A/N: Hi, Just wanted to say thanks for the love and enthusiasm. it's felt and I'm glad you guys are enjoying this!

Chapter Three

Emma noticed that her human had the loveliest smile and she was enamored with her already. She saw a beauty inside of Regina that she hadn't seen in any humans. She thought most humans were repulsive. Their features were odd: too small where needed and too large where necessary. Everything about them seemed backward and defective. They also seemed ignorant and overall weak. Not Regina though. She was strong and smart and most importantly, she had a good heart. It was like she was the sea itself, or at least a part of it. Emma felt the same comfort in her presence that she felt at home in the ocean. She felt like home.

Emma found herself curious about Regina's legs as well; how Emma longed to touch them. She desired to touch her skin. Even when they met as little ones, her heart had done somersaults in the girl's presence. She had wanted to take her home with her and keep her, but the big hairy beast accompanying the human stopped her and chased her off before she could. It was for the best though because, after she swam home and told her mother of what she had found, her mother gave her a grim look and informed her that she would have harmed her new treasure - humans cannot live under water. It disappointed her that she couldn't keep Regina, but she moved past that and learned to get by with coming to the surface to see her every now and then

Her girl smelled the same, so sweet with the purity of the sea. She liked the smile that the girl had given her when she learned her name. Emma wasn't exactly her name but that was the closest translation of her name so, that was what she gave.

Emma reached out a hand again, trying to touch the human's face. The girl leaned closer and let her. Emma let her cold, damp, clammy fingers trail down the side of the girl's smooth cheek. The mermaid's heart was racing. She had waited so long to do that. To touch what was hers. It amazed her how soft and warm her flesh was. It was like a dream. She was enthralled.

"Mine." She repeated her earlier statement.

Regina looked confused. "I'm sorry?"

"Mine." Was the mermaid's answer.

"I'm yours?" Regina asked softly. The mermaid nodded. "My mother told me that you are mine?"

"Yes..." the mermaid paused as she tried to find the proper word then she put her webbed fingers together. "Connected."

Regina shook her head. "What?"

"My human. Me, yours." She paused again realizing that it didn't come out how she wanted. "I offer myself. Big shell."

"The conch?" Regina asked. She knew what she was referring to. She knew she'd come back for it.

The mermaid nodded. "The con'ch."

Regina nodded. Her mother had told her that it was a gift. "Why did you give me that?"

The mermaid stayed silent for a moment. "My..." She furrowed her brow. "gift..." She explained. "So, I give gift... you accept... be...come mine."

"Your what?" Regina inquired. Emma was unsure of how to explain it in human words. In fact, she herself hadn't even understood what Regina's role in her life was. Emma just knew that she felt an overwhelming need to touch and feel her. The very thought of Regina set her soul on fire.

"Oh." Regina breathed in surprise. She looked awkward and Emma couldn't understand why. She figured that she had somehow harmed her human.

"Regina is only fifteen." The older girl said stepping closer. Emma didn't know how she felt about her. She remembered when she saw her make Regina cry. She now felt defensive in the girl's presence. "And she is certainly not anyone's property. Humans don't belong to anyone."

The mermaid didn't understand. She scrunched her eyebrows together and shook her head. Regina gave Emma a smile that was so sweet that it made Emma's heart stall for a moment and then she stood. "One moment." Said the human girl. She grabbed the other girl's hand and dragged her out of the bathroom.

Emma sat there with wide eyes. She couldn't see Regina and it caused her to begin to panic. She worried she wouldn't come back. That scared her even more than being stuck in that odd little thing full of freshwater. The thought of never seeing Regina again and being abandoned by her caused her to whine softly.

Regina heard her and peeked into the bathroom. She gave Emma a smile and wave. "I'm right here. It's okay." She then angled herself to stand in the bathroom door so Emma could still see her.

Emma craned her neck, watching Regina as she spoke to her sister. Emma only understood a few of the words being said and when she put them together they made even less sense. Either way, Regina seemed angry and concerned. For what? She was unsure.

