CHAPTER EIGHT

"The Prettiest Woman She Ever Did See"


Quote: "I believe in love at first sight but I will always believe that the people we love we have loved before.
Many, many, many times before and when we stumble through grace and circumstance and that brilliant illusion of choice to finally meet them again, we feel it faster each time through. The one glance that set life alight is two sets of two eyes staring through the layers of lifetimes and stolen glances and first kisses and hands held; the brace against the weight and unrelenting tide of waiting. I believe in love at first sight but am not burdened with the misconception that it's a first sight at all."
― Tyler Knott Gregso


She looked terrible as it was: dressed in a long black coat that billowed in the wind, black leather tights and a dark green sequin blouse that fitted her almost too tightly. The swell of her breasts were evident as always, a green pendant in the shape of a dagger pressed against her exposed skin, just below her neck. And the gloves she had on, black gloves that had probably ripped out so many hearts in the last three decades. It was terrible. And as Snow stood there watching her, she became consumed with rage. It was unlike any other time, and this time, she clearly had pushed the limits.

"Not my fault if your daughter ran away trying to escape after you caged her up for years", Regina said as the cold wind bit her cheeks, her eyes fixated on the woman standing before her.

"We never caged her up…we were protecting her from you because you always threatened to take her away from me!"

"Well that was a failed attempt on my part", and the Queen studied her nails, eyes lowered, "I am ashamed of myself."

"Look…" and Snow reached up to push dark strands of hair behind an ear, the wind hurling leaves around them, "I get that the two of you met at some party Maleficent was holding, and she did what her father and I would have never ever agreed to. She went out without our permission but…"

"Is that what she related to you, how we met?"

Snow stopped to consider her. "Yes, why?"

Regina smiled in disbelief. "I saved her ass from blood thirsty bandits one night whilst she was obviously fleeing from…here" and a hand was waved in the castle's direction. "There I was returning home when the pathway was blocked and upon getting out, I saw your daughter surrounded by these men. Chasing them off…" Snow's face was softening, but her eyes were still hard, and Regina chose to leave out the rest, "I sent her on home."

"Emma would never…"

"What, leave her mommy dearest?" a smile tugged at the older woman's lips, "you see yourself as mother of the year and yet she tried to escape from you protection against me."

"This is all your fault", Snow said accusingly.

"My fault?"

"If you weren't so…evil then there would be no need for protecting her from you!" Regina's eyes were wide with disbelief, "if you could have only just been good instead of being so, so evil…"

"You still see yourself as the victim, don't you?"

"Why would I see it any other way after what you did to me and my family?"

"You are unbelievable!" said Regina. "I stopped coming after you and your family so long ago! It has been years now. All of that stopped!"

"You killed my father, Cora killed both my mother and Daniel and yet you just cannot get it into your corrupted mind that I did nothing to you. Your heart is so, so black that you just can't…"

"Snow…"

"You can't stop!" Snow said in a high pitched voice, the wind howling around them, the flapping of coats around ankles. "Now you want my daughter! You want to take her away just because of Daniel."

Regina allowed the silence between them to ride out a few seconds, both of them staring at each other. And she honestly could not believe how stupid someone such as the woman standing before her could ever be. The situation was so ridiculous: to have punches thrown her way when she didn't harm Emma. Well that could be debated, in relation to the bite mark on the blonde's neck. It would appear though as if returning home, the young woman had somehow concocted little lies of destruction to ridicule her, making her out as the bad one. Perhaps she had alerted Snow on something that had escalated this.

Or maybe the bitch of a woman standing before her was still as fucked up as she always believed and there hadn't been any change whatsoever in her demeanor.

"You really believe that my hate for you still stems from Daniel's death?"

Snow was confused. "Then what is it?"

"Suddenly the time I spent in a jail cell is selectively erased from your memory?" and Regina watched her carefully, "you forgot about that, didn't you? You forgot what you did to me, how you made me suffer after Emma was born. Does she know any of this, how you imprisoned me for seven years?"

"You threatened to have my daughter killed!"

"You locked me in Rumpelstiltskin's jail cell for seven years, Snow!" Regina cried, her eyes tearing up. "I almost died because of what you did to me, to be tortured with my own magic! And then when you believed I had paid enough, you released me."

"It's what everyone does to mentally disturbed people. After you were released, you still tried to kill her or you really think I didn't know? That's what happens to fucked up people who try to kill an innocent child just because she is proclaimed to be your undoing", Snow retorted.

"You kept me in there whilst the magic in that cell just painfully destroyed me, and I spent every single second of my life in the worst torment ever", and her boots flattened the earth beneath her as she stepped forward, eyes hard.

"You deserved what you got and starving you wasn't enough. At least it knocked some sense into your head after since you never ever dared to fight us again."

She had no idea what had happened. Dark eyes met dark eyes as the older woman began to realize that Snow had no idea what had been done to her. Or maybe she was holding back.

Rumple had made a deal with Snow to protect Emma, and in return she had given him orders to lock the Queen up for treason. But the Dark One had usurped his powers over the edge, pushing his revenge to destroy her. When she was released, Regina had decided that taking Emma's life was sufficient revenge on the one woman who had imprisoned her. She had tried because she had been consumed with anger, hatred. Spending seven years incarcerated had given her time to think about what had been done to her. And even though she had been released with a composed mind, someone still had to die.

But why had she changed her mind and suddenly stopped chasing after the Charmings? There was the magical barrier encasing their kingdom, keeping her out. There were many other things too. And she had painstakingly given up.

"I can have you returned to that prison that will have you destroy yourself if you even try to harm my family, Regina."

"I'm not going back there", Regina said as fear bit into her bones, chilled her nerves and anger fired up within her.

"You don't deserve to live…"

"Everyone calls me the 'black hearted Queen' believing that I am above all evil when they fail to ask how I got to be this way", Regina said in a hoarse voice, her throat aching. "You blame me for whatever happened to you, but this all began because of you, Snow White. You destroyed me. You have your…" and she gestured, "family…you have everything and I have been tortured. I just wanted to move past my hatred towards you and I forgave you…" Snow was shaking her head in disbelief, "I wanted to be given a chance to…"

"Your chances ran out!"

