"You can't save her." Mal barked, her eyes glaring at her direction, "Even if you get her out of here, then what?" She moved slightly closer, the lights of the parking garage hitting her face, "How long before she's torn apart by a pack of clickers? That is if she hasn't been raped and murdered first."
"That's not for you to decide." Emma hissed, glaring right back.
Mal scoffed, "And what gives you the right?" She asked her, "You have to consider that this is what Regina would want."
"Don't you talk to me about what Regina would want." Emma hissed, her jaw clenching.
She chuckled, "Just because you fell in love with her-"
"She wouldn't want this!"
Mal stepped ahead of Emma as she tried to walk away, her hands raised up in defense, "Wait! Emma." She placed her weapon down on the ground, her eyes never leaving Emma's, who had grown dark again, "You're right. She wouldn't want this, but she also wouldn't want you killing me either." She paused, "I know what you feel for her. I know, it's hard to let go of that- of her- it's hard for me to, but you know you can still do the right thing here."
Emma looked at the woman in silence, watching her come closer, until her hands rested on Regina's body.
"Deep down, you know this is what needs to be done." Her arms snuck slowly underneath the brunette.
"You're right." Emma watched Mal show a small smile of hope, her voice low.
Mal's eyes suddenly grew wide at the sound and feel of a single gunshot given to her right on her stomach by the handgun Emma had been sneakily holding just underneath the brunette.
"It needs to be done."
As Mal fell to the floor, her hands on her wound, grunting in pain, Emma quickly moved to the first car available, placing Regina's body in the back seat carefully and shutting the door. Her head looked over her shoulder to Mal who was trying her best to crawl away, a trail of blood already smeared on the floor.
Mal could hear the heavy thump of Emma's boots, she could see them standing near her, her weapon aimed right between her eyes, green eyes glaring down at her. "Wait!" She held up a bloody hand. "She wouldn't want you doing this either. Think about Regina…" She sighed in pain, "If she finds out that you killed me, she will hate you. You can be sure of that. Because she may love you now, but I know I meant something to her too."
Emma pulled the hammer back from her weapon.
"Please! Let me go!" Mal barked, looking up at the blonde pleadingly, "I'll go away. I'll… I'll disappear."
Emma glared, "You'll just come after her." Her voice low, for the first time not only feeling anger boil up inside of her, but a hint of jealousy.
And with a single shot to the head, Mal was dead.
Three years later and Emma still couldn't shake away the nightmares that haunted her every night's sleep. No matter how used to this world she had become, Emma continued to see Mal's pleading eyes, hear her pleading voice, see the palm of her hand coated bright red in her own blood before she pulled the trigger.
Tonight was no different, leaving Emma no choice but to sit up from the comfort of her own bed, with beads of sweat coating her forehead and exposed chest of her tank top, leaving the warm body tangled beside her vacant of something to hold onto.
Every damn night. Without fail. Emma would get eaten by the guilt. Some were worse than others. Her head turned to glance at the alarm clock that rested against her bedside table. 3:23AM. Another sleepless night. Why bother going to bed now when in just three more hours she would have to wake up? It wasn't that she needed to be up so early, but her internal clock that had already set itself to what it was used to.
Emma glanced over at her open bedroom window, the curtain quietly dancing along before she looked over her shoulder, her eyes falling on Regina's naked back, rising and falling calmly with each breath. The bedsheets pooled down to her waist, and an arm splayed over to the empty side that was Emma's, while her other arm was tucked safely underneath her pillow.
As long as Regina slept peacefully every night, nothing else mattered to Emma. As long as nothing troubled Regina's mind, or her soul, or her heart… As long as Robin's hacked up face inside that blazing lodged diner never made her lungs constrict themselves of her very breath in the middle of every dark sky, it had all been worth it.
Having her here- now, alive and well. Happy. Truly happy and smiling every single day and night of her Emma's life made every single person Emma had killed fucking worth it.
It made her nightmares worth it. Even if the cost of getting her out of that hospital was to have lied to Regina. Her hands rubbed at her eyes as she grew aggravated at herself. She needed to work. It was the only way she was going to be able to clear her mind.
