When they fell from the swirling portal they were dumped unceremoniously onto the hard stone floors of the Evil Queen's castle. Regina sat up as she looked around, she intended them to land in the anteroom to her bedchamber and it looked as though she'd managed it. They'd gone from daylight outside to dark night here, "I don't imagine we'll have to wait long before she makes an appearance," Regina spoke quietly to her wife as Emma stood, brushing dust from her clothes. The blonde still looked a little pale, but no worse the wear for everything she'd been through back in the alternate Storybrooke.
"Right so what's the plan exactly?" Emma looked around the dark room, there was a fire roaring in a huge fireplace beside a chaise lounge and it was for the best, she could feel a distinct chill as she got closer to the open balcony.
Regina made her way to the fire and desk/vanity beside the fireplace, feeling a sense of nostalgia as she looked over the objects covering it, "Talk the Queen into casting the curse, it has to be done, even if it means killing daddy."
The words were barely out of her mouth before the doors flew open and the Queen came gliding in in all her glory, she waved the doors closed in her trailing guards faces, "I wondered if it wasn't you," she waved at the balcony and Emma had to jump back as doors that hadn't been visible a moment ago slammed shut. The Queen gave a smile that didn't fit in with the image she cut in their memory of the hardened Queen, "Why are you here?" She draped herself over her lounge and luxuriated in the heat coming off the raging fire.
Regina folded her arms over her chest and eyed the relaxed Queen, she'd never been that relaxed in this environment, it was weird, "You never cast the curse, it altered our timeline," she stepped into the Queen's eyeline as Emma stepped up and put an arm around her.
The Queen shifted her gaze from the flickering fire to the two women, "Altered it how?" Her gaze traveled down to her alter ego's flat stomach, "The baby?..."
Emma held her wife tighter when the brunette stiffened and covered her stomach with a hand, "We woke the next day and it was just gone, as though it had never been. You have to cast the curse, correct the timeline," her voice ended on an emotional rasp.
Dark fabric swirled as the Queen shifted from relaxing along the length of the chaise to sitting on it, hands on either side of her hips, "I won't take daddy's heart, I can't see the look in his eyes. It's not worth it, it's enough to know that I can be happy one day, even if it's not with the Savior in your town," she stood and waved a hand, changing herself out of her dark, corseted dress into a long sleeved red silk slip of a dress.
Regina eyed herself for a long moment, "I can't give up my happiness for your hope, he has to die," the two dark women stared at each other for a long moment.
The Queen broke first, speaking quietly "Is it really that easy for you? To just kill daddy?" Her eyes sheened with emotion, could she have been wrong? Was this future version of herself just as bad?
A deep sigh and Regina pinched the bridge of her nose as Emma rubbed soothingly at her back, "For me he's been dead for over 33 years, to me I made that choice and spent 28 of those years with no redemption. I don't want daddy dead, but I need my family restored," she stepped forward and laid a small hand against the crossed arms of herself.
"I won't take his heart," the Queen repeated again, turning away from the touch to look into the fire.
Regina's eyes narrowed as she contemplated for a second, "What if I take his heart? You would still have to be the one the cast the curse," she glanced at her wife, "After 33 years he simply isn't the thing I love the most," she felt a comforting hand rest against her back as she stared at her counterpart as the Queen stared contemplatively into the fire.
The Queen thought about the option, about not having to look into her father's eyes as she took his heart, about not seeing that disappointment, "I believe I could do that," she thought about taking his life as she placed his heart into the swirling curse, "I can do it. If you can remove his heart, I can cast the curse," she turned to the two women. To have the future she knew was possible, to feel the stir of a child inside, to feel a love like no other, she could do it. "However, daddy is away until tomorrow, he took a delegation to the neighboring kingdom," at Regina's raised eyebrow she elaborated, "I've started to branch out diplomatically, reaching out to neighboring kingdoms in negotiations to make us all stronger.
"I'm actually impressed, you've really turned around," she'd not thought it truly possible before Emma, she was genuinely impressed that herself had managed with just a hint of Emma's love.