"I wanted us to be a family again!"

"No! I refuse to even consider it after all you ever did."

"Look who's warming and so good now", Regina said with tears in her eyes.

"I thought those years locked up would change you", Snow said sadly, shaking her head, "but when you came out, you just never could stop. Even though you stopped the war between us, you still want to kill someone just to prove a point."

"Twelve years…no one died. And she was in my castle for two nights, still I didn't kill her."

"You led her there to imprison her."

"You are really naïve and set on your own judgment of me that you cannot see the truth in all of this, that I did nothing at all". Regina said in disbelief.

"What you've done to Emma, whatever magic you've worked on her", Snow said heatedly, "you and your heretic ways, or Pagan or whatever the fuck you are, I want you to stop it now."

"I did nothing!"

"Stay away from her, Regina!" Snow raged, her eyes wide, "stay away from my daughter! I'm warning you."

"I know what I'll do with you, Snow White", the Queen said now as she sucked chilled air through her gritted teeth, "I came here without any hopes of fucking you up because it has been years. And I actually had gotten tired of concocting ways to kill you. But now…I'm growing tired of being nice in such a tempting situation."

In a flash, Snow was thrown back against the tree trunk, eyes bulging as magic choked her around the neck. And fighting for air, Regina's dark eyes gleamed with evil, and anger as she reached down to pick up her coat, throwing it at the back as she gave her boots freedom to step forward. Then closing the distance, fists clenched she approached the woman before her.

"You can't kill me", Snow squeaked, grabbing at her throat.

Regina laughed. "Oh right", and a hand was lifted, index finger held up as she suddenly remembered, "I'll get assassinated if I try to harm your family. My entire kingdom will turn against me, and I'll be beheaded. How can I forget?"

"You'll die."

"I've lived my life fully already."

"You're alone and damaged", Snow choked, her eyes wide.

"More reasons why I should just take that shard of glass, stab you with it and…" the glass was gently pulled from her grip, Regina choosing to hold it up, studying it with dancing eyes, "I can just watch you bleed to death before me."

"Do it then."

Silence elapsed after that order, that plea. And as the wind whispered around them, as the clouds slid over the moon and made the shadows of the dancing trees larger on the forest floor, the Queen remained deep in thought.

"Just leave my daughter alone and let's live our separate lives, Regina", Snow said, "it's worked for years now. Just let this go."

"Your daughter is the one who chased after me."

"Because of whatever spell you put on her. Just remove it and walk away because she suddenly believes that she's in love with you. That's not right. You just can't do this…"

"The man you made a deal with, dear Snow", Regina whispered, smiling as Snow's chest heaved against her, "he is the one that initialized this treachery. He somehow wants to have his revenge on me after what I did to him. And your daughter is his weapon against me. He's using the prophecy to his own advantage to destroy me."

"So you're putting the blame on him now."

"I'm telling you what I suspect!"

"And why should I believe you at all."

"Because your daughter has warranted my respect and I…" Regina stopped, thinking, "trust her even above you."

"You trust her because you want to gain her trust in return to fuck her up like you do too all of the people you sleep with!"

"I can use Emma against you, Snow White", Regina threatened. "You've already angered me this evening, and I am second thinking my decision to walk away from destroying you and your family."

"Nothing you have to say interests me anymore", Snow bravely declared.

"I would love to see the look on your pretty little face when you realize exactly what your daughter wishes to do to me or…" Regina smiled wickedly, "what she wants me to do to her."

"You are such a…"

"She wishes to have me fuck her, Snow", Regina continued, pressing her body closer, and Snow felt a hand move up her right thigh. "She's so attracted to me, when I see it in her emerald eyes, I have to fight so hard to keep my hands off of her. Emma…" and lips moved closer to her right cheek as a rough hand caressed her, "she is beautiful. I want her, Snow. And I want to do just what she wishes."

"You bitch!" Snow snarled.

"But you see, I cannot allow myself to break, all because of these feelings", and Snow felt Regina's hot breath against her neck, tingling her skin.

"Leave her alone, Regina…" Snow begged, tears forming in her eyes, "please leave her alone."

"I will", and a hoarse laugh ensued. "But just so you know, I'm not interested in your daughter at all. I could have taken her innocence and sent her running back to you. But I didn't. There is nothing between us. There never can be because once something is linked to you, it just…" distance was created once more as the Queen stepped away, the shard of glass still in her grip, "sickens me."

"Snow…" It was Charming and her black coat whipped around her boots as dark eyes met his. "Regina…what…"

"Plans have changed, dearest David", she said quickly, stepping into the moonlight once more, her eyes wild, "I get the feeling that someday you and your wife will seek my forgiveness, you will need me. And when that time comes, I will never give you a chance because we're not family."

"That's already established."

"Give Emma her freedom, let the caged bird sing", Regina said smiling, "because if you don't, you'll lose her forever, especially if she runs back to me and I just so happen to change my mind and imprison her forever as mine."

Charming made an attempt to attack her but he was held back by Snow who threw a protective arm around him. "Let witches be…" she said quietly as they glared at the Queen standing before them.

"You'll never have anything that belongs to us", Charming said, "wipe that lust from your heart that you have for our daughter, your blood lust…"

"Goodbye David…"

"If you only lay a hand on her, I'll behead you myself."

"I grow weary of your threats", and Regina laughed. "Tell Emma to stay away from me and you have nothing to fear."

And she disappeared in a swirl of purple smoke, leaving them both to gape in her departure.


[Fourteen years before]

She had become separated from her mommy as the crowd thickened and Snow was bombarded with questions from the village people. They had their hands waving in front of them as voices were lifted, as they tried to speak above each other. And noticing her sudden sadness, her worry, Charming swept her up into his arms, and she squealed from fright.

"Daddy!"

"Emma, how many times have I told you to stay close by us?" and he ruffled her thick blonde hair, "you don't want the old man with the bag to come for you."

