7. Ain't Fate A Bitch?


Roughly 36 Hours Ago (or before Henry slips out to find Q the first time)...

Emma Swan is currently at a three but rapidly heading into a stage four pissed and she only has five stages to start with. Angry driving the Bug to Regina's didn't decompress her even a little. And as of now Emma feels like kicking in Regina's big white door. The whole rude as fuck awakening, via a magic portal, is not the best part of waking up. And neither is knowing that your kind of sort of best friend has been keeping something big from you, which wouldn't be such a swift kick to the crotch if it wasn't as personal as it gets.

Emma scowls and raises her hand to deliver a hard knock directly below the pristine brass numbers that declare this joint 108. One knock becomes two before Emma hears Regina's damn heels on the other side of the door giving away her approaching position, and going by the sound Regina's in no hurry whatsoever. Emma takes a deep breath as the door swings open to reveal an agitated woman. For a split second Emma thinks that it's too bad that Q has already gotten Regina all wound up by the looks of her.

"Emma? What are you doing here?"

"Save it, Regina. We need to talk."

Regina steps aside just enough to keep from getting shoulder checked by Emma as she barges in through the open door. This intrusion is about as welcome to Regina now as a bat to the side of the head. But in all fairness Regina knows exactly where Q went and it seems like Emma got a sample and some extra to go of what she had this morning too. Regina pushes the door closed with some force; clearly not giving a shit that the action will more than likely will damage the latching mechanism in the handle.

Only someone with skills can get a rise out of Emma and with one look Regina knows that Q has delivered on her promise to tell Emma the one thing that Regina has been keeping from her. Regina rolls her eyes and moves up the few steps from her landing to where Emma is waiting and glaring in her general direction.

Regina is going to make an effort to keep this conversation out of the kitchen since Regina barely managed to restrain herself from throwing anything and everything she could get her hands on in her kitchen after Q's exit. The main reason being she would have to manually clean up the destruction since the magic that used to thrum in her veins is completely absent.

"Alright Emma, let me have it. I can see you're practically foaming at the mouth to unleash your brand of moral judgment."

The Sheriff's pissed off gauge wants to rack up another half notch but Emma forces it back down. Emma has stubbornly learned that going at Regina head on will only end in a headache when their heads metaphorically knock; like two rams fighting for dominance on the mountain top.

"Q told me to tell you that she's bringing you a visitor in the morning."

"Is that all?"

Emma shifts her weight and in light of how fucking angry she feels she decides to put her hands in her back pockets to keep them out of trouble or rather making trouble.

"Q also told me that you're keeping a secret. Something about Neverland if her cryptic way of delivering a blow is anything to go by."

Regina purses her lips, "Your precious pirate used a black magic love spell on you back in Neverland. There are you happy now?"

Emma's mouth falls open for a second and during her reboot process she forgets her anger. Emma only remembers to close her mouth after Regina struts past her and heads straight for her study, where they had that first glass of cider the night they met. Good times and old times all rolled into one Emma thinks as her systems come back online. Let's face it sometimes surprises hit the Savior so hard that she could be considered punch drunk by the crowd.

"What the...? Shit! Are you kidding me? This whole time!"

Regina isn't really paying attention, not that there is much to see, but she does smirk as she sits down and waits for Emma in her study. The look on Emma's face was somewhat satisfying even after all these years and everything they've went through together. Regina rationalized keeping Hook's indiscretion to herself because she knew no one would believe her and as time went by nothing changed a whole hell of a lot for her in that regard, so why bother?

"Okay, explain this to me like I'm a five-year-old." Emma said as she moves into the study and then gracelessly plops down on the sofa across from Regina. "I mean this...oh God, it sounds way past crazy. And I...how big of a fool have I made myself into this time?"

Regina considers Emma for a few heartbeats, they're sitting in the same places as the night they first met, but even that observation doesn't slow her rising feelings of disgust. Regina feels the most potent disgust against Hook of course, and against Emma's idiotic parents who are now Regina's friends, but for the most part Regina feels complete disgust with the whole situation. However, in all fairness Regina mostly feels that there is not a deep enough ocean of blame to drown Hook in.

"Since you put it like that I'd be happy to." Regina said with a smirk and Emma frowns. "After you kissed Hook, of your own free will for whatever stupid reason you arrived at, he decided to move in for the kill so to speak." Regina leans back in her seat and crosses her legs. "I didn't see him do it mind you but later when his method for delivery was shoved under my face the scent of the magic was unmistakable."

"Just spit it out, Your Majesty."

