Well, here it is. The next chapter of the swap part. Be careful when you read it because the story goes between the two places. I've put a line to separate it and hopefully you won't get too confused.
Regina places the small mirror at the edge of the bathtub and then dips her body in the warm water. Her body instantly relaxes, all her muscles are letting go of the tension that has been built and Regina feels her magic running through her veins again. It feels nice. To have the control again and it is provided by a simple bath. The pregnancy is already doing a number on her, so the smallest things can make her happy.
The mirror starts to glow and a fuzzy image appears. Regina can't make anything at the beginning but after few beats of her hammering heart she hears footsteps. Hurried with some groaning, swearing and panting. She narrows her eyes but it takes few seconds before she realizes that someone is running. Probably Reina or Emma, or maybe both.
The next second the image gets a lot clearer and she can make out the jeans Emma wore before they separated and the boots and attire she gave her sister. It is obvious that they are running with Emma leading and Reina closely behind. That does look normal and if she was there, Emma would lead as well. Because that would be the better way to protect her.
"Why did you teleport us so far away." Reina asks, while dodging a leaf.
"Because she could sense my magic. And yours too. It's better this way." Emma rolls her eyes.
Regina chuckles at that image. She has yet to announce her presence but it is somehow thrilling to watch them without them knowing. She wasn't spying on her wife. It isn't wrong, right?
"Why didn't you call me? I could've made popcorn."
Tink's voice makes her jump on her spot… in the bathtub.
"Shit." She raises a hand to her heart. "A little warning next time." Regina glares at her friend, who sits on the edge next to her.
"What are they up to?"
"Running towards someone with magic." Regina explains.
"She's your daughter. She's going to feel you even without you using magic." Reina groans at how stupid Emma was sometimes. "Magical people can sense more than regular once."
Regina and Tink's mouths are literally open at the revelation. They are chasing one of the babies. And it turns out she is on some bad quest.
"No." Regina refuses to believe what she has heard. This is some trick. It has to be some trick. "Did you heard that?" She lifts her eyes, waiting for the blonde next to her to brush off her hearing.
"It's what Emma and Reina said. They met her. It has to be true."
"No." Echoes through the small room like it is a larger construction, fury carrying out with the sound.
The blonde widens her eyes. It is like the Evil Queen has come back and is currently soaking her body in the bubbles. "Well, they said it. Why are they lying when they don't even know you are watching them?"
Of course, there is truth in those words, but the pregnant woman refuses to believe it is true. How can one of their children become evil and turn against their own family? Is history repeating itself?
"No, because…" She shakes her head, eyes down cast towards the bubbles before covering her body from the blonde's eyes. "That will mean that I am responsible for that. I was the Evil Queen and now one of my children, that I've carried and given birth to is turning against her family. I can't have that happening. I can't be the reason for that as well."
"Evil it's not born, it's made." Tink repeats the mantra that Regina has said time and time again. "Something must have happened so she could… you know, do what she is doing. And what she has been doing is stalking really. And some earthquakes." She adds with a frown. She is trying to calm her friend, reason with her even. Those pregnancy hormones have done a number on Regina and Tink doesn't want to be on the receiving end of that.
"Yes, but it's not your child that is doing it, right?" Regina hisses but then she remembers she has to be calm for the babies. She takes deep breath, filling her lungs with air. It is working, on some level; but she needs more. She needs Emma by her side, telling her all the Snow White hope style bullshit that she is soo irritatingly good at. Instead, the blonde is in some unknown land with her sister. Well, she did send them there.
"Tink… Everything is a little too much. I don't know how to handle this news." She admits but when her face lifts up, she sees that Tink is not listening. Instead, she is focused on the image before them. Regina follows the woman's gaze and gasps.
A large groan leaves Lina's lips when her mother's magic immobilizes her. She shakes her body, knowing all too well; that it is nothing but a desperate move on her part. She has never been able to up Regina's magic. And it isn't for the lack of trying.
"So what now?" She lifts her chin, refusing to back down. "You're going punish me like your mother dearest did?"
There is fire and bite in those words and Reina thanks the Gods, Regina is not there.
But she is watching and her heart is breaking, falling apart, at the words coming from her own daughter's mouth. What she has done to this poor girl to deserve that kind of treatment? Did she act like Cora?
Reina hears some words, being spoken in the back of her mind and for a second she can't recognise the voice but then it hits her. It's Regina's thoughts that fill her mind. It would seem that her sister has managed to use the mirror and is now witnessing the scene. She can't imagine what she is feeling right now.
"What? Cat got your tongue?" Lina's mouths fires, her eyes shooting daggers at the women before her. She is not afraid of her mothers. She has never been and this time she is proving to them that she is who should rule when they step down. Because she knows she has inherited all of her mother's ruling qualities.
"You, ungrateful brat." Emma scolds and throws her hand in the girl's direction. The magic in the motion sends Lina on the ground, her body hitting the marble floor.
It is then when Regina's eyes finally take in the scenery around the women across the mirror. They are in her castle. Probably somewhere around the main entrance, judging by the remains she could make out in the image.
Her heart nearly stops when the girl's head hits the floor and she doesn't take a breath for the next couple of seconds, which feel like minutes. She watches as her sister and wife knee over the motionless body and speak encouraging words, even slapping her cheeks. But no response come from the girl. She knows the force of that spell is strong enough to knock out the receiver and she prays, for the first time in her life that this is not the case.
