Love me Apocalyptic

Chapter One: The Beginning of the End

Baby, come on, love me apocalyptic!

-Halestorm, Apocalyptic-

'Man goes crazy and attacks his whole family while they sleep, draining them of their blood. Schizophrenia suspected'

'Bizarre case of young teen attacking several people on the street at night; drinking their blood before running away. Witnesses claim he ran faster than humanely possible. Police claim drugs caused this'

'Random and mysterious attacks of a similar nature continue to occur. What could be causing the phenomena of people suddenly going crazy and attacking other people for their blood? Is it a new drug on the market? Or a sudden rise in psychopathy?'

'Reports of similar cases have been popping up all over the US, from small towns and suburbs to the big cities. Is this the work of a cult?'

'A huge crowd of these so called, cult wackos, invaded a blood bank in NYC and brutally murdered staff before making away with over two thousand liters of blood. What could they be using it for?'

'Police officer shoots one of the cultists in the head only to have it get back up. See his terrified testimony here'

'The police in the city of Chicago lead an ambush on one of the bases where these cultists were hiding. Lone survivor Officer Jenkins tells the terrifying tale of how no bullet could stop them'

'People are calling these cultists zombies. Is there any merit to that statement?'

'Citizens are getting concerned as the number of these attacks rises. They demand safety from the government'

'DO NOT GO OUT AT NIGHT! Majority of attacks happen at night police officials say'

'Government officials are trying to figure out what is causing this phenomena; turn to scientists to analyze a captured 'patient' '

'Citizens fight back. All over the US people are coming together in communities and setting up protective housing while they fight off the attacks that occur at night'

'Scientists have finally found the answer to what is occurring! But is a cure in the works?'

'New and never before seen disease is the cause of these sudden changes in loved ones'

'Travel bans are erected to keep the infection contained'

'Scientists call the infected 'vampires' and there is a good reason for it. Here's how to protect yourself against them'

'Government has issued a state of emergency. US is under Marshall law'

'Government to issue out guns and food and water to the survivors in the cities'

'Army has been deployed; officials hope the military will be able to rid the vampires'

'A guide to symptoms and how to check if a friend or loved one has been struck with vampirisim'

'Still no cure. Scientists are beginning to get worried. Proclaim that this might be the hardest disease to crack yet due to its random selection of a host'

'Religious zealots proclaim that end of the world is here'

'Death tolls continue to rise; as do numbers of the infected'

'Travel ban failed; reports of infection in Europe and Asia'

'Estimated that infected count is well over the 30,000s now'

'Six months later; the true extent of the infection and the lives ruined by it'

'Eight months later and the desperation of no solution to this problem is causing riots'

'Officials plead with citizens to remain patient and safe'

'The Apocalypse is here to stay'

Each headline more desperate and fraught with danger than the last. What started off as innocent, just another report on another common crime, quickly grew into an epidemic, than a pandemic. And the last headline that Regina had read, left the most lasting of impressions. It was hopeless, filled with despair and fear. Yes, the apocalypse had arrived finally and it was here to stay.

No one knew how it started. Who patient zero was. There was no point in trying to find them anyways, because the virus spread with a frightening ferocity. Old, young, sick, healthy, all were affected. No one was discriminated against. In the span of three months over ten thousand were affected and the numbers continued to climb up. Scientists tried desperately to find a cure. Armies burned those infected alive and tried to protect those who were still unchanged. But panic breed hatred and hostility and those who were alive in the camps made for survivors would turn on one another as well. There was no trust to be found. The outside world was slowly crumbling to pieces, captured in a burning inferno as cities toppled, governments fell apart, and blood flooded the streets.

The residents of Storybrooke took no part in this, hiding behind their walls of protective magic, invisible to others, and hopefully never having to deal with this. Still, they were uneasy, murmuring in low voices as they watched the TV in Granny's diner report on nearby cities and the chaos that had ensued in the past hour alone. Everyday out there was a struggle for survival.

Vampires, they were called, just like in the stories of old. Humans who had an insane craving for blood and that would attack others, ripping out their jugulars and drinking them dry before going off to find another victim. Symptoms didn't always appear at first for those who had been infected. But common signs included an aversion to sunlight, inability to digest normal foods, fast reflexes, super senses, and bloodlust. How one became infected was still unclear. People would just wake up one day and have it.

That's what made it so scary. It struck randomly and many lost loved ones if not to the disease than to some vampire's fangs. Humans were being hunted down by these monsters and they were beginning to fight back with fire and stakes to the heart, the only way to really kill these beasts for regular mortal weapons did not work.

As Mayor of Storybrooke, Regina made sure to keep tabs on all the outside world activities and progress on the disease. Even though they were safe behind the power of her curse, she needed to reassure her constituents of their safety and that they shouldn't worry over the plight of humans. That nothing would harm them here.

