Part Ten
Regina stiffened in Emma's arms as the voice pulled her from the trance she'd fallen into. Her heart pounding, her breathing labored. Lost in Emma's embrace, finally allowing herself to give in to her overwhelming feelings. She blinked a few times to stop the haziness that seemed to swirl around her, completely caught in the moment that occurred between them.
It took her a few moments to get ahold of herself as different emotions rushed through her. She could feel the slight flinch of Emma's body, as they reluctantly shifted in each other's arms. Rage was burning through her veins with the interference, her body screaming for Emma's proximity again.
The energy in the room shifted drastically when her mind caught up with the familiarity of the voice she just heard. A voice she hadn't heard in ages and wasn't sure if she was ready to ever hear it again. No.. This couldn't be.. She leaned back from Emma and glanced over her shoulder, her breath hitching, as time froze for a short second. She dropped her hands from the blonde's shoulders and stepped away slightly, unconsciously linking their hands together.
She stared into the woman's eyes, speechless and searching for any kind of indication why she was here. For a short moment she let her eyes wander over her features, noticing the slight changes in her appearance. Although she clearly aged, it looked good on her, sophisticated. She had switched her alternative and dark clothes for a grey suit, her face smoothly covered with make-up.
But she didn't let her appearance deceive her when she realized that the woman she once called her friend didn't lose her sense of dramatics, almost as if she planned on appearing right in this moment. Once again catching her off guard, messing up everything she so desperately wanted.
Her flight response was going off as she stared into her blue eyes, those eyes that still haunted her at night. She took a deep breath and tried to rationalize things. It had been years and she grew stronger. She wasn't that innocent, naïve girl anymore. Her stomach clenched as she realized that she lost her innocence because of her.
Emma blinked her eyes in confusion and could feel her whole body buzzing in discontentment, craving for Regina's lips. She made no attempt to hide her irritation at being interrupted as she glanced sharply at the intruding woman. She felt how the brunette squeezed her hand, not sure if she was even aware of her action.
She shifted her gaze to Regina and glanced at her features that seemed lost whether to laugh or to cry, as she kept her eyes trained on the woman. Emma glanced down at their collided hands briefly, before she looked up again, startled with the sudden numbness in the brunettes eyes. She could tell how she put on her mask, the mask she so carefully removed during the past hour in each other's presence.
She nervously brushed her hand through her hair as the silence seemed to weight heavy around them. She followed the brunette's gaze and silently cursed the blonde for breaking their bubble. Who the hell was she anyway? How did she dare to interrupt them? Couldn't she see that they were in the middle of something? And why seemed Regina lost for words?
She shifted her gaze between the two women and tried to establish their connection. But all she could see was the wall that Regina built up around her, cutting off from whatever it was that clearly upset her. She could feel something boiling up inside her, an undeniable urge to protect the brunette. But at the same time it picked Emma's curiosity, wondering what had obviously occurred between them.
Emma huffed quietly in the woman's direction and subconsciously moved closer to Regina. She gently brushed their shoulders together, trailing her thumb soothingly over the back of her hand. She could feel how the brunette leaned into her touch as she cleared her throat, forcing her features smooth. It was clear that Regina was back in control again.
"Maleficent?" she asked plainly, her tone indecipherable.
The woman raised her brow when Regina spoke her name, her eyes glimmering. Out of all the things she could have called out to her, why the hell did she use her nickname? They hadn't been on a friendly base for years!
She watched a brief flash of pleasure swirling through Maleficent's eyes and cursed her choice of words. Using her nickname almost seemed as a show of affection. She didn't want to give her the wrong idea, because she didn't feel any kind of connection with the woman in front of her. Not anymore. Their bond had been broken the day she'd crossed a line they promised never to cross.
"What are you doing here?!" she quickly blurted out, her eyes piercing into the blonde's.
Maleficent smirked and crossed her arms in front of her chest, casually shrugging her shoulders, her expression blank.
"Nothing that concerns you, love.." she answered with a smug smile around her lips, although her eyes told an entirely different story.
Emma shivered with her words, softly spoken, proper and elegant. But something in her clear blue eyes made Emma cautious, feeling some kind of darkness radiating from the woman, setting off warning bells in her head. What was her deal with the brunette? And why did she sensed that her sudden appearance had everything to do with Regina?
She gasped when Maleficent walked graciously towards the brunette as she tightened her grip in Emma's hand. Emma shifted her attention between the two woman and struggled to keep her composure. What was she supposed to do? It was clear that Regina wasn't at ease in her presence. But before she could make up her mind, Maleficent placed a gentle yet persistent kiss on Regina's cheek.
