AN: Trigger warnings to many things are present in this story. Don't like don't read.

I do not Once Upon a Time.

There are my own Original Characters in this at times.

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Emma entered the dining room as voices spoke softly, all invested in separate conversations. She stood in a corner, leaning her back against the wall, arms crossed over her chest as she looked on. Henry and Lily were scribbling across paper as Rumple leaned on the table where a large map of Storybrooke was shimmering with magic. He pointed at a few glowing dots that littered the map and muttered something to the two, their hands flying across the paper as fast as they could go.

The feeling of being in Cora's war room while they plotted their infiltration of Leopold's White Castle came rushing back to her as if it had happened that morning. She would never forget the cold dreary halls as she raced through them to the King's chamber to deliver the death strike. She never wanted to return to that castle again. She glanced over at the woman in question, who stood in the kitchen doorway, looking back at her as if they were sharing the same thought.

Nimue appeared on her right with a smirk, "Calvary is hard at work I see."

Merlin snorted, appearing on her left, "I must admit I do miss a good War Room strategy meeting."

Emma chose to remain silent. Her mind was still piecing together what Regina had told her upstairs. Were Nimue and Merlin really there? Why was she the only one that could see them? And if they weren't there, what did that say about her? About her sanity? She frowned, shifting slightly to look out the window. What did it mean if she could see them? Was she still the Dark One somehow? Why couldn't Rumple see them if that was the case?

Was this madness?

Was this what happened to Dark Ones when they were no longer the Dark Ones? Had there ever been a Dark One that had done what she and Rumple had done without dying in the process? Was there anything or anyone to compare it to? Is this why everything seemed so confusing right now?

Nimue grimaced, "Stop thinking so much Swan."

Merlin rubbed his forehead, "Who's to say we aren't real anymore?"

Emma glared out at the darkening sky, watching as a storm moved in. How could they be real when she had been the one to kill then both? Hadn't she been the one to run Hook through with Excalibur? Hadn't she been the one to try to end the darkness altogether?

Nimue scoffed, "Yes and look how that turned out. You are left pinning after a woman that doesn't care about you."

Emma's words rolled from her lips in a growl, "You're wrong."

"Am I?" Nimue's smirk grew. "She claims that she's not with the Thief but then he's constantly here." She glanced at the dining room doorway.

Emma frowned as she turned to see Skunk Breath enter the room, moving towards Snow and David. Snow caught her eyes for a moment before quickly looking away, face turning a rosy pink.

Nimue leaned into Emma, her lips brushing across her ear, "If she had been telling the truth, he wouldn't be here. She's going to come in here and go straight to him. Smiling at him as you've seen her do thousands of times before. Are you really that blind to it?"

Merlin sighed heavily as Regina entered the room and quickly made her way towards Robin, "He could have valuable information about the portals that have been opening around town. He and the Merry Men do live in the forest Nimue."

Nimue scoffed, "And yet she specifically speaks only to him. She only interacts with him. Why do you think that is Merlin? Emma?"

Emma's hands balled into fists as she watched Regina and Leech Boy talk. She could feel the anger coiling through her body, the jealousy wrapping around her chest, suffocating her. She wanted to believe Regina. She needed to trust Regina. She had always been able to before. Regina had been the only one she had trusted from day one, mainly because the woman didn't lie to her when asked a question outright.

Merlin hummed, "Well, depending on the wording of the question… Technically…" Emma shot him a glare.

Nimue shook her head, gripping Emma's chin in her fingers and forcing her to watch Regina and the Forest Rat. Nimue's body pressed tight against her back, "Do you really think she would choose you over him? The Savior over her Soulmate?"

Emma shook her head, body beginning to shake, "He's not her soulmate."

Nimue scoffed, words a whisper of a breath over her cheek, "Are you so sure about that?"

Merlin frowned, "Nimue…"

"What?" Nimue snapped at him, "You can't honestly tell me that you trust the Queen. Emma may be in love with the woman, but love complicates things. Love makes you blind to reality."

Emma's shaking grew more pronounced as she hissed through her teeth, "Love is not weakness."

