Chapter Nine: From the Ashes
Regina's sharp eyes scanned the wards, checking for any weaknesses before smoothing her outfit and preparing to leave the mansion.
"Hold up, lady. Where the hell are you going?" Emma reached for the brunette's arm without thinking, setting off gold sparks that made Belle's eyebrows rise in surprise. She'd missed this particular event last time, distracted as she'd been with teaching the younger Lost Boys, who were currently under instructions to not leave the house. Belle made a note to check on them after Regina's plans had been made, since she had a feeling she'd be on research duty once more. It was a relief really, because when she was reading she almost forgot how much she'd lost and instead remembered what it was like to have hope and a purpose again. Every time she looked at Emma and Regina, however, she was reminded of the ache in her heart. Sometimes she would clench her teeth and bite back the urge to comment on their idiocy. Right now, for example, the two women were staring at each other as if the entire world had ceased to exist, only breaking the moment when Regina attempted to shake the blonde off with a hint of irritation. Emma refused to let go and Belle looked on in fascination as the stubborn woman continued to play a dangerous game.
"If those wolves are from the Enchanted Forest, they will remember me," Regina stated firmly.
"So they'll want to kill you even more!" Emma protested, recalling the events in Henry's book. How could it be a good thing for anyone to remember the Evil Queen? Especially since the vast majority of living beings who had encountered her in the Forest were left with rather distasteful memories of her? Regina merely rolled her eyes at this suggestion.
"For the supposed hero of this tale, you are awfully cynical." She shook her head in amusement. "In this case, I would be remembered as their protector. That was the deal I made with the Huntsman and I held up my end, even if he couldn't manage to complete his own task." She looked away then, her jaw clenched. Her nails dug into her palms at her sides and she closed her eyes for a moment, releasing a sigh before erasing all trace of emotion from her face. Belle watched Emma process this information, the cogs turning in her mind practically visible, before her mood dimmed as well.
"Graham? You protected them because Graham asked you to?" The blonde sounded impossibly young as she spoke, the pain so clear in her voice that it struck a familiar chord in Belle's heart. She wanted to comfort the woman, but wasn't sure whether she'd be welcomed.
"There was more than one reason why he was so loyal to me, dear." Regina cleared her throat and headed for the door once more, stopping only when the hand on her arm refused to release its grip.
"I'm coming with you," Emma stated firmly. Regina stared at her for a moment, before taking her hand and leading her down the front path. Belle thought she heard something about 'aligning energies' and 'being ready for an attack', but she knew these were just convenient excuses: Regina was scared for some reason, and was holding onto Emma as if the blonde were about to start running away. She watched the two women cross the protective barriers, the witch stopping briefly to shore up the magical defences before continuing on, and Belle thought about how far they still had to go. She swallowed back the reasons why that was and distracted herself by wondering how long it would take before the blonde realised that she already had everything she needed to be happy. She then concluded that she'd be willing to slap Emma a few times if the blonde decided to be slow on the uptake. She'd give Regina a good talking to as well, if she continued to be an idiot. Belle knew about loving someone with darkness inside of them, but she also knew that it was still worth fighting for.
"Is anyone going to untie me?" An irritated female voice came from behind her, causing her to jump in fright. She turned to face the strange creature who was fidgeting uncomfortably while tied to a chair in the living room, realising that this was Henry's kidnapper and the two mothers had clearly not considered her a threat, or she'd be dead by now. Belle found the mystery far too interesting to ignore, so she settled herself opposite the creature and started asking questions.
Regina strode towards Granny's diner at her characteristically determined pace, dragging Emma along as the blonde attempted to slow them down and form a backup plan. Just in case the brunette was wrong about the wolves' loyalties. No amount of probing could deter the woman from her set course, however; and Emma quickly despaired of trying to dissuade her. The blonde doubted that a confrontation with a pack of unknown werewolves could ever end well for her, but Regina seemed certain they'd be open to negotiations.