Most of her citizens were content with that. Except, of course, for Emma.

"Shouldn't we do something about this?" she gestured to the screen playing in Regina's mayoral office. The blonde had barged in like she normally did, rudely, into Regina's work space.

"Emma, none of that concerns us."

"Yes, yes it does!" Emma spat that out like it should be obvious.

"Explain to me, how?" Regina rubbed the bridge of her nose, sighing heavily. She had too much paperwork to be bothering with this right now. She had to focus on bettering her town and not on the stupid humans running around and killing each other senselessly.

"Really?" Emma's brows went up, as if shocked that Regina didn't understand something. She slapped her palms onto the desk top. "We have magic. We could be out there saving lives. Helping them."

Regina sighed again, pushed her paperwork aside. It looked like it was going to have to wait. This was going to be a long debate.

"Emma, just because we have magic does not mean we have the right, or the responsibility, to insert ourselves into other people's issues."

"Regina, this is something huge! It's the apocalypse!"

"Don't buy into that ridiculous label. It is not the apocalypse. I'm sure the humans will come up with something to alleviate the situation." Regina was a tad skeptical about the use of such a title. Sure, the situation was horrific, but not enough to warrant such a moniker. Humans were so over dramatic sometimes.

"How can you be so callous," Emma hissed. "How can you be so uncaring about other's lives. With our magic, we can reverse the disease. We can heal thousands of people!"

"I am not being callous. I am being reasonable. What you are doing, is being naive and unreasonable," Regina lectured, holding up a stern finger. "Healing that many people is unmanageable. We do not even know if magic can help! All we would be doing is getting in the way."

"You're just scared. Content to stay in your little safe bubble-"

Regina got up roughly, planting her own palms on the table with a loud smack. "I happen to be the mayor of this 'safe little bubble'," the brunette sneered. "And as such is the case, they are my first priority, not the rest of the world. Do not place your hero complex on me."

Emma looks disgruntled, hurt even. "I thought you were...redeemed," she said softly and Regina's features soften a bit as Emma leans off the table. Perhaps Regina has been a bit too harsh. Her and the blonde are tentative friends, so kind words are needed sometimes. "I understand your concern, Emma. I know you have the insatiable need to sacrifice your time and health to help others, but remember that your savior role only extends to the limits of this town. You are not obligated to help others, past what fate has decreed."

"I was once a part of the outside world, Regina. It doesn't sit right with me to hide here safely. Not when I feel like we could hold the key to helping revert all that's happened. Like we could cure them." Emma looks at her hands, thinking of the magic she and Regina could wield together. "We've always used magic to get rid of the huge threats to our town."

"Emma," Regina shakes her head and also leans back. She knows she cannot outright deny Emma from doing anything. It would only make the blonde want to do it more. So she chooses the safe option. "Let us talk about this another time. In more detail."

Emma considers this and opts to accept the olive branch offered to her. She knows that arguing further is pointless. Both of them are hard headed and when pushed and challenged will not give an inch. "Granny's dinner, seven pm."

"Emma-" Regina wants to say that that is too early. When she meant later, she meant as in a week from now, or better yet, never. But the other woman is already striding out of the office, leaving Regina with an appointment to uphold.

"Granny's it is," Regina says unhappily to herself before sitting down and getting back to neglected work.

Regina arrives at seven on the dot, knowing that Emma will not be here until at least ten minutes after. She takes the liberty of ordering them food. A grilled cheese and fries for Emma and a salad for herself. She gets a to go order for Henry whose staying at Snow's house right now. Regina doesn't trust the woman to fully feed her son given her cooking skills. They're only slightly better than Emma's and Emma burns toast.

Waiting patiently in her booth and perusing her phone, the door bell jingles and in stumbles Killian, drunk no doubt. Regina notices him and immediately her lips dip down. She had thought he was gone.

"Ah, Regina," he greets, flashing what he must think is a charming smile when he notices her face. It makes her want to carve his mouth off. "What are you doing here, love?" He leans on the booth across from hers, comfortable, like he has any right to be like that around her. Not when he dated Emma, forcing her into a relationship she thought she had to upkeep just because she was tasked with making happy endings for others.

"Someone else's happy ending should not come at the cost of your own," Regina had told her, after Emma had come to her house, looking like a conflicted mess when Hook had asked her to marry him.

The day after Emma had broken up with him and the smile she wore on her face matched Regina's own, though the brunette didn't understand why she was happy. She simply surmised that Emma's happiness was infectious. And that Regina's hatred for Hook was not because he monopolized all of Emma's time when they were together, but because he was a crook and he had hurt Regina and had not had to work anywhere nearly as hard to earn a redemption when she had to move the heavens and earth for a sliver of trust and acceptance among the town's populace.

