Regina looked in confusion at the front door as the doorbell rang. Henry was upstairs doing homework, and Emma was at the station. Who in the world would be at the door?

She peeked through the peephole to see who was on the other side, and grew even more confused upon seeing a woman standing there. Regina didn't recognize her, so maybe she was just lost and looking for directions?

The doorbell rang again, so Regina opened the door. "May I help you?"

"You can," the woman said, walking towards Regina and pushing her way into the house. The woman reached behind her and closed the door to the house, continuing to walk towards Regina. Regina backed up farther and farther until her back hit a wall. She was cornered.

"What do you want?" Regina asked, her eyes wide. She felt her magic boiling inside of her, begging to be used to protect herself. But she wouldn't.

"Do you remember killing my fiancé?" the woman asked, staring at Regina with fury in her eyes. "We were just about to be married when you came in your carriage and told us that we were marrying on royal grounds. You crushed his heart right in front of all of us."

Regina gasped. "I remember you."

The woman smiled. "I'm so glad. I was afraid that I was going to have to do this without you knowing why you had to pay."

"Do what?" Regina asked.

"You'll see," the woman said. "I suppose I should introduce myself first. My name is Ada. Pleased to meet you."

"I wish I could say the same," Regina said drily. "Why are you procrastinating? Just kill me and be done with it."

"Who said I was going to kill you?" Ada asked. "I lost my True Love that day. It's only fitting that you lose yours in return."

"No," Regina gasped. "Leave Emma alone. She didn't do anything to deserve this."

"Neither did Byron!" Ada exclaimed, glaring at Regina with hatred. "He didn't do anything wrong, and you killed him because someone made you angry."

"I was a monster back then," Regina said. "I know all of the mistakes that I made, and I regret every single person that I killed. But I've moved past that. Can't you?"

"No," Ada said. "I can't."

The front door opened and closed, indicating that Emma had finally come home from work. "Right on time," Ada said. "I had to watch my fiancé get his heart ripped out right in front of me. Unfortunately, I don't have the magic you do. So I'll just have to make do."

"Regina?" Emma called. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" Regina called back, cursing the slight shake in her voice. Emma would detect it immediately.

"You don't sound fine," Emma said skeptically, walking towards Regina. Just as she came into view, Ada pounced and tackled Emma to the ground. She wrapped her arms around Emma's throat, squeezing tightly in hopes of knocking her out.

"Stop it!" Regina begged, the magic in her getting stronger. She forced it down and ran over, trying to pull Ada off of Emma. Emma was doing her best to kick Ada off, but she was hanging on for dear life.

Regina pulled harder and harder on Ada, but nothing happened. Ada was grounded, putting all her weight onto holding Emma down and choking her.

"I'm sorry," Regina said. She let her magic go, sending a shock through Ada and knocking her out. Her grip on Emma's neck loosened, allowing her to breathe. Regina pushed Ada away before poofing her to a cell in the station.

Emma gasped and coughed as air returned to her lungs. "That...was...scary," she gasped out.

Regina quickly dropped to Emma's side. "I'm so sorry. She attacked you because I killed her fiancé back on their wedding day. Something about killing my True Love because I killed hers."

"You had to kill her fiancé," Emma teased gently, rubbing her neck.

Regina winced. "I know, I'm an awful person."

"Hey," Emma said. "I was joking. I'm fine, really. I'll probably have some finger-shaped bruises to explain, but other than that I'm fine."

Regina reached out and lightly touched Emma's neck. "Are you sure you're fine?"

"Yes," Emma said, grabbing her hand and squeezing it lightly. "I promise. I'm just glad that Henry wasn't down here for this."

"So am I," Regina said. Several beats passed before she spoke again. "You didn't pass out, did you? If you did we should probably take you to see Whale and make sure everything is fine."

"Regina," Emma said gently, standing up and pulling Regina with her. "I didn't pass out, and I'm fine. Stop worrying about it."

"She could have killed you," Regina said, following after Emma as she led them upstairs.