She stayed focused on the human girl standing in the doorway and tried to read her. She couldn't stop looking at her just as she couldn't stop thinking about her. The day she gave Regina the conch was not the first time she had ever seen her little human. She would never forget the first time - it felt like yesterday. Emma was perched on a rock near the shore; close enough for her to see the shore, but not close enough to be seen. She was sunbathing, soaking up the warm rays before returning to the cold depths that she called home. She enjoyed the sounds of the surface: the seagulls above and other birds, and the waves surrounding her. It felt so different from her home. It was so bright and warm up there while the ocean was dark. She loved it, but Emma had the heart of an explorer, so the surface always piqued her curiosity. There were so many peculiar things all around that she hadn't seen before and it all truly interested her. She would usually stay up above for hours until her mother would call for her, warning her that she will dry up. Emma was humming to herself, watching a bunch of baby crabs walk across the rock in front of her. They greeted her with little clicks of their claws as they continued on their way. She petted one of the stragglers on the head gently, in an act of affection, the animal clamped it's claw down on her fingertip. She hissed in pain and it released her, looking up at her apologetically. Emma simply petted it again, then it went on its way and leaped into the water following the others. She smiled knowing that they were safe, as long as they were going home. The sound of little shrieks and giggles pulled Emma's attention to the shore. They widened when she caught sight of two little human girls running across the beach. One was brunette in a cute little blue dress, and the other had red hair wearing a green one. Emma loved those two colors, but in that moment, those colors never looked more beautiful or vibrant as they did on those two tiny humans.

Their legs! They had such wonderful legs.

She found herself leaning closer, trying to get a better view but she couldn't. She leaned further, not quite paying attention and lost her balance. She slipped off the rock and landed into the water with a splash. She pulled her head up above water again, only to hear a mixture of calls and cackles. She glared up at the seagulls who had found her misstep amusing. Oh, if one of them swooped down close enough, she would eat them.

She huffed and began swimming closer to the shore. She dipped down behind a rock and studied the two girls from afar. Now that she was closer she could see how pretty they were. They had small eyes though. One of them had skin of a rich, golden color while the other was a bit fairer. They were both lovely and she couldn't tear her eyes away. She watched as the girls wandered over to a crate. The one with the red hair helped the smaller one lift it, and as soon as it came up, a barrage of baby sea turtles emerged and began making a clumsy dash for the ocean; so many little turtle flippers were moving rapidly as they dragged themselves through the sand. The girls dropped the crate once the last turtle was safely out, and they followed the animals, cheering them on. It was a cute image. Suddenly, seagulls tried to swoop down to snag them, seeing an easy meal, but the brunette child chased them off as the girl with the red hair tried to usher the turtles along until each one hit the water and swam away. The humans' teamwork helped every single turtle make it to the ocean so they could begin their journey.

Emma's heart was beating so fast. She had never seen anything like that. These two girls took the time to assist a group of baby sea turtles. They saved those small lives and were so happy about it. The dark haired girl jumped up and down, waving.

"Bye!" Her little voice called after them. The older girl giggled and pulled her in for a hug. Then they joined hands and they head off. Emma wanted to beg them not to go but she didn't know how to express that in their language. This time she just let them go but vowed to return for them again. She watched as they climbed a ladder and walked in the direction of a tall white building with a roof that came to a point. When they vanished from sight, Emma sighed deeply. Her curiosity was piqued. She knew that she wanted to know more about these humans. She smiled to herself then disappeared under the surface.

She returned day after day for a month straight. Sometimes she saw both girls and sometimes she only saw the brunette. That one - she was way different than the other girl. This one explored the beach and interacted with it. She treated every inch and every creature she encountered with kindness and respect. There was an instance when the girl found a horseshoe crab that had somehow gotten turned over onto its back. To Emma, that would have been a quick and easy meal, but not the human girl. She walked over to it and squatted down beside it. She whispered something to it and then flipped it onto its front. The animal didn't even thank her for helping it and rudely scurried away.

"Bye-Bye!" The girl called after it. She seemed unfazed by its rudeness and began skipping over to the large rocks. She picked up a seashell along the way and Emma quickly learned that the girl liked pretty shells. She stored that information away for later.

The little girl began climbing the rocks. Emma worried that she would fall but the girl climbed skillfully and with more coordination than Emma would have expected from a human so young. The girl reached the top and perched herself there. She crossed her legs and stared out at the ocean. The breeze blew her dark pigtails and bangs. She sat there quiet for a moment; her dark eyes focused on the horizon. Then she began humming a beautiful, soft, haunting melody.

As soon as Emma heard it, her eyes widened and she swam closer, being drawn in. She felt the melody in her heart. Emma was intrigued. She stayed hidden, watching and listening to this little creature. She had no idea how long she remained there listening, but the sound of someone calling out to the girl caused the child to stop and turn towards the owner of the voice. Emma looked too and saw a larger human that looked like Regina, but only older.

"Lunch is ready." Said the woman.

