OUAT Chapter 2
They had been at sea for a few days now and everyone, except for Hook, had been battling bouts of sea sickness. Some days were better than others, but the first two days were excruciating, especially for Emma and Mary Margaret. David, Regina, and Gold were sick also, but they weren't as bad as the other two. So David tried his best to take care of himself, his wife, and his daughter. Finally, Regina shoved David out of her cabin one afternoon and took over the care for the blonde woman. Emma was shocked, but grateful, for reasons she couldn't quite understand. By the fourth day everyone was beginning to feel better and by the end of the week they were mostly all back to normal. Regina had been working with Emma during almost all of the free time that they had once the blonde had started to feel better. While Mary Margaret and David were not exactly thrilled with the arrangement, they both agreed it was better for Regina to teach their daughter the art of magic rather than Gold.
Regina and Emma both became frustrated with each other quite easily most of the time during training, but Regina had learned over the last few days that Emma's magic worked best when she was either upset or cared deeply about something or someone. So the brunette would use that to her advantage. However, this particular day Emma had had enough of what she was considering abuse from the brunette woman. She became so angry she created a force field that shot straight out and knocked the brunette through the air, causing her to release a fireball accidentally and catching one of the sails on fire, before she hit the side of the ship with great force.
As soon as Emma realized what had happened she began to freak out.
"Shit" she stated as she looked at the sail that was now engulfed in flames and then looking over at the brunette woman who was trying to catch her breath as she laid on the ground slumped against the side of the ship
"Double shit" the blonde woman said as she rushed towards Regina
"FIRE" Hook was shouting at the top of his lungs
The other three passengers came running towards the fire trying to ascertain the best way to put it out.
Meanwhile Emma dropped to her knees next to Regina, "Regina are you okay? I'm sorry, really. I didn't mean to do that. I was just so angry at you and the way you've been treating me. I guess I lost control"
The brunette looked at the blonde woman who was kneeling next to her and saw the concern on her face, "It's okay"
"Ummm no it's not. In case you missed what just happened, I threw you across the ship with some kind of force field and you lost control of your fireball and set the sail on fire"
Regina smirked and was about to reply before she was distracted by the commotion of Gold using magic to put the fire out. Then all other eyes turned to her in anger. Emma turned to see what distracted the brunette and saw how the other four passengers were looking at Regina. She immediately reached out her hand to the smaller woman and surprisingly the brunette accepted, as Emma helped her to her feet. By then the other four had approached the two women.
"What the hell were you thinking?" David questioned
"I think the better question is why were you throwing fire balls. Were you trying to harm my daughter?" Mary Margaret asked
"Oh for heaven's sake, I did not intentionally throw the fireball at anyone or anything, especially not your precious daughter" Regina stated angrily
"Oh really? Then why was one of our sails on fire? You two were the ones up here practicing magic" David said
"Look I don't really care what you think happened, but I did not intentionally set that fire. Why would I do that? We are all on this ship for the same reason. To save Henry and I will NOT do anything to jeopardize that" she replied
"She's telling the truth" Emma said as she stepped slightly in front of the smaller woman, "She was holding the fireball because she wanted me to try to put it out. But instead I created some kind of force shield and threw her through the air. The fireball was thrown from her hand because of me, she had no control over it. This was my fault, not hers, so stop blaming her for everything. It's not helping anything."
"She is telling the truth" Hook said, finally speaking up, "As much as I would like to blame Regina for this, Emma did knock Regina back with some kind of force shield and the fireball flew out of her hands. It wasn't Regina's fault"
Everyone, including Regina, looked at Hook in shock. He was actually defending the Evil Queen? It seemed everyone was having a slight change of heart being trapped on this boat together. Well some of the time anyways.
"Well okay then. I think everyone has just been trapped on this ship together for too long. We are all at each others throats" the short haired woman stated
"Except for you and Prince Charming there" Regina muttered under her breath, causing Emma to elbow her lightly in the ribs
"What was that Regina?" Mary Margaret asked
"Oh nothing dear, I was just saying that I think I need to take a break for a few minutes, away from everyone" she answered as she turned and walked away
Everyone stood there and watched the brunette walk away, apparently heading down to her room below deck. Once she was out of sight Emma turned to glare at her parents.
