A/N: This chapter contains a little scene that might be M-Rated. There you have been warned.

IV. Atrial Tachycardia

"Hey Regina, wonder what people would think if I started singing my rendition of 'I feel pretty'?"

I roll my eyes and sigh, "Well, I can't vouch for others but I say that while there are no strait jackets in this realm dear, you may only give it ago once I'm far away from you."

"Huh, why's that?" Emma says while fidgeting with the white corset that nearly blends in with the rest of the white puritanical fabric she's wearing. Watching her try to breathe shallowly and getting more pissed off with each second is becoming highly entertaining. "Would it render you beyond the limits of your control not to set me on fire or something?"

"A word of caution dear, not only is exchanging oxygen with the air tricky in a corset but your impressive décolletage may fall out for someone else to enjoy with one wrong move or a painful deep breath should you be brave enough to try it."

Emma snorts and then tries to tug the corset up right in between the valley of her breasts, "Actually I really feel like I'm all dolled up to do some Princess Bride cosplay thing, only there are no Cliffs of Insanity here to jump off of. And shit, I really have no business wearing white."

I have to hide my laugh behind my hand because I don't really know if it's acceptable for me to laugh. Emma isn't laughing, in fact she's thoroughly distracted by her outfit that Snow has obviously coaxed her into. All I can say that's favorable about the dress is that Emma looks even more like an angel and thankfully the dress is not a dastardly shade of pink or worse poufy. Emma huffs, mumbles under her breath and then she lets her hands fall on her thighs. The fabric muffled light slap is the sound of submission as Emma finally gives up fiddling with her dress.

I've gotten used to the restrictive nature of the clothing here again and I absolutely didn't miss it in the slightest back in Storybrooke. However, today I chose an exceptionally tight deep red dress that at first I was afraid I could no longer fit into without some magical tailoring. I'd forgotten how the dress is more like a second skin and the black lace that covers my chest is quite teasing. I wore this dress solely to get a rise out of Emma, though so far she has yet to comment, but then again she's been preoccupied with her own dress.

I have never seen a woman so dead set on insuring a wardrobe malfunction in my life. I mean pulling on her dress isn't going to change its cut and I must say the cut of the dress is more daring than one would think of a Snow White approved dress. I smirk as the carriage jostles over the uneven road and Emma grunts as she slides sideways into me, not that we were sitting very far apart, but we're certainly closer now. Then Emma turns to look at me and yes with her hair down and in this light I think she is completely angelic, and the white dress only highlights that aspect about her even more.

"Okay, I gotta ask how can you breathe in that thing you're wearing? I mean not that I'm complaining about the view; just wow, because when you got in this this pimped out Darth Vader carriage of your's I think that everything, but one body part of mine, shorted out for a second."

I know which body part received a jolt and confess mine is currently behaving in a similar way, because when I saw Emma my heart had a strong reaction. However, I'm more subtle than my companion when the situation calls for it. Today Emma and I are traveling to get out of the castle, or moreover Henry asked me to get Emma out of the castle because Snow is arranging some sort of celebration. Today isn't just any other day in the Enchanted Forest for any of us brought back by the curse.

"Oh, by the way happy anniversary, dear. Or should I call you Princess Buttercup?"

Emma's eyes grow wider and it's a challenge to keep from laughing again. I do enjoy choosing my words carefully just to confound my favorite dolt.

"It's our anniversary? I didn't know. God, I'm sorry I can't keep up with the dates in this damn place." Emma rambles but then she gets this look on her face and she narrows her eyes at me. "Oh and never call me Princess Buttercup or even a Princess ever again or to hell with wishing because I will find a way to quit you, Dread Pirate Mills."

I glare at Emma to refrain from laughing, "You would do well to never insinuate that I'm anything like a pirate, even fictional ones to my knowledge."

Emma grins, "So I'm guessing by that burning glare in your dark sexy eyes and your evil resting bitch face you didn't mean a traditional couple-type deal anniversary for us? Or am I in trouble for real?"

"No, I didn't mean in conventional terms of our relationship." I say with an exasperated sigh because I really want to kiss that damn little smile off her face. "So don't go off looking for a gift or a calendar for conformation. But it has been one year to the day since the curse dragged me back here and you and our son decided to tag along."

"Aww, it's cute when you go all hardass to mask your squishy soft center on me."

"I could turn you into a rat." I say with a sneer and snap my fingers. "Just like that."

