Darkness Prevails

Regina's body changed back into her normal form, her limbs were hurting after many years of being held still but her mind was just as sharp as the day Snow and David dared to defy her with the incantation they cast upon her.

The brunette looked down at the handsome young man kneeling before her, she thought he was bowing in obedience to her and smirked as she leaned down to pick his chin with her hand and place a deep kiss on his lips. Emma blinked her eyes in surprise because this wasn't something she had been expecting and it was the first time she ever kissed another woman. Her mind was drifting since she was still weakened by the loss of magic she had suffered, but neither Regina nor the blonde knew it had been her sleeping power what awakened the Evil Queen.

- "Thank you for helping me, my pet." The Evil Queen whispered over Emma's flushed lips.
- "What's your name?" Regina asked the blonde.
- "It's Em… Henry." The blonde remembered she was dressed up in her thief disguise.
- "Really?" The brunette asked again.
- "Yes… Why?" Emma answered.
- "That's my father's name." She told the blonde.

The brunette stretched her neck and walked toward the exit to the cave, she turned around to look at the man standing on the same spot she left him.

- "Aren't you coming, dear? Or do I need to put a leash on you?" Regina said.
- "Huh… sure… Your Majesty." Emma answered and walked behind her.

Regina made the rock in front of her explode and clear the way out for them. At the other side, Robin and his merry men were mounting on their steeds to escape. The Evil Queen looked at them and moved her hand to summon a purple smoke that engulfed them and laughed as they started to spin inside the magical twister. Emma couldn't believe what she was seeing and she didn't want to see her friends hurt by the woman she had just brought back to life. So she jumped in front of Regina and grabbed the brunette's hand with a strong grip, catching her by surprise and making her stop playing with the terrified group of men.

- "You'll have to go through me first." The blonde threatened.
- "Since when do ducks aim at vows?" Regina laughed.
- "Don't ruin my humble present, my little apprentice!" Rumplestiltskin yelled at Regina with amusement.
- "Your present? This reckless thief?" Regina pointed at the blonde.
- "Well, that reckless thief just saved you. Did he not?" The Dark one said to her, marking the word "he" as he knew Henry's true identity.
- "How long has it been?" Regina asked him.
- "Twenty-eight years, dearie." Rumplestiltskin replied.
- "And you come just now? What kind of friend are you?" The brunette questioned resentful.
- "I did bring you a present. That's what counts." The imp said with no remorse.

Regina rolled her eyes with disgust and beckoned Henry to come closer to her. Emma followed against her better judgment and Regina slapped her in the face.

- "That's for defying me." The brunette said before she grabbed Emma's face again and planted another sultry kiss to her lips. "And this is for having enough… guts to do so." She added.

Rumplestiltskin giggled, amused by what he was seeing. The brunette had no idea she was kissing her archenemies' daughter and this was too amusing for the evil imp.

- "Well, I'll leave you and your pet now that you are free. You might want to visit some old friends next." He said before vanishing in a dark red mist.
- "I have a better idea." Regina murmured as her eyes traveled over her toy-boy's features.

A purple smoke swallowed both of them and in a matter of seconds, Mistress and pet were standing in the middle of Regina's bedchambers back in the dark castle.

- "Place looks dusty." Henry nervously commented.
- "You're right about that." Regina said and snapped her fingers, making the place look shiny again.
- "Now, where were we?" The beautiful woman in black velvet asked her pet.
- "You said you had a better idea…" The blonde mumbled.
- "That's right. Let's see if you have any useful skills, other than a sharp memory." Regina told her.
- "I'm good with swords and I can tell when people are lying." The nervous princess said.
- "Really? Let's see that. Ask me something." Regina was curious about him.
- "Are you going to kill me?" She asked.
- "That depends on how resourceful you turn out to be." Regina answered.
- "You need to improve your questions, dear." The dark lady added.
- "Yeah, have you ever been in Snow White's castle?" The blonde asked her.
- "Don't you ever mention that name again in my presence!" The brunette yelled at her pet.
- "Have you?" Emma insisted.
- "You really lack the ability to fear. Why do you care if I have been there?" Regina asked back.
- "Because I feel like I know you from before, but I don't know how." The young man revealed.

Regina looked closer at him. She looked deep into green eyes trying to see if she had indeed seen that face in the past, but this was the first time she saw Henry and he was too young to be an acquaintance from her youth. Even though she didn't recognize his features, she felt her heart pound against her ribcage again. She felt the same warmth that invaded her when she had her hand inside Snow's chest. Love? She had a vague idea of how that felt.

- "I shall have some rest now. Leave my chambers." The brunette ordered.
- "But you haven't answered my…" Henry complained.
- "Have I not made myself clear?" Regina interrupted.
- "Where should I go?" He asked.
- "Wherever. I don't care. Get out of my sight." Regina replied as she walked to her bed.
- "Lady, you're crazy." Emma thought in a loud voice, a bad habit she had.
- "Excuse me?" Regina turned around incredulously of what she heard.
- "You bring me here and then you throw me out. Just make up your mind, woman." The ruthless blonde carelessly spoke.
- "I could cut your tongue or rip out your heart, stupid brat!" The dark lady said, walking dangerously in direction of the blonde.
- "Try." Emma challenged.

Regina grinned with malice as she stretched her hand and pushed it into the reckless blonde's chest, but what happened next wasn't something she expected. Her hand failed to grab hold of the man's heart. It was difficult to even keep her hand still inside his chest.

- "What are you?" Regina looked up from chest to the eyes of her earlier savior.
- "Human." Was Henry's answer.

Regina was in shock as this had never happened before but it was even more confusing how the reckless blonde seemed to be oblivious of what was going on. He either had no idea of how things were supposed to work or he had a card up his sleeve and Regina would for sure find out what it was.

The brunette slowly retrieved her hand looking at green eyes with mixed fear and awe. Emma felt the sudden urge to hold Regina close and she followed her instincts, grabbing the brunette by the waist and pulling the slender figure tight against her own. She looked into brown eyes with gentleness and leaned forward to trap the lady's crimson lips in a passionate kiss.

Regina was confused and had no idea how things were changing so fast and strangely for her. She was incapable of love, it was weakness and her mother had even cursed her to harden her heart and prevent it from ever housing such a feeling inside. But the lips pressed against hers were magically shattering the shell enclosing her darkened heart. She could only think about Daniel, her True Love while kissing the stranger's lips.

- "What do you think you're doing?!" Regina said after breaking the kiss that was rapidly escalating into something more.
- "Claiming what is mine." The blonde answered.
- "Pardon?" The brunette blinked her eyes in bewilderment.
- "Regina, it's me. Daniel." The blonde whispered.
- "What? But you died! Wait, is this some kind of joke?" She questioned.
- "Who died? What joke?" The blonde shook her head and asked.
- "You… Daniel." Regina replied with confusion.

Regina was even more confused than her pet, asHenry had no idea what they were talking about now. It was as if another person had been talking to her just seconds ago.

The brunette pushed Henry away and ordered him to sleep over one of the couches facing the hearth. She went to her own bed and tried to fall asleep but, given the circumstances, she couldn't manage to stop her mind from going on about the possibility of Daniel's soul being reborn inside the unruly blonde. Maybe she was being given a second chance after all.