"What are you doing here?" Regina demanded as she span around as quick as flash to see the imp sitting at her vanity, his arm aloft in his signature position, as if he belonged there.
"That's not a very warm welcome, is it, Regina?" Rumple teased in the same voice that made Emma's skin crawl.
"You let that thing into my castle that attacked Emma," Regina snapped as if it was obvious, "why would I greet you kindly?"
The Dark One's eyes glinted with mirth. "Did you enjoy my gift?" He asked, looking directly at Emma.
"Oh yeah, I love getting almost strangled to death at my daughter's first birthday party," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm which was accompanied with a roll of her eyes. "I can't wait to see what you've got in store for her second birthday."
Rumple didn't even look remotely embarrassed. Instead, his eyes twinkled as they always did. "I'll see what I can do."
"Enough!" Regina cried. "Answer my first question. Why are you here?"
"I was just reminding you of our deal, Regina," he said, faking innocence. "I didn't want you to forget." He feigned looking at his grotty nails. "I thought perhaps with her," he didn't look away from his hand, but it was obvious to whom he was referring, "out of the way, you would be better focussed on the curse. You'd only have the baby to concentrate on, but she'd be out of the way when the curse was cast."
The meaning behind his words hit Emma before it hit the Queen. She saw red. Despite knowing who she was up against, she didn't care. Emma shot her hand forward, cupping her fingers as if they were clutched around someone's throat. Much to hers and the others in the room's surprise, the Dark One flew into the back wall, gasping at the invisible fist around his throat. His dark face deepened as he struggled to breathe. His eyes were full of confusion that Emma's spell was actually working.
"Don't you ever say something like that about our daughter again!" She screamed and hoped that it wouldn't wake up Ally whose nursery was only one room down the hallway. "Regina would never use Alexandra for her curse, even if her life depended on it."
However, it seemed like the Dark One wasn't listening. His movements were less frantic now, his body going limp as Emma was strangling the life out of him. Emma couldn't actually believe that this was working. She knew a Dark One could only be killed with someone stabbing them with the dagger, yet here she was, strangling the life out of Rumplestiltskin as if his dagger didn't matter. The thought seemed to satisfy her.
"Emma, you're killing him," Regina said quietly.
"Good!" Emma snarled, flexing her hand a fraction tighter until she felt Regina's gentle hand on top of hers.
"Stop," the Queen said, still speaking softly as to not spook the blonde. "This isn't you."
At those words, Emma's hand retracted. She pulled into back to her side as if it burnt and watched as Rumple crashed to the floor, clutching his throat.
Emma stared into the distance, not paying any attention as the Dark One coughed loudly, breathing deeply, trying to fill his longs with oxygen that Emma had just depraved him from.
"Perhaps this is why the Chernabog sought me out," she murmured before glancing down at her hand to see that she was shaking.
"Exactly!" Rumple husked throatily as he slowly got to his feet. "Why else would I try and be rid of you?" His eyes flashed dangerously but he made no step forward as he was far too weak. "You could outdo me with how dark your heart could be!"
"But it's not!" Emma snapped. "How can it be possible when I have True Love?" She almost hated herself for sounding so much like her mother in that moment. "I am the product of True Love. That runs through my veins! Surely someone who has that does not have the potential for darkness?"
"The loss of a True Love has the potential for everything," Rumple snarled as he finally took a step forward. "It means nothing. Your heart still has potential to be a black as coal and I will not have someone who can outdo me! As the Chernabog didn't finish you off," his eyes glinted with glee, "I'll just have to do it myself."
He reached out, but Emma was quicker. With a wave of her hand, she had the Dark One tied to the wall with vines that had appeared between the brickwork. The leaves were made of fire that were slowing inching their way towards the Dark One. Emma could already see the sweat dripping from his brow, his scaly crocodile skin paling in fear.
Slowly, she stalked her way forward, another large fireball illuminated her hand. She kept going until she was only a step away from the imp and she had to hold her breath at his revolting spell.
"Now, you listen to me and listen well," she hissed. "Stay away from my family in this Realm and the next. If you do a single thing that I think is out of line, this fireball," she raised it aloft, "will be shoved so deeply up you, you'll burn from the inside. Do not mess with me, cretin."
Emma expected the Dark One to smirk and turn the vines back on her, but as he flicked his wrists, nothing happened; Emma's magic was too strong, just like it had been against Maleficent all that time ago, but Emma didn't have time to question it.
