An Evil Sense of Fashion part 3
"Because I've seen the future"
At Emma's casual statement Regina looked up at the blonde, taking in the calmness there, the certainty, there seemed no deceit or duplicity in her companion. Buying herself time to deal with the presence of Emma so close, so enticingly close, Regina spoke.
"The future, pray tell what does it hold?" Emma let her eyes roam over Regina's face for a moment, taking her in, before she turned and strolled away across the room, giving Regina the opportunity to admire Emma's form from behind, something not lost when the Dark One glanced back over her shoulder and caught Regina's eyes trailing down over her ass, drawing a sly smile from the blonde.
Regina inwardly cursed, this new Dark One was all too successful in keeping her off balance; she had to get her head straight if they were ever to return Emma to who she truly was. Mind you, she'd never in any way found herself attracted to Rumplestiltskin, the thought alone turned her stomach; Emma Swan on the other hand was far too distracting. Before she could speak however Emma turned and asked a question.
"Rumplestiltskin had the power of prophecy, did he not?" At Emma's words Regina tipped her head, the question in her eyes matched in her tone.
"Don't you know? You carry the Dark One inside you after all" Emma shook her head before replying.
"Not really, I know some things, others are there but I can't really understand them, I think it's got something to do with the whole child of True Love thing, it's like some of that knowledge and power is locked away until I become completely dark" Regina frowned at the words before speaking.
"Let us hope it never comes to that my dear"
"You're not wrong there Regina" Emma tilted her head to one side for a moment to regard her companion then nodded. "You were telling me about prophecy" Regina nodded slowly as Emma motioned towards the two chairs sitting side by side, Regina moving over and gracefully seating herself as Emma did the same. Glancing at the empty brandy balloon on the table, with a gentle wave of the hand Emma refilled it, leaving it sitting alongside a newly conjured twin even as Regina nodded graciously and spoke.
"Indeed I was dear. As I recall, the imp would rarely create a spell to allow him to see the future, it always took a lot out of him thus he didn't do it very often" Regina shrugged. "He did not wish to appear weak in front of people who might consider taking advantage of that weakness" Emma suddenly grinned before interjecting.
"Like you" Regina smiled a little at Emma's perspicuity before continuing.
"Very likely" Emma nodded slowly as her smile faded then looked up at the room's ceiling, her eyes unfocused as if she was seeing something there before she spoke quietly, a hint of reflection in her tone.
"I can see the future, not with some spell or potion, I can just see the options; maybe it's something to do with the power of the Dark One allowing me to access the power of the magic innate within me." She suddenly snorted. "Rumplestiltskin was a fool, there is no future set in stone, every choice we makes changes the future, it's like a tangled path of weaved threads" She tilted her head back down as her eyes focused to regard Regina. "I could make a choice here tonight and depending on that choice, the future changes" Regina frowned gently and replied.
"You choose?" Emma nodded slowly as she spoke.
"Well we all do, but the choices we make rarely affect too many others, few people are that powerful. Most people's choices only affect their lives in small ways, unless that make truly life-altering decisions like putting a gun to their head and pulling the trigger" She shrugged. "I wouldn't recommend it" Regina nodded slowly, wondering what exactly was being left unsaid in that statement before pressing on.
"So what exactly do you see?" Emma's eyes unfocused for a moment then closed, her voice when it spoke had a slightly dreamy quality, as if her mind and focus was preoccupied elsewhere.
"Right here tonight, you and I together, is a nexus, a vast number of threads have led to us sitting here, before they fan out to a vast multitude of possible futures, all dependent on what happens here tonight, the decisions we both make" Regina didn't miss the inclusive statement and frowned, 'we both make…', concerned she decided to prompt Emma.
"Really?" Emma's voice started to firm up as she came back from wherever her mind had gone.
"Yep, I can see the lines of your life coming together, meshing with mine then spreading out to your possible futures, same as mine" Emma opened her eyes and smiled at Regina. "In a surprising number of them though, the threads afterwards are entwined, but maybe it's not so surprising" She looked into the fire before glancing at Regina slyly out of the corner of her eye and continuing. "Our magic always was more powerful when we were acting in concert"
Regina nodded at that, it had always been so, after all they had once eclipsed the moon together and they'd come so far since then…Regina glanced at her companion and spoke carefully.
"So you see that continuing?" Emma nodded once.
