A/N: First off I want to offer a massive apology for the fact that I've left an update on this fic for soooo long. As you know from my last upload, that I signed up for SwanQueen Supernova 3 and well… I did it… I finished it. I have yet to be notified about what day my reveal will be on but they will be spotlighting 3 sets per day for a month. I'm crazy nervous and excited, I hope you all like it and here is the link to the collection:
/collections/SQSupernova3

The artist I was paired up with is amazing. I can't wait for you guys to see the matching artwork to it.

Speaking of finishing... I know I owe you guys to finish this one, which will have probably a few more chapters for me to finish the flash backs and Shattered Realms (which I actually thought I had years ago, so I'm working on plot points for the last chapter of that one).

Anyway, I hope you like this chapter and please let me know what you think.

Chapter 21

Even though she knew that Regina's words were true, felt them to her core, she tried to keep the fear that dwelled in the back of her mind at bay, she was aware that the inner monologue was helpfully provided by the part of her that desperately didn't want to give up the powerful vessel they currently resided in.

The disjointed voices that whispered to her was distracting but when she focused on olive skin and sepia orbs, the now cherry stained full lips that every time, without failure, sent the thousands of butterflies that had taken refuge in her core to take flight whenever that dazzling smile graced them… it was more than enough to keep her grounded.

Regina had watched her closely after she had grown quiet for an extended amount of time but while sepia orbs searched her now bi-coloured eyes as well as flicking to highlighted blonde tresses, Emma tried to form a sentence to explain the overwhelming surge of love she felt from within, just by looking at the older woman.

"Emma," Regina said softly and when small fingers stroked gently up her sternum and along her jawline in response, she couldn't help the intake of breath, the slow flutter of dark lashes and the low moan, that the simple gesture elicited from her.

The blonde stopped when the voice inside her head encouraged her to tighten her hold, she almost snatched her hand away but instead of allowing the images that wanted to invade her mind from a source that she knew was not her own. She fought back mentally.

She instead, moved her hand to a strong bicep before she locked their fingers together and gently encouraged Regina into an upright position.

The brunette had opened her eyes and allowed herself to be gathered up into an almost tight embrace. The fingers of her free hand coming up to rest gently on the small of the blonde's back and she sighed into a skinny shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Regina asked quietly.

"I'm fine, but I should probably have something before we go anywhere," the blonde murmured into dark locks.

"Okay," Regina agreed and waited for the blonde to draw back before she said softly. "I know we've talked about this before but…"

"No, you need your strength, Regina," Emma interrupted, effectively cutting the other woman off mid-sentence. "I won't risk it."

"Even if it will give you more control?" The older woman asked quietly.

"I'm not entirely sure it won't cause me to lose control and allow her to gain more," the blonde responded but she used her free hand to cup the older woman's smooth cheek and smiled. "It means a lot that you would do that for me."

Regina half smiled before she waved her hand towards the coffee table next to the couch. Before the blonde ventured for the glass stein, she leaned forward once again and claimed full lips gently.

After Emma had eaten, they had freshened up briefly and changed clothes. The blonde had fussed over her and distracted her from the process, something that was getting easier and easier and while at one point, this would have frustrated the brunette, she found herself revelling in the feeling of falling.

She had settled on a black slacks and a dark silver, silk dress shirt and her usually stilettos. Emma had stared at her a moment before a thoughtful expression had appeared on pale features.

"What?" Regina had asked as she sat down to fix her makeup.

"Nothing," Emma responded in her best nonchalant tone.

"That is not a nothing face, it is most definitely a something face," Regina countered as she pointed the end of brush at the reflection of the blonde in the mirror as she watched her.

"I just realised something, that's all," the blonde stated but when a small flush crept into pale cheeks, dark eyebrows lifted pointedly and Emma, for lack of better words, found herself admitting to the revelation she had just had. "I don't think that there is actually any outfit that you wear that I don't like… you look amazing in everything," the latter of which was said in an almost wistful sigh which caused the older woman to smile brightly.

Fortunately for Emma, the brunette didn't reply right away and just when she thought she had been let off the hook for what she classed as such a sappy statement, the older woman finished applying her lipstick with a slight pop sound and stood, before she grabbed the blonde by the waist and kissed her soundly.

Regina smiled when the blonde automatically responded, small fingers instantly reaching into dark locks and she held the taller woman firmly to her until they were both breathless and pulled apart.

It took another few moments for them to calm their beating hearts and to not undo all the work they had just done in getting ready to leave, but Regina noted that the sky had started to dim and dark brows furrowed slightly.

Bi-coloured orbs still stared back at her and she wondered if they were fixed permanently that way until they used whatever power this urn held, to release the darkness from her and silently she looked forward to seeing the mischievous emerald twinkling back at her. She pondered also just how much of a hold the blonde really had at the moment and part of her delved into the possibilities that Emma may lose control at some point, even with her consistent connection to the brunette.

