A/N: Here is the finale of Cursed Hearts!

Disclaimer: I do not own characters from either universe.

Enjoy!

Cursed Hearts

Chapter 4

"Loki..."

The moment Regina felt strong arms wrap around her, she knew exactly who it was without looking. He felt so familiar and for the first time in so many years, Regina felt safe.

"Loki!" She said his name like a prayer. It seemed to be the only word her lips could form, but she knew the god above her didn't mind.

Both of their bodies shook with the force of Regina's sobs. Loki held Regina tighter when she started repeating his name to give her silent assurance that he was there. He was almost crushing her against him, but Regina didn't protest. He needed to reassure himself as much as her that she was safe.

Loki just stood there, cradling her as she sobbed into his chest and whispering words of comfort into her ear. He didn't rush her, and eventually he brought a hand up to card his fingers through Regina's hair as she mourned the loss of her first love once again.

Her sobs eventually quieted, but Regina was still crying steadily when she was finally able to say something besides Loki's name.

"I'm—I'm sorry." Her voice broke, but she still forced herself to say it. "I'm so sorry."

The words were like a knife in Loki's heart, and he knew that she was apologizing for declaring her love for Daniel. He chuckled low as he kissed the top of her head.

"Oh, my love." He whispered into her hair. "You do not need to apologize to me. I know you still love him."

Regina jerked and made a pained noise, but Loki held her tightly to keep her from moving away from him.

"Sh, dearest. I am not angry. He was your first love, Regina, and a piece of you will always love him. I've always known that; but it does not for one moment make me doubt your love for me."

The words made the last of the tension in Regina's shoulders disappear instantly and she relaxed against him as she hugged him impossibly closer.

"I love you."

"I know." She could hear the smile and certainty in his voice.

Regina sighed, but she suddenly needed to be anywhere except the stables. She did not even move from her position when she summoned her magic and the two of them disappeared in a swirl of purple. If Loki was surprised, he didn't show it.

Regina's wobbly legs folded underneath her the moment the couple landed in her living room at the mansion. Loki supported her weight easily and he guided them gently so that Regina could sit on the floor and he could rest on his knees in front of her.

When Regina finally moved her head from Loki's chest, the first thing she noticed was that the god was still in his armor. She knew it meant that he'd come back immediately after returning to Asgard without even bothering to change.

He raised her head to look at him, and tears threatened to spill again when she was brought face to face with the man she loved.

"You're here!"

She could hardly believe it; she'd spent so long picturing him in her mind that she half wanted to believe this wasn't real.

"Yes, my love, I'm here." He told her gently, and his voice made a shiver run up her spine.

"How did—I mean, how did you find me?"

"Oh, Regina. I always knew where you were. I was in Storybrooke during the curse."

Regina's eyes widened. He was in the curse? She honestly couldn't tell if she was happy or horrified by the information.

"What?"

Loki could see the panic start to show in her eyes, so he brought a hand up to her face to steady her.

"Sh, it's okay Regina."

"It's not okay." She told him incredulously. "I cursed you! How were you even affected? You weren't in the Enchanted Forest when I—"

"I returned when the magic was sweeping the land. I knew what it was as soon as I saw it."

Regina felt her heart clench. "But… but it still shouldn't have taken you with it! The curse was only supposed to take—"

"I know, and you were right. You didn't curse me, Regina. I cursed myself."

Regina just blinked at him for a few seconds. She swore her brain just short-circuited.

"You what?"

Loki chuckled as he smiled at her somewhat sheepishly. "I used my seidr to alter the curse as it was coming closer. Just enough so that I would be taken too, but with my memories."

Regina's mouth fell open. He'd allowed himself to be cursed.

"Why?" It was the only thing she could think to ask.

Suddenly Loki's eyes turned serious again. "I wasn't going to leave you alone, Regina."

Regina drew in a sharp breath at the significance of those words. He didn't want to leave her. Loki had no idea at the time what the curse would do or where he would end up, but he'd let himself be taken—changed the curse without a single thought—because he loved her.

Tears once again started to fall onto her cheeks. The meaning behind it made her love him that much more, because no one had ever done anything like that for her. But she also felt terrible guilt for casting the curse and putting Loki through all of this in the first place.