"He's not real", Emma said and rolled her eyes, "he's a tale."

"If you say so", and David winked. "Now whilst your mother speaks to her friends, why don't we go into that toy store just near there", and he pointed. Immediately her emerald eyes grew wide and a smile washed over her small face.

"Toys! Yes, please!"

"Typical five year old you are", he said laughing.

But just as he returned her back to the ground, her small shoes touching the stones just outside the shop, an old friend approached him. And gesturing for her to wait by his side, he turned his back on her, still holding her hand as the conversation ensued. Whilst catching up, Charming never noticed that small fingers were slipped from his grasp as emerald eyes grew wide when a loud voice was heard from around the corner.

She had freed her hand, and boldly, sucking in air, Emma went to the corner of the shop's building. Peering around the corner, she just wanted to see what was happening. She wanted to know which woman had such a loud voice. And it was then when she saw the dolls on the wooden stand, displayed so nicely, their button eyes shining in the midday sun.

Hot and sweaty, she reached up to wipe her forehead as her feet led her to the stand, the old woman behind throwing a glance in her direction, smiling as she did. And Emma sighed.

"Did you make those?" she asked, pointing.

"Yes, child", the lady said smiling. "Why don't you get your father to buy one?"

"He's coming just now."

"In the meantime, why don't you choose one?" and Emma's eyes roamed the sea of clothe faces, stitched to perfection.

It took her a long time to select one, and when she did, she was about to reach for the doll with the black hair when there was the clop clopping of a horse's feet. Spinning around, eyes wide, she looked up and saw a woman there on the horse, dressed in the prettiest red dress ever with shiny riding boots and leather pants and a very beautiful hat. And she had the prettiest face ever, like a painted doll with red lips and wavy hair just like the doll she had chosen.

Whilst gazing at her, the woman tore her eyes away from the guard riding beside her and their eyes met.

"Your Majesty, we should get a move on now."

Dark eyes were focused on emerald ones.

"Hold on just a minute", the brunette said, and swinging a booted foot over her chestnut horse, she landed on the ground with grace. Emma gasped. And so did the woman behind the wooden stand.

As she was approached, Emma's feet were rooted to the spot and she couldn't move. But the woman looked like a doll, and she was even prettier as she came closer.

"Hi there…"

"Hi", Emma said bravely.

The little girl's eyes were emerald and huge, intense and the first thought that overwhelmed the Queen was the fact that she could drown in such pools of innocence.

"Sweetheart, what's your name?"

"I…" no she wasn't afraid. She wasn't afraid at all, of anyone, "my name is Emma Swan."

The brunette smiled and offered a gloved hand, bending down to smile at her, "hello Emma, my name is Regina."

"Please to meet you, Wegina", Emma said as her mother had taught her. "I like your boots and your horse."

"Do you now?" and Regina produced her right boot forward for Emma to gaze at.

"Yes…I like the buckles. They are shiny."

"They are indeed."

"You probably polish them every single day, Wegina", Emma said smiling, "I hate to polish my shoes. But they always get dirty", and she stuck her right shoe out, "see?"

"Ah you see now, a lady must always keep her shoes polished because your shoes tell a lot about your character."

Emma frowned. "But because my shoes are dirty doesn't mean I'm dirty."

"I know that sweetheart", and Regina reached out to squeeze her right shoulder, "you are anything but dirty."

"Your Majesty", her guard said in a disgruntled tone. And Emma gasped.

"Ignore the scary man on the horse", Regina whispered as she smiled.

"Someone says the Queen has no heart", said one of her guards and he laughed. "Look at that."

"Where are you from, Emma?" she asked quietly, her dark eyes scanning the girl's blonde hair, beautiful and silky, "are you lost?"

Emma was smart enough to ignore the question about where she was from because above all, her parents had always taught her to never tell strangers where she lived.

"I'm not lost. Daddy is standing right there."

Regina looked up and Emma's eyes sparkled when she noticed the bow on the Queen's hat. Reaching up, she touched it lightly, smiling.

"That's the prettiest hat I've ever, ever seen."

Dark eyes were widening as she absorbed the kind eyes, the warming praises. And the small girl's spirit, she just melted the Queen's heart. Regina had no idea why she had such an effect on her. But the kindred spirit, the little innocent heart, and her beautiful hair, her small face and huge eyes.

"You are such a sweet girl, my love", she said quietly, reaching out to pat the child's head. "As my gift to you, I'll buy you that doll. And…" she reached up to lift her hat from her head, the sun catching her black hair immediately, "I'd like you to have my hat."

"Really?" Emma asked, her eyes wide. "But the sun will ruin your hair."

The Queen laughed hoarsely, "I have an umbrella", she said smiling. And bending closer, she pressed a kiss on the little girl's forehead. "Now run along, and keep close to your father. Don't get lost."

Emma shook her head, and after Regina placed the doll into the hat, she handed it over.

"Thank you so much!" she squealed. And she rushed forward to hug the woman in front of her.

The villagers gathered around watched and some of them smiled, even the guards on their horses. Then pulling away, Emma turned and raced off towards the front of the shop.

"Daddy! Daddy! Look!" she cried, and he turned to consider her, suddenly realizing her absence.

"Emma, where did you go?"

"A lady on a horse, daddy, a lady just gave these to me!"

"And did you say thank you?" he asked smiling, relieved that she hadn't wandered far.

"I did!" and Emma lifted the hat to rest it on her head, the hat too large so that it covered her eyes, "how do I look daddy? Do I look nice?"

Charming laughed hard. "You look beautiful, sweetheart."

"You two", Snow said quickly, coming towards them with her eyes wide. "Quick, her Majesty the Queen is here."

And she was snatched up in his arms, her face hidden by the hat as she threw her hands around her father's neck. "Who is the Majesty the Queen?" she asked loudly.

"Shhh", Charming said as he pressed a hand on her back as they walked away.


[The day after the confrontation with the Charmings]

"I should just kill you right now", Regina snarled, her dark eyes dangerous as she paced the floor before the jail cell, "I should take your heart and kill you after you failed me."