Emma snorts, "Now, now there's no need for you to turn me into that childhood pet you always wanted but couldn't have." She snaps her fingers at me. "Just like that."

"How about I expel you out of this moving carriage then, Miss Swan?"

Emma smirks while glaring at me, "I'd like to see you try."

A stare down with Emma has always been exciting and I'm more than relieved to see that tension, that has always been between us, still flares up despite the fact that I no longer wish to cause Emma any true harm.

"Careful Miss Swan, I may take your challenge seriously."

A few seconds pass and then Emma's face slowly morphs into pure happiness and she laughs. I give into the act too as Emma's hand finds mine and laces our hands together, palm to palm, fingers intertwined.

"God, you're a riot." Emma says with a chuckle. "And sometimes I can't tell whether you're one hundred percent serious or not, and damn if that just doesn't make it even more fun."

"Hmm, I'm glad you enjoy that about me."

I do adore the ebb and flow between us and I'm trying my best to make sure Emma knows that. Its gets easier for me to let down my guards a little more everyday around her and Emma is responding in a complementary fashion. And as playful as the mood is I see an oncoming shift merely by taking a closer look at Emma's beautiful face; getting to know someone means learning to read them and their various moods.

Emma shifts sideways a little more and squeezes my hand in hers, "You know there's something I've been wanting to talk about with you, but it's never been a good time. And beforehand it's not like I felt I had any right to talk to you about certain things."

"Just ask me already, dear."

"That death curse you...absorbed at the well. What happened to you afterwards? Did you get sick or was it nothing but a bunch of hype? You know the Death Curse is just supposed to sound badass but it really wasn't shit."

I'm almost tempted to wallow again because I let Gold use me as his scapegoat again. I never lifted a single finger or added so much as a whiff of my magic to power that blunder. The spell was all Rumpelstiltskin but it was my name that was dragged through the muck and mire instead of his. I don't know what to tell Emma really but I'm not going to lie or avoid her question, or behave like her inquiry is a test of my patience and a waste of my time.

"I was sick but not the way you think. It was a curse meant to bring death to anyone that broke its threshold. Since I didn't essentially do that the result was a hefty dose of dark magic. I wasn't corrupted any more than I already was and it wasn't my magic but it wasn't Rumple's either. He cheated of course and used pixy dust instead of his own. The mixture of magic I took to save your life and your mother's was...overwhelming. It felt like, well at the time I didn't have a comparison but now I do, it felt like being electrocuted but instead of draining me it fueled me."

"What a crock of shit!"

"Excuse me?"

"I remember that day. I saw you after I crawled out of that damn well; you were practically on your knees, and that damn tree was the only thing keeping you on your feet. You had some kind of dirt all over the back of your fancy black trench coat and you looked like a stiff breeze would send you flying to the ground. I should've cared a little bit more but I thought you would tell me your version of: 'fuck off, Miss Swan' so I played it off like it was nothing. But if I could do it all over I would've made you, or dragged you if I had to, to the damn hospital to Whale or someone. So tell me the truth, Regina."

I foolishly would've liked for things to have stayed light for our carriage ride, but such a thing isn't possible, and I realize the encompasses more people than just Emma and I.

I sigh and grip Emma's hand tighter in mine, "Locked up in my house who would care if I died? I had very little to lose in those days, just like before, so I went all in for Henry. I didn't know what would happen to me and I didn't care. Henry would've had you and that's all he wanted at the time. I made all these impossible promises to myself; he wanted me to change, without really knowing who I am. My son hated a part of me that will always be there and no I haven't told him that, it can wait until he's much older. He forgave me for being a villain but I'm still working on forgiving him."

I haven't dared to look away from Emma's intense gaze; in fact I've watched it change over many times in the last few minutes. All the happiness has gradually left her face and now those sea-green eyes are glossy. I swallow against the lump that's been forming in my throat. A part of me would like nothing better than to be dispassionate now, but I owe Emma and myself more than that.

"Being made to feel that I was worthless, unredeemable and low as I stood before I changed hurt as much as any punishment my mother ever subjected me to. I'm not angry though so please keep this between us. I'm trusting you with this part of me for better or worse." I say while trying to reign in the tears that this confession is fit for. "Christ, I sound like that damn cricket but I did learn something from him. When you truly love someone it's without conditions; the good and the not so good and the ugly too. My son placed conditions on the love I received from him and I allowed it because I felt I didn't deserve much. But then Neverland happened and now it's different again."