"As I've already told you I don't do rum, Miss Swan." Regina said as she glares at Emma's blank stare for a few seconds before clarifying further. "The rum from your beloved pirate's flask."

"Killian gave me a magical...Roofie?" Emma said with wide eyes. "But my parents drank out of it too!"

"Yes, they did. Like the idiots I've always accused them of being for good reason since they keep proving it time and time again."

Emma growls under breath and rolls her eyes, "You know they're your friends now and they care about you."

Regina is more than aware of that fact about Snow and David and she's accepted it as much as she can. But now after Robin's death, Hyde's claim to Storybrooke and her own mistake with severing herself in half Regina can no longer embrace a life of living for good intentions anymore. It just isn't who she is and she's working on accepting that until she runs out of breath.

"What did the spell do to them, if anything?" Emma leans forward on the sofa and rests her forearms on her knees. "It had to do something to them too, unless it was just meant for me?"

A profoundly awful taste rises up in Emma's throat with each passing second at the mere thought of what her boyfriend has done to her and her parents. Emma still occasionally has flashes of those images Q showed her in the water at the pier of Killian's past. God what the fuck kind of company has she been keeping and just how many blinders has she been subjugated into wearing?

"The spell affected them differently, Emma. For David and Mary Margaret the spell worked to remove anything standing in the way of the desired party. In short, the spell works on family members who meddle and it also removes things which could prohibit what could become even the most toxic of relationships. The person who is the target, in this case you; will be forced to stop any negative patterns in regards to how he or she would normally behave in a burgeoning relationship. The spell borders on negating free will."

Emma feels a jerk in her stomach and then the urge to gag follows. But she tries to hide it; everything she's suddenly feeling behind narrowed eyes and a rather mediocre scowl.

"And I imagine Hook was becoming particularly livid when he realized that all his tampering groundwork with you was possibly going to be undone with the second curse." Regina chooses not to look at Emma directly; it's all she can and will give Emma in this moment. "I could've cared less for many reasons that day than I can even account for now. The least of them all being giving up Henry to you so you both could escape and just leave me to my own personal hell again."

Yet again Emma is reminded of how she wanted to slip back to New York with Henry. A son she still technically has no legal rights to. Curse or no curse the documents of this world still say that Henry Daniel Mills is Regina's son, not her's.

Emma minutely shakes her head to clear away the guilt, "But apparently the spell was potent enough and that's why Killian tried to kiss me back in New York. He wanted to restart it or wake it up or whatever."

Regina exhales slowly and looks at Emma. The Savior is not the woman she used to be; for better perhaps to some but mostly it's for the worse. Regina can concede some logic in the here and now on how Q views them both.

"Now that you know...do you still love your pirate, Emma? Or will you shrug this off too as you have with everything else Hook has done?"

Emma visibly startles, "What kind of a person do you think I am? Wait don't answer that because I can tell by the look on your face it's not something I want to hear."

"You assume too much and I'm not passing judgment, not really." Regina uncrosses her legs, stands up from her seat and then adjusts her skirt. "I...I let a married man use me sexually while the threat of his wife's death loomed over us. I let...Robin string me along while I willingly diminished myself to be more desirable to him."

Regina moves past the sofa where Emma sits and goes to the window. It's not a change of scenery Regina seeks but more of a means so that Emma doesn't see everything she has no interest in broadcasting. The tight control Regina once had on her more vulnerable emotions is considerably looser.

"It's taken me a while to admit those truths." Regina said after a brief lull that only held the sound of Emma turning sideways on the sofa to stare at Regina's back. "Like always I latched on too hard to the point I made myself blind to what was painfully obvious."

Emma doesn't have anything to add. But she does think about all the hard words and senseless guilt that was thrown her way from the whole Marian thing. God she's sick of hearing about Robin this and Robin that. Christ does she sound this bad about Killian? Probably. Definitely. And shit it's even more disgusting when factoring in Milah and Neal or rather Milah's son Baelfire. Emma shudders and then another blast from her not so distant past takes center stage in her thoughts.

"Regina, do you ever think about what happened in Neverland?"

"I take it you mean us since there's nothing else about that whole experience worth reminiscing over." Regina rolls her eyes and lets her fingers brush along the sheer curtains that artfully obscure her windows. "But to answer your question I stopped after we boarded the ship to leave that place. You'd clearly made your choice, free will being as blurry as it could be, but you made it."

"Didn't you even bother to think of how..."

"How it would look to your parents?" Regina finished for Emma with a scoff. "Well it won't look any worse when or rather I should say if they wake up to what Hook has done. But then again it's your parents we're talking about so who knows how stupidly they will behave. I think your father loves Hook as much as you do."

