Thank you so much for reading and reviewing and all the favorites. Enjoy this chapter :)

Also I already have most of this story planned so hopefully there won't be anything too similar in the new episodes. Wish I would have thought about the door scene though haha

Chapter 2 Fire And Ice

She was still here, asleep on the floor right outside her room. She didn't expect Emma to stay and now Regina was staring at the slumbering sheriff asleep with her back against the wall. The brokenness she had felt yesterday, the despair and hopelessness was all but gone from her face. Last night she just wanted to feel something, any kind of affection. That was why she kissed Emma and to be honest if Emma hadn't pulled away from her she knew it would have led to something more.

Now her face was a mask of calm. It was as if she never got dumped by her soulmate. It was as if Emma Swan hadn't just witness a breakdown she couldn't stop from happening… as if Regina hadn't kissed her.

No, she would pretend because that was all she could handle right now.

"You never left," she stated the moment those green eyes fluttered open. She looked up at Regina and that small smile that Emma gave her nearly made her give in. She almost pulled off that mask and let herself feel.

"No I didn't," Emma said as she stood and Regina suddenly became aware of the too silent hallway with only the two of them in it. The air started to get tense with the memories of last night and of a certain kiss.

"Um, about last night…"

"I assure you remember where the door is," Regina immediately cut her off, her voice sharp and cold and Emma just looked at her in confusion.

"What?"

"Are you deaf?"

Emma chuckled in disbelief. "I see what you're doing. You're pushing me away because of what happened last night. You're not getting rid of me that easily."

"And what makes you think I won't just magically throw you out?"

"As if that could really keep me away Regina. I meant it when I told you weren't alone anymore, that you had me. I'm not leaving you to go through this alone."

"It won't make up for what you took from me," her voice hostile and low and damn if Emma didn't feel just a bit uneasy for a moment.

"No, nothing ever will," Emma sighed in defeat and turned for the stairs, throwing Regina completely off guard. She followed her to the kitchen, a scowl etched on her face as Emma made herself comfortable. She made coffee and when it was done she just stared at the mug Emma held out to her, her arms crossed in front of her. When she didn't take it Emma rolled her eyes and set it on the counter.

"Why are you doing this?" Her question was direct, straight to the point. She wanted answers.

"Because believe it or not, people actually care about you."

"I don't need a babysitter. We both know that's the reason you're staying. To make sure I don't regress and blow up half the town."

"No, we both know you are not that person anymore. You are not the Evil Queen that I had seen in the past because that's exactly where she is, the past. You could push us away all you want and believe that there is some kind of sick twisted motive that you had come up with in your head but in the end we're your family and we don't give up on family."

Those words hung heavily in the air, their gazes locked as if challenging the other to look away. It wasn't until the sound of Emma's cell ringing was the intense moment put to an end. Emma looked away and Regina watched the worry flicker on her face as she talked to whoever was on the other line.

"What do you mean frozen?" Emma asked, setting her own hot mug of coffee on the counter beside Regina's untouched one. "David, you're not making any sense… ok I'm on my way."

Regina had insisted on going except she was too stubborn to ride in the yellow bug with Emma and drove ahead of her. When they got to the fields where the barn where Zelena made her time portal was, they could already see a small mob of people and David trying to keep everyone back. They got out of their cars and approached the scene.

They could already see it. The barn was frozen and a trail of ice led into the forest. People were shouting. They were panicked and when they noticed Regina approaching the accusations were cruelly thrown at her.

"It was the Queen!"

"She did this! This is some kind of evil plan!"

"We oughta lock her up!"

They moved towards her and Emma roughly pushed her behind she and David except Regina could take care of herself and with a snarl, she pushed past Emma so that they were standing side by side.

"Everybody calm down!" David shouted through the angry yelling of the mob. "This wasn't Regina!"