Emma gently shuffled herself out of bed, her eyes on Regina to ensure that she wouldn't wake up before making her way down the hallway of their home, down the familiar stairs, all the way to the cellar. They had a home now. Emma and Regina. Together. A real place to call home again, and that made them feel like two normal people, living through life and falling more and more in love each and every day. Ever since returning to Jackson with Graham and Kathryn's group, just as Graham said, they had been welcomed back with open arms. And both Emma and Regina had been a witness to just how quickly, what was once a small shelter, turned into a community that soon began to recruit more and more people.
It took some work, but damn Graham if he hadn't given his word that someday Jackson could become a real town. A real community that would shelter those that had nowhere to go or anything to be a part of. A community that would make them all feel like human beings and forget about the darkness they had to face outside of its walls.
But even the slightest of humanity could never make Emma forget what they had to continue facing as soon as they walked outside those doors. They had lookouts, which cleared their zone of any infected, but they still had areas to clear, food to hunt, supplies to gather, and people to help. 'We've all got jobs to do,' became Graham's motto.
And how true that was. It didn't take long for that motto to become the town's motto, so much that Emma was beginning to grow a little sick of it.
Entering the cellar, Emma reached for one of her many projects in the works. A hand-made guitar made by yours truly, that had been polished and shaped- piece by piece. All it really needed was its strings, which she began to add as she took a seat in her too-familiar wooden chair. Day after day of gathering all of the much needed supplies, Emma was able to build her own workshop down in the cellar. Just like the houses surrounding the community and other buildings that they all pitched in to build from the ground up, Emma had put all of her time, sweat and blood into her own little workshop, just like their own home.
After three years, the house was now equipped with a couch in the living room, a rug placed right in the middle of its floor. A fireplace, with pictures of Emma and Regina, or Emma and Graham, or anyone else they befriended from the community up on their mantle. A coffee table that Emma had personally built for their home. A bookcase of their own, more so for Regina's pleasure. A dining room, two bathroom's, a bed, and a kitchen with all the necessary equipment.
To look back on all it took for them to get to where they were now always made Emma smile.
Who didn't like feeling accomplished when the world turned to shit? Accomplishments were something to look forward to, same as love and family.
Family. That's what Emma and Regina had built for themselves, along with Graham and Kathryn.
That was a word Emma never thought she would have again. A word she didn't think she deserved after everything.
"Trouble sleeping?"
Emma's eyes looked to the blank wall, her hands halting. Not again, she thought, her head slightly tilting- as it always did- whenever Mal would talk to her. The woman's voice was clear in her head on any sleepless night, an image of her was clear in her mind. But tonight, Emma was determined to not allow it get the better of her. Her hands continued to move the all familiar rhythm of placing guitar strings.
"Of course, I'd have trouble sleeping, too if I was in your shoes." Emma's figment of imagination- that was Mal- moved along the room to stand before her. She could see it out of the corner of her eye, which made a crease form on the blonde's brow in focus. "Who knew Emma Swan could grow a conscience? I hope that doesn't mean you're going soft. Losing your touch, perhaps?"
She was taunting her. Mal was taunting her, like she always did. She just wanted to get the better of her.
"Be honest with me, Emma. How long has it been since you've had to kill another human being? Instead of going out there, trying to save humanity every single day with Graham, who likes playing the hero." She hears a chuckle, but continues to ignore the voice that was clearly not there. "Alright, don't listen to me. Pretend like I'm not living in your head, like I haven't been living in it since the day you pulled that trigger while that barrel was aimed at my head. I know you haven't forgotten that."
A loud clip could be heard coming from the pliers Emma held in her hand, clipping the end of the knot on the installed guitar string. Her jaw clicked along with it.
"But killing me isn't what's keeping you up at night, is it?" Another loud click comes from Emma's pliers, followed by the calm footsteps of Mal walking around a concentrated Emma. "The guilt is what's eating you alive. Have you ever thought about ever coming clean to Regina about what happened that day inside that hospital? How you single handedly took out all of my men, and saved me for last?"
Another loud clip follows, and that's all it takes for Emma's dark green eyes to look up menacingly at the apparition that from time to time, would haunt Emma' mind.