She had many grievances towards him, most of them revolving around Emma, but she had no idea as to why this was the case.

"I'm here to eat, as that is what diners are for," she snarked back at him, unable to truly get rid of her distaste for him despite him no longer dating Emma.

"Waiting for Emma?" he arched a brow and she bristled. Why was the pirate still asking about her? They had been broken up for two months by now.

"She is none of your concern. Stop meddling into her private life." She feels a surge of protectiveness inside her chest even as she tries to keep her tone even and casual.

She must have come off as too defensive because he lifted his hook and hand up in a 'relax' gesture before sliding into the booth he had been leaning on. "She is my friend. As she is yours," he said, looking at her with some sort of deeper meaning to the word friend. She did not like it, did not like the way he made it sound slimy.

"I thought you were supposed to be gone. Off to sail the ocean and collect treasure and more herpes?"

"I was gone." He did not seem put off by her words, too used to her acidulous nature towards him by now. She longed for the days were even a sharp glare from her was enough to make men wet their trousers.

"Gone for longer," she clarified, not bothering anymore to hide her loathing of him. Once when he had dated Emma she had hidden it, only for the sake of the blonde, for the sake of her happiness. But now that they were no longer romantically involved there was no need for such niceties towards the pirate.

"Ah, well, why didn't your majesty just mention it earlier. I'll be sailing off as soon as you say so," he mockingly said. He had no love for Regina either, though while hers was hot and tempestuous, his was cool and mocking and he received much enjoyment from her hatred of him, from pushing her buttons. It amused him and he treated it like a game. How far could he push until she snapped?

There had once been a time when her hatred meant more; had a truly terrifying sway over the people. She really misses those days and it's all Hook's fault that she does. He brings something dark out in her, something she had long tried to get rid of for the sake of Emma and the Henry.

He sobers up a bit, thoughts traveling elsewhere momentarily. "The outside world is not exactly as I was hoping it would be."

"Run into some vampires?"

"More like they ran into my sword." He smirks, seriousness dropping, and she rolls her eyes. Why couldn't it have been the opposite?

"Perhaps it was the best for them. If they had drunk your blood, they might have died of one of the many diseases you carry."

Hook ignores her barbs, carrying on. "Given the calamity of the outside world, I decided it safer to retire to Storybrooke until the waters have calmed down. Not good for traveling. Got too many people who care about me back home."

Who would care about you? Regina sneers but says nothing more as she spots someone familiar coming in. While she openly derides Hook to his face, she will not do so in the presence of this person only because she doesn't want to worry them. They don't know the true extent of her dark emotions towards Hook and Regina doesn't want to mar her newly reforged persona over someone who shouldn't bother her so much yet does. She shouldn't let the pirate drag the evil queen out but it is so difficult not to.

Swallowing down a sip of her drink, she tries to recover her good humor.

The door jingles and Emma strides in. Her eyes slide over Regina and right to Hook. "Killian!" she exclaims joyfully, gaze bright like she's a kid just woken up to a lot of presents on Christmas day, and he gets up from his seat, eyes crinkling with a similar joy. They hug and Regina balls her hand into a fist under the table and tries to not count the seconds their hug lasts. A hug that is far too intimate on the pirate's part, hand on the small of Emma's back like it belongs there.

"Emma, love, it's so good to see you," he lets go but he's still standing too close and Regina's hand twitches with the urge to magic them apart. She keeps it tightly closed.

"When did you get back?" Emma asks, all her attentions on him. Any bad blood that may have arisen because of the break up seems to have washed away, been pushed to the back of their minds by the pure elation at being able to see each other once more. There's genuine care there, breed not specifically of romantic love but something deeper that Regina wishes she could have. That sort of care for another no matter how awful the other can be.

"About a week ago. It's rough seas out there and not in the way I like it."

"Yea, I know what you mean." Concern flashes on her face at his words and she glances up and down him to make sure he is in one piece.

"Don't worry love, they didn't get so much as a single fang on me," he gives her a cocky smile.

"I'm glad to see you're all in one piece," and her smile is relieved and Regina thinks about how Hook doesn't deserve to be so cared about by someone as sweet as Emma. She wants this interaction to end, so she not so subtly clears her throat and Emma checks out of the corner of her eye to see what's made the noise and she recalls with a jolt what she is here for, and for who. "We have to catch up sometime soon, Killian. I need to talk to Regina about something important first."

"Drinks?" Hook asks and Emma nods her head yes. Then he is off, mercifully striding out the diner.

"Did you know he was back?" Emma asks as she takes his seat.