My hand is shaking in our grasp and for once it takes everything I have now to look away from Emma. I'm afraid of her judgment, of this, my truth, will be enough to push her away when that's the last thing I want. But to my surprise all I see is Emma silently crying and I choke down the urge to sob.

"Oh God, Regina I know he talked to you like that. I let him do it and so did you but we never made him stop. But you...you wanted to die?"

"Many times, dear. Many times."

Emma wipes under her nose with the back of her hand and for a second I consider giving her a hard time for it so we can move on from this subject. But between the drying tears I see a boiling anger in her that too closely resembles my own.

"You can't think like that anymore." Emma says lowly like a threat. "You really can't think like that anymore if we're going to last like I want it to."

"I am not a prize you won, Emma. Nor am I yours to command, especially in regards to my feelings."

"You think I don't know that! I was talking about you and the whole pessimistic thing. Waiting for the other shoe to drop, expecting it for fucks sake or even counting on it."

"That's the best metaphor for my entire life." I say while letting go of Emma's hand and then turning away to look out of the oval window of my carriage. The window was designed to replicate one of my ornate mirrors. "Something has always gone wrong and I would be a pathetic fool to think otherwise after all these years."

"Do you even believe in us?"

I barely hold my gasp in at the quiet accusation in her voice. I'm not trying to push her away. All I'm trying to do is show her the last piece of me that she's willingly signing up for.

"Because I do even if you don't and I can't see myself with anyone else." Emma says and the sheer confidence of her voice forces me to turn away from the passing scenery to look at her. "I would just be settling with anyone else that isn't you."

Emma reaches for my trembling hands again that are clasped together on my lap and then she gently unfolds them from one another to take them both in her hands.

"I know that I would want you even if Henry wasn't a part of the reason for us meeting. I also believe that the first night we met could've been the start if you hadn't felt the need to threaten me the next damn day." Emma says, swallowing nervously and then offers me a small smile. "I was attracted to you the second I saw you. Even that morning after I woke up in that jail cell, after taking out the sign I was so...if you hadn't been shouting for Graham and crying you would've seen how my jaw was hanging wide open when I saw you again. I tried my best to impress you, to make you like me that first twenty-four hours we met but you decided to show me your fangs and claws anyway."

I almost want to laugh but nothing about this moment is worth joking about despite Emma's phrasing. I'd gotten used to cursed life; it's guaranteed and predictable comforts, to bother with thinking past the daily repeat.

"Emma, only one person has ever chosen me. And no one else has willingly wanted me since then."

"Then they're all fucking mo-rons. I would've chosen you from the start but you ruined that chance." Emma says and then she smiles and gently squeezes my hands in hers. "Sorry, I mean we ruined it for a while, but did you like me at all back then? The night we first met?"

That night will forever be like a clear blue morning to me now, but years ago it was more like having a waking night terror. But my life started to change from that moment; in ways I wasn't ready for. However, I wish I could lie to Emma right now and by that I mean tell her what she wants to hear instead of the truth.

"I was too busy sizing you up to feel anything. And the Dark Curse left a void in my heart that Henry filled but when he turned away from me that emptiness came back. I slipped a little further in every day and by the time I sent Henry off with David, even after the curse lifted and I was free from that price, all I felt was numb and angry." In terms of triage and the wounded my personal Savior looks as though I've told her that she'll be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her days. "I'm sorry, Emma. I wish I had more to offer you about our past, but I promise you that I've told you the truth."

Emma smiles at me and then lets go of one of my hands. For a second I worry that she's choosing to pull away from me, but then she brings her hand up to cover my cheek and I lean into her touch.

"I know and thank you for telling me the truth. That means a lot to me." Emma says but then she smirks, glossy eyes and all. "I'm so smitten with you, Your Majesty and I'm gonna point out that it's getting to a dangerous degree."

Emma is apparently done with the heavy subject matter since she's resorting to flirting with me. And her act would be thoroughly convincing if her eyes weren't still shining with tears.

"You want me now though? You like me now?"

"Emma, how could I not?"

Riding in a carriage is hardly a quiet affair, but with the why we've been all but whispering our words you would think so. I would actually liken a carriage ride to taking a train, the sounds of the horse's hooves reaching out and striking the ground the some like the sound of a train's wheels holding onto the rails and the movement is fairly close at the carriage's current rate of speed.

