Leave a Light On

Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of its characters.

A/N: Endless thanks to MegannRosemary, any description that sounds good in this chapter, is only because of her. You are amazing! I seriously can't thank you enough.


They had reached Neverland at last, after sailing for what felt like forever. They set foot on the sandy shores with shaky limbs and trepidation fluttering in their hearts. They were able to breathe a collective sigh of relief, knowing that they were finally a step closer to Henry. A jovial sort of teasing began with nervous laughter and faint smiles when the seafaring Storybrookers stumbled around as if they were inebriated.

Emma couldn't help herself from, clutching at Regina's elbow to keep herself and the brunette upright. For a few minutes, she allowed herself to daydream, imagining Regina in another life where she was free to let loose and have a few drinks. She could imagine her drunkenly teaching Emma to waltz and with their bodies pressed together... No, she had to stop those thoughts right there.

They didn't last for as they began to walk through the thick forest that occupied the island, the humid air and heavy fog pressed in on them. It became increasingly more difficult to breathe and increasingly more evident that they couldn't in fact be further away from finding Henry, with no idea as to where to start or what the plan to get him out of there was. An eerie symphony of sounds seemed to echo off of the trees, rattling their nerves and setting the group on edge.

The inky darkness surrounded them, weighing heavy on their souls, and they soon had no choice but to stop in the first small clearing they found. By the light of the moon that managed to shine through the dense foliage, they launched into a discussion about their options. A hero, a villain, a pirate...none could come to a conclusion. The discussion soon proved pointless and Regina stormed away in frustration. It wasn't long before curiosity got the better of her and Emma slipped away unnoticed to follow the tense brunette, while the others continued to argue.


Without the annoying incessant chatter of her traveling companions, the hiss of rain and the rustle of leaves of the forest were oddly calming. "These idiots!" She said out loud to herself when she thought she was alone at last. She took pleasure in the way her sole voice echoed through the night.

"Regina?" Emma called out after her.

"What!" The brunette snapped.

"Geez, don't bite my head off."

"What do you want?"

"I just didn't want to hang out with my parents any longer." Emma lied. Honestly, she was concerned about the older woman, but she knew this wasn't something that would go over well with Regina.

"Go away, Emma."

"Nope, not going away." Emma stated stubbornly, toned arms crossed over her chest.

"There's a whole damn island for you to walk around." Regina replied, with annoyance dripping from every syllable.

"Well that whole damn island doesn't have you." Emma blurted, regretting it immediately. What the hell was it about this woman that she was so drawn to?

"I should be used to you being such a nuisance." Regina replied with a mix of amusement and frustration.

"Regina, why don't you just talk to me instead of trying to fight. We are on the same side, you know? I want to find Henry too."

"I know. I just…" Regina hesitated. She needed so desperately not to feel alone in this moment, yet all she had ever known was being alone. Trusting others never had worked out well for her, but she was having trouble keeping Emma at a distance. "I feel so helpless; I don't know how to save my own son." Defeat reflected in deep brown eyes. "What good is it having all this power if I'm unable to help the person I love the most."

"We will figure it out, Regina. I promise." Emma reached out and softly squeezed Regina's arm, trying to reassure her. "Um… When I first got to Storybrooke," she decided that trying to open up might be a good thing, even if it was impossibly hard for her. "I had no idea how to be a mother. I felt completely inadequate, and like I couldn't take care of my son. I still feel like that a lot. I can't even hope to measure myself up against you… You are the perfect mother." Emma sighed, a pang of guilt darkening her expression.

"How can you say that I'm the perfect mother, when my son hates me?" Regina mouthed barely audible, self loathing etched in her face.

"He doesn't hate you, Regina." The blonde comforted.

The brunette closed her eyes for a few seconds, attempting to hold herself together.

"Listen, we worked against each other back then, let's work together this time." Emma added with a hopeful look.

She nodded and gave Emma a genuine smile that reached her eyes. Regina stared at the blonde in awe by her openness; it was a strange feeling having someone trust her like that. She had always been so guarded and knew nothing about sharing her feelings, but the younger woman made her want to try.

"Do you truly believe that we can work together?" The brunette inquired.

"Yeah, I do. I have to believe it. Isn't that what you told me when we were on the boat? That it wasn't all just up to me, that we had to work together?"

"I guess I did. You do listen sometimes." Regina said with wide eyes in mock astonishment.

"On occasion."

"For what it's worth…. I think you are a great mother, Emma." Regina added cautiously.

Emma hesitated, surprised by the other woman's comment. She responded the only way she knew how to when she felt uncomfortable, with the easy teasing they always fell into. "Is that a compliment you just gave me, Madam Mayor?" she smirked.

"Don't count on hearing it again, Miss Swan."

They both shared an honest laugh as they stared into each other's radiant eyes. They couldn't be sure what this new connection they were sharing was, but they felt less lonely because of it, things felt just a bit brighter.

"We should go back to the camp and try to rest; we will need to be at our best to defeat Pan." Emma said, interrupting the moment.

"You're right."

Emma smiled at Regina and turned around to head towards the camp.

"Emma?" Regina called out.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you." The brunette expressed with a sincere smile.

"You're welcome. Now let's go before I drop dead from exhaustion." Emma huffed with an exaggerated sigh.

"Always the drama queen, dear." Regina replied with a small tug on her lips.

They both headed back to the camp site in silence. Regina walked slightly ahead of Emma, while Emma couldn't help noticing how graceful and regal the brunette woman always appeared, despite the circumstances. Her hair looked silky and shiny, her skin so soft. Emma's gaze trailed down the perfect body, along those beautifully toned legs and when her eyes reached the ground she saw something that seemed to be taken out of a horror movie. There was a snake dangerously close to the unsuspecting brunette.

