Just a few quick notes to eradicate any confusion for this chapter: I have decided to discard Hook from this fic. I don't think his character will work with my ideas for this story and his relationship with Emma just adds unwanted implications (sorry to any Hook/Captain Swan fans). Each chapter will have an extract from the past entwined in to the main arc somehow. I will write larger fragments of the past in italics, isolating them from the rest of the story. The idea is to provide a backstory to Regina's relationship with Rumple, thus helping you understand her reproach (and fear of Emma turning in to him). Please continue to review – constructive criticism would be much appreciated. Thank you to those of you have reviewed so far, it makes me smile.
Sorry if this chapter feels a little tedious, but I feel like Emma's tendencies as the new Dark One needs to be addressed before I proceed with the actual storyline. Happy reading and prepare for some excitement very soon!
Chapter Two
"Choose one."
Regina narrowed her eyes at her reptilian-like teacher who gleamed at her from behind glassy orbs. She surveyed the small cluster of people before her, just visible beyond the tree trunk she and Rumple were resting against. There were a range of ages and genders, all laughing and smiling at one another's remarks. She couldn't just choose.
"Don't keep me waiting, dearie," Rumple trilled, rolling his eyes in exasperation, "Go on, Regina. Choose. One."
"But who? How do I know?" she hissed back at him, although her voice was laced with something other than irritation. Perhaps despair?
"Well… that one," he said, waggling a long silvery nail at a pretty fair-headed woman, "is expecting a baby and is married to… him".
Regina clenched her fists, angered by Rumple's indulgence in his power of foresight; however, she refused to kill an innocent unborn. She strode out from behind the shrubbery in all her evil queen glory, provoking quick yelps as mothers grabbed their children in fear. Regina allowed the power to paste a smile over her lips. Quickly, with admirable grace, she plunged her hand in to the torso of the nearest man and retracted his heart with ease. She glanced at Rumple, whose face was twisted in sadistic pleasure at his student, and crushed the beating organ.
Yet as Regina turned and stalked away she couldn't help but feel as though it were not just the embers of a stranger's life on the floor, but her own.
…
Regina doesn't notice the tears that now leak out of her deep brown eyes, but Emma does. Her hand reaches up to effortlessly flick away the salty fluid that carries every pain Regina has ever felt. Emma's eyes are so kind and so loving that in this moment, Regina forgets the sacrifice. Forgets Rumplestiltskin and how similar they had seemed just a second before.
"Gosh, I'm so sorry," Emma whispers, shaking her head in disbelief at her horrid comment. Regina says nothing, just allows the soft hands to smooth away the scars of her past… at least, for now, in this moment. They sit in stillness for several minutes, only silent tears reminding them of their failures.
"Why did you do it, Emma?" she says suddenly, angrily, and pulls back from the other woman's touch.
"Do what? Save you?" Emma laughs the last part softly, turning away in to the darkened night as if it held the answers.
"You didn't know me back then, Emma. You didn't know… who I was… what I did. Innocent. So many were completely innocent and I…" Regina chokes, swallows, and then continues in a tone quivering with emotion, "killed them. I took their hearts and crushed it in front of their loved ones. I allowed myself to be vulnerable; vulnerable to people like my mother and Rumple who feasted upon my fragility and did not stop until they had made a…. a MONSTER. I don't deserve happiness. How can I? I am evil," and she whispers the last line in defeat.
She starts shaking then, frantically heaving her shoulders up and down as they bear the weight of the world. Maybe they do? Everything, EVERYTHING, began with Regina. And she hates herself for it.
"You're right, you don't deserve happiness. No one does. Not really. You've earned this chance, Regina. I have watched you grow and grow and now, now you are as good a person as, heck, freaking Snow White!' Emma says firmly, grabbing Regina's hands again in an attempt to calm her down, "Think of Henry. Think of our son."
Regina relaxes a little at the sound of his name and forces a fragile smile at Emma, "You're right. Henry." She expects Emma to nod at her in agreement, yet the other woman's eyes darken once again.
"Regina… where is the dagger?" Emma says slowly, each word dripping with a threat that Regina believes she is yet to find out.
"I don't know," Regina whispers, careful to mask her emotion with a cold glare.
"DON'T LIE TO ME! SHOW ME THE DAGGER!" Emma's shout shatters the night as fractured hope falls to the ground beside Regina, who is shaking at Emma's outburst. Gingerly, Regina retracts the dagger from the safety of her coat. It is out of her hand and in Emma's grasp with a quick flick of the Dark On- no Emma's wrist. Regina bites her lip so hard the sensation of blood swirls around her mouth. Emma's expression is undistinguishable as she stares at the cursed object and this unnerves the brunette to the point of fear.
"So it's official. I belong to the dagger now."
"Yes. No. Well technically, yes. But we can find a way Emma. We always do," Regina cringes at her words, aware of how alike she sounds to her former nemesis, Snow White. Emma notices it too because she makes fleeting eye contact with Regina, bemused.
"You have to give this to Henry," Emma's words dart in to the air like a burst of emotion and Regina nearly stumbles backwards under the sheer weight of them.
"What?"
"Henry. You're right, we have to protect Henry and," Emma swallows and continues in an authoritative tone, "he has to be the one to control me. He has to be."
"You will NOT burden our son with that responsibility," Regina's words smash in to the night just as Emma's had, the inner queen emerging at the protection of her beloved son. She winces in preparation for Emma's inevitable retort.
Nothing.
"Emma, let's go home."