What is silent though is us, save for my heart which is starting to thunder within my chest. Not many people can carry on conversations without the need for words but that is what's happening now. I take a deep breath when I see Emma moving in closer to me and then I close my eyes. I've wanted her to kiss me for the last few minutes and finally she is thinking along the same lines. No sooner than her lips press firmly into mine I feel a pleasant weight settling into my lap, and then I feel her arms move around my neck. I start to deepen our kiss but unfortunately Emma pulls away and I can't keep from frowning.

"You're entirely too cute when you pout." Emma says as I open my eyes. "And you know I'd never gotten around to squaring away my sexual preferences, but now I can safely say I'm gay as a May pole for you."

I chuckle darkly and Emma visibly shudders, "Your advances are always welcome, endearing even, but before things go any further there's something I haven't wanted to mention but I feel like I've put it off long enough. I need to tell you about when I was married to Leopold."

I will never refer to him as her grandfather- I can't. Especially not now and more importantly that was literally a whole other lifetime ago. Emma shifts in my lap and thankfully her dress has a large free flowing shirt where mine is tight; spreading my legs in this dress simply isn't possible.

"I was never required to sleep with him, even on the night of the wedding. I was merely what you would call a trophy wife, arm candy and a live-in caregiver for your mother." I say succinctly while holding Emma's gaze. "I was invisible and as bad as that sounds I considered myself lucky in that respect as the years passed. But then as I got older a deep resentment took hold and in my desperation I resorted to...well the rest is my past. I needed you to know this because I don't think I could go forward without you knowing about that part of me as well."

Emma tightens her hold around my neck and I leave my hands resting on her dress-covered thighs and fight the temptation to fondle her ass. However, since I'm speaking to her about such personal things and I want them to carry the weight they should, so groping her isn't exactly the right way to go about making the words ring true. I would've preferred to have this conversation without Emma's ass planted in my lap, but she was the one who put it there not me.

"Even with his station, the King, never so much as laid a hand on me. I suppose it's safe to say he was decent enough to realize that I was barely seven years older than his own daughter. What added to my dissatisfaction stemmed from loneliness and then much later I became angry about being robbed of the life I wanted? Then as Snow grew older, as did I, Leopold did begin to express interest shall we say, but by then I was plotting his demise before he got the chance to make any demands in regards to my body."

Emma shifts minutely in my lap, "Hearing you say shit like that makes me really glad that I got stuffed in that wardrobe. You and I both know me being sold off would've happened too, since that's the way it was done here. Not that the other realm, shit that still sounds weird, has completely stopped believing in the concept of chattel."

I won't confirm Emma's fears because it is true no matter how Snow and her shepherd may deny it now. It's not that far-fetched to picture Snow arranging a marriage for Emma for whatever asinine reason to be named at a later date.

"May I suggest we change topics, dear?"

"Please do." Emma says with a slight frown. "Since the only thing keeping this from bringing on the angry waterworks is me sitting in your lap. And sitting in your lap is nice."

"Well then, I've been debating on whether or not to ask this question for a while." I say while running my hands further up Emma's thighs; pushing up the fabric of her dress too. "Tell me, Emma, what were you thinking answering the door at the Bed & Breakfast in no more than your underwear?"

Emma laughs and presses her chest against mine, "I knew it was you and I thought I would have a little fun with that. And even though it's taken all this time I'm happy to know that you noticed."

I feel my cheeks warm and Emma chuckles, "I tried my best not to notice but I did. I'm only human."

"Yeah, you're one hell of an example of a human female." Emma says as she leans back and her arms loosen from around my neck. "In fact I'm having a very human response to you now."

"Hmm, do tell."

Emma smiles and then bites down on her lower lip, "How about I show you instead?"

A game of sexual chicken isn't new between us and that has been satisfying in its own right. I don't spend my nights frustrated and Emma hasn't been the least bit shy about telling me that I star in her fantasies. I haven't nor will I ever admit to anything of that nature about her.

"Do your worst, Em-ma."

"God, I really come embarrassingly close to losing it when you say my name like that." Emma says and I watch as one of her hands disappears under her dress. Once more my heart finds a higher rate to beat to. "But then I might be biased because I think your voice is one sexy weapon."

