The bell at the entrance of the store tinkled when the door opened. The two women walked to the counter, but nobody seemed to be in the shop. Emma approached the glass unicorns that made up the mobile of her former cradle while Regina contemplated the remains of the world she had belonged to. Many trinkets were still exposed near magic objects or expensive things that their owners should come soon to claim.
"How can I help you ladies?"
Mr. Gold was standing there. He was leaning on his cane, staring amusedly at this newly established duo.
"You can take that little grin out of your lips Mr. Gold, the mask is dropped for everyone."
The man concentrated on the Mayor for a moment before advancing towards the counter.
"Yours was much heavier to wear than mine, Your Majesty."
Emma wondered what was the story of these two fairy tale characters. They must have known difficult times to confront each other in such a burning gaze fight.
The blonde approached and decided to put an end to this uncomfortable situation.
"Mr. Gold, you already know that Henry fell into a deep coma, didn't you?"
"Thanks to our great sovereign, yes."
Regina made a considerable effort not to respond to this attack, she let Emma continue while crossing her arms of annoyance.
The blonde quickly watched Regina's reactions and continued.
"We need your help … We didn't find a solution and Henry remains an unconscious little boy in a hospital room."
"If I understand correctly I am … if I can say … your only hope. You sunk to a new low, dearie."
The satisfied smile on the face of the former Dark One almost took Emma to her breaking point, she restrained herself as much as Regina to wring his neck.
"You could say that … Do you have a solution to our problem?"
Gold turned away from the two women, responding lasciviously.
"You already know the solution. True love, a kiss and poof!"
He waved his hand as he walked toward the curtain leading to the back shop.
Emma didn't give him time to go far.
"We have already tried this! When I kissed Henry's forehead, the curse of Storybrooke broke, but not my son's. Then Regina and I mollycoddled him and our love for him is as pure as those described in your fairy tales."
Emma could swear to have heard a laugh from Gold, a mad laugh. He turned one last time to answer the sheriff he didn't believe so naive.
"Continue searching, Miss Swan. In my humble opinion, you have simply mistaken the target."
Then he disappeared behind the curtain, leaving Emma and Regina even more lost than before their meeting.
xxx
They met for dinner, at Regina obviously since they needed to be alone together and the Charming parents of Emma would have persisted to overwhelm them with questions – to which they have no answer at the moment.
"I don't understand how you could have been mistaken the 'target', Emma …"
Regina had decided to go back to a more casual manner of speaking to talk to the blonde who faced her. Emma looked up at the brunette, smiling at her slightly while hoping that she doesn't understand how she liked that she calls her by her first name.
"I don't understand either. Who's the target he told us about? I don't trust him. He probably said the first thing that comes to his head, making us believe he had the information we wanted."
"No you're wrong, dear. Rumplestiltskin may be cunning, selfish and a manipulator, but he's not a liar. When he gives information, you can trust him. That said, I don't understand why he didn't try to make a deal since he seemed to know the solution to our problem."
Her head in the clouds, Emma didn't answer, preferring to think herself about what seemed to escape her.
At the end of the meal, they remained next to each other in the living room sofa, each with a glass in the hand. Their discussion was a little off topic, the main 'topic' of their lives right now being their son, to talk about the Enchanted Forest.
Emma had so many questions to ask. Regina left untold some altercations with Snow-White and Emma didn't want to know how many deaths could have caused the former Evil Queen.
The mayor was now telling her story with Daniel and his tragic death. A tear fell from her eyes, but it was soon wiped by Emma's fingers who couldn't stand to see the woman crying. Regina didn't move back, instead of that she simply enjoyed the tender and affectionate touch granted to her. Surprised by her own actions but also by Regina's lack of reaction, Emma now let herself gently caress the cheek of the brunette, finding the same strange feeling as before. She watched her own hand go back and forth, then she stared at the luscious and surely soft lips of her son's adoptive mother. Regina had closed her eyes to fully enjoy the sensation, but she ends up opening them again to find Emma now dangerously close to her. She felt the eyes of the blonde on her own lips become so intense that she felt compelled to call her.
"Emma?"
"Hm?"
"Is everything alright?"
"Hm …" Emma finally locked her eyes in Regina's and then stammered. "Hm yeah … Everything is fine, thank you. I– I'm sorry … I was lost in my thoughts and …"
She was cut off by Regina's laughter, a sound she hadn't heard for a long time which contributed to accelerate her heartbeat exponentially.
"I think you have been drinking enough alcohol for tonight …"
Regina took the glass from her hands and put it on the coffee table. She herself didn't understand what had happened. For a moment, she no longer had control over her emotions. Only, she didn't think Emma would have the same reaction.
"Again, I'm sorry Regina. I am tired and it plays tricks on me …"
"Or my sad stories have curious effects on you …"
She took a sip of cognac and took advantage of the glass to hide her mocking smile. She admitted, of course, that the fatigue and the alcohol had provoked in Emma this strange attitude, but nonetheless attractive. She didn't know why, but recently Regina had been attracted to the Sheriff of her town. She has never been really attracted to women. At least, no woman had provoked her so much emotion as at the moment.
Emma watched Regina make fun of her unceremoniously and she felt that the well-being of the mayor had become an essential thing for her. And to think that she had wished her death a few days before …
She smiles silently and put Regina's glass in her turn. Without permission and without knowing the consequences of her act, she began to place herself between the arms of the brunette laid in the sofa. In the moment, Regina remained frozen, but she felt that this moment shouldn't be ruined by one of her sarcastic retorts that she usually used to say when she felt uncomfortable. Emma held her breath for a short time then relaxed when she felt Regina's arms embraced her, giving her back her hug. They both need comfort and couldn't hope for better than the arms of the one who lived the same drama.
The next morning, Regina woke up on this same sofa and was more comfortable than the day before. Her body was completely lying down, a heavy weight against her, a reassuring warmth that she didn't want to leave. It took her a moment to understand that it was Emma and to remember the night before. She had felt strange feelings that she didn't intend to try to understand, the situation could become even more embarrassing then she would have to break down the walls she had took so long to build around her heart. She felt Emma move slightly and moan in her sleep, Regina retained her laugh as the blonde moved more and more. She tried to wake her gently when Emma ends up moaning her name in a hot breath. Regina froze, caught by a sudden heat in her belly.
This blonde made her feel so much emotion!
