Emma's eyes slowly begin to flutter, but the weight of her eyelids is far too heavy to pry open. Her body buzzes with an unfamiliar tingle despite how groggy she feels. An involuntary groan stirs in her throat as she tries once more to peel her eyes open.
"Emma," his voice calls out in a soothing manner, one she associates with when she's sick or hungover.
Her thick eyelashes begin to pull apart to welcome the dark atmosphere and blurred vision. She rubs her eyes to regain focus as he gently calls her name again. She sees an unfocused blur before her and she knows it's Neal. Her eyes dart frantically around the room as she her mind fumbles for missing pieces to the puzzle in her mind.
Where am I? What happened? Regina. Oh god where is Regina?
Emma springs forward into a sitting position and scrambles back against the armrest of the couch. Her heart races from the unknown as she gasps desperately for air.
"Hey, it's me, calm down Emma," he coos hoping to settle her panicked state.
"Neal," she breathes. "Where's Regina? Where are we?"
"Just try and relax everything will come to you in a minute. Things are just a little foggy right now from the magic," he explains as he reaches out to tuck away her wild curls.
Emma shakes her head vigorously and presses her heels into the cushions to dodge Neal's unwanted touch. The man sighs and drops his hand before ever making contact. Emma squeezes her eyes shut and takes a few steady breathes as the events from earlier slowly crawl back into the forefront of her mind.
"Where's Regina now? Why the hell was I knocked unconscious?"
Neal rests his elbows against his knees and hangs his head low. He intertwines his fingers as he contemplates on what he should say next.
"Regina's fine, she's downstairs still-"
"Locked in the basement?" Emma instantly cuts off his explanation. "Then she's not fine!" She snaps as she begins to push herself off the couch. Neal spins around abruptly to halt her actions.
"Wait, just relax a second," Neal flashes Emma his most concerned puppy dog eyes, stilling her for a brief moment. "My dad just spoke with her and I don't think your parents are going to allow you anywhere near her right now."
Emma's green orbs immediately begin their search for her so called parents. She spots a small hallway with a kitchen at the end. Her mother seems to be relaxed and making tea as if this were just a regular Tuesday. While her father, Little Red Riding Hood, Rumpelstiltskin and former friend August all sit around a table discussing things she cannot hear.
"You knew who I was? You knew about all this bullshit?" Emma interrogates while she leans into his personal space so everyone else doesn't hear her distraught voice. Her boyfriend just nods in response as he keeps his eyes focused on his antsy fingers. "This is insane, you know that right? Fucking ludicrous. How can I believe that my parents are Snow White and Prince Charming? I mean out of all the absurd speculations I had about my birth parents not once did my thoughts wander to something so fucking insane!" She snaps in a harsh whisper shout.
"Emma I know baby, that's why I wanted to keep you away, especially with all this magic-"
"Wait, you never answered my question before. Why was I knocked out from your father's magic?"
Neal sighs heavily and finally faces his girlfriend. "He claims you have magic." The simple statement is enough to make Emma's eyes as wide as saucers. She falls back against the armrest while her eyes gloss over. "You were so agitated, your emotions were running rampant. You could've hurt yourself or maybe someone else so he needed to calm you down."
"Don't you think I would know if I had magic?" Emma quizzes as her mind shuffles through her entire life for one clue to this madness.
"No, we lived in a land without magic. You are now in town fueled by magic. I'm sure that opened up the flood gates," Neal angrily spits and sighs again, just hating magic more now than ever.
"Oh my god Ingrid! She was claiming some weird ass shit about magic. Do you think she knew?" Emma absentmindedly questions not truly expecting a response but just working through this new discovery. "No she couldn't have, right?"
"I don't know Emma." Neal lifts his leg to rest upon the couch and leans closer toward his girlfriend. "Emma, I need to ask you something?" Green eyes flick in his direction, full of concern and fear. "Baby, did you lie when you said I was your first." Emma instantly bites down hard on the inside of her bottom lip. She holds his gaze as she slowly shakes her head. Neal's face morphs into a scrunched expression as though he just ate something sour. "Well Regina implied that you two..." he trails off not being able to finish the accusation.
