Hiding In The Dark

Chapter 9- Steady As She Goes

They kissed.

Emma sat frozen in place, Regina's warm lips upon hers, while delicate hands pulled at her waist, coaxing her body closer. She didn't move, not at first, her mind ran into over drive as her heart thrummed against it's cage, desperately trying to reach out to the brunette before her.

She gave in, letting the heart have it's way. Slowly, pale lips moved against Regina's, timid and unsure as if it were her first time. Regina sensed Emma's confliction and pulled back, eyes curiously searching emerald pools for answers.

Emma still sat frozen, staring at Regina as her body was overcome with painful want for the older woman. It was as if hundreds of years were washing away, all the hate and anger seemed to vanish. She felt briefly alive again, like her heart was truly beating in her chest.

It was intoxicating.

Regina watched Emma closely, feeling her emotion, reading each one. Cautiously, she leant forward again, brushing red lips against pale ones. Emma grabbed onto the feeling, letting it consume her, banishing her hate and pain. She kissed back, her movements bolder this time. She felt Regina smile against her lips.

Then it faded. The life left Emma once more and she was returned to the real her. She jerked back from Regina, not missing the hurt look on her face as the blonde shifted back slightly, breaking their contact.

"I'm sorry." Regina muttered, looking away from Emma. "I couldn't help myself."

"No it's okay… It felt good." Emma confessed and the brunette perked up immediately.

"Really?" Regina moved closer to her but didn't touch, hands hovered unsure in the air.

"Yes." The queen smiled and tilted her head down, resting it against Emma's. "But-"

"No but, let me just have this, please?" Regina whispered, her voice sounding fragile. "I know you're hurt and angry and hate me, but I will always love you, so please let me just pretend we're okay, at least for a moment?"

"Okay." Was all Emma could manage as she slipped her eyes shut, not moving her head away from Regina's. She wasn't ready, neither of them truly were. A gaping hole stood between them and the happiness that once existed. She felt closer though, as if her fingers were brushing against what she wanted, but couldn't fully grab it… Not yet.

"How long have you been having nightmares?" Regina asked, pulling back to see Emma's face scrunch up in thought.

"A few months now I think, they come and go."

"What do you see in them?" Emma let out a pent up breath, leaning back against the sofa, thinking back to the most recent nightmare.

"The people I've killed, I see their faces… feel their pain. I can't help them, I try but they just ignore more, always chanting the same things over and over."

"What do they say?"

"Death to the Queen, blame the Knight." Regina let her head droop down, eyes avoiding the blonde. "I see her too."

"I thought you would." The brunette stood suddenly, moving swiftly away from Emma, who frowned in confusion. "We should rest; we'll need our strength if we're going to track the Ulunn."

"Right yeah." Emma rose from the sofa, her eyes falling to the only bed. She pondered her choices for a moment, glancing back at the sofa. Emerald eyes looked over at Regina. Though she said nothing, the look in her eyes made it clear she did not wish to sleep alone tonight. Emma stepped forward and slipped into bed, a white cloud briefly engulfing her body before she reappeared sat upright in bed, a tank top and shorts adorned her body.

"Can I?" Regina asked unsure, teeth clamped over a plump lip. Emma nodded, sinking beneath the covers, turning her back to the brunette. The fire suddenly went out and room fell into darkness, the only light coming in from the crack of the door.

Emma tilted her head back slightly, eyes just making out the back of Regina. She sighed, wanting to say something to her, to know what she was thinking deep down. But even as she thought it, Emma knew what the other woman was thinking, she felt that same… She didn't want to be alone either.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Emma rolled over, arm falling limply into the empty space beside her. Emerald eyes slowly opened and looked around for Regina. She frowned when no trace was found of the other woman. Sitting up, Emma stretched her muscles, hearing several clicks here and there.

The blonde slipped from the bed, bare feet hitting the cold ground below. She stopped however, turning to look at the door. There was a strange feeling in the air, as if something were happening. Barely even thinking about it, Emma disappeared in a cloud of smoke, immediately reappearing in the main bunker, not bothering changing her clothes.

The vampires who had joined her in the search for Henry all stood in a loose crowd, clearly weary of whatever was being observed. Pushing through, Emma gasped when her eyes fell on a figure hunched on the floor. Her dark brunette hair was matted with blood and mud, as were her clothes. At a guess, she looked as if she had been dragged through a forest. Emma dropped to her knees besides Graham who was tending to a wound on the woman's arm.

"Ruby." She muttered, a hand shooting out to check her pulse.

"She lives, barely." Graham said softly, his eyes darting around the group of vampires. They all stared on at Ruby, eyes fixed on the blood coating her body.

"Touch her and I kill you all." Emma growled, looking pointedly at Robin who backed up slightly at her words.

"A little early to making death threats isn't it, Emma?" Regina cooed, suddenly looking over her shoulder. Emma ignored her, her attention fixed on the slowly stirring woman.

"Ruby?" Emma gently coaxed, cupping the other woman's cheek.

"Emma?" She rasped, green eyes blinking rapidly at the light.

"It's okay, you're okay." The princess assured gently.