"I'm going to let you have all that because it's not completely untrue." Emma rolls her eyes and stands up off the sofa. "But that's not what I was going to say before you added your two cents."

Regina feels Emma's presence moving up closer behind her. They've made magic together to the point that Regina can't not acknowledge her reaction to Emma's proximity. Still though Regina's attention remains on the window and instead of seeing the view outside everything is more of an unfocused study on absolutes of seeing nothing.

"Regina, I was going to say that it wouldn't look so good if I'd told Neal to fuck off in front of the kid and my parents because I liked you better." Emma stops just shy of touching Regina; her anger isn't running hot anymore, at least not towards the person she labels as her best friend now. "I mean how in the hell could any of them think I would just pick up right where I left off with Neal? It was all too much at the time and I handled everything in the worst possible way. I fucked up and so far it's fair to say I'm still fucking up. I told you before I'm no Savior."

Regina flicks her fingers along the smooth texture of curtains one last time before she turns and faces Emma.

"No, you're no more of a savior than I am, Emma."

"Yeah, not gonna argue with you on that today."

"So what are you going to do about Hook?"

Emma looks away for a few seconds from deep brown eyes that have an amber hue at this angle thanks to the natural light coming in from the window.

"First I need him to own up to what he's done and then I guess I'll try to be done with him. And I say that because I'm assuming until I break the damn spell he put on me that kicking his teeth in next won't be in my wheelhouse."

Regina chuckles, "I can look into what its going to take to break the spell if that's your choice."

"It will be my choice and the next thing I take care of. And I don't care what Jekyll, Hyde or Q has up next in their bag of tricks." A small smirk suddenly adorns Emma's pink lips and lingers but then it disappears. "I've let things with Killian slide too long and no I'm not going to blame you for that. I'm big enough to say that I would've had trouble buying that."

"And yet it only took Q telling you to open your eyes." Regina said as she pushes past Emma and walks out of the study with Emma hot on her heels. But Regina remembers the state of her kitchen and stops at its threshold. "Now that we've shared don't you have somewhere else you'd rather be, Emma?"

"No, and if it's all the same thank you for telling me about Hook." Emma said solemnly and the tone of her voice causes Regina's heart to beat a little faster. "And say what you want about Q but she wanted you to be the one to tell me too."

Regina exhales roughly and Emma takes the opportunity to move into the kitchen, "Shit Regina! What the hell were you and Q trying to accomplish earlier?"

Regina snorts and walks into the kitchen where Emma is eyeballing the knife that's pinning Regina's stabbed to death Blackberry to the countertop.

Emma touches the end of the black handled knife with her fingertip, "Do I wanna know?"

"Probably not."

Regina shrugs at Emma's eye roll and the rest of the morning passes until its afternoon and then finally the evening arrives. Emma chose to aide Regina in cleaning up her kitchen before Henry got home from school. Emma never thought the day would come where she would have to pull a kitchen knife out of a cell phone that was buried deep onto a marble countertop. After Henry arrived and while he was doing some of his homework Emma helped Regina with dinner and then they ate with their son.

The clock in Regina's living room chimed the half hour which was nearing eleven now. Emma's spent all day at Regina's and her anger has fluctuated every time she stops to think about Killian. Emma dreads facing the music only because it's not going to be pretty, but then again when is it ever. Breakups aren't ever mutual and there are always hard feelings. But what's got Emma teeter-tottering between unhappy and super fucking pissed is how long and how much of her life has been lived under Killian's spell.

"I know the kid's getting older but I'm going to check on him before I go." Emma said as she slipped her jacket back on in the foyer. "You know the kid's growing up too fast and I feel like I haven't contributed anything to the mix because I've been caught on Hook's hook."

Regina won't admit to having enjoyed Emma's company today since the morning started out with a rumble and a slap. Regina has the almost irrepressible urge to say that Emma has taught Henry what a bad, unhealthy relationship looks like but then Regina realizes the barb isn't worth it since it would be the pot calling the kettle black.

"Well, hopefully now that you've been armed with the truth you can find a way to set yourself free, Emma."

Regina turns away from Emma and moves towards the kitchen because the damn dishes aren't going to do themselves. Sometimes Regina magicks them clean but now all she's capable of is loading the dishwasher so it can work its charms instead. Of course Emma doesn't help with this and maybe that's fair considering the woman did help with cooking so Regina listens to Emma's heavy footfalls up the stairs as she starts to place the plates in the dishwasher.

"The kid isn't in his room!" Emma announced at full volume while thundering back down the staircase and Regina nearly drops a saucepan. "He's pulled one of his old tricks from back in the Operation Cobra days! The old flashlight and pillow crap!"