A smile graced the Queen's lips, "You are an inspiration," she pulled pins from her hair and dark waves cascaded down her back. "I'll see to it that you have rooms for the night. And tomorrow...well, tomorrow," with a flick the Queen dismissed them and they left in a swirl of purple smoke to reappear before a roaring fire in a room, similar to the one they'd left but smaller and with a large fur covered bed against one wall.
Regina felt her shoulders slump, alone now she felt the emotion and physical exhaustion catching up to her. Arms wrapped around her waist and she fell back into her wife's embrace, "I don't know if I can really do it," she whispered into the quiet of the room after long minutes had passed, "Isn't that horrible, everything we've lost and I don't know if I can do the one thing to fix it," she wrapped her arms around the ones holding her and relaxed further into the embrace.
Emma kissed dark hair and tightened her grip, "It's your father, babe. That's not an easy thing," she placed another kiss to raven locks and closed her eyes, inhaling her wife's scent and just relishing the moment to relax.
Regina tightened the hold she had on the arms around her, "What's it say that I miss your muscles?" She mused aloud as they both gazed into the crackling fire.
A light laugh and Emma opened her mouth to answer as a knock sounded at the door, they shared a look and Emma moved to crack the door open, a servant stood just outside, a cart loaded with buckets of steaming water beside her, "The Queen supposed you might like a hot bath to clean up?" The softly accented woman smiled at them, only startling a little when her eyes landed on the softer version of her Queen.
The dark haired former Queen smiled kindly, "Thank you, Vanessa. Bring it in," Regina pushed aside a curtain that Emma hadn't noticed before and revealed a large wooden tub. "We can fill it ourselves," she dismissed the woman and placed the pile of supplies the woman had stacked on the cart besides the water. Vanessa bowed out and left the room, the door quietly closing behind her. "Hot bath, darling?" Regina turned to her wife and smiled when Emma was already moving towards her to grab a bucket and dump steaming water into the tub.
The tub filled quickly and with tired sighs they both slid into the steaming, lavender scented water. The tub was big enough for them to sit side by side, however they still settled in with Regina leaning back against her lover, "How are you?" Emma quietly asked as she placed a kiss to a damp temple and sighed as the heat worked to loosen tight muscles.
Regina relaxed against her wife, "Tired and I miss being pregnant, I don't want to lose the baby, Emma," she could feel her eyes misting and bit her lip to control the tremble in it as Emma laced their hands together over her flat stomach. "I need to do it, but I don't know if I can tomorrow," she let her head fall back to rest against a pale shoulder.
Emma placed a kiss to a temple and tightened her hold on the smaller woman, "Whatever you need me to do, I'm here, Regina."
The darker woman turned in her wife's arms, water sloshing in the tub as steam rose around them. She cupped dirt streaked cheeks and looked deeply into her lover's hazel eyes, she searched their depths for something, she didn't even know what, "Get rid of the dirt and make love to me tonight?"
Hesitation flooded Emma, "You're sure?" She let her hands rest on tanned hips beneath the water as Regina shifted to straddle her wife's lap and reach over the edge of the tub for a cloth and a bar of soft apple scented soap.
"Positive," the husky tone sent a shiver down Emma's spine as she watched the brunette dip the cloth into the still steaming water and rub it across the soap. "I think I really need to feel you tonight, my love," she laid the soapy cloth over the edge of the tub and cupped water in her hands to gently wet her wifes face. Emma sighed as the soft cloth worked the dirt and sweat from her face and neck, "Relax and let me take care of you first?" Regina leaned forward to place a lingering kiss against pink lips.
Emma tried to follow the kiss when Regina pulled away, but a hand on her chest stopped her. The cloth moved on then, cleaning away dirt and grime from her upper chest, "Anything for you," she used her thumbs to massage into the hollow of her wife's hips.
Regina bit back a moan, her lover knew that was a hot spot for her if dug in just right, "Don't do that, not yet," she admonished and slipped the cloth below the water line and continued cleaning away sweat and dirt. Emma just smirked but moved her hands to a more complacent location.