When the two women arrived at their destination, they both took note of Ruby's presence inside the diner. The panicked young werewolf had locked herself inside, clearly not taking any chances even though the wards were still strong from the previous evening. Regina huffed in disdain, but turned instead towards the creeping pack of werewolves who were currently encroaching on her personal space. Their fur ranged in colour from a dusky blonde to jet black and their eyes were equally diverse, but every pair contained obvious focus and intelligence. They were tall enough, even on all fours, to place their heads against her belly or take a bite out of her abdomen – whichever course of action they deemed appropriate.
The wolf leading the group suddenly paused, his large paw lifted just off the ground and nose raised to sniff the air. His head tilted in confusion, as if he scented something unexpected. He abruptly sat down, causing the rest of the pack to halt their forward movements and cast him vaguely inquisitive looks. The alpha's earthy brown fur was disturbed only by the wind for a few moments, before he seemed to make a decision and his coat melted into his skin to reveal dark, naked flesh.
The alpha wolf stood, now on two legs and in his human form. His black hair was raggedly shorn and fell only to his shoulders, but it was his eyes that were truly captivating: they were still the same deep brown that they'd been when he was a wolf and they observed Regina with the same degree of thoughtfulness. Emma fidgeted as the staring contest continued, before gently squeezing the other woman's hand and hoping she'd get the message and start talking.
"Regina!" the man finally exclaimed, suddenly coming forward to embrace the former Evil Queen. The sudden assault caused the brunette to let go of Emma's hand, leaving the blonde to gape in shock as the werewolf hugged the other woman as if she were a dear friend that he hadn't seen in a long time. A pleased grin broke across Regina's face as she wrapped her arms around the alpha in return. She shifted slightly in his hold, unused to the attention, but clearly this had happened before since she didn't feel the need to push him off and start throwing fireballs.
"Akida, it's been some time." She gently pressed her palms against his chest and he took the hint, letting her go. He stepped back, still smiling and made a quick motion to his pack. Emma and Regina were quickly surrounded by naked people, as the werewolves followed their leader's example and morphed into their human forms. The blonde's face froze and she had to restrain the urge to cover her eyes, but Regina remained unruffled by the display. The brunette merely greeted the pack with a genuinely friendly smile and allowed them all to approach her one by one. Each wolf accepted the former queen's presence by placing a hand on her shoulder or arm and nodding, before returning to their place in the pack. Emma was mostly ignored, apart from a few curious glances.
"You did leave the Enchanted Forest some time ago, my queen," Akida murmured. His head tilted in enquiry, but he did not voice the question despite his clear desire to do so. Regina sighed, holding his gaze and stiffening her shoulders, before answering the unvoiced query.
"I couldn't stay in that land any longer and I am truly sorry for that, my friend. I have missed your counsel and have made some unwise decisions in your absence." He nodded in acceptance of her vague reply, but she knew he would be quizzing her later when they were away from the prying eyes of his pack. She stepped back and indicated her blonde companion, drawing the pack's attention to the other woman. "This is Emma Swan, the Saviour." Her grin was wicked as she enjoyed the blonde's horror at being described in such a way. The pack just stared at the so-called Saviour in confusion.
"Saviour? Of whom?" Akida asked, regarding Emma with interest. He noticed how close the two women were and how their scents were as entwined as their fingers had been when he'd first seen them. Werewolves had their own beliefs about true mates and he was fascinated by the woman who had captured his queen's attention so completely.
Regina's stomach dropped as she considered the phrasing Akida had used in his question. He'd asked her who Emma was meant to save, not what. She found herself staring at the blonde in realisation, but quickly cleared her throat and banished such thoughts from her head. "I cast a curse, Akida, and I paid dearly for it. Emma was fated to break that curse and save the people of this town from the lives I had trapped them in." Her voice broke somewhere in the middle of that sentence and she barely got out the rest. She avoided her old friend's gaze and allowed her shoulders to slump as she waited for his response. She barely noticed Emma taking her hand once more and she didn't look up in time to see the fierce glare the blonde was aiming at the werewolf pack.
"It seems that we have much to discuss, your majesty," the alpha finally said. His expression was reserved, but his eyes watched the former queen carefully. "I believe we have more pressing issues to discuss at this time, do we not?"