"Really?" she said as she looked at them, "Would you two just stop jumping to conclusions"
"Emma we are-" the short haired woman began but was cut off by her irate daughter
"NO" the blonde said holding up her hand, "I've had enough. Every time something has happened, or gone wrong on this ship you have automatically blamed Regina. Well guess what? You have been wrong every single time. So from now on you keep your mouths shut unless I say otherwise. Got it?"
"Emma your mother and I are-" David began but was also cut off
"I know. You're worried. I get that. I do. But guess what? I'm a grown woman. An adult. Just like you two, so stop treating me like a child. I get that you didn't get to protect me when I was young and I'm sorry, but you kind of brought that on yourself, and unfortunately for you, I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, because I've been doing it my entire life. So please just let me be and make my own mistakes. They are mine to make. If I need your help I'll ask for it" Emma stated before turning and walking away, following Regina's path
The rest of the occupants of the ship all stood around, the Charming's somewhat dumbfounded by the way their daughter had just talked to them. Hook and Gold on the other hand seemed to enjoy it seeing as how they both had wide smiles on their faces. David turned and noticed their smiles.
"Oh be quiet" he told them
"We didn't say anything dearie" Gold said before turning and walking to the other side of the ship to get away from Hook and the Charming's, while Hook returned to his place behind the wheel
Emma made it back to the room she was sharing and found Regina sitting on her bed, deep in thought. The blonde stood in the doorway for a moment simply watching the features of the other woman's face.
God, she really is beautiful. What? Stop that Swan. You just realize that the two of you actually do have quite a lot in common now that you are both being civil to each other. But I do enjoy her company. I am so much more relaxed around her than before, almost comfortable. We have been living in a comfortable routine together for the last few days. No more bumping into each other in the mornings trying to maneuver in the small room. Although you didn't mind when the dark haired woman would brush up against you accidentally. Maybe I should 'accidentally' brush against her again. It did feel good. Almost like a spark whenever we touched. I wonder what would happen if our lips touched. Would there be sparks? Magic? Swan get a hold of yourself.
"MISS SWAN" Regina finally shouted, pulling the blonde out of her thoughts
"Huh? What is it?" she said fumbling for words and blushing slightly as she found the brunette mere inches away from her
"I've been calling your name for awhile now. You were apparently lost in your thoughts. Good ones I suppose" she stated with a smirk
"Uh…I don't…I…Did you need something?" she asked looking into mischievous brown eyes
"I was going to ask you the same thing, seeing as how I was in here first, and caught you staring at me from the doorway here" Regina pointed out, wearing a smug smirk
"I was not staring at you" the blonde objected
Regina shrugged, "Fine. I caught you leering at me"
Emma tried to control the blush that she could feel creeping up her cheeks, "I wasn't-ugh you know what I was just coming in here to check you out…I mean check out…for Christ's sake, I just wanted to make sure you were okay"
Regina smiled, brightly, and Emma was in awe. She didn't know if she had ever seen her smile like that, but she knew she liked it. It was a beautiful smile, one she could imagine only Henry ever being privy to since the curse was enacted. The blonde couldn't help but smile brightly back at the brunette.
"I am fine dear. Why wouldn't I be?" the brunette asked, her smile slowly fading away, but not completely
"Uh I don't know. Maybe because I knocked you across the ship, into a wall, and you accidentally set the sail on fire and then got blamed for everything by my overprotective parents"
"It's nothing I can't handle"
"I know that Regina. I'm not saying you can't handle it. I'm pretty sure you are capable of handling anything that's thrown your way. All I meant was you don't have to do it alone anymore"
"Oh really? And why is that?" the brunette asked with a raised eyebrow and slight smirk
Emma shrugged, "Because you have me. And believe it or not I do trust you Regina. I told you that already. And I'm sorry that my parents keep blaming you for things. I don't think they will be bothering us anymore though, I had a few words with them before I came down here"
"You…you defended me? Again?" Regina asked, the shock evident in her voice and in her facial expressions
"Of course"
"Why?" the brunette questioned, clearly implying that she didn't deserve it
Emma smiled warmly at the smaller woman, "Because you're my son's mother and I know you love him. That you would die for him. Because I believe there is still good in you, I've seen it with my own eyes. Because you saved my life and I trust you. And because I think you just need someone to believe in you. And I want you to know that you have that. You need to know that Henry and I both believe in you."