It was minutes later and Regina dropped the cloth over the side letting it hit the floor with a wet minutes of soft touches and cleaning motions had left Emma swollen and wet, her pulse beat hard in her chest and she could feel the flush over her skin from the hot water and arousal both. Regina leaned into her wife, pressing tightly against her, chest to chest as she lightly rolled her hips, the cleansing bath had been arousing for her as well and her swollen clit brushed against smooth skin. Their mouths met in a slow languid kiss, tongues slid together and Emma groaned into the kiss as her wife palmed one of her small breasts, tugging lightly at the nipple and rolling between her fingers. "We should get out," she pulled out of the kiss long enough to husk.
Emma groaned and let her head drop back as a warm mouth attached to her neck, it wasn't often that Regina marked her, but it did things that jolted straight to her clit, "Yeah, bed sounds pretty good about now," she gripped tanned hips and helped her wife press against her and Emma groaned at the feeling of thick arousal against her skin, an obvious texture difference from the water they were in.
Regina buried a hand in blonde hair as she sucked and she groaned when a hand slid between her them and brushed against her clit on every press of her hips, "Bed," she broke away, licking her lips as she took in the vibrant and quickly purpling mark. She groaned again when she brushed against the fingers and quickly stood up, before things could go further in the quickly cooling tub.
Water sluiced down her wife's tanned body and Emma swallowed back a groan as a jolt of pure pleasure ran through her at the visual, "Fuck, you're beautiful," a moment of sadness passed between them when Regina laid a hand against her flat stomach. Emma leaned forward and kissed the hand, pulled it away and kissed wet skin, "By this time tomorrow, Jelly will be our reality again," she looked up into shimmering chocolate eyes and stood from the water, wrapped her arms around her wife and just hugged her.
Regina relaxed into her wife's arms, "I just want to not think for the next for few hours," she pulled out of the hug and looked deeply into hazel eyes. A beat passed, a heavy second thudded between them and then they came together in a needy press of wet bodies, mouths fusing together as tongues met and tangled. They nearly fell over the edge of the tub as they remained fused, mouth to hips. They made it to the bed and fell into it in a tangled mass of limbs, Regina landing on top, straddling her wife's narrow hips. Their bodies undulated, as they sought friction together, tanned hips grinding down and slim ones rolling up.
Unable to take the lack of substantive friction any longer, she did miss her wife's defined abdominals, Regina slipped a hand between their bodies. Stroking over her wife's clit and grinding down against her own wrist, she groaned, they didn't use this position often, but the brunette enjoyed it on occasion, straddling her lover's hips while stroking her wife to orgasm, it had the benefit of getting her close to orgasm herself.
Emma let out a low moan as her eyes slid shut and she brought her hands to rest on tanned hips, she rolled her hips into the touch of her wife, helping ease the slide of a delicate hand against her slick flesh, "Fuck, babe," the words left her on an exhale and Emma felt herself rising quickly towards an orgasm, far quicker than she thought possible considering their reality at the moment.
A teasing smirk and Regina was circling her wife's hard clit, grazing the tip with a fingernail and and leaning down to pull her lover into a kiss as she returned to a languid stroking that had Emma arching and pressing into her hips. Regina moved against her own wrist, a groan leaving her lips as they both quickened their pace, the kiss ended and they were pressed tightly together, breathe mingling as their eyes met and they held eye contact as she stroked faster and ground down harder. It only took a few more strokes and Emma was arching deeply beneath her and crying out her orgasm as Regina shivered against her and moaned. She was close but couldn't quite get the stimulation she needed.
A groan and Emma was rolling them, able to sense her wife's need, her desire, plus the brunette had made a very specific request, to be made love to and Emma had every intention of doing so. A tanned hand cupped her face and time seemed to stop for just a moment as they laid together, bodies pressed together, "So beautiful," Emma husked out as she looked down into hazel eyes, the firelight was reflected their and they shone in a way that was rarely seen.
"Please," the word left full lips on a breathy whisper and Regina was tangling a hand in long blonde hair and pulling her lover into a brief kiss, "I disliked your hair when you first cut it…" she trailed off when a warm mouth kissed along her how and down her neck, the lips moving in a pantomime of nibbling and she arched when narrow hips moved in the cradle of her body, pressing against in a way that reminded of just how aroused she'd become from bringing her wife to orgasm, "But now I miss it," she shivered when Emma shifted and removed the pressing stimulation to her clit and cunt, sliding down to lavish her chest with hot kisses and wet suction.
