My True Love Gave to Me;
An Emma Swan and Regina Mills fanfic;
By emilyjasmine;
Disclaimer – I own nothing but the plot;
Happy Easter everyone! I am back with another story, inspired again by the lovely Als, WriteupmyAlly! So a massive thank you to her for the idea and to you, my wonderful readers, for always wanting more. I hope you enjoy this one as much as we've enjoyed creating it! As always, let me know what you think and what you guess might happen.
I'm going to add a small trigger warning for domestic abuse which will feature sparingly throughout the story.
Now with that said, onto the story!
Many years ago, Storybrooke, Maine…
The first thing that Emma Swan was aware of feeling was that she had never felt so satisfied or so comfortable before. As soon as the thought had flashed through her mind, Emma's green eyes snapped open and she shot up in the bed. Despite the headrush and the pounding drumbeat in her ears proving she had a terrible headache, it didn't take her long to realise where she was, even when she had never stepped foot in that room before.
There was absolutely no mess, aside from a trail of clothing leading from the door that stopped at the foot of the bed. The interior was similar to the design of the mayor's office, aside from hints of pale grey and purple weaved into the black and white. The bedlinen was silk, the pillows were downy, and the mattress was most definitely memory foam. All of that led to one conclusion and when Emma turned to the side, the slender body beside her confirmed it all.
She was in Regina Mills' bed, the morning after they'd slept together.
Unable to help it, she emitted a quiet groan, resting her head into her hands. Regina and Snow had persuaded her to have a girls' night, to get her mind off of Hook's disappearance and have a few drinks. Which, judging by the state of her head, she had indulged in, perhaps a little too well. She could barely recall what had happened. Concentrating hard, she tried to remember how she ended up where she was.
With a sigh, it all came rushing back. After Snow tried to start a fight with the Vikings, Emma had called David to pick the drunk woman up and Emma and Regina stayed for another round of drinks. They started talking about Henry and how much he had changed, before they started discussing how their relationship had shifted from when the blonde had first come to Storybrooke until now where they were willing having a drink together. Before long, Emma was admitting that she crushed on the indomitable Mayor Mills when they had first met and enjoyed their spars because she loved riling her up and seeing her passion flash through those dark, chocolate brown eyes. When the barman called for the final round, Regina suggested going back to her place for another drink and one thing led to another to the point where Emma was now.
However, in her sudden panic, it didn't take long for Emma's old instinct between fight or flight to kick in and as quickly as she could, she rushed out of bed, slipped her clothes back on and headed to the door. She'd just made it to the hallway before she turned back to see Regina shift in her bed and sigh peacefully as she reached out to the empty space beside her. As the mayor realised it was empty, she frowned and her eyes started to flutter open. Not wanting to see Regina's reaction, irrespective of if it was positive or negative, Emma ran down the stairs, out of the front door and into the night, not knowing how big of a night it had been.
Present day, Unknown…
Emma looked out into the garden of her house, watching as the leaves fell from the tree, swirling around in the light breeze before they gently floated to the ground. Some were left alone after they'd fallen, but others were being kicked about by a small girl, seven years of age. She was tall and slim for her age, with long, thick, golden curls. When she turned around and smiled in Emma's direction, Emma saw the girl's chocolate brown eyes flash with excitement and her pale thin lips grew to a beaming smile as she waved happily before turning back to the pile of leaves, enjoying the sound they made as she crunched them under her emerald green wellington boots.
"I'm happy to see she's still enjoying herself despite Robyn no longer being here," said a quiet voice from behind the blonde.
Emma turned slowly to turn her gaze with that of the new arrival. Before she even saw the person, she was greeted with a steaming mug of tea which she took gratefully, murmuring her thanks as she rested it on the window ledge before her. She took a moment to appreciate the irony there, after all, fairy tale lore had Snow White's mother wishing at a window for a daughter, although Emma's ledge was not the ebony in the tale, but instead a nice light brown.
Smiling softly and ridding herself of the strange thoughts of fairy tales from the Land Without Magic, Emma nodded. "Yeah, she's a sprightly one," she murmured as she took a sip from her mug. She allowed the sweet tea to take over her taste buds, humming contently at its perfection. Glancing up, she smiled at her companion. "It's perfect as always, Cora."
Cora grinned at the blonde before looking out at the child in the garden. "She's perfection," she sighed, her heart filling with love as she looked out the window.
Emma hummed in agreement as she sipped her tea. At that present moment, everything was peaceful, yes there were things, and people, missing from her life, and so much had changed over the last eight years, but at least she was currently at peace.