"Oh god, I'm sorry Loki." She told him, grabbing the front of his armor. "I'm so sorry!"

Loki only smiled at her and brought a hand up to wipe her tears away. "You have nothing to be sorry for, my love. I couldn't allow myself to be separated from you. I needed to be here to protect you."

"I don't remember seeing you."

"No, you wouldn't." His eyes suddenly turned sad. "I didn't make myself known to you. I only watched from a distance, silently supporting you for thirty years. I saw everything, and it was torture watching you suffer thinking no one was there for you, but I was."

Regina looked at him like she wanted to cry and apologize for the rest of her life for what he had been forced to live through, but Loki wouldn't let her do that to herself. He smiled gently, but his eyes showed there was no room for argument when he spoke again.

"Despite all of that, the only true torture would have been being torn away from you without knowing you were safe. I would have gladly been cursed for a hundred more years, Regina, you do not for one second need to feel guilty about anything."

He said it with a level of fierce determination she hadn't seen on his face for so long, and despite Regina's tendency to blame herself for causing others' pain, she found that she genuinely believed him.

"Thank you." She told him reverently. "I'm so grateful you found me."

Loki almost flinched. He succeeded rather easily in convincing her she didn't need to apologize to him, but her statement reminded him that he still owed her an apology of his own.

"I should have been here sooner." He told her quietly, and he saw the way her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Loki?"

"I was still in Storybrooke when the curse broke, Regina. I knew your memories were back, and all I wanted in the nine realms was to find you, but…"

Loki continued, telling her about how Odin had commanded that he return to Asgard to assist their army. He told Regina about ordering Heimdall to keep watch over her.

"Heimdall can see me?"

Loki laughed, "The Gatekeeper's eyes are all-seeing, he can see everyone."

Regina looked at him in awe, but Loki still wasn't finished.

"I was almost too late."

Regina blinked at him, "What?"

"At the stable. Heimdall told me I needed to come back to you, but he wouldn't say why. I got there just before Daniel…" Loki swallowed, unable to say the words.

"Loki…" Regina's eyes softened, but he shook his head.

"I saw everything, Regina, but I couldn't make myself move! You were nearly killed in front of me, and I was supposed to protect you, but I failed. I… I'm so sorry."

The secondary meaning went unsaid, but Regina knew immediately what he really wanted to say.

I failed you.

Regina saw the tears in his eyes, and she didn't even think about it before she launched herself forward into his lap. Loki's arms caught her easily into an almost crushing embrace.

Now it was Regina's turn to comfort the man she loved, and she ran her hand through his hair until he seemed to calm himself down.

"You did not fail me, my love." She told him firmly. "You saved me, it was your voice that gave me the strength to finally reach Daniel! You did protect me, Loki. Hell, you allowed yourself to be cursed for thirty years just to protect me! If I'm not allowed to apologize to you, then you can't apologize to me either. I'm here, I'm safe."

Regina pulled herself away from him to look into Loki's eyes so that he could see how serious she was.

"We could each argue our points forever, and never agree. All that matters is that we're together. Everything will be alright now."

Loki stayed quiet for a long time, just searching her face. Finally, his eyes softened and he relaxed.

"I love you."

Regina sighed happily at the endearment, and she smiled at him. "I love you, too."

The reunited couple stayed on the floor and just held each other for a while, but soon Loki noticed Regina's expression darken.

"Regina? What's wrong?"

"Daniel, I…" Her bottom lip trembled slightly as she tried not to cry again. "I swore I would never use magic on him."

Loki closed his eyes and held her closer. He knew this would be a process, and he couldn't expect her to recover from losing her first love again so quickly.

"It's not your fault, my love. I'm so sorry you had to endure this again. If you need to leave this place for a while, Regina, say the word and we will leave at once." He promised her.

"The town line—"

"I felt it. I know it's stopping the others from leaving, but I have the Bifrost, remember? The magic on the town line does not apply to gods."

Regina could hear the joking tone in his voice even though she knew his words had been truthful, and she laughed with him before she turned serious again.

"I can't." She told him. "I can't leave Henry."