Emma groaned as she flicked a dark nipple and her wife arched deeply, hands buried in her hair still and tightening as she slowly sucked the erect flesh into her mouth and slowly circled it with her tongue, "Tell me what you need tonight?" Emma released the swollen nipple and watched it glisten in the firelight, Regina all but mewled and writhed on the bed as she blew softly across it and watched in aroused fascination as already tight flesh pebbled and tightened further.
A choked sob left plump lips when Emma flicked just once against her nipple, "God, my love," tanned hands tightened in blonde hair and she arched, "Inside, please... Emma," came out on a gasp as two then three fingers slid inside, her body tensed and she clenched tightly around the penetration as she was thrust to the very precipice of her orgasm. As her blonde wife moved quickly into a sensual rhythm inside her, sliding nearly out and back inside, with a pressing curl of fingers on each movement, Regina became aware of the feeling of being watched.
The Queen fisted her blood red dress as she watched the bodies writhing together on the bed from the shadows, it had been a very long time since she'd taken a lover to bed and to hear herself so unrestrained now, to see the love shared by the two women, it stirred a place deep inside her and she felt herself slicken with arousal. A part of her felt a little like she was intruding, but she'd only come to let them know that their plan was confirmed for the following day, the father she'd loved to much to give up would be returning for certain the next morning. Once she'd arrived and realised the activity taking place she'd been unable to leave, her hands tightened and she tugged at the silken fabric until she could slid a slim hand beneath the hem and she gasped softly when she touched wet folds and her eyes fluttered and she teased over her own swollen clit.
Regina tugged at blonde hair and pulled her wife up and into her neck, groaning when Emma took the hint and latched onto her pulse, sucking at the flesh and pumping into her faster and just a little harder. She knew who was watching, could sense it. With an effort she raised her head and groaned when Emma sucked harder, fucked faster and she finally met hazel eyes across the room. She watched in a certain fascination as the Queen stood barely outlined in the deep shadows of the room, her chest rising and falling rapidly, the soft rustle of fabric and Regina realized she was touching herself, getting off on the visage of herself being so wonderfully and lovingly fucked by the Savior. So lost in her contemplation Regina was suddenly slamming into orgasm and she cried out as she arched and ejaculated heavily against her wife's heaving body.
The Queen jolted with her own orgasm as she watched herself coming apart beneath the glowing body of the blonde, she softly groaned as she felt her own body respond and she coated her stroking hand in clear cum, feeling it burst from her and down her thighs, she leaned heavily against the stone wall and cupped a breast through her silken gown as she stroked herself through the last vestiges of her orgasm, watching through hooded eyes as Emma kept pumping inside her counterpart.
Emma raised up onto her free hand glanced over her shoulder at the soft gasp, her own eyes darkened at the visage of the Queen against the wall, palming her own breast and stroking between her legs, the obvious darkening of the dress she wore showing where she'd already experienced and explosive climax. A hand cupped her face and she turned to look back into her wife's eyes, "Just let her watch," Regina murmured before pulling her down in a kiss and rolling her hips against her wife, Emma had stilled her movements inside when she'd heard the quiet orgasm across the room and she took the hint now, returning to the slow languid pumping she'd been engaged in before.
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Morning came and Regina stretched beneath the heavy blankets, arching back against her wife as sunlight filtered into the room. They'd continued their lovemaking into the night, their audience leaving after bringing herself to a second orgasm. The thought wiped the smile from her face morning meant it was the next day, which meant her father returning, the hardest thing she would potentially ever do would happen today, it needed to happen today. She laced a hand with the one protectively pressed against her stomach, it wasn't really a choice, she'd made it once and it was happening.
Emma stirred, she had felt the moment her wife awoke and gave her the moment when she'd felt the smaller body tense against her's, she kissed a tanned shoulder now, "You ok?" She'd felt the shuddering sigh and tightened her hold around her lover.
Tears misted and Regina nodded her head, unable to say anything as she closed her eyes and let herself be surrounded in love and support by the woman holding her, Emma had long been her strength and she was grateful for the support now, more than ever she needed it.