"Ah," She could see Mal mockingly smirk her way. "There you are. Finally hit a nerve, didn't I? The Emma Swan I knew is still in there. You just need to let her come out. She is what keeps Regina safe after all."
"We've built a life here." Emma finally murmured, giving her attention to her guitar by installing the next string. "I've given Regina exactly what she deserves. Something you couldn't have given her."
"You're right about that. And I'll applaud you, ten times over for it. Regina seems happy, and that's all I ever wanted for her."
Emma breathes out a chuckle as she clips the end of the knot on the string. "You wanted to kill her."
"You really need to let that go, Emma. How many out there wouldn't try to kill Regina if they knew who she was? If they knew about her immunity. Have you thought about that?"
Once again, Emma's green eyes glare up at Mal. "I have." Her voice was a low growl. "Which is why I keep her safe. I'll give my own life if it means saving her."
"Good for you. But you can't protect her forever. Sooner or later your luck will run out. You will die. And what happens to her then?"
"That day is not today." Another loud clip follows before her eyes are back on Mal's. Her glare is strong with determination. "And Regina is capable of handling herself."
"Emma?" Emma's eyes moved toward Regina as she walked down the cellar steps until she was standing right before her, forcing her mind to shut off for good. "What are you doing working on that at this hour?" Regina's eyes fall on the guitar that Emma is quick to lean against a table.
"I couldn't sleep. FIgured since I was up I would put my hands to good use, instead of tossing and turning, and risking waking you."
"Well, why don't you come back to bed?" Regina held the bed sheet close to her naked body, until she straddles Emma's lap she allows it to slip down and pool down to her waist and what it touched of Emma's knees. "I could think of another way you could put your hands to good use." Emma chuckled as the corner to Regina's lips stretched out into a smirk as she reached for her hands and placed them along her naked waist.
"I'm sure you could." Emma's pale hands slid inside the sheets, her fingers taking in the warm, soft feel of Regina's skin. Her hips grind up on automatic as she feels the weight of Regina right on her aching sex. To have Regina so brazenly exposed before her eyes was always a deal breaker for her wandering mind and screaming thoughts.
Regina's fingers tangle through Emma's golden locks, her eyes close upon feeling Emma's lips wrap around her bare hardened nipple. She hisses, feeling teeth graze it gently before Emma is placing open mouth kisses, allowing her tongue to explore teasingly along Regina's skin until she reaches her neck, her jaw, in search of her lips, which Regina is quick to part them in a welcoming kiss that she gladly returns against Emma's.
Emma's tongue is quick to possess Regina's mouth, rubbing against the brunette's own tongue as she allows her hand to make its way up Regina's side, ending on her breast, where her palm shelters it. Regina could never help to let out a small moan inside of Emma's mouth every single time she held her like that. Her nails would rake across the blonde's scalp in return, followed by a more waved movement from her hips.
Emma's hands shift around every curve of Regina's body, until they are splayed against her bare back. Softly, they travel down, digging themselves in between the white sheets that soon pool to the floor right by her feet, giving Emma all the free access she needs to squeeze along Regina's ass. A familiar move, Regina knew all-too-well.
The chair scraped against the cement floor of the cellar as Emma shot up from sitting it, and Regina could feel her body being raised up, forcing her arms to wrap around Emma's neck so tightly, it turned them both on all over again- something fierce.
Step after step, once climbing up to the second floor, and making their way into the safety and privacy of their bedroom, Emma shoved the door closed with her foot before placing Regina against the softness of the mattress. Regina felt the mattress sink as Emma placed one knee, followed by the other after having stripped her legs from her pajama bottoms. Regina's hands were quick to tug on the hem of Emma's tank top, raising it up until Emma's own hands yanked it over head, tossing it aside to be neglected with her bottoms, pooled against the floor.
Emma's body hovered over Regina, one arm on each side of her head until she was pulled back down by Regina's hand, grasping the back of her neck, forcing their lips to crash onto one another, joined in a kiss that became more fierce this time.
Teeth caught Regina's bottom lip, followed by a gentle suck from Emma's thin lips before more open mouthed kisses were placed against Regina's neck where they were quick to suck against her pulse point, and soothed with a warm tongue. Emma's ears loved nothing more than being filled with a moan that always escaped the brunette with a huff.
