Snow woke up and Regina was already out of bed, the light in the master bath was on and the steam wafting out and the smell of expensive soap told her that Regina had already showered. She was just sitting up when Regina came out dressed in the tightest leather skirt she had ever seen and a black blouse as she was putting on earrings.

"I didn't hear the hair dryer…" Snow said a bit sleepily.

"I used magic."

"I wish you wouldn't sometimes. You know use magic for ordinary stuff."

Regina raised an eyebrow, "Jealous that you can't."

Snow shook her head, "No more that your magic comes from anger and I'd really prefer you not light your head on fire trying to dry your hair."

Regina raised an eyebrow and put on a short leather jacket and pulled her hair out from under the collar. "You have a great deal of faith in my talents."

Snow took an appreciative glance over Regina, "I have a great deal of love for your many talents. Though isn't that a little… evil… for a school board meeting?"

"Nothing is too evil for a school board meeting, Miss. Blanchard."

Snow threw a pillow at the Mayor, but finally crawled out of bed. Her borrowed silk pajama's clashing with the black and leather ensemble Regina had selected for the day. "No really."

"I'm going to see some old friends."

Snow was suddenly worried, "Regina ."

"You wanted my help and I gave you my word." She turned to look at her, folding her arms so as to discourage early morning affection. "And you are going to talk over with your ex husband how you are going to explain what you did."

"If your plan succeeds we …"

"…are still going to tell your daughter," Regina said coldly.

"Is this another punishment?"

Regina shook her head sadly, "No Snow. It's me. It's me trying to get us both back on something like stable ground even if we're both standing in the gutter."

Snow nodded, "You are right of course. I just we've already failed Emma as parents and our marriage…"

"Emma is a tough woman and you aren't responsible for her childhood I am." Regina said firmly. Snow wanted to argue but Regina cut her off, "But you are going to show her that good people make mistakes and try to make up for them."

"Says the woman about to risk her life for me."

"Don't start Snow."

"Have fun playing hero, Regina."

Regina sighed and as she left she shook her head, knowing that what she would be playing now was hardly hero.

The day of mayhem and drinking that followed with the Queens of Darkness, a name Regina reminded them made them sound like a punk rock cover band, ended with Ursula and Cruella in the back of her ridiculous car, leaving Regina and Maleficent to ignore the rocking suspension. Maleficent warmed her hands in front of the burning police car. "Glad you still approve of my fire." Regina said with a smile.

"There are several kinds of fire, Regina. The fire in your hands certainly isn't pathetic. But isn't still in your heart?"

"We went through this back in town."

"Yes and Ursula and Cruella have seen you lay waste to entire realms so they're easy to fool. I've known you since you were a trapped and desperate girl."

"And you were a washed up sorceress," Regina countered.

Maleficent raised an eyebrow. The two just watched the fire burn, their affinity for the flames something that bonded them. "The fire is there but it's not the same anymore, you aren't driven for that revenge."

"You told me I should give up on it," Regina said without looking at the taller woman.

"Mostly so you wouldn't do something stupid. Which you did." They both mumbled Rumplestiltskin's name at once.

"Briar Rose's daughter is in town," Regina offered, knowing that Emma was getting Aurora and her family to safety as they spoke.

"She's not my concern anymore. Your little sleeping princess is."

"She didn't sleep for very long." Regina said absently.

"Not everyone can be me, little one." Maleficent teased but turned to face her, "Regina I've heard that Snow and her Prince Charming have fallen out. Did you finally find some subtly to ruining her happiness?"

Regina glanced over, "The end of that fairy tale is my doing."

Maleficent looked into Regina's eyes for a long moment and smiled, "I knew you still had it in you." The dragon knew the truth when she heard it. It was just a different shade of the truth than she understood. She leaned in and Regina found herself kissing Maleficent. Memories of other nights in front of other fires stopping her from withdrawing as she knew she should.

Instead Regina leaned her head against Maleficent's chest and allowed herself to be lost in the moment of tender care as the old dragon woman stroked her hair and watched the fire.

Loving Maleficent was so easy compared to loving Snow.