Regina closes the dishwasher and steps out from behind the kitchen island to where Emma is standing near the stove with a scowl in place.

"Well would you look at that?"

"Huh?"

"You're finally getting even more glimpses from my point of view. And it's not much fun after all is it, Miss Swan?"

"Whatever." Emma growls under her breath even though she's used to Regina whipping out her old moniker for that extra dash of sass every so often. "And anyway I've got pretty good feeling that tracking his cell will come up bust again."

"How fortunate for us. And you said Violet was a nice girl. Care to revisit your opinion yet, Emma?"

"You don't know that Violet's involved and besides I was thinking of Q." Emma pulls an elastic out of her pocket and then gathers her hair up and ties it into a messy ponytail. "And seriously, the kid better not be sneaking off to see his girlfriend."

"She's not his girlfriend." Regina said with lips pursed in clear distaste. "He's too young and she's too young."

"I get it. You're not ready and guess what you're not alone."

Regina rolls her eyes, "You still feel guilty for ripping out her heart don't you?"

"Maybe." Emma conceded before walking towards the front door. "I'll text you, keep you updated until I find him."

Regina feels like throwing something again. Not only does Regina have an insane Hyde claiming to be the new owner of Storybrooke and her other half back in town and holding all the magical cards, Regina is still doing battle with the knowledge of her impending death due to the magical separation which she has an inkling there is no way to undo. It's the forceful closing of her front door that whips Regina out of her thoughts. Emma has benched her again and this time it's because she has no magic.


Something Like 12 Hours Ago (or before Zelena blows into town)...

The house is numbered 710 and its light blue paint could almost be described as tender, which is an ill fit since it was the Dark One's house and then it reverted to being the Savior's home by default. But the stately home in question, as of this moment, is currently occupied by the Sheriff and her one-handed and metal hooked plus one. And the house doesn't suit either one of them and never mind the idea of them as a couple.

"I'm not daft and it doesn't take a seasoned scholar to figure out you've been avoiding me. And I only see it fit to ask how I finally managed to catch you at home, instead of Regina's with your shared son, love?"

"I've already seen Regina. And I've been dealing with Q which is Regina's other half by the way, and lets not forget the new Mayor Mr. Hyde."

Killian scoffs and presses his tongue in the inside of his cheek which bumps out his stubble. His gestures are tired, weighted and not because of the heavy hook he uses in place of his missing appendage.

"Swan, the more I think about it all the more I realize that my brother is still right about you." Killian takes a few steps and runs his finger along the telescope in the living room that faces the sea view. "I was grateful for being brought back from the dead, by a God no less, but at the same time if I'd refused his offer I could've moved on and found some peace."

Emma thought they were past done with this conversation. Hell, she doesn't want to have it at all. But Emma has spent the last few days thinking of a possible way to take a break from this relationship that she now realizes is not all its cracked up to be.

"I mean what are we doing here, Swan?" Killian said while gripping his hook with his good hand. "You are back to being the Savior and the job description alone doesn't allow for much time between dashing acts of self-less heroism."

Emma feels like she's in a daze; like she's been watching the world's longest and most forgettable movie, and not even walking outside in the sun is enough to shake off the after effects.

"Swan, are you even listening to me?"

Emma jerks her head in the direction of Killian's voice and to her surprise he's standing right beside her. No one should be able to get the drop on Emma but someone finally did. And the part that's fucking with Emma off and on these last few days is the fact that the man next to her has done it more times than she can live with anymore.

"Yeah, I heard you." Emma said as she clenches her hands into loose fists. "And now maybe you'll hear this; you thought you could change me to suit to you and you won. But you cheated from the very beginning and I wish I could say I'm shocked but I'm not."

"What are you talking about, Swan?"

"The love spell you used on me. It was in your rum and clearly you're already in love with yourself so I guess back when I was stupid enough to kiss you in Neverland I got an even stronger dose."

Captain Hook works his jaw and looks off the side, "Yes, I used one of the many magic items I've collected in my travels on you to turn your head and heart towards me. But it was a short term thing." Killian grins. "I didn't need it after awhile and I haven't even had to use any in nearly two years, love. You can blame the magic but in the end you chose to stay because I didn't take away your free will. The potion couldn't do that but then again it didn't have to."

Emma is sailing past butt hurt and straight into flying off the hook. And Killian's good looks are getting real fucking ugly real fucking fast. Love spell be damned because Emma's eyes are open now and what he's done is not alright, even though he seems to think so.

"I only saved your father in Neverland to win you over, not because it was the right thing to do. I even told him that his death would bring you and me closer together, but a smart man is always prepared for an unexpected storm, love."