"My Queen, that was many years ago. And I did exactly as you said. I delivered what needed to be delivered." And the man sighed warily, eyes lowered.

"But you failed", she stated coldly, "well…" and a hand was waved, "that's obvious since she's alive still. The plan was to sneak the poison into the child's food and she would have died in her sleep, nothing painful."

"I did do that, but your poison had no effect on her."

"Hook, you sicken me, really."

There was an angry shout as another prisoner banged on the walls, demanding her attention. She couldn't care less. But the place reeked with urine and dung, and because her polished boots were to step on this filth, her rage had already been fueled.

"The question, my hot headed Queen, is why…why didn't your poison work?"

"Maybe it wasn't delivered", Regina said boldly, her dark eyes fired with anger, "maybe you're lying to me."

"Why don't you ask the man who gave you the poison why it didn't work?" Hook asked, lifting a foot as the chain around his ankle clanked on the cemented ground. "And when he clears up things, maybe you can let me go."

"Rumpelstiltskin?" she asked, her eyes wide.

"Was I summoned, dearie?" and within a swirl of red smoke, he appeared in all his glory, smiling. "You can never escape the fate, you cannot kill destiny."

"Oh shut up you fool!" Regina snapped, and reaching down, she picked up her gown, the feel of velvet between her fingers. "You betrayed me over and over again."

"I did no such thing", he said smiling, acting up the innocent role. It sickened her. "Like Hook said, the poison was delivered, Emma did eat the porridge but…" and he laughed, a hand held up, "nothing happened!"

"I made a deal with you", and she strode towards him, "I gave up something to get that toxin and I want it back now."

"Not my problem if you failed."

"I will not take this any longer from you", Regina said in a sharp voice, "you and the Pirate betrayed me. I will have your head for this!" she said turning to consider Hook with dark eyes.

"Preferably his heart, since that is your area of expertise", Rumple suggested.

"Oh fuck off!"

"But even his death isn't worth it…" he continued. And she disappeared into purple smoke, appearing in front of him with her hands around his neck.

"You will do something about this. You will make this stop, whatever you're doing."

"Nothing can stop fate."

"This is fate?" Regina laughed as she tightened her grip, "oh right, destroying me is fate."

"No…suddenly becoming mesmerized by the little blonde girl you gave your hat and bought a doll for many years ago is fate", and her knees grew weak, eyes wide as she suddenly was washed over with a memory, that memory of a small girl in the midday sun with golden hair.

"What…"

"Glad you remember. Now...the two of you were meant to meet and all of this was meant to happen. It's happening without my interference because you and I both know…" and he lowered his voice so that Hook couldn't overhear, "that the more you try to fight what you feel, the deeper you're falling in love with her."

"Your potion is doing this to me", she said through gritted teeth.

"I will remove the effects of the potion, dearie", and his breath was horrible against her face, "then you shall see what happens. You just needed a push."

"A push to do what exactly?"

"To get close enough."

Had she not met Emma, had she not even been attracted to her, then they wouldn't have ever been in close proximity. The garden incident came to mind, the feel of the younger woman's breath on her cheeks, the nearness and sudden desire to kiss her. When she gazed into those emerald eyes, what she felt and how her body reacted. All of it was just lust. It was nothing else. But deep within her, Regina was well aware of something else, the desire to even drown herself in a bottle and still desire Emma. It wasn't her desire to bed her that was evident now, it was the ache in her heart every single time she reminisced on the young girl's parents and how it sickened her.

Had she just been a young woman of any other title, then Regina would have already captured her and welcomed the love in her heart.

"You saw this occurring, all of it?"

"Just glimpses but enough."

"What did you see?" she asked now, releasing her grip, stepping away as the vision of those huge emerald eyes captivated her mind, the recollection of that innocent face.

"Perhaps somewhere else other than in his…." And he gestured towards Hook, "company would be most beneficial."

"Fine", she said, and her dark eyes were turned to consider the Pirate in the jail cell, "you, I'll release you but you will return to the Charming's palace and fraternize Miss Swan for me, stay close to her and them. Learn of their weaknesses so that if I must attack, I will have advantages."

"Planning a war, your Majesty?" Rumple asked with widened eyes.

"I'm planning Snow White's death", she said warily.

"Do it before I die", Rumple said happily.

"Guards", Regina said loudly, ignoring him once more, a look of disgust on her face, "release the Pirate. Now you…" and she gestured, "alone."

"You will never be able to fight this", Rumple said as he materialized beside her in her private garden, the smell of roses sharp, sunlight washing over the leaves from the trees just near the concrete wall. "Someday, even without my interference, you will lose everything because of your love for Miss Swan."

"And you will watch in glee as I suffer, is that it?"

"Putting it in simpler terms, yes."

"Ah…" she stepped away with her back to him hands together as her mind circled around thoughts. "And what exactly did you see, where Emma and I are concerned?"

Rumple took a while to answer, so that the rustle of leaves, the passing of wind through the trees filled the silence around them. And while he said nothing, she stared longingly at the bench before her. It was the one upon where they had seated themselves, only to be snatched by each other as they waited on the other to seal the deal with a kiss. That wasn't just lust. That had been so much more and she knew it. She was beginning to realize it more and more as the days went by and the distance between the two of them kept on tormenting both of them.

They had locked her within the kingdom, or so she had heard from Hook. Snow had done so by force but then after a while, Emma just remained in her room or the library on most days by herself.

"You will have her daughter", Rumple said from behind her. At first she was entirely caught up in her vision of Emma curled up by herself in a chair to register what he had uttered. "And when you do, the Charmings will have no choice but to accept you as family.

"What?" she asked, turning to consider him with wide eyes. But then she laughed. "Oh you stupid man, are you listening to yourself?" and she waved the ridiculous statement off. "Two women cannot produce a child!"

"My visions say so."

"Well then your visions are fucked up", Regina said in disbelief.

"Only time will tell." And Rumpled plucked one of her roses from its stem boldly as she watched. And he sniffed it.