"Yes, I believe you are correct." Regina locked eyes with each werewolf in turn, trying to communicate a sense of calmness and trust before she explained the situation.
It took some time and Emma resisted the urge to sit down as the brunette spoke – it had been a long night and the lack of sleep was catching up with her. The sun had already passed through its noontime peak, passing into the western sky as the afternoon began. She worried about her son, back at the house and she itched to get to the Lost Boys before they could get themselves into any more trouble. She'd been impressed by the fact that Regina had handled them so well in her absence, considering how willing the brunette had been to torture the boys in Neverland. Emma observed Regina's earnest explanations to the attentive werewolf pack, paying attention to each movement of the other woman's hands as she emphasised a point and admiring the eloquent way in which she spoke. It was interesting to see the former Evil Queen interact with people she'd evidently been on good terms with during her reign in the Enchanted Forest – she never thought she'd see the day she wouldn't have to defend Regina from the vitriol of those who still hated her for her past crimes. The blonde understood that the other woman had carried out many unspeakable acts, but surely she couldn't have been as cruel as she was made out to be? The vindictive monarch she'd heard tales of seemed a far cry from the vulnerable woman who had raised their son.
"And you still don't know who's behind all of this?" Akida's curious voice spoke up, silencing the pack that had become agitated during their queen's speech. Regina merely responded to the question by wearing a slightly guilty expression – she didn't want to admit that she found the puzzle endlessly frustrating, since it would be painful to reveal her ignorance to the most trusted of her old advisors. The past three decades had been kind to the alpha, adding only a few wrinkles to his face and deepening the wisdom in his eyes. "That's unfortunate, my queen, as I was hoping you would be able to help us either return to the rest of our pack or perhaps bring them through to this land." His expression was only mildly hopeful, but he was still visibly disappointed when Regina regretfully shook her head.
"Wait, there's more of you?" Emma, drawn from her thoughts by Akida's speech, counted the number of wolves present: there were ten. Surely that was enough for a pack? Akida merely raised an eyebrow at her, unimpressed with her assumptions.
"There are eighteen wolves in my pack. We are a family and it is unpleasant for us to be separated, which is why we reacted negatively upon arrival. I apologise for that, your majesty." He lowered his head in a gesture of supplication before his queen, before raising his head once more and continuing. "A portal took away some of our younger members and the rest of us rushed to follow, but I assume the crack, as you call it, closed before all of us could enter. I am simply grateful that we were not further separated." A shiver went through the pack at this statement, as they all considered the very real possibility that they could have been split randomly across. It was still possible that the remainder of their pack had entered the portal but had been sent somewhere else – they could only hope that the final eight wolves were still together.
Regina clenched her free hand as she considered the situation. "I have only three safehouses set up currently and they are all at capacity," she murmured, almost to herself. Her sharp gaze assessed her surroundings, falling on the building next to Granny's: it was just as large and was fully equipped for modern living. It would be big enough for the wolves, but she knew she'd have to send someone over to help them learn how to operate the more complicated kitchen appliances. She'd send Granny over, she mused, as subtle punishment for betraying her by encouraging the Lost Boys' rebellion. "I need to set up wards to protect you from any less pleasant visitors to this realm, so I'd like to respectfully suggest that you make this house your home until I am able to return you to the rest of your family." She worded the request carefully, since building a den was incredibly important in these werewolves' culture and the decision could only be taken by the alpha. If she appeared to make the choice for him, there'd be hell to pay.
Akida regarded the house thoughtfully, seemingly not insulted by her suggestion. He'd never seen such a building before, since most people lived in small huts or simple cottages in the Enchanted Forest. In contrast to those structures, Regina's offer was very generous and he nodded his acceptance. Regina sighed in relief and tugged on Emma's hand, leading her over to the house. She couldn't believe how long they'd maintained the contact for, but now the occupied hand was far warmer than her free one which remained exposed to the chilly April air. The gold sparks induced by their contact had settled into the occasional bright shimmer, instead of the full-on scattering of light it had been when they'd first entwined their fingers. Fortunately, nobody from the pack had asked about it yet.
"I need you to help me build the wards," Regina said.