Emma punches Killian in the face and the sound is so much more vicious than a slap; it's meaty with a side of bone against bone, and the force of the blow staggers the pirate.

"You're the worst kind of bastard I've ever met! And if I could I would erase every memory of you having ever laid a finger on me I would."

Killian uses his fleshy hand to soothe his aching jaw and yes he tastes some blood on his tongue with the slightest pressure of his hand on the side of his face. The jig is up but Killian isn't worried because it's not as though Emma hasn't shown him her right hook before. He remembers all too fondly the last time she knocked him on his ass but not this time, the circumstances are different in his opinion this time.

"You know I feel sick. I let myself get involved with not one but two men that were hundreds of years my senior. The first one even got me pregnant while I was a minor. But the part that makes me really fucking sick is the fact that...you knew Neil, and you were the one who...you were involved with Milah his mother, Henry's grandmother for fucks sake! You knew these things and yet you went out of your way to go after me."

"Aye, Swan. Because when I see something I want I go after it. I see nothing to be ashamed about. I know how to survive and I struck deals with anyone that was of useful to me to get what and who I wanted."

Suddenly one punch feels like not enough and at the same time Emma feels like she should run to him and beg his forgiveness. Emma shakes her head. That fucking love spell.

"If you come near me again I'll do something worse than punch you in the face. I will get my parents weaned off you too and as for my son well I think you already know he doesn't like you, that he only tolerated you for my sake, which I really wish he hadn't."

"So that's it then." Killian gestures with his hook. "Now that my secret's out you're through? To hell with everything?"

"Yeah, I went to hell for you alright but now that everything is clearer to me...I know now I had no choice. Despite your noble protests you knew I would be drawn to you. A slave to its master or I guess concubine sounds better, huh? Does it make you hard to think about even now? I bet it does."

Captain Hook leers at his girlfriend with mild distaste but also in the same breath he would also like nothing better than to bend her over the back of the sofa and have her, roughly, until she cried out for him to stop. He would ignore her protests though to finish.

"You like it, Swan." Killian saunters closer to Emma who doesn't move, doesn't flinch because just might rip his hook off and stab him with it if he so much as touches her. "I had to be persistent but in the end you welcomed me because you need to be wanted. You still do. And in my opinion you knowing about the spell changes nothing."

Emma bites down on the corner of her lower lip, "Fuck you. And if you don't get out of my house and my life in the next few seconds I'm going to do one better than make you a Dark One."

Emma means the threat because Killian has done something far worse to her than anyone ever has. In fact Emma thinks the only thing keeping her from bashing his face in worse than Hades did is probably the damn love spell still working its charms on her thanks to the man she foolishly trusted when she should've known better. Just for a second Emma latches onto the concept that she as of now she's worse off than any woman who's ever been roofied then date-raped and it's worse because it has gone on for years. But thoughts like that are only good for one thing; they can break you, but Emma cannot be broken. She's already damaged. So this thing with Hook will be one more thing that will make her stronger on the surface. As for what happens underneath it all it's too soon to tell.

"I won't say goodbye, Swan. But I will say, whether you believe me or not, that I am sorry as much as I can be. And you won't see me again once I walk out that door. So this is your last chance to change your mind about us."

Emma doesn't say anything or even look as Killian slowly moves towards the door and takes his time waiting her out to see if she will change her mind. A little love tap to the face is nothing unusual in their relationship, but after a few lingering moments Killian's anger gets the better of him and he flings the front door open and then slams it closed behind him.

The pirate doesn't look back even once as his boots hit the walkway and he really won't look back once he's on the Jolly Roger. In Captain Hook's eyes and heart false true love was better than none at all, and tearing down a strong woman was all the sweeter while it lasted. And for Killian Jones it was no different but he does have the small regret that he didn't join his brother Liam while he could.


Possibly Two Hours Later (or Post Captain Guyliner Exodus)...

Emma's knuckles are hurting but she barely registers that pain over the numbing she's feeling from head to toe. Her body feels like it's been on an evil roller-coaster, where every twist and turn has thrown her around hard and fast, and now that it's looking all downhill she's realizing that forgoing the risk this ride is sure as shit not worth the price of admission she's paid.

Emma feels violated and robbed. She knows now that she should've never kissed Hook, made him a Dark One, she should've never went to the Underworld for him. Emma grips the Bug's steering wheel and the pain it causes on her right knuckles is worth the clarity. Killian's impassioned plea at his death was just one more thing to keep her under his thumb. It's all as clear as it can be for all she cares now.