She reached out with her magic, to test the edges of her senses, she felt for Emma's and found her energy to be a mishmosh of swirling darkness, it felt like a confused, erratic beast that had been half tethered. This quelled her own doubts but Emma remained quiet as she did so but she knew that the blonde knew she had been reaching for her, searching, when the younger woman frowned for a moment before she kissed the edge of full lips tenderly, as if reassuring her.

Regina smiled softly just as Emma pulled away entirely and nodded towards the doorway.

"Do you know where she is?" Regina asked.

"I will sense her when I get close," Emma responded quietly. "Now is a good time to go, the streets will be quiet but from what Henry had said earlier, she lived in the area. She might be where everyone goes…"

"Granny's," Regina sighed and wondered with the amount of people that could possibly be at the diner, how much of a good idea this was. "Will you be okay?"

By this point she had already moved closer to the younger woman and the blonde had simply reached for her hand, which she gave to her without hesitation and offered up what she had hoped to be an encouraging smile but the brunette could see right through her attempt at reassuring her. "I'm serious, Emma…"

"You have the dagger, don't you?" Emma asked instead of directly answering Regina's question.

"Yes," the brunette replied and with a wave of her hand, revealed the belt she had attached while getting ready, while masking it with a glamour spell so that it wouldn't be at the forefront of their minds or on display for others to see.

"Good. Even though you yourself, seem to very good at keeping me grounded, I'm not sure how I'll be around that many people, so I want you to command me," the blonde said quietly.

"Only if it's necessary," Regina countered firmly as she reapplied the glamour.

"I trust you to do what is necessary, Regina," Emma replied as petite pink pulled into a sure smile.

Regina felt a flourish of fear, mixed with hope, swell within as she contemplated the outcomes of their excursion tonight. One thing she did know was that she would go to the ends of the Earth for this woman and if this didn't work, she would find another way, find a spell or something that would keep Emma grounded properly. Even if she remained The Dark One, when she looked at the younger woman she knew that this was it for her. This woman was it. She wasn't giving up on her. On them.

They would find a way.

Regina used her magic to transport them, olive fingers held tight to the blonde's as the carpet beneath their feet shifted to hard pavement.

She had thought of the first discreet place she could think of and as the cool dusk air surrounded them, they could hear the creak of the sign from Gold's shop from the alley beside it and the slight buzz of static as the street lamps lit up.

Emma inhaled slowly, as she felt the subtle change of energy around them and her senses automatically picking up on Regina's heartbeat as well as Belle and Gold's in their shop. Then further over is where she could feel the heaviness start and the distant collective thump thump that she knew was coming from the diner.

It was when there was a small squeeze of her hand, that her attention was guided back to the older woman and concerned sepia orbs connected with bi-coloured lenses.

"Emma," Regina said her name softly but loud enough that her husky tones filtered through the hypnotic pounding that seemed to swell in time with her own beating heart. The edges of her vision pulsated rhythmically and the voices that had been whispering earlier grew stronger. The being she had successfully been keeping at bay... she could feel her claws sinking into the recesses of her mind.

"Emma," the brunette said her name louder this time and for a moment, she kept herself from reaching for the hilt of the dagger, to instill a command into its depths.

Regina repeated her name one last time, this time she gripped her chin instead with free hand and finally the blonde swallowed but looked at her as if she was truly seeing her. "You've got this, okay?"

Inside though, she trembled at the possibility that this might be too much for The Saviour turned Dark One but her words remained strong.

"I'm okay," Emma replied quietly with a nod but her grip grew tighter on the older woman's hand as she repeated herself. "I'm okay."

She inched forward toward the end of the alley and focused on the night air and the way her skin tingled, as if it can feel the pinpricks from the stars themselves, before they move closer to the diner, keeping to the shadows.

"Do you feel anything yet?" Regina whispered, leaning close to the a leather clad shoulder and squeezing the blonde's small hand gently within her own.

They stopped just short of the green shrubbery that bordered the diner, where the neon sign lit up the night in an eerie crimson haze that did nothing to ease the hypnotic pulsing of life blood within the establishment. Along with it, there is a slight pull in the blonde's stomach, like that of a lifebuoy pulling her back from sea and she knows that this is where they'll find her.

"She's in there," Emma answered lowly and by now she can hear her own heart as it beat erratically.

"Okay…" Regina exhaled and pursed her lips slightly as she tried to think of how they were going to get the woman in question to exit the diner. There was no way it was a good idea to enter the premises at this point especially with the very obvious signs of the younger woman's struggle. "Can she sense you as well or?"

"Honestly…" Emma turned toward her carefully and the brunette noticed the tiny amount of darkening in one of the blonde's bi-coloured orbs and her dark brows furrowed. "I don't know."

"Emma," the older woman said her name carefully but gently tugged her back into the shadows and further away from the diner. "I know you want to do this tonight but if it is at the expense of you losing control…"

"Regina, you have the dagger," Emma murmured softly. "I still want to do this tonight, I won't lose control... I trust that you'll stop me. I want you to if it is what is needed. I just didn't realise how distracting a mass amount of warm bodies in one place would be. For lack of better words."