"Get out of here," she snapped. She then stepped back and removed the vines but the fireball in her had was still there and growing bigger every second. "Now!"
The Dark One swallowed before looking at the Queen. "You have 4 more years, then your daughter is mine!" And with a snap of his fingers, he disappeared into the night.
As soon as he was gone, Emma swayed as she lost her balance. Regina rushed forward and caught her before helping her to their bed. She said nothing as she waved her hand over the blonde, removing her dress and makeup before doing the same to herself and slipping under the sheets beside her.
"What the fuck just happened?" Emma asked as she stared up at the ceiling. "I have never felt like that before."
Regina reached out and squeezed her hand. "I don't know," she admitted quietly.
Emma then rolled over so that she was face to face with the Queen. "Did I scare you?"
"No," the Queen said quickly. She reached out and cupped Emma's face gently. "I was just worried. I've never seen you so angry."
"I don't think I've ever been so angry," she admitted, she sniffled as she felt tears threatening to fall. "Even when Neal let me go to prison pregnant and alone or when I thought you were a bitch to Henry and wouldn't let me see him." She took a deep breath. "Just the fact he even insinuated that you would hurt Ally for his curse." She shivered. "The idea of a world without our daughter and him being at fault for it, just the suggestion of it, filled me with a deepest anger I've ever felt. I just wanted to kill him." She stopped talking as she took it all in, analysing everything that had just happened. "Maybe that's why I have the darkest heart."
"Oh Emma," Regina gasped. She pulled herself closer and pressed her lips against the blonde's. To her surprise, Emma didn't kiss her back showing her how upset she was. "You do not have a dark heart at all!" She reached out and rested her hand above Emma's chest. "This heart is pure and full of love. The love you have for your family, your children," she smiled nervously, "and me proves that. Do you want me to pull your heart out and show you it? I can promise you now that it'll be bright red and thriving with goodness. Mine is blackened with all the evil I've done."
"You're not evil," Emma said adamantly. "You're anything but."
"And you don't have a dark heart," Regina replied softly. She slipped her hand up to cup Emma's face once more. "Just because there is potential for darkness doesn't mean it will surface. Your acts show who you are, and you have never done anything to show that you have darkness inside you unless someone threatens your family. You would never do anything out of spite."
"What if that is what causes it?" Emma asked quietly. "Someone threatens you or Ally or someone back home and I flip just like I did then? My magic is out of control when I'm angry, only you can get through to me when it happens."
"I'll help you," Regina promised. "We can start your magic lessons again and I'll help you control your angry surges so that you don't combust. If you want to?"
Emma nodded frantically. "Yes, please. Thank you. I can't thank you enough."
Regina reached forward and kissed the blonde and was happy when Emma finally responded. "You don't have to thank me." She kissed her again. "I'd do anything for you, Em, you know that." another kiss, "I love you."
"I love you too," Emma said honestly, "more than anything." Suddenly Emma felt dizzy, overcome with emotion for the woman beside her. She pulled her closer, sealing their lips together, seeking her tongue and moaning when she felt Regina's slip against her.
They were then disrupted from their love making for a second time that day, but it wasn't from Hook nor Henry. It was Alexandra's cry.
Immediately, both mothers shot out of bed as quickly as they could, shrugging their gowns over their bodies as they rushed out of the room. They barged into Alexandra's bedroom and saw the baby was wriggling side to side and sobbing loudly, clearly having a nightmare.
Regina set to lighting the candles in the room as Emma gently reached over the crib side.
"Ally," she whispered softly as she stroked her cheek. "It's okay, we're here," she cooed.
The baby then started to register her mothers' presence as Regina made her way over to the bed. Ally's eyes fluttered opened, but they were red and filled tears.
"What's the matter, Princess?" Regina asked quietly as she reached forward and picked up the baby who immediately clung onto her mother, wrapping her fingers around Regina's hair. Regina moved over to the armchair that was set up when she was still breastfeeding and sat down. Emma perched on the chair arm and reached out to stroke Ally's hair. "Did you have a nightmare, my darling?"
Ally was still crying quietly and nodded her hair glumly. "Monster," she mumbled quietly, hiding her face into Regina's neck.
Regina glance nervously at Emma who was grimaced.
"There are no monsters in here, baby," Emma cooed as she carried on stroking Ally's hair. "It's gone and it's never coming back. I promise you that, my darling." She pressed a kiss against her head before turning to Regina. "Is there something we can give her to sooth her while she sleeps?"