Emma knew from the start that it could be a waste of time, but after pacing around her house she decided to take a drive which has turned out to be a trip to the Sorcerer's mansion again. Coming up onto the drive Emma sees that there are no lights on but there wasn't the last time Emma was here either. Appearances are deceiving where Q is concerned. Emma puts the Bug up into first, kills the engine, opens the door and then steps out of the car.

The door is unlocked like the last time only this time when Emma opens the door she isn't just bombarded by light. The place is dark this time and Emma's eyes don't have to adjust to some magical stark difference. But Q could still be watching though. Emma knows that the woman is as sharp as a razor; hell she's Regina, but different maybe even better. But Emma is sick of the dark and the games. So with a wave her hand she magically turns on the lights.

"Q, are you here! Answer me!"

No one answers but that's not enough to pacify Emma. The last time she was here, not that long ago actually, Q was entertaining Henry. The kid still hasn't told her what he talked about with Q. That doesn't surprise Emma though; Henry's stubbornness, he is his mother's son twice over. Emma frowns and moves through the open doors where Gold was waiting for her that night to take away her magic. God, Killian was mixed up in that too. Shit in the grand scheme does it even matter that Gold had his heart?

"Question three: Why did you jump into that vortex of evil for Regina while spouting hurried love poetry to Captain Clinging Barnacle?"

Emma gasps and swings around to see Q leaning against the threshold of the room. A wry little smirk is enhanced by sinfully red lips and that long dark hair, that's twice the length of Regina's, is down and falling in soft waves. Q is too beautiful and it makes Emma nervous all over since she wanted Q to kiss her last time. What makes it worse though is Q called Emma out on her desire and then turned her down.

"Are we still playing the questions game? Seriously?"

"Why not? I find it enlightening." The Queen chuckles darkly while taking stock of the bruised knuckles on Emma's right hand. "And if you don't play you can't win."

The woman is too damn tempting and Emma fidgets with her hands for a couple of seconds before she decides to stuff them in the back pockets of her jeans.

"I don't know if I would call it poetry but I admit I have a bad habit for saying shit like that in stressful situations."

The Queen arches a single eyebrow adjusts her pose against the framing by putting one hand on her hip. Emma quite obviously tracks the movement which pleases the Queen to no end.

"Is that all you're going to give me? Don't I get an answer as to why you became the Dark One, Em-ma?"

A minute or maybe less passes and Emma grits her teeth under an amused stare that doesn't waver. A part of Emma wants to hold out for the hell of it but that kind of thing has gone out of fashion. It's pointless now.

"I wanted to save Regina...you. I've messed up things for her more than I've ever fixed anything. Being the Savior means sacrifice and to me Regina was worth it as much as anyone."

The Queen keeps her face impassive even though Emma's answer is everything she wanted to hear and more. The Savior is on her way to her own brand of redemption and rediscovery now. But so is Regina and the Queen respectively.

"You know I still fail to understand how Regina stood at that well in Camelot and said that you two are friends." The Queen said as she gracefully moves off from her leaning rest against the doorways framing and slowly steps towards Emma. "Personally, I would hope that my closet friend, that I shared a son with to boot and other intimate moments, would've had the balls to tell me exactly what lower life form I was dating. Regina knows Hook in ways you don't. But even if you weren't under Hook's influence I wonder if you would've listened if Regina had said something."

Emma frowns but directs her glare towards the floor instead of at the other woman. Swallowing or rather accepting the truth in mass quantities has always been a challenge for Emma. More than a few people have told Emma that she holds onto things to tight and essentially to the point it becomes unhealthy. Emma knows this in one small corner in her heart of hearts but that doesn't mean she's ever going to pay it any mind.

"I remember that face." The Queen said almost sweetly but not in a condescending way and Emma quickly looks up into deep brown eyes. "You wore it in Neverland sometimes. But you wore it every damn day while we were in the Underworld. You look like you're in constant mourning, like you're in pain. But then again I guess I would be grieving too if I willingly gave up a piece of myself to satisfy someone else's expectations."

Emma takes a step towards the Queen while mustering up her best look of defiance, "I'm done with him."

"Quitting your one-handed pirate cold turkey isn't going to be enough."

"What?"

"I know Regina only told you how you happened to fall under that repulsive pigs thrall. And I know she didn't tell you what it's going to take to remove it entirely. That is if you truly want it removed."

"Of course I want it removed! What kind of a question is that? I even tried removing it with my magic and all I ended up doing was getting even more pissed off when nothing happened!"