The blonde half smiled in an attempt to cover up the literal, burning desire, to rip into the occupants of Storybrooke until she was sated and she could feel Mormo's hold on her seeping back in like a snake, the resounding cackle in the back of her mind belonging to the entity herself.

Her wavering gaze is what caused the brunette to stroke planed cheeks again and instead of taking her toward the diner, they backtracked, until they at the back behind Gold's shop. Instead of waiting for the blonde's answer she knocked on the side door that lead into the establishment.

"Regina, what are you…" Emma started to ask just as they heard footsteps, then the distinct sound of the security bolts being slid across the wooden door and then man himself answered it.

He looked between the women for a brief moment before he stared a little too long at the blonde, he frowned followed by a slight pursing of lips as he took in her current appearance.

"Ah… Come in…"

Instead of offering any other words, he simply moved aside and gestured for them to enter the shop.

Regina was the first to move up the stairs, with a gentle tug and a slight glance at the younger woman, who hesitated at the bottom step.

"I won't let you hurt them," Regina whispered and used her free hand to tap her waist pointedly.

At the action itself, Emma watched long olive fingers for a moment before lifting a bi-coloured gaze to sepia orbs, she nodded firmly and immediately encouraged Regina to do so in hushed tones.

"Command me… to not even hear their heartbeats…" Emma said quietly, knowing that Gold was waiting and could probably hear their conversation, neither one of them wanted to clarify further as to the subject but when there was a thoughtful noise behind them, the blonde knew that the former Dark One may now be aware who her current influence was.

"Alright," Regina drew out and her hand gripped the hilt, even though to anyone observing it would just appear as though she was making an open fist. "Emma, I command you to not hear their heartbeats."

Instantly, the distant drumming disappeared and with it the desire to draw blood.

She felt herself relax fully and the warmth of Regina's warm hand, was enough to draw her in to the point that she found herself willingly diving into their connection and allowed herself to be tugged gently through the shop door.

"Sorry for not giving you any notice, Gold," Regina apologized but the man waved it off and without saying a word, gestured toward the back of the shop once again.

Regina squeezed Emma's hand encouragingly as she lifted the curtain, the moment Gold joined them, he was the first speak.

"If you've come to see how far we have gotten in our research, I'm afraid it's not very far…"

"No," Emma interrupted and she lowered her voice, "We both know why it's not working."

They shared a look that spoke volumes and as Belle entered the room with a curious glance at the pair, the older man's expression was enough for her to not clarify any further.

She let Regina take the lead in conversation and thankfully, she seemed to pick up the sense of secrecy surrounding the information that Emma had revealed to her.

"I'm not sure how much you know," the older woman said cautiously and cleared her throat slightly as Belle gently took her husband's hand. "But Pandora is in Storybrooke."

"Yes," the Librarian answered with a small but albeit confused smile. "I met her the other day. She's very lovely actually. In fact, we're supposed to have tea tomorrow… Is there something I should know?" As she asked the question her voice shook with uncertainty.

"Well…" Regina said softly and sighed as she squeezed Emma's fingers when she felt the younger woman's gaze shift to her. "The… Dark One persona that seems to have connected with Emma… has some… unfinished business."

"Ahh," Belle responded with a little more strength. "If you need me to, I can get in contact with her."

"That's what we were trying to do…" Emma murmured and glanced away when she felt the grasp of the familiar, belittling voice that tried to tie her sense of self worth to the fact that she had failed. That she had needed Regina to command the unnatural urges away while trying to force her to accept them as as her strength.

"It's not a good idea at this time for Emma to be around a large group of people that are not family or friends," Regina said over the top of the blonde when she could see the outward signs of an internal struggle when she caught a slight flash of shifting orbs once again.

The brunette swallowed but tried to take control of the situation as best as she could. As best as she knew how upon the parameters that they had agreed upon.

"Oh," Belle said almost awkwardly.

"She's at the diner," Emma whispered loud enough for the other three to hear even though one of them was already aware of the information that was given.

"I could… go get her," The younger brunette offered kindly with another small smile as she looked up Gold, who gave her minute nod in response.

"If you wouldn't mind, that would be extremely appreciated," Regina responded gratefully and she turned to the blonde. "Hey…"

"I'm fine," Emma replied in a slightly distant tone.

Belle at this point had given her husband a quick peck on the cheek before she had left to fetch the woman they spoke of.

Gold stood quietly to the side for a moment until it was clear he was intruding on an intimate moment and silently he moved back to the front of the shop, knowing if either of them wanted him they would most certainly not hesitate in getting his attention once again.

"Really?" Regina countered a little firmer than she intended but when she received a flash of fiery recognition she knew it had sparked something within the blonde.

"Really," Emma breathed but this time she half smiled.

While half of her knew she should be revealing her insecurities to the older woman of how they were so close to casting the darkness back into the world but she wasn't entirely sure that some of it wouldn't be left behind.

What would happen after Regina knew the truth? Even though the brunette had already assured her that she loved her, she couldn't help but worry about how much that could endure before it had its breaking point.