Their moment was interrupted by a knocking at the door, it opened after a moment the Queen glided in, she'd chosen to announce her arrival this time and not just appear in the room, she took in the romantic image on the bed, seeing the blonde wrapped closely around her counterpart and sighed at the feeling of loneliness that nearly eclipsed her, it gave her hope but this wasn't her's. "Daddy will arrive within the hour, prepare yourself," she kept her words quiet, "You need to be sure of this, that you want this."
Regina nodded and slid from her wife's hold, slipping from the bed, not caring about her nudity before herself, "I am sure, it's already happened for me and it must happen again," a nod was shared between the two and Emma closed her eyes against the sound of the Queen leaving and her wife moving around the room preparing herself for day ahead.
Hours passed and finally the moment arrived, Henry MIlls, their son's namesake finally had returned to the castle. Regina stared at herself in the full length mirror in the chamber she was sharing with her wife, she'd carefully fought her way into an outfit of the Queens, while the reformed woman's wardrobe had lightened over the years it was still revealing and all tight leather and sweeping fabric. A final tug at the hem of her dark red leather corset and fingertip along the edge of a heavily lined eye she turned to face her blonde wife who had sat on the bed watching her transformation, only offering to help once but taking the hint when Regina had given her a look that spoke volumes, this was something she needed to do on her own.
"Ready?" Emma voiced the quiet question as she stood and approached the brunette.
Regina swallowed back the lump in her throat, "As I'll ever be," she stepped forward into her lover's arms and allowed herself the moment to relax and revel in the feeling of total support and security, for that brief moment everything fell away and she wasn't about to go and help herself kill her father for a second time. She stepped away then, needing to prepare herself for the moment ahead, the particulars of the switch they were about to make made it necessary that Henry not know the Queen wasn't the Queen of his Universe. A quiet knock at the door and a servant was leading them through corridors that Regina still knew well.
They reached the door to the chambers that Henry resided in, the journey only took a minute but to Regina it seemed to take a lifetime as she contemplated every memory she had of her father, both the good and the bad. The moments that he would sneak her a sweet from the table when mother wasn't looking, the time he'd watched with pride in his eyes as she rode her first horse all by herself. Also present were all the times he'd failed to protect her from Cora, that he'd stood in the background and let it happen, let magic be used against her. When they reached the doorway the Queen was waiting for them, she was as dressed down as they'd ever seen her, her face bare and her clothing as simple and pedestrian to the point that even Regina questioned if she'd be comfortable in the castle dressed as such. Words weren't needed between the two, a look was all they needed.
Chocolate eyes locked with hazel and Emma cupped her face, giving a single stroke against the skin there, "Now and always," she whispered the words and they seemed to float the distance and hang heavy between them. Regina smiled and took her wife's hand in hers kissing the strong hand once before letting it drop. She squared her shoulders and turned to the door, knocking sharply once and when her father's voice carried through the heavy wood, she worked the latch and strode in, leaving behind her counterpart and wife.
When Regina entered the room she was immediately drawn to the rounded back of her father, he stood across the room fidgeting with some trinket or another that he'd likely brought back from his journey. She'd thought to never see him again and was overwhelmed briefly by the sudden emotion that had her heart swelling in her chest, she cleared her throat as he turned to face her, a happy smile on his face, "Hi, daddy," the words came out choked and she had to clear her throat again.
"Darling," he greeted and moved across the room to hug her, the motion surprised her slightly, they'd been particularly demonstrative after she'd hit puberty and Cora had deemed it coddling, then once her mother had been absent Regina was too far down her path to allow things like affection and love. Clearly that had changed. She wrapped her arms around him and inhaled his scent, tears worked their way from her closed eyes and she bit back a sob. Henry pulled away when he felt the shuddering, "What's the matter, Regina?" He held her shoulders and looked at her with such love and affection.
A deep breath and Regina smiled tremously, "It's nothing, daddy. Just… I've had a lot on my mind…" she turned away from him and moved across the room, "I'm afraid that I've made a mistake…" she let the words fall between them and turned back to face him. He'd followed her across the room and watcher with concern as she fidgeted with her hands.