Regina was at a loss for words and she tried to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall. She did not want to cry. She was not going to cry. But it was too late. As she looked into green eyes, she knew Emma could already see the tears that were threatening to spill over. She could tell by the look in those green eyes. And she could see the truth in what the younger woman had just said and she could see the concern as the blonde's smile slowly started to fall.
"Regina?"
The brunette could only shake her head, afraid if she tried to speak that her voice would crack and the tears would spill over.
"Hey, Regina, it's okay. You can cry in front of me. I've seen you cry before. I just hope that those tears you're fighting back aren't because of something bad I said" Emma told her as she reached out towards the brunette to touch her arm
Regina recoiled at the almost touch and spun around on her heel to face the wall of the ship so that she could have her back to Emma. But of course the blonde didn't give up. She was just as stubborn as she was. She felt the younger woman's hand on her shoulder, lightly at first, and both women could feel the heat between them from their magic, an almost jolt of electricity, but in a good way. Then Emma squeezed the brunettes shoulder gently, in a caring manner, and Regina let out a slight sob.
"Regina? Please talk to me" the blonde begged as she moved her other hand to the brunettes other shoulder and squeezed that one too
"I'm fine Miss Swan" she finally squeaked out
Emma then turned Regina around by her shoulders so that she could face the brunette. She saw the tears that had escaped.
"Did I say something wrong earlier?" the blonde asked
"No"
"Then you're crying because?"
"I'm not crying. I'm just-"
"Regina" Emma said forcefully
Brown eyes met green once again and Emma found her heart breaking at the sad look on the brunettes face. Meanwhile, the brunette was lost once again in those green eyes and the concern on the blonde's face. As Regina stared at her she could clearly see that Emma was concerned and actually hurting for her.
"You didn't say anything wrong Miss Swan. It's just that no one has ever…It's been a very long time since anyone has cared about me…or believed in me for that matter…I was just surprised…and I guess I just don't really understand"
"Regina" Emma said making sure the smaller woman was paying attention, "I meant every word I said. And I'm sorry it's taken so long for anyone to believe in you again. But I'm here now. And soon we will have Henry here also"
Regina nodded slowly, "Thank you…for believing in me…for caring…I mean after everything I have done to you…I just-"
"Regina stop" Emma told her, "Let's not dwell in the past, okay? I want us to continue on the path that we are going. We've both made mistakes, but we can't change them, only learn from them, right"
"I suppose" the brunette agreed with a nod
"Okay then. Plus you did kind of take care of me the last few days when I was sick, even though you were sick also"
"I was just tired of your father coming in ever half hour to check on you. He was quite annoying"
"Are you sure that's the only reason you were taking care of me?" The blonde questioned
"Of course it was Miss Swan" the brunette snapped
"Okay" Emma smiled and decided to change the subject,"About the shitty way you've been treating me the last few days"
"Miss Swan, language" Regina scolded
"Oh please" Emma said with a roll of her eyes
Regina let out a small giggle and Emma smiled brightly, "I do believe the Queen just giggled"
"I most certainly did not"
"Uh I believe you did"
This time it was Regina's turn to roll her eyes.
"Seriously though, what's with the crappy treatment lately when we are training?"
The brunette sighed before answering, slowly, "It's nothing personal Miss Swan-"
Emma sighed heavily and rolled her eyes as she cut the older woman off, "Okay first of all, it's Emma..Em-ma…can you repeat that?"
When the brunette realized that the younger woman was actually waiting for her to say her name, she just stared incredulously at her.
"Well?" Emma stated as she crossed her arms, "I'm waiting"
"Well then I suppose you are going to be waiting for awhile" the brunette countered
"Well then I suppose I will just not speak to you until you use my first name"
"Really Miss Swan, this is very childish of you. Just when I think we have formed a somewhat adult relationship, you have to go and remind me of how immature you can be"
This time Emma raised her eyebrow, "I am not being childish or immature. I am simply requesting that you call me by my first name, especially since we are apparently in an adult relationship. Which, if you don't mind me asking, what all does this adult relationship entail?"
This time it was Regina's turn to blush when she realized what Emma was implying. She knew the younger woman was teasing, but she couldn't help but begin to think of very inappropriate images in her mind.
Stop that Regina. You will not think of your son's birth-mother in that way. Even if she is one of the most beautiful women you have met in your entire life. And let's face it you have been around for quite some time now. But what would my hands feel like in those thick golden curls? And would we emit sparks from magic if our lips were to touch? Control yourself Regina. Do not become weak. Do not let down your walls. You don't need anyone.