"I am in my fifties, way past the age to produce a child", she said as her mind circled the idea, the ridiculous idea. "Perhaps the vision was of another line of thought. Maybe I will have Robin's child or…"

"Oh Robin is a waste of your time, your Majesty", he said with a shake of his head, "trust me, it will be a child from your union with Emma and…"

"I refuse to hear such trash", she said interrupting him. "I will never be intimate with her and that is final, a decision made by me to keep clear of her. And whatever you say the future has in plan for us, then I will do my best to avoid it because I'd rather…die than suffer from being in love again."

"You will suffer more if you deny it."

"I have suffered all my life", she said with tears in her eyes, "rejecting…Emma…finding a distraction will be worth it for me."

"Very well, your choice", he said. And suddenly she felt a warmth rush over her body. "There now, I've removed the effects of the potion from your person." But he was a sly one. He did remove as he had said, but little did she know, that spell he used on her whilst he was a moth in her room, that one still remained intact.


So how had Emma been exactly after the last time you read about her? What happened to her and how was she taking this all in?

The throwing up of the magical barrier at first really angered her. But it had been done before and after a while; Emma just ignored all of it.

She ignored all of it because there was no other choice. If Emma had chosen to drown in her anger towards her stupid parents, then she would have tried to escape. And it was tried on many occasions. But she failed when the guards caught her, and kicking, yelling to be released, she was deposited on the castle's front steps.

Surprisingly, after the secretive confrontation her mother had with the Queen (and she chose to refer to her as such because it was safer to not refer to her on a personal level), she had suddenly realized what a fool she had been. But that wasn't the reason behind her sudden loss of interest for the brunette.

Emma wrote Regina many times after that night when she had blurted out her stupid confession to her mother. It was so ridiculous to even hear herself say it out loud. No one would ever understand and neither did she. For crying out loud, she hadn't even met Regina on so many occasions but there she was declaring that she loved her. How could you just love someone just like that?

Maybe she could answer it by saying that when she looked into those dark tormented eyes, her heart just saw the real Regina. It was like parting the dark curtains and peering behind it, only to capture the beauty within the room, the thrills and sincerity. And Ruby never wanted to listen to such ridiculous tales, but Belle believed every single word of it.

Belle called it love at first sight.

And that was it. It had to be. You could meet someone just like that, she said. And you could just know by staring into their eyes how connected you were. It was a bond very few people knew about, very few people felt. Maybe that's why the Queen was so scared or in denial because it was flimsy. And as you got older, love couldn't be flimsy, it had to be strong. After what she had been through, after losing the one she loved, according to what Snow had told her, maybe that's why the Queen couldn't accept any of it.

She wrote this to Regina. And she did so through poems. The first poem she wrote was short because there was fear of it being discovered by her parents. All mail was checked before leaving the kingdom and they checked all her mail. So she mailed it to Tinkerbell directly who received them and promised that she'd deliver them to her Queen friend.

Emma never got a reply, even after pouring her heart out so many times.

Thinking of it just bothers me entirely, the desire to hear your voice or see your eyes, my heart bleeds when it beats for you. How can a love so deep be so tragic? Because soldiers may fight a war by the orders of a Queen, yet the Queen just needs to let go of her fears and welcome peace. Peace is what calms the storm that has been raging in a heart for years, having war destroy a land already broken. Yet if someone just welcomes change, sincerity and love then everything changes. For the better or worse there was a connection…

And she'd write many, sending them over and over again. Emma poured out her heart in one, one that was taken from Tinkerbell on a Saturday as she visited Ruby. She wrote this one with all her feelings, that tears stained the page.

I don't know where to begin, because I'm afraid that as always, when I start I will not be able to finish. As you know me so well, I cannot stop my thoughts. They keep going on and on and as much as I try to focus on anything else but you, it only takes seconds for my mind to focus on your beautiful eyes once more.

You denied that you love me. And I found it harsh at the time but I know that I saw something more in your eyes when you chased me away. The first time I met you, we both fell in love and it happens. It's a fairytale but it did happen because the heart never lies. I felt it and I know you did too. That's why you chased after the carriage when I departed that day. You wanted to let me go but your heart longed to take me back.

I get that you are afraid to love, or give me a chance. I understand how wrong this is for both of us, especially where my family is concerned. But what did you expect me to do? How am I supposed to feel? Putting yourself in my shoes, you think that denying me over and over again will eventually turn me away from you. You think that as the MATURE one, you keeping distance and insulting me will anger me against you. But it did quite the opposite.

Every time you chased me away, the more I wanted to run back to you. I've tried and then I stopped trying. I've realized that even if I run back to you, you might still chase me away as you did before. You've turned your heart away from loving someone. But I'm worth it. I know I am.

They never told me what you said or what happened. What they said was that if I ever tried to run back to you, if I try to talk to you, they will declare war. And they will lock you up. I don't want that. So I've decided to just stay here and because this is fate, because we are meant to be, we will find each other again soon.

And she sent it along with Tinkerbell.

Most days, she was found by Neal within the library as her eyes filled with tears swept over pages of books about heartbroken females. She read about Jane Eyre and Mister Rochester. She read about Fanny in Mansfield Park and Edmund.

Three weeks after the confrontation her parents had with 'her', more than a month after she had last seen 'her', Emma was in the library again. And after searching for hours after a certain book, she flung a one at Neal because of her fury. Then departing the room, he followed her.

"Hey look…" and his footfalls could be heard behind her as she stalked down the corridor, "not my fault if you can't find the book!"

"You hid it", she said with a small smile playing on her face.

"I…oh right", and laughed, reaching up to run a hand over his face, "I hid it." And Emma kept walking. "I hid it and I have it under my pillow because at nights, I turn the lamp down low and read it over and over again whatever IT is."

"Oh you toss pot."

"Oh you blonde hair boyish Princess who…" Emma inhaled as he caught up with her, smiling widely, "chooses to not wear dresses ever, always wearing tailored pants and frilly blouses without any corsets on."

"You are bold!" she cried, stopping to watch him.