The girl gasped excitedly and began climbing down. She leaped down onto the sand then she took off running across the beach towards the woman. Emma watched her go all the way to that tall white building again. She sighed sadly when they slipped through the door and it shut. Emma wanted her, but first, she had to see if that girl could feel the same for her. She sunk back into the water. She knew what she had to do.

Regina stepped back into the bathroom and gave Emma another reassuring smile. The mermaid looked confused.

"So, my sister and I are curious to know what you mean by me being 'yours'?"

Emma knew this one. Okay. Here goes. "Com...pan...ion. Friend..." Her feelings were deeper than that, but after the redhead girl's reaction just moments ago, she changed her words.

"Oh." Regina breathed with a little chuckle. She looked back at her sister. "See? It's not sexual."

Sexual? Emma knew that word. It was related to sex. Another human term for breeding. Emma was much too young for breeding. She wasn't fully mature and she had no desire to bear children. She didn't even know that she could breed with Regina. It hadn't crossed her mind, but this was intriguing.

Regina laughed awkwardly. "Anyway," she smiled at Emma. "Do you want to tell me how you ended up in that net?"

Emma was completely surprised by the girl's interest. "Dolphin in net. I help. It capture." She pointed to herself.

Regina stayed quiet for a moment as if trying to understand. Emma knew that the way she spoke wasn't exactly clear but she had been trying to learn Regina's language. She had traveled to the docks and listened to other humans speak for years. She's found books that were left behind on the beach and so on. Over the past ten years, she had been trying to learn to speak to this human girl. Her hard work was finally paying off. Well sort of. A part of her still just wanted to sing to Regina. Whenever she looked at her, that was all she wanted to do.

"So, you saw a fisherman's net with fish as well as dolphins in it?" Regina relayed back.

Emma nodded. "Dolphin baby."

"Oh, that's not good," Regina said with a shake of her head. She seemed genuinely disgusted by that.

Emma agreed. Dolphins were friends of theirs as well as whales, seals, sea lions and many other creatures. Emma enjoyed playing with otters as well. She thought they were cute, clever, little tricksters. She had one otter friend that she wanted Regina to meet. She was sure he would like her and she would like him.

"I free... they go. I... trapped."

"You freed them but you got trapped?" Emma looked at Regina and saw the fear in her eyes. What happened to her was so much more than what she knew how to say in Regina's language.

Hunting. That was Emma's job. That was what she did. Her clan of merfolk all had jobs to do. Her mother was an Alpha so she led and protected their people. She was a huntress herself but had retired from going out to capture prey when Emma had become old enough to fend for herself. Emma was no older than a pre-teen when she began exhibiting Alpha behavior. Strength, bravery, dominance, wisdom, and fearlessness. Emma was also patient, loving, caring and kind. All of these traits made her an exquisite potential leader. Their clan was small compared to others; consisting only of Emma, her parents, her siblings, and a few others.

She was a powerful leader when her parents left her in charge and she never failed to impress them. That was why when she told them that she was going off on a journey to hunt, her parents didn't hesitate to allow it. They knew that she would be strong and smart and would return to them safely.

The journey itself took a day and a half. This particular area was known to be abundant with a variety of fish that was not available in their nearby hunting ground so whatever Emma captured would be a real treat for her clan. Most of the predators, ranging from sharks to whales, gathered in that area. Most of the time mermaids stayed clear of sharks but in this case, all of the predators followed an unspoken rule that said they do not attack each other, only the fish. After gathering some of the delicious, large fish while keeping an eye on the other hunters, she was on her way. Her sack made from woven seaweed, filled to the brim hung from her side. It was a bit heavy but nothing she couldn't handle.

She gathered some seaweed along the way to munch on. When she was a little more than halfway home, a loud cry caused her to stop and look around. She could hear frantic cries of worry and upon further observation, she realized that it was dolphins. She quickly followed the sound and what she found caused her to stop dead in her tracks. It was a fishing net. A human's net. It wasn't made from parts of the sea like her own; instead, created from unnatural things that cause harm. She's seen these things cause great destruction and devastation. She despised them.

In the distance, she could see what appeared to be a few members of a pod of mature dolphins surrounding a closed net that was full of fish.

She swam over to them, handmade spear in hand. She stopped in front of them and when they saw her, they looked relieved. One of them tried to tell her what was going on but she was panicked and not making any sense. Emma looked back at the net and examined it. There, she saw a tiny dorsal fin and she understood. A young dolphin was stuck in the net.