The Queen chuckles, "First off it wasn't a question, merely an observation and a good one too since you've spent the better part of what, nearly three years with Hook? And your magic is corrupted like the rest of you, Emma. And in all honesty you behave like an addict and it may very well be too late to attempt to detox you."

Anger, frustration and disillusionment are a potent mix for Emma but lashing out in violence isn't an option. Emma keeps her hands firmly implanted in the tight back pockets of her jeans which make the bruised knuckles on her right hand hurt more.

"Still we can try though, so long as you want too." The Queen said with a smile that Emma finds frighteningly beautiful. "So let's begin. Dark spells just like a curse require an intervention. Cleansing techniques or, and you'll like this part, channeling positive energy are the only effective ways to push out the darkness."

"This had better not be a True Love's kiss deal." Emma feigns a nonchalant expression that isn't fooling anyone in the room. "Because if it is then my only hope is my kid."

The Queen grins and Emma doesn't know what to make of the obvious amusement and glee that's easily detectable.

"True loves kiss would be overkill." The Queen said while daringly reaching out to run her fingertips down the front of Emma's jacket. "And I'm not certain it would work because a dark love spell isn't a curse, even though it reads like one and I'm sure you feel cursed at the moment."

The Savior's heartbeat has gone from normal to more human than human. The Queen's touch is something else. Granted, it's so far innocent but had she moved her hand no more than two inches to left then those nimble fingers would've skimmed over Emma's breast on the first pass.

"I, uh." Emma clears her throat and the Queen grins wider. "Oh stop that. It's distracting. And are you gonna help me or not?"

"Very well." The Queen ceases her touch but she doesn't move away. "An amulet that has powerful meaning to you will do the trick. Laughter can even break the spell. Or you could do a binding spell on Hook since not only would it protect you but it would disrupt his spell on you."

Emma sighs and looks away from the Queen. Emma's swan pendant would be considered meaningful but it's attached to Neal's memory and that's a complicated mess. Emma can't remember the last time she laughed which is a sad fact on its own.

"Are those my only options?" Emma said with a slight grimace while once more gazing directly into Q's intense eyes. "I mean I don't have any..."

"Question four: Why did you give Regina the dagger? You had other reasons besides the one you gave your idiot parents and your makeup wearing boyfriend."

Emma looks stunned and yes the question is off topic and way out of leftfield. But going by the Queen's now haughty expression Emma decides that's the whole damn point.

"I've already answered that question essentially, Q. Now can we get back to rubbing out this love spell that I'm infected with?"

"Answer my question first and then we'll see about that pesky spell."

"No."

"No?" The Queen rears back but she's armed with a smug smirk. "I see that feisty-ness is trying its damnedest to break through. I like it."

Emma snorts but then the silence holds and Emma notices that her heartbeat hasn't really calmed down that much since the Queen touched her a bit a few minutes ago. Emma almost feels like smiling at the woman who like Regina has a severe problem in regards to ignoring personal space. But Emma doesn't mind. She never has to be honest.

"I trust Regina to make difficult decisions in shitty conditions." Emma swallows against her overly dry throat. "I trust Regina to make the choices that my parents aren't capable of. That's why I gave her the dagger. My answer is still the same."

"Hmm, are you sure that's all?" The Queen said with a single arched eyebrow. "Because I have a theory that had the pirate not bespelled you then you and Regina's story would be vastly different now."

Emma can't dispute the direction the Queen is hinting at. Emma would have happily chosen Regina years ago but life has gotten in the way.

"I would've liked to have been...something more to her. I won't lie about that, Q." Emma takes her hands out of her back pockets and she winces as her battered right knuckle scrapes on the fabric. "We have a lot in common and the both of us have had rotten luck. And believe it or not I don't blame her for the whole orphan thing. I know how she feels about kids. I mean my parents are the ones who stuck me in that magical wardrobe. I know they could've made another choice and Regina could've too no matter how angry and lost she felt back then."

Even in the presence of Emma's rambling tears well up in the Queen's eyes and a suddenly full feeling in her chest is enough to untether her for a few moments. Unlike Regina though the Queen doesn't hide this reaction from Emma, but still she is in no way looking for a shoulder to cry on.

"If Regina were here I'm sure she would appreciate your kind words." The Queen said as she tenderly wipes under both eyes to catch any stray tear that fell without her permission. "But I don't need some courtly, lusty, fleeting passion to wreak me like you and Regina seem to require. I'm not something to be owned and I never will be again as long as my heart beats within my chest or out of it, Emma."

Ignoring the somewhat biting, harsh words and tone, hearts are something that Emma feels a personal responsibility for but only to those of her family. This woman who is a better embodiment of Regina is a lure that she's drawn to in ways she hasn't been to Regina herself in years. Emma knows she made several mistakes in Neverland, so many in fact that even now she wouldn't know where to start if she could go back and fix all the straight that she made crooked.