"No, if I had I would have barricaded him from getting back in," Regina snipes because she is still unreasonably upset at the hug. Emma and her are friends yet they do not hug like that. Regina swallows down her bitter and surprising surge of jealousy with a bite of salad, food arriving just in time. She expected to feel less like this when Emma finally broke up with the scoundrel- she was only upset because Emma didn't deserve that man, she deserved better, and for no other reason- so then why did she still get so inexplicably hostile when he was around?

Maybe it was his lack of cleanliness, or simply his arrogance in thinking he was such a catch.

"You got me grilled cheese?" Emma asks in surprise, eyeing the plate in front of her. "Even though you complain about how bad it is."

"I know you love this heart attack inducing food. When you get one maybe you'll realize how right I was all along." Regina tries to hide her concern with a snippy comment.

"I won't convert to your cult of salads," Emma says, biting down into her meal with relish and Regina lowers her eyes to avoid staring at the way Emma's tongue works to lick up some melted cheese from the bottom of her lip.

"I do not have a cult of salads," Regina scoffs, stabbing down on her lettuce.

"I disagree. What did you have for lunch?"

"A salad."

"And for dinner you're having?" Emma looks expectantly, face playful.

Regina sighs. "I am not doing this, Emma."

"You're having a salad," Emma finishes. "And for breakfast, you probably had a salad too."

"I did not. I had a nutritious meal of yogurt and granola."

"Basically salad."

"Your logic is incredibly flawed. What part of yogurt and granola translates to lettuce and tomato. I do not know how you've-" Regina stops herself, as it is often too easy for her to get wrapped up in inane conversation with the blonde. "Emma, we are not here to discuss salads."

"No, you're right. We're here to discuss what we're going to do about the problem beyond our borders."

"I've thought about what you've said. And I've come up with a solution."

"Really?" Emma is genuinely pleased by Regina considering her words which makes the brunette feel a bit bad about what she says next. But she would be lying if she didn't derive a bit of pleasure from teasing and annoying Emma even still when their relationship is amicable.

"We're going to do," Regina leans in to increase suspense, Emma leaning in as well. "Nothing."

It takes a moment for that to sink in and Emma drops back into her seat, frowning. "Don't be a dick, Regina. I actually thought you had taken me seriously for once."

Can't be what I don't have, Regina thinks but says, "Emma, have you contemplated perhaps that you weren't the only one whose mind that thought crossed. The thought of the horror going on in the outside world?"

"So you thought about it?"

"I did. As soon as I heard what happened, I was putting defenses up on the town because I knew I had to protect Henry. Had to protect you. And the rest of the town, even those idiot parents of yours." She reaches across and pats Emma's hand softly, trying to be comforting but she's never been good at that. Only good at hurting others and she knows her words and decision will ultimately hurt Emma whose come to think of Regina as her partner in crime on battling evil, but Regina's analyzed this situation and there is no easy way to fix it, not now at least.

"But then you chickened out," Emma fills in, in the silence that follows.

"No." She shakes her head. "Then I threw away my ideas of grandiose and began to think rationally. It is impossible to do anything to help those people. We have no idea what is causing these infections. You cannot just wave a hand and make it disappear without knowing the root of the cause. So let us leave it in the human's hands. Let them figure out the cause of it, and then we can do something about it. Than we can ride in on our white horses."

Emma frowns more deeply and pulls her hand back. "We still do nothing. Nothing until the end. What if there is no cure? What if we would be the ones to discover it?"

"Emma," Regina's voice takes on a hard edge. She knows the blonde cares deeply for the outside world even though it had treated her horribly. Though it could be argued that Regina's curse was what made that happen, but semantics. "Think of Henry. How do you think he would feel about you going out there uselessly, losing your life for no reason? What if you get infected? It's highly possible."

"Hazmat suits-"

"They don't work. I've read the articles. I've kept myself updated on the situation. I know exactly what is going on and I know that there is no place for us out there right now. Henry would be devastated if he had to lose you again."

Regina knows the Henry card is working. It always works. Emma relents. "I guess..." and she hates to give in but she is losing this battle to Regina's logic. "But promise me, we will at least attempt to do something about this."

"I promise," Regina says, because she knows that no matter what stupid undertaking Emma takes, she will be by her side anyways. Because Henry would want it, would want Regina to protect Emma from dying while on savior duty, and also because what are friends for if not to save each other when the going gets tough.

However, it turned out that Regina would have to fulfill her promise sooner than she thought, because not four days after they had that conversation in the diner, three visitors arrived at their doorstep.

A/N: Man, this story has been sitting on my laptop since April of last year. Feels good to finally publish it.

This is an end of the world apocalypse, with vampires and not zombies for once. Decided to switch things up. Let me know what ya think.