"If we make the right choices tonight, both of us" Regina frowned slightly, right choices implied wrong choices as well.
"And what are these choices?" Instead of answering Emma silently raised her glass in a toast to her companion then sipped from her brandy, smiling gently at the flavour then placing it back on the table with a definitive click, loud in the quiet room, before sitting back, placing her elbows on the arms of the chair and lacing her fingers together, regarding Regina over them through calculating eyes for a long moment as Regina waited her out before Emma finally replied.
"Lots of threads of our lives have all led here, to you and me sitting right here. Both of us, we're powerful Regina; even before the Dark One got involved, you've always been powerful and so have I" Regina nodded slowly, it was a statement of fact, Emma apparently had finally accepted that truth. "I was just unaware of it, oblivious really" Regina nodded again, Emma had always had the potential and now, with the vast black magic power of the Dark One allied to the white magic power of the Savior, Emma might well be the most powerful sorcerer in all existence, not that Regina wanted to face that reality just yet, instead temporising once more.
"I always said you had potential and were wasting it" Emma nodded slowly as she settled further back in her chair, gazing into the fire for a moment then finally speaking.
"And you were right" Emma was silent for a while as Regina played along, giving Emma the time she needed before the blonde finally, quietly, continued. "I've seen variant paths to the future; where the Dark One stayed in Rumplestiltskin, where Hook became the Dark One, or Henry, or you, where you and I stand defiantly at the gates between dimensions and lead an army of heroes to battle a vast, unending hoard of the undead, where you rule the Enchanted Forest once more, or I do, where we save the world, or destroy it" She shrugged. "I've seen it where you stab me in the stomach with the dagger, in another we stand with our husbands, Robin and Hook, as we see Henry marry a stunning young woman and watch him raise four beautiful children" For a moment Regina couldn't help but smile...'Henry'.
"Is he happy?" Obviously surprised by the question Emma turned her head to regard Regina for a heartbeat then spoke quietly.
"He was, but that's not part of his future anymore" Regina frowned; all she asked was that he be happy.
"Why not?" Emma glanced away to the fire for a moment before replying, her voice soft.
"Everything changed when the Dark One sought a new host. We're really lucky it ended up with me" Regina looked at her with dismay, her voice carrying something of the same tinge.
"Lucky, you call this predicament lucky?" Emma turned her head to stare at Regina for a moment before turning her attention back to the fire and answering slowly but firmly, steel evident in her voice.
"Yes, because if you had been taken by the Dark One, you would have eventually been driven irrevocably mad, descending into truly irredemable evil" Emma looked back at Regina as she continued, her voice bleak as winter snow. "In that timeline Henry eventually killed himself to escape your pursuit after you tortured me to death" Regina felt the blood draining from her face at the words.
"No..." She breathed the word, quiet and soft and full of pain as Emma turned and leaned forward, her hand reaching out to rest next to Regina's arm, both felt the connection between them, the purple and grey tendrils of their magic reaching out for each other and entwining as Emma spoke, her voice soft.
"Don't worry Regina, that's not going to happen now, because you aren't the Dark One" Regina looked down to where her skin was growing warm and tingling at the mystic contact, before raising her head to look into the sparkling green eyes watching her and spoke, her voice soft and questioning.
"But you are, so what does happen now?"
"It depends" Emma looked away for a moment, her eyes unfocused as if staring at something far away only she could see, before coming back to Regina. "In one path I walk out of here, I leave and exile myself in another dimension, an empty one, one where I can't hurt anyone" One shoulder rose and fell, as if the idea was of no real concern. "I go mad there, but the madness prevents the Dark One from properly accessing our combined powers and we're trapped there, at least until I eventually die, when even the Dark One's magic can't keep this shell alive anymore" Regina felt the guilt and shame rise within her at the blonde's words even as a hand clenched around her heart at the thought of Emma exiled from her.
"Oh Emma... I am so sorry..." Emma's raised hand interrupted Regina's apology, the brunette felt the break in contact between their magic keenly even as the blonde glanced down at Regina's arm; obviously she felt the loss too, before she looked back up and spoke.
"That's not the most likely ending Regina, equally likely is that I transport all of us back to the Enchanted Forest where I rule everyone, or you do" Emma shrugged then continued. "Though why I'd condemn anyone to that primitive hell hole is beyond me. I enjoy modern technology and decent food far too much to do that to anyone" Regina pursed her lips then spoke.