"And what proof do you have!" A man had pushed his way to the front of the crowd. He looked to be in his early forties with dark hair and stubble on his chin. His blue eyes were cold as they locked with David, challenging him to prove him wrong.

"She was with me!" Emma shouted and the man turned to her before glaring at the Queen who stood beside her. "Now stand back."

The man laughed, almost insanely and then before anyone could react he pushed past Emma and had his hands wrapped around Regina's throat. Rage surged through her and Emma saw red as she threw herself at the man. The crowd became dangerously rowdy and David held them back with one eye on Regina and the other scanning the crowd for any more threats.

"Let go of her you son of a bitch!" Emma yelled but she couldn't loosen his grip and Regina… God she was turning a deep red as she gasped for air, her hands clawing at his.

She didn't have a choice. She reached for her service gun and pointed.

"Hey! I said let her go!" The man froze and that one second was all Regina needed to pry his fingers from her bruising neck and throw him to the floor. If she were to look back at this moment, she'd know that she had lost control. Her eyes were flashing and she held all the poise of the Evil Queen she once was. With fire in her hand she advanced on him and he scrambled back from her like a coward.

"How dare you put your hands on me!" she snapped and then something held her back. Something or someone made her stop from throwing that fireball in between those cowardly blue eyes.

"Regina don't," Emma said softly so close to her ear and Regina realized the hand on her arm, grounding her from losing herself completely. "He isn't worth it."

The fireball went out.

"How long until you keep protecting her?" he asked, his voice trembling with anger as he glared up at Emma. "How long does she get to live after everything she's done to us! She's an evil witch that deserves to be put to death for her sins!" Emma had just about enough. She knelt down and grabbed the collar of his shirt. She got in his face and her eyes blazed furiously.

"She's changed and if you kill her you won't be any better to what she once was. Come after her again and I won't stop her from toasting you."

"We'll see," he sneered and Emma threw him back to the ground. He stood and with the crowd, he dispersed. When it was quiet again except for a few people mingling about, Emma looked at Regina's neck. There were red welts in the shape of fingers and some of them were already starting to bruise.

"You ok?"

"I'm fine," she answered, her tone clipped as she headed towards the frozen barn. She and David exchanged glances before following her, guns drawn. The whole inside of the barn was covered in ice and snow and they looked around for anything that might give them a clue as to what happened.

"At least get it check out in the ER," Emma said, kicking at the snow covered lines of the portal.

"I was strangled, ok? I went through a clock tower, I'm sure I can handle some bruises," she sniped with a roll of her eyes and Emma swore that was where Henry got some of his attitude from in those rare moments he was being fresh.

"Hey, I found something," David spoke up. He was kneeling on the floor, his fingers brushing at pieces of glass. "Looks like whatever this was came out of this bottle and smashed it."

"It must've been a prison," Regina said, waving her hand and David stood as the pieces reconnected and Emma right away recognized the bottle.

Hook had been holding it in Rumple's vault before they had gone through the portal. She grabbed the bottle, studying it as recognition settled on her expression.

"I know where this came from. Before I opened the portal to get home this was in Rumple's vault."

"Which means that whatever or whoever was inside escaped," David concluded with a sigh because really when were they going to catch a break.

"We need to follow the trail," Regina said and Emma looked at her in disbelief.

"You don't know what we're up against here. This bottle was locked up for a reason."

"Fine, I'll compromise," she said sarcastically, her lips forming into smug smile. "You and David go talk to Gold and I'll follow the ice trail."

"Do you have some kind of death wish?" Emma exclaimed in frustration. She didn't like the idea of Regina going alone. She was terrified that she would get hurt. Anything could happen and they had no idea if this thing was even human.

"I can take care of myself. I don't need you holding my hand while you play savior." Those words stung and Emma bit her tongue to keep from lashing out. She didn't want this to turn into a full blown argument. She didn't want to risk hurting Regina even more. She's done enough.

"Fine, David and Mary Margaret can talk to Gold while we follow the ice trail."

