A/N sorry for the long wait, having some issues with some parts, plus RL getting in the way. But it's done. There will be one more chapter after this one. :)
Once the group was away from the castle, they slowly made their way back to where Charming and Regina had been waiting earlier. All were numb with sadness, and worked on instinct, setting up camp, gathering firewood, starting a fire. Red said she would go back and check to make sure no one was following them. She removes her red cape, then just as she hits the treeline, she morphs back into her wolf form, a mournful howl sounding in the distance.
Regina pulls Emma to another spot, a little off from the others. Her thoughts are that Emma needs to be alone in her grief, so she can morn without prying eyes, or questions. Regina quickly copies Charming, in that she gathers some wood, makes a small ring with some stones, then shielding it from the others, she conjures her small flame. As she starts the fire, Regina gazes at the flame, then angrily she snuffs it out, as anguish assails her as she thinks about what happened to Snow.
Emma is sitting on a log, wringing her hands together, staring at the fire with that lost look.
Regina tentatively sits next to Emma. "Em...I..." she whispers.
Sniffing, Emma leans her head on Regina's shoulder, as tears continue to fall from both woman's eyes. They both sit in silence, one grieving for a family she barely had a chance to know, one admonishing her own existence.
Suddenly Emma gets up, heading toward the others.
Watching her go, Regina takes in a shaky breath, as thoughts go through her head. 'I was wondering how long it would take for her to realize she is sitting next to Snow's killer.' Regina puts her head in her hands as she silently sobs.
Approaching the others quietly, Emma nears the wagon, retrieving a canteen of water. As she turns to head back, Charming stops her, asking, "Hey, are you two okay?"
"Yeah...Reg...isn't much of a people person. Besides we need some privacy to talk about some..you know, private stuff." Emma gives a sad look at her dad.
"Okay, sure, I understand."
Emma moves past her father, heading back to Regina.
Red comes back through the trees, watching Emma head away. "What's up with them?"
Charming shrugs, "Not sure, they wanted to be alone. What did you find?"
"Nothing. No one is looking for us. Seems the Queen is happy with...well you know, and she called off her men from searching. I know no one is very hungry, but I think I will go do some hunting." Red once more heads off to the woods.
Back at the other fire, Emma approaches, seeing Regina with her head in her hands, she sits saying quietly, "Here, think we both need this. Just wish it was some of your cider." Emma attempts a small smile.
Regina jerks her head up, confused and shocked. "How can you even sit next to me, let alone be civil after what I have done?"
"Huh? Wha...what?" Emma lowers her voice, "Regina, you didn't do that! That was her."
Agitated, Regina turns away. She also speaks low, but harshly. "You still don't get it! I am her!" Then glancing back, she sees the soft look in Emma's eyes. "I don't blame you for not wanting to be near me ever again. Right now I don't even want to be near myself." Glaring at her hands, flexing her palms, "If I could fireball myself into oblivion right now, I would."
Emma grabs Regina's right hand, holding it palm side up, running her own hand around the palm. Gazing into those sad, brown eyes, "I've told you, you're not her anymore. If you were, you wouldn't be sitting here beating yourself up over this."
Regina attempts to say something, but Emma puts her hand up, "It was not your fault. If anyone is to blame for this...for my mom's...death...it's me." Emma stands up, starts to pace. Though Emma is keeping her voice low, she continues to rant. "If I had not been so fucking stubborn, hell bent on checking out that fucking portal, if I had only just listen to you, we wouldn't be here. I wouldn't have fucked up my parents meeting."
"Emma," whispers Regina, as she realizes something so obvious.
Not hearing the brunette, Emma goes on, "If I would of just used my fucking brain, and think before acting."
"Emma."
"We would not be here grieving my mother's death. Not only have I lost her, but now all our friends, and...Henry...I am such fucking screw up. I should never have been born.
"Emma!" Regina laughs, her eye twinkling.
Emma stops, hearing the laugh. She glares at Regina, "What is so fucking funny Regina."