I'm waiting for Emma to direct one of my hands or something to that effect but it doesn't happen. I've never touched her any further than where my hands currently are before. I'm still waiting for an invitation when Emma groans and her eyes flutter. It takes a moment for me to realize that she's touching herself and then my idle hands on her inner thighs twitch and want to crawl in closer.

"Emma."

The woman in my lap groans again and I'm just about ready to tell the carriage driver to turn around and take us back when Emma's hand emerges out from its temporary hiding place underneath her dress. As Emma removes her hand I see that two of her long, slim fingers are glistening. All sorts of sordid images fast forward in my mind and my body responds by sending a flush of moisture between my thighs.

"Would you like a taste, Regina?"

I barely hold in a groan at the suggestion or more pointedly at the sound of Emma's voice. The Savior has a pleasing voice that's higher than mine but sometimes it dips down to a register that I find appealing; low and clear without the huskiness that has become a natural part of my voice.

"Yes, but only since you're offering."

Emma grins but before I can lean forward to take her fingers into my mouth she presses them to my lips. I open my mouth to her touch but she doesn't put her fingers inside, instead she runs them along my lower lips as though she were putting on some sort of perverse lipstick. I start to taste faint traces of her essence as Emma's drying fingers trace over my top lip. I barely keep still and I'm certain I'm flushed because Emma is a panting mess in my lap. I grip her thighs in my hands and Emma moans and leans forward to capture my mouth painted with her taste.

I open my mouth to Emma and with the first taste of her tongue against mine it brings another part of her with it. The flavor is different and addicting when combined with Emma's delicacy that I'm already familiar with. The Savior moans into my mouth and I tilt my head to get a better angle. Emma's nose presses into my cheek and oh how I wish she weren't wearing that damn corset so I could fill my hands with her breasts. Instead I make due with filling my hands with the soft, firm flesh of her thighs as I squeeze and move them higher, closer to the source of the taste in my mouth.

Emma groans and pants my name on my lips, "Oh God, Regina."

"I hope you plan on kissing me with a little more passion sometime soon, dear." I say even though I'm damn near breathless and kisses don't get much more erotic than that. "I need to tell the driver to turn around. Now."

Emma laughs and pulls away from me, "Hey, you're the one who had to procrastinate over the last month and a half and another damn near two months before that." She says with a grin as she lightly thrusts her hips forward into mine and I have to stifle a moan. "Or are you pissed because I made the first move, Your Majesty?"

"Emma, if you even think about calling me anything other than my name while we are together I will..."

"Destroy my happiness?"

"Tempting but no." I say while savoring Emma's lingering taste on my tongue. "Contrary to what my reputation would suggest I was most certainly not some sadomasochistic monarch during private activities in my personal chambers."

"So no secret passage to a kinky sex room hidden in the walls then?"

"No and I do hope that disappoint you, Em-ma?"

"Um, no. And to be honest I was kinda worried that I would have to go along with something like that. Even though I'm pretty sure there's no way I could've learned to like some of that stuff. I'm not interested in dominating or being dominated, that's for assholes with fragile egos."

I chuckle even as my mind flashes to Graham. I took him and his free will with it, but in return whether he knew it or not he was the first man I slept with. I didn't get a chance to have who I wanted because being that physical with Daniel was the last thing on my mind when I was that young. As for Graham I can't undo what's been done, all I can do is to never make that mistake again. One day I'll tell Emma she is only the second person I've ever been with.

"Well, in that case let me put your mind completely at ease. I would never dare to ask you to do anything you didn't want, much less expect it without your consent." I say as I slip both hands underneath Emma's dress and just running my hands along the smooth skin of her thighs towards her heat is exquisite. "I've had enough pain and inflicted enough in my life. So why ever would anyone come to believe that? I see no logic in assuming that when I was trying to achieve some form of pleasure, or even moments of empty satisfaction, I would resort to adding pain in that facet of my already painful life?"

"That does make sense." Emma says with heavy breaths. "So are we finally doing this because I can't wait much longer? I've already been waiting for you for years."

I smirk, "Good. But so were clear I'm not having sex with you for the first time in my carriage. However, I can't wait for the return trip...so hold into me."

My magic has always made me feel alive even when I was at my lowest and here, back in my home realm, my magic is stronger than ever. I've never teleported with another person much less another magic user, so as the sensation of Emma's magic joins with mine it's like an intimate caress that I feel in every part me.

"What the? Regina!"

