Hey guys! This will be my first official long SwanQueen fanfic. I really hope it doesn't disappoint but I cant know unless you review *hint hint* ;)

I don't know how often I'll update the story but it wont be that un-regular, but again I guess that depends on whether people like it.

I feel like I should warn you that there won't be much SwanQueen action until later chapters, as this is a development story of their relationship. But it will be worth the wait. Anyways enough chit chat and on with the show!

Oh one more thing, I own nothing of Once Upon A Time or its characters. I own only my creative mind.


Chapter 1.

The Evil Queen had thought she'd been really rather clever in her distraction. However she hadn't expected the Charming imbeciles to leave their brand new baby so defenseless. Her clever little scheme had worked perfectly; sending Snow White and her darling Husband running straight for the castles dining hall along with most of the castles guards. They had left a handful to guard over the room in which their baby girl lay but they had been disposed of with a lazy flick of her wrist. Large double doors swung open as the brunette sauntered into the room, signature evil smirk settled firmly upon full, red lips. She glanced around the room quickly in case of any further guards and found none. How naïve! she thought gleefully to herself. Hungry eyes returned to the cot placed in the center of the room as she continued taking slow and steady steps.

As the small baby came into view Regina's world seemed to stop. She stopped moving, she couldn't think and for a second her breathing caught in her throat. There, lay a small mass bundled up in a knitted blanket with the single word Emma stitched into it. "Emma.." The brunette breathed.

Emma had been in a restless sleep as her safety had been compromised, completely unaware. But at the soft utterance of a word her striking emerald eyes shot open. Regina's breath left her in a whoosh as she gazed softly down into those eyes. This was not what she had intended to happen. She was supposed to stride in, take her enemy's baby from her cot as she slept, and torment Snow for a while as she held the baby captive. Beyond that she had no idea what she was going to do, but it was still a plan. A plan that had gone awfully wrong. That seemed to happen a lot where Snow White was concerned. Regina snorted softly. She instantly received a reaction from the little girl as she erupted into a fit of giggles and her arms stretched out, begging to be picked up. And she just couldn't help herself...she slowly held out her arms and wrapped one hand around the back of Emma's neck and the other around her back. She lifted her slowly to her chest and held her close. Regina repositioned her arms so that she could hold her with one arm while the other gently stroked through a mess of blonde curls.

"Hello Emma..." She spoke so softly, it was so unlike her. As she stroked a chubby cheek gently a hand lifted up and little fingers were wrapped around Regina's index finger. Regina's eyes widened slowly in awe as she watched Emma. A smile slowly began to tug at the corners of her lips. This was crazy. This couldn't be happening. This was Snow Whites daughter! She shouldn't be holding her so lovingly. She shouldn't be stroking her chubby little cheek. She shouldn't be smiling softly or gazing deep into green pools. And she certainly shouldn't be feeling her broken and fragile heart slowly begin to fill with warmth. But it just felt so...right. Like the little girl belonged in her arms.

Regina was so lost in her thoughts and those captivating eyes, she didn't hear heavy footfalls as they quickly approached the double doors.

As Snow entered her daughters room she gasped loudly at the sight before her. She instantly began to fear the worst and anger began bubbling within her. However before she could even utter a sound a pulse of energy shot forward from behind her and hit her brunette enemy in the center of her back. She turned quickly to see Blue hovering just behind her shoulder, wand outstretched.

"That spell won't hold her for long. Get your daughter and I shall organise for a specialised cell to be built in your dungeons." Blue quickly explained to her queen. "One that will hold her for as long as you wish your majesty." Snow nodded quickly and rushed around to take her daughter from the arms of the women who had tried to kill her so many times.