She thought back to the fateful night she'd spent with Regina. For days afterwards, the two had avoided each other like the plague, barely able to spend more than five minutes alone with each other before one made up an excuse to leave. It got a lot easier after Hook miraculously returned and Emma could retreat back into that relationship, but that was the direction she should never had taken.
Flashback, Storybrooke, Maine…
Shortly after the Pirate's return, the wedding was set and Emma was too busy trying to break yet another curse to worry about Regina at that moment as she needed to defeat the Black Fairy. Once that was out of the way, Emma couldn't worry about anything else as she felt like she'd been hit with the flu. She just could not stop throwing up. However, after a week of denial, she couldn't put it off any further and took a pregnancy test.
It was positive.
After that, she knew she couldn't avoid Regina any longer, she had to know the truth. However, before she could tell the mayor everything, Hook cornered her after finding the pregnancy test in the bin at home. Emma couldn't believe her stupidity at leaving it there, though she was frustrated to know that Hook was once more hiding at home instead of going to the Sheriff's station where he was supposed to be working. In a moment of panic, she confirmed his obvious presumption that he was the father despite the fact the dates didn't add up. Although, she wasn't fully sure that Hook was able to do the maths in the first place.
Before Emma could tell her family about the new arrival to be, Henry shared his own announcement. He wanted to go travelling between realms. He was now seventeen and decided it was time to go, having no aspirations to go to college. Emma had downright refused, wanting her son to go to college, but Regina knew she couldn't stop him.
According to the laws of the Enchanted Forest, one that had seemed to embed itself into the laws of Storybrooke, Henry was now legally an adult and couldn't be stopped. So, it was with a heavy heart that Regina and Emma bid their son goodbye, not knowing when they would see him again. Just before he stepped through the portal, Regina gave her son a small compact mirror so that he could get in contact with them in emergencies. The power of the small device between realms was too strong to use willy-nilly. Henry had promised that he would keep it to heart at all times.
About a month later, Emma knew it was time to finally share her news with Regina. Every single aspect of the truth. She rebuffed all of Regina's questions over dinner which caused even more confusion. Regina suggested they share a bottle of cider, Emma was about to refuse, but before she could Regina's small compact mirror, the exact replica of Emma's began to vibrate on the coffee table next to the decanter of cider.
"Henry!" The two had gasped in panic and before Emma knew it, Regina was retrieving one of her small stash of magic beans to save their son who had managed to get himself into danger.
The mayor hugged Emma tightly and kissed her cheek, trying to show all of her feelings in the simple gesture.
"I'm coming with you!" Emma had said adamantly.
"I'm not letting you jump realms when you have only just gotten married and your happily ever after!" Regina had snapped back. "Look after yourself!"
Before Emma could do anything, Regina had thrown the bean down and was rushing through the newly made portal. There was physically nothing stopping Emma from following the mayor through, but the fire in Regina's eyes when she said she wasn't letting Emma go with her wrapped around her heart, freezing her to her spot in Regina's sitting room.
She cares about me, Emma thought to herself, but she's gone. It was with heavy heart that she headed back home.
Just after she reached her second trimester, a little more than four weeks after Regina had gone, was when everything began to down spiral. The first big change was Hook. Now that Regina had gone, he was demanding that Emma was by his side at all times so that he could "keep an eye on her". It was as if he wanted to know who was saying "bless you" if she happened to have sneezed. Whenever they weren't together, her would make her retell every second of the time they'd been apart. It was exhausting.
At first, she hadn't really noticed it, she just thought he was taking an interest in her day. However, when she'd gone to have lunch with August, Hook appeared and joined them out of nowhere. Throughout the entire lunch, Hook had kept his hand on her thigh, gripping it a fraction too tightly to be entirely comfortable, but Emma didn't say a word. However, when they got home, the argument begun.
The pirate had been drinking, that was obvious, and was accusing Emma of wanting to sleep with August because she laughed at his joke. When Emma laughed, thinking her husband had really lost the plot, the pirate lashed out, smacking Emma around the face. In complete shock, Emma stepped back, the laughter long gone.
Within seconds, Hook rushed forward and got onto his knees in front of his pregnant wife and started apologising, crying hysterically, begging Emma to forgive him. Completely in shock, all Emma could do was nod slowly as Hook wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her small bump, promising over and over again that he was sorry and that he loved her.
The month that followed, Hook never touched Emma negatively, but she kept her distance from him, no longer allowing him to make love to her which only made his frustration grow. Again, he accused her of lying with another, but Emma swore that she hadn't, she just wasn't in the mood with the pregnancy. The pirate wasn't happy but accepted it.