Regina paused to think for a moment before nodding. "Yes, I think I have a draught of dreamless sleep in my vault," she replied. She shifted Alexandra in her arms and flicked her newly freed wrist until a small vile appeared. "Ally, will you take a sip of this for Mommy, please?"
Ally looked hesitant but slowly made her way out of her mother's neck. "What that?" She asked as she looked warily at the bottle.
Emma couldn't blame her. The potion was a pale cream colour that didn't strike any particular taste. Ally was clever enough to know that it wasn't milk as she rarely drank it anymore and it always came in a different shaped bottle.
"This is going to help you sleep," Regina replied softly. "It's mainly chamomile and magnolia. It's soothing, I promise."
Ally still looked hesitant as Regina offered the vile to her. She glanced at Emma who nodded encouragingly and finally, Ally opened her mouth enough for Regina to pour a couple of drops in, before she flicked her wrist once more, sending the vile away. The baby swallowed the potion and pulled a face at the taste but almost immediately, her eyes started to droop as she fell back asleep.
Slowly, Regina stood back up and placed Alexandra back in her crib as she slept away.
"There," Regina murmured, "she shouldn't be tormented throughout the night." She leant forward and pecked Ally on her forehead, an action repeated by Emma, before the two headed back to their bedroom.
Once inside, they slipped off their gowns and got back into bed, Emma automatically leaning into Regina's embrace with the Queen's arm wrapped tightly around her.
Regina pecked her forehead. "Come on, we should get some sleep too. Would you like some of the potion?" She asked before chuckling quiet as Emma pulled the same distrusting face Ally had not five minutes ago.
"What?" Emma's distrust changed to confusion only making Regina chuckle a little louder.
"You looked just like Alexandra," Regina admitted which made Emma smile.
"Well, like mother like daughter," she said before getting serious. "I think I will take a sip of that potion though," she whispered. She didn't particularly want to but thought it would be best after such a traumatic evening.
Regina nodded and conjured up the vile once more. Emma looked warily at it, once again looking like Alexandra which made Regina's heart melt.
"It's just chamomile, with a bit of lemon," Regina said encouragingly, offering the blonde the vile. "That's why Alexandra found it bitter, because of the lemon."
Reluctantly, Emma took the vile off the Queen and brought it to her nose. She took a small sniff and could agree on the lemon, but there was something else that she couldn't place. Slowly, she took a sip, pulling the same face as the baby at the strong taste but before she could comment on it, her eyelids felt heavy. Regina quickly got hold of the bottle before it could spill into the bed and placed it on the bedside table just in case Emma woke in the night.
By the time she rolled back over, Emma was fast asleep. After placing a soft kiss on her forehead, Regina settled down, cuddling the blonde close, as she joined her in slumber.
oOoOo
Emma woke the next morning feeling incredibly relaxed. She had no idea what was in the potion she'd taken but she didn't just wake feeling well rested, but her muscles felt like they'd been massaged, and her joints had been cracked in the best ways. She rolled over and was greeted by her favourite brown eyes looking back at her.
Instead of greeting the Queen verbally, Emma simply closed the gap and slipped her arm tightly around Regina, pulling her forward, sealing their lips together. Regina sighed into the kiss and wrapped her arm around Emma, pulling them even closer together.
They kissed lazily, unhurriedly, just enjoying the feeling of being in each other's arms as their tongues and lips moulded together.
Breathless, they finally pulled apart. Regina smiled before her eyes fluttered open slowly, meeting Emma's dazzling green.
"Well that was a good way to start the morning," she mused, stealing yet another kiss. "I'm not complaining but what was that for?"
Emma shrugged before grinning. "Can I not kiss my beautiful Queen first thing in the morning?" She asked, flashing her perfect smile.
"Of course," Regina replied.
She closed the gap between them once more before rolling over, pushing Emma onto her back, easily straddling her hips. Leaning forward, she kissed the surprised look off of the blonde's lips, her tongue sneaking in when Emma gasped. She pulled the blonde's arms up until they were resting above her head, against the bed frame, and sneakily flicked her wrist, tying them in place with an invisible knot. Slowly, she brought her hands back down, trailing light patterns with the tips of her nails down Emma's arms and her sides causing her to quake underneath the Queen. She loved the fact they slept naked, it made mornings like this much easier.