There was disagreement from both parties but Emma was stubborn and in the end Regina found herself bitterly trekking through the half frozen grass and dirt that led into the forest.

"How's your neck?" Emma asked, breaking the heavy silence between them.

"Do you really care or are you just trying to make small talk. Either way I don't particularly care. Our focus is to find this creature." She sounded detached and that was the point. Regina had let Emma get too close. She let Robin get close and she got hurt. Her walls were back up and no one was getting through them.

"Henry's worried."

She almost caved. She almost tore off the icy shell from her heart at the mention of her son but then she stopped. The only way she would tear them down if Henry was actually beside her.

"Well I am his mother. I know it shocks you."

"Ok, fine! You're angry at me, I get it!" Emma yelled, stopping in her tracks and Regina turned to face her. By this point they had gone further into the woods and were now walking on actual snow.

"No, you don't get it!" Regina snapped suddenly, advancing on Emma until they were face to face. "You tore away my soulmate. I lost my true love so what else is there? There's nothing left for me and you managed to turn my second chance against me. He sees me as a monster. Who would love an Evil Queen? Who would love someone whose heart is as dark as night... who killed thousands in the name of revenge? Certainly not Robin and certainty not anyone that I would ever meet."

She felt the vibration before Regina did and from the feel of it she could tell it was approaching Regina from behind.

"Regina, keep your voice down," she tried quieting her but that only seemed to set the Queen off even more. That was when it came into view. It was a monster… Made of snow?

Emma didn't have the time to be shocked because it had advanced on them in two big steps and when Regina turned it roared so loud, their hair was pushed back in the wind it had caused. When it pulled away from their faces, Emma raised her gun and fired but it only seemed to make it angry. The bullets went right through, having no effect on the beast.

It raised its giant arm and before it could knock them over, white and purple beams shot out from Regina's hands. She was holding it off with magic and she wasn't sure how long she could hold it. He was strong and she shouted at Emma to run.

"I'm not leaving you!" she shouted back.

"You have to!" Regina cried, her energy quickly waning. "I could take care of myself. Go now!"

Emma hesitated, she couldn't just leave her. "Regina please."

"Run, get its attention. We'll go with plan B."

"You had a plan A? And wait a minute; you're using me as bait!"

"You had the chance to save yourself, now do as I say!" Regina yelled, the magic draining from her quickly and before Emma knew it Regina poofed behind it. She smirked and Emma practically growled at her as she took off running.

She could feel it gaining on her, its roar was loud as thunder and the ground shook as it ran. It was fast and before she knew it she was falling. She rolled on to her back and just as it was about to scoop her up it froze. She could see sparks and flames of fire behind it and then before she knew what was happening, it exploded. Snow was falling all around her and infront of her was Regina.

Maybe it was the shock of the snow monster or the guilt for hurting Regna but in that moment time just seemed to stand still. Regina looked so beautiful to her in this moment with snow falling all around her as she looked up at the sky, a genuine grin on her face.

"We did it," Regina said, her voice shaking Emma from her trance. She held out her hand and pulled Emma to her feet. They were so close, their hands touching but then Regina stepped away and Emma immediately missed the warmth of her hand.

"Yeah, even if you almost me got me killed," she grumbled because after all, Regina did use her as bait.

"I needed it distracted long enough to create a fireball that size, besides you're fine."

"You used me as bait!" Emma cried out in disbelief.

"Well it worked didn't?" Regina snapped.

"Fine whatever, do you think that's what came out of the bottle?"

"No," Regina said darkly, her gaze fixed on the snow below, the scattered remains blending in with the snowy ground. "It was too easy to kill otherwise Gold wouldn't have kept it in his vault."

"So there's something else out there?" Emma asked and Regina met her gaze.

"We haven't met its creator," Regina said, her voice leveled even as the fear crept up her spine. "And I have a feeling it won't be as easy to kill."