"The town, Henry, oh god." Ruby attempted to get up, but the blonde firmly pushed her back down.

"Hey, hey we're going to fix that I promise, but you need to rest." Regina growled behind her and bent down, getting a closer look at Ruby's wounds. She muttered something before placing her hand on the wolf's chest. Purple magic rippled from her hand, dancing across Ruby's body, knitting together the cuts and bruises. Once she was finished Ruby took in a long breath before attempting to sit up once more.

"Better." The wolf said quietly, more to herself than the other.

"I could have done that you know." Emma grumbled, looking over at Regina.

"You were taking too long." Regina shrugged back. "Ruby tell us what happened."

Ruby turned her attention to Regina, eyebrows shooting up at the sight of her. Her eyes immediately jumped back to Emma, shock and anger all over her face.

"No…" Was all she seemed to be able to manage, and Emma sighed.

"It's a long story." The blonde mumbled, not able to look at Ruby.

"Does she know?!" The brunette demanded, glaring at Regina who looked puzzled.

"Yes."

"Emma!" Ruby shot up, ignoring everyone around her as she glared at Emma. "After everything we went through?!"

"I had too Ruby! If I didn't tell she would never had let me come here." Emma tried to explain.

"Why on earth were you with her in the first place?!" Ruby demanded, her eyes flashing yellow.

"She caught up with us and took me back with her, it wasn't safe to try and send word to you." The blonde kept her voice even, hoping to avoid the brunette's inevitable outburst.

"So that's it? Nine years of running and hiding? Watching Henry from a distance at all times only to cave and tell her the second she gets her hands on you? Emma what the fuck?" The blonde sighed, unable to answer.

"I don't expect you to understand, only for you to accept this is how things have worked out." Ruby stared at her in outrage, mouth opening and closing. Eventually her body seemed to deflate and she crossed her arms, looking the group over. Her eyes fell on Graham who lurked at the edge, looking at little lost.

"Graham." She mumbled, before moving over to him and wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug. Pulling away, Ruby turned back to look at Emma, eyes glancing at Regina who was seething in the corner. "Is she helping?"

"Yes, we heard what happened to the town and feared the worst."

"It's worse than that." Ruby grumbled. "The Ulunn came as soon as the sun set, we were… unprepared."

"Why?"

"They came for us." Regina moved back into the group, a calculating look on her face.

"How is that possible, the Ulunn are feral, they don't just take specific people." The queen pointed out, unconvinced by Ruby.

"Unless they were told too." Emma all but whispered, eyes connecting with Ruby's who nodded, agreeing with her theory.

"That's impossible." Regina said irritably.

"Nothing is impossible Regina." The blonde shot back.

"Why would they want Henry and Bae though?" Graham piped up and other vampires mumbled along with him, clearly wondering the same thing.

"Who else knows about Henry's parentage?" Regina suddenly asked, her face darkening.

"Only me, Ruby and Baelfire, why?" Regina let out an angered shriek, storming away from the group and pacing up and down. "Regina what is it?!"

"What's the best way of manipulating someone?" The queen asked staring at Emma. She gazed back, thrown by the question.

"No…" Emma mumbled, the answer dawning on her. "You threatened something they love."

"Someone is trying to scare us, to use us." Regina spat, her eyes flashing purple.

"Who would do that?" Ruby asked, looking between the two women. Emma didn't break eye contact with Regina as they both understood the situation.

"Bae's father." Emma muttered sadly.

"Rumpelstiltskin."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Emma sat in a heap at her table, maps and papers spewed all around her. Her finger lazily traced the outline of her village, eyes grazing over the small drawing of the Mills estate. A week had passed since Neal's capture, and Emma had been up nearly twenty four hours a day trying to track him down. But as the days had worn on, her attempts had proved futile.

Regina had become distant once more; her desire to extend her power had begun to consume her. The queen had badgered Emma to give up her pursuit of Neal and to join her at the estate. It had been tempting, truly, but Emma could not give up hope that Neal could be saved, she still had faith.

The relationship between the humans and vampires was still shaky, neither being able to truly find a middle ground. The vampire population was steadily growing, settling into the world of the living, creating their own laws and civilisations. From what Emma had learned, the various human leaders were becoming wearier of the vampires, and their threat to humanity.

Emma didn't want to agree with the government, she wanted to still see the goodness in the vampires, the humanity. However as time was wearing on, it seemed the vampires did not wish to preserve their ties with their human lives.

This concerned Emma greatly; her own life was tied in with someone who was losing interest in trying to live. Regina was her life, the reason to keep going. But yet, everyday a little bit of the Regina she knew and loved seemed to ebb away, and the true predator tried to claw its way to the surface.

"If you think any harder, your head will explode." Someone said amused from the doorway. Emma yelped, toppling backwards in shock at the intrusion. In an instant, strong hands were helping her up, lifting her as easily as if she were a feather. Emma shook off the hands, taking in the intruder. Short, dark hair sat in subtle curls on his head, grey flecks in his side burns and stubble. His clothes looked expensive, neat and tidy. His smile was charming and his eye genuine.

"Who are you?" Emma snapped, backing up slightly. He held his hands up, hoping to assure her.

