Ignition

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to the television series Once Upon a Time and I do not make a profit by writing or publishing this piece of fiction.

Pairing: Regina Mills / Emma Swan (Swan Queen / Remma).

Genres: Romance.

Rating: K

Spoilers: "Desperate Souls" (1x08).

Summary: Instead Emma heard a plea, firm but not without desperation, and it twisted at her heart. Spoilers: "Desperate Souls"

Author's Note: Is anyone else as excited as I am for this episode? Here's a little one-shot about what I hope happens in the next episode.

The door had burst open and knocked Regina and Emma backwards, resulting in Emma attempting to remain upright against the wall and Regina sprawled across the floor. The door that blew off of its hinges and the flame that exploded from the room had sent shock and fear through both women, pulsing in their veins as they tried to collect themselves.

Emma felt the heat through her clothing and tried to think of the easiest escape route when she called for Regina to get up and get out before the fire had the chance to spread further. The blonde woman, however, was not met with some snappy retort that was expected from the mayor. Instead Emma heard a plea, firm but not without desperation, and it twisted at her heart. For such a cold, reserved woman Regina revealed a lot on her face in that moment, her voice scared but sure and her eyes searching for safety. Emma believed she could be that for her.

Without hesitation she offered her hand to the other woman and once she had felt another grasped in hers, Emma tugged upwards. While the movement certainly could not have been classified as graceful, Emma hadn't thought she was too harsh but Regina's pained cry begged to differ. Cringing in sympathy and apology the blonde woman lifted the brunette's arm to her shoulder and slid her own around her waist.

They had trudged forward, Regina leaning heavily on Emma as she attempted to move her leg, which proved futile as pain electrified her nerves with every shift. When Regina had tried to control her reactions to the pain she was punished with gusts of smoke infiltrating her lungs, filling her up and weighing her down. The mayor had hacked on the smoke, tears in her eyes, as she put all of her energy into standing upright; her pain was as brutal as it was audible and visible.

Eyeing the exit, Emma had held Regina closer, moving as quickly as possible without putting the mayor through any extra pain although one may have argued that Emma was being a bit too sympathetic. As silently as she could Regina had kept her pain pent up inside although that may have been helped by her increasing faintness, which kept her from vocalizing any thoughts least of all pain. Breathing heavily, Emma struggled momentarily with the doorknob before it complied and opened, allowing a rush of cool evening air to wash over the women.

By the time Emma and Regina had escaped there was a crowd gathered outside, an array of locals and emergency personnel. Firefighters rushed towards the building and medical care towards the women. Shrugging Regina off herself and into the arms of an EMT, Emma had tried to keep the worry off of her face but without the screen of smoke blocking her view and the rush of adrenaline flowing through her, the blonde couldn't see past her brunette counterpart's clear discomfort.

Not only was the mayor pained and faint but she was having difficulty breathing, her steps awkward and her body limp. Before Emma had time to dwell on her concerns she was bombarded by a small mass of people, limbs tangling around her and voices everywhere. She had felt suffocated and then loved once she realized that it was Mary Margaret, Ruby and her grandmother, Archie, and Henry who were embracing her.

There were questions, of course, but Emma didn't think too deeply about her answers as her mind had travelled to the EMT who had whisked Regina away. The fanfare dispersed somewhat believing that Emma needed some time to recuperate and with that Emma excused herself and Henry from the rest of the group.

"Hey kiddo, I know tonight's been a bit chaotic but your mother is going to be all right."

Her voice had been soft and sure in a way that gave Henry comfort but there were traces of fearfulness in Emma's eyes that she wasn't aware of and Henry could read. He hoped to tamper out any feeling of fear his mother was feeling so he spoke just as softly as she had with him.

"Thanks for saving my mom; I'm really glad you two are okay."

With that Emma had wound her arms around her son, holding him close to her, breathing him in, and thinking about everything that could have gone much worse. She had held Henry close and tried to even out her wild heartbeat, tried to feel safe knowing that she was out of the building and that Regina was off being treated.

"I love you, kid, you know that right?"

"Of course, I love you too."

Arms wrapped around her son, Emma lifted him into the air and swung him, watching his smiling face. It hadn't been planned and it hadn't been perfect, it was just what was racing through Emma's heart at the time. Eyes lit up, smile wide over his face, Henry looked so at home and it had been in that moment that Emma saw so much of Regina in her own son. While some figured that all of Regina's qualities were negative there were some that had very bright contrasts, which shown through in Henry: brilliant and vast eyes, bold and sure personality, as well as an intense and unrelenting heart.

Holding the mayor close, bringing her to safety, knowing that there was something human beneath the mask made Emma think about Henry, who had a mask of his own, hidden under all of the human. He was a curious, clever, fierce person just like his mother but he was broken and jagged too. Emma figured it had something to do with his parentage; between herself and Regina it was a wonder that Henry turned out as wonderful as he had. However, he hid his scars so much better than either of his parents, burying them beneath a charming smile and moral mind.

