A/N: We're almost to the end guys. This one is a little long and a little sad but the action is coming next! Thanks for the comments and follows!
Chapter 28
You say goodbye and I say hello
Belle and the others knew that something had gone on between the two that the rest weren't privy to. Obviously it was something personal and private but Regina and Emma seemed to have resolved it so Belle cleared her throat and continued on. "The book tells us that there will be a final battle between the demon and his ally, who I assume is The Black Fairy" Belle said "against the savior and the redeemed one." Belle pointed to Regina at that point. "Obviously you Regina."
Emma looked at her lover who took the news without a reaction. "So how does the battle end? Do we win?" Emma asked.
Belle closed the book and sat back on the couch exhaling. "The book doesn't say who wins. But it does tell what will happen if either side does win. If the forces of the light side win, magic will be reunified and order will come to the realms."
"Just order. Not peace?" Henry asked. At that moment Regina was extremely proud of her smart son. Everyone else had missed it but Henry had picked up on the wording. Belle smiled, "Right you are Henry. The victory doesn't promise peace, just order. While if the demon wins then magic will be fractured forever and chaos will reign forever."
They sat in silence for a while and absorbed it all. Finally Emma broke the silence. "Guess we better win then." Her attempt at humor fell flat. Regina looked at Emma with a smirk and shook her head. What? Just trying to lighten the mood. Regina rolled her eyes.
Tinkerbell spoke up. "If Emma and Regina were supposed to be together, what happened with the pixie dust and Robin Hood?" Regina's eyebrow went up and Emma looked over to her with a frown. I can feel the jealousy and sadness my love. I love you and only you Emma, no matter what any pixie dust said. Emma blushed and looked down at her boots.
"Yes, well about that." Belle began and looked uncomfortable. "There was a note written in the margin near the part that talks about Emma and Regina being meant for each other. It said 'stupid girl almost ruined everything'." Tinkerbell scowled and Belle looked embarrassed. "When you stole the pixie dust Blue was worried what would happen. Luckily for her you misinterpreted the tattoo."
"What?!" Tink, Emma and Regina all said in unison. "You see, Regina's soulmate is supposed to have a tattoo of a lyon flower." Emma quickly looked at the flower tattoo on her wrist. "But a lyon flower has six petals, Emma's has only five." Regina said in a questioning tone. Emma looked at her. What? I do a lot of gardening. "It was supposed to have six." Emma said quietly.
They all turned to her. "I got it at this really crappy tattoo place." she whispered "I saw the flower with the six petals and was drawn to it. But the guy was drunk off his ass and instead of the flower I pointed out he scratched out this thing." She showed everyone her tattoo. "I was so mad I didn't even get it colored, I just punched the drunk in his face and left without paying."
Tink sat back on the couch. "So, the pixie dust got, I don't know, confused?" Belle nodded to her. "So I got fired for a mistake?" Belle nodded again. Tink huffed in frustration. "Well, that sounds about right. Story of my life."
Regina turned to Emma with tears in her eyes. You are my true love and soulmate! What can I say? True love, soulmate, and savior. I'm a triple threat! Emma smiled and reached for Regina's hand. Regina grasped it in her's and squeezed as a tear of joy slid down her cheek.
"So why are the realms merging?" Henry asked bringing them all back on topic. "The realms
are coming together so that the demon can recreate creation. Once the merging completes all the realms will be destroyed." The weight of Belle's statement hung in the air. "Guess we better make sure that doesn't happen then." Emma summed up.
"That's everything then." Belle said. "That's all the book says."
Nowhere
She was almost ready. Her wounds were nearly healed. Soon she would kill them both. The anger she felt inside burned as hot as the depths of hell. Her hatred for them was almost dizzying. They had destroyed her family. They had corrupted her son so much so that he had turned on his own mother. Now she would end them both. She would dance on their corpses as Storybrook burned to the ground. Emma Swan and Regina Mills were as good as dead.
In the darkness The Black Fairy cackled with a laugh filled with hate, a laugh that was soon joined by another.
Storybrook (The Charming Farmhouse)
David greeted both of them at the door and attempted a smile that was more of a grimace. Emma couldn't help but look at the sleeve of his shirt that was now pinned up to his shoulder. A lump formed in her throat. Regina was surprised at just how much she felt sad for Charming. For so long he had been her arch enemy, she had tried to kill him so many times. But now when she looked at him she felt that she would do anything to make her lover's father whole again.
Emma stepped forward and hugged him. David wrapped his only arm around her and kissed her on the top of her head. "Hey dad." She said into his chest trying to keep her voice strong.