Emma stared at her, wondering how the hell you went about doing that.
The brunette just laughed at her expression and held her free hand up so her palm faced towards the building. "You'll be fine, dear. Close your eyes and place your hand like this." Emma did so and Regina nodded to herself, before turning once more to the place she wanted to protect. "Now, building magical barriers is just like building any other kind of wall: you start with the foundations. These are roots that tie your magic to the earth and state your intent, which is to defend others. That's not an unfamiliar sensation for you, so I want you to focus on that emotion and visualise the base of the wall extending into the ground." She heard the blonde shuffle slightly beside her, disturbing the position of their joined hands before settling into a new stance. Regina felt it when the magic began its work, and she felt that exhilaration once more as she combined her magic with her true love's own energy. She shivered at the thought of ever losing this again, but stubbornly pushed the distracting concerns out of her mind. She would deal with the future when it arrived. "As soon as the foundations are complete, you begin to add layers to the wall, except these are layers of protection and magic instead of bricks and mortar." Regina distantly registered Emma's hand squeezing her own as a gesture of comprehension, before once again turning her full attention to the barrier. The task was completed in far less time than it took for the brunette to finish it by herself and she felt a rush of relief as she noted that the depletion of her own life force was far less significant than usual. She gently encouraged the blonde to let go and caught the other when her knees buckled.
"Wow," Emma breathed. Her whole body was shaking and the sensations running through her were impossible to process. Her eyes fluttered open and she found herself gazing up at Regina, who looked back with amused fondness. The blonde then registered the arms supporting her and who they belonged to – a realisation which resulted in a faint blush spreading across her lightly tanned skin. Removing herself from the awkward situation, she turned to see how the werewolves had reacted to their display.
Akida was even more intrigued by the queen's companion now. It had been decades since he'd last seen such powerful magic or such effortless synchronicity, and he'd certainly never seen the gold light that still flickered wherever the two women were connected. He'd noticed it upon arrival, of course, but didn't see it as relevant to his situation and thus decreed it none of his business. He still didn't think he had any right to ask about it, but it was certainly something to keep an eye on.
"If you're satisfied, Akida, Emma and I must take our leave. There are many matters which require our attention today." Regina was polite, but her tone indicated the urgency of their need to depart. They had yet to find the Lost Boys and it was possible that more creatures may arrive over the next few hours. She had to reason with the rebellious teenagers before any real damage was done. Thankfully the alpha nodded his acceptance and the pack approached both women with gentle touches of goodbye and thanks.
Two minutes later, Regina and Emma were engaged in a silent stand-off with Ruby, who stared at them with wide eyes. The young werewolf had expected Regina to incinerate the entire pack of outsiders with a dismissive wave of her hand, but instead she'd found herself watching a peaceful conversation followed by the most amazing work of magic that she'd ever seen. Belle had become a frequent visitor since the curse failed and the other brunette kept her updated on the former queen's progress, but she hadn't truly believed that the woman had changed until now. She still felt guilty about her accusations over Archie's apparent death, but who could blame her? She recalled the deaths of hundreds of people, caused solely by the woman in front of her as the Evil Queen pursued Snow White across the kingdoms. When the Lost Boys had rebelled she'd been afraid for them, but she was unsurprised – she'd actually been more amazed by the fact that it had taken them so long.
"So, Red," Regina began in a neutral tone. Her gaze was harsh and her stance was firm and unyielding. Emma stood beside her, merely watching the former queen conquer the will of yet another subject. "Care to tell us where the Lost Boys have hidden themselves? I should think that with the arrival of so many creatures at once and the abduction of my son this morning, you'd understand the dangers of their current situation." Her voice was icy, like the unforgiving ground in winter: one wrong move and you'd regret it.
Ruby straightened, flicking her hair over her shoulder and returning Regina's glare with her own. She had never been afraid of challenging difficult odds and she would not bend to Regina's will so easily. She'd made a promise to the Lost Boys when she'd left for the diner: she'd sworn on her mother's grave that she'd never betray their location to the Evil Queen. At least, she wouldn't do so of her own free will, but she couldn't help glancing at Regina's hands and wondering whether one was about to plunge itself into her chest wrap cold fingers around her heart.