Teleporting is willing your way to a location and the part I've always found the most intriguing is you have no memory of the time between going from one place to another. I've wondered if it's solely magic or some mystic hand that prevents me from seeing what lies in the space. Before I finish the thought of where I want to take us I also will the carriage, driver and my prized horses back to the stables.

My driver will be caught off-guard but it's not as though I hadn't performed that feat before; just not in over three decades. With Emma's raw power and my more unrestrained magic here in the Enchanted Forest I bet the two of us could actually move a mountain if we wanted to. Emma and I arrive in my private bedchambers unscathed and every bit aroused as when we left the carriage.

"Wow, that's a rush and a turn on too."

I chuckle and Emma's loosens her hold on me a little, "I didn't envision this as being some quick affair."

"Hey." Emma says softly as she moves her hands to my most likely flushed face. "It's okay, more than, I would say so otherwise. I know how you feel about me and you should know how I feel about you. We can do the whole love me tender thing later, because I'm really hoping you're not and 'one and done' kind of woman."

I laugh and instead of some ham-handed retort I think action speaks volumes, so I lean in and kiss Emma with every ounce of passion I've been holding back, saving for this moment. The taste of her lips in this moment is much more than any idealized fantasy and with a flick of my wrist I turn down the bedcovers and then I use another small dash to divest Emma of her pure white gown and my sinful red dress with it.

My magic feels so charged, invigorated that as I kiss a path down Emma's quivering stomach I use my magic to enchant the room. The spell's function is to keep the sounds of this room from traveling outside the walls and to keep anyone out, because my first time with Emma will only end when we've both come undone more than just once or twice. And at this time of day Henry is occupied until about thirty minutes before dinner is served.

"God, I really hope you didn't just get me pregnant." Emma says breathlessly as she flops down on the bed beside me on her back. "And I hope when can get back to the world of modern medicine before my mother bursts. She looks like she's going to have triplets."

I laugh into Emma's shoulder, "I'll forgive this one time for bringing your mother up, since accidental pregnancy is on your mind. But only to say that I should warn you pregnancy is somewhat possible when two people have magic, under specific instances, just the same as it is between a man and a woman. To put your mind at complete ease though; you're safe, Emma. I have no secret wish or some rogue magic to do such a thing to you unplanned."

"See...I knew there was another reason to like you." Emma says as she softly runs her fingers through my hair. "Henry wasn't planned and I wouldn't change that now but I was a kid myself. Since then I've always said that if I met someone and I wanted another kid with them I would still need it to be my choice the second time around."

Emma's words resonate because I understand all too well about how other people can strip options away in the blink of an eye. I would never deliberately do that to her, not after everything we've been through separately and together. Despite my many flaws I would never take away her free will to choose. I've already had my free will stripped from me in my youth and then in turn I did the same in return with many people while I was Queen. I suppose it's fitting looking back on it all now that I came out almost as empty-handed in life as I was before I enacted the Dark Curse.

Two Days Later...

"Fine! Have it your way, Snow! I'll pretend I'm a magical cardiovascular surgeon. But if half of your heart doesn't bring back your shepherd after you crush his then don't come crying to me about it."

"Oh for God's sake, sis. I'm not going to listen to the weepiest of them all a second longer. Just take her heart and split between them already!"

"Crap! Are we really doing this, Regina?"

"Mom, isn't there something else we can do to get Storybrooke back? Or maybe we should just use the magic beans and go to New York or something?"

"Regina, Snow is the only one who can do this." David says and then he turns to a very wide weepy Snow and takes both of her hands in his. "You can do this, Snow. Use my heart and get us back to our home."

Everyone is getting on my last nerve, shouting at me and by rights I want to sling fireballs at every single one of them. Except for Henry of course but I would still lob one at Emma, but the one I would throw at her would be weaker and primed to miss.

"Stop this!" Emma shouts and then the boiling cauldron gurgles behind me and I turn to see it start spewing out an all too familiar green-purple cloud burst funnel. "Oh shit! What was that?

The curse has been activated minus the sacrifice and it only takes a second for me to deduce that the Savior's magic is responsible. I want to ask Emma what she was thinking but unlike the other times when I've watched that curse cloud form and then disperse this time it's faster and then I realize that I'm frozen to my spot. I suspect everyone else in the room and throughout the land is stilled too. I look to Emma as much as I can while she and Henry are swallowed up by the cloud, then my sister, who is followed by the two idiots. The thick smoke washes over me next and I can't see a damn thing.