"Regina hello?" Emma said as she waved her hand in front of the brunettes face
"Miss Swan, really" Regina stated as she swatted at the hand
The blonde rolled her eyes, "Emma…It's Emma. Why can't you just say it?"
"It's inappropriate" she answered matter of factly
"Not any more inappropriate than what you were just daydreaming about" the blonde smirked
"Excuse me. I was not daydreaming"
Emma smiled as she leaned forward, into the brunette's personal space, "Oh yes you were. And my guess is it had to do with our adult relationship"
"Miss Swan this conversation is highly inappropriate" the brunette stated
"I'm not listening" Emma said as she stuck her fingers in her ears and began to hum
Regina rolled her eyes before reaching for the blondes hands and pulling them down to remove her fingers from her ears. They both felt the heat between their hands as they touched once again, but they both ignored it.
"FINE. Emma. Just please stop acting like such a child for heaven's sake" the said
The blonde smiled widely, "See, now that wasn't so bad was it?"
"Check back with me later" the brunette mumbled
"Don't worry I will" Emma answered, still smiling
The two women stood there for a moment before Emma questioned the brunette once again, "So about the crappy way you have been treating me during our training sessions"
Regina rolled her eyes, "As I was trying to explain to you earlier Miss Swan-"
"Uh uh uh" Emma said shaking her head at the brunette
Regina sighed, "As I was trying to explain to you earlier...Emma"
The brunette paused for a moment to take in the blonde's reaction to her using her first name. Emma smiled slightly, her eyes shining, when Regina used her first name.
The brunette then continued, "You rudely interrupted me, before, when I was trying to explain to you. I wasn't trying to purposefully…okay I was intentionally making you angry but that's because it seemed to be the only way to elicit a magical response from you"
"So you were making me angry on purpose?"
"Yes. It seems the only way you could get your magic to work was when you felt threatened or when someone you loved felt threatened"
"So you didn't necessarily mean what you were saying?" the blonde asked
Regina shook her head slowly, "No, Emma, I was merely trying to get you to use your magic. And the only way that seemed to work was to push your buttons"
"Hmmm. Interesting"
"Very interesting indeed dear. Now that you know the truth, we have to figure out how to control your magic. Because we definitely cannot go into battle with you not able to control your reactions"
"I agree. But how do we do that? I've never been very good at controlling myself when I'm angry"
"No doubt dear" Regina smiled knowingly
"Well when do we start the next level of training?"
"I think we have taken a long enough break, don't you?"
The blonde nodded before the two women turned to exit their small cabin.
"Ummm Regina?"
"Yes dear"
"What if I throw you against the wall of the ship again?"
The brunette paused momentarily, shocked that the blonde was obviously concerned with her well being, once again.
"Don't worry, I've encountered and endured much worse than being thrown against the side of the ship" she answered, trying to alleviate any worry in the other woman's mind
"Yeah, but I don't want to hurt you Regina. I'm not those people"
Regina stopped and turned to face the blonde. Stepping into her personal space she smiled gently at the other woman, "Emma, it's okay. I trust you to not kill me. You may hurt me, but I'm telling you that it's okay. It's part of the learning process. I also know that you would never intentionally hurt anyone you care about, and as much as it scares me, for some reason, I think I fall into that category now. And even if you're scared of what you might do, just remember that I believe in you and that I trust you. I think you'll find that you are much more capable of controlling yourself than you believe you are. Just listen to your heart and let it guide you."
With that Regina turned back around and continued her path back up to the deck. Emma stood there stunned for a moment before following the brunette.
They practiced the rest of the afternoon, well into the evening before they began to lose their light. When they finally called it quits Emma was exhausted and Regina was pretty battered and bruised. Not enough for her to call attention to it, but the blonde noticed. As they made it down to the kitchen area to scrounge for leftovers Emma broke the silence.
"I'm sorry Regina"
"For what dear?"