"Ruby," Emma murmured, seeing the stubborn resistance. "Henry was nearly burned alive this morning." Ruby's eyes widened slightly – Belle hadn't told her that part, but then again, the other woman may not have been aware of that particular detail. The ex-librarian had called her that morning, frantic with worry and waking Ruby with an unpleasant start. She'd begged her and Granny to track Henry and they had immediately put aside their own issues with the boy's brunette mother and begun tracking. After an hour, they'd traced the boys scent around the diner and followed it towards Regina's mansion, only to receive another call from Belle, this time full of relief and asking to meet at the diner. She'd agreed and told the boys that she'd bring back food when she returned. Everything had been fine until the other woman had tried to leave and was suddenly surrounded by werewolves. Ruby had been distracting them by stepping outside the wards and allowing the foreign wolves to catch her scent. The wolves were offended by the presence of a non-pack werewolf, as expected, and most of the pack remained to scare her back inside. Only a few continued to chase Belle.
"I didn't know he…but he's fine, right? Belle said he was at home?" Ruby's aggressive posture softened as she spoke of Henry. He'd been the darling of the town ever since Regina brought him home and not even the return of her true memories of his mother had changed that.
Emma noticed the change and stepped closer, assuring Regina with a soft touch to her shoulder as she moved forward. "He's okay, but if Regina and I hadn't got there when we did? He'd be ashes. You cannot protect yourselves from everything, Ruby, much as those boys would like to believe otherwise." Her eyes were earnest and beseeching, just as they had been when she'd convinced the Lost Boys to return to Storybrooke with her. She'd promised them a family then and that was a promise she'd failed to keep, but she hoped she could change that now. "Please, Rubes. Help us bring the boys home."
The long-haired brunette considered her for a few moments, before sighing. "Fine, I will take you take you to their camp. Just you, though. They'd likely shoot Regina on sight." She shook her head. "Hell, they'd shoot me as well, just for bringing her." The former queen shot her another venomous look, which was met only by a shrug and a what-can-you-do smile. The unrepentant spark in her eyes, however, informed everyone present that she was completely okay with the fact that she'd just foiled the former queen's plans.
Emma grinned in relief at the compromise before turning and grabbing Regina's arm. She dragged her affronted companion to a more private space near the door and gave her a determined look, interrupting Regina's attempt to argue and putting an irritated expression on the brunette's face. "I know this wasn't what you wanted, Regina, but if I can convince those boys to come back we all win, right?" Emma waited for the other woman's reluctant nod before continuing. "Besides, I'm sure you'd like the opportunity to catch up with your werewolf friends? And check in on Henry? I doubt he'll sleep for too long and I…I worry that he'll have nightmares about today." The two mothers shared a moment of concern for their son, before Regina nodded again, more firmly this time.
Regina's shoulders slumped as she turned to inform Ruby of their revised plan, barely getting the words out through gritted teeth. Her hands curled into fists as the other woman took visible delight in her small victory, but she forced herself to relax and not show how distressed she was at not being able to visit her boys and see to their well-being herself. The betrayal still weighed heavy in her stomach, nauseating and painful. It was also difficult to leave Emma alone, since the blonde was still so new to using magic and Regina couldn't be sure that she'd be able to protect herself should something happen. The brunette could only hope that their connection would enable her to find the other woman if necessary.
Emma grabbed Regina's hand as she was leaving, squeezing and creating gold sparks which did not distract her from her task of communicating as much comfort and reassurance to the other woman as possible. "I'll bring them home to you." Emma's words were strong and certain and Regina could only incline her head in acknowledgement before continuing her journey out the door. The blonde watched her leave and didn't move until she was out of sight.
"So, Emma, what's with the lovesick looks and weird magic crap? Belle said something about you being Regina's true love, but I was pretty sure you were the last person on earth who'd even think of returning the sentiment." Ruby's eyes narrowed at the blonde as the other woman jerked herself out of her thoughts.