The next hurdle to arrive in Storybrooke was a shock to everyone's system. She appeared in a tailored back suit and her auburn hair flowing to her shoulders, making it seem like she was on fire. Anyone who saw her fled as quickly as they could except for two women.
"Mother?"
"Cora?"
Zelena had persuaded Emma to enjoy the late Summer air as she took Robyn out for a walk. Since Regina had gone, the two had spent a lot of time together in her absence and had grown quite close.
"Zelena!" Cora had called and rushed over to her daughter, embracing her tightly.
"Mother?" Zelena repeated, completely baffled. "Not that I'm not happy to see you, but…how?"
Cora bit her lip. "Can we go somewhere private to talk?"
Zelena nodded and looked to Emma, silently asking her to transport them to the farmhouse. The witch had settled Robyn into her crib for a nap before boiling the kettle and preparing some drinks. The three then sat around the dining table, each nursing a hot cup of tea.
"I don't understand," Zelena murmured. "Regina and I saw you walk to the light?"
Cora swallowed nervously. "I thought it was the light too," she murmured nervously. "It was in a way, but it wasn't too. Instead of moving on, I was met by Zeus and he tested me in ways I don't want to relive." Her eyes flashed with something which neither Emma nor Zelena knew, but understood that whatever had happened, was not to be repeated.
Zelena reached out and squeezed her mother's hand softly. "But now you're back? You're alive?"
"I am," Cora confirmed with a small smile. "Where's Regina?"
At that, Emma frowned. "Henry left a few months ago and got in some trouble so she went to help him," she murmured into her tea. "Neither have come back." She swallowed. "She contacted me shortly after helping him to say that she was staying, that she didn't really have a reason to stay in Storybrooke anymore and Henry needed her."
At that, Emma's eyes started to water, and Cora didn't need to hear any more, she already understood what was going on.
Without any further words, Cora had opened her arms and pulled the blonde into a hug. Despite the number of rather forced and uncomfortable hugs she'd had from Snow, they didn't compare to this. For the first time, Emma truly felt like she was being hugged by a mother and she allowed the tears to fall. Zelena soon joined in the hug, throwing her pride out of the window. How long the three stayed in their embrace, they didn't know. It was only when Robyn started to whimper that Zelena pulled back to see to her daughter.
The news that Cora Mills was back in Storybrooke spread like wildfire and the fact that Emma, the town Saviour, was apparently so okay with the fact that an evil sorceress was back threw the town for a loop. At the forefront was Snow. She was absolutely livid that the woman was allowed to be brought back to the land of the living when she was responsible for her mother's death, happily disregarding the fact that she herself had orchestrated Cora's death. The former princess tracked the Queen of Hearts down and demanded that she left before she killed her over again.
To Snow's utter surprise, Emma stepped between the two and told her mother that there was absolutely no need for that behaviour.
"If Zeus allowed Cora to come back then clearly it means something," Emma had snapped. "She's been here a week and has done absolutely nothing spiteful to anyone. In actual fact, she's been helping me. She has spells to help me sleep with the bump getting in the way and has a recipe for a herbal tea that keeps the sickness at bay and what did you say when I complained? Oh yeah, 'get a grip, woman'. Useful information there, as per usual, Mom!"
At that, Emma took hold of Cora's arm and transported them back to her house to get her away from the angry princess.
After that, everything just seemed to get worse between her and Snow. Every time they saw each other, they fought over Cora, who had recently started working in the town hall with Maleficent who had taken over Regina as Mayor (Emma noted that Zelena was a regular visitor and not to see her mother). Cora really wasn't doing anything that she wasn't meant to, but Snow was furious. Every time Snow said something against the former Queen of Hearts, Emma would stand up for her which only angered Snow further.
However, Snow was not the only person who was furious about Cora's return. As Emma was now spending a lot of her time with both Zelena and Cora, her time for Hook dwindled down even more. He still asked her about her day, wanting to know every single little detail that she did with Zelena and Cora, but now he would insist that she wasn't allowed to go. Whenever she ignored him, he would pounce on her when she was home, gripping her wrist tightly but not so that it would cause a mark.
He hadn't hit her since the fateful day a few months ago, but his anger and impatience hadn't faded. Whenever Cora had tried to ask Emma about her relationship, the blonde would either go silent or make an excuse to leave. It didn't take long for the auburn-haired woman to realise what was going on. She recognised the actions from when Regina had been with Leopold. Now that she had her heart, she understood how bad it was and knew she needed to do something about it, however, Emma begged her to not get involved.
When Emma hit her third trimester, she finally revealed to Cora her baby's true parentage. She had wanted to tell Zelena but still couldn't allow herself to do so, not yet. Besides, who else was better to tell than the baby's grandmother?