"Then what exactly is likely?" Emma smiled guilelessly as she spoke.
"I tell you how I really feel about you and you do the same, and we walk out of here together" Regina held herself very still as she spoke, though she felt like screaming at the blonde.
"Together?" Emma's voice was as certain as the sunrise.
"Together Regina, you and I" Regina scoffed, nothing in her life was ever that easy.
"Just like that?" Emma nodded; the confidence in her voice was both reassuring and frightening.
"Exactly like that Regina" Regina chuckled, slightly bitterly then replied.
"Oh Miss Swan, if it were only that life, our lives, could ever be that simple" One blonde eyebrow lifted questioningly as Emma spoke.
"And why wouldn't it be?" Regina tried not to let her exasperation show.
"Not everyone is the Dark One, where choices are easy and consequences immaterial" Emma smiled, obviously unconcerned, prompting Regina to continue. "Well for one thing, what would Henry think?" At that Emma shrugged nonchalantly.
"The kid would be ecstatically happy, he loves both of us, the thought that both of his moms would be there for him, living together as a family, happy, he'd be over the moon at the idea" Regina suppressed a smile at the thought, Henry might indeed be happy at that, but still…
"And what of your parents, Snow would be stricken at the thought" Elegantly bare shoulders rose and fell at Regina's question before Emma spoke, her tone matching her words.
"Eh, so what, I don't give two hoots for what they think" Mystic green eyes met warmly sparkling brown. "Only two people's opinions count and we both know how Henry feels about this" Emma smiled, that lopsided smile that Regina realised she'd missed so damned much for such a short absence as the brunette smiled and played along with her.
"And the other?" Emma's smile widened as she replied.
"Well, that's up to you, but then you've never been one for particularly worrying about what other people think" As she spoke Emma slowly, deliberately lifted one leg and crossed it over the other, the red silk of her dress falling aside to revel a long and shapely leg, the contrast between the pale skin and the black leather straps of her heels wrapped around her calves a pleasing contrast, one Regina hadn't missed, nor the deliberation behind the move, though she strove to prevent her companion realising how much she'd enjoyed the sight, instead dragging them back onto the subject at hand.
"True, though the Emma I knew allowed herself to be swayed by what those around her felt and thought, is that no longer the case?" The blonde shrugged as she sat back and replied
"It depends, to be honest there's only two people whose opinions matter to me, everyone else can either get with the program or get lost for all I care" Regina nodded, Emma had indeed been changed by the Dark One's influence, she was less the Savior, rather more the way Regina had been as the Queen, more concerned with herself and to hell with the rest, though the white magic within her was keeping her from true darkness, fortunately for everyone.
Noticing Emma's smile as she sat back and sipped her brandy, green eyes casually sliding over Regina's body and legs, leaving Regina feeling ever more heated at the regard, the brunette realised that she had to get back into the game. Smiling inwardly, Regina leaned forward as she deliberately reached for her own drink, just enough to tantalise, with an effort keeping a straight face as Emma's eyes immediately fell into her cleavage, widening just slightly as they did, Regina allowing a small smirk to appear at Emma's reaction, one that widened as the blonde looked up into Regina's eyes and realised she'd been caught. Surprisingly though Emma didn't look away, instead she stared into Regina's eyes for a moment then slowly, deliberately allowed her eyes to travel slowly down over her face and back into her cleavage as she obviously appreciated the view. Regina let an eyebrow rise and spoke, a little teasingly.
"See something you like Miss Swan" The former Savior was completely unabashed.
"Hell yeah" Regina chuckled darkly, amused and a little aroused by the husky tone in Emma's voice as she leaned back before sipping her brandy, seeing the slight darkening in Emma's eyes as she took in Regina's body, lingering over her breasts before rising to meet Regina's eyes once again. "Well played Regina" The brunette let a slight smirk out, just for a second, before sobering, her voice losing the amused tone as she spoke seriously.
"What exactly do you want Emma?" The blonde took note of the sudden change of tone and leaned forward, placing the glass back on the table with one hand while gesturing between them with the other.
"I want you to be happy, I want us both to be happy, no more shitty men who don't treat us right, no more heartbreak, no more loneliness, I want to be happy, with you" Regina spoke softly.
