Emma opened her eyes, emotionally drained from last nights dream. She hit the alarm off and sat on the edge of her bed. Last night her and the woman she couldn't stand had saved Storybrook, a town that only existed in these dreams.
Emma had been having these dreams ever since her 28th birthday a few months ago, they felt so real, so close. But she knew that was impossible. In this dream world she had a son, Henry. She didn't have any kids, and the one she might have had, the one that might have been Henry had died due to a miscarriage. There also was no Storybrooke, Emma had checked. There was no Mary-Margaret who was supposed to be Snow white and Emma's mother. There was no David/ Prince charming. There was none of that, they didn't exist.
Emma glanced over at the clock and quickly threw on some pants, she was going to be late for her first day back at work since the incident. They would just have to forgive her for thinking.
"Welcome back!" Jerry said as she walked into the station.
"Thanks Jerry." She smiled at the man and sat down at her desk. "This is still mine right?" She looked up at the young cop who was smiling and holding her a coffee.
"They wouldn't replace the best cop around these parts because of something like that." Jerry looked at her. "I'd quit if they replaced you."
"Thanks kid." Emma laughed. "So how's everything been? Anything I should know about?"
"No, it's been really quiet since they caught the guy that bombed that building. Nothing's been happening other than drunks and small car accidents." Jerry shuffled through the paperwork.
"All the crooks have been waiting for me to come back, you'll see." Emma took a sip from her coffee. "Jerry, this stuff is the drink of the gods."
"You've said."
"Well I mean it." Emma saw a note on her desk, it was from Clara. Emma sighed, she knew it was for her own good and sanity but it didn't mean that she had to like going there.
Regina heard the doors open and the guard announce Cloud, the dream interpreter.
"You lied to me." Regina said, not turning from the window.
"You still have them?"
"Yes, why do you think you're here?" Regina glanced back to the other woman. "I had a new one last night."
"Care to talk about it?" Cloud asked.
"As you know last time I was tortured. This time there was a diamond that no one could stop, i tried to delay when it would go off. I was down in the mines and then the charming family along with Miss. Swan and Henry came down to say good bye. Then me and Miss Swan managed to stop the diamond form destroying the entire town."
"Anything else?" Cloud asked.
"Yes, my son there, he was kidnapped and taken to another land. Dream me is currently on her way to find him with Miss Swan and her family along with Mr. Gold."
"Mr. Gold is Rumple, correct?"
"Have I not made myself clear of that in the past?"
"You have, I was just double checking."
"Well what do you think? I wake up and I feel like I haven't slept at all!" Regina demanded.
"Your highness, i may not be able to get rid of you dreams, but I can help you control them. that is, if you're willing to learn." Cloud said with a grin.
"Lucid dreaming?" Emma asked.
"It may help you stop having these dreams." Clara responded. "If you can control them maybe they will go away. If they don't then you at least have some control of what is going on."
"And how do I do that?"
"You could just do mental checks all the time during the day. Ask yourself if you are dreaming. Or draw an X on your hand. If it's there then you aren't dreaming. If it isn't then chances are you are dreaming. it's all about realizing you're dreaming while dreaming."
"Sounds difficult." Emma commented.
"It's requires practice and yes, it is difficult. But we both know that if something is difficult you will be the one to get by it." Clara grinned at the patient who had come so far in a few months. She was a tough one, and Clara admired that in her.
"Alright, I'll give it a try. Anything will be better than this." Emma leaned back and looked at the ceiling.
"How was work?" Clara dropped her professional appearance.
"Dual and a brick. No one has done anything noteworthy ever since I got in my accident." Emma frowned, she wanted to have something to solve, something major.
"You know that once something does happen you're going to have to take it easy correct?"
"You and everyone else keep telling me that. I can do this." emma leaned forward on her knees. "Other than these dreams I feel fine! My weight is back to normal, my arm strength is the same. I'm perfectly fine!"
"We don't want a repeat Emma. What if you aren't OK and something happens. I care about you Emma." Clara reached forward and put a hand on Emma's arm.
"Nice to know that someone cares." Emma looked down at the hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.