Emma allowed her lips to continue the trail of the map that was Regina's body. A map she had come to know every turn, every curve of. Regina released another moan, her hand pulling a bit of Emma's blonde hair as she felt her mouth hungirly devour one of her breasts again, followed by her tongue. It left wet trails along her stomach, until it arrived at its most eager destination for the night.
Regina's hips bucked up off the mattress, collapsing back down in a delicious tremble as Emma's tongue worked its magic against her clit, followed by slick folds until it possessively made its way inside. Regina's fingers from one of her hands slide in between Emma's, gripping tightly.
Emma shifted, rotating in its slumber for her arm to slide around Regina's naked body. Her green eyes lazily part on her, adjusting to the sunlight lighting their bedroom before realizing she was alone in bed that next morning. "Gina?" Her head heavily lifted, until her body was awake enough to sit up. A grunt escaped her as her calloused hand massaged along her right shoulder. It always felt stiff, no matter what she did. Years of taking a beating against this world, followed with the age that weighed on her, she supposed.
Being thirty-five in the Apocalypse didn't come easy.
Once dressed in a pair of jeans, and a flannel, her hair picked up in a messy ponytail, in an attempt to beat this damn August heat, Emma made her way out the front door of her home and into the neighborhood of the community. She couldn't wait for winter. But, no matter how hot it was today for Emma, nothing would beat it being Regina's birthday. Of all days. Thanks to Graham, Emma had stumbled upon the best surprise for Regina. She just needed to find her first.
"Hey, Emma!" A teenage girl waved her way with a beaming smile.
"Hey." Emma smiled with a nod. Her eyes could never get enough of drinking in the sight of the community they had built together over the span of three years. It still amazed her- 'till this day- how Graham managed to bust his ass and give them the gift of the feeling of having water again along with power. Electricity!
"Hey, how's it going, Emma?" A man tipped his cap her way.
"Good, Jack- you?" She walked backwards, keeping her eyes on Jack as he walked the opposite direction.
"Pretty good. Graham's been on the lookout for you." He informed her, walking away.
"Thanks."
"Have a good day."
Emma walked along the only school their community had. A school- where kids could learn and feel normal. She was more than happy to be a part of that project when Graham and Kathryn brought it to her attention. Regina was more than happy to help as well the day it was built. She peaked inside the windows, seeing no sign of Regina. Just kids, sitting before a chalkboard as they were taught their daily lesson.
"How are we on meat?" Emma heard Kathryn ask Pete- the only bartender their community had, slash butcher. A real homophobe, if Emma ever met one.
"Pretty good, all things considered." Said Pete, standing before a bloody table with sorted chopped up meats.
"Did you make sure to inspect them before you pack them?" Asked Kathryn.
"Yes, Kathryn. You know, every time you ask me the same question, and every time, I give you the same answer." He spat with an attitude.
"And what's that?" Kathryn's brow lifts, a hand on her hip. Her long extended finger resting against the cool steel of the handgun that's strapped to her hip.
"I inspected the meat." Pete glared.
"Well, Pete, every time you complain about me asking questions for reassurance, every time I'm going to keep asking you. You know how it goes. Graham wants everything to be inspected before making it past these walls." Kathryn wasn't shy to remind him, giving him her own glare that made him avert his stare. "If you have a problem with that, talk to Graham."
"Go easy on him, Kat," Emma gave Kathryn's shoulder a friendly slap. Her eyes on Pete, who glared her way. "Pete here wouldn't dare go against Graham's orders, would you, Pete?"
Pete wasn't shy to scoff, his eyes turning back to Kathryn. "If you don't mind, I would like to talk to Graham about major changes that would make this community better."
"That's enough, Pete-" Kathryn glared hard his way.
"It's alright, Kathryn," Emma held out her hand, her eyes on Pete. "Pete here is just going under a lot of stress. Aren't you, Pete? You best be careful when you're chopping that meat, you wouldn't want to lose a finger." Her tone barked out a warning to him.
"Alright, that's enough- both of you!" Said Kathryn, her hand landing on Emma's bicep to pull her away from Pete's space. "Emma, Graham wanted to talk with you. He's at the stables, why don't you go on?"
