regina looked out the window at the old decayed shack that looked one gust of wind away from collapsing down on itself and shook her head. "Miss Swan, my son and I are not staying in that monstrosity of a shelter." She stated firmly with a sneer of disgust. "It looks like a tetanus shot waiting to happen."
"Oh come on Regina, you've been traveling in my car for days now and you call this a coffin on wheels! We will be fine in there, I used to live here." Emma said as she unlocked the doors of the bug. She turned in her seat and tapped Henry's leg to wake him up. "Kid, come on, we're here." She repeated smiling softly as her son woke with a classic teenage groan.
Regina stared at Emma with cool whiskey brown eyes, "Miss Swan I demand that we find other means of shelter." She said with a regal tone of voice.
"And I demand that you stop complaining and just get inside." Emma said as she got out of the bug. The former sheriff walked over to the trunk and opened it, she had the beginnings of a proper arsenal in the back of her classy yellow car and quickly grabbed some more rock salt, spray paint, a flask of holy water, and some iron tipped arrows along with a crossbow and her own shot gun. "Now come on, let's get inside so we can barricade it." She instructed and passed the spray paint, crossbow and iron bolts over to Regina. "Kid, you gotta move quickly." Emma added as she closed the trunk and locked it.
Henry stumbled out of the bug with his shot gun in his hand. He looked asleep on his feet but his blonde mothers words managed to register in his sleep clouded mind and he began to move a bit more quickly towards the shack. "Ma, are we gonna be safe here?" He asked Emma as he climbed the steps. "They won't be able to get my mom here, right?" Henry questioned and looked at Emma with worry in his sleepy hazel eyes.
"Don't worry kid; I won't let them get your mom. No matter what happens she will never leave you." Emma assured as she knelt down and hugged her son.
"You promise?" Henry asked as he stared into his birth mothers emerald eyes.
Emma saw how hard her son was trying to hold back tears and she instantly drew him into her arms and hugged him tight. "I swear to you Henry, no one is going to get your mom. I will protect her no matter what; you will never ever lose her while I'm able to do something about it." She swore and held him close for several heartbeats.
Instantly Henry returned her hug with as tight of a grip as his tired arms could manage and whispered into her ear, "Thank you Ma."
Smiling Emma and pulled back from the hug to look Henry in the eyes again, "No problem kid." She grinned and ruffled his mop of brunette hair. "Now how about you run inside and start setting up salt lines at the doors and windows?"
Enjoying the idea of being useful Henry nodded and raced into the shack with his shot gun in hand and a large container of salt in his backpack. Emma remained where she was and smiled as she watched hers and Regina's son disappear into the house. For an instant the blonde let her imagination wander to a life that could have been. A life where instead of an old shack in the woods, there stood a beautiful house with a wraparound front porch. She could see late nights spent on that porch, nights full of laughter and beautiful memories that would never be. She could see Henry reading his comics while she and Regina snuggled close and gazed at the stars. She could see that house being theirs where they could live happily ever after as a family.
"You shouldn't make promises you can't keep." A saddened voice uttered from behind Emma snapping her from her beautiful daydream. The blonde turned to look at Regina, her smile having faded away by the woman's words.
"It's a good thing I didn't then." Emma replied as she looked into Regina's eyes. She watched carefully as Regina's gaze averted her own again and Emma knew the woman didn't believe her, couldn't believe her. "I didn't lie to him because I know that so long as I am able to fight that I won't let you give in. Nothing matters more than you not giving into that bastard!" Emma said sternly.
Annoyance flared in Regina's eyes as Emma spoke and the former queen took a step towards the blonde. "Do you think I don't know that Emma?! Do you think I am blind to the fact that the fate of the entire planet comes down to whether or not I'm strong enough not to say one simple word?! I AM RISKING EVERYTHING I CARE ABOUT BECAUSE OF THIS! DO NOT PREACH TO ME ABOUT WHAT DOES AND DOES NOT MATTER!" Regina yelled, her knuckles turning white as she clenched her fists.
Emma's eyes widened and she managed to stand her ground as the dark haired woman yelled at her. "Regina I-" She tried but was cut off.
"WHAT MATTERS TO ME IS MY SON! AND NOW I MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO PROTECT HIM BECAUSE I'LL BE SO BUSY PROTECTING THE REST OF THE GOD DAMN WORLD FROM THE FUCKING APOCOLYPSE!" Regina continued, the vein in her forehead becoming prevalent as she yelled at Emma. "ALL I WANT IS TO JUST LIVE MY LIFE! ALL I EVER WANTED WAS TO LIVE IN PEACE BUT IT SEEMS THAT NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS I WILL NEVER GET TO DO THAT! SO LONG AS I AM AROUND HENRY WILL NEVER BE SAFE!" Regina looked at Emma her eyes wet with tears and paused for a heartbeat meeting the emerald eyes of the blonde in front of her. "You will never be safe…" She uttered the words in a hushed and broken sounding voice.
Emma stood looking at Regina, her mouth opened slightly as she heard the former queens concern for her. "Regina…" She began and paused. "Regina, I know that there is nothing I can say to make you believe me… but you need to stay strong. We will be safe, Henry will be safe, I will be safe, and you will be safe. None of us are giving up and you aren't going anywhere… not tonight and not ever." Emma assured and gave the dark-haired woman a small smile. Some fraction of her wanted to move forward and wrap her arms around the former mayor, she wanted to hold the broken woman close and piece her back together again. Emma wanted so badly to take Regina away from all of the pain and suffering and introduce her to a life based solely on love and happiness, but she couldn't and she had to remind herself of that every moment of every day. Letting her emerald eyes wonder into the familiar golden-brown gaze of the woman in front of her she hoped that her words had made at least some small impact.
But just like Emma feared Regina didn't look convinced, the former queen looked down and closed her eyes before softly replying, "I do not plan on giving in Miss Swan, I am aware of what is at stake if I do." And before Emma could respond Regina swiftly walked past her and into the old shack leaving the blonde with nothing but the heavy weight of her last words and the subtle scent of cinnamon apples blended with vanilla.