"Regina!" Emma screamed desperately.

Regina quickly turned around when she heard the blonde yell her name, immediately noticing the look of sheer terror on the paler than normal woman.

Emma's hand shot towards the snake on instinct, a blue stream of magic flowing from her fingers and instantly setting the snake on fire.

"You did that?" Regina was shocked, her gaze alternating between the smoking snake next to her foot and the horrified blonde.

"I… I guess I did." Emma stuttered staring unbelievingly at her hands.

"I'm impressed." Regina smiled proudly.

"Shit," the blonde breathed out.

"Are you alright, dear?" The brunette offered while trying to keep a straight face. She had to admit that Emma could be quite… endearing.

"Um… y-yeah. How are you so calm, I almost had a heart attack!"

"A snake is hardly the scariest thing I've faced. Lets head back before we run into something even less pleasant, shall we?"

They hurried back in companionable silence, enjoying the peacefulness of the forest while it lasted. They hesitated at the edge of the clearing, sharing the unspoken hope that the rest of the evening would be argument and snake free.


The group had set camp in the forest, deciding to explore the island the next morning. Everybody had been asleep for a few hours, David holding Mary Margaret and Hook as far away from everyone as possible. The fire was still going and it would hopefully help keep any other creatures away. While neither was unfamiliar with staying at barely accommodating places, this was the first night they'd spent at the jungle and they were less than thrilled about it. They had no idea what other surprises would be waiting for them, but they were certain that they wouldn't be pleasant.

Makeshift beds were organized with much grumbling and playful teasing in an attempt to lighten the mood. The weary travelers turned down for the night, slowly the noise of the campsite died down until the only ones who were still awake were the two women.

"Goodnight, Regina."

"Goodnight."

They shared a warm smile as they attempted to get comfortable.

Regina had been teetering between the sleeping world and reality, when she heard a noise that immediately alerted her.

"Please… no…." Emma whimpered painfully.

Regina, who had set up for the night close to the blonde, telling herself it was the only sensible choice. No way would she be close to Snow and Charming or that creepy pirate. She reached over to the other woman trying to calm her down, but the nightmare seemed to be intensifying. Emma's breathing was becoming erratic and she started thrashing in her makeshift bed.

"Emma, wake up." Regina spoke firmly, squeezing the blonde's hand.

Emma's was still immersed in her nightmare; her next cry was loud and anguished. It was enough to make Regina's mind up; she had to wake Emma.

"Emma! You need to wake up now!" Something about seeing the blonde so broken made her heart ache. She moved closer to the tormented woman and shook her carefully at first and with increasing force until green eyes shot open.

Emma sat up breathing heavily, her whole body shaking. "Wh- R'gina?" she choked out.

"You were having what seemed to be quite a bad nightmare." Regina tried to keep her usual calm and composed tone, when she was anything but that. The urge to physically comfort and protect the other woman was overwhelming; she was struggling to keep her emotions in check.

"Thank you… f-for waking me up." The blonde muttered, still visibly shaken up.

"Would you like to talk about it? It's only the second time I've seen you sleeping and both times you've had nightmares." Regina reasoned.

"I usually have them…" Emma replied with a small voice.

"What are they about?" The brunette prodded.

The troubled expression on the other woman's face made her unsure about pushing any further.

"We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. But I'm here if you do."

"Well…" Emma paused, uncertain about how to continue. "A lot of them are about my childhood and some of my foster parents. They… let's just say they came up with interesting ways of punishing me. I was always in trouble, nothing I did was right." Emma took a deep breath trying to push back the tears threatening to spill, and continued. "Since Henry was taken I've been dreaming that I can't save him… that I lose him. I already gave him up once; I'm not giving up on him this time." A couple of tears rolled down her cheeks. She played with her hands avoiding Regina's gaze. "It's the same sense of helplessness I've always felt, that I'm just not good enough…" her voice broke and she had to stop talking.

The older woman reached for one of her hands and with the other hand gently wiped away Emma's stray tears.

"We'll find Henry, Emma. You're not alone anymore." She reassured, her chest ached to hold the other woman and take away all that self doubt.

"Thank you." She muttered with a sad smile.

The almost uncontrollable urge to take Emma's pain away only intensified. She didn't deserve to feel worthless and not good enough. Regina attempted to push these feelings aside, since this thought path would not lead anywhere safe.

"Do you think you can go back to sleep?" The brunette inquired.

"I can try."

"I'll be right here if you need me." Regina cursed inwardly at herself for sounding so willing. Emma was slowly breaking down all of the walls she had so carefully constructed over the years, and she didn't think she could stop it.

They both lay back down on their makeshift beds, Emma sighing deeply, her eyes tightly shut, dreading the nightmares that she knew would keep coming. Regina reached for her hand, her need to reassure the blonde overpowering her desire to appear unfazed. They shared an affectionate glance, before closing their eyes again and drifting off.


When the morning sun filtered through the dense forest branches, Emma stirred awake, slowly coming back to reality. The unfamiliar weight on her hand, gave her pause and she cracked her eyes open, squinting against the bright sunlight. She saw long elegant fingers entwined with her own, realizing that Regina was asleep and still holding her hand.

A wide grin spread over her features, warmth settling inside her chest as she recalled the events from the previous night. Her eyes travelled to the beautiful sleeping brunette, seeing her completely unguarded for the first time. It was a breathtaking sight.


Thank you so much for reading! Any comments / suggestions are greatly appreciated.