Emma's freckled nose crinkles as her secret is finally exposed. "Neal, I-I am so sorry."
"So you cheated then?"
Emma strains to swallow the thick lump in that back of her throat that's doubling in size with each moment that passes. She slowly nods as she watches Neal's big brown eyes fill with tears.
"Neal, I...there's no excuse, but Regina...she...I Well we..." she's fumbling for words at this point because her mind is utterly blank.
"When?" He croaks out and hangs his head as though he is the one that has something to be ashamed of.
"Five years ago. She came to the garage and asked for me to come with her back to New York, but I told her I was with you. I'm so sorry Neal, I never meant to hurt you, but you know how much I love Regina."
Neal winces as his eyes flutter closed. His head dips lower as he keels over from his broken heart. His hands slide to the back of his head and hold on for dear life.
"Emma that's..." he has no words left.
"Neal you sat there for two years and watched me cry my eyes out every night after Regina disappeared without even a goodbye. Her parents dragged her off to Maine and we didn't find out until a year later when August told us. I thought she hated me for stealing cars and just abandoned me," Emma tries to defend her reasoning, but she knows it's all pointless. She knows she was completely in the wrong and there's nothing she can do to fix this predicament they have found themselves in.
"So what now?" He mutters and Emma is unsure of he's speaking to her or trying to figure out what his next move is.
"Neal..." Emma timidly reaches out and rests her hand upon his shoulder. "You know what's going to happen now. You know in your heart that we can't keep carrying on this way. My heart belongs to someone else and that's not fair to you," she softly declares causing Neal to tighten his grip on the back of his own head.
Her former lover quickly pops up and maneuvers far too quickly for Emma to respond. He clutches the back of the couch with one hand as the other rests upon Emma's flat stomach.
"What about our family?"
Emma sighs as her eyes flutter closed. She rests her hand on top of his and shakes her head. "I'm sorry Neal, but that wouldn't fix anything. Regina owns my heart."
Neal's mouth pops open to respond, but his words are silenced from Snow White's harsh tone and sudden presence.
"She stole your heart Emma? When? Do you know where she's keeping it?"
Emma's absolutely baffled by the princess's rambling questions. She turns her head just enough to meet her mother's cold gaze.
"What the hell are you taking about?" Emma spews between anger and bewilderment.
Snow White bends down in front of the couch and grasps onto Emma's hands. "Emma, the Evil Queen is known for ripping out hearts to control people or sometimes she crushes them just to watch people die."
Emma's face scrunches together as she snatches her hand away from this woman's unwelcoming touch. Her mother stares at her through innocent puppy dog eyes while she glares at the princess in disgust.
"That is not the person she is today," Emma confidently states as Neal slips away from her space.
"Emma, it is. You just don't know her like we do," Snow softly whispers to persuade her daughter, but the blonde isn't buying into any of the allegations about Regina.
"Stop, I will not stand by and listen to you all bad mouth her," Emma declares as she scrambles to her feet and brushes passed her mother. With all the confidence she can muster up, she stands tall before her mother. "I need to speak to her now."
"We cannot allow that," Rumple chimes in as he lingers near the doorway. "You see Regina is refusing to cooperate so rewarding her with seeing you would be ill advised."
"Cooperating with what?" Emma demands an explanation as she stomps her way to the man who knocked her unconscious. She's inwardly screaming and ready to deck the man square in his nose, but she simply folds her arms across her chest and fights her inner battle.
"If you remember correctly, we need Regina to bring down the barrier around the town. She is refusing because she understands what will occur immediately after that."
Emma squints at the man as her face scowls in hate. She takes an assert step forward and grips her biceps ever harder.
"What will happen after she brings down the barrier?"
"Well that's up to your parents. I assume they have many ways to give thanks for the mess the Queen has inflicted upon them," he snickers distastefully about Regina's feeble future.
Emma spins around on her heels to face her parents. "What the hell is he talking about?" She breathes as her nails imprint her flesh with little crescents.
"Emma," Snow gently begins with a look of pity consuming her face.
