Lucid

Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks so much for all of the reviews! They give me the happy giggles! Okay, next chapter : )

Haunting. That was the only word that replayed in Regina's mind as she poured the last of the potion into her own glass. There was a reason that the liquid turned vibrant in Emma Swan's company.

The vial had chosen.

A smirk touched Regina's lips as she tipped the rip of her glass up to her mouth. When the potion hit her tongue, she felt a serge, a rush of something. It felt almost like her chest floated out of her body for just a split second. She closed her eyes for a second, trying to process the decision she had just made. She had chosen to invade Emma Swan's dreams. And for how long? Even the mayor didn't know how long something like this lasted. But it was the only way- the only definite solution to her problem. If she couldn't control Emma's actions during the day, perhaps she could haunt her mind at night. She would be out of Storybrooke within a few weeks.

After placing the glass on back on the marble counter, she quickly turned to her fridge to take out the fixings for her famous cider.

Her mind was racing as she poured the last of the ingredients in Emma's glass as well as her own. Fingers trembling slightly, she lifted Emma's glass to her lips. She taste tested Emma's, smiling when only the flavor of her cider was noticeable.

After setting it down, Regina quickly found a napkin to wipe off her lipstick stains from the rim of the cup. Perfectly transparent crystal shined back at her.

Regina pushed her shoulders back as she took both glasses in either hand.

Emma had been sitting patiently in Regina's living room, worrying about getting mud from her boots on the pure snow-like carpet. She pulled at the sleeves of her blue shirt nervously as she listened to Regina working in the kitchen. Placing a blond strand behind her ear, Emma looked behind her back when she heard Regina's heels on the kitchen tile. Regina appeared in the walkway. She looked confidently in tune with herself, as usual. Emma tried to quell any nervousness she was feeling just a moment ago.

Regina approached the woman on the couch. She held out the glass to Emma, waiting for the younger woman to outstretch her hand and take the trap. Emma's eyes shifted to gaze into Regina's thankfully before accepting the gift.

Regina smirked but quickly made it soften into a less mischievous smile.

"Thanks," Emma replied as she held the cup with two hands. She watched as Regina sat down on the armchair opposite her. The brunette looked oddly calm to be in her presence. Usually the mayor hated every moment they had to spend together, now she seemed almost tranquil, satisfied. Emma glanced down at the glass in her hands and lifted the tip to her bottom lip.

As if slow motion, Regina watched the now light brown liquid slip between Emma's parted lips. Then, she saw it. Emma's eyelids closed suddenly and her body shivered so slightly that Emma probably wouldn't even have noticed herself if Regina hadn't said something.

"Are you cold, Miss. Swan?" Regina asked innocently, a flicker of amusement in her features, turning the corner of her mouth up. Emma noticed this in the mayor and sat up a little in her seat.

Emma looked at her and cocked one eyebrow. "Maybe. I've been running around town a lot in the past hour so…" Her voice trailed off. Regina watched her carefully as Emma had another sip, and another.

"This is good," Emma praised lightly, trying to fill the silence.

"Well, I'm glad you like it." Regina replied, crossing one toned leg over another. She continued locking her gaze onto the blond sitting only a few feet away from her. Only a few sips later and Emma's glass was nearly empty. Regina had also made a dent in her own, wanting to appear casual. As she lifted the glass to her lips, she watched Emma over the rim.

Emma felt Regina's heavy stare but she didn't want to comment on it. She figured that the woman was just sizing her up as she always did. She had learned in her short time in Storybrooke to choose her battles with Madame Mayor.

Regina watched as Emma squirmed slightly under her gaze. Emma practically gulped the last little bit and stood up suddenly, making the mayor stand up as well.

"I should go back to the station," Emma muttered, quickly padding out of the living room and into the kitchen. Regina followed her with calmed interest. She leaned against the doorframe as she watched Emma put the wine glass into her sink.

Regina glanced at her wristwatch and determined that it was about time to pick up Henry. "Well," Regina looked back up at Emma. "Do let me know if there is anything else I need to approve." She said, insinuating that it was time for Emma to leave.

Emma nodded in understanding and relief. "Thank you for the drink." Regina chuckled lightly and started walking towards her front door. Emma followed closely behind.

Once at the door, Regina opened it with a cool demeanor. Emma reclaimed her coat from the hanger and slipped the red leather over her arms.

The two women met each other's gaze for another moment. Regina's vision flickered over Emma's features in a quick, almost unnoticeable manner. Emma dry swallowed but held her gaze, then bowed her head as the noble adversary she was. Then, Regina watched as Emma's form stepped down the stairs of her porch and down the path leading to the sidewalk. The wind howled and Emma pulled her coat closer to her body, shivering once more. Regina closed the door to her home, feeling immediately enveloped in a blanket of dread.