It became clear to Emma that Henry was the most precious thing in her life and she would not let a day go by where he was unaware of that.

"You want to go visit your mom?"

"Yeah, where is she?"

Emma had looked back on the mess that used to be a building, black and burned down, and scanned the area. The crowd had thinned somewhat and what was left was mostly speaking to the authorities or gauging the damage the fire had done. She spotted an ambulance where an EMT was treating a familiar brunette woman so Emma nodded towards them. Henry back on the ground, mother and son walked hand-in-hand towards the ambulance, and were spotted by the mayor immediately.

"Henry!" Regina gasped, her breath catching in her throat. "Darling, I'm so glad to see you!"

Quietly but surely, Henry went to his mother and wrapped his smaller arms around her. Their difficulties had subsided for that moment, forgetting everything that happened before and what would inevitably happen in the aftermath, as they held each other in the back of the ambulance. Emma watched on silently, refusing to intrude despite herself, and took in the details of the scene: Regina's hands on Henry's back, the plastic mask against her lips, and the EMT bustling around them.

As the mother and son broke their embrace, Emma noticed how Regina's eyes had remained trained on her son, a small smile playing on her lips and her thumb brushing Henry's cheek. It was clear that Henry was the most precious thing in Regina's life as well or at least Emma had hoped so for both Regina and Henry's sakes. Feeling a gaze on her, Emma drew herself from her thoughts and noticed how the mayor had been regarding her.

There was ice, which was to be expected, and resolve but there was something else as well. It was something unfamiliar from the mayor and it was genuine, which had knocked Emma for six. She held her ground though and kept her eyes on Regina while trying to stomp out her insecurity of not appearing as brazen as she wanted to, her mind still filled with worry over her brunette opposite.

"You never did say what your job was, Miss Swan." Regina had begun. "Did you happen to be a superhero before you came to Storybrooke?"

Despite herself, Emma felt laughter bubble to her lips.

"I should thank you though; you saved my life and I hope that I never find myself having to extend the same courtesy."

To anyone else the mayor's response would have come of sounding callous but Henry and Emma had read between the lines and with a simple nod, Emma kept a small smile on her lips.

"Likewise, Madam Mayor."

The moment was interrupted by the EMT claiming that it was in Regina's best interest to spend the night in a hospital where she could be watched over and cared for. As anticipated, it was not an easy conversation. Regina, hell-bent on going home with Henry and spending the night in her own bed, had refused the offer using every argument in the book. Pitying the EMT, Emma argued against the mayor, telling her that someone who had their own and their child's best interest in mind would not go home in a sub-par state of well-being when they had just been in a fire which had damaged their ability to walk and breathe unaided.

And while it had taken much disagreeing and frustration on both parts, Emma managed to convince Regina that Henry wouldn't have to spend the night anywhere but his bedroom and that Emma would stay overnight on the couch to watch him. It wasn't an offer that Regina was all too pleased with but it was the best one and Regina had ensured that they would stay in contact with her and that she would definitely be home the next day no matter what someone else said was best for her. Regina Mills was not in the habit of conceding to others.

"Well now that that's settled you really should be checked into a hospital, Madam Mayor."

Cynically, Regina had responded with a biting: "And just where exactly did you earn your medical degree, Miss Swan?"

"Don't tire yourself out now; you've had a very exhausting day." Emma replied mockingly but her tone slipped just slightly so it was clear that she meant what she had said.

Henry and Regina had hugged once more, wishing each other a restful sleep, and promising to remain in touch. The moment wasn't as sentimental as their first interaction after the fire, Emma figured but it was nice to see something other than patronization, resentment, or loathing from the mayor. After Henry and his mother parted, Emma observed Regina a final time that evening. Emma took in the sight of a bandaged leg, parted lips, and heaving chest. She recalled the weight of the woman on her, shallow breath against her skin, and desperate plea ringing in her ears. The blonde drank in the other woman's pale skin, dark hair, and the expression in her eyes. It was fleeting but it was there and it left Emma confused but light.

Regina, aware of Emma's eyes, had spoken to break the spell. "Good night, dear."

Shaken, Emma had nodded curtly and responded in kind. "Good night, love."

The awareness of her words had hit Emma hard, bringing her back to the moment when the door had blown off its hinges and the resulting panic, shock, and adrenaline that pumped in her veins. She took Henry by the hand and moved quickly towards her vehicle, desperate to not look back at the mayor as she made her escape. Henry had tried speaking to her but the words didn't reach Emma's ears, they washed over her instead, as she tried to shake whatever feeling she couldn't repress.

Had she looked back Emma would have been met with Regina's cool demeanor and that same genuine expression in her eyes.

Author's Note: Thank you for reading! :)