Emma threw another glare Pete's way before making her way toward the stables where Graham brushed along his horse's fur. "You wanted to see me?"
Graham whirled around to the sound of Emma's voice. "I did." He continues to brush his horse as Emma steps inside, reaching for another brush to help her brother with the stallion's other side. "How's that new horse treating you?" He nods toward another brown horse that belongs to Emma. A gift from her brother.
"Fine. He's a runner." Emma teases, hearing a chuckle escape Graham.
"Yeah. You remember how he dragged you along the mud when we spotted him on our run and tried to catch him?" He laughs. "It was all over you."
Emma shook her head, chuckling to herself. "You didn't ask to see me to reminisce on memories, did you?"
"Sorry. No." Graham set his brush down, patting his horse- Tarzan- along the side. "I'm on the clearing shift later tonight. Kathryn's wanting to come with me so, I wanted to ask you to take my spot and keep watch."
"Sure." Emma shrugged. It's not like she could sleep anyway.
"And I do mean keep watch." He glared at his sister. "Preferably without Regina."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Come on, Em." His cheeks turn pink. "You two hump like rabbits, it's amazing you can't get her pregnant."
Emma chuckles. "I don't think that's a possibility, Graham."
"Thank God. Can you imagine how noisy it would be around here if you could?" He patted her shoulder, which reminded her how deliciously sore she had become with their early morning love making. "Thanks. I know I can always count on you. We'll need to go out hunting for some supplies one of these days, you and I. Just like the old times."
"Anytime." She patted him along his own shoulder.
"You taking Regina out to that place we found?" He asked her.
"As soon as I find her. I woke up alone. She seems to be MIA."
"She should be coming back now." Graham looks down at his watch to calculate the time. "She went out to clear one of the zones for me."
"Alone?" Even if Regina could handle herself well, that didn't stop Emma from worrying. Usually, when Regina went out on a clearing assignment, Emma went with her.
"Mulan went with her."
Emma's jaw set, her throat swallowing down the gulp of jealousy until it sat at the pit of her stomach. "I see." She murmured.
It was no secret to anyone in the community that Mulan was attracted to Regina. Emma didn't blame her, but she also didn't like it very much.
"She didn't want to wake you. She told me you had another restless night, and she wanted you to catch up on sleep, so she asked Mulan to go with her." Graham's eyes looked over his sister's shoulder, causing Emma to whip around, where her eyes turned gentle at the sight of Regina entering the stables. "I think I hear Kathryn calling me." Graham said, exiting out of the barn, throwing a smile Regina's way.
"There you are." Regina smiled at Emma, taking the necessary steps to be closer to her. "Stuck on night shift duty, again?"
"It seems that way. How was the clearing?" Emma asked.
"It was quick. Mulan knows her way around a weapon. You and Graham have been good instructors." Regina's arms slide across Emma's waist, pulling her close.
"Well, thank you for the credit." Emma murmurs, seeing Regina's brow lift.
"Jealous, are we?" Regina knew that under tone well. She could always tell when Emma was jealous. "Emma, she's just a friend."
"A friend who is fascinated by the presence of your company."
"Well, can you blame her?" Regina grins, closing the distance between them until her lips are brushing along Emma's. "You know," she whispers along her lips. "I seem to recall you not liking me very much in the beginning and now look at us."
It still surprised Emma how far her and Regina had come. They only grew closer every day. Emma went from not wanting any sort of attachment to falling in love, life handing her this beautiful woman in the midst of this shit-eating world. For that- she considered herself the luckiest woman.
"So, you're saying you're only attracted to those you hate?" Emma makes no attempt in moving away from Regina's lips. She loved the feel of them. The warmth of them taking her back to them ghosting over her naked body.
"It seems that way, doesn't it?" Regina chuckles, closing whatever distance was between them in a kiss that was slow and patient. It wasn't until they parted that Regina finally saw a smile erupt from Emma's lips. "Now that's the kind of surprise I love for my birthday."
"That's only part of your surprise for today." Said Emma.
Another brow lifted from Regina, "Part of? It sounds like you had something else in mind."
"I do. Which is why I was looking for you."
"What is it?"
Emma's answer was a grin that stretched out across her lips.