"...Seriously... Who is she?"
Tink's brow furrows, and she takes another step backwards in the hopes that the younger woman will lower her sword. Emma does no such thing; offering the fairy an unforgiving glare as she demands an explanation from the brunette.
"What's going on, Regina?"
"Nothing that concerns you, Sheriff... And I'm fine by the way, thanks for asking."
The Queen huffs as she pushes herself unsteadily to her feet. Her wrists remain bound, but she has managed to garner a little give from the vines with the twist of her hands when she had wrenched out her heart, though this does little to appease her irritation at the decided lack of grace her predicament lends her.
The Sheriff rolls her eyes at the darker woman's words, before her gaze falls to the eery glow emanating from between Tinkerbell's fingers and her mouth opens with slow comprehension.
"Is that..."
"It's mine."
Regina snaps, with an arrogant sniff that should be amusing given the context of their current situation, but the raspy note of pain is still evident in her tone, and the shock of seeing such a thing in the flesh- and not just on the pages of a book- sits heavy on the blonde's brow as she raises her sword a little higher and inquires of the fairy fearfully
"You took her heart?!"
Eyeing the damning point of the younger woman's sword warily, Tinkerbell chances a glance at the brunette as she continues to await an answer as to what business the curious blonde might have meddling in their conversation. Sighing- and wondering if she is perhaps the only one to feel that the empty cavern of her chest supersedes such pointless niceties- Regina lowers her hands down to hang in front of her waist and looks from one woman to the other wearily.
"Emma. You said her name yourself."
"That's not what I meant."
"She's-"
"-I'm a pissed off mother... And confused as to why Tinkerbell is holding a fucking heart! I thought you were one of the good-"
"-You're a mother? ...Your boy was taken by Pan?"
"Yes, Henry, but-"
"-Henry?... Henry is your son also?"
The fairy frowns, looking to the Queen who snaps at her swiftly
"Not in that way-"
She rolls her eyes as the Sheriff's cheeks pinken
"-It's complicated."
At this, Emma nods; dipping her blade so that it catches the light filtering in through from the entrance of the cave and draws Tinkerbell's attention once more.
"Never mind who I am. You-"
"-Oh, but I do mind... Strangers and trespassers are not the norm here as it is, but for the Evil Queen to be working alongside another- to share a child with her no less- that is something I'm having trouble believing..."
"Well, then I don't know what to tell you, as it's the truth." Emma shrugs. "And she's not the Evil Queen; she's just Regina, and right now, she and I have a common interest, which starts with both of us wanting you to, uh, put that thing back where it came from."
The Sheriff glances at the brunette for confirmation, and the darker woman offers her a raised brow of disdain which belies the small twitch of amusement at her lips.
'Just' Regina?
Charming.
Electing to back the younger woman as Emma proceeds to look a little uncertain of herself, the Queen clears her throat and addresses the fairy irritably.
"If you were going to turn my heart to ash, you would have done so already. You're not a killer... So give it back."
She extends her bound hands to Tinkerbell authoritatively, but the fairy negates to hand over the thrumming vessel in her hand. Glowering at Emma when her disobedience garners her a warning swish of the Sheriff's sword, Tink snaps at her snidely
"And you have little clue how to hold a sword, despite your attitude... No wonder Hook likes you."
"Excuse me?!"
The Sheriff growls, and Regina sighs as she moves around to stand beside Emma; enough bickering with the younger woman during their tumultuous past assuring her that to let the current train of conversation go on uninterrupted will result in nothing but a splitting headache.
"Whether Miss Swan knows how to hold a sword or not, she knows how to use one... And you may not be a killer, and I may be suffering the side-effects of the poppies, but she's just about idiotic and unstable enough to actually go through with her jabbed threats... Give me back my heart... Whatever has passed between the two of us, I actually have a use for it now... I didn't come here for trouble, and I most certainly didn't plan on running into you while here... I- we- want one thing, and while you aren't able to help us as it turns out, you don't need to hinder us either."
"You have a use for it?... The boy... You love him?"
"Of course I do!"
Regina snaps, but, when silence follows her retort, her shoulders slump and she adopts a less combative tone.
"I love him very much... And as such, a lot has changed. For Henry I am trying to do the right thing- the good thing- and right now, he needs me to help him..."
"... If you imagine you'll be able to best Pan then you're a fool."
"I don't see what other choice I have."
The brunette replies sombrely. Sighing, Tinkerbell looks down at the heart clutched delicately in her grasp, before she holds it out to the brunette and mutters
"As you said, this is my chance to be the bigger person... Wait here."
And with that, she stalks off into the shadows; the other two watching her go before glancing at one another.
"Didn't I tell you we'd be better off sticking together?"
Emma grumbles, a little shrilly as her attention drops warily on the peculiar glow of the Queen's heart.
"Oh, like you foresaw this happening, Sheriff?"
"Well, no, not this exact situation... But... I thought you'd maybe get into trouble, or get hurt or something..."
"What, without you around to protect me, dear?"
The darker woman sarks snidely, but her eyes glitter as Emma reaches tentatively forward to work apart the knot in the vines binding her wrists; going to great lengths to avoid touching the curious vessel the Queen holds in her left hand.
"Well, clearly you need protecting."
The blonde growls irritably, and Regina sighs and cordially hides a small smile.
"I had everything under control."
She assures the Sheriff airily; smirking as green eyes dart away warily as she restores her heart to its original place.
"Does it... Does it hurt when you do... That?"
"Would you like me to show you?"
Regina responds cattily, and the blonde crosses her arms swiftly over the soft swell of her chest with much less nonchalance than she would have liked. Smirk softening into a smile as she massages her wrists gently; the darker woman calls for truce.
"No, it doesn't hurt. 'Heat' is probably the most accurate description of the sensation. It only hurts if harm is intended."
"Like Tinkerbell just-"
"-She and I have a long history, Sheriff... She... Well, she is unable to help us, and it is through some of my actions that she no longer possesses her wings, nor her magic."
"Oh, I can help you in other ways..."
Comes an echoed response as the fairy sidles back into view. She shoulders a small knapsack, and holds her hands up when the blonde instantly raises her blade.
"Put it away, dear."
The Queen murmurs quietly; her hand closing lightly over the younger woman's as she guides Emma's sword back down.
Regarding Regina with a measured look before glancing back at Tink warily, the Sheriff does as she's told and slowly slides the sword back into its sheath with a sigh.
"How do you mean? Help us how?"
The brunette asks, her brow furrowed in question.
"You don't know the island. I do."
"You're going to help us?"
Emma challenges distrustfully.
"To a point. Your business is your own, and I have no intention to put myself at any risk for your boy... But nor do I wish for him to suffer. Helping people is what I do- what I once did- and from what I have seen, you two need all the help you can get."