"Why are you still here?" Smirks Regina.
The blonde is still glowering, getting frustrated as a bug starts flying around her head.
Regina repeats herself. "Why are you still here?" She crosses her arms, as she leans back, smiling, watching Emma.
"What the fuck...wait..." Emma swats at the bug, "if my mom is dead, why...am.."
Regina nods. "You shouldn't be here, if Snow is gone. You should of just vanished."
With understanding, tears of happiness spring into Emma's sea green eyes, as she gazes at Regina in wonderment, "That means she's alive," Laughing, she stammers, "We need to find her, maybe the Queen still has her." Emma is about to smash her hands together to squash the annoying insect, when Regina stops her hand, at the same time Charming comes running, shouting, "Stop! Don't kill it!"
Emma looks perplexed at Regina, then her father. "Huh?"
"That is no bug." Charming approaches, "When we were on our way to rescue you, Snow mentioned this dust she had, would turn one into a bug."
"You think.." Emma watches as the bug lands on Charming's finger.
Regina nods, "It's possible she had some in her hand just as...er...the Queen threw the fireball at her."
They all can hear what seems to be a high pitched squeak coming from the bug.
"Is it trying to talk to us?"
"No, she is calling for me."
Everyone turns at the voice. It's the Blue Fairy, as she flutters down from the treetops.
Emma smiles at her, "Blue!"
"Do I know you?" Blue inquires.
"Leia." Emma responds.
"No...that's not it," Blue eyes both Emma and Regina. "No...but what secrets you have, shall remain with you. I sense it's better this way."
"Can you bring Snow back?" asked Red.
"Dark magic did this to her. Light magic can undo it." Blue waves her wand, then points it at the bug. A bright flash, and Snow White is once more in human form.
Emma is so delighted, she is over come with emotions and engulfs Snow in a tight hug, "You're a live!" Snow does not return the hug, instead warily says, "It appears so." As she steps away from Emma, she suspiciously stares at the woman, then quietly, "Thank you" before she turns and rushes into Red's arms, hugging her best friend.
As Red, Snow and Charming move off, Emma is stunned the abrupt lack of emotion coming from her mother.
"Well looks like things may be back on track." Regina watches the small group head off before turning to Emma. Seeing the lost look on Emma's face, Regina asks, "Hey, are you alright?"
"Yeah...yea I am okay."
Not sure what is up with Emma, Regina tries to cheer her up, "Hopefully this means maybe tomorrow we can meet up with Rumple, he can open that portal and we can finally get out of here and go home. To Henry." Regina puts her arm on Emma's shoulder. This brings Emma out of her thoughts.
"Huh? Home? Oh..yeah...back to Henry." Then Emma also remembers something else Regina will be going home to, thinks to herself, 'So you can be with Forest Boy and your happy ending.'
Regina jerks her head up, laughing, "What? Who.."
"Shit. I didn't mean to say that out loud." Embarrassed, Emma turns away. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. You deserve you happiness." She then mumbles, "Even if I think he is wrong for you."
"He isn't."
Emma nods her head as she moves off, those buried emotions of abandonment coming to the fore front again.
"Emma." Regina moves up behind Emma, once more putting her hand on the blondes shoulder, stopping her. "He's not my happy ending."
Emma glances over her shoulder, blinking, afraid she didn't hear Regina right. Tentatively, she whispers, "He's not?"
Still seeing that lost look in Emma's eyes, hoping she can be the one to bring back that smile she has grown to love, Regina nods her head. "We..or rather I broke it off with him."
"When did this happen? I thought he was your soulmate." At that last statement, Emma rolls her eyes as she gazes up at the nigh sky through the trees. "Something to do with some fucking fairy dust, and a tattoo."
"Same day you broke if off with the hand-less wonder apparently," Regina chuckles, then she gets a questioning look as she asks, "How did you hear about the dust, and he's not my soulmate."