Emma's heart nearly stops when she nudges the, what is seems lifeless body and receives no reply. Her blood was practically boiling at the way Lina speaks to Reina, thinking it's Regina. She is thankful that Regina can't hear the words, because that would be a disaster. The girl seems too angry at them, for doing something or not doing. She can't really say the reason behind all the resentment. But whatever the case might be, the girl is now lying on the ground, without moving any muscle. And it's scary for Emma because that is her daughter. One of the triplets that are growing inside of Regina's belly right now.
It is surreal to meet your future child like that but it is Emma's reality because nothing is too much or too ordinary for her family.
"Come on, Lina. Wake up." She whispers above the girl, stroking the black hair and hoping that her brown eyes would open to look up at her.
Reina is standing there, awkwardly, not knowing what to do or say. In a moment like that Regina would be more adequate. Having raised Henry is giving her advantage in this situation.
And in that heartbeat she feels the push, the urge to kneel beside Emma and squeeze her shoulder. She feels the urge to caress the girl's cheek, as if she is sending all her power so Lina can wake up.
And she does follow that urge. She kneels next to Emma, her soft hand resting on the strong shoulder and squeezing gently. Emma turns to her and Reina can see the glossy blue eyes. The sight is heartbreaking and she is thankful that Regina is not there to see it. Her other hand moves to caress Lina's cheek. The touch is soft and she feels the warmth of the skin. Maybe there is hope.
The very moment she thinks that Lina takes a deep breath, her chest moves up and her eyes shoot open. It takes her a second or two to regain consciousness and remember where she is. She is lying on the ground after being knocked down by Emma's magic. Because apparently, saying the truth hurts in every timeline.
There is pain all over her body due to the blast but it's nothing really. It can't stop her. She groans and uses her hands to push herself away from Emma's soft embrace. While she does miss her mother's hugs, she is also very angry and this time it won't go away.
"Leave me alone." She hisses as her legs and hands work to get her up.
Emma just stands there, unable to do anything. Still stunned by the fact that Lina is fine but still pissed off at her or the world. "Then why did you come to us?"
"Because…," Lina runs slender fingers through her brown locks and looks down at her mothers. They are both just staring back at her with glossy eyes. "Because," she repeats after a while; "I thought you were different before you had us. But sadly I was mistaken."
That admission throws Emma aback. Probably she has done something very, very bad so that her own child harbors such resentment. She knows she can't figure it out on her own so she goes for the next best option, after dealing with the emotions when seeing Lina's lifeless body.
"What the hell happened that made you want to go after us in this timeline?" She asks, trying to hold off the emotions in her voice.
Regina is standing on the other side of the mirror, speechless to the events that are being displayed. Her heart hammers hard against her ribcage and she does feel the pain, as if someone is stabbing it. Her head is going to explode from all the emotions running through her. She knows she is somehow responsible for whatever happened. She knows it in her heart but her brain refuses to acknowledge it. There is simply no other explanation. At some point she let her evil self, rule over her actions and this is the result. Her child hates her.
"Lina," Reina decides to step in, but she is careful not to move. For fear of setting the girl off, "you have to tell us what we did. We can't guess what you are blaming us for if we don't know it."
Lina whips her head towards her mother and frowns again. There is something severely off with her magic and it is unsettling her. "Is your magic different due to the pregnancy?" She asks directly, tilting her head to the side and eyeing her mother suspiciously.
Regina's heart nearly stops at the question and panic starts to rise in her chest. Is it possible for Lina to recognize her aunts magic? And judging by her actions until now there is no way of telling what she might do when she finds she is being deceived.
"Yes." Reina replies without missing a beat. She knows that any hesitation she shows could mean that her cover would be blown. So she has to be careful when interacting with the girl. "Why?" She asks back.
"I don't know." Lina shakes her head and looks between her mothers. "Her magic is the same but yours is very different."
"The pregnancy is affecting it. I don't have the same control over it as well. And I assume it does feel different."
"Yeah… I guess." Lina can't help the off feeling but it does make sense what her mother is saying.
"Can we go back to my question?" Emma waves her hand, wondering if she was completely forgotten by the two brunettes.
Both set of amber eyes land on her and she gulps. Maybe that isn't the best moment to interrupt the talk between them but she needs to know the reason.
"Oh, you need to know why I am doing all of this?" Lina shoots her blonde mother a glare, that portends nothing good. She is throwing daggers, her eyes glowing purple.
Suddenly her whole body trembles and Emma takes deep breath for whatever comes next. The reactions she gets from her daughter frightens her despite the fact that she now has magic.
A dark chuckle leaves Lina's lips and reminds Emma of the same sounds she has heard coming from the Evil Queen's lips. The very dark sound that ties all her insides into one ball of nerves. The sound that makes her heart stop.
"You killed my brother." Lina hisses with venom, her lips closed tightly. Her eyes go up and down her mother's form and Lina wonders how in the world that monster could be her parent.
"Wh…" Emma starts but her throat is suddenly dry. Her muscles seem to be still like stone. Her brain is trying to analyze what she is hearing.
"You killed him." She hears as if it's a distant source. "You gave the order to kill him. I loved him so much and he was my everything but you fucking killed him."
Reina swallows hard but the huge lump in her throat is still there. Something terrible must have happened in order for Regina and Emma to kill their own child. Was there a problem in Regina's womb? Or was it after the babies were born? Was it when they were older?
Regina's hand covers her barely visible baby bump. How is that possible? How could she killed one of her unborn children? Or even worst – a child? What the hell happened in the future?
She feels a sharp pain cutting through her heart like a sword aim at it. Only it doesn't kill her but the suffering remains. Maybe that is part of her punishment for being the Evil Queen – to raise a hand against one of her own. Maybe that is what she deserves.
Ding dong! I had another idea for the reason behind Lina's rage but this one seemed better. I hope you like it.