Emma looked around the white space that she was in. Why was she here? What was going on? Where were Regina and Henry?
"Well look who finally showed up," the Evil Queen taunted as she came into view. "So nice to see you, Savior."
"What do you want?" Emma asked.
"For you to make a choice," the Evil Queen said. "How badly do you really want to get rid of me? Enough to kill your wife?"
"No," Emma said. "I could never hurt Regina."
The Evil Queen chuckled. "Don't be so sure. What if your son was threatened?"
"Leave Henry alone," Emma growled.
"Oh I'm not going to do anything to him," the Evil Queen said. She waved her hand, bringing Henry and Regina into the scene. Emma went to run to them, but found that her feet were stuck to the ground.
"You won't be moving anywhere," the Evil Queen said, chuckling. "Here's how this is going to work. I know that in your heart you love one of these two more than the other. You know it too. So, on the count of three, you're going to say the name of the person who I'm going to rip the heart out of."
"But if you rip out Regina's heart, you die too," Emma said.
The Evil Queen smiled. "Guess we're about to find out if you'd rather get rid of me or save your wife."
Emma's heart began to race. How in the world would she be able to choose? The temptation to get rid of the Evil Queen was so strong, but then she would lose Regina. But wouldn't doing that save not only Henry, but also the whole town?
"One," the Evil Queen said.
"Wait, I need more time to decide," Emma pleaded.
"Welcome to life," the Evil Queen taunted. "Savior."
"You're asking me to choose between my wife and son," Emma said. "Why do you think I can just make this decisions on the fly?"
"Two," the Evil Queen said. "Better make up your mind fast."
Emma looked back and forth between Regina and Henry. They looked blank-faced, but both of their eyes looked into Emma's soul. She couldn't choose between them.
"Time's up," the Evil Queen said. "Three. Make your choice."
Emma's eyes began to tear up. She didn't know what to do. "I can't make this choice. I can't."
"You're weak," the Evil Queen hissed. "And as much as I would like to live, I guess I can leave a legacy behind of being the one to finally break the Savior." Before Emma could say anything, the Evil Queen reached forward and ripped out Regina's heart.
"Please don't do this," Emma pleaded. "She just wanted to be a better person. She set you free."
"Her mistake," the Evil Queen said. Without blinking an eye, she crushed Regina's heart, and they both fell to the floor.
"No!" Emma screamed, sitting bolt upright. Regina jolted awake, her magic instantly putting a barrier around the room for protection.
Emma looked around the room in a panic. She had to get out of here. The Evil Queen could be lurking around, waiting to strike. Emma had to get away from Regina and Henry before she took them and made her choose.
Regina flicked her wrist, turning on all of the lights in the room at a low setting. She looked over at Emma and almost gasped. Her hair was crazy, her green eyes were misty with tears, her cheeks were stained with tear tracks, and her body was covered in sweat.
"Hey," Regina said softly. "Emma. Look at me."
"I'm fine," Emma said, taking deep breaths and calming down her breathing. "Just one of the usual ones."
Regina took down the barrier around the room before sitting up to be at the same level as Emma. "That was not one of your usual ones. Your usual ones just leave you a little panicked. You just screamed."
"I'm fine," Emma repeated. "I think I'm going to shower since I'm all sweaty now. I'll be back."
Regina nodded and lay back down. Emma got out of bed and went to the bathroom, shutting the door gently behind her before taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. She reached over and turned on the water before poofing new clothes onto herself and getting rid of the sweat covering her body.
"Thank goodness for magic," Emma whispered. She left the water running before poofing herself out of the bathroom and to the driveway. Not wanting to alert Regina to her escape, Emma put her bug in neutral before letting it roll out of the driveway and onto the street. She turned it, and then began to push it down the street.
"Did you really think I would fall for the shower trick?" Regina asked, stepping out from the shadows. She had even made an effort to dress in her usual clothes instead of her pajamas.
"Maybe," Emma mumbled.
Regina rolled her eyes. "Push the car back into the driveway. I don't know why you're leaving."
"I have my reasons," Emma said. "And now that you're aware as to what I'm doing, I can just drive."
"Does this have something to do with the nightmare you had?" Regina asked. "Is that why you're suddenly deciding to leave?"
"I need to keep you and Henry safe," Emma said.
"That's not a very descriptive answer," Regina said. She studied Emma closely, making Emma squirm slightly under her gaze. "Why are your walls up? They're never up with me."
"The less you know, the better," Emma said. "I need to go."
"Why?" Regina asked. "What could possibly happen to Henry and I that has you thinking that you need to leave to protect us?"
Emma bit her lip. "I can't tell you."
"Emma, you let your walls come down a long time ago with me," Regina said. "Just because you think you're protecting me doesn't mean you are. Especially when protecting me is hurting you."
"I'm fine," Emma said.
"You're also a liar," Regina countered. "I don't need a superpower to see that."
Emma crossed her arms. "I don't know why you're so determined to figure out what's going on. Just let it go. Let me protect you."
"If I let you go right now, you would carry the weight of the world on your shoulders without anyone to help you," Regina said softly.
Emma looked down at her feet. "That's-"
"Don't you dare say that's not true," Regina interrupted. "Because we both know it is."
"Fine, you're right," Emma said. "But that doesn't mean that I have to tell you why I'm leaving. I can't tell you. You're just going to have to trust me."
"And you're going to have to trust me when I say that I can't let you leave," Regina said. "You have to tell me what's going on, please. Let me help you."
"I can't tell you," Emma said.
"Why?" Regina demanded.
"Because she's going to come after you!" Emma said. She quickly clapped a hand over her mouth, not wanting to let anything else slip.
"She?" Regina asked.
Emma shook her head and went to get in her bug, but Regina magically glued her feet to the ground. "No running. Please."
"She's going to get you and Henry and make me choose which of you to kill," Emma whispered. "I can't make that choice again."
"Again?" Regina asked. Her eyes widened as she put the pieces together. "Your nightmare."
Emma nodded. "I had to choose which of you to kill and when I wouldn't kill either of you she killed you herself."
"But then didn't she die?" Regina asked.
"She said it was worth the price," Emma said. "I have to go. I need to stay away from you and Henry so she can't get to you and create in real life what my dream was like."
Regina stepped forward and grabbed Emma's hands, still not letting the magic on Emma's feet go. "You do not have to go anywhere and do not have to do this alone. I would rather die than be separated from you out of fear."
Emma shook her head. "I can't let you die, and that's why I'm afraid. I could be the cause of your death."
"It was a dream," Regina said gently. "That doesn't mean that it's going to happen. And if it does happen, that doesn't mean that it's going to happen like it did in that dream."
"I don't want the dream to happen at all which is why I'm leaving," Emma said strongly.
Regina sighed. "You are so stubborn."
"So does that mean that you'll let go of the magic on my feet and let me leave?" Emma asked.
Regina flicked her wrist, knocking Emma out. She caught her before poofing them back inside the house and returning the bug to the driveway. "Not at all," she said, setting Emma down on their bed. "You're going to hate me for awhile when you wake up, but you're just going to have to trust me."
This was getting too long, so I decided to break it up. See you tomorrow!