Nimue rolled her eyes, "Yes, just ask Merlin how well that philosophy worked out for him."

Emma swallowed thickly, her mouth suddenly too dry to form words. She closed her eyes tightly for a moment before opening them, only to find Regina watching her with worry from across the room. Emma grit her teeth as Nimue's hand skirted across her face, "Time to face reality Swan. The Queen doesn't want you here. She doesn't care what happens to you as long as she gets her happy ending."

Emma couldn't tear her eyes away from Regina, "I am her happy ending."

"No, you are a means to an end." Nimue forced her face to the right, her eyes landing on Henry, "Because of you Henry is here. Because of you she had made a truce of sorts with her enemy. Because of you she has her soulmate."

"No." Emma snapped, anger shaking her body violently, "You're lying. All you've ever wanted is power and you'll do anything to get it." She jerked away from Nimue, striding across the room and through the kitchen doorway without looking at anyone. She needed to breath, to focus on something other than the dark thoughts running through her mind. If she wasn't careful, she might just set fire to the Forest Thief. She smirked as she filled a glass with water, that was progress, not exactly his name but at least it wasn't rude. She stood staring out the back door into the backyard, trying to calm her racing heart.

"You alright Sunshine?" Zelena spoke softly from behind her.

Emma nodded, forcing a smile to her face as she turned around, "Yep. Why wouldn't I be?"

Zelena raised an eyebrow, in such a Regina way, "Am I supposed to nod and act like I believe that?"

Emma grimaced, "It would help."

Zelena sighed, putting on her best fake smile that everyone could see through, her voice rising an octave, "Wonderful! Well since you're in such a good mood let's get our hair and nails done before the Darkness comes to have a picnic under Regina's apple tree and decimates the entire town."

Emma rolled her eyes, "Buzz kill."

Zelena snorted, fake smile dropping instantly, "Want to talk about it?"

Emma sighed, shaking her head, "No."

Zelena pursed her lips sitting on a stool at the island counter, "Might help."

Emma sat the glass in the sink before moving towards the redhead. She eyed the older woman closely, feeling as if she could trust her but not wanting too just yet. She leaned her hip against the counter right beside Zelena, deciding to change the subject, "So you were helping Maleficent in the basement? Alone?"

Zelena scoffed, "We've been working on your potion Sunshine. Don't read too much into it."

Emma grinned, "Ah, but there is more to it than that."

Zelena grimaced at her, "Are you a toddler?"

Emma shook her head, smirk firmly in place, "If I was I'd be singing Zelena and Maleficent sitting in a tree…"

Zelena rolled her eyes, "Whatever my sister sees in you I'll never know."

Emma leaned towards her, "Liar. You can lie to Maleficent and the others all you want but I have that superpower remember."

Zelena glared at her, "Cocky, are we? Well maybe I should repay the favor."

Emma rested her arm on Zelena's shoulder, leaning in to whisper in the redhead's ear, "Don't think you can. I already told Regina that I'm in love with her, so there's nothing you can do."

Zelena's eyes nearly bugged out her head, voice becoming a grating screech, "You did? When? What did she say? Where the bloody hell was I when this was going on?"

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Regina frowned as watched Emma storm out of the dining room, anger radiating from her entire being. She couldn't tell what had changed in the few minutes that they had been separated. They had been doing well but when she had entered the dining room and found Robin speaking with Snow she had refocused on the problem at hand. Robin confirmed that the portals were allowing creatures into, but nothing through them from this side of Storybrooke, and thankfully so far it was few and far between. She had felt Emma's magic begin pulsing wildly and found the woman glaring a hole through both her and Robin's heads. She tried to read the expressions crossing Emma's face, the emotions rolling through her green eyes, but the woman was a solid wall once again.

"Regina?" Snow's voice filtered through her thoughts.

She turned to Snow, "I'm sorry?"

Snow frowned at her, "Robin asked what you wanted to do about the dead trolls."