"Emma, it's what needs to be done." David firmly steps in knowing his wife might crumble by the sad expression gracing their daughter's face. "She must pay for all the lives she has inflicted pain upon."
"So what? You're going to murder her?" Emma shrieks in disbelief. The expression on her parents face is enough to know she hit the nail on the head. "Are you completely out of your damn minds?" Emma squawks in an ear piercing volume. "I don't give a flying fuck where you all came from, but here...in the real world, that's illegal."
"It's justice," David defends.
"It's murder and it's wrong. No," she shakes her head furiously. "I will not allow you to lay a finger on her."
"Emma that's not your choice," Snow sighs as her eyes drift to the floor below, expressing her conflicting heart on the mater.
"It is my choice. If you want to kill her you'll have go through me." Emma states like a bratty child in defiance. "Now if you will all excuse me, I'm going downstairs to release her."
Rumpelstiltskin stiffly steps in front of the door leading to the basement. "We cannot allow you to do so. She needs to break the barrier," he reminds her with a stoic look upon his face.
"You guys can't keep her locked up like a caged animal. She's a fucking human being!" Emma bellows and whips around to face her parents. "When was the last time you fed her or gave her water?" The room is unnervingly quiet. "This is bullshit," Emma huffs and stomps her way toward the door.
"Miss Swan, take a step back," Rumpelstiltskin assertively holds out one hand, ceasing Emma's harsh footsteps. "Don't test us," he growls as his upper lip twitches. "Remember how quickly I can render you motionless."
Emma contemplates his threat. He's not wrong, he has magic in with the wave of his hand she can be out cold again. What good would that do? She wouldn't be able to keep an eye on Regina and make sure she stays alive.
"Please at least let me feed her, you can all keep watch. I don't care, just let me replenish her strength, that way she can think clearly.
XXXXXXXXXXX
After a lot of persuading Emma was following the damp stairwell into the basement below with a tray. There was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a bottle of water, that's all the assholes would allow. Emma knew Regina would hate the sandwich, but she was hoping the brunette was so hungry she would just eat it anyways.
Her parents explained that their guard dog, Red, would be standing guard in front of the double doors that lead to the backyard. While Rumpelstiltskin would be guarding the basement door that leads to the house so she shouldn't even bother an attempt to escape with Regina.
All the lights in the basement were off, just the light from upstairs was guiding her way down the steps. The awful stench of mold filled her nostrils, making her cringe in disgust. The light at the bottom of the stairs was useless from her apparent magic tantrum. Her shoes crunch the broken glass below even though she tried to step around it.
Her Converse shuffle against the concrete floor as she struggles to find the other light switch. She finds a string dangling in the middle of the room and quickly yanks on the cord. The soft yellow glow lights up the room along with her one true love.
Emma gasps when she finds the blindfold reclaiming the position across Regina's eyes once again. She rushes to her side and sets the tray gently on the ground. She quickly pulls the black cloth from the brunette's eyes to discover fear stricken orbs.
"Hey," Emma softly coos and gently tucks some untamed strands behind Regina's ear.
Regina's lips press painfully together, turning the red plump flesh white. Her nostrils flare as her perfect eyebrows pinch together in anger.
"What the hell are you still doing here Emma?" Regina snaps as she holds the blondes gaze.
Green eyes roll in annoyance as Emma redirects her attention to Regina's wrists and kneels down before her. "I'm going to untie your hands so you can eat," she explains, completely ignoring Regina's snippy question.
"I don't want your pity food," Regina spits in disgust, showing off her royalty side. "Do you honestly think I'm stupid enough to eat the food my sworn enemy is so easily offering?" She scoffs and glares at Emma as though she lost a few brain cells recently.
"I made the sandwich," Emma confirms as she finishes with the first set of ropes.
The blonde again ignores Regina's sharp tongue and gently takes the woman's hand into hers. She slowly rubs her thumbs into the tired flesh above her wrist. She gently massages the blood back into Regina's limbs before gliding lower. Her thumbs carefully sweep across the reddening area while Regina inspects every inch of Emma's face, as though she's never truly gazed upon her beauty before.
