Hey everyone! Here's chapter 10. Next chapter is water games #2! All the reviews and follows are greatly appreciated :) Enjoy!

Both women were on high alert after hearing significant shifting, seeing parts of the maze glow faintly ahead, and hearing a very high pitched scream. Although nothing significant had happened to them since the attacking seaweed, they remained close to one another constantly searching their surroundings. Aside from some schools of fish swimming through, and the occasional crab here and there, they really hadn't come across anything too daunting. Early on they had set out a brisk pace through the maze, hoping to slip passed dark corners, but now they had found themselves losing track of time and direction, swimming at a leisurely pace through the twists and turns of each corridor. Emma's mind began to wander toward the brunette once again, swimming behind her as she gracefully glided through the water. At any sign of danger Emma would see her hand glow as the raven haired beauty would immediately seek out Emma making sure she was safe. They had settled into a comfortable silence, at first more focused on the task at hand, but now the sheriff felt her thoughts drifting towards this incredible woman. Feeling anxious she swam up next to Regina, seeking out the comfort she felt near her.

"I have to say, I'm getting pretty good at this mer-emma transformation," she grinned at the mayor, earning herself a small smile from the brunette.

"You do seem a bit more graceful underwater," the mayor teased. Emma grinned even wider.

As they turned a corner, Emma eyed the mayor, "Can I ask you a question?" green eyes asked earnestly to the woman next to her.

The mayor turned her head towards the blonde immediately seeing the honesty in her eyes, "Ms. Swan I highly doubt I could stop you." She briefly fluttered her eyelashes at the blonde showing the tease in her words. Emma stared for a few seconds before swallowing and gathering up her courage.

"Earlier you said that your mother and Ursula had designed and created this maze, how did they end up partnering up? I just don't see the Queen of Hearts making a special trip to this underwater kingdom for a vacation is all." Emma swam a bit ahead of the mayor seeking out the next corner to survey it's potential danger, letting her question sit with Regina.

Regina slowed her swim and followed the blondes movement thoughtfully. The question had a sting to it, but honestly if Regina were in Emma's position she would be just as curious. Moving to catch up to the sheriff ahead of her, Regina sped up to swim next to her as she answered her question, "Awhile back before my mother became the Queen of Hearts, she was just learning how to use portals that jump from world to world. I don't know if she was looking for something or just curious, but she would disappear for weeks at a time then show up with exotic gifts from each realm." She paused, seemingly remembering those times. "Anyways so one of the portals brought her here and I guess that most people end up down here at one point or another via Ursula. The two almost instantly hit it off, I'm not quite sure what happened between the two but I guess you can say they forged a type of alliance." She looked up at the blonde who nodded at her in understanding, encouraging her to go on. "I want to say the games were Ursula's idea. I imagine she's quite bored down here, plus it's just not my mother's style to carry out something frivolous like this. Although more of the twisted parts and design of it is my mother's doing. Honestly I think Ursula is having a kick out of seeing the Queen of Heart's daughter go through it now. I won't be surprised if she singles me out at some point, and not in a good way. I'm not sure they were still in good graces with each other you know?" Regina looked over at Emma seeing no judgment in the green eyes staring back. It made her feel more comfortable with the woman, and a part of her liked that. A lot.

Emma smiled. She really liked that Regina was opening up to her. The mayor was so complex and possessed so many layers, but the more Emma found out about her, the more amazing she thought she was. She wanted to know more, hear more, and be more. Turning another corner she sighed in frustration. More nothing. This thing is endless. And seeing Regina in a bikini for this long is starting to become torture. Shaking herself out of her thoughts she looked around. "Even though we are under what feels like this vast and infinite ocean, I almost feel claustrophobic down here."

Regina nodded, "I feel the same way. There's nothing like a cool breeze and open air. Plus.." She paused considering her next words, "I was enjoying our time on the boat." Regina bit her bottom lip after her confession and swam a little faster than she was before. Emma on the other hand had slowed down and let the words sink in, a huge grin slowly making it's way across her face. "Me too," she replied looking at the raven haired beauty that just swam by her. Both now lost in their thoughts they rounded a particularly large corridor that opened into a beautiful reef with a sunken ship resting in the middle of it. The colors were so bright and vibrant that it stopped both women in their tracks. It was beautiful. Different fish swam in and out of the reef lazily, looking completely undisturbed and completely out of place.

Confused and in awe at the same time both women slowly swam into the area, taking in the scene before them. There had to be a catch. It was a dead end but it looked so peaceful and vibrant. Regina signaled for Emma to stop. She pointed towards the ship, bringing the blonde's attention to it.

"What is this place?" Emma asked.

"I don't know, but if I've learned anything from these realms, it's that things are never as they seem." Regina answered, her fear creeping into her voice.

"It's so beautiful. And it looks untouched, peaceful almost. Perhaps it was a part of the maze at one point and now it's abandoned?" Emma asked almost hopeful.

Regina knew better. Her insides were crawling and something felt seriously wrong. "It's too out of place you know? And it's Ursula's maze."

Emma nodded, slowly getting an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. Regina is right. This is definitely a trap. Emma swam up slowly beside the brunette, looking curiously out to the reef, but really she felt the need to protect her. Ursula could be targeting her.

"Should we turn back around?" Emma asked never taking her eyes off the scene in front of her, ready to fight. Regina's hand started to glow. She's thinking the same thing.

A fireball erupted above Regina's hand, waiting.

As if on cue, all the fish around the reef swam chaotically back into their colorful home, vanishing in seconds. An eerie calm took over the open space, Emma at the ready.

A venomous laugh reverberated off of the entire maze as the ship burst open, Ursula spilling out of it.

"Well well well, who do we have here?" Ursula exclaimed gleefully.

Regina thinking quick threw a fireball at the ship, a piece of it bursting into flames distracting Ursula momentarily.

"EMMA RUN!" she screamed.

Emma looked at Regina with pleading eyes, silently telling her there was no way she was leaving her alone. Regina threw another fireball, but this time at the giant squid, while Emma ran for cover. A tentacle came up and blocked the fireball. "You don't get away that easy" She hissed. A giant tentacle lurched forward at alarming speed, aiming straight for Emma. Eyes wide in panic Regina instinctually ran straight for it's path. A fireball flying out of her hand to slow it down. Before Emma could realize what was happening, Regina slammed into her knocking her to the ground just before a giant tentacle wrapped itself around the Mayor, whisking her away up and into the air.

"REGINA!" Emma screamed.

The blonde scrambled to her feet in complete panic, running after the direction that Ursula swam away with, the brunette in her hold.

"REGINA!" Her heart was pounding and the panic that coursed her body blurred her vision. Her lungs were burning as she powered through the water, corridor after corridor whizzing by her. Ursula better not hurt her! I have to get to her! Her muscles were on fire as she clipped a corner to run down another expanse of seaweed. Her vision blurred and her heart drumming loudly in her ears, Emma never saw it coming. A whirlwind of fish rounded the corner at her at blinding speed, the blonde running straight into it. She was swept up so high and so fast out of the maze, she barely could comprehend what had happened. All she could think about before her body gave out was one thing, Regina.

dun dun dun!

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