Just for Temo, my main reviewer. I expect the Queen of Hearts to be Cora also, why else would they cover her face. If she was nobody we knew otherwise, there would be no need.
***
Emma flapped furiously, swerving this way and that. Spotting Regina's home, she stopped flapping and then started and then stopped. As much as she couldn't stand Regina, Regina had magic. And perhaps her mother issues, which Emma knew she must have, would cause her to at least put her back to being human.
She tried to aim for the apple tree instead of the ground, but she flew right through it, taking off a few feathers, and crashed with a horrible noise, into the open dining room window and across Regina's table.
Regina jumped up in surprise and so did her guest. Emma moaned in pain and embarrassment, but all that came out was a honk. A dejected, wounded noise, instead of a glorious trumpet.
"Oh, my gosh," the guest was the first to speak. Emma recognized the voice. She turned to see James, in boxers and a robe, cleaning her off. She tried to stand up, but her wings kept getting in the way. She bit him and he backed off.
She turned to face Regina, trying not to think about what James, her father, was doing here. Regina's face seemed pale and tired, so Emma figured they were not having a pleasant chat. Which made her want to take back the bite.
"Emma?" Regina asked awkwardly. She picked up a piece of metal on a chain. Emma's swan medal.
Emma gave a dejected honk. She tried to flip onto her feet.
James reached for her again and this time she let him help her. Everything hurt and her vision had spots in it.
Regina sighed and rubbed her hand across the top of Emma's swan head and down her neck. Everything seemed to get smaller and pain once more clouded her vision. She gripped her head to find hair there instead of feathers. Then her world went navy blue.
Regina had thrown James' navy, bathrobe, over her.
Emma wrapped it around her now naked form. Emma was sure this was more embarrassing than any morning after a one night stand, she had ever had.
James looked equally as uncomfortable, standing in just his boxers and an undershirt.
Regina's sympathetic look quickly faded.
"What is going on?" She looked intense, but worried.
Emma tried to stand and get off the table, but ended up crashing to the floor.
"Your psychopath of a mother, did this to me." Emma moaned, her wounded pride getting the best of her.
Regina stiffened.
Emma held her head. "She said to say something about a game and picking sides."
Regina seemed about to say something angry, when the doorbell rang. Followed by a frantic knocking.
Regina growled and opened the door. It was Snow. Around her shoulder was Henry who looked rather pale and exhausted. "Something's wrong with him and James said he was looking for Emma and I didn't know..."
Regina ripped Henry off of Snow and struggled to set him on the couch.
Snow's demeanor changed instantly from worried and concerned, to angry and confused. "What the hell is going on here?" She looked from Regina to Emma in a bathrobe and James in his boxers and shirt.
James reached out to touch her, but she batted him off. "Don't touch me."
Emma bent down to fuss with Henry, who was starting to speak. "I tried to hold her hand as long as I could, but..."
Regina stood apart from Henry, but seemed concerned nonetheless. "You have been holding her hand since early this morning?"
Henry weakly nodded.
Snow entered the house, coming through the doorway. "You should see the mess in the kitchen too."
Regina gave her sharp look over. She turned to James. "You were right. It just blew right in and made its home again."
Then she turned from concerned into harsh. "Out." She pointed to the door. "Out both of you." She turned on Emma. "You too." A hint of a magical aura formed around her and James took the hint. They left, James, practically pushing Snow out the door with much speed, Snow asking. "What is going on here? with a much kinder tone and much confusion.
Regina turned to Emma who was trying to pick up Henry. "He stays."
Emma turned to protest, but her words died in her mouth.
She saw the mess on the dining room table. A mental picture of her crash played in her head. Her head, which still hurt as well as her right shoulder. If that was Cora's idea of a message, then Cora was truly worse then Regina, and she had no defenses. Henry was completely unprotected. For now.
Emma turned back and bent down to look at Henry. Color seemed to be coming back into him and his breathing was calmer.
Henry pulled a feather from Emma's hair. "Where is this from?"
Emma sighed. "I was a bird a little while ago. A swan."
Henry's eyes widened in excitement. "How cool."
Emma gave a half smile. "Couldn't fly straight to save my life." She gestured toward the table.
Henry sighed weakly. "I missed the dragon and now I missed you being a swan."
Emma shook her head. "Good thing too, because it meant you also missed the Queen of Hearts."
Henry tried to sit. "Was she really scary?"
Emma glanced around to see if Regina was listening. Regina was watching them out of the corner of her eye, looking out the window with the other. She nodded." Much scarier then Regina. So if she wants you to stay right here, I figure that is best for your safety. If I'm going to protect you, I have to learn how to fly first."
Henry surprisingly didn't protest. Perhaps he understood the level of uncertain danger. And he was only ten, Emma sighed internally, 10 year old's shouldn't have this level of worry and responsibility. Emma stroked his hair, then teasingly kissed his forehead. Right where she had just done so to bring him back to life not three days prior. Emma swallowed her panic, trying not to remember how much insanity had gone down since then. She gave Henry a concerned smile. "I love you, you know that, right?"
Henry beamed. "Of course, and I love you too." Emma heart gave a small flutter and she smiled.
Emma turned to walk out the door and she addressed Regina. "Take care of him. You know your mother best, so for now I won't fight you. We are allies in this one issue, Henry, so I expect you will do your best to protect him."
Regina gave a curt nod. "I do know my mother. You are going to have to know a lot more then how to fly."
Her words could have been insulting in tone, but they were not. Regina seemed tense. "If you see my mother again before I do, tell her I'm on my own side. Not yours, not hers, not Rumplestiltskin's. Mine." Her eyes lit up, looking fierce and proud again. Emma nodded.
"I hope you see her first." Emma cracked a weak smile.