"Right, we'll do what we've always done. If they can't be buried or sent back through the portals, we'll use magic to turn them to dust." She frowned at Zelena as the woman stood silently and followed after Emma. Jealousy and anger rose within her heart, something she feared she would never be able to break away from. She glanced at Robin, "Can I speak to you for a moment?" She spun on her heel not giving him a chance to respond before leading him into the quiet foyer.

He frowned at her as they stood at the bottom of the stairs, "Something wrong Regina?"

She glared at him, arms crossing over her chest, "Have you told Emma that we're still together?"

Robin's eyes widened, "What? No! I've been telling her that you're in love with her. It's like she's listening but not at the same time. I swear Regina, I've been telling Swan that we're over."

Regina sighed heavily, "Thank you."

He frowned, "Is she not believing you?"

Regina shook her head, staring into the dining room, "I don't know. There's so much going on right now."

"Want to talk about it?" Robin asked as he glanced into the dining room when Henry laughed.

She opened her mouth for a moment then closed it. It wasn't her place to talk about it. Finally, she shook her head, "It's personal." Emma was trusting her with the knowledge that she was seeing Nimue and Merlin, she refused to break that trust, which was so fragile right now as it was.

Robin nodded, turning to smile at her, "Alright, but know that I'm here if you need me."

She glanced up at him, a small smile on her face, "Thank you but this is something Emma and I need to work together on." Robin nodded, giving her one last smile before he quickly slipped out the front door. She heaved a deep sigh, knowing that she was doing the right thing in keeping Emma's secret. Laughter from the kitchen had her eyes narrowing angrily at the reminder that Zelena was alone with Emma, once again.

She froze in the kitchen doorway, her eyes narrowing impossibly further, staring at the point of contact that Emma's arm had on Zelena's shoulder. The fact that Emma was leaning in to whisper in the redhead's ear wasn't lost on her but the physical contact was sending her mind into a dark jealous haze that she was struggling to control. She knew that Zelena seemed to have a connection with Emma, the way they interacted that was reserved for each of them alone. Seeing Emma's lips so close to Zelena's face did nothing to help temper the rising jealousy, nor did it help when Zelena turned to face Emma, putting their lips even closer together as a salacious grin crossed her redheaded sisters face, one that she recognized as her seductive face.

Laughter ripped her from her thoughts and her lip curled up as she practically growled, "What's going on in here?"

Two heads snapped around and Emma quickly pulled away from Zelena, "We were just talking."

Zelena stood quickly, "I'll go see if Mal is done with that potion."

Emma smirked, "Sure, that's the only reason you're looking for her."

Zelena pursed her lips, "I'll have you know that I am perfectly capable of putting my feelings aside."

Emma snorted, "Lie."

Zelena glared at her for a moment before crossing the room, trying not to get too close to her seething little sister, "I'll come up with something wicked for that Sunshine."

Emma chuckled, "Looking forward to it, but this time can we not end up in Hell."

Zelena scoffed, "No promises." She strode from the room, head held high and smirk on her face.

Emma shook her head as she turned back to the counter in front of her, "What's up?"

Regina finally tore her glare from her sister and planted it on Emma's back, "I should be asking you that."

Emma frowned, glancing over her shoulder, "What do you mean?"

Regina crossed the room, trying to quell the boiling anger that was raging through her body, "What was that about with Zelena?"

Emma laughed, "I was giving as good as I was getting."

Regina closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath before raising an eyebrow at the blonde, opening her eyes to stare at her in confusion.

Emma frowned, "Please tell me I'm not the only one that see's the puppy dog eyes at Maleficent she's sporting."

Regina felt her body relax a fraction, "No, you're not. In fact, Mother has decided that an inquisition should be held before the week is through."

Emma chuckled, "I should warn Zelena." She shrugged, smirk crossing her lips, "Then again…"

Regina smiled, having not heard that sound for far too long. She loved Emma's laugh, the sound sending a pleasant shiver down her spine, one that only Emma had ever been able to give her. She could see colour returning to the woman's face, the dark circles under forest green eyes were slowly fading and she couldn't help but pray that it had to be because of her.