"And you believe you can be, with me?" Emma nodded.
"I can see us together, the possible future we can have together is a good one Regina, we're happy, we make each other happy, Henry's happy with us both and the rest of the world comes to terms with it or gets the hell out of our way" Emma shrugged. "I want to be happy and I know you can make me happy, the same as I know I can make you happy too"
"And how would you do that Emma, you're very certain of yourself" The blonde shook her head and responded, her voice low and earnest.
"It's not hard Regina, I want to be there for you, be the last person you see when you fall asleep and the first when you wake, knowing I'll be there whenever you need me. No pressure, no stress, just the knowledge that we have each other, no matter what, there's someone who will always be there, through the good times and the bad" Emma shrugged then continued. "In a way we already are, you're the one person I can always count on, same as you can always count on me to be there for you too" Seeing the trepidation in Regina's face Emma pressed on.
"I want to treat you like we deserve to be treated Regina, as equals, as the strong, powerful and independent women we are, not weaklings hanging off the arm of Robin and Hook" Emma became more agitated as she spoke. "I don't want to be someone's trophy, their arm-candy, I don't want to be pursued and caught like some prize, that's not who I am, it's not what either of us are" Emma stood in a single fluid move and started restlessly pacing as her words continued to flow. "I watch you with Robin and he treats you like you're someone he has to protect, that you're his trophy, beautiful and fragile and delicate" She snorted softly. "Hell he's weak, always has been, always will be, compared to you he's barely worth your notice" Regina nodded reflectively and then spoke quietly.
"And Hook?" Emma stopped and shrugged, as if he was of no consequence, not anymore, then spoke.
"It was nice to be pursued, I won't deny it, he actually wanted more than a one night stand, but there's something clinging about him, I don't want someone clinging to me as their best chance for a better life, that's not what I want at all" She turned to face the brunette. "I want my equal, someone who shares my hopes, my dreams, who isn't afraid of my darkness and who makes me want to be better"
"And you believe that to be me?"
"Of course it is Regina, you already are" Emma's lip twisted in a half-smile as she pressed on. "You're the reason I'm here in Storybrook, I could have gone anywhere, done anything, but I couldn't leave, not when the two most important things in the universe are here" Regina nodded slowly, then stood in a single fluid movement, she couldn't sit still any longer, strolling over to the fireplace, appreciating the warmth, and spoke, not looking at the blonde.
"If we do this Emma, it won't be easy" The blonde spoke, the truth easily heard in her voice.
"Nothing important ever is Regina, look at everything we've had to overcome to get to where we are right now, any of that could have broken us but it didn't, we're here now, stronger than ever because of it" Regina let a slight snort out at that comment, given Emma was playing host to the Dark One 'stronger' wasn't the word she would have used.
"You seem sure of yourself" She heard footsteps as Emma slowly approached from behind, her voice growing closer as she replied.
"If there's one thing I've never been surer of Regina, it's you" There was a pause as Regina held herself very, very still. "You and Henry are the only sure things in my life, but they're also the only things that matter to me now"
Emma stood close behind Regina, so close the brunette fancied she could feel the heat on her back, the first tingles reappearing as their magic reached for each other, a gentle touch on her shoulder startling her before her eyes naturally fell closed as a soft kiss was pressed to her shoulder, her skin tingling as their magic flowed between them. Finally the soft, warm lips pulled away before Emma's' voice came to her, quiet with wonder.
"Well, I can honestly say that was the strangest kiss I've ever given someone" Regina opened her eyes and turned, seeing Emma with her hand to her lips, obviously that tingle had gone both ways. Regina smiled for a second, before the reality of what they were doing hit, forcing her to confront the reality that they were here together, each obviously desired the other, but was desire all that it was?
"Miss Swan, what are we doing?" The blonde shrugged as her hand dropped.
"We're being happy Regina, finally taking what we both want, what we need, so that we can be happy together" Regina pressed her lips together, it all sounded so easy but was it, what about…
"You seem quite sure that Henry will be happy with your proposed new arrangement, with the knowledge that his mothers are…involved" Emma smiled, happily unconcerned.
"We did live in New York for a year Regina, he got to meet lots of gay people there plus he got the diversity and sensitivity lectures at school" Regina waved her hand as if batting the objection away.