"For hurting you. For not being able to control my magic. Not being able to get it to work when I want it to. I just…I'm sorry for everything. I'm a horrible student" the blonde rambled before collapsing onto the bench seat along the table in the kitchen, and letting her head fall onto the table as well
Regina was pulling out bread and a few other food items before she turned and set them all on the table. Then she sat down next to the blonde. She stared at Emma for a moment, taking in the exhaustion and tense muscles of the younger woman. The brunette knew that Emma was worried about how much help she was going to be once they arrived at their destination. But she also knew that together they were pretty much unstoppable. She also knew that if they were separated Emma would have to know how to fight on her own, to defend not only herself, but Henry as well, and anyone else she cared about that she wouldn't want harmed. And that is a lot to ask of someone who's just learning their magic. But she also knew Emma. She knew the younger woman would do everything in her power to protect Henry. And there was not a doubt in her mind that when the time came, she would rise to the occasion. She just had to make the blonde understand that and believe it as well.
As she sat there, still staring at the blonde, she debated her next move. But then she thought to hell with it. She might not even make it back to Storeybrook after this journey, because she knew that she would do whatever it took to save Henry, even if it meant dying for him. And she was going to make sure that if there was one person who was going to make it back to Storybrook with Henry it was going to be Emma Swan. Regina would not let her son lose both of his mothers. And despite all of their misunderstandings and constant bickering, the brunette knew that Emma would do right by Henry. She also knew that now that the boy had found his birth-mother, he needed her in his life. And as much as she wanted to be all Henry needed, she knew it would never be that way again. And she was slowly learning to accept that if it meant her son was happy.
She sighed, the pounding in her head getting louder. She took a few knocks to the head, thanks to Emma throwing her across the ship a few more times that afternoon. She reached up to massage her temple and then reached over with her left hand and gently touched the blonde's back. The younger woman flinched at first before she relaxed under the older woman's touch. Regina rubbed her back a few times, feeling the tense muscles slowly relax under her touch.
"You need to relax, stop thinking so much" the brunette stated
"Psshhh" Emma retorted, her head still on the kitchen table, "How am I supposed to do that when I suck at this magic thing"
"You don't suck Miss…Emma" countered Regina
"Tell that to your bruised body"
"I'm fine Emma. I've had bruises before. I'm not going to die from them, so stop feeling sorry for yourself and stop feeling bad for hurting me."
Emma sighed as she finally lifted her head off of the table and turned to look at the brunette. Regina quickly removed her hand that was still on the blondes back before she continued to talk to the blonde.
"Listen to me Emma. No one learns magic in one day. It takes time and patience. Unfortunately we don't have a lot of time, but you are a quick learner. You've done well. We know what you're capable of, and believe me when I say your magic is definitely going to come in handy. I think if we can just get you to control that force field, that will be our biggest asset, especially once we rescue Henry. Once he's on the protected side of the shield he's safe, no one will be able to get through it."
"What if he's the only one that I can protect with it?" Emma asked worriedly
The brunette covered the blonde's hand with her own, "Then you must protect him. He is the only one who matters. Everyone on this ship knows that. We all knew what we were doing when we stepped foot on this ship. Everyone is aware of the consequences and everyone is willing to die for him"
Emma's face showed nothing but remorse and worry, "But-"
Regina merely shook her head as she cut the younger woman off. Squeezing her hand she said, "Emma, I know it's scary to think about, especially since your parent's are on this ship, but your only concern needs to be Henry, you're the only one who can protect him"
"You can too"
The brunette nodded, "I know. And I plan to, but you're the one who can get him back to the ship"
"But can't you just magic him back to the ship?"
"Something tells me my magic is not going to work the same in Neverland"
"Then what makes you think mine will?"
Regina looked Emma straight in the eyes when she answered the question, "Because you're the product of true love. Your magic is different. It's pure"
Emma swallowed the lump in her throat, "Regina I'm not going back to Storeybrook without everyone who is on this ship right now"
"Emma you might have to. Even if it's just you and Henry"
"No. I'm the savior, right? I can't just leave everybody else and save myself"
"You aren't. You're saving our son. He's the one everyone on this ship came to save, no matter what the cost. You must promise me that no matter what you will get Henry back to this ship and back home where he belongs. Promise me that no matter what you will save our son"
Emma looked into the brunette's dark eyes, full of sadness and love, and she nodded, "I promise"
Regina nodded before finally removing her hand from Emma's and turning back to the food. As the two women began to divide up what little food was left from dinner Emma spoke up again.
"What if I can't do it? What if I panic?"