"Hey Emma." Charming attempted a smile again. He looked up at Regina and saw the sympathy in her eyes. He smiled at his former nemesis and said "Hello Regina." With watery eyes Regina smiled "Hello David". Emma sniffed and pulled out of the embrace. "Where's mom?" David indicated with his head "Upstairs with your brother, come on." he waved them in and let them follow him up the stairs.
Snow was sitting on the bed with Neil in her arms, cradling him as he napped. She looked up and motioned the three of them in. "Hi mom." Emma greeted her. "Hi Emma! Hi Regina!" Snow whisper shouted with genuine happiness in her voice. "Hello Snow." Regina said with a smile. Emma sat down next to her mother. "How are you guys doing?" Emma asked. "We're fine honey."
Regina looked at the two of them and how badly they were injured. She knew that they were anything but fine. "We just wanted to, well we came by to" Emma was stammering. She looked to Regina for help. Regina just looked back at her with a look of support. "I'm just trying to say, that is, we came to tell you guys" Emma struggled to find the words.
The smile fell from Snow White's face. "You're here to say goodbye." She whispered. "David, they're saying goodbye." He looked at his wife and then at his daughter and her lover with sadness in his eyes. "You don't think you'll win."
"What?" Emma tried to sound surprised "No, why would you say that? We came to see Neil!" Regina put her hand on Emma's shoulder and spoke to her softly. "Emma." The Savior looked at her parents and sighed. "Look guys, this fight is going to be tough. I mean really tough. And there's a good chance that we won't" Snow wouldn't let her finish "Don't. Please don't say it." Emma held her mother's hand. "I have to say it mom. There's a good chance that Regina and I won't win. And if that happens then" David put his hand on his wife's shoulder. "Then we won't make it."
Snow dropped her head to her chest and began to cry. "But that's not going to happen." David said trying to sound strong. "If anyone has a chance of beating this and surviving it's the two of you."
"Dad." Emma started. Don't stop him Emma. I think we could use a Charming hope speech now. Wow, never thought I'd hear you say that. Never thought I'd say it either. "Listen to me Emma." David continued. "Remember when the two of you stopped Storybrook from being destroyed by that trigger? Regina couldn't do it alone, but the two of you together stopped it. You two are stronger together than you are apart. You've always been that way. And now that you're together in every sense of the word there is absolutely nothing you can't do." Snow looked up at her husband and then nodded with tears in her eyes at Emma. "We believe in you." She looked at Regina. "Both of you." Regina smiled. "You're going to win. And the two of you are going to come back to us. And then you both will live together happily ever after." Snow's voice broke down completely at the end as the tears ran freely on her face.
"Thanks mom." Emma kissed Snow on the cheek as her eyes began to water. They sat there for a while as if they didn't want to leave the moment. Finally Emma got up from the bed and kissed her sleeping brother on his forehead. She bent down and hugged her mother tightly. Then she went and gave her father a big hug, he squeezed doubly hard and nearly blew the wind from her lungs. Snow looked up at Regina then extended her free arm. Regina raised an eyebrow but leaned down and allowed Snow White to hug her. Then slowly Regina returned the hug and found her eyes starting to sting with tears. "You two will have your happy endings together Regina. I know it." Snow whispered in her ear. Regina's eyes went wide as she slowly broke the hug. "Thank you Snow." Was all she could get out with a shaky voice.
David stepped forward and faced Regina. They looked at each other for a long time. Finally he pulled her into a hug that surprised her even more than Snow's. "Bring our daughter back to us Regina." Regina returned the hug. "I will." she promised. He broke the hug and looked at her with a smile. "And you come back to us too."
"We better go." Emma said quietly and they left the room. David didn't see them out, choosing to stay instead with his wife. He sat next to her and held her tight as they cried quietly together.
Outside Regina and Emma climbed into her Mercedes. "Well that was tough." Emma said wiping her eyes. "Not as tough as the next conversation will be." Henry. Regina nodded.
Storybrook (Regina's mansion)
"Just let me have this Henry." Regina pleaded. "I'll never get this chance again!" Henry shook his head. "I'm not letting you feed me mom!" Regina sat there at the dinner table with a forkful of her famous lasagna hovering near her nearly adult son's mouth. "But it's just like when you were my little baby boy!" Regina was pouting and Emma was doing her best to hold in her laughter at the comical sight. Regina sitting there trying to feed Henry and him doing his level best to dodge the fork while winding up with lasagna all over his face.
