Chapter Three
How again had the Evil Queen found love? The answer hit Regina hard and she sat up straight, jouncing the chair. Zelena glanced over at her and gently tucked the errant hair back with her hand. Tinker Bell! Pixie dust had led Regina to her soulmate in an invisible stream of light. They wouldn't have to go looking for a soulmate, she could just instruct her sister to follow the pixie dust.
Regina was about to share the great news when she realized her sister didn't even know the beginning of what her plans were. She cleared her throat and Zelena looked over again. "I have a plan to get you a heart." When Zelena started to protest she held up a hand.
"It will be another way to use that second chance I offered." Silence. "During the previous year in the Enchanted Forest, Snow was forced to cast the Dark Curse in order to get us home. To do so one has to crush the heart of what they love most. In this case, her husband. However, they are both alive and well now because Snow asked me to split her heart. The power of True Love between them enabled me to give each half a heart and allow them both to live, happy as ever."
"Let me forestall you sis. As my second chance, which I still have not agreed to take, don't know where you got that idea, you want me to find True Love and convince my soulmate to split their heart with me? That's never, EVER, going to happen."
Regina leaned forward. "And why not?" Her sister snorted and began ticking off the reasons on her fingers. "Because I'm the Wicked Witch, because I hate everyone, because I don't have a heart, the list goes on and on. I'm also not that interested in tying myself to someone who will ultimately just become a way for other people to hurt me."
"Aww, you do care."
"Shut up."
"I am serious though. Had someone told me thirty years ago that I would find True Love in a forester I would have laughed my head off and responded similarly. 'But I'm the Evil Queen, but I hate everyone, but I have a broken heart.' We of all people should know crazy things are possible. I'm going to go get a friend of mine, Tinker Bell. She's a fairy and with her pixie dust we can find your soulmate instantly. If I can convince her to help. Meanwhile, you decide if you are willing to go through with this. I'll have your answer when I come back." Regina left the room with the echoing taps of her heels.
True love? A heart? Zelena's plan had always involved being loved, not loving, which True Love seemed to imply. The pixie dust probably wouldn't even work and she could wallow peacefully in her depression. Besides, what experience did she have with love? An abusive father, a decade of torment, abandonment, revenge. She wouldn't know how to love and would undoubtedly make a mistake. Oh great. Now she was actually considering it.
Footsteps came again down the hallway, two pairs of shoes this time. Regina reentered with another woman. She was a petit blonde wearing a black pencil skirt, long sleeved dark gray shirt, and a green scarf. Green, maybe that was a good omen.
With a wave of her hand Regina unlocked the cell door and gave her sister a look that half begged her to come out and half wanted to keep her imprisoned forever. Zelena chose the former and stepped slowly out, focusing her gaze on the blonde. The woman, Tinker Bell, Zelena remembered, turned to Regina and their eyes had an unspoken debate, erasing the last vestiges of uncertainty about the agreement.
Tink turned back to Zelena. "Ready?" She asked. Zelena rolled her eyes. "Let's get this failed mistake over with." Tink pulled out her wand and waved it over the witch, a puff of light green pixie dust following the motion. The stream swirled around Zelena then sank into the floor. The room was silent. Zelena threw up her hands in disgust and made to turn away. The look in her eyes broke Regina's heart. It was utterly hopeless, resigned to a fate worse than death but with the recognition of having experienced such darkness before.
Suddenly the bust rushed back out of the floor and whipped around the witch, sending her strawberry hair flying in every direction before rushing out of the station. The three women raced outside just in time to see the trail fly out of town, hit the town line with a smack, then push through like a needle into a balloon and fly onward out of sight.
"What does that mean?" Zelena questioned, her armor of cynicism already blocking out hope.
Regina spun to her sister, the very emotion shining in her eyes. "You have a soulmate. He just isn't in Storybrooke."
Author's note:
Hey I know I didn't put one of these on the last chapter and the only reason is, I forgot. Sorry. Anyway I hope the revelation about Zelena's heart didn't confuse too many people, if you have questions please PM me and I will be happy to explain it. Or ask in your review. Please let me know if the dialogue and characterization is accurate. I'm very insecure about it. Any formatting help is also appreciated. Thanks for checking out this story, R&R please.