Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I'm just taking them out for a spin.

A/N: We're almost done - just a couple more chapters to go.

A/N 2: Thank you all for your faves, follows and reviews. They are most appreciated. :)

Chapter 24: Wants and Needs

Regina held her lips against Snow's forehead for what felt like hours, growing increasingly anxious when nothing happened. She was just about ready to give up when she felt Henry wrap himself around most of her body from the side. At the same time, Emma draped herself over her as much as she could, pressing a kiss to her shoulder blade. Regina could feel its warmth even through her jacket and shirt, and she felt her magic react to Emma's presence by creating a buzz throughout her body.

Regina focused on the past, the far distant past, tried to remember the scared little girl Snow had been the day their paths had crossed that very first time. She tried to forget everything that came after and focused on saving that sweet, terrified girl. She broke into a sweat at how difficult it was as her mind kept bombarding her with image after image of what happened after she saved Snow.

She wanted to let go, wanted to let Snow rot right here on the floor of Storybrooke's town hall. Nobody would blame her, would they? It was Blue this time, not the Evil Queen who brought about Snow's downfall. She would be in the clear, and Snow would be forever ruined.

Another kiss to her back, a chin on her shoulder, a large, male hand on her upper arm.

Regina pushed down every single thought and simply focused on the love surrounding her. Her thumb caressed the heart in her hand and as a last ditch effort she whispered, lips still pressed against Snow's forehead, "Come back to us, Snow White."

The magic did not come, at least not from where Regina's lips were pressed against Snow. But it did ripple out from the heart she held onto carefully, the ripple so small and soft that Regina barely noticed. She only realized that something had happened when she was pulled back from Snow's body and wrapped in a family group hug that threatened to cut off her air supply.

"What?" she croaked, still not sure what was going on.

"You did it, Mom," Henry yelled in her ear, causing Regina to wince and squeeze Snow's heart by accident.

There was a sharp gasp. Regina looked down to see that Snow was wrapped in David's arms, both shaking and whispering to each other things that Regina was glad she couldn't hear. She looked at the heart in her hand, needing the visual confirmation that it had worked.

The heart looked alive once more, mostly red, pulsing with a healthy glow, although it was beating a little fast. "It really worked," she muttered in surprise.

"It did," Emma confirmed. "Thank you. I love you."

Regina breathed in relief. "It took so long and nothing was happening," she tried to explain. "My brain … or my magic … assaulted me with images, didn't want me to help … it felt like hours."

"Really?" Emma sounded surprised. "It wasn't even a minute, I think."

"It was an eternity for me," Regina mumbled. "And I only managed to do it because of you."

"Me?"

Regina nodded. "You and Henry … and even David … I felt you all." She looked over to the man in question who looked up at her from. "I'm glad it worked."

"Thank you," David choked out. "Thank you, Regina."

"Mom," Henry nudged her shoulder. "Why is there still black on grandma's heart?"

"I'm guessing that was there before Blue used the Dark Wand on Snow," Emma said softly. "Your grandma's done some things in her life that left their mark on her heart."

"But my book always said that Snow was pure of heart," Henry insisted.

"Well, that book never was interested in the whole truth," Emma replied grimly. "We've talked about that before, kid. Nobody's all good or all bad. We all have those spots."

"So basically we're all leopards?" Henry grinned, accepting the explanation.

"Or giraffes." Emma grinned back and ruffled his hair.

Regina tuned out the conversation around her as her eyes went back to Snow who looked like she wanted to say something. "Everything all right, dear?" she asked with a small smirk because she just couldn't help herself. She was very tempted to toss Snow's heart in the air and catch it just for the slightly villainous effect.

David loosened his hold on his wife, helping her to sit up with a small grunt. Snow stared at the crowd surrounding them.

"Would you mind giving us some space?" David asked loudly when he saw the look.

When the crowd shuffled a few feet back, she turned to Regina. "Thank you," she said quietly, sincerely, looking like she wanted to hug Regina but restraining herself. "Can I have my heart back now?"

Regina looked at the heart in question and shrugged. "Oops?" She smirked and pushed the heart back into Snow's chest without much fanfare or finesse. She smiled when Snow gasped in shock and, she hoped, a little pain. It wasn't like Snow didn't deserve a little pain.

David winced. "We only needed it to see if the curse was actually broken."