"Yes mom! The operative words here being 'little baby'! I can do this myself!" While Henry was talking Regina was trying to jab in another bite and missing. "Mom!" "Let me feed you!" Emma couldn't hold it in anymore, she burst out laughing. "This is priceless!" She said between breaths "Why am I not recording this?!" She went for her phone in her pocket. Henry turned his head toward where he heard Emma's voice, earning another smear of lasagna on his face as Regina again tried in vain to feed him. "Don't you dare record this!"
Emma just chuckled "Come on kid! This is cute!"
"Emma! You getting him upset is not making this easier! Henry hold still!" Regina was getting flustered. "No!" Henry kept moving his head. "Be a good widdle baby for mommy wommy!" Emma said in baby talk. "Ma!" Henry yelled, and right when he opened his mouth the widest Regina successfully got a forkful in. "Yes!" Regina shouted. Emma was nearly in tears from laughing so much. Henry started chewing and his face began to relax. "Actually that's pretty good mom. Let me have another." Emma guffawed as Regina put her hand to her heart and looked emotional "Of course Henry."
She sat there watching her lover feed their 17 year old son and smiled. She wanted to remember this moment for the rest of her life. She wanted to be 80 and sitting on the porch with Regina telling their great grandkids how Regina had to feed their grandfather when he was an adult. That would be lovely. Regina smiled at her as she shared the thought. It will be lovely Regina. We're going to get a chance to tell that story, together.
"Are you guys talking in your heads again? Can you not do that when I'm around? It's kinda rude." Henry complained. Regina blushed. "Sorry kid. It just comes naturally to us now. We forget sometimes that other people can't hear us talk." Emma apologized. "I'm just kidding with you!" Henry laughed "I still think it's very cool. And kinda cute."
"Cute?" Regina smirked as she fed him another bite. "Yeah" he answered with a mouthful of lasagna "People are always saying how old married couples can communicate without talking, well you guys already have that. Like I said cute."
"I guess it is kinda cute kid." Emma chuckled. I'm a queen. I don't do cute. Oh yes you do! You're cute right now! You little cutie in your pencil skirt sitting there on your cute little tushy! Emma!
But Regina was grinning.
Emma's face slowly turned serious. "Henry, we wanted to tell you something tonight."
Everyone felt the mood change in the fancy dining room. "What is it?" He asked softly.
Regina put her hands on one of his. "Henry, you have always been and always will be the best part of me. I never knew how much love a parent could feel for a child until the first time I held you in my arms."
"And when you came to my door and turned my world upside down, well that was the best day of my life. You gave me a family that day, the greatest birthday present I ever got." Emma said.
Henry was puzzled. "What are you guys doing? Why are you both being so serious all of a sudden?" I can't do this Emma. It's too hard. We have to Regina. Just in case. I can't say goodbye to my son Emma! He's my little prince. Emma felt Regina's heart breaking. I know. God, I know Regina. But we have to let him know how much we love him.
"Are you guys saying goodbye to me?" Henry asked. It was the last straw and Regina broke down in tears. "Mom it's ok!" Henry tried to console his mother. Emma got up from her chair and knelt down beside Regina and began rubbing circles on her back. "Don't cry mom."
"We both love you so much Henry." Regina said between sobs "And if something were to happen to us…" Regina couldn't continue so Emma spoke for her "We want you to know that you'll be ok. David and Mary Margaret will be there for you. You'll be fine." Emma was tearing up.
"I know that. But you don't have to worry guys. You're going to be fine." Henry said with a smile. "Kid" Emma was trying to impart the serious nature of the conversation to him. "This fight, we might not survive it. Even if we do win. There's a chance we could die."
"But you won't." Henry said calmly.
"Kid, nobody knows that." Emma was trying to reason with him. "I do ma. I can feel it. I just know. You guys are going to win and you're going to survive."
"Henry, we're being serious here." Regina had regained some of her composure. "So am I mom. Remember, heart of the truest believer here. And I believe it with all my heart. You two are going to make it. Trust me." They looked at each other with their mouths agape. He, sounds pretty confident. He has the Charming gene. Positivity until the very end. Hm, that gene must skip a generation because I ain't got it.
"Are we ok guys? Can we get back to dinner then?" Henry asked them with a smile. "Sure kid. I'm starving!" Emma got up and sat down at her chair. "When aren't you starving?" Regina said with a smirk. "When I'm sleeping." Emma said through a mouthful of food. I need to eat to get my energy up Regina. Because I don't plan on doing much sleeping tonight! Emma! Our son is right here! Oh he can't hear us! But he might hear you tonight! Oh really? That's right. I plan on having you screaming my name all night long. Then I better cast a soundproofing spell on the bedroom tonight. Regina gave Emma a sultry grin that the sheriff returned with a suggestive wink.
"You guys are doing it again."
"Sorry kid."