Emma's nod is so small that one could write it off as a twitch, but Regina notices it almost immediately and takes her bony hand. Together they walk out of the woods; Emma concealing the dagger in her jacket, Regina concealing her broken past in her powerful strides. Their hands are a tangle of bones, neither able to formulate an emotion.
Regina pushes open the heavy door to the block of flats where Emma's family live.
"You coming?" she asks Emma, adopting her comfortable 'Mayor Mills' tone once again. She shakes her head at Emma's lingering posture, "Emma. Your family needs you. You need your family! They will understand and are good people … better than my sister at least."
The words tumble out of Regina's mouth before she can harness them. Oh no. Emma's face contorts in to mask of anger (no, fury) at the mention of Regina's sister.
"Stop. EMMA!" Regina shouts at the figure, striding towards the hospital where she will unleash her wrath on Zelena. Regina rolls her eyes at Emma's usual stubbornness before thrusting a hand in to the air, halting Emma under the influx of magic. Emma's laugh is like a heavy blanket over the town, smothering the life.
"Do you really think you can stop me with magic, dearie?" Emma spits harshly, visibly denting Regina's posture with her last word. Stop it. Emma stop it. Regina stays silent. She stays silent even as Emma jumps out of the magical substance that holds her there. Emma's laugh is louder now as she snarls in Regina's face, "I taught you everything you know, remember? No one, NO ONE, is more powerful than me."
Regina remembers. She remembers it so vividly that it haunts her every time she closes her eyes and wills herself to be happy. For the third time in this dreadful night, she is aware of the crumbling ground beneath her feet. And it is only when Snow White sprints out of the door that she gains the strength to remain upright.
"Emma!" Snow is enveloping her daughter in her arms, a mass of blonde waves and a tight embrace. Much to Regina's surprise, Emma hugs her mother back with the same ferocity.
"Emma?"
Of course - Prince Charming with the newest addition to the family nestled in the crook of his arm! Regina sighs as he also touches Emma's cheek and wipes away her tears. Stupid, perfect family; however, she can't help but register the darkness that again poisons Emma's eyes, her humanity, as baby Neil is thrust in to the blonde's arms.
"I think this is too much of a reunion for me to stomach," Regina says quickly, shooting a glare at the Charming's confused face. She snatches the baby out of Emma's hands, which are darkening with every second the innocent is in her grasp, and slides him back to Snow. "Come now Charming's," Regina sighs in her usual exasperation, "Let's move this upstairs."
She feels a small touch on her fingertips that sends an interesting warmth through her hand. Emma is smiling at her, eyes full of regret and Regina suddenly understands. Emma cannot control her fluctuating emotions. The Dark One is eating away every part of Emma Swan, only the loving reminder of her family can revive her from the spells of evil she feels succumbed to. Looking at Emma's frightened gaze, Regina makes a silent promise that she will do whatever she can stop the darkness eradicating Emma Swan… because Regina cannot envisage a life without her.
…
The Charming's loft is buzzing with chatter and exclamatory cries at Emma's return. Regina feels relieved when her eyes rest on the familiar figure of her soulmate, making his way towards her fragile body. He engulfs her in a warm hug that smells like nature and freedom, and Regina hugs him back tightly. Emma's hand is still tenaciously entwined with hers, and Regina has no intention of letting go just yet. If Robin notices, he doesn't say anything just whispers in Regina's ear, "Is Emma okay? Are you okay?"
Regina draws back and nods curtly although her eyes speak differently, and she knows that Robin can see beneath her outer shell.
"Mom!"
Both women turn to stare at their beloved son, bounding down the stairs before wrapping his arms around both their necks. When Emma releases her hold of Regina's hand to hug her son properly, Regina is suddenly aware of the cool breeze that dances around the loft. Henry pulls back to narrow his eyes at his birth mother, "Erm mom?" he questions before Regina whisks him away from Emma's ever tightening grasp. Only once both mother and child stand in the opposite side of the room does Regina speak, clutching her son's hands.
"Henry," she begins slowly, lowering her voice to a deep hum underneath the layers of chatter, "Emma is… Emma has… Emma is the new Dark One." She cannot lie to her son, not after everything he has endured as a result of magic, and this is no exception. Regina watches her son's pupils dilate at the news and wills him to say something, anything.
"That is… that's great!"
The brunette cannot stop her mouth from hanging open at Henry's reaction, "What! Why is it great?" she splutters, utterly flabbergasted.
"Becauuusseeeee," Henry drools, as if his mother is an idiot, "it means that the Dark One can no longer hurt anyone. Mom won't use her power for bad so… no more darkness," he says simply.
Regina's heart swells at his innocence. Henry never failed to see the goodness in every situation, believing in everything… and everyone. She wishes she could tell him that he is right and that Emma won't hurt anyone. But she can't. She cannot lie to her son.
Henry runs back over to his blonde parent and demands Emma to show him her newly enhanced magical abilities. Regina watches as Emma puts on a brave smile and nods silently. Henry practically jumps with excitement as Emma transforms the ceiling in to a glittering night sky, allowing Henry to literally touch the stars. Everyone else in the room is gazing up in awe also, spell bounded by this magical display. Regina feels the jealousy twist around her throat. No one has ever been in awe of her powers. She gets a sudden urge to blast Emma's perfect sky, which hangs over her perfect family, with a jet of green from her fingertips. It is only when she notices Snow's pale face that she stops summoning her own magic. An expression of pure worry has marred her princess-like features, fearing the power of her daughter's abilities. Emma is no longer the saviour any more, but a harbourer of dark magic. The darkest of them all. And Regina knows better than anyone that all magic comes at a price and Emma will have to pay it.