"I…don't mind the absence of the corsets, to be honest." And she lashed out at his arm playfully. "No you know what, I take that back. You're not boyish after all because when you just hit me, that felt like a tickle."

And she chased him along the corridor as if they were children at play, her blonde hair flying behind her as the heels of her shoes clapped on concrete. Never did they stop until the sunshine washed over their faces. And standing there upon the stone steps leading down into the garden that led to the front pathway, Emma breathed in the smell of freshly mown grass and flowers.

"You know, if you marry me, I would grow this flower garden, every letter of your name being a flower of a different kind across this stretch of land right here", and he waved his hand, eyes dancing.

She turned to gaze at him with kind eyes and realized that he was such a nice man. He could be chasing after some other girl who would willingly take his hand in marriage. And yet here he was keeping her company every single day even as she looked upon him as a friend, a very close one.

"Hey look, it's Tinkerbell", he suddenly said smiling, and a hand was waved, "now if you direct your attention to the woman approaching", he said behind a hand, his eyes dancing with mischief, "you'll cast your eyes upon the wonders a corset does when laced up tighter than ever."

"You are unbelievable!" she said and laughed. "Geez, now all I'll see is her…"

"Shhh now", he said quickly, "smile and wave, Emma, just smile and wave. Keep your eyes on her nose if you must."

"Neal you are such a tease!"

"I am not a tease, I am a toss pot, remember? Ah Tinkerbell!" he chimed excitedly, and stepping forward as she bounced up the steps, Neal opened his arms, waiting, "you must hug me now."

"Pshhh", Tinkerbell scoffed, smiling as she batted his snatching arms away, "who are you, the Duke of Charm?"

"I am the Duke of Cassidy."

"And I am the Duchess of Bell."

"I like that actually…" Emma rolled her eyes. "No, honestly, it has a ring to it…the Duchess of Bell, Tinker the Duchess of Bell, tinker the bell."

"You are a toss pot!" Tinkerbell said and she lashed him hard, smiling though as Neal cowered.

When they were left alone, Emma listened to Tinkerbell speak of Ruby and how Belle was clearly a fussy one, always peppering them with questions relating to their whereabouts. But she was waiting on news of any sort, any mention of a certain name. Yet it never happened. And she never wished to ask about that person because then it might make her appear as if she was still clinging to such a hopeless affair. So listen she did, and she listened and listened and was invited for dinner with the girls.

But she denied the offer.

"Why?" Tinkerbell asked, her blue dress fluttering in the wind, blonde hair tucked up neatly. "We're looking forward to seeing you there!"

"I…" emerald eyes were lowered.

"Aww, Emma, please come?"

And she couldn't take it any longer. "Does she even read my stuff, Tinkerbell?" Emma asked quietly, her eyes burning. "Does she read them at all?"

"She does."

"And…"

"She just reads them."

But all of a sudden, ever so recently Tinkerbell had suddenly lost interest in matching her friend up with the blonde. It had been because of the severity of the entire situation, the threats by Emma's parents to lock Regina up and the fact that even though she wished not to see it, Tinkerbell saw how difficult such a match could be. If she could just wave her hand and correct everything, then her friend would be happy and so would Emma. But she had no magic now, fucking Blue Fairy.

"Is she okay?" Emma asked after waiting. "How is she?"

"She's okay, Emma", Tinkerbell said without looking at her, her hands behind her back. "She's been threatened to be returned to her jail cell, Emma, the one she spent three years in because of your parents' orders. And all because of you. She's not okay but she's trying to be. I know it, and I can see it that she's trying to forget you."

Turning her eyes away, she just gazed at nothing in particular as tears welled up in her eyes. And Tinkerbell realized the harshness of her words.

"That was really cruel of me to say", she said and rested a hand on Emma's shoulder softly, "I'm really sorry."

"So that's it then", she said with her eyes lowered, "I must just do the same and forget her too."

"Yes", Tinkerbell confirmed, her voice steady.

"You were the one who kept pushing me."

"Because I thought you were old enough to have your freedom, away from here", and she waved a hand, "to do whatever you wanted. I forgot that your parents are protective because of you being a Princess. And when they threatened to kill her, to behead her if she ever contacted or came near you or spoke to you, I kind of went into protective friend mode."

"Hating me for all of it", Emma stated.

"Noo, I don't hate you. Above all, I know you love her. But the more you do, the stronger the threat grows. And it gets dangerous the more you dwell on it."

Emma didn't speak for a long time. She just stood there with her eyes wet and suddenly she found that her mind was consumed by anger. She felt anger towards her parents, anger towards Regina even for being who she was, for the past and what had happened between her parents and her. She hated her life and what she was, who she was: this Princess who was supposed to be a gold piece, hidden and expected to live. And the more she thought of it, she just wanted to cry, lock herself away and cry.

But that would only make her weaker. And she wasn't weak. She knew that as much. All her life she had been stronger than other girls, and above all, she had been the one who pushed forward, who fought things, even fear without flinching.

"Tell Regina that I'm letting go", she said after a while, her voice steady and low, "tell her that I was stupid to ever let myself love her, believing in love at first sight. It's ridiculous because it wasn't that at all. It was just me growing dizzy and reckless, knowing not what I want at all. Tell her that I'll forget her and I'll move on because it can never work anyway."

"Emma…"

But she held up a hand, "no, when I think of it, it's her fault because of who she is. It's my parents fault too. And I hate all of them. All they want is to be happy whilst no one considers me at all. Putting their happiness aside, all they care about is the past and they hang onto the past. Me, all I want is to move forward and live my life without them pressing me down. No one considers me, not even her"

"But she did consider you", Tinkerbell said sadly, "she did, that's why she's trying to push this aside because it will just bring war."

"Well then if that's true, then I clearly don't want to waste my time on someone who I can never have."

"She loves you Emma."