Regina couldn't think straight. What was happening? What had she done? She'd been so mixed up in her emotions she hadn't even realised Emma's parents may come to find her again. She began to seethe on the inside as she watched her long time enemy pry the little girl from her arms. She tried desperately to keep her eyes on the little baby but she was quickly moved out of eyeshot, replaced instead by a bright red Prince Charming. Any other day she would have laughed until her sides hurt at the flustered once-shepherd before her, but right now she just couldn't care less. As she tried desperately to scowl at the man blocking her view she heard the beginnings of a baby crying; a soft sob at first which quickly turned into a full blown tantrum. She wanted to smirk. She wanted to smirk right in their faces and then walk over there and take the baby back in her arms. But she couldn't. She'd been stunned by a hovering little blue insect. One she would very like to crush beneath her boot.

She could hear people talking, but none of it mattered because that little bundle that had been in her arms just seconds ago was gone and was still crying.

She was abruptly manhandled by two guards who gripped her under her arms and began to drag her out of the room. She was screaming on the inside as her body was still frozen in the same position.

The brunette managed to get a glimpse of the baby she had suddenly grown attached too as she passed; wailing and squirming in her mothers arms. She had been so peaceful, so happy lying in Regina's arms. She knew she would never forget those piercing green eyes or that curly mass of blonde hair. Not ever.


Her cell was the definition of dank and dingy. Even the one she had been temporarily held in had been better than this, and they were built for thieving scumbags and lecherous murderers! She was royalty for god-sake. Okay so maybe she had committed treason against the White Kingdom...multiple times, but Snow White was supposed to be the fairest of them all. The kind, loving and sweet-natured one. Blurgh! Regina began to feel bile rising in her throat at the thought. She needed to get out of here. She didn't cope well with confined spaces, and the knowledge she was just above her long-term enemies now thriving kingdom wasn't helping the situation. She began pacing back and forth in the small compounds, knowing that her brain became more devious during movement.

That vile little blue insect had created this cell with the sole purpose of taking away the brunettes magic and keeping her confined. She'd overheard a couple of the conversations and had found out the walls were created with fairy dust. No chance of it wearing off then she thought bitterly to herself. She looked about the room, or what of the room she could actually see. It was dark and the only light available came from the two torches burning on either wall, outside of her cell, just out of reaching distance. Even during the day the brunette knew there wouldn't be much light; there was only one window within the cell that wasn't even big enough to fit her head through. Being this late at night she also couldn't make out any kind of view.

The rest of the room was very basic; she had a small bed which was just about big enough to fit one. It wasn't anything fancy like she was used to, the mattress was most likely made of straw and she could make out a very thin blanket on top. She shivered slightly, that would never be enough to fight of the chill within her cell. Snow had been gracious -if that's what you could call it- enough to give Regina two dresses and had also allowed her to keep on the elegant dress she had been captured in. Why, Regina had no idea. It wasn't like she'd be expecting formal visitors. She scoffed at the thought of the people of the White Kingdom paying to come and gawk at the fallen Evil Queen, locked away in her cell like some kind of show-monkey.

The brunette fell heavily onto her bed with an exasperated sigh. Almost instantly her thoughts fell to that little bundle she had held in her arms only hours ago. It was a strange sensation, but she craved to be able to hold her again. To stroke her soft skin, inhale her new baby scent and feel the warmth spread throughout her as those little fingers wrapped around her own. She would most probably never see Emma again and the thought made Regina want to break down in tears. She shook herself slightly. That was just the imprisonment talking. Knowing that she'd be stuck in this awful place for the foreseeable future. Without her magic or anyone willing to help her escape, she didn't have a lot of hope left. Sure she had her father back at her castle but as much as she loved him, he was a coward. He always had been. Sometimes she thought if he'd been a little stronger maybe her mother might not have... No. She couldn't think like this.

With another defeated sigh, she turned her body and lay down graciously on the bed. She heard the straw moving around beneath her and without the comfort of a pillow it was rather distracting. She pulled the thin material over her body and attempted to get comfy. After half an hour of fidgeting and rolling around she found a position on her side that was the least uncomfortable. It was then, just on the boundaries of slumber, that she let the days events overwhelm her and felt that one stray tear escape her flood barrier.


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Btw if anyone's interested in being a beta-reader get in touch!