Emma's thumbs slowly work down to Regina's palm, massaging the numb muscles back to life. Her fingers press further into the silky flesh and lovingly, reawakens each finger. She tenderly places Regina's hand into her lap and reaches for the plate on the tray. She balances the plate on Regina's thigh and directs her attention to the other set of ropes.
"Eat," Emma commands as her fingers wrestle with the thick rope.
The only thing that is registering in Regina's mind right now is the sandwich. The former Queen is quickly brought back in time, when she first met Emma. She reminisces how the little blonde with bright green eyes smuggled a roll from the dinner table and brought it to her the first night she spent in a foster home. Even back then Emma protected her, kept her safe and always looked after her. Just like this woman, twenty one years later, is doing all over again. As if it were in Emma's nature to take care of Regina.
"Do you need water first before you eat?" Emma softly inquires as she finishes with the tangled mess against Regina's left wrist.
Regina's eyes fill with a thick liquid she refuses to turn loose. Emma's sparkling green eyes flick up to meet Regina's sad stare. Her bottom lip pouts as she stretches forward to cup the brunette's sharp jawline, but Regina flinches and recoils.
"Why do you always take care of me?" Regina questions accusingly throwing Emma completely off guard.
The blonde shakes her unkempt curls perplexed by the harsh tone. "What?" She breathlessly whispers while furrowing her brows.
"Emma you heard what they said about me. It's all true. I am a monster," she growls forcing Emma's gut to twist painfully like a pretzel.
"Stop that," Emma strictly orders and reaches again for Regina's face, but the brunette turns her cheek, stabbing Emma's heart in the process. "Look at me Regina," she demands as she grips her chin, urging her loved one to obey her request. "You are not a monster!"
The love and intensity coating Emma's words in enough to persuade one tear to trickle down Regina's cheek. Emma is quick to wipe away the lonely tear and neither one has time to react when Emma leans forward and kisses the tear track. As if that one tear burned a path down Regina's cheek and Emma needed to kiss the pain away.
"Emma you don't know me," Regina mutters through her painfully sore throat.
"I do," she reassures and smiles that cheeky giddy grin, Regina always melted for.
"No, stop. Listen to me," Regina sputters as she tries to regain her composure. She needs the Queen to make an appearance more now than ever so she can stay strong. She needs Emma to realize the truth about her so she doesn't ruin Emma's life anymore. "The little girl you grew up with, the woman you think you know today, is not the real me."
"Yes she is," Emma softly responds and presses her lips against Regina's.
Regina instantly turns her head to the side, rejecting the sweet kiss she wishes she could melt into.
"Please Emma, I don't want to hurt you anymore," the brunette hiccups and fights back more tears that threaten her credibility as the Evil Queen.
"Listen to me Regina, 'The Evil Queen', was someone who was left behind a long time ago. Clearly you knew you wanted a fresh start in life and you received one. Now I may not know every detail to your childhood growing up in that other place," Emma waves her hand dismissively because in her mind that place still doesn't exist. "But look at what an amazing woman you turned out to be in a land without magic and you didn't even have parents."
"Emma, I'm not who you think I am. This is me. The Evil Queen, destined for misery and heartache."
"I don't believe that. I believe in you. I believe the woman that I know, is who you were always meant to be, but people hurt you and somewhere down the line you were tortured and bruised. You lost your way, but you found yourself again. The real you. The woman I know and am so madly in love with," Emma expresses truthfully as Regina continues to shake her head, not accepting Emma's sweet words.
"Then why didn't you come to New York with me?" Regina's voice strains to question as she fights against the break inevitably forcing her to sound weak and desperate.
"I-I honestly don't know. I didn't want to hurt you or Neal. I regretted my decision the minute you walked out that door, but something in my gut was pulling me toward Neal. Something was whispering in the back of my mind that it wasn't our time, but that we would be reunited in the future." Regina's studying her intently and watches with great interest as Emma squirms. "I-ugh," she groans, but her following confession is cut short when Regina presses her finger to her soft pale lips.
"It's the price," she admits sorrowfully.
"What? The price?"