Regina took a deep breath before she turned to the blonde once again, "Emma, listen to me. I know you're scared. But I believe in you. Henry believes in you. And you know that together our magic is pretty powerful, right?"
The blonde nodded, "It seems more powerful than almost anything"
Regina smiled sweetly and nodded, "Yes. So I am going to be honest with you. As long as you and I are together on that island our combined magic will be almost unstoppable, I believe. But you must know, that if we are to get separated you still have so much power in you, you just have to believe it. You must believe in yourself. I know sometimes that's hard. But it's the truth. And I know that you will do anything and everything to save Henry. And I truly believe that with Henry's life threatened and in danger that you will rise to the occasion. There's not a doubt in my mind that when put to the test you will come out on top and you will save our son"
Emma stared at the woman who had raised her son when she herself could not. She saw the honesty in the dark eyes and the blonde couldn't help but smile at her in a loving way. She was one of the few people who believed in her.
"You really do believe in me, don't you?" she asked with a smile
The older woman turned away, not able to look the blonde in the eyes, and merely shrugged, "I suppose…But then again, you are the savior, aren't you?"
This time Emma let out a laugh, causing Regina to turn and look at her. As she saw the blonde laughing, the brunette couldn't help but smile herself. When Emma stopped laughing she bumped her shoulder against the other woman's.
"Cut the crap Regina. I know you believe in me, and it's not because I'm the savior" she said
Regina smiled but only shrugged her shoulders.
David and Mary Margaret were standing in the doorway of the kitchen, undetected by the two women who had their backs to them. They had stopped in the doorway when they saw their daughter laughing and caught part of the smile on Regina's face. Instead of ruining the moment, they stood back and watched the interaction between the two women. They only turned around after seeing the brunette shrug her shoulders at Emma's comment.
As the two turned to walk away quietly, without disturbing the women, David looked down at his wife, "I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing"
"What?" Mary Margaret asked
"Them becoming friends"
"It's better than enemies, right?" Mary Margaret stated as they entered their own cabin for the night
Once the two women finished their dinner they made their way back to the cabin for the night, both exhausted from the long day. Emma climbed onto the top bunk clumsily before kicking her boots off, letting them fall to the ground. Regina rolled her eyes but said nothing as she turned onto her side to face the wall.
"Regina?" Emma said quietly as she stared up at the ceiling
"What is it dear?"
"Thanks"
"For what?"
"Teaching me how to use my magic"
"Don't thank me until we have our son back and he's safe"
"I'll just thank you, again, then also" the blonde said with a smile
After a few moments of silence both women were beginning to drift off to sleep when the ship jerked sideways sending both women flying off of their beds once again. Only this time Emma hit the floor first and Regina came tumbling down on top of her.
"This is ridiculous" Regina stated, clearly annoyed, but as she looked down into green eyes she noticed the smirk on the blonde's face, "What?"
"Well it seems that this time it is you who is enjoying being on top" Emma said with a wide smile
Regina hid her blush well as she pushed herself up and off of the blonde. As both women stood up the ship once again jerked hard to one side, sending the two women flying into the wall as they tried to find something to hold onto.
A few minutes later as the two women were attempting to grab hold of the bunk bed to make their way towards the door, it swung open revealing David.
"You two alright?" he asked looking from one woman to the other
"For now" Emma answered, "What's going on?"
"Hook said we are entering some bad storms so be prepared for the rest of the night to go like this. He said it's best if we all stay as low to the ground as possible. I'm going to help him up on deck as much as I can. He wants the rest of you to try to get some sleep. He thinks we are getting closer and that's where the storms are coming from" he told them
The women nodded their heads before David turned, shutting the door behind him and heading up onto the deck.
"How the hell are we supposed to sleep with these storms?" Emma questioned
"I have no idea" the brunette answered just before they were both thrown onto the bottom bunk
As they both attempted to sit up Emma came up with an idea, one that she wasn't sure Regina would like.
"I have an idea, but I don't think you're going to like it" the blonde stated
"Great" Regina replied
"What if we put both of our mattresses on the floor? They should fit snugly between the bed and the wall"
"Excuse me?" the brunette questioned, somewhat horrified at the suggestion that they sleep side by side, but not completely hating the idea
"Look I know it's not an ideal situation, but at least we wouldn't be getting thrown out of bed onto the floor every few minutes"
"No but we will still, most likely, be thrown around on the floor"
"I'll take my chances on the floor. If you want to stay on your bed then have at it" Emma said as she stood up and grabbed her thin mattress off of the top bunk
Just as she yanked it off of the bed the ship tilted and she lost her balance, falling backwards with the mattress and hitting the wall behind her with a thud.