Snow looked from David to Regina and back. "Curse?"

o-o-o

David explained everything to Snow in a loud enough voice that everyone in the room could hear it while Emma, Regina, and Henry huddled together, close by. What if Snow had no memories of the past weeks? Regina wondered. She had no idea how much of Snow's consciousness was taken over by the wand's doing.

"That was a curse?" they heard Snow ask, and she sounded relieved. "I thought I was going crazy." Her eyes immediately found her grandson. "Oh, Henry, I'm so, so sorry. I would never willingly hurt you ... but at the time I thought it was what I had to do to save us all from the Evil Queen. I'm so glad it was a curse that made me do all those things." She looked at Emma. "Say all those things."

Snow got to her feet and walked over to Henry, arms outstretched to pull him into a hug. Henry didn't move from his mother's side. "I know, Grandma," he said, sounding incredibly mature to Regina's ears. "But you used me to try and hurt my mom … and I think she's the one you really need to apologize to." Henry curled his hand around Regina's shoulders. "You're just lucky my mothers both have magic and true love," he continued, his voice shaking a little. "I would never have forgiven you for killing my mom."

Snow had tears running down her cheeks as she watched her grandson be protective of his mother. "I understand, Henry," she sniffled. "But I really wasn't myself … I really believed I was doing the right things … my thoughts were warped by the curse."

She turned to her former step-mother. "I'm sorry, Regina," she whispered hoarsely. "So, so sorry … I know it's unforgivable … what I did but I'm really happy you're all right. I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself if I had been successful ... and I truly hope you c-can f-forgive me one day."

Regina nodded once, lips pressed in a thin, stark line. "Apparently I have ... I will … otherwise you wouldn't be talking to us right now," she pointed out, although she looked pained and uncomfortable. "But don't expect any family dinners any time soon."

Snow looked to her daughter who just glared back at her. "Emma?"

Emma shook her head. "Mom, don't," she croaked. "You can't expect me to just forget that you tried to kill the woman I love … You knew Henry needs his mother, you knew I'm in love with Regina, and you actively tried to destroy our happiness."

"But—"

"I know you were cursed," Emma ignored the interruption as she continued, her hands digging into Regina's arms so hard it hurt. "I do know that in my head … but the things you said … the things you did under the influence of that wand … they were all said and done by someone who looked exactly like you. I'm going to need some time to process all of this."

Snow sank into David's arms and sobbed into his shoulder. "I think we're all going to need some time," David said, giving his daughter a look that was part understanding, part exasperation. "Why don't we call it a night and continue this tomorrow?"

There was a general murmur of assent until one voice piped up from the back of the room. "Does that mean we won't be having an election after all? Snow made a proclamation that promised us an election." It was a man's voice. "I mean that's why we all came here tonight, right? To talk about the election. What about all the people who wanted to run?"

"You think there's anyone here who actually wanted that job?" Granny asked, casually hefting her skillet onto her shoulder.

There was silence all around.

"What about you, Granny?" Leroy finally called out.

Granny shivered visibly. "Oh, hell no," she replied, disgust lacing every syllable. "Trying to govern you lot would be worse than herding cats, and I want no part of it."

When the laughter at that had died down, Snow withdrew from David's embrace and stood to her full height. "Everyone ... there will be an election," she said, her voice ringing out loud and clear. "When Mayor Mills' current term is up."

"When is that?" A woman's voice asked. "She's kinda always been mayor …"

Snow turned to Regina, a question in her eyes. Regina rolled hers. "Next year, in March," she said dismissively although inside she wasn't sure what to think. She had resigned herself to losing her position but now it looked like she'd get to keep it, at least for another few months, which meant that now she had to think about what she wanted to do with her life.

Snow nodded and addressed the crowd again. "So we'll have a mayoral election next year, and everyone who wants to run then is welcome to do so." She paused, then added under her breath, "I know I won't."

Henry looked at his mothers. "Can we go home now?"

Regina and Emma shared a look. "We will, kid," Emma then said. "As soon as we put Blue behind bars."

Henry nodded with a sigh. "Let's go then," he huffed.

Regina cupped his cheek. "Would you like to go home ahead of us? I'm sure Belle or Ruby wouldn't mind taking you to the house."

Henry shook his head. "Not the house, the cabin," he muttered quietly so that only his mothers could hear. "Can you send me there? With magic?"

