"Earth to Regina" Emma called when she noticed the brunette was suddenly withdrawn when the car passed the 'Welcome to Storybrooke' sign. "Hey, are you okay?" she asked, taking Regina's hand in her own.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I just can't believe I let you talk me into driving this death trap" she lied. Her heart was racing but she didn't want Emma and Henry to sense that. Too bad Emma had gotten so good at reading her in such a short time.
Glancing back, she winked at a giggling Henry. How she loved that sound. The past few days had been nothing short of amazing and beautiful. Spending time with the two had brought her a kind of happiness she wasn't familiar with. For a few days she'd let herself feel what its like to have a real family. She had barely been to her apartment since arriving back from storybrooke. The two women had fucked like animals and made love like crazy. In Emma's office, on the kitchen counter, any place they felt comfortable. Regina had been there every morning to prepare Henry's breakfast and pack his lunch.
Everything had been so surreal, and now she was about to give it all up because she loved Emma beyond any selfish need. She hadn't told Snow about her plan to bring Emma and Henry here. Her plan was to take Henry and Emma to her house, somehow convince Emma to drink the portion and then see what would happen from there. It was only natural that Emma would want to see her parents once she remembered. And she wanted to give Snow that surprise. Where Emma would just show up at her door. She owed her at least that much. She drove past the streets of Storybrooke in silence except for the noise Henry was making with his phone.
Emma couldn't help but take note of how weird this town looked. But in spite of that, she felt a sense of calmness she couldn't comprehend. Like she'd been here before, like this place meant something to her. Soon they were pulling up at Regina's house. Her mouth fell.
"Woah!" Henry exclaimed.
"I'll say" Emma retorted back.
"You live here?" Henry asked.
"Yeah, do you like it?" Regina asked as the three made their way towards the front door of the huge mansion.
"Yeah! Its pretty cool!" the boy replied in excitement and wonder as the brunette opened the door, letting them in.
"That's good to hear because, guess what?"
"What?"
"I got a room prepared just for you. Wanna check it out?"
"Yeah!" Henry was literally jumping up and down with anticipation.
"Okay, go check upstairs I'm sure you can find it by yourself" she smiled at her son who immediately took off running up the stairs. When Henry was out of their hearing range, she turned to the blonde who had been quiet the whole time and busy looking around the house.
"Wow!" Emma said, turning her attention back to the brunette. "Quite a place you've got here"
"Thank you," Regina said smiling half-heartedly at her. "Would you like something to drink?"
"Sure"
"How about some apple cider?"
"Sounds good" Emma smiled as they made their way to Regina's office. The sense of Déjà vu she was getting from this moment didn't escape her for a second. And as she poured two glasses of her best apple cider and handed one to the blonde, she couldn't help but think of how much had happened since Emma sat in her office for the very first time four years ago. How different things were now from how they were then. And her heart broke to think that in just a matter of minutes, they'd go back to that.
"You seem a bit distracted," Emma's voice startled her.
"I'm sorry. I'm just trying to get used to being back here" Regina lied.
"You sure it has nothing to do with you thinking that I might hate you after visiting here? Which is crazy, by the way. But, if that's what you're worried about we can always go back right now"
"Emma..." she tried to speak but she knew she was only delaying the inevitable. She had to do this before she could convince herself to put Emma and Henry back in the car and drive them back to New York and never come back. She took a seat beside Emma and took her hand in her own.
"There is something I need to tell you" she started.
"Okay" the blonde replied.
"I haven't been completely honest with you" she started, "That day at the hotel, that wasn't the first time we met…" she didn't know how else to put it.
"What do you mean?" Emma sat up, her eyes searching Regina.
"I mean that we had met before. We knew each other before we met that day at the hotel and before I ran into Henry at the mall. You just don't remember it"
"What?! Thats crazy! Why would I not remember that? Or you?!"
"Because I made you forget"
"What?! When?! How?! Why?! Regina, if this is some kind of a joke, its not funny!"
"Its not a joke. That is why I brought you here, to help you remember...everything" she said, her face falling.