She nodded and touched the animal's snout, telling her that she understood. The net was being lifted to the surface and she watched with wide eyes. She didn't have much time. She tucked the spear into a makeshift pouch on her back. She then reached for her knife and grabbed the net and began cutting through it. It took longer than she would have liked but soon, she cut a section big enough for her to slip through. She climbed inside and she could hear the adult dolphin calling to her child and the scared baby responding. Emma searched through the cluster of panicked fish until she found the little dark blue and gray creature. She chirped to it and it chirped back. She followed the sound and quickly located it.

It began swimming from side to side excited to see her and knowing it was safe. She gathered it into her arms and held it close, then she swam for the little hole she made. The dolphins all began making happy sounds upon seeing her. She pushed the little one through the hole and it was freed. Its mother immediately began checking it and then turned to wait for Emma to emerge. There was a powerful jerk and it caused Emma to lose her grip and sink to the bottom of the net. By now, most of the fish had escaped through the hole and it was only Emma and a few stragglers left.

She shook her head and swam back upwards, trying to escape but she couldn't move - something was holding onto her. She looked up and saw that her spear was snagged. The dolphins became frantic again, worried for her and began trying to help but she sent them away, not wanting them to get hurt or entangled as well. They began calling to her, warning her and when she looked up again, she saw the surface approaching. She began using her knife to cut the spear free as the dolphins cried out to her. She responded informing them that everything was okay even though it really wasn't. The top of the net touched the surface and was being pulled out. She looked down and saw the last of the fish escape.

She began cutting faster and just as her head was pulled out, she managed to cut the last of the material that was connected to the chain, pulling it up. She was dropped back into the water. She sat half in the water trying to free herself. She heard the dolphins coming to help her but no matter how much she tried, she couldn't free herself from the wicked contraption. It was like she would cut one part and another would tighten around her. She tried to remain calm, but her panic was only growing. She heard the fishermen screaming at each other, clearly angry about their lost fish and their ruined net. That sent Emma into an even bigger panic. Her mother always taught her to remain calm but right now she couldn't. She was trapped. That was one of her biggest fears.

She heard and felt the rumble of something headed her way and when she looked over, she saw a wave almost as high as the boat. She began squirming frantically but there was no use. She never freed herself. The wave rose high above her head then crashed right on top of her, pushing her down and knocking the wind out of her. She struggled to breathe and she could hear the dolphins before another wave came to finish the job by grabbing her and pushing her towards the shore. She tried to fight against it but the net wound around her tighter, restricting her movements. She was positive that she was going to die. That was the last thought she had as the water rushed after her and pushed and pulled her. She couldn't fight it and had given up. The back of her head struck a blunt object and she heard the sound of her spear breaking. The broken shards sunk to the depths as everything went black.

Emma wished that she could tell Regina all that. It frustrated her that she couldn't express herself well enough to tell Regina her story. It frustrated her that there was a communication barrier between them at all.

Maybe Regina did understand because she looked sympathetic and replied, "I'm so sorry. Humans with their disgusting fishing nets and our pollution." She wrinkled her nose in distaste. "We are destructive, aren't we?"

Emma looked surprised. Regina saw the damage that her kind was doing to the ocean and she seemed almost as affected by it as Emma and the sea were. She wasn't like the rest of the humans. Emma had seen her on the beach cleaning up after her kind. She wasn't a problem. She was a friend to the ocean, not a threat. Emma gave the human a smile. "...no... not... all."

Regina smiled softly at her. "The ocean is beautiful and sacred. It's the bringer and beginning of life. It needs to be protected. You and everything within it needs to be protected. If I don't... if we don't... who will?"

"You... are... good." Emma was confident in that. She meant that and she knew that those were the proper words to express what she felt.

Regina shook her head. "No. I just can't sit by and watch innocents suffer."

Emma's eyes widened and her heart did something. Something new and a bit scary. Everything stood still and Regina sat there, holding her eyes as if she felt it too. All of the air was sucked from the mermaid's lungs and there was tingling throughout her body, a humming played in her brain. As her cold skin was covered in a soothing warmth, she felt light as a feather. Her mother had explained this to her. That was the only reason that she didn't panic. She knew what this was.

"See... good." She repeated, playfully.

Regina chuckled. "If you say so."

The mermaid smiled again. She liked Regina's laugh. She wished her parents could see this girl. They would approve of her. She started to say something else but she heard a loud slam and it caused her to jump.

Regina hissed and looked up. She turned over her shoulder and gave the other girl a look. The girl nodded. She sighed and hung her head. "Daddy..."