"Miss Swan? Are you okay?" Regina asked as she moved carefully towards the blonde, kneeling down beside her
"No"
"What's wrong?"
"I could have sworn I told you to call me Emma"
"Really Miss Swan" the brunette scolded
Emma couldn't help but smile slightly at the older woman. Regina then helped Emma situate the mattress next to the wall. Once that was done Emma looked at the brunette and Regina thought she saw a glimmer of hope in her eyes.
"Well? What's your decision?" the blonde asked motioning from the bed to the floor
Regina bit her bottom lip as she looked from the floor to the bottom bunk before making a decision.
"Fine. But do not cross the edge of your mattress with any of your body parts or I may cut them off, and that will be the least of your problems" the brunette told her in a serious tone
Emma swallowed thickly before finally finding her voice and screeching out a very weak, "Okay"
Regina smiled at the small flicker of fear that showed for a split second on the blonde's face. The two women then pulled Regina's mattress off of the bottom bunk and dropped it to the floor next to Emma's. The younger woman had been right when she said it would be a snug fit. The two mattresses didn't slide at all once they got them fit snugly between the bed and the wall. The two women then laid down on their allotted mattresses, pulling the thin blankets over each of them. Emma was huddled against the cold wall, afraid to get too close to the edge of the mattresses separating hers from the brunettes. Regina rolled onto her right side, attempting to stay clear of Emma as well.
The next morning Emma moaned slightly as she buried her face deeper into her pillow. She felt a warmth emanating from in front of her, so she shifted her body a little closer to it. That's when she felt her legs wrapped around something.
Oh no. Shit. If I don't look, maybe I'll wake up and it will be a dream.
Emma slowly opened her eyes and her fears had come true. She was snuggling into Regina. The brunette was laying on her back, sleeping peacefully, her mouth open slightly and her right arm thrown up around her head. Emma swallowed as she looked down at their bodies. The blonde was laying on her right side and her head had been positioned to fit perfectly in the crook of the brunette's neck. The blonde could also feel her right hand laced with another hand. And as much as she hoped it was her own left hand, she knew that it was not, because her left hand, she noticed, was draped casually over Regina's waist. And to make matters worse she knew that their legs had become tangled as well. Emma chanced another glance at the brunette to make sure she was still asleep. When she saw that she was she looked back down at their bodies. She slowly lifted her left arm off of Regina's waist and carefully lifted the blankets to get a better look at their tangled legs. Emma gasped slightly as she saw that it was actually her that had Regina's leg trapped between her own. As she stared for a moment she noticed that they weren't really tangled so much, as they were entwined.
Really Swan? Entwined? But I am pretty comfortable and she must be too or she would have already woken and kicked my ass. We do fit together pretty well. This is nice. Really nice. Don't get used to it. She's going to kick your ass when you wake up. Although it looks like we both crossed the edge of the mattress. Regina is lying on half and so am I. Interesting.
Emma snapped out of her daydreaming as she looked down at their entwined legs one more time. Regina's left leg was turned out and bent slightly, almost accommodating the blonde's two legs that were clamped down on it. Emma looked back up at Regina quickly when she heard a murmur escape the other woman's mouth. She held her breath as she watched the older woman for a moment. She released the breath when she realized the brunette was still fast asleep. Then she carefully placed the blanket back on top of their bodies. She thought about trying to get out of the predicament she was in, but at the same time she was content just the way she was. So she risked placing her left arm gently back across the brunette's waist and even gripped her hip slightly as she allowed her head to snuggle back into the crook of Regina's neck and closed her eyes. She felt the brunette sigh and squeeze their interlaced hands gently. Emma just smiled into the older woman's neck as she drifted back off to sleep.
Sometime later Regina finally awoke when she felt a breath tickling her neck. As she opened her eyes she felt something warm against her left side. She turned her head and found Emma snuggled into her side, blonde hair cascading around her chest and shoulder from where the younger woman still had her head buried in the crook of her neck. As the brunette attempted to roll away she felt her left leg trapped between the blonde's leg and she finally noticed that her left hand was laced with another hand.
