Snow was holding down the fort with Charming downstairs.

Regina could hear everything they were saying.

"Snow why are we protecting her? And why are we trusting her with Emma?" Charming was very worried since waking up that maybe they should have executed Regina a long time ago.

"David she loves Emma. I don't trust her with anyone else, she tried to kill us, but she loves henry and she loves Emma. She put herself in a sleeping curse because she thought she might lose Emma. I don't know what to think of her to be honest.." Snow let out a long sigh.

Regina hated Snow being here. But she hated the idea of someone killing her and Emma having to deal with that pain more. So she was surviving Snow White's presence.

She however didn't want to hear about them talk about how much they didn't trust her anymore. She got up and crossed the room quietly and locked the door. Henry was off in his room studying as school had not resumed yet since the curse had broke but Regina would not let Henry's school slip because of something she had done, she was also hell bent on keeping everything normal, as normal as she could.

"Regina?" Emma had been awoken by the click of the lock.

"I'm sorry I woke you Emma." Regina walked to the bed and sat down.

"I didn't sleep too well. " She sat up. "I am still worried about what you said. I cant lose you. I cant navigate through all of this."

Regina sighed and took Emma's hand.

"Are you still happy you said yes to me", she locked on Emma's gaze.

"yes."

"Good." Regina smiled easily. "As far as keeping me safe there is something you can do. It might scare you a little though."

"Regina, why? What is it?"

Regina put took Emma's hand and placed it over her heart.

"Take my heart. And hide it for me."

Emma looked at Regina and shook her head.

"Regina, I … I can't take your heart/"

"Emma it's yours anyway. And they cant kill me if I don't have my heart. It won't hurt me much, I must warn you though, I don't know what I will feel without it…."

Her head dropped forward hair falling and covering half of her face.

"you mean you wont love me? Or Henry?" Emma looked like she was breaking.

Regina got really quiet. "I don't know dear. I really don't. My mother didn't…."

"Your mother was horrible Regina. I'm scared, I don't want to hurt you." Emma was on the verge of tears.

"it's selfish of me Regina."

"Emma take my heart. It'll be ok." She nodded her encouragement though she didn't believe it.

Emma lost a tear that quickly ran down the length of her cheek.

"I don't deserve this Emma, to be happy. Probably to be alive but if that is what makes you happy I will do anything. Feel the warm spot? Feel the magic radiating? Want it Emma. Want to possess it. FEEL for it."

Emma did as Regina said and plunged her hand in. Regina had a small grunt of pain.

Another tear slipped down Emma's cheeks.

"I love you." She pulled out Regina's heart. There was another gasp of pain, then she was holding a beating red heart with black cobweb designs across it.

Emma was engrossed with the sight of the heart. It was beautiful. The pattern the black made over the red.

Emma was scared to look up at Regina. She had taken her heart. Would Regina look at her with the same love and affection? Would her face be blank.

She studied the heart for a while.

"Emma… "

"Your heart, its …. Beautiful."

"I did so many terrible things to make it look like that." Her voice sounded strained.

Emma forgot her fear and looked up. Regina's face was pained. She thought she still saw life in her eyes, there was emotion. Or was Regina faking it.

"Regina… can you … can you feel?"

Regina looked down at her heart and up to Emma. A small smile starting to form.

"Not fully… but yes I, I can feel you. It's a little distant but its there." Regina cupped Emma's face.

"we are going to be fine."

A knock came at the door.

"Regina, I made you guys some food. Can you open the door?"

Regina looked at Emma shrugged and went to open it. Snow walked in and almost dropped the plate at the sight of Emma holding a heart.

"Emma! Whose heart is that!?" Snow's heart started to race.

"Snow, calm down it's mine. Emma wanted to see it."

"You, You gave her your heart." Regina nodded.

"Emma put that back she's dangerous! Cora didn't have a heart! Put it back."

"Mary Margaret it's ok, she can still feel. She fine I promise. I need to hide it so no one can hurt her."

Emma pulled the heart into her chest.

"I need to keep her safe."

Regina's non existent heart swelled. Emma did love her.

"Emma, you ripped out a heart?! Regina do you want her to turn out like you!" Snow was once again scared. Regina wasn't done with revenge she was going to ruin Emma.

Regina rolled her eyes.

"Snow! I GAVE it to her. Relax I wanted her to have it. You cant control me with it by the way… I protected it from that." She added proud that she had done so.

"but Emma, shes…shes the evil queen she needs to be locked up." Snow glared at Regina.

"by all means Snow lock me up, because that worked so well the last time when you tried to have be executed." She threw back in her face.

Emma held the heart closer.

"Mary Margaret, Regina stop. I want to keep Regina safe that's all. I promise I wont start ripping out more hearts. Please help me find a way to protect it." Her eyes were pleading with her friend the woman who was actually her mother.

Mary Margaret looked between them a few more times.

"ok. But if you make me regret this, Regina I will kill you."

Regina looked her straight in the eyes.

"if Emma or Henry get hurt in the crossfire, I will be begging you too."

Emma's heart clenched in her chest.

Snow looked back at Emma.

"you can't keep it here, or in her vault. Someone will find it. Give it to me. No one will look for it with me." Snow reached out her hand.

"What? No. Emma please. Snow are you mad! Why would I, in any realm trust you again!?"

"Because Regina, What choice do you have? Do you want to risk someone finding it."

Regina glared back.

"What happens when you decide you can't trust me, you don't want me around Emma and that the world would be better if you let another secret slip, Snow?"

"I promise on Emma's life, Regina, I will keep it safe. A blood-lock. That way only me or Emma Can open the room. Everyone else in my line is dead. We can put a blood-lock on your vault.

Regina considered this. It could work. She looked at Emma. Then back as Snow.

"ok. But, Emma places it in the room."