Once more looking embarrassed Emma explains, "It was like a week after I got back to Storybrooke. I was in the supply closet at the Diner. Granny needed something, and Ruby was busy. That's when I over heard you and Tink talking about it. I tried not to listen, but the closet is small and you were right outside the door. I just heard something about dust, that it lead to you soulmate, then heard Robin's name, that it was him. I really tried not to listen."
Regina thinks back to a conversation she had with David, 'When Emma first came back from New York, she kept asking about you. How you were doing. She really does care for you. Not sure what changed, with in a week, she had started putting up those walls, then talked about her going back to New York, that she was happy there, but I really don't think she was.'
Emma continues, "I don't understand. The times I seen you with him, you seemed the happiest I ever seen you."
"Yes, well that was before I retained my missing memories . Once that happened and when I returned my heart, things became confusing. Well to be honest with myself, not confusing, maybe a bit more clear. I realized I did not have feelings, least not a deep connection with Robin. Not like I should if he truly was my soulmate."
"Yeah?" Emma looks hopeful.
"Yeah." Regina gazes into sea green eyes, as she smiles, almost shyly. "I apparently have deep feelings for another blonde thief with a son."
Pursing her brows, Emma is slightly taken back, "Who..." as she ponders who Regina is referring to. Then clarity shines in her eyes as she glances at the brunette, seeing the mischief gleam in Regina's brown eyes. "Oh." Emma returns the glint, as she breaks out into a full on grin, "Who might that be...someone I know?"
Regina laughs low, as she puts her hand on Emma's cheek. "Yes dear, some one very well." Regina takes a slight step closer as both women gaze into each others eyes.
Emma licks her lip, as she glances from brown eyes to rose colored lips, then back to those liquid brown pools. Hearts pounding, breathing becoming shallow as two heads slowly move together. As electricity courses through, lips just a hairs breath away...
"Hey!"
Both women jump apart, Regina growling as Charming comes up to them. 'I am going to kill him'.
"Sorry, but Red caught a rabbit earlier, though you two would like some." Charming hands over a cloth with some roasted meat on it. "It's not much, but least it will help you sleep with something in your stomach."
"Oh..uh...thanks." Emma stammers as she is still in a haze of emotions, as she takes the food.
"Your welcome." As he turns and leaves, he looks back, "Marion did a very good job of roasting it."
Both women gasp, startled, "What...who did you say?" Regina falters.
"Marion. The woman you saved from the dungeon. She is Robin Hood's wife. Anyways, goodnight, we will see you in the morning."
Both women stare after the Prince as he joins the others. They briefly glance at the woman, then back at each other. Then Emma mumbles, "Well damn, looks like I did something right for once."
"Emma, you have done many things right, and I agree this time you out did yourself by sticking to your core beliefs about saving people." Regina gives Emma a rare, genuine smile. "I...or WE can fix one of my wrongs."
"Reuniting Robin, and Roland, with Marion." Emma smirks, "See, sometimes fate has a wicked sense of humor."
"Yes she does." Regina takes Emma's hand, and moves them over to the fire and sits on the log. "Now lets eat, then get some sleep. We will speak with Marion in the morning about going back with us. Hopefully by this time tomorrow we will be home." Regina takes a piece of rabbit, breaks off a piece and puts it up toward Emma's mouth. "Eat."
"Yes Reggie," Emma takes the offering, then both women proceed to eat in a silent comfort, lost in their thoughts.
'Home, with my family, and our son'
A short time later, Emma retrieves a blanket, spreads it near the fire, then removes her cloak, balling it up into a make shift pillow. Regina returns from a short trip into the woods, then spies Emma as she sits on the blanket.
"What's this dear," smirks Regina as she moves closer.
"What's it look like...time for some sleep. Can't wait to get back home and into a real bed again." Emma lays down, then pats the empty spot next to her, grinning. "C'mon, I saved a spot for you."
Eyes sparkling, Regina mimics Emma by placing her coat as a pillow also, then lays down next to the blonde. She turns on her side away from Emma, toward the fire, with a small smile.