"I'm not sure. Can we leave it for now? I really want to get those kids home before they get themselves killed by harpies or something." Emma stared the wary woman down until she rolled her eyes and grabbed a basket of food from behind the counter before leading the way out of the diner.
Trudging through the wild forests that surrounded Storybrooke was not Emma's ideal way of spending an afternoon, but she at least spared a moment of gratitude for the fact that she'd worn her better walking boots that morning. She made a mental note to move the rest of her stuff over from Snow's apartment and wondered if this counted as moving in with Regina. It couldn't possibly be interpreted that way, could it? There were so many people currently living in the mansion that she decided that it was safe enough to move in without any weird assumptions being made about her relationship with her son's other mother. Then again, she considered as she shoved a branch out of her path, she supposed it would still look odd if she spent any more nights in Regina's bed. Nobody seemed to have noticed this time, however.
"It's just through here," Ruby called from her place in front. The brunette moved through the forest with such ease that it made Emma hiss in irritation. Where the roots seemed to be intent on tripping the blonde up, they always seemed to be in a perfect position for the other woman to step over neatly. It was infuriating and Emma seemed to only gather more cuts and scrapes as she angrily batted more plants out of her face. She tried to cheer herself up by remembering how much Regina had hated wandering through the jungles of Neverland – the woman never seemed to run out of snarky comments and Emma had particularly enjoyed the offended looks Regina shot at any branch that dared to obstruct her course. Emma smiled slightly to herself as she imagined the leaves curling under the former queen's glare and she felt a sudden sharp pang at the other woman's absence. She placed her hand over her stomach, frowning at the unexpected sensation and wondering how she'd gotten so attached to Regina's company so quickly. Less than two days had passed since her return and yet it was already beginning to feel as though she'd never left.
She was drawn away from her musings by the sound of laughter and loud voices, which increased in volume as she approached the camp. Finally, the trees gave way to a clearing which was currently filled with all fifteen rebellious teenagers and Granny, who had a loaded crossbow in her lap and an easy smile on her face as she spoke to a few enthusiastic boys. As Emma drew closer, she realised that they were discussing fights that the old woman had won in the past – some of which were apparently hilarious.
Silence fell abruptly as the camp's occupants registered the presence of their uninvited guest and Ruby took the opportunity to place her overflowing basket next to Granny. Nobody spoke for several moments, but then Kyle stood up and folded his arms, eyeing the blonde from head to toe as if assessing the threat she posed. "You're not welcome here, Saviour," he ground out, using her title as if it were the worst insult he could think of. His glare moved to Ruby. "And you swore that you wouldn't reveal our location."
"Actually, I only promised that I wouldn't tell the Evil Queen where you were. I think you'll find that I kept my word." Ruby's chin lifted in defiance and her eyes flashed as she refused to be intimidated by the lanky boy. Kyle grit his teeth in irritation but couldn't deny her statement.
"Look, kid-"
"My name is Kyle and I think you'll find that I have lived far longer than you, little lost girl." His glare was fierce and the insult hit that particular wound like a dart, but Emma was used to far worse from Regina so she just shrugged off the interruption.
"Kyle, listen to me. A pack of werewolves arrived in town just two hours ago and Henry was kidnapped by a crazy lady just this morning. He was only outside the wards because he was trying to find you." Some of the younger boys had the grace to look slightly uncomfortable at these revelations, but Kyle's jaw was set and his eyes were hard. Emma sighed in response, before continuing to present her case. "What I'm trying to say is that enemies are arriving more often than before, and believe me when I say that the number of wolves that managed to get through the latest portal does not give me much faith in your chances. There were ten of them, kid – I mean, Kyle – and that figure's just gonna go up. How do you plan to fight the next bunch of magical creatures that come at you? What if there's twenty of them and they just keep coming? Sure, you may have taken down a couple of humans before but these things could be immortal. The Gorgons Regina and I dealt with were and we only won because we transfigured them into something harmless!" The boys grew more agitated over the course of her speech, sending nervous looks at their leader and Granny. The old woman's face began to lose its appearance of conviction as doubt leaked into her widening eyes. Even Kyle began to look slightly uncertain, but he quickly replaced his mask before any of his brothers noticed.