"No", and emerald eyes grew hard, "she doesn't. She loves her crown and her power. She loves her title. My parents and her, all they want is title and who rules over who. All my life, I honestly believed that my mother was the Queen and she was the only one who was Queen. Then I find out she isn't fully a Queen. Regina is. And I've been lied to. I've been stepped on as if I'm a mat. Everyone believes that they can sweep everything under me and hide it away until I suddenly feel something and now I'm the bad one here. She's older than me, and she's got so much power. Who am I to take that away from her."

"Emma…don't think that way."

"You can tell her", the blonde said, snatching her arm away as Tinkerbell tried to touch her, "that if she really loved me, she could give it all up and just change and be who everyone thinks she's not, the woman I know she is: Regina. Not the evil Queen. If she did that, she'd stand a better chance at getting my parents to understand how much she loves me."

"But she tried that…she said she asked your mother for them to put aside the past and be a family again and Snow said no."

She hadn't been aware of that. But she wasn't surprised at her not knowing. "Recently, I have no idea who's lying to me, and who's telling the truth anymore."

"But…"

"I have to go", Emma said quickly. And turning her eyes away, she disappeared into the castle.


[That same day]

She was on her way to her private drawing room when her eyes were cast upon a tall woman coming in the opposite direction. And from seeing Tinkerbell at the woman's side, Regina immediately knew who it was.

As they approached each other, Ruby considered her with haughty eyes. "Your Majesty, good evening."

"Lady Ruby", she said without a smile.

"We're only just leaving", Tinkerbell informed her.

"Yeah", and Ruby slid an arm around her friend protectively, "we're spending the night out…together."

"That's good", said Regina without a worry. These days, she never really did care about their relationship.

"So we'll leave you to yourself."

"Is Miss Swan well?" the Queen asked quickly, realizing that she could not hold back her words any longer. And she stalled, drawing in her breath as they both grew silent. "Are there any more letters from her addressed to me?" this question was directed to Tinkerbell who considered her with worried eyes.

"I…"

"No there aren't any letters from her", Ruby piped up quickly, boldly in fact. "But she did send a message along with Tinkerbell for you just today. Tell her Tink."

Regina waited, holding her breath as she wrung her hands, trying to remain composed.

"Well, Emma said that she's…" and she stopped, only to receive a nudge from her friend, "she's upset, Regina. She's really upset and she's…she said to tell you that she's letting go. Starting from today she will try to forget you."

"She wants nothing to do with you anymore, in other words", Ruby said boldly. "My friend's life is better without you in it, if you can understand that. And above all, she said to tell you that she wishes to never see you again. Emma said it's as if you two never ever met in the first place."

Time had probably stopped to allow those words to hang in the air around her. And as Regina stood there, her heart gave a terrible jolt as pain shot through her. Wincing, and reaching up to press a hand on her chest, she bit her lips as her eyes stung. So quickly? She thought to herself. It had been three weeks since she had that confrontation with Snow White and over a month since she had last seen Emma. Such a long time for her, dragging by as if it had been months and those letters had been her comfort. As much as she was in denial, reading Emma's letters, her poems had soothed her soul.

She always ached for more and more. And she wanted to reply but she never could, even though it pained her to resist the urge to take a bit of parchment and write three words then send it along. It would just urge Emma on, lead her on, and it would just make her come chasing after her. Then she'd get into trouble, they both would and to be honest, Regina had grown tired of fighting with the Charmings. It was better for them to just stay apart from each other and live their separate lives.

How could she even allow herself to risk suspicious feelings on a young woman she hardly knew? But Regina honestly felt as if she knew her. That small girl who had complimented her boots many years ago, that little girl who had won her heart with a smile and her huge emerald eyes. Somehow that day, Emma had made her turn to go back home after she had decided to slaughter a village that refused to give her information on Snow White's whereabouts. Her hat…had Emma kept it? It had been her favorite hat, one that she wore so many times, but she had given it up to that little girl.

And the more Regina sat down and thought of that day, the more she gave in to the whisper of love she had felt for that little girl, the more she began to realize how much she loved Emma. Love never had to do with spending time getting to know each other because she sure as hell knew that time had been wasted after many years of being alone. No, what she had been written to do in fate was to fall for someone in a flash, just by the meeting of eyes. That night when she had met Emma again, she knew that those eyes had been familiar, the depth of those eyes, searching hers, the familiar feel of looking into a soul of innocence so pure.

"Is that true, Tinkerbell?" she asked hoarsely.

A nod was offered for confirmation.

And without uttering another word, Regina stepped around them and strode down the corridor. Both of the women that remained watched her go, Ruby choosing to smile in her wake. But Tinkerbell frowned deeply.

"You know you could have softened the words a bit."

"Why?"

"You don't know how fragile this situation is, Ruby."

"Then let her break, if it's possible", the brunette said bravely, "and let go of that notion that she actually loves Emma, it's ridiculous."

"Ruby, she does."

"She doesn't."

"I know her, Ruby."

"Let's change the topic before this evening is ruined for me", and snatching up her friend's hand, she pulled her towards the exit.

When their shoes hit the pavement outside, Tinkerbell snatched her into the shadows and crushed her lips onto Ruby's red painted ones. Pulling back, the latter's eyes widened at first then a smile crossed her face as she lunged for the moment once more, the meeting of lips thrilling her.

"I like it like this", Tinkerbell said smiling, breathless as they held each other close, and she lifted a thumb to caress the other woman's right cheek. "I've never really had a chance to just love and you give me that. You are so exciting and unpredictable. I love it."

"Oh shucks, stop it", Ruby declared, appearing dampened by emotion, a smile on her face, "I'm melting."

"Come", and her hand was snatched, then she was being pulled towards the pathway leading out the castle grounds, "let's chase the night."

"To the clubs we go", said Ruby and they ran out like two teenagers lost in the dizzy of romance.


"I don't understand why she has to be so protective over you", Tinkerbell said as she used a finger to swirl her pink drink, eyes lowered.

The club was entertained by live music every night, introducing young and old musicians and singers who wished to have their faces shown to the public. Braving it all, they'd fill the interior of the dimly lit space with their talent. And on most occasions, well the nights when Ruby and Tink chose to frequent the place, good music was played over and over again. Tonight was no different.