The older girl nodded. Regina looked over at the mermaid. "My father is here. I have to go talk to him. He can't find you. So, please be quiet and still for me?"

Emma understood her. She didn't like that she was leaving nor did she like being told what to do but she knew that it was what was best for both of them so she agreed.

Regina smiled. "Thank you. I will be right back. I'll bring you some food."

Emma nodded again. She was hungry after all. She didn't remember the last time she had eaten.

"Okay," Regina said before rushing out of the room.

She heard the bathroom door close. She sighed deeply then glanced around the room. It seemed so small compared to her home. Emma couldn't imagine living so confined in such a way. Humans were so peculiar. She missed Regina already but her human was busy. She will be back. She knew she would. She just had to wait. She just hoped Regina wouldn't be gone too long.

Regina and Zelena slipped out of her bedroom and shut the door behind them. She and her older sister shared a look - silently reminding each other to remain calm and everything will be okay. At that, they headed downstairs to greet their father. They found him at the front door mopping up the puddle they left behind when they hauled Emma inside. Regina winced then looked back at her sister. They had forgotten to clean up after themselves.

"Sorry. We tracked water in and forgot to mop." Regina explained.

The man looked up and when his eyes landed on his daughters, he smiled wide. All worry vanished from his tired face. "That's okay. How are my girls?" He asked as he hung up his raincoat. Max sniffed the now dried spot where the puddle once was and growled. He barked then began sniffing the water droplets that led to the stairs. Regina eyed him with annoyance. "Regina?"

Her head snapped up from the troublesome sheepdog. "Yes?"

"Are you okay?" He asked.

Regina shrugged. "Yeah."

"You sure?" He pressed. Regina frowned.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Did she seem as nervous on the outside as she felt on the inside? Was she giving herself away?

"Eh." He shrugged. "You seem a bit out of it."

"It was a long day and the storm..." Which wasn't a lie. Storms always affected her and well, high school was high school. "I made dinner." She announced, hoping to change the subject.

"You did?" He asked with a smile. "What did you make?"

"Chicken pot pie," Regina said brightly.

"Wonderful!" The man said and patted his stomach. "My favorite. Especially during a storm."

"Mine too." Regina laughed. "Or chicken soup."

"Yes, chicken soup." The man laughed.

The dog stood beside Regina at the steps and growled before barking again. She shot him a look. "Hush." She hissed. He looked at her like his feelings had been hurt then turned back and kept staring up the stairs.

"What is going on with him?" Her father asked as he finished up cleaning. He then dropped the mop in the bucket.

"Who knows... maybe it's time he got neutered..." Regina said. The dog looked up at her and whined. Her threat was clear.

Zelena and Regina shared a look. Emma was probably freaking out. Max had scared her off last time.

"Hey Gina, you want anything?" Zelena began as she headed down the stairs. Regina looked at her in confusion. "I'm just heading to the kitchen to get some bacon!"

The dog froze and his ears perked up. His eyes weren't visible through his fur that was covering his the top of his face but she knew his eyes were wide with excitement. Zelena gave her a wink then turned on her heel and began heading towards the kitchen. Regina let out a relieved sigh as the dog jogged after her. She was left alone with her father who was leaned up against the door, removing his boots. He set them aside then looked at his daughter.

They shared a smile. Regina was a Mama's girl. She was closer to her mother while Zelena was closer to their father. After the passing of Regina's mother, Henry tried to bond with his daughter but for some reason, they just couldn't connect and it left her feeling stranded in a place unknown. She learned to cope, but she never felt like she truly belonged. She and her father loved each other, but without her mother, the only person who truly understood her, she was alone. Her father and Zelena lived in this world, but for her, life with them became a pit stop and she was waiting to be taken home.

"I'll go get cleaned up then we can all have dinner."

Regina nodded. "Okay, Daddy."

The man smiled again then headed for the bathroom. Regina waited for the sound of the door closing then she darted down the hall. She stepped through the threshold to the modest kitchen. She found Zelena seated at the counter feeding the dog bacon treats.

"That was too close." Regina sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Max is going to lead dad right to her!"

"He won't, relax," Zelena said. She looked at the dog and took his face into her hands. "Right, you great, big, adorable, loveable, dummy?" She said in a little voice. "Right?"

Regina crossed her arms over her chest. She's glad that Zelena thought this was a big joke. "Relax?" She exclaimed. "I have a mermaid in my ensuite!"