Emma at first is on her back, but after a short time staring up at the sky through the trees, she sighs, and turns toward Regina. She starts to move her arm but drops it back on her own hip. Regina once more smirks, then slowly reaches back, takes Emma's hand and places it around her waist, not letting go of her hand, instead holding it snugly against her stomach. Both women sigh contently.
Emma can't quite get to sleep yet, as something keeps floating around her mind. "Regina?" She whispers.
"Hmm?"
"Can I ask something. It won't change how I feel about you, it's just...something I need to resolve in my head about something..about me and my parents, actually, but it does involve you." Emma squeezes Regina's hand to emphasize her feelings.
"I...uh...yes...go ahead." Regina is holding her breath, worried of what Emma is needing to ask.
"When you...back when you were casting the curse, and you were..hunting my parents. You were also after me...right?"
A long pause, then a quiet.. "Yes."
"Right..well when you stormed my parent's castle, if...if you had found me before they had time to put me in that tree, what...what..would you have done with me? Would you have..." Emma snuggles closer, to show Regina she isn't afraid of the answer.
With a hitch in her voice, Regina whispers, "Killed you? No...No...even back then, I could never harm a child or infant. I was only venting my anger and vengeance on adults. That's one reason I had my soldiers head to a village prior to my arrival. To make sure all the children were no around when I dealt with the villagers. Granted I didn't care if I made them orphans, but if I had wanted to harm children, I would of killed Snow way before I had tried to. Even with her, I waited till she was past her 20th year." Gripping Emma's hand like a lifeline, "As for what I would of done with you if I had captured you? Well the curse was upon us, so most likely you would be an infant for as long as the curse was enacted. Since you were the one ordained to break it when you turned 28, that wouldn't have happened."
"Would you have let my mother keep me?"
"No. If I kept your father in a coma all that time, and made your mother into a timid, lonely mouse of a woman, no, I would not have let her keep a child that would of brought her happiness. Most likely I would of put you with another family, much like I did with Jefferson's daughter, Grace. Or worse, I am afraid, put you in with some low life family who didn't give a crap about you." Tears were forming in the brunette's eyes. "Emma, I am sorry for all I have done to you, and your family."
Emma sits up a little, as she comes close to Regina's ear. "Don't be. And thank you for being honest with me. When the curse first broke, I told my mom that I was angry with them for sending me through that wardrobe, defenseless, not knowing what would happen to me. I told them they could of kept me, and yes be cursed, but least we be together, but with what you answered, it has resolved this internal struggle I've had since then. I guess it still stemmed from my abandonment issues. But now, I understand that they had no choice. Just as I didn't with Henry at that time. They didn't know your intentions, if you were going to kill their child or not. I can now forgive them." Emma lightly kisses Regina on the cheek, then settles back down, hugging the brunette closer to her.
"What...was that for."
"For casting the curse," Emma laughs lightly. "Else I wouldn't be here right now, next to you, or have Henry in our lives."
Sighing, Regina sniffs, then closing her eyes, feeling something she hasn't for a very, very long time, "Thank you for breaking my curse," as she falls into a very happy, contented sleep.
============sq==========sq============sq=======
Morning sunlight filters down through the treetop, one silvery strand of light hits upon the sleeping couple.
Emma slowly opens one green eye, then squints. Something heavy is on top of her. She opens both eyes, and looks at the dark head that is resting on her chest. Grinning, Emma lets out a low chuckle as she watches Regina snuggle closer, semi-sprawled on top of Emma. Wrapping her arms around the sleeping brunette, she lets out a low, satisfactory sigh. "Wow...can't believe this is real," she whispers, "and you dumped pine cone eater."
Slap! A slight tingling from Emma's side where Regina smacked her, causing Emma to giggle.
"I heard that." A low, sleepy voice rumbles up from Regina. She slowly lifts herself off Emma, slightly blushing at how she is practically sleeping on top of the blonde.
"Eh...well...whatever. Good morning." Emma finds the blush adorable, and can't help grinning.
"Morning."