Emma ruffled his hair, inordinately glad that he had chosen the cabin instead of the house on Mifflin Street. She knew they'd have to go back to Storybrooke proper some time soon but for now she was looking forward to hiding away from the world for a while with her family. She needed time to process, to work on forgiving her mother, to come to terms with everything, and she was looking forward to doing it where nobody could interfere, interrupt, or bug them with their need to talk and ask for forgiveness.

Her eyes met Regina's. "You want to take him to the cabin and come back? I think I might need you to lock up Blue ... otherwise I'd just tell you both to go home."

Regina pulled Emma into a hug because she could and because Emma looked like she was holding on by a mere thread. "I'll be back in a few minutes." She pressed a sweet kiss to Emma's lips, seeing from the corner of her eye how Snow winced a little. Then she put her arm around Henry's shoulder and led him out the door.

Once outside, she took Henry's hand. "Ready?"

"So ready, Mom."

They disappeared, leaving behind a plume of smoke that quickly dissipated in the evening wind.

o-o-o

When Regina returned a few minutes later, most of the people had left. Ruby and Belle were talking quietly in a corner, not too far from where Granny was still standing watch over the prone form of the Blue Fairy, flanked by Tink and Nova. With a smirk Regina wondered if Granny had to use the skillet again in the meantime.

In the center of the room Snow was standing in David's arms, very obviously trying not look like she was staring at Emma who was ignoring the looks by staring at the floor as intently as she could. Regina's heart went out to her love. She had been surprised at the amount of anger Emma had for her mother considering the things she had forgiven Regina for.

It would take time, Regina assumed. Time and a lot of talking, and she was there to give Emma both. She supposed that's why Emma had looked so relieved when Henry had asked to go back to the cabin … and when the two people she loved most wanted to spend some time away from the troubles of the world in a comfortable cabin in the woods, Regina was the last person in the world to stop them.

On the contrary, she relished the thought of just being around Henry and Emma with no distractions, no interruptions. They could finally learn what it meant to be a real family, and maybe could start to work through some of the things that had gone largely ignored so far. Her past, Neverland, magic … family, and what she and Emma wanted to happen for the two of them.

Regina smiled as Emma noticed her presence and looked up with such a relieved smile on her face that Regina felt the need to rush over to where she was standing and pull her into her arms. "Are you okay, Emma?"

Emma nodded against Regina's forehead, brushing her nose against her eyes. "Yeah … just uncomfortable, you know," she mumbled. "Snow has been staring at me with this wounded expression on her face." She sighed. "Why can't she understand that I'm going to need some time?"

"Because she's Snow," Regina replied simply. "She loves you and wants to be forgiven."

"But it's not about her," Emma complained tiredly.

Regina chuckled. "It's always about her, dear," she disagreed. "It always has been."

Emma leaned back a little in Regina's arms to see her eyes. "Was that one of the many issues you had with her?"

Regina nodded. "She was a spoiled brat," she sighed. "I mean, she got her father to basically buy her a teenage mother because she liked me …"

"That's … what?" Emma shot Snow a glance and saw that her mother was watching them openly now. "That's why you had to marry the king? Urgh."

"Indeed," Regina agreed. "But now is not the time to talk about that. I'm afraid you might get even angrier if we did, and I didn't save your mother only for you to kill her now, okay?" She pressed a chaste kiss to Emma's lips. "We'll talk at home, dear."

"I love you, you know that, right?" Emma asked far more seriously than Regina expected. "I guarantee I'm nothing like everyone else in my family."

"Apart from Henry, you mean," Regina chuckled.

Emma grinned. "But you don't mind that."

"Not anymore, I don't," Regina agreed. "In fact, these days I really like it."

They smiled at each other for a few heartbeats until Emma reluctantly pulled out of the embrace. "Let's get this over with?" she asked. "I can't wait to be home alone with you and the kid."

With one last smile they went off in separate directions. By unspoken consent Regina went to send Snow and David home while Emma walked over to Ruby and Belle.

"We're going to take the blue gnat to the jail and magic-proof a cell for her," Regina said without preamble. "She can stay there until there's a decision on what to do with her."

"Okay," David replied grimly. "Sounds good. She and Spencer can rant and rave together."

"We'll take Tink and Nova with us to help," Regina continued. "So why don't you head home and get a good night's rest?" She looked at David, knowing he was the more reasonable of the two in this situation.