"Can you say it a little louder? I don't think Daddy heard you." Zelena said with a tinge of sarcasm. "Or the rest of Storybrooke, for that matter."

Regina gave her older sister a look - a long, long, look but said nothing. She instead huffed and looked away.

Zelena fed the dog another bacon treat and patted him on the head. "It's going to be okay. Let's just get through dinner with Daddy then we can grab your scaly friend a meal that isn't us...and head back upstairs."

Regina kept her arms folded over her chest. That was easier said than done because she was freaking out.

After a moment, their father joined them dressed in dry clothes and just socks. He looked tired but eager to eat. He clapped his hands together and smiled. "Let's eat."

Regina and Zelena went and washed their hands. The entire time having a silent conversation with each other. Zelena wordlessly told Regina to keep it together and they can make it through dinner so, that was exactly what they did.

They spoke to their father about their day but they were careful to leave out the part where they rescued a mermaid. He wouldn't understand and would quite possibly call Animal Care and Control like Zelena had said and take her away. Regina did not like the idea of that and she felt that Emma was safest in her care. She didn't know why but she felt an overwhelming protectiveness over her.

She half listened as their father told them about his day. It's not that she wasn't interested but her father's day was usually pretty much the same every day so she sort of knew what he was going to say. Besides, she had too much on her mind. She wondered what Emma was doing. She hoped she was okay and not too cold or hungry. She wanted dinner to hurry up and be done so she could go and check on her.

Max was momentarily distracted as he ate dinner with the family. Which was a relief to her and had given her some peace of mind.

After dinner was over, they had dessert which was basically the rest of the pie that Regina had baked the night before, then the girls were finally free to go. They gathered the dinner dishes taking them into the kitchen. Zelena set about washing the dishes while Regina grabbed some apples, scooped up the cutting board, and headed to the counter. She laid out everything in front of her and began preparing the apples, removing the cores and cutting them into neat slices. She put them into a bowl then walked over to the fridge and grabbed the bag of salad. By that time, Zelena had finished up since there were not really many dishes to do.

They then darted out of the kitchen, through the dining room and out into the hallway. They left their father and the dog to share confused expressions. Max gruffed, then followed the two girls out of the room. As the girls were heading up the stairs, Max stopped at the bottom stairs and barked. Regina glanced back

and saw the large dog looking at them, whining a little, as if begging for permission to go with them. Regina sighed and tapped Zelena.

Zelena looked back and groaned. "He's not going to let up, is he?"

"Probably not," Regina explained. "When I first saw Emma, when we were kids... he scared her off. That's why I think she never showed herself again. We can't let him do that again."

"We won't," Zelena assured her.

Regina granted Max permission. They climbed the stairs with him hot on their heels. When they reached Regina's bedroom they practically sprinted inside and quickly shut the door in the dog's face. They heard him whine and scratch at it. Regina wondered if Max recognized Emma's scent from before. She didn't want to take a chance and find out, however. Regina stepped away from the door as Zelena locked it. They then headed into the bathroom.

The mermaid had completely submerged herself in the water. Regina and Zelena stood there, sharing a look.

"Um... Emma," Regina said softly as to not startle her. The mermaid's head popped up then. "You okay?" Regina asked with a laugh.

Emma smiled and nodded. "Dry."

"Ah." Regina nodded. "I understand. Is this water okay? I understand that you're from the sea so do you need saltwater?"

Emma furrowed her brow as if she was thinking about it then she shook her head. "Okay... for... now."

Regina sighed feeling relief. "Okay. Great. Um..." She held up the salad bag. "I brought you food."

Emma stared at it, confused as ever. She pursed her lips. Regina knelt at the side of the bathtub and stuck her hand in the bag and pulled out a lettuce leaf. "Want to try it?"

Emma only looked hesitant for a moment then accepted it. She sniffed it before putting it into her mouth. Regina and Zelena watched as she chewed it and swallowed. The mermaid made a face.

"Didn't like it?" Regina asked with a smile. Emma shook her head. The human laughed. "Yeah, me neither."

Zelena handed her an apple slice. "Here, try this."

Emma looked at the apple then back at Regina. Regina gave her a reassuring smile. "It's good."

Zelena offered it again but Emma leaned away. Regina sighed and looked at her sister and then back to Emma. She was confused because Emma must have been hungry. It took a moment before the pieces clicked into place. She knew why she wasn't taking it. She reached over and plucked it out of her sister's hand then handed it to Emma. The mermaid then quickly took it from her.