"But how can you be sure that he will be happy that his mothers, the two women he cares about most, will be living together, how can you be sure he will be accepting of two lesbians in his life?" Emma smiled and reached out, her hand coming up to rest against Regina's cheek as the other woman leaned into the touch, feeling the tingling start once more as the blonde spoke.
"He sure as hell didn't have a problem when he met two friends of mine, Olivia and Alex, they used to do the whole sitting thing back in New York, looking after Henry when I was out for the night" Emma smiled, a little fondly, and continued. "He loved spending time with them, to the point that he asked if I'd ever thought of getting together with a woman" Regina's eyes widened and she pulled her cheek away from the warm palm holding it, surprise in her voice.
"I beg your pardon?" Emma nodded as her hand fell away.
"Yeah, a cop I knew from my bail bond days and her girlfriend, a lawyer, Henry loved them both" Regina was nonplussed.
"Oh" Emma's amusement at Regina's reaction was easily seen in her eyes as she spoke.
"Yeah, oh" The smile on Emma's lips took away any sting. "So I don't think Henry will have any issues at all with us being together"
"And the rest of the town, you know Storybrook is hardly as accepting as New York" Regina frowned as a thought came to her. "Henry may be bullied at school because of it" Emma just favored her with a skeptical look, something that her voice carried as well.
"You're the former Queen now White Knight and the Mayor and I'm the former Savior now Dark One and the Sheriff, I kinda think that might make most people think twice" Emma shrugged. "Besides, I think the whole damned universe knows how protective we are about him" She paused and looked reflective for a moment then smiled as she continued. "God help any girl in this town he might wanna date" Regina scowled at the blonde, annoyance colouring her words.
"This is hardly a joking matter!" Unabashed, Emma's smile widened.
"Stop fighting the inevitable Regina, I know you want me, your magic want's mine, we care about each other, even when we were fighting we were the only people we could count on, we need to be together" Regina raised an eyebrow at the 'need' and the certainty in Emma's voice.
"You're very confident of yourself"
"You forget, I've seen the future, we're very happy together" She paused then continued. "Can't blame a girl for wanting to get started, after all there's so much we want to do"
Regina smiled for a moment in reply, it was true, she did want to see the blonde beneath her, writhing in pleasure and ecstasy with Regina's name on her lips as she shattered under her, and then allowing Emma to reciprocate, the thought alone was intoxicating. Regina had seduced enough innocent young girls in her days as the evil queen to know what she wanted but this was Emma, not some bed companion to be used and discarded afterwards.
"If, if we are to do this, it has to be long term Emma, I will not stand for something short term and tawdry, nor will I be your dirty little secret. If we are to do this we will do it openly" Emma shook her head immediately.
"I wouldn't have it any other way Regina, people either accept it or get the hell out of our life, 'cause that's what this is, our life, together" Regina smiled, matching the blonde's at that word, 'together', one word but with so much meaning, no matter what the world could throw at them, they would face it together. The thought of Snow and David and the Blue Fairy and all the others faced with the reality that their savior was with the evil queen well… that would fill them with dismay, a concept that brought its own dark thrill to her as she explained to her companion.
"The thought of the Savior being corrupted by the Evil Queen will terrify the peasants" Emma's smile grew at Regina's words.
"Oh Regina, I think you have it the wrong way round, it'll be you who'll be the one being corrupted"
"Really, you think so?" Emma's smirk was pure lascivious confidence.
"Oh Regina I know so" Regina let a dark smirk out as she contemplated what two accomplished mages could do together; the erotic possibilities alone were endless, and endlessly exciting... Regina's smirk widened at the thought as he spoke, waving her index finger at the blonde as her voice dropped to a low, inviting purr.
"Trust me dear, you really don't" Emma's eyebrow lifted as she spoke, her voice full of amusement.
"Why Regina, that almost sounds like a challenge" Regina matched the blonde's eyebrow lift as she spoke, warm amusement colouring her voice.
"Only if you're up for it" Emma gave her a small, sly smile and spoke.
"You, of all people should know I'm up for anything, for you" At those last few words Regina smiled at the blonde in front of her, feeling an unaccustomed joy welling up within her. Normally only Henry could elicit that particular, welcome warmth, but as Regina had come to admit to herself, there was another who shared her heart. It was only fair that Emma should know what she meant to her. Steeling herself Regina unconsciously straightened her back and spoke.
"Emma, I love you"