Emma decided to take a different approach, since scaring them into submission wasn't actually her favoured method of dealing with kids – and that's what they were, really, just children who'd lived too long, stuck in the same mentality as their minds refused to grow and their bodies remained the same. She abruptly lowered herself into a seated position, crossing her legs and making a show of settling in. Pushing her hair back over her shoulders, she took advantage of the quiet and paid attention to each boy in turn. She chose one at random, locking eyes with him before speaking. "What's your name?" He looked around, as if to make sure it was really him she was talking to, even going so far as to point at himself and mouth 'me?'. Emma grinned and nodded encouragingly in response. She recognised his slightly curly brown hair, big eyes and a nose that was slightly too big for his face: he'd been the first to break his silence and tell her where Pan was.
"My name is Aiden," he said finally, earning a glare from Kyle who still stood over Emma as if the position of power would actually allow him to retain control over the situation. Aiden shifted in response the older boy's disapproval, but kept his eyes on Emma. He remembered the promises she'd made in Neverland and how desperately earnest her voice had been, that was why he honestly believed that the woman would have stayed true to her word, were it not for the events that followed. He still felt some measure of guilt over his role in Pan's attempt to steal Henry's heart, especially now that he knew it was purely for selfish reasons. Emma owed him no favours – in fact, she could easily have demanded punishments for him or any of his brothers at any time – and yet she had tried to give them a home and family instead. It was not her fault that everything had gone so badly, so he could not justify holding it against her and he knew he was not the only one to feel that way. Some of the boys had been less than enthused by the idea of leaving Regina, since she'd truly taken them under her wing and looked after them to the best of her ability. It was the older boys that felt condescended to and smothered, and it was they who led the mutiny and left the younger boys no choice but to follow – they were still family after all.
"Aiden, you know my only goal is to keep you alive, right?" The boy nodded slowly and Emma shifted her focus to include the rest of the seated group. "So I'll ask you all once again: will you come back with me and stay within the protective wards? I swear to you that I will fix this, but you lot being out here, completely open to attack and unprepared for the kind of battles you'd have to fight to survive against these invaders? That's slowing me down. I can't leave you like this, so either you come with me or I call Regina and we stay here with you." Kyle's face twisted at the mention of Regina and Emma tried to understand what his problem was, since there was clearly more to it than she'd first thought. She stood up and backed off then, allowing the boys the privacy they needed to make a decision while she took stock of her surroundings and checked for any unexpected movements in the trees that grew at the edges of the clearing.
Finally, a hush descended once more and the blonde made her way to the front of the group, motioning for them all to stand. "Who's coming back with me, then?" She watched them expectantly and slowly relaxed as one by one, every boy except Kyle joined her, forming a group behind her and turning to stare down their former leader. Kyle's expression grew more disgusted as his brothers left his side and when he finally stood alone, he simply glared at Emma and spun on his heel, before marching in the opposite direction. The blonde had anticipated this response and motioned for Granny and Ruby to stay with the rest of the boys while she chased the stubborn kid into the forest.
She almost ran into him moments later. They were only a few hundred metres away from the camp, still close enough to hear conversation start up again in the grassy clearing. Kyle's back was stiff and the tendons of his neck and arms stood out. He had all the hallmarks of a boy who had shot up too quickly, all skinny limbs and uncoordinated movement. His hair still hinted at youthful blondness, but it was fading into a dark reddish brown as time went by, it had also grown longer and more ragged since she'd met the boy in Neverland. He'd been the second one to speak about Pan's whereabouts, which was why she'd been so surprised when she found out that he was the one to kick start the rebellion.
After a few minutes passed in silence, Kyle rolled his shoulders and purposefully released the tension in his body but still refused to turn around. "She knows all my secrets." His voice was low and quiet, almost a whisper. Emma stayed still and quiet, simply waiting. "She seemed fine with all of it, but lately she's been so distant and she stopped coming to our meetings and I thought…" He released a breath that ended in what sounded like a sob. Emma's eyes widened slightly as she recognised the start of an emotional conversation and she had to resist the urge to start running. Her muscles contracted in preparation, but she firmly told her feet to remain where they were: this boy needed her to stay and she'd likely never get another chance to reach him. When his breathing continued to consist of short pants and it became clear that he couldn't continue, Emma placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and tugged him towards her. He turned and practically collapsed against her, winding long arms around her back and burying his face in her neck. She felt his tears but said nothing – she was familiar with this particular feeling.