Storybrooke...

"Admit it, Swan. You picked that infernal red cloak in an attempt to what; replace your beloved red leather jacket during our curse induced exile."

Emma gapes for a second and then she frowns, "Okay, seriously. You go from calling me Miss Swan a hundred percent of the time, for a year or more. Then you switched to Emma pretty much ninety percent of the time, but with the occasional Miss Swan thrown in to be sassy. But now you've started calling me Swan...why? What on earth have I done now?"

I don't do nicknames or insipid pet names; those idiotic notions are for small children who let themselves get beat up over chocolate milk.

"Last time I checked that was your name, dear. And a bird surname is rather fun, in fact, I find it fitting considering who your mother is."

Emma rolls her eyes and turns away from me, "It's too early for this without my caffeine booster shot."

The streets of Storybrooke have changed, again, only this time it isn't because of a broken curse. This town is different and honestly it has every reason to be since the curse was enacted differently. Rumpelstiltskin himself was personally awed when he found out the curse was a success without the sacrifice. And yet The Savior's magic remains an unknown and without limits so far.

I glare at Emma's retreating form as she moves further down the sidewalk towards Granny's, and with a huff I start down the sidewalk too. My heels clack on the pavement and with each step a thought occurs to me and it's that I've never chased Emma; she is usually the one chasing after me.

"Miss Swan, I'm not running after you in my new heels!" I shout, not giving a damn how many people hear me while moving down the sidewalk at a brisk pace. "You will stop at once or so help me!"

Today started out like all of my mornings; we were running late. So after Henry quickly ate what suitable food I could manage in the timeframe we had Emma and I walked Henry to the bus stop to see him off to school. Then it hit me as I watched the bus pull away from the curb. The 'it' is I have my happy ending, but the part that really hit me is that I've been in a stable relationship with my son's other mother for several months now. And I have no idea what comes next. Emma already lives with me; she has since we returned from fairytale land as she calls it.

"And out comes the threats by Her Majesty." Emma shouts back over her shoulder and her long, wavy blonde hair looks radiant in the sunshine. "Why do you have to be so...ahhh!"

I will admit some revelations, when they occur, that I sometimes revert to my default position. But yet another way to look at our morning spat is that I absolutely love antagonizing Emma, and in all fairness she is rather prickly by nature a good deal of the time. I'm sure she doesn't see herself that way, but that doesn't make it any less true.

"Emma, this is such a childish reaction to a bit of teasing!"

The Savior stops abruptly and I slow down. Emma's hands fidget at her sides and as I draw closer to her she finally turns around to face me. I can't read Emma's every emotion simply by looking at her, but I do know that she's actually upset and not mildly annoyed like she's supposed to be.

"Hook used to call me Swan all the time and it makes me think of him and I don't want to waste one second thinking about him."

The outpouring is unexpected and for a few seconds I'm not sure what's called for. This why my epiphany caused me to revert to being extra sassy as Emma calls it.

"Why does that bother you so much?"

Emma takes a deep breath and then exhales, "Because I wasted valuable time with him. I let him almost pester me into submission. And I think if I hadn't got caught up in the curse and gone back with you who knows what wiping my memory and leaving you and my parents behind would've done to me."

My gesture as the curse was at our backs was meant to give Emma her ideal happy ending. I was going to give her everything and leave nothing for myself but painful memories that would've worn down what fight is still left in me. And I'm glad I will never have to know what that feels like.

"That's all moot now." I say while taking the final two steps to be close to Emma in a way that's an acceptable display to be seen in public. "And I would like to say that I think Emma Swan is a beautiful name."

Radiant green eyes twinkle while high cheekbones flush to a rose color, "I should'a known that mouth was capable of being a smooth talker too along with dispensing out the usual catty-catty bitchfest."

The urge to smack Emma is there but an even greater urge to kiss her is overwhelming. But I will not be locking lips with her though and she knows this.

"Emma, one of these days I might take offense to the way you describe a part of my personality."

"No you won't."

"Hmm, why's that?"

"Because I love that about you too."

I may be a fairytale character to some, but I don't sing and if my life were a musical it would be silent seething one. And I'm still not kissing Emma on the sidewalk in full display of the masses like the two idiots would surely have no problem doing.

"Very good, dear. Way to toe the line to keep from ending up on the sofa tonight."