Emma eased down onto the stool Zelena had been occupying, exhaustion creeping back into her body. She glanced up at Regina, needing to know where they now stood, "How are you holding up?"

Regina frowned, eyes searching Emma's face, "What do you mean? You're the one I'm worried about. You've nearly killed yourself twice in one week."

Emma shook her head, "I meant…" She hesitated for a moment, knowing this could be a breaking moment in their tentative relationship. After a moment she gathered her courage, "Seeing Daniel again, knowing that what you witnessed back then wasn't real, can't be easy." Her voice tapered off as she spoke, fear rising to the surface.

Nimue appeared beside Regina, "Way to bring back the heart of the matter Swan."

Merlin sighed as he appeared on the counter to her left, "She's doing the right thing. If the Queen will allow Emma to explain maybe, they can work it out."

"What part of Evil Queen do you not understand?" Nimue snapped, brushing her fingers across Regina's chin. "The truth has never been kind to this woman. She's slaughtered thousands of people, for no other reason than it gave her pleasure. What do you think the truth is going to do? This woman is the epitome of Evil, this woman is the perfect example of Darkness in incarnate. You think a little explanation is going to save Swan?"

Regina frowned as she watched forest green shift to jade. Emma's eyes became distant as she glanced back and forth, as if she were watching someone or something. She quickly moved around the island counter, hating the way the blonde seemed to slip so easily. What exactly was causing her to believe that what she was seeing was real? She rested her hands on Emma's shoulders causing the woman to startle and jump away from her, "I'm sorry but you zoned out."

Emma felt her body shaking, but it didn't feel like she was. She shook her head, putting the island counter between them once more, "Sorry. How are you doing?"

It hurt, Regina couldn't deny it, that Emma put distance between them. That the blonde seemed scared of her was the worst thing she could ever imagine anymore, other than Henry hating her. She frowned as she spoke, but didn't take her eyes off Emma's face, "It's strange, seeing him again." She couldn't understand why she was having a hard time telling Emma this. They had formed a friendship before this entire Dark One mess began, one that she had really enjoyed. But everything was different now, they were different now. She shook her head, "I look at him and I see the love I had for him, but it's not the same anymore."

Emma nodded, staring at the countertop, running her finger along the smooth surface, "I know what you mean."

Regina frowned, "Oh?"

Emma nodded, glancing up at the woman, "When I saw Hook in the underworld, I knew that I loved him, but it was different than before. There was love still but it wasn't the same… It's hard to explain."

Regina sat down, clasping her hands on the counter, hoping to keep Emma focused, "Why didn't you ever tell me about it?"

Emma's eyes snapped up, "It wasn't like you were in the talking mood either Regina."

Regina nodded, voice slightly harder than she meant it to be, "True but I would have."

Emma nodded, "And if I had known then I would have too, but neither of us were willing to admit our true feelings," she scoffed, "at least not to each other."

"We have now, and I know that I meant what I said," she couldn't help but let some of the jealousy working through her system out.

Emma frowned at the brunette, "I mean every word I said." She cocked her head at the anger in the woman's eyes, "Do you not believe me?"

Regina shook her head, "It's not that I don't believe you Emma."

"Then what?" Emma asked, crossing her arms over her chest, suddenly feeling defensive.

Regina took a deep breath, trying not to snap at the woman, "What were you and Zelena discussing when I walked in?"

Emma frowned, "I told you. Maleficent."

Regina couldn't stop herself from snapping angrily, "And you had to be all over her to talk about it?"

Emma studied Regina's face, suddenly seeing the jealousy blazing in the woman's brown eyes. She couldn't stop the slight smirk from pulling at the corner of her lips. Regina was jealous. A strange sense of excitement coursed through her veins at the thought. She wasn't normally the type to enjoy a jealous partner but with Regina it was different. It made her feel wanted, desired even. Neal had never been the jealous type, though him running off and leaving her to rot in prison should have clued her into the 'He didn't want her' deal. Regina, however, had her pick, literally, from anyone and the jealousy on the woman's face was confirmation that Emma was what Regina wanted.