She smelled it and Regina waited. Emma then shoved the entire thing into her mouth. She began chewing then she smiled. Regina laughed softly. "We have a winner." She turned to her sister.

Zelena laughed. "Yes."

Regina then took the bowl of fruit from her sister. Emma was sniffing her then, looking for more of the sweet fruit. Regina reached into the bowl. "This is an apple," Regina explained. "Apple."

Emma accepted it. "Apple." She mimicked.

"Apple." Regina giggled. "By far the best fruit on land."

"Debatable," Zelena muttered.

Regina turned to her sister. "Name a fruit better than apples."

"Pomegranates," Zelena said simply.

Regina wrinkled her nose. "No way!" She laughed. "No. They are too iffy. They have a personality. You never know if they're in a sweet mood or a sour one."

Zelena snickered. "Sounds like Sour Patch Kids."

Regina laughed. "Exactly."

"I don't know. A fruit that shares a personality with a candy is okay with me."

Regina snorted. "No thanks. I prefer my fruit sweet and crisp."

"You're judgy." Zelena cried. "Give them a chance."

Regina rolled her eyes. "No."

"How about star fruit?" Zelena offered. Regina simply rolled her eyes. "So rude."

Regina laughed and looked back at the mermaid who was watching them with a smile. Regina returned the smile. She actually found Emma to be very adorable with her innocence. "Do you have things like this under the sea?"

"Some... sea... weed," Emma explained.

Regina and Zelena nodded. "Oh." They said at the same time.

"What do you eat...?" Regina asked.

Emma took a moment to think of the human words. "Fish.. cr-cr...abs.. jel...ly fish, kr-ill and sh.. rimp." She named a few.

"Which is your favorite?"

"Jellyfish," Emma said with a smile. "Soft... and..." She opened and closed her hand. "Squishy?"

"Yeah. That's possible." Regina nodded. "I wish I had some for you."

"This... is ok...ay," Emma said before opening her hand for another slice.

Regina smiled and handed her the bowl. "You can feed yourself, I'm sure." She chuckled. "As much as I enjoy doing it, I bet you'd like doing it yourself."

"Thank you," Emma said clearly and the smile she received was absolutely radiant.

"She's eating so I doubt she'd eat you..." Zelena muttered. Both the mermaid and Regina gave her a confused look. Zelena shrugged. "I'm going to shower." She looked at the mermaid. "Please don't hurt my sister." She about pleaded.

Emma looked confused. "No." Was all she said.

Zelena nodded. "I would feel better if you waited in your room."

Regina glared at her sister. "I will be fine. I can take care of myself."

"Regina-"

"Zelena, go. It will be okay. Emma won't hurt me." She looked into the mermaid's eyes then. Emma stared back open and honestly.

"No. My human. Safe." Were Emma's words.

Zelena nodded. "We need to help her with her English." She muttered before standing up. "You two freaks don't be too weird until I get back." She announced before she slipped out of the room.

Regina shook her head and turned back to Emma. "So?"

"Home?" Emma asked hopefully.

"Oh." Regina breathed. She wasn't expecting that. "You want to go home?"

Emma nodded. "Need."

"You need to go home?" Regina asked.

"Dolphins, tell... family."

"Dolphins will tell your family about what happened?" Regina asked. "They'll think you died."

Emma nodded. "Leave."

"They'll leave?" Regina asked.

Emma nodded again. "I want... stay... with you."

Regina was understanding. Her family would move on if they thought she had died as if Emma was the only thing keeping them in Storybrooke. Perhaps she liked it and she was someone of importance. A ruler? A princess. She shook that thought off. She's not princess Ariel. This is real life. But most species have a dominant. Perhaps she was something like that. "Are you a leader?"

Emma nodded. "And mother."

"You and your mother are leaders?" Regina asked. "Is that why they stayed?"

Emma shook her head. "Never stay." She pointed to Regina. "Stay for you."

"You stayed for me?" Regina asked breathlessly. She didn't know what to make of that but she was flattered.

Emma nodded. "Yes."

"Why?"

Emma clamped her mouth shut and suddenly looked shy. Yes, shy. Regina's eyes widened. "Oh."

Emma still said nothing for a moment but then tried to change the subject again which Regina found adorable. "Home?" She asked again.

"You're free to go, Emma. I promise you aren't a prisoner here." Regina explained gently. "But can you do one thing for me?"

Emma straightened up, stared at her and nodded eagerly.

"Don't leave until the storm is over?" Regina practically begged.

"Storm?"

"Yeah, it's storming outside. It's big and dangerous. That's why we haven't returned you to the sea." She explained gently.