"I didn't mean to startle you." He said earnestly. "I am Baelfire." He gave a brief bow alongside the introduction.

"Baelfire?" Emma scrunched her nose up at the name, unfamiliar with it.

"I know, it doesn't really suit this century." He shrugged. "It was appropriate when I was born however."

"When you were born?"

"Indeed, but that was several hundreds of years ago." He said vaguely, eyes wondering to the maps on the table.

"Wait you're a-"

"Vampire, yes." A disgraced look overtook his face, and he bowed his head making Emma frown.

"Strange, I've seen one so… human looking." A please smile crept onto Baelfire's face.

"I'm glad, that was the general idea." Emma narrowed her eyes, suddenly weary of the seemingly harmless man.

"Is that some new hunting technique? A wolf in sheep's skin?!" Baelfire immediately shook his head, horrified by her accusation.

"No! God no, nothing like that." He huffed, crossing his arms. "I know you think we're all this way by choice, the Queen being one who is," Emma flinched at the mention of Regina. "But not all of us chose this life; some still wish to be human." His voice was desperately sad, eyes dropping down to the speeding pulse point in Emma's neck.

Before, whenever a vampire had done this, their eyes would be full of hunger, lusting after her blood. However, the only thing she saw in Baelfire's eyes was brokenness and a great look of longing. This was a man who had had his life stolen from him.

"Why are you here?" The blonde's voice had lost its malice, and instead was soft and sweet.

"I was hoping you may be able to help me." He slipped his hand into his suit jacket, retrieving a crumpled picture. He handed it to her, and Emma recognised the young girl smiling at her. "This is Wendy, she lived here in the village."

"Yes I know, she was one of the girls taken by the Ulunn, alongside my brother." Baelfire nodded.

"I heard, which is why I hoped we would work together." Emma sighed.

"Baelfire-"

"Bae, call me Bae." Emma nodded.

"Bae, I would love to help, really, but it's been a week and I'm no closer to finding Neal than I was when I started."

"That's because you didn't have me. I can track the Ulunn, find where they have taken our families, and you have the man power to take the Ulunn out. I cannot fight them alone, but together we can." Emma was touched by Bae's concern for his human friend, something she had yet to see in anyone other than Regina.

"I-"

"Please, I need to save her." He begged, and Emma gave in, smiling reassuringly at him.

"Okay, I'll help you." A great smile cracked across Baelfire's face. He held out his hand to Emma, who grasped it firmly.

"Partners?"

"Partners."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Emma turned the small keyring over in her hand, examining the design. Bae had given it to her as a gift, symbolising their friendship and alliance. He was the greatest friend she could have ever asked for, and now he was in danger.

Regina sat on the bed, eyes locked on Emma, who sat defeated at the end, her back to Regina. After the intense revelations earlier that evening, Regina had locked herself away in their room with no signs of coming out anytime soon.

"I'm glad you found safety with him when you… left." Regina said quietly, breaking the silence. Emma didn't reply for a moment, attention still captured by the keyring.

"Why would Rumple do this? What does he gain from taking Henry?" Emma whispered, the fear for her son was almost overpowering. Regina sensed this and scooted down to Emma, hesitating for a moment before wrapping her arms around the blonde, holding her close. Emma let herself be held, comforted by Regina's touch.

"He now has us both in the palm of his hand. If he does know who Henry is to us, he knows we're going to do whatever to get him back." Regina growled, anger at the imp coursing through her.

"What of Bae? He and Rumple haven't spoken in over three hundred years." Emma interjected, unable to make sense of the situation.

"I assume it's similar to us darling." Regina mumbled.

"How so?"

"Baelfire's anger at his father stems from his turning, yes?" Emma nodded. "Just like us."

"But-"

"I'm sure Rumple was devastated when Bae left, just like me with you, but his love for his son will always trump everything else." Regina let her words sink in, eyes locked on emerald ones which swirled with pent up emotions. "True love is the most powerful magic in the world."

"Rumple wants to be reunited with his son, obviously this was best way… for him."

"People will do anything to be the people they love."

"Baelfire won't forgive him, not easily anyway." The blonde pointed out.

"I assume Rumpelstiltskin is running on the same hope that I am." Regina purred sweetly.

"What do you suggest we do?" Emma asked, the weight of Regina's words heavy upon her.

"Rumpelstiltskin is crafty, his years are far greater than ours and the few meetings I've had with him leave me unprepared to face him."

"So what do we do?"

"We must seek out someone who has a far greater knowledge and understanding of that twisted imp." Emma groaned, knowing exactly who Regina was referring too.

"Please tell me you're not suggesting we go and see who I think you are?" Emma begged, knowing full well Regina's answer.

"Yes darling." Regina grinned. "Let's go pay my sister a visit."

A/N: Who's ready to finally uncover the mystery surrounding Emma turning? And discover the other Mills daughter? What could Rumple have planned? Are Henry and Bae okay? So many questions! Perhaps a trip to Emma and Regina's home town will reveal the answers and finally see our two favourite ladies come together at last?! Please review and tell me what you think and follow for more! Till next time Kids!