"Okay, lets suppose you're telling the truth, how will you do that?" Emma couldn't help the little sarcasm that slipped into her voice. But to her surprise, Regina walked to where she'd left her handbag and took out a blue little bottle and walked back to her.
"With this" she said, handing the bottle to Emma.
"What is this?" Emma asked, suddenly growing serious.
"Its a memory portion"
"A what?! Okay, Regina. You have to stop now. What the hell is going on?!"
"You said you trust me"
"Yes I did...I do! But what you're saying is just so messed up, Regina. How do you expect me to believe that I have or had a life that I just don't remember? How do you expect me to believe all these?"
"I don't expect you to believe it but I'm hoping you will. I need you to. Taking the portion will help you remember and I really need you to, Emma. Even though I know I'll lose you as soon your memories come back"
"There you go again with that! If thats what you think then I don't want to take it." she placed her glass on the table and turned to the brunette. Holding Regina's face between both her hands and looking her into her brown eyes. "What we have is enough for me. I don't need memories from my past to make me feel complete when I have you and Henry. My past hasn't exactly been a fairytale so forgetting it is actually kind of a favour you did me . So I don't think I'll be missing much without a few years worth of forgotten crappy memories. The future is all that matters and I want you in it." she finished, breathless. She leaned forward and slowly, she let her lips move over the other woman's. Regina was now crying. Which made her lips feel so soft against Emma's. She returned the kiss shortly and then she stood abruptly off the couch.
"No its not enough. Not by a very long shot! You deserve more. Much much more. You deserve to have everything you ever wanted, Emma"
"Which is?"
"A family"
"I already have a family" Emma said, moving her hand between the study and the direction of the stairs, to indicate that she meant Regina and Henry.
"No. I mean a real family. Parents...who adore you. Who will lay the world at your feet. Who will treat you like the princess you are" she all but shouted.
"Thats just being cruel Regina. You know what my parents did to me. Abandoning me like I didn't matter. Why would you even bring that up now?!" Emma almost screamed.
"Because they didn't abandon you, Emma! Not intentionally. They did find you later or rather you did, you just don't remember. And they are here in Storybrooke. So please drink the portion and you'll see what I mean. Please."
"Okay! Just because you won't let this go, I'll take the damn portion and you'll see that nothing will change. We'll have dinner and then after Henry goes to bed, I'll take you to your bed and fuck the living lights out of you for this crap you're trying to pull" she said, taking the bottle from Regina.
"Wait!" Regina held her hand before she could open it.
"What?!"
Regina pulled the blonde against her, smashing her lips against hers. The kiss started off heated and desperate but turned gentle and soft a few seconds later. They kissed tenderly with Regina failing to control her crying. She poured all her anguish, her fears, her hope and love into that moment. This is it she thought to herself.
"Your lips are so soft when you cry" Emma said as they pulled apart.
"I love you" Regina said. She didn't want to dwell on Emma's sweetness at the moment. She just couldn't, if she was sure she wanted to go ahead with this. "I know you won't believe it in a few minutes but I want you to know that. I. Love. You" she punctuated each word with a kiss.
Emma smiled at her, a smile Regina only returned heartbreakingly. How she wished she could make the brunette believe in the power of the love they shared.
"And I love you too. Always will, no matter what" Emma said as she took the top off the bottle and downed the liquid from the bottle.
Images after images went through her mind as memory after memory was restored. Henry finding her in Boston, Her arrival in Storybrooke, Meeting Regina, her parents and then finally Regina giving her a Henry new memories, a new life. A Happy ending. Her happy ending.
And then she opened her eyes and there she was, standing in front of her. With a tear stained face but still gloriously beautiful.
"Regina" she more breathed than uttered her name.
"Emma" Regina called back, breathless.
Hi guys. I'm really sorry about this chapter. I know Its not even close to good and I hate myself for it. I'm having a not-so-good week and I know thats no excuse. But I promise to work extra hard on the next one. I hope you can forgive me. Thanks for your never ending support. It means the world to me. Mwah!
-A.