"I can't," Snow said. "I want to … have to talk to Emma."

"Snow," Regina said firmly but with a touch of gentleness. "She doesn't want to talk to you, not tonight, which means your needs will have to wait."

Snow bristled at that. "You can't dictate when I can talk to my daughter, Regina."

"No, but Emma can," Regina stated evenly. "And you can't tell me you haven't noticed she doesn't want to talk to you right now." She turned back to David. "Please leave her be and go home. Emma needs some time."

David squeezed Snow. "Regina's right, Snow," he whispered. "Give her some time. Everything will be fine but … it might just take some time, okay?"

Snow let out a long sigh. "Fine," she huffed. "I'm going to come by the house tomorrow, Regina."

Regina smiled. It's a good thing nobody knows about the cabin apart from my family and Ruby. "You're welcome to try, Snow," she said. "Although I think it might be a little soon."

"We'll see about that."

David nodded to Regina, waved in the direction of Emma, then guided Snow out of the room. Regina let out the breath she had been holding to rein in her instinct to just hit Snow over the head with a few choice words.

Regina saw that Emma was talking to Ruby and Belle. The two women were standing very close together, although Ruby seemed to be either nervous or uncomfortable. Those two definitely need to talk.

Regina wrapped an arm around Emma from behind and smiled at Ruby and Belle. "Ready?"

Emma grinned over her shoulder. "Thanks for getting rid of them."

"My pleasure."

"Oh, I know," Emma grinned. "Ruby is going to keep an eye on the station tonight, so I think we should head over."

Regina thanked Granny and bid her goodnight before she magically lifted the unconscious fairy so she wafted along with their small group. They put her in the cell and locked the door before Regina and Nova added their magic to both cells just in case. Emma stood closely behind Regina, one hand in the small of her back, channeling some of her energy into Regina. She couldn't magic-proof anything but she sure as hell could help Regina out with some magical energy.

Once they were done Regina gave Emma a warm smile over her shoulder. "Thank you, that was qui—"

"Aw, look at the Savior and the Evil Queen being all friendly," Albert Spencer's voice came from the other cell. "Disgusting! Now let me out of here!"

"Not a chance, Spencer," Emma growled at him.

"Yes, George," Regina added with a smirk. "Stealing my car? Not the most brilliant idea you've ever had."

"You weren't using it anyway," he snarled dismissively. "And it's not like you deserve having it."

"Do you really want to get into a discussion about our respective deeds and what we do or do not deserve, George?" Regina asked curiously. "In the presence of the daughter of the man you tried to execute?"

"That was a fair punishment," the former King George insisted. "Now let me out!"

Emma turned to Tink. "You have some of that stuff left?" she asked in a whisper.

"Stuff?" Tink wondered. Then her face cleared. "Oh, yeah … a little bit."

"Can you please —"

"Shut him up? With pleasure." Tink strolled over to Spencer's cell and called him over to the door. Eager to be released Spencer rushed to the door and grabbed the bars. Quicker than he could react Tink raised her hand and blew some sleeping dust in his fast. He went down with a thud.

"Well, that definitely improves my night here one hundred percent," Ruby drawled with a chuckle. "Thanks."

Tink shrugged before waving goodbye and leaving with Nova.

"I think that might be the beginning of a beautiful friendship," Belle commented on the departing pair who were laughing quietly.

Regina smiled. "Or the beginning of a reacquaintance. They were friends a long time ago before Tink lost her wings." She turned to Emma. "Ready to go home?"

"God, yes," Emma groaned. "Please take me home."

"See you tomorrow?" Ruby asked.

Regina and Emma shared a look. "I don't know," Emma said. "I might try and avoid Snow for a while, you know …"

"If you're in the mood for a walk tomorrow, why don't you come by the cabin?" Regina suggested. "You're the only one who knows where to find it apart from us."

Ruby laughed. "At least sort of," she replied but nodded.

"Please bring Belle," Regina said, turning to the librarian with a smile. "I think there are some things we need to discuss concerning the library now that it seems I'm mayor for a while longer."

"I'd love to," Belle said softly.

"Okay, see you tomorrow then … just knock on the border or something," Emma muttered, impatient to leave. "Oh, and please don't tell anyone about the cabin. Especially not—"

"Especially not Snow, I know," Ruby grinned. "Go home, you two."