Nimue made a gagging noise, "I'm going to be sick."

Merlin laughed, "Ah, love. I think we found Nimue's true weakness."

Emma glanced at Nimue before speaking to Regina, "They're here again."

Regina stood slowly, "Emma, how long have they been here?"

She hesitated before her eyes fell to the floor in a sudden shame she couldn't explain, "Since the dining room."

Everything clicked into place suddenly, "When Robin walked in, they were there weren't they?" At Emma's nod Regina moved around the island, reaching out slowly to the blonde, "Emma I swear nothing is going on between me and Robin."

Nimue scoffed, "Lies. Why else would she be so eager to see him?"

Emma frowned, eyes darting up to Regina's face, "Then why were you eager to see him, after this morning?"

Regina wrapped her arms around Emma's body, "I wasn't. I was focused on the problem at hand. He's covering the west half of the forest. Red has the East half. David is covering the town and Mulan is tracking the portals. He was asking what we wanted done with the dead trolls. There are more creatures coming through, but nothing is able to get into the portals on this side."

Emma nodded, "How long before these potions start to work?"

Regina frowned, "I don't know. It depends on how much damage has already been done. Will you tell me what they are saying to you?"

Emma's body tensed in Regina's arms, but she knew she needed to do this. Last time Nimue and Merlin had disappeared when she had confided in Regina. Would it work again? Were they really there or were they only in her mind? Voicing the thoughts she would never put into words? Was it even possible to get rid of them if that was the case? How had Rumple dealt with this?

Regina tightened her arms around Emma, not wanting the woman to run. She didn't think the blonde would answer her. Emma had always been a private person, long before she ever learned the curse was real and broke it all in the same day. If the blonde didn't want to talk, she wouldn't, and Regina didn't want to push her into it. That would break the trust between them faster than anything else.

Emma took a steading breath, "Nimue forces me to see you and Robin. The way you two interact, the closeness between you too. That I have no hope…" She jerked away from the woman as Nimue smirked at her from over Regina's shoulder. Her breathing quickened, her pulse beginning to race, "You'll never chose me over him. Soulmate or Savior. There's no real choice there." She backed away from Regina as her magic spark between her fingers, eyes still firmly on the laughing Nimue, "All I have to do is let go."

Zelena appeared in the kitchen doorway, Maleficent right beside her, "What's going on?"

Regina shook her head, but kept her eyes on Emma, "Emma look at me." Once Emma's eyes landed on her she took a step forward, "It's not true. I've already chosen you." She quickly took Emma's hand, ignoring the slight sting of the blonde's sparking magic, "I'm here dear. I'm real. Feel me." She pulled Emma towards her, placing the blonde's hand on her chest over her heart.

Emma stared at her hand on Regina's chest, feeling the hard beat of the brunette's heart beneath her palm. Her emotions began to settle, a calm entering her mind as she focused intently on the quick rhythm, slowly tapping her fingers with every thump. Everything she had been thinking slowly melted, disappearing at the knowledge that Regina was with her. She could feel Regina, could see the woman's worry, feel the woman's heart beating in time with her own.

Regina was real. Regina was here with her. Regina wouldn't lie to her. Regina wouldn't be doing this if the woman didn't at least care about her. The only one Regina would ever do this for is Henry.

Emma's eyes darted up, finding Nimue and Merlin gone. Was this going to be her life now? Were Nimue and Merlin going to be constants in her life? Regina had been the only constant in her life since arriving in Storybrooke. The only one she could rely on. Regina was always there when she needed her. She couldn't say the same for Snow or David, although they did try, but they now had Neal to worry about.

Everything had always been about choices. Snow had admitted that she had made the choice to send Emma through the wardrobe, claiming it was the only choice to make. David had made the choice to follow through with Snow's wishes. Henry made the choice to bring Emma to Storybrooke. Emma made the choice to stay. Regina made the choice of her over Forest Trash. Now she needed to make a choice.