Great I am holding hands with Emma Swan. As if our relationship needs any more complications. Although this is very nice. And I did seem to sleep well. I can't really complain about waking up next to, and entangled with, a beautiful woman.
It was at this point that Regina noticed that the ship was barely moving. There was no rocking back and forth or crazy storms taking place anymore. She remembered the night before when she and Emma were thrown around a few times on their mattresses and bumping into each other, due to the storm, both women apologizing if their bodies came into contact with one another. Regina scoffed silently at the predicament the two of them were in now.
She smiled as she thought about one of the last times they were thrown against each other last night, before they finally both drifted off to sleep.
The ship had thrown both of them roughly to the right and Emma had hit the wall with her back. Regina, had of course, been thrown that way as well and was pressed flush up against the blonde. Both women blushed as their legs and bodies tangled, the force of the ship pushing them together and not allowing them to separate. Once the ship righted itself Regina and Emma both rolled, this time the blonde half on top of the brunette. Before Emma could push herself away the ship tilted to the left and the women rolled again, this time the blonde pinning down Regina. Both women were very well aware of the rapid heartbeats of the other, but neither called attention to it. The ship finally righted itself but Emma had yet to move.
"Miss Swan do you mind?" Regina asked with a raised eyebrow
"Oh, right, sorry" she muttered as she pushed herself off of the older woman and rolled back to her designated mattress
Regina was brought back to the present when she heard a soft snore escape from the blonde. She held back a laugh before reaching across her body with her right hand and brushing some of the hair out of the younger woman's face. Then she shook her shoulder softly.
"Emma"
When she got no response she shook the blonde again.
"Emma"
The blonde only responded by tightening her hold on the brunette's waist at the same time she tightened her legs around Regina's as she attempted to bury her face deeper into the older woman's neck. Regina sighed and rolled her eyes before trying a different approach.
"MISS SWAN wake up and remove yourself from me immediately" she said in a loud and forceful tone
Emma jerked awake, snapping her head up quickly and looking around, still half asleep and obviously confused. Regina could only smirk as she watched the blonde react to the scene around her. Emma's eyes grew larger when she noticed she was holding hands with the brunette and when she realized she had trapped Regina's leg in between her own.
The blonde cleared her throat and blushed as she opened her legs so that Regina could have hers back, "Sorry. Ummm…I don't usually…It's really odd…I'm really not a snuggler"
"Could've fooled me" the brunette stated, still smirking as she sat up next to the blonde
Emma looked over at the other woman, waiting to be berated for crossing onto her mattress and snuggling, even though she was fairly certain the brunette initiated the hand holding. When no yelling took place Emma continued to stare at Regina. She smiled as she noticed how beautiful she looked, her dark hair messy and the fact that her voice had that sexy sleep laden tone to it.
"What are you smiling at?" Regina asked as she looked at the blonde who had a goofy grin on her face
"What? Nothing…Just surprised you're not lecturing me on how I crossed the line while we were sleeping" Emma answered, trying to hide why she was really smiling
"Hmmm. Well I think as long as we never bring it up I will let it slide this time. Deal?"
Emma looked slightly surprised before she agreed, "Deal"
"Now the real reason I was attempting to wake you is because it appears we have passed through the storms. I'm not sure how long we've been in calm waters but I wanted to check it out. See how close we are"
"Good idea. But you had to wake me for that?"
Regina raised her eyebrow and smirked, "Well dear you had me wrapped up and trapped in your embrace and when I tried to get away you merely held me tighter"
Emma turned bright red, "Oh..Ummm…sorry"
Regina waited a beat before leaning closer to the other woman, "Don't be dear. I never said I didn't enjoy it" then she stood up and pulled on her boots before walking towards the door
Emma swallowed and was at a loss of words. The brunette paused at the door before turning around.
"Well, Emma, are you coming to see if we've made it to our destination yet? I mean you can try to go back to sleep if you prefer, but you won't have anyone to snuggle with" Regina said with a teasing smile
Emma groaned, she knew it would be awhile before Regina would stop teasing her about this situation. But she also didn't mind, she liked this side of the brunette.
"I'm coming" Emma replied as she pulled on her boots and then followed the brunette up to the deck.
A/N: As I said before I have about 5 chapters that have been completed for awhile. Hopefully I will get all of them up this week and I will work on the next chapter over the weekend. Let me know if you guys are enjoying the story!