The moment the boy's name left her lips, Loki felt Regina's entire body tense and she froze. He looked down at her in concern. What had caused such a reaction?
"Regina?"

Regina's eyes were wide and her heart was hammering in her chest again. Loki was back, but she was suddenly terrified of what he would say about Henry. Nothing in any universe would ever make her regret adopting her Little Prince, but how would Loki feel? Children had never been a topic of conversation between them. But now, it wasn't just the two of them. She'd adopted Henry when she had no memory of her relationship with Loki, and now she was a package deal.

"Do you…" Her voice was quiet, and Loki almost thought she sounded frightened. "You know about Henry, don't you?"

His brow furrowed in confusion. "Of course I do, why wouldn't—"

Loki's question was cut off as he suddenly realized why Regina was asking the question, and his heart clenched that she was even worried about something like that.

"Regina, look at me." He told her, shifting to allow her to move in front of him.

When she did, he could see the fear and uncertainty in her eyes, and Loki knew he needed to address this once and for all so she would never worry about it again.

"Remember, I watched you for thirty years when you didn't know who I was. I was there when you adopted that little boy, and I was so proud of you. I am going to say this once, and I never want you to have to question it again: I am so happy that you adopted Henry."

"Really?" Regina's voice broke, but Loki only smiled.

"Of course. He's your son, Regina, and that means I would have automatically loved him no matter what, because he's a part of you. But more than that, I watched you as you learned how to be his mother, and it only made me adore you more. I watched that child grow up just like you did; there is nothing I wouldn't do for either of you. I once promised you I would always protect you, and now I give you my word I will do the same for Henry."

Loki knew the tears he saw in Regina's eyes were happy ones, so he didn't try to wipe them away just yet.

"That beautiful little boy was able to give your life here meaning, Regina. He was able to bring you happiness and comfort when I couldn't. I am so grateful for that, and I'll never be able to repay Henry for it. Watching the two of you is the only thing that made the thirty years of the curse bearable."

Regina just stared in complete awe at Loki as he spoke about Henry. Tears fell down her face, but she did nothing to stop them. She was so relieved and so happy because he accepted Henry so easily. There was no question or hesitancy as he vowed to protect them both, as if it was the most obvious and easiest thing he could possibly do. In that moment, Regina was sure her heart would burst with the amount of love she felt for him.

Then love again…

Daniel's last words came to her mind, and for the first time, thinking about him didn't make her heart ache. She didn't get the chance to explain to him at the time, but somehow, Regina knew he would be watching.

I did, Daniel. I did find love again.

"God, I love you so much."

Loki looked surprised at the sudden declaration, but his smile was bright.

"I love you too, my Queen."

Regina laughed at his favorite nickname for her before she finally grabbed Loki's face and pulled him closer to kiss him.

The kiss was gentle and loving despite the fact that they both knew they had so many emotions pent up between them after so long apart. For now, they relished this small, joyful moment.

Regina knew this wasn't the end of the conversation. They still had so much they needed to discuss; the things that led up to the casting of the Dark Curse, the curse itself and so much more, but she was just so happy that Loki was back. Regina knew that from this moment forward, whatever happened in Storybrooke or anywhere else, they would get through it together.

The sound of her phone ringing is what finally pulled the god and his queen apart, and Regina made a small noise of irritation at the interruption before she pulled her phone out of her pocket and looked at the screen.

Emma Swan.

Regina rolled her eyes when she saw the name. Loki nodded encouragingly though, so she answered.

"Hello?"

"Regina, why the fuck is there a giant circle burnt into the middle of Main Street?!"

Emma's voice sounded both annoyed and at a complete loss, but Regina knew what had happened immediately and she stifled a laugh.

Regina smirked at Loki, and at his confused expression she simply mouthed the words, the Bifrost.

His eyes promptly shined with mischief, and god, she missed him so much.

Regina took Loki's hand in hers and squeezed tightly before she opened her mouth again.

"Oh," Regina started, and she didn't even bother trying to keep the delight from her tone.

"Well, that's a bit complicated, Miss Swan…"

A/N: Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this one. As always, please review!

Until next time...

~Neve