Emma chuckles and quickly leans in and pecks me on the lips. I smile even in the face of the knowledge that I don't know what Emma will want from me in the future or if I'll be able to provide it, but I will try my best to do what I can.

"You know we had an agreement on PDA or did you have a sudden memory lapse?" I say while Emma winds her arms around my waist. "Or do you just like breaking rules, taking liberties? Or is it more like what the Savior wants she gets, because you willed not one but two curses into doing your bidding."

Emma grins, "The PDA agreement was unwritten to my knowledge and yes I've bent a few rules here and there in my life. And as for the other accusation about getting what I want; not really, but I did believe with all my heart it was about damn time for somethings in my life to go like it should."

I smile and for a brief flash I consider showing Emma what a real kiss feels like. I have my standards but The Savior seems to have a knack for making me reconsider on occasion.

"Oh good Lord, you two have that ridiculously large house to fornicate in much less resorting to doing street shows as well." Zelena says while strutting past us on the sidewalk. My sister has a penchant for green clothes and I have a theory that it's because she misses her complexion. "But do try and finish quickly, I'll not be having my breakfast any later due to waiting on you both to finish up your performance."

Emma snorts as I try to loosen her arms from around my waist so I can go after my obnoxious sister. Zelena isn't green anymore and she isn't having trouble turning more than a few heads here, but her favorite activity seems to still be amusing herself at my expense. I see it now that I was better off as an only child.

"Let go, Emma. I've got a mouthy witch to educate."

"Nope, not until you calm down and remember that she's your sister and that's her way of showing you that she's growing to love you."

I glare at Emma, "Your nose is bound to start growing if you keep telling lies like that."

"You have me confused with August." Emma says and then she gives me a quick squeeze before she finally let's go. "And Zelena does care or she wouldn't have changed her mind back in the Enchanted Forest; living here in Storybrooke, and she certainly wouldn't be having breakfast with us if she didn't at least like you. And I know you like her, it's just you both have a particular way of showing it, you know with snark."

"My-my, you have an answer for everything this morning, don't you dear?"

Emma shrugs, "I try and I should be awarded a medal for functioning at this high of a level without having had a healthy dose of caffeine to power up with."

I roll my eyes while stepping back from Emma a little. My clearly insane sister likes to push my buttons; everyone does so it seems, I will however draw the line at Emma's new baby brother. The infant is adorable but every bit a loud wailing mess. Emma was somewhat hurt when Snow named him Neal without asking how Emma felt about the idea first. I think it was thoughtless and yet another example of their idiocy. The only thing those two people have gotten right is the wonderful human being who was stupid enough to fall in love with me.

"Hey, let's not keep Mean Green waiting."

I scoff and grin, "You better not let Zelena hear you call her that."

"Zelena doesn't scare me and it's not like I can call her 'Red'. That name is already taken in two ways; a ruby is red isn't it."

I chuckle and reach for Emma's hand as we walk towards the diner that's the same but not quite. It's different here in this town again. All the cars in Storybrooke are new, no more vehicular relics from the eighties. The buildings have also been brought into the current century and every person Emma's magic conjured along with this town dress better because of what's available to them this time. Actually my comment that got under Emma's skin so quickly was about an all too familiar jacket and it astounds me because it was one of the many details that Emma also enacted. I don't hate the red leather abomination but I don't love it either. I do however love the idiot that the jacket belongs to.

And as long as I'm admitting deep infatuations to myself I will say I experienced love at first sight when I looked in my garage after we arrived back in this updated version of Storybrooke. I had expected to be greeted by my classically elegant Mercedes 560SL but it wasn't there waiting for me. Instead of my old car what was sitting in my garage was a brand new Mercedes AMG C63s in metallic black. I know have Emma's magic to thank for my new car, but she will drive it over her dead body. Besides, not only is the red leather Savior jacket back but now a far newer and hideously yellow Turbo Volkswagen Beetle sits in my driveway on a daily basis.

-]:[-END-]:[-

Soundtrack: "Woman Woman" by AWOLNATION, "Cat People (putting out fires)" by David Bowie & "Its My Life" by Talk Talk

Last Words:Well this was my one and only attempt at a fun/lightish EF setting story. I can't really apologize if this tale failed in some ways to certain people. I'm unable to turn off my brand of humor or the other assorted oddities that come out to play when I write and I don't want to. So if you got a kick out of this you can leave some kind words if you're up to it, but if you're going to be nasty don't vent it all over the review box- hold that shit it in.