She held her breath while she followed every movement closely, silently cursing herself for the overwhelming emotions that were welling up inside her. Something about the blonde just didn't feel right and she hated how she lingered her withdrawal from Regina. Her eyes piercing into the brunette's, completely ignoring her presence beside her. She had to bite her tongue to keep her remark to herself, aware that Regina was already at the top of her nerves.
Regina couldn't help but shiver when she watched the familiar fire ignite in the woman's eyes, indicating that she was brewing on something. Her mind inevitably went back to the last time she'd witnessed that look, as they were seeking for the blonde's sweet revenge.
She had been too young and naïve to fully understand her friends true nature. She failed to notice the sudden changes in her friend's behavior, changes that should have disturbed her. She hadn't realized that she developed a certain amount of sadism, the way she increasingly enjoyed watching people beg for mercy. The moment it finally dawned on her, it had been too late.
She blamed herself for years for her blindness and if she was being honest, she'd never really forgiven herself for what happened. She should have stopped her, maybe she could have prevented her from crossing so many lines. It had been one of the main reasons to choose her profession, to make things right. To rebuild people's lives instead of breaking them.
Her face was setting into a blank and unreadable expression that she had perfected over the years as Maleficent spoke again.
"I've missed you, Regina.."
Regina felt sick to her stomach, witnessing the unsettling sincerity in the blonde's eyes.
"We are destined to be friends.." Maleficent continued. "Our presence alone sets people on fire.."
She winked her eye pointedly as a huge smirk broke out across her sharp features. An unpleasant chill was creeping up Emma's spine and she didn't miss the almost imperceptible flinch beside her. She glanced at Regina's tensed features and noticed that the flush which previously decorated her face had been replaced with a paleness that worried her.
She lingered her eyes a moment more, trying to decipher her state of mind. She lightly squeezed her hand and watched how the brunette seemed lost in her thoughts. Their eyes locked briefly and Emma frowned in concern, a million questions rushing through her mind. Regina noticed the conflicted emotions in her expression and flashed her a soothing smile, breaking eye contact with hearing Maleficent's voice again.
"Uncontainable.." she purred.
Regina clenched her hand tightly around Emma's and felt an overwhelming fear boiling up inside of her. She knew exactly what Maleficent was referring at. The night that changed her life, the night she so desperately had tried to erase from her memory, unable to cope with the outcome of Maleficent's actions. She desperately tried to avoid the topic at all costs and startled when Emma coughed loudly, yanking her back to the present.
It took her a second longer to pull herself of the awful memory, forcing her expression to remain blank. Never show your weaknesses, Regina. Don't let her creep under your skin again, you've come too far. Emma however couldn't hide her irritation, as she glared in Maleficent's direction.
"Maybe we should try to get reconnected, Regina.." Maleficent said, leaving both Regina as Emma stunned with her words.
The brunette's eyebrows shot up and her jaw dropped momentarily. She stared incredulously into Maleficent's eyes, unable to believe the words she just spoke out loud. She clearly lost it. How could she possibly think that they were able to reconnect? A short cynical laugh was bubbling out of her throat, shaking her head in disbelief.
"You are kidding, right?" she smirked cynically, her voice loaded with venom.
Maleficent straightened her spine and Regina could tell that she was pretending to be shocked and hurt, but she knew the signs too well. She wouldn't buy it this time.
Emma held her breath and stared at the looks the two women were exchanging, feeling even more confused than before. She really needed some answers, her mind working at full force. But none of her thoughts made any sense to enlighten the situation that was at hand.
Before she was aware what was happening, the woman closed the space between her and Regina, whispering something in her ear. She gasped and tried to fight the urge to pull her back, to keep her at distance from the brunette. But as quick as she appeared, she was on her heels again. They watched the woman disappear in the crowd, Regina's stomach twisting at the sudden turn of events.
"Are you okay?" Emma asked quietly, stepping in front of the brunette, concern written all over her face.
She could tell that Emma already knew the answer to her question, her eyes carefully searching her expression. As much as she wanted to talk about it, she couldn't. How was she supposed to tell her what Maleficent had done so many years ago? How was she supposed to face the biggest demon from her past? She just couldn't involve Emma in this.
But as much as she wanted to be strong, she heard herself whisper "No.."
So many questions were burning on Emma's tongue, but she knew this wasn't the time. Regina's eyes showed her everything she needed to know, a look that felt so familiar. Before she could move, Emma grabbed a hold of her arm, preventing her from walking away. Emma knew that Regina was on the edge of her emotions, that her instincts were telling her to run away. But she couldn't let her.
She waited for the brunette's eyes to meet hers, before she wrapped her arms tightly around her waist. Pulling her close again her body, feeling Regina's breath hitch at the sudden contact as they melted into each other. She wanted nothing more than to show the brunette that she didn't need to run away anymore. That they both had to stop running away from their past.