"But she didn't," Emma pointed out. "Now come on, let's go tell our son to put away the books for the night and get some sleep."

Regina couldn't sleep. She kept glancing over at Emma, making sure that she was still breathing. She knew what choking felt like, both thanks to her mother and Mr. Hyde. It wasn't pleasant.

Emma stirred in her sleep before sighing in content and going back to sleep. The incident must not have scared her enough to cause nightmares.

Regina shook her head and pinched her arm as she felt her eyelids begin to droop. She had to stay awake and make sure that Emma kept breathing.

After several minutes, Regina's eyelids fell closed and she fell into an exhausted sleep. Even the most stubborn of queens needed their sleep.

Regina looked around in confusion. Why was she downstairs? She had just fallen asleep next to Emma upstairs. Shrugging, Regina left the living room and went to go back upstairs. But as she entered the hall, she stopped dead in her tracks and gasped.

Emma was lying in the middle of the floor, her eyes wide open and unseeing. Her mouth was slightly open, and her muscles were completely loose. But worst of all were the finger marks around her throat, which were turning a dark shade of purple and black.

"I'm so sorry," Regina sobbed. "I didn't make it in time to save you. This is all my fault. I'm so sorry." She collapsed onto Emma's body in a crying heap.

And then she heard Emma's voice, calling her name. How was that possible? She was dead!

But there was no mistaking Emma's voice. It was there, and it was loud. Regina wondered for a moment if she was going crazy, and was going to hear Emma's voice in her head for the rest of her life.

But if that was the case, why was the voice telling her to wake up? Was this a dream? It couldn't be! Everything was so real!

Regina reached out and delicately stroked Emma's face, and then suddenly the moment was gone.

Regina sat up with a gasp and immediately started shaking. Emma was wide-awake beside her, woken up by her tossing and crying. Those two together usually meant a nightmare. And a bad one.

"Are you okay?" Emma asked tentatively, reaching out to rub her hand up and down Regina's back.

Regina looked at her in surprise. "You're okay. No one choked you to death."

"No," Emma said. "No one killed me. You stopped her before she could."

"I did," Regina mumbled. "Are you sure?"

"Here," Emma said, reaching out and grabbing Regina's hand. She moved their hands to her chest, and let Regina feel her heart beating. "See? I'm still alive and breathing."

Regina nodded and focused on the feeling of Emma's heart under her palm. Emma slowly eased herself backwards, pulling Regina with her until they were both lying down, Regina's head on Emma's chest.

Regina relaxed as she felt the rise and fall of Emma's chest. As long as she was breathing she was alive. Comfort began to seep into Regina's bones, making her slowly drift to sleep…

"No!" Regina gasped, sitting up. "I can't go to sleep again."

Emma sat up and wrapped her arms around Regina. "You can."

Regina shook her head. "Every time I shut my eyes all I can see is Ada on top of you, slowly choking the life out of you. And I can't stop her, and you die. Right in front of me. Or you're already dead by the time that I get to you."

Emma hugged Regina tighter, making her feel safe. "Gina-"

"Why did I have to be such a monster?" Regina interrupted. "None of this would have happened if I would have just let them get married and be happy. I was so cruel and now look what I've done."

"Look at me," Emma commanded gently, forcing Regina's eyes to meet her own. "You need to calm down. Your heart is beating way too fast and I don't like it. Calm down."

Regina focused on her breathing and slowed down her heart. Emma smiled at her before lying down and opening her arms up to Regina. "Come here."

Regina shook her head. "I'm just going to get comfortable and fall asleep."

"Do you ever have nightmares when you're in my arms?" Emma challenged, raising an eyebrow.

"No," Regina mumbled.

"Then come here," Emma commanded gently, grabbing Regina's hand and pulling her down. Regina rested her head on Emma's chest again, focusing on the sound of Emma's heartbeat and breathing.

"Stop fighting it," Emma said as she watched Regina force her eyes open. "Go to sleep. I'm right here. Always will be."

Regina smiled at those last three words and fell asleep, sleeping soundly through the rest of the night.