It hadn't shocked the older woman in the slightest. In fact, with the way that Emma spoke about Regina, she knew just how she felt about her daughter, even though Emma clearly didn't. At the revelation, Emma had simply burst into tears and allowed Cora to console her. It was then that Cora finally asked Emma about her relationship with Hook and the blonde revealed all.
"You need to leave," Cora said. "I'll come with you. You need to go somewhere safe. He won't be happy when the baby is born and he realises he's not their father."
"Her father," Emma corrected quietly.
"Her?" Cora repeated, her eyes shining happily. "I'm getting another granddaughter?"
Emma nodded and smiled shyly. Cora absolutely adored Robyn, the feeling was very mutual and Emma was happy to know that happiness was extended towards her baby.
"Yeah," the blonde murmured quietly before she sighed. "But I can't leave. He'll only come and find us and I need to be here if Regina returns." She reached out and squeezed Cora's hand. "I know you only want what's best for us, but I just can't."
Her statement was flipped upside down barely a week after the baby was born. Elena Coraline Swan was born at 9:02am on the 24th of December weighing 7lbs on the dot, in the middle of a harsh winter. Cora and Zelena were by Emma's side during the birth, Snow and Hook weren't even informed that Emma had gone into labour. It was only after the baby had been born when Zelena contacted them.
Immediately, Hook had stormed into the hospital, furious that he was the last to know. Snow followed after a few minutes, initially excited that her daughter had given birth, but when she clapped eyes onto Cora, her eyes narrowed. At that, she couldn't keep her fury in.
"It's her or me, Emma," Snow snapped, giving the ultimatum that Emma had expected much sooner than now.
Despite the sheer exhaustion that had taken over her body after Elena had been born, the answer was simple. From the moment she'd found out about the pregnancy, Cora had been by Emma's side no matter the request or the time. Snow, on the other hand, had barely given her five minutes of her time and when she had, she had actually been less than helpful.
"Cora," Emma said simply and Snow's rage erupted to the point that Whale had to drag her outside as she was making the baby cry.
Cora glanced at Emma with a small smile. "Are you sure?"
"I've never been surer," Emma admitted, reaching out to squeeze her hand.
Emma chose not to reveal Elena's surname at that moment, knowing Hook's fury would worsen but she couldn't call her Jones, not when she wasn't his. Besides, after being married for eight months, Emma was still officially Swan with no plan to change her name to Jones. Not to mention that Elena was to be a Swan, just as Henry a Mills.
Once Whale had given both Emma and Elena the all clear, they left the hospital and headed home with Hook. However, Cora didn't want to leave her granddaughter, nor Emma, alone with the pirate who smelt strongly of rum. Instead, she waved her hand subtly over Emma and Elena to alert her if they were in trouble.
Barely an hour after Emma had left the hospital, Cora felt her gut tighten, the sign that Emma was in trouble. She dropped what she was doing and transported to Emma's house, just in time to see Hook smack her across her face. At the force, Emma crumpled to the floor in front of Elena's bassinet, it was obvious that Emma was protecting her daughter from her husband.
In seconds, Cora blasted Hook away from the blonde so powerfully the hit to his head knocked him out. She dropped to where Emma had fallen and waved her hand over her bust lip, healing the wound before it could worsen before helping her up gently.
"We're leaving," she said, not leaving room for discussion. "I'll tell Zelena and ask if she wants to join us. Get Elena and a bag of clothes."
Emma nodded and did as instructed while Cora called her daughter. It had taken her a few weeks to get used to the mobile phone that Emma had bought her, but now she was a dab hand at it. Within ten minutes, Zelena walked through the front door with a one-year-old Robyn in her buggy and a packed bag.
"I'm ready if you are," she said instead of a greeting. Zelena loved Mal, but the mayor was aloof and cited Lily as her reason for not getting involved, Cora and Emma were family and Robyn adored them, the choice was easy.
Nervously, Emma swallowed and nodded. She glanced over to where Hook was still passed out, a small cut on his forehead that Cora refused to heal. "But before we go…" Emma murmured before she reached for her left hand and slipped her wedding ring off. "Just in case he doesn't get the point of my leaving, or the signed divorce papers in the sitting room." In spite of Emma's insistence of not leaving Hook, she had planned the divorce papers during her pregnancy as a contingency plan.
Cora reached out and squeezed Emma's arm supportively. "Let's go."
She threw a small magic bean forward and pulled her daughter, granddaughters and Emma through. Emma had barely stepped forward when Cora turned and grinned.
"Welcome, my dears, to Wonderland!"