"What kind of mistake?" He asked the question with trepidation, he'd be lying to say he hadn't wondered if one day his daughter would return to her labeled Evil Queen ways, much as he'd always been there for her, he'd always been a little scared of her in those days, not for what she might do, but for the loss of the little girl he'd watched grow up
Regina had to clear her throat again as she stepped closer to him, she fell into his arms much like she had when she'd first taken his heart 33 years ago. Like the father he was he held her as she took a deep breath, "Do you think I'm really happy, daddy?" She husked the question out as tears once again spilled down her cheeks.
Henry closed his eyes and let his breathing slow and even out, deep down he'd known this day might come and in truth he wasn't altogether surprised, "I believe that you can be, this is about the curse isn't it?" A simple nod against his chest was the only answer he received and he sighed, "I truly believe that you can have love again, it's not something to be found at your own will," he knew he was arguing in vain, had known this moment would arrive when she'd first arrived from her conversation with Rumpelstiltskin and learned of her mistake in first trying to cast the curse, it had been easier than he'd expected that night to talk her out of her actions that night.
Regina bit her bottom lip to control the tremble there, "I just want to be happy, daddy," she choked the words out and pulled away to look into his eyes.
The kindness that shone back at her nearly derailed her, regardless she remembered his next words as though they were yesterday, "You can be. Of this I'm sure. I believe, that given the chance we can find happiness, together. But the choice is yours, my darling daughter," he pulled her back into the hug and sighed when he felt her relax against him before she was tensing and pulling back again.
It took every bit of effort for Regina to finish what came next, "I think you're right. I can be happy, just… not here," she couldn't help the choked sob, "Oh, daddy," she steeled herself and with a single move had her hand inside his chest and she clutched the throbbing heart there, "I'm so sorry," she tugged and her hand emerged, his heart clutched tightly in it.
Henry paled as he stared at his beating heart, "A parents greatest hope is to one day help provide their child with the ability to find happiness," he fell to his knees and Regina openly cried now as she followed him down and eased him to the hard stone floor.
The Queen jolted when the door opened and her emotional counterpart emerged, "It's done," Regina choked out as she thrust the heart at woman she now shared more than ever with. The Queen accepted the glowing organ and nodded, "I'll cast when it night falls, you're sure he didn't' suspect the switch?"
Regina shook her head as she fell into her wife's arms, "As far as daddy was concerned the same daughter he raised just ended his life," done with the moment, Regina buried her face in Emma's neck and let her tears fall freely and the emotion take away her breath. The Queen nodded and with a flick sent them back to their chamber in a swirl of purple smoke.
They spent the day locked in the simple room, doing nothing more than laying together, the smaller brunette wrapped in her blonde lover's arms as she tried to overcome the emotion the of taking her father's heart, again. The sun has set a while ago and Regina knew that it wouldn't be long now, "Was it the right thing to do?" She whispered into the room as smoke started to filter into the room through the open balcony door.
Emma held her tighter and and kissed dark hair, "It's the choice you already made, the choice that put us on the same path," the room started to shake and debris began swirl within the encompassing smoke. Walls fell apart, ceiling caved and pieces stopped mid fall to slow and spin slowly as the curse began to take shape and destroy what was to create what could be. The world dimmed as they lay together, everything faded and suddenly their was a moment of stillness. Regina felt arms tighten around her and then everything faded.
Emma groaned as the alarm blared, announcing 6:15am, she reached across for it and slapped at it, "Don't you dare," the husky, sleepy voice of her wife reached her a tanned arm shot out from the covers to intercept her wife's arm, a delicate hand wrapped around her lover's thickly muscled forearm. The feeling and strong muscle flexing in her hand, brought her to full wakefulness and she absently turned off the alarm and she threw back the covers and placed hand against swell of the child she'd not felt for what felt like far to long.
"Babe?" Emma was instantly awake beside as she also came into full awareness of everything that had led to this moment.
Regina grabbed her hand and placed it against her pregnant belly, "We did, it worked," her voice was choked and she couldn't stop the tears if she'd wanted to. "I love you, Emma Swan-Mills," she husked the words out and laced their hands together over her swollen flesh.
Emma smiled at her and leaned in for a sweet kiss, "Now and always, babe."