It was a raw desire to win this that lead her to pour those glasses. She needed a sure victory, a way to no longer share her life with Emma. Almost like an instinct, she saw the color of the liquid changed and acted on it. This specific potion never chose someone lightheadedly, and it never chose wrong. Going against its wishes was equal to going against your own. This was because this specific combination of magic and mischief reflected its maker.

"Mom," Henry said breathlessly as he opened the car door and slipped into Regina's Mercedes Benz. His hair was rattled from the wind and he was pulling his coat close to his body, much like Emma had just a little while earlier. This didn't go unnoticed by Regina, who pursed her lips slightly at the similarity. "It's so freezing out. Can I have hot chocolate when we get home?"

Regina took his backpack from him placed it in the backseat. "Of course." She answered. "Buckle up."

Henry pulled the buckle over his middle and clasped it into place.

"So, how was it?" Regina inquired as she pulled away from the curb.

"Great!" Henry exclaimed. "Mr. Hopper wanted to read more of my book." Regina quickly glanced at him with questioning expression.

"The one Ms. Blanchard gave you?" She asked, knowing the answer already.

"Yea," Henry replied. He looked out the window at the trees thrashing violently in the wind.

Regina clutched the wheel a little firmer. "And," She began, calming interested. "What did he say?"

"That he liked them." Henry answered, his voice a little less excited. "He said that people want to find happy endings." He looked at Regina then. "He doesn't understand what they all really mean, yet." He was adamant about the 'yet' part.

"Or maybe he's right." Regina offered. "They could just be stories."

"No," Henry shook his head. "You know they're not."

Regina tightened her hold on the wheel. "Why did you cast me as the Evil Queen?" She asked honestly, wanting to know.

"It wasn't my choice."

A silence fell between them that lasted until they were pulling into the mansion's garage.

"So," Regina said as she took the keys out of the ignition. "You want cinnamon on your hot chocolate?"

Henry's eyes lit up and a smile took over his face. "Definitely!" Regina smiled back, the joy in that pure moment reaching her eyes. She then grabbed his bag from the backseat and handed it to him.

"Go bring this upstairs and I'll have it ready in a few."

A few hours later, Mary-Margaret heard the door to her apartment rattle with the sound of a key unlocking it.

"How did it go?" Mary-Margaret asked Emma when she entered the apartment. She was cutting up carrots in the kitchen for dinner. She a cotton sky blue sweater and an innocent face.

"Actually," Emma met her at the island in the middle of the kitchen. Emma's features displayed a little bit of disbelief. "Pretty well."

Mary-Margaret nodded happily as she reached for the bowl of lettuce and began breaking the leaves crisply in her hands.

"Well, dinner is almost done." Mary-Margaret said, nodding her head towards the oven.

"It smells amazing." Emma said. "But I'm actually really exhausted."

"Okay, yea, you should be! You've been running around all day." Mary-Margaret said with an understanding smile.

"I'm going to head to bed, but I'll have it for breakfast, okay?" Emma assured her.

"Sweet dreams!" The shorter brunette called as Emma disappeared behind the separating wall of her room.

"Thanks!"

10:45 pm. Surely the Swan princess was asleep by now? Regina paced back and forth in her expansive bedroom. She had sent Henry to bed at about nine and since then has been anxiously stewing over her next move.

Slices of moonlight laid over the floor of her room. Her bed, wide and regal, was placed snuggly against the wall next to her door. Regina was already in her nightgown. She felt the silky material under her hands as she placed them around her waist in contemplation.

The only way to do this correctly, Regina thought as she stared at her bed. She felt as if she was looking into a vortex, a portal into a new world. Is to be a dream.

Regina approached her bed, slowly crawling to the head of it. She pulled the covers over herself, letting her body fall deeper into the bed. She breathed slowly, calming the firing nerves in her body. She commanded each individual muscle to relax until she felt as though her body wasn't even hers anymore- like they were no longer connected.

It wasn't until she was fully asleep that her soul took over.

Emma Swan's eyes opened and her blue irises adjusted to the sight. She immediately recognized where she was. The sparkling pond buried within the town forest area filled her vision. She smiled satisfactorily. A light purple dress fell against her form as the sun beamed overhead.

She was standing by the end of the pond, feeling the cool breeze coming off the water against her bare feet. She lifted the bottom of her dress carefully as she made hesitant steps into the water.

Emma hummed appreciatively as the chilled sensation touched her feet. She glanced up from the water to see a figure across the way.

On the other side of the pond stood a woman in a dress very similar to hers, but it was light grey. Like a feather, Emma thought.

A closer look at the woman revealed a smirk on red lips and a fire in both eyes. Emma stepped back from the water in surprise. The woman was slowly walking closer, her steps rimming the circular pond's shore.

Emma watched every individual step of her bare feet against the grass until she was standing right in front of her, close enough to touch. Like Emma had many times before, she locked her blue eyes on deep brown ones.

"Regina?"