Emma fell silent. She didn't want Regina to get hurt while helping her. "Okay. I stay."

Regina smiled. "Great. I promise as soon as it clears up, we'll return you home."

"Okay." Was all Emma said as she began eating the apples again. Regina realized fairly quickly that Emma was content with her. This was a great thing because she wanted her to feel comfortable since they were going to be spending a few hours together.

They sat in silence for a moment. Regina just wanting her to eat and Emma enjoying the new food that her human had given her. This was an intense situation for both of them. Regina was pretty sure her life would never be the same after this. She finally felt that she was completely sane. Here was the proof.

Emma finished the apples and handed the bowl back to her. Regina looked into the empty bowl.

"Want more?" Regina asked. Emma shook her head. "Okay, if you change your mind, let me know."

Emma nodded.

"Alright. Do you like being called a mermaid?" Regina asked. She was unsure if she was being rude by referring to her as a mermaid. That was a name given to Emma's species by humans after all.

Emma shook her head. "Mermaid okay. No words..." She paused. "My l-lang..uage... no name."

"Can you teach me your language?" Regina was fascinated.

Emma smiled. "My words..." She trailed off and pressed her lips together as she thought. "Song. Whale? Bird?" She dipped her head to catch Regina's eyes. "Un...der...st...and?"

Regina nodded. "I believe I do. You sing to each other like whales and use similar sounds to dolphins?" Her mother told her that but she didn't mention that they could speak at all.

Emma's smile grew, her fangs becoming a bit more visible. "Yes."

"That's amazing." Regina was in complete awe of Emma. Regina scrambled closer to the bathtub and placed her hand on Emma's arm. "Can you sing for me?"

Emma shook her head. "You... fall... in... love."

Regina looked surprised for a moment then laughed. "Oh, really?"

Emma nodded and grinned, seemingly pleased that she had managed to amuse her human. "Yes." She then turned serious. "Sailors..." She shook her head. "They crash. Mermaid song."

"Oh right." Regina nodded. "So that's true? Mermaids crash ships like that?"

Emma nodded. "Bad mermaid. Clan is good."

Regina nodded. She bit her lip and tried to stop herself but she had to. She needed to know. "Do mermaids eat humans?"

Emma looked suddenly worried. She lowered her head and looked away. Regina had her answer but for some reason, she didn't feel like Emma was going to harm her. She felt completely safe with her though.

"Some," Emma answered. "Not all. Clan only fish and sea life. No..." She looked confused. "Live birth?"

"Mammals."

Emma nodded. "No eat those."

"Got it."

"So what do you do with humans?" Regina asked. "You said that I'm yours, right? What will you do with me?"

Emma looked startled by the question, then shy once again. "Nothing."

"Nothing, huh?" Regina wasn't buying it and she wanted to prod the mermaid more, just to have her curiosity satisfied. "So, you just have me... like a pretty shell?"

Emma quickly shook her head. "No... more. More."

"Like what then?" Regina knew that she shouldn't be pushing Emma since she was much larger than her and stronger, primal and those claws and fangs were not something that should be played with. She didn't seem bothered though.

"You special." Emma finally answered. She placed a hand on her chest. "To me."

Regina smiled. She was unsure why that made her cheeks heat up but it did. Also, she felt a flutter in her stomach. Those words meant more coming from Emma than anyone else in her life. "Why?" She breathed quietly.

Emma opened her mouth to answer but Regina heard her bedroom door open. She froze. "Zelena?!"

"Yo!" Her sister called back.

Regina rolled her eyes and Emma made a sound akin to a snicker. Regina turned to her and smiled wide. "All humans aren't like her."

"I know." Emma grinned.

Regina looked down, suddenly unable to meet Emma's eyes.

"Hey, you little jerks," Zelena said as she entered the bathroom dressed in her pajamas. Regina rolled her eyes again and Emma furrowed her brow. Zelena laughed. "Hey, baby sis, you can use my shower."

"I showered when I got home," Regina answered.

Zelena nodded. "Oh yeah. You want to change? I'll stay with her."

Regina nodded. "Yeah, I should." She stood and she caught Emma's hand twitch as if she was going to reach for her but then changed her mind. "I'll be right back. I'll be right out there."

Emma still looked nervous but she didn't protest. Regina gave her a smile before she left the room. As she stepped into her room, she heard Zelena talking to Emma.

"So..." said her sister. "'Sup?"

Regina snorted and headed over to her dresser.

Thanks for reading!