Emma closed the small distance that was left between her and Regina, eyes glued to Regina's. She was choosing Regina, always had and always would. She was choosing to believe in Regina, to believe that Regina would catch her when she fell. That Regina would always pull her back from the Darkness, from the madness that she had been left with after being the Dark One.

And she would do the same for Regina. She would catch the woman when she fell. She would be there in whatever way Regina needed her regardless of her own feelings. She would pull the woman back from whatever Darkness that tried to take her. She had done it once and she would continue to do it. She would prove that no one was beyond saving, that redemption was something that could be earned no matter what anyone else believed. She would be there to lift Regina up when the woman was struggling with what she had done in the past. She knew the woman would never forget what she had done but that didn't mean she had to be condemned for it either.

She would make sure to remind Regina of that whenever the brunette needed it.

Regina frowned at Emma as she watched a multitude of emotions rush across the blonde's face, "What is it dear?"

Emma stared into the multiple shades of brown and amber that made up Regina's eyes. How could she put her thoughts into words? How could she explain the depth of her emotions to the one person who hadn't abandoned her? Was it even possible to? She didn't think so. So, she did the next best thing. She knew they had an audience, but she didn't care, she ignored them.

She gently cupped Regina's face, brushing her thumb across Regina's lower lip, voice soft and low, "I love you." Regina's soft gasp seemed to caress Emma's face as she leaned forward, wanting to taste the woman's lips.

"Mom! Emma! We found something!" Henry's voice echoed through the kitchen doorway from the dining room.

Regina chuckled as Emma growled, "All in good time my darling."

Emma rolled her eyes, "Between Snow and our son I don't think there will ever be a good time."

Zelena snorted a laugh, "Pun intended right."

Emma glared at the redhead as Maleficent laughed, holding a small phial out to her, a shimmering blue liquid resting inside, "This is the antidote. It's not a pleasant taste however."

Emma glanced at Regina, trusting the woman to tell her it was right. At Regina's nod and smile, she took it and grimaced, "Here goes nothing, but if I grow a second head, I'm killing both of you." Regina laughed as Emma swallowed the liquid in one gulp. She gagged as the acrid liquid slid down her throat and hit her stomach like lead. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried not to vomit all over Regina's kitchen. The only thing really helping was Regina's hand rubbing her back in soothing circles.

"It'll pass soon." Regina spoke softly, frowning worriedly at Maleficent, "It shouldn't be this bad."

Maleficent moved forward, "Zelena, get Cora." She gripped Emma's free arm, "What's wrong Swan?"

Emma shook her head, unable to speak for fear of losing everything in her stomach. The pain rolled through her body, her stomach turning inside out. Sweat beaded across her forehead and her body began to shake. She could feel a heat coiling through her entire being.

Cora rushed into the room, "I was afraid of this. How much did you make?"

Maleficent frowned, "Enough for the first dose, we just finished setting up more just in case."

Cora nodded cupping Emma's face, "Get a sleeping potion. She'll need it. She did more damage than I thought. She'll have to sleep through this for the time being."

Regina wrapped her arms around Emma, "We'll be in the bedroom if anyone needs us." She could feel the blonde's body shaking violently and worry gripped her chest. She had seen this once before, and she dreaded how that ending happened. She refused to let Emma go without a fight, but more importantly she refused to let anything come between them again.

She quickly teleported them to her bedroom and eased Emma down on the bed, "Lay back dear."

Emma shook violently, teeth chattering uncontrollably, "I'm so cold."

Regina shook her head, "You have a fever." She waved her hand over Emma's body, putting Emma's favored loose sweats on. "You need to sleep it off."

Emma frowned as she slid beneath Regina's sheets, "Where will you be?"

Regina frowned down at the blonde, "I'll be right here. I'm not leaving you Emma." Emma's tired painfilled smile filled Regina's heart with love, but when Emma reached out to take her hand tightly in hers, Regina melted completely. She slipped onto the bed, pulling Emma into her arms tightly and began to hum a lullaby that she had used for Henry when he had been sick. She hoped it would sooth her the way it had their son and after a few minutes she felt Emma's body completely relax into her and her breathing deepened.