And they did.

o-o-o

As soon as they were alone Ruby and Belle fell silent, standing in the middle of the room. Finally, Ruby cleared her throat. "You said you wanted to talk," she mumbled, more than a little nervous about that.

Belle gave her a shy smile. "I did," she replied. "Can we go outside, though? Talking in front of them would be creepy, wouldn't it? Even though they're asleep."

"Sure." Ruby turned and practically ran for the door.

"Ruby, what's wrong with you?" Belle asked once she had caught up to her. "Why are you so … skittish all of a sudden?"

Ruby huffed, clenching and releasing her fists in quick succession. "I don't know," she muttered. "I guess I'm nervous about this talk you want to have. I get nervous when I don't know what to expect."

"Oh," Belle said softly. "But it's nothing bad … at least I hope it's nothing bad … I just wanted to, you know …"

"Belle," Ruby interrupted. "Please … can you get to the point and put me out of my misery?"

"Misery?" Belle looked shocked. "Is that what talking to me is for you?"

One step crossed the distance between them. "No, no … Belle, that's not what I meant at all," Ruby rushed out. "I'm just scared."

"Of what?"

Ruby was glad that it was dark enough for Belle to miss her blush. "I'm scared that you won't want to spend time with me anymore." She clenched her fists again. "And I really, really like spending time with you. In fact—"

"Why would I want that?" Belle gasped. "I like you, Ruby, I like spending time with you. That's what I wanted to talk about … I wanted to talk about us."

"Us?" Ruby gaped at her before she giggled in sheer relief. "That's good … good. I like it when there's an us." Jesus, I'm turning back into a teenager, she thought in disgust at her own behavior.

Belle smiled. Ruby was absolutely adorable sometimes. "Yes, us," she confirmed. "Isn't that what we're becoming … what we've become over the past few days?"

Ruby nodded mutely, too stunned for words.

"So I wanted to ask you if you maybe wanted to go on another date," Belle continued.

"Date?" Ruby repeated stupidly, feeling like her brain was wrapped in cotton. "Wait … another date?"

"Yes, a date," Belle smiled. "Isn't that what those breakfasts were … what we've been doing?" She paused, trying to gauge if the shock on Ruby's face was a good thing or a bad thing. "I was led to believe by someone recently that that's what we've been doing … and quite obviously too, or so I was told."

"Obviously dating?"

"Yes," Belle smiled. "Although I think it was obvious to anyone but us."

"You can say that again," Ruby mumbled.

Belle started to worry a little. "Does that mean you don't actually want to date me? That it was a misunderstanding?"

"Oh, Belle." Ruby smiled so widely her cheeks hurt. "I'd love to date you so freaking much … I just thought, you know, with Rumple and everything … I didn't want to come on too strong. But I really like you, Belle … I actually more than like you."

"You've been wonderful to me, Ruby," Belle reassured her. "You managed to make me smile even when I didn't feel like it, and you've been a good friend. And now … now I think there's a good chance that we might become something else entirely."

Ruby was still smiling harder than she could ever remember smiling. "So … a date?"

"A date," Belle nodded. "How about a nice walk in the woods tomorrow?"

Ruby pretended to think about it. "I like it," she finally agreed. "Sounds romantic."

"It's only romantic if you hold my hand," Belle pointed out.

"Oh?" Ruby shuffled a little closer to Belle until they were almost pressed together. "I think that can be arranged." She took one of Belle's hands and felt a happy jolt when Belle immediately reached out with her free hand to take Ruby's other hand. "You know what else would make that date romantic?"

Belle stared into Ruby's beautiful ideas. "Tell me."

"A kiss," Ruby rasped. "A kiss would definitely be romantic."

Belle swallowed hard. "Sounds wonderful."

Ruby leaned in to close the final distance between them. "Would you care for a preview, Ms. French?"

Belle wet her lips, unable to tear her eyes away from Ruby's mouth. "I think … a preview would be …" Belle stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against Ruby's who couldn't hold back the small moan at the long-awaited feeling of Belle's lips on hers.

The kiss went on for a long time, although it stayed relatively chaste, just lips moving across each other, pressing lightly, then more strongly, with no discernible rhythm. When they finally parted, Ruby's eyes stayed close for a little while longer. "Wonderful," she whispered, finishing Belle's sentence.

"Wonderful," Belle echoed. "Want to try it again?"

Ruby grinned wolfishly. "Absolutely.