"Yes. All magic comes with a price. Wishing for a second chance in a new realm was a hefty price and unfortunately you were the payment." Emma's entires face contorts painfully in confusion as her head tilts to the side like a lost puppy. It takes everything in Regina to keep the Queen at bay who desperately wants to make Emma her new favorite pet. "That's why you couldn't follow me to New York, I couldn't have it all. I had to lose you time and time again as my payment for a fresh start."
"Well that's dumb," Emma naively answers and rolls her eyes. "Let's see magic keep us apart now. I'm not going anywhere." Emma's inquisitive eyes drift down and acknowledges the sandwich once again. She lifts the peanut butter and jelly to Regina's lips and smiles. "Now eat."
"Emma, I-" Regina's words are instantly choked back down when Emma takes the opportunity of an open mouth and shoves the sandwich inside. "Emma!" Regina scolds around the bread provoking the most adorable carefree laugh from Emma's lips.
"Aren't you a Queen? Weren't you taught to never speak with a mouth full?" Emma giggles as she reaches for the water bottle and twists the cap off.
The Queen quickly swallows the offered food, ready to reprimand Snow White's little brat. The only problem was Emma's stunning green irises were dancing in amusement and all Regina could see was her best friend, her only companion while growing up in this new life. Suddenly, her insides melt to mush forcing the Queen to the back of her mind.
"You're lucky I don't have magic right now," Regina weakly threatens, persuading Emma's gaze to drop to the leather bound bracelet.
"How do we get this thing off?" Emma curiously wonders out loud as she examines every inch of the black restraint.
"Magic," Regina whispers as she takes another bite of her sandwich.
"Well apparently I have...it," she admits still not able to fully accept this new reality.
"Well unless you learn to control it, it's useless to us," Regina scoffs buzzing with annoyance and catching Emma's attention.
The blonde eyes her carefully, understanding clearly that there's another side to Regina now and she's going to have to become acquainted with this Queen.
"Well we need to break you out of here. We can have a fresh start once again, either across the country or maybe somewhere entirely new," Emma suggests finally feeling hopeful for their future.
"And will Neal be joining our great escape?" Regina sarcastically retorts.
"Regina...Neal and I talked upstairs." Regina raises one eyebrow in question. "I told him it's over and that I've always wanted you."
"What about the precious family you two were creating? You never had children in the last five years?"
"N-no..." Emma drags out the little word and pauses as she thinks about her next choice of words. "I-uh, sort have been lying to Neal." Both Regina's eyebrows pop to her hairline, puzzled by the confession. "Yeah uh you see, I have been taking birth control behind his back. I...I just couldn't," Emma exhales like the weight of the world had been crushing her shoulders. "I knew in my heart he's not the one I wanted to start a family with."
"Well I hope it isn't with me, because that future looks bleak," the Queen deadpans.
"Regina-"
"No seriously Emma, what do expect?" Regina snaps. "Did you honestly believe I was just going to walk out of here alive?"
"All they want you to do is take down the barrier and then maybe I can convince them-"
"Convince them of what?" Regina questions with her eyes narrowing at Emma. The fire blazing in her eyes is enough to make Emma recoil. "You honestly believe you can convince them to forgive me for murdering hundreds of people? For cursing them and banishing them to another realm." Emma opens her mouth to protest, but Regina's blood is burning hot and there's no stopping the Queen within. "Let's not forget Emma, I'm the reason you didn't have parents! I am the reason Snow and her idiot of a husband had their daughter ripped from their arms the moment she was born."
"Stop!" Emma screams so loud the room echos with her shaky voice. "Stop trying to make me hate you because it's not possible." Regina rolls her eyes and turns her head away from the one she loves. Emma fiercely grips her chin and forces Regina to look at her. "You are good. You are the light in my dark life. I always made you do horrible things when you fought with me not to. So don't tell me that you aren't good. Don't try and convince me of an evil side I know doesn't exist. Not anymore."
Regina closes her eyes because she knows she cannot break free from Emma's rough grip claiming her chin. Her heart aches with love and sorrow all at the same time.
"Emma, you need to forget about me because I'm never making it out of here alive."