After selecting two stools near the bar, they seated themselves there in close proximity as the place filled up with villagers. And snaking a hand up Ruby's right leg, her red tights dotted with sequins, Tinkerbell pretended to be oblivious of what she was doing.

"She's just looking out for me", Ruby said smiling at the hand below the counter. "She always does. We've been friends for years."

"I don't like it", and the blonde pouted.

"You don't have to be jealous, you know!" and the brunette leant in closer, "just so you know, when you're jealous, your cheeks get flushed and you just appear so cute."

"I am not cute", Tinkerbell said, her cheeks becoming flushed. "I might be flushed but I'm not cute."

"Aw look at her cheeks!" Ruby said and she reached in to pinch them.

"I will bite your fingers", and she chewed pomegranate seeds from her drink.

"Save the biting for later."

"Well if it isn't the blonde and the brunette", August said from behind and he pulled up a stool without asking, "tell me, must every situation I enter present itself with a blonde and a brunette?"

"To which other situation are you referring to, August?" Tinkerbell asked although she knew quite well.

"Oh you know which situation I am referring to", he waved a hand, "continuous round of beers for me", and the bar man nodded. "And keep em coming all night long", he whispered to the two ladies.

Ruby laughed. "Out to get yourself drunk and passed out?"

"Hey it's my way to spend every Friday night", and August shrugged, "wake up Saturday with a hangover and then attack the woodwork with such a ferocious mind."

"This one…" Tinkerbell said laughing. "He's not an easy man of study, although his way of life tends to take on a mundane cycle from time to time. He's the type of bloke that would also choose to do a woman on his work table instead of using his bed."

"Speaking of doing a woman", and he clapped Ruby's back as she choked from snorting, his eyes wavering to the doorway, "check out red dress: low neckline, nice mane of red hair, those legs. Even from way over here, I can feel those legs."

Ruby waved a hand, swallowing her martini, "then go feel those legs by all means possible."

August beamed. "I might end up being rejected and then I'll have to write a story about her, to add to my collection."

"I suppose", Tinkerbell said now, laughing, "that every woman who has crossed your path, you've written a few pages on them."

"Only the ones who refused me, this…" and he gestured at himself quite charmingly, "imagine a woman refusing this, no Ruby…" he pleaded as she snorted, "don't pretend as if you have no idea how handsome I am. You both know it."

"Oh you are soo handsome, August", Tinkerbell choked.

"You've hurt my feelings now."

"I did? I thought you were set on your own judgment that you are indeed handsome!"

"But you think not."

"I think you are handsome!"

"On a scale from 1 to 10, 10 being exceedingly charming", and he lowered his voice, leaning in closer to her, "rate me."

"I give you a 9."

"8…" Ruby said.

"Wait…" August's eyes were wide now, "what did I lose points for?"

"Just accept the 9 and 8, dude!" Tinkerbell piped up.

"I refuse to lose points and not know why!"

"Holy shit!" Ruby exclaimed, and Tinkerbell's attention snapped to her immediately, noticing how her female companion's eyes bulged as she stared at the doorway. August also followed their line of sight and his eyes widened too.

"Is that…"

"No way…"

"She's coming over here, shit!" Ruby said ducking as her dark hair fell like a curtain around her face. "Tinkerbell, chase her away."

Dressed in a blood red long sleeve silk shirt with a black overthrow, she appeared absolutely unlike the Queen everyone knew her as. Wearing a black wide flowing skirt with red sequins with her black leather boots still on, Regina made her way towards them as her dark hair tumbled over her shoulders. And perhaps it was the fact that she had on no makeup which troubled both Tinkerbell and Ruby the most for she was quite a picture to behold without any on. Gasping, eyes wide, they just considered her with awe and disbelief as she stood there looking like a common village folk, never even drawing attention to herself because most likely no one really realized who she was.

"No way…" August said with his mouth agape. "I never knew…" he turned to Tinkerbell, "I never knew she had a twin."

"Oh quit it", and Regina nodded at a vacant stool next to Ruby, "is that seat taken?" she asked warily.

"No, not at all…" Ruby said slowly.

And as the brunette stepped to the empty stool, as she sat down gracefully, fixing her skirt around her, August made a swift move at the back. He went around the older woman and sat on her exact right, Ruby on her left. And she turned to consider him with watchful eyes.

"Easy there, boy", Tinkerbell said smiling. But he adjusted himself on the chair and with an elbow resting on the counter, his eyes turned to fixate upon the Queen sitting there as he studied her with mild fascination and a smile.

"So what brings the Queen here on this rainy Friday night?" he asked and all three of them had their eyes fixated on Regina as she sat there among them.


A/N – Many of you probably wanted me to have Regina kill Snow White and then kidnap Emma but I need Snow for the rest of the story, as ridiculous as it sounds. And to address one review that I got pertaining to Emma's sudden deep love for Regina, how she confessed even though they only met on less than three occasions: well that's something sudden. But it's my little version of a fairytale. If you believe in fate as I do, then you'd believe in True Love, well mostly. And when they lock eyes, they feel a connection beyond anything else. It's sudden and it's something Regina is running away from because she knows exactly what she feels. And it frightens her.

Another reviewer asked me what the hell Rumple is doing. He's taking advantage of what he knows. He knows exactly what's going to happen and because of his belief that Regina killed Cora, because she separated him from Belle, he's going to somehow screw her over terribly. Of course he fooled her into believing he softened up for just a bit when he was explaining the visions he had with her. Sure I'll take away the effects of the Lust potion. But he can never be trusted.

I WANT TO BRING IN SOMEONE FROM OUR WORLD, A WOMAN PREFERABLY THAT IS A SINGER OR AN ACTRESS OR SOMEONE WHO WILL BECOME REGINA'S NEW FRIEND. AND I NEED YOUR IDEAS PLEASE!

Anyway, thanks for reading me! Feel free to REVIEW even if you disagree on something because I love to hear anything you have to say. I just want to know that you appreciate what I write and you love the story