Both women get up off the ground, stretching out sore muscles. Gathering up coats, cloaks and the blanket, they lay the items on the log, then head out to the stream to freshen up. Once they get back they sit on the log, while they wait for the others.
In the distance they see Red and Snow hugging, then Red grabs her stuff and heads off into the forest. Snow then slowly move towards James, as he drinks from his canteen.
"I..uh, suppose I should thank you," Snow starts to say.
Emma glances at Regina, smiling, upon hearing her parents talking. Regina slips her hand in Emma's and squeezes it.
Snow glances shyly at Charming, "You saved me."
"Well it seemed the honorable thing to do," Charming smiles at Snow.
Glancing down, Snow fidgets, then tells Charming, "I'm going to the the stream to get some water. I can fill your canteen if you like."
James nods, "Thanks," as he hands over the canteen. Their hands touch slightly, pausing for just a sec, then Snow turns to head to the stream.
Emma can't help it as some tears form in her eyes, "They're warming up to each other. This is good. This will work.
"Yes, is seems we are getting back on track." Regina then glances over at Marion, "But we need to speak with Marion, we need to convince her to come back with us."
Standing up, the two women head over to Marion. "Hi, Marion?" Emma asks, as she glances at Regina.
Marion becomes alarmed, glancing around
Emma put up her hands, "Hey, relax. My da...James mentioned it last night when he brought us some of the rabbit. Said you cooked it. It was very good."
"Oh, thank you."
"This is Reg, uh we need to speak to you about something." Emma tries to figure out the best way to explain the situation.
Regina sighs, then proceeds to tell Marion about how they are from the future, how they came to be in the Enchanted Forest, and how they been trying to fix some issues with the timeline.
"The future?" Marion has a doubtful expression. "You say I have to go there with you?"
"You can't stay here." Emma tries to convey the seriousness of their suggestion. "You were suppose to die hours ago. We already messed the timeline up once, and are hoping we have it back on track again."
"I don't understand. I just want to get back to my family." Nervously, Marion glances around.
"You can't go back to them. In this timeline you are dead. If you go back to them, it will change things again."
Regina gives a stern eye, "You need to trust us. If we told you that your family is actually in the future with us, would that help convince you to come with us?"
"All due respect, but I don't trust either of you. I am gratefully for you getting me out of that cell, but other than that I don't know you."
Emma slowly moves around behind Marion.
"Robin and your son Roland..."
"How do you know my family?" By this time Marion is trying to find a way to escape these two insane people. "I am no way going anywhere with you till you tell me how you know them!"
"Look, we don't have time to go into all that, just you have to believe us." Regina sees Emma stoop down to pick up a small, thick tree branch. Realizing what Emma intends to do, the brunette's eyes go wide.
Marion is still carrying on, "You will have to kidnap me..."
THUMP! Marion falls to the ground as Emma knocks her in the head with the limb.
"Guess we are kidnapping you."
"Emma!"
"What? We need to take her with us, if not willingly, then we drag her ass with us."
Regina laughs, "I knew there was some devious person inside that red leather jacket."
Just then Charming comes upon the women. He glances down, "What's wrong with her."
Emma just shrugs, "She's uh...resting. What's up."
Jame starts patting his self, "Have either of you seen Snow? She went to the stream but she..." He continues to look for something in his jacket, then his eyes go wide as he checks inside on of his inner pockets. "The ring! She took it!"
Emma feigns shock. "Really? Do you know where she might be headed?"
"She was seeking passage on a pirate ship. There's only one way to the harbor from here, the Troll bridge." Charming takes off.
Realizing something, Emma groans, as she looks down at the ground, then turns to go after him.
Regina grabs her arm, stopping her, "Emma, where are you going? Isn't that where you want them to be? Isn't that where Snow saved your father from the trolls?"
"Yes, but the only reason she was able to do that is because she had a weapon." Emma heads off as she finishes, "The dust."
Taking off after the blonde, Regina mutters, "She already used it. Damn it to hell!"
"C'mon! They are going to need help!" Emma yells over her shoulder.