"Do you have a heart?" Emma quietly swallows and daringly meets those deep brown eyes again. "I mean I saw Regina crush it and then you turned to dust along with your heart."

The Queen resists the inclination to place her hand over her heart, "Regina crushed a magical symbol, nothing more. I'm as alive as you are and my heart is free and unburdened for the first time since memory."

Emma has never had a delicate moment. Emma's not delicate by nature at all unless you count her emotions and even those are kept beings in a sense. Emma has come to realize that she's rough by nature and there's no going back, that is if she had a back to get to. Emma closes the scant distance between her and the Queen until their chests press together. Emma thinks that her heart might beat out of her chest before this reaches a conclusion but she's fine with that.

"Why do you want this?" The Queen said with heavy breaths as her dark eyes dart back and forth from Emma's eyes and lips. "Why do you want me?"

"Question three." Emma said lowly and then she briefly sucks in her bottom lip. "Why not you?"

"Grief can force a person to make bad decisions even quicker than if they were already inclined that way." The Queen attempts to step away but the Savior readily follows. "Don't press this Emma. Or have the pirate's actions rubbed off on you to degree that you're going to take a page out of his book of 'no isn't the answer I'm looking for'."

Emma chuckles, "I would never disrespect anyone that way. But what I feel has nothing to do with grief or a leech of love spell that doesn't know when to quit."

The Queen smiles and in the next second she slowly begins to lean forward. There's nothing wrong with kissing The Savior, her other half did more than a few times but this is different. This is not to break the filthy pirates love spell. The Queen is going through with this because she wants to.

Emma's breath catches in her throat but that doesn't stop her. In fact she closes her eyes and then the next thing she feels is soft, pliant lips on hers. It's a familiar sensation but it's not too. Emma opens her mouth against Q's and takes the other woman's lower lip between her's. As an after though Emma moves her hands to Q's waist, but then as Emma tries to change the angle of her kiss she feels Q's hands on both of her cheeks. The touch is subtle but the intent is still there. The feeling is incredible and it gets even better when Emma feels that delicious little lip scar. Emma smiles.

But then what Emma feels next is something stronger. This new pulling sensation isn't low in her gut though, this one is higher, and around her heart. There is a pain there but it doesn't travel down the left side of her arm or anything like a heart attack. Emma opens her eyes and breaks the kiss. Emma tries to blink away the blur she sees but then everything starts to darken around the edges and she gets the impression that she's falling. But Emma doesn't stay conscious long enough for impact. If Emma had been awake she would've seen the Queen catch her fall. Hook's spell is finally broken.

The Queen uses her magic to enhance her strength and she picks Emma's body up bridal style. Q quickly decides to vacate the Sorcerer's mansion, but instead of going back to her new hiding place, she transports the both of them to Emma's house. Q has not had the audacity to spy on Emma much through the mirrors so she only manages the front porch. Then with a nod the Queen uses magic to open the door and she carries Emma to the living room and then gently lowers her body onto the plush deep red sofa.

In another time maybe she would stay with Emma. It's not as though they are complete strangers, but Q isn't the type to watch someone while they sleep. The thought alone is creepy enough in Q's opinion and she also believes that whoever thinks it's romantic to stare at another person while their unconscious needs some form of counseling. Instead the Queen chooses to quietly amuse herself in Emma's sparse kitchen for a while. Making tea magically is not a loud affair and small contained fireballs rarely cause much of a ruckus.

When the hour arrives to greet her guest the Queen changes her clothes with magic, as Emma continues to sleep off the effects of dissolving magic on the sofa. Once clothed in appropriate attire the Queen transports out of Emma's house to the agreed upon clearing in the woods. The early morning hours are quiet in the dimming dark but life won't be like that for long if she has her way. The wind suddenly starts to pick up and the trees begin to sway in the constant gusts; magic is in the air, and for the Queen today has already been a good day and it's only just begun.


Soundtrack: "HeavyDirtySoul" by Twenty One Pilots & "Wake Up Call" by Nothing But Thieves

Message From The Guilty Party: Everyone survive the whiplash-flashbacks? I don't like wasting my time on Hook but writing him in and out of this story, in as few paragraphs as I could manage, was rather satisfying. Plus what I came up with plot-wise in regards to him and his treatment of Emma seemed plausible to me in the terms of her character destruction. Lastly, I think you know now why Q threw that wry little wink at Regina in the last chapter but Regina doesn't know why, not yet anyway.