Emma tried to pull her arms free but found herself unable to. "Release me, please," she begged, "let me touch you."
Regina simply flashed her signature smirk before tutting her lips. "Did you think it would be that easy?" She teased which just caused Emma to buck her hips.
"Please," the blonde whimpered but Regina simply shuck her head before shifting her position so she could wrap her sultry lips around Emma's already stiff nipple causing the blonde to sigh.
Regina used one hand to twist Emma's neglected nipple between her thumb and forefinger while her other hand continued to trail light patterns against her side causing her to wriggle and buck her hips wildly.
"Regina!" Emma moaned which the Queen took to mean that she was enjoying herself.
She smirked once more before releasing her nipple with a pop. She trailed butterfly kisses up to the blonde's neck before nipping harshly over her pulse point, enjoying how the bruise started to show almost immediately. Satisfied, she continued her kisses to Emma's ear, kissing her favourite place under her ear which never failed to make the blonde sigh happily. This was no different.
Emma turned her face, seeking the Queen's lips but was refused. Regina simply acted as if Emma hadn't moved as she started to trail her tongue back down her body, down the valley between her breasts, momentarily stopping to suck each nipple. She continued down, her tongue dipping into Emma's naval which caused the blonde to buck her hips into Regina's face, something she was counting on, before she was face to face with Emma's dripping sex.
The smell automatically filled her nostrils, she smelt delicious, and Regina's mouth was watering in anticipation. Slowly, she reached out and trailed her forefinger through her folds, missing everywhere the blonde wanted her.
"So wet," Regina murmured. She pulled her finger away and wrapped her lips around it, sucking Emma's musky yet delicious taste off of her. She heard the blonde whimper from above making Regina look up. Emma was sweating and her hands were fidgeting as she tried to fight the invisible clasp. "Is everything alright, dear?" Regina teased.
Emma nodded frantically but also bucked her hips. "Please," she groaned.
Regina returned to trailing her finger through Emma's wetness before scooping some up and leaning up, placing her wet finger in front of the blonde's lips. Emma opened her mouth immediately and accepted Regina's finger, licking it clean. She couldn't help the moan at her taste.
"I love that you love how you taste," Regina murmured before leaning down and kissing the blonde, swapping Emma's taste between their tongues. "But I also love how you taste."
She slowly made her way back down Emma's body, with a kiss here and a nip there, missing all the places Emma loved attention but paying extra attention to her hypersensitive sides, trailing her tongue deliciously slowly over them.
Finally, Regina settled between Emma's legs, hooking her arms around her hips and pulled her forward. She barely gave Emma any time to react before she dived forward. Her mouth seemed to be everywhere all at once, her tongue dipping inside her before swirling around her clit. Emma could barely keep up. All she could do was shut her eyes and moan Regina's name to the room.
"I'm so close!" She cried as Regina concentrated on her bundle of nerves, her lips wrapped tightly around it as she sucked small but constant sucks. Quickly, Regina slipped one arm free before plunging two fingers straight into Emma's quivering hole. She pumped twice and sucked hard and Emma crested, calling Regina's name loud and proud around the stone room.
Regina pulled back, impressed with herself, but before she could say anything cocky, Emma cried out, "kiss me, please!"
Usually, Emma would have just pulled her down but, with her hands tied, she couldn't. Regina quickly consented and leaned forward, their lips battling against each other immediately.
"Untie me," Emma begged, "baby, please."
Regina didn't hesitate. She flicked her wrist and Emma's hands were free. Quickly, she shook them out after being restrained for so long before flipping the two over. She wasted no time in foreplay. She needed to make the Queen come and she needed to do it now.
She wrapped her lips around Regina's stiff nipple, her left hand tweaking the unattended one, before plunging three fingers deep into her, pumping quickly, her thumb rubbing uneven circles over her clit.
It didn't take long, it never did after Regina had restrained the blonde, and the Queen was coming all over Emma's fingers, meeting her thrust for thrust, riding her with all she had.
The two flopped backwards, covered in sweat, their breathing erratic before Emma rolled over and giggled quiet. "Now that's a perfect way to start a morning," Emma surmised, following on from what Regina had said before it all began.
"Definitely," Regina agreed before sealing their sticky lips together once more. She was about to roll back on top of the blonde for round two when there was a loud knock on the door.
Emma glanced nervously at the Queen, completely unaware of the visitor about to be announced.
Regina sighed. "Maleficent always seems to have the worst timing."