"I'm sorry, Kyle. She's been so caught up in trying to get me back and keep the town together, I guess she forgot. That doesn't mean she doesn't love you." It felt weird to be saying these words, especially since nobody had spared the time to tell her anything like this when she was younger and had desperately needed to hear it. She waited until the boy quieted and looked away when he lifted his head to dry his eyes.
"Thanks," he muttered, glancing around and carefully not looking at her. His limbs shuffled awkwardly as he moved away, but his eyes quickly shot up as something else occurred to him. "You won't tell anyone, will you? And you'll make sure she keeps my secrets?" Emma was confused by the second request but nodded her agreement anyway.
"Of course I will. As far as I'm concerned, we had an explosive argument and you only gave in after several minutes of truly inspired comebacks." She grinned at him and he smiled weakly back. "You'll come home now, right?" He just rolled his eyes at that and started back towards camp, snapping plants with slender fingers whenever they tried to block his path. Emma allowed herself a small smile of relief and her eyes lit as she anticipated Regina's joyful reaction to having all her boys home.
Granny, Ruby, Emma and the Lost Boys chattered happily amongst themselves as they forced their way through the overgrown wilderness, all except for Kyle who brought up the rear with a downcast expression. Emma stayed near the back of the group so she could check that he was still present without being too obvious, but she mostly passed the time by talking to Aiden and some of the other younger boys, all of whom had apologised for running away and expressed their gratitude for the blonde's success at getting them out of Neverland.
Emma was released a long sigh of relief as soon as the boys were within the mansion's wards. She waved goodbye to Ruby and Granny, knowing that Regina would be giving the old woman a serious talk about putting certain people in danger and taking unnecessary risks with their lives. The blonde decided that she might enjoy watching that particular conversation and resolved to find out when it would be so she could unintentionally be there to witness it. Distracted by her thoughts and grinning to herself, she almost missed Regina's speedy descent from the first floor landing. The happiness on the brunette's face was impossible to ignore, however, and she watched as each boy awkwardly accepted a hug from the woman. They all tried to maintain an irritated façade as she unabashedly wrapped her arms around each of them, but they inevitably failed by closing their eyes in contentment or even letting out a tear or two.
When Regina reached Kyle, she paused and gazed at the boy, noting his inability to look at anything other than his scuffed shoes. He stuffed his filthy hands in his pockets and hung his head, expecting anger. He almost fell over when she pulled him into an unexpected embrace, both participants scrunching up their face as they tried not to embarrass themselves in front of their audience. When she released him, she smiled slowly and tapped his nose with her finger, causing him to wrinkle it with mock distaste. Her expression then became serious. "You know we'll have to talk about this, Kyle. Come to my study after dinner, please?" Her voice was kind but it still evoked a nervous response from the boy, who nodded and quickly removed himself from the situation.
The boys stood awkwardly for a while until Emma got tired of the silence. "Go on. All of you go wash up or we'll be cleaning up after you rugrats until doomsday!" The group quickly dispersed: most going upstairs, while some headed for the kitchen or the basement. Regina stared after them with relieved fondness until they disappeared from sight and Emma just watched, a smile forming on her lips as she wondered how long it would take the other woman to realise that she was covered in leaves and mud from the woods. Her smile faded when Regina's eyes shot wide open and her hands flew to her chest, clutching at her heart as she fell to the floor.
"Regina!" She dropped to her knees immediately, remembering to keep her voice down so the boys wouldn't hear and rush back only to see their mother figure collapsed on the floor. Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she almost ignored it, before remembering the patrol groups the other woman had set up earlier. "Talk fast," she hissed quietly as soon as she accepted the call.
"We've got trouble, love." Hook's voice was uncharacteristically serious. "Harpies."