Chapter 12 The Box

The judge that had been assigned to Khan's trial showed absolutely no mercy for the man that had terrorized not only Regina and Emma, but also Ruby and Granny. They were sentenced to spend their days in the hospital's underground psych ward. Lately it had become a prison for defeated villains. The trial had come as quick as it ended. Taking only about three weeks for it all to be completely over. Since then, the town had calmed down with the vicious mobs and violence towards Regina. Khan had been an example. If anything like Khan's attack were to happen again and not only to Regina, than surely there would be consequences and the judge had made sure to point that out.

Meanwhile, Regina's stalker had yet to make a move since cutting out the fisherman's heart. He's been quiet and that worried Emma more than anything.

Regina's bruises were healed. Her bruised ribs were a little sore and almost completely healed. The only thing that was left was her dislocated shoulder. It was still in a sling and would take a few more weeks for it to be completely healed.

Emma was awakened by the sound of Regina shuffling around upstairs. She was on the sofa bed with Henry. She grabbed her phone from the floor and her eyes widened at the time. She got up, grumbling the whole way and once she made it up to the bedroom she found Regina attempting to get dressed with her one good arm.

"Regina, it's three in the morning. What are you doing?"

"I have to burn it," she replied, struggling on getting her boots on.

"Burn what?"

"The box!" Regina exclaimed, focused on finding her jacket and slipping it on. Emma stood in the doorway, watching her for a moment before approaching her and gently grabbing her wrists in order to stop her frantic movements.

"It's three in the morning and you're not making sense."

Regina huffed in annoyance, brown eyes meeting green. "Emma, this is something I have to do."

"What are you talking about?" Emma asked, looking for answers that explained Regina being up at this hour and determined to burn some kind of box. The franticness in Regina's eyes soften and she relaxed into Emma's soft grip.

"Come with me and I'll show you."

So she allowed Regina to take her hand and when the last remnants of purple fog cleared the air, her eyes widen at their new location.

"Regina, it's not safe here!" she exclaimed, keeping her voice down to a harsh whisper. She held Regina's hand tighter, not daring to let the other woman out of her sight.

"We haven't been here in weeks. I doubt he knows we're here."

"Regina," Emma urged her to see reason. Being back at the mansion wasn't safe when a crazy person had managed to get in unnoticed. "We don't know that. He could be tailing us for all we know."

"We poofed from your bedroom. If he was watching us back at the loft I doubt he knows where we disappeared to. We have time before he figures out we came back here."

"Fine," she sighed, giving in but clearly not happy about this. "Do what you have to do and then we're going back home."

The remark, "I am home" died on Regina's lips because this place hardly felt like home anymore. The loft did and maybe that was because she was with Emma. She shook her head at the weird intrusion of thoughts.

"Follow me," she said, pulling Emma's hand and leading her to a hall closet. She let go of Emma's hand and opened the door. Because of her injured shoulder, she stepped back, giving Emma a clear look at the box she had stashed away weeks ago.

"Can you bring that into my study?"

Emma shot her a questioning look but grabbed the box anyway. She carried it into the study with Regina at her heels. At Regina's instruction she placed it front of the fireplace.

"What's inside?" she asked, sitting cross legged on the floor by the box as Regina lit the fireplace.

She didn't answer at first. Her focus was on the fire and when it was to her standard, she sat on the floor beside Emma with the box between them. She opened it up and she could feel Emma's worried gaze on her.

"Robin's things," she finally answered, her voice barely above a whisper. She pulled out the red scarf and held it close, inhaling the scent that had used to comfort her. Now it made her feel sick and she brought it down to her lap and looked at Emma.

"The confrontation I had with Robin a few weeks back, it made me realize things. I don't need him to be happy. It wasn't meant to be because I had thrown it away years ago and I could never truly get that chance back. I had wanted to get rid of his things the night he left but I couldn't do it because a small part of me believed he would come back. That he'll regret choosing Marian and come back to me and when he did, well I realized it wasn't what I wanted. Maybe you're right Emma. Maybe there is someone out there for me, but until then I think I'm in a better place to finally bring myself to burn this box."

"Why not just give it back to him?" Emma asked, grinning at the fact that Regina has to add some kind of dramatic flair to this.

"Where's the fun in that?" Regina asked, giving Emma a rare smile that only Henry ever got to see. Full of affection, full of love and Emma couldn't understand why she would smile at her like that. Unless…

No, she thought to herself. They were just friends. Regina didn't have any feelings towards her and neither did she. At least she didn't think she did.

"No you're right," Emma said, tearing her gaze from those brown eyes she seemed to be getting lost in. She reached into the box and pulled out a t shirt. "Want me to help?"

Regina smiled and it was all the answer Emma needed. She threw in a few items and then when they were only left with an empty box and a roaring fireplace, Regina picked up the red scarf that she had cherished at one point.

She looked at it and with a glance at Emma, she finally threw it in and watched as the flames licked the red material until it was nothing more than ash and soot.

Emma pushed the box away and reached out, taking Regina's hand.

"I know it's hard for you to believe, but I really do think there's still a chance for you. There's someone out there for you and who knows, maybe you've already met them."

Regina scoffed in disbelief.

"I'm serious," Emma told her and Regina hadn't realized how close they were until now. Emma reached out, cupping her cheek in her palm and Regina leaned into the warm contact. Their eyes met and Regina could feel her heart pounding in her chest.

"So optimistic… Just like your charming parents…" she whispered and then Emma was suddenly leaning in and Regina froze for a moment when those lips crashed into hers. She melted into the kiss, unable to keep the soft moan from escaping. Emma was warm. She was gentle, loving, everything Regina needed. She needed her and it was in this moment that she had finally realized it.

When they finally pulled away, lips swollen and chests heaving for air, they looked at each other in a whole different light. It was as if Regina was seeing her for the first time.

"I've been wanting to do that for a while now…" Emma was suddenly blushing, her eyes looking at every point in the room but her. Regina smiled, unable to help but think how adorable Emma was when she was flustered.

She reached out, tilting Emma's chin so that the blonde would look at her.

"Perhaps you're right," she admitted softly. "Perhaps I have met them already."

"Really?" Emma smiled, her eyes lighting up and Regina affectionately rolled her eyes at the younger woman's gushing state.

"How long?" Regina asked.

"It could've been the first time I saw you," Emma finally got a handle on her frazzled senses. "But really, I didn't let myself feel for you until now. After everything between us, I guess I just held myself back."

"Why?"

"Because I was afraid I couldn't be the person you need. I wasn't good enough, growing up in the foster system. I've been rejected my whole life, and I was afraid to open myself up to you to the point where I couldn't even admit my feelings for you."

"Your feelings?" Regina whispered in wonder as if she couldn't quite believe someone cared for her. Emma took her hand, holding it in her hers and brushing her lips against Regina's knuckles. She looked up at her and Regina was watching with teary dark eyes.

"Yes, my feelings," she reinforced her words because Regina was like her in so many ways. She didn't think she was ever good enough to love.

"Emma," Regina shook her head, pulling her hand away and Emma could see her retreating into herself. "I'm not… You don't know my past."

"I know enough."

"I was cruel."

"We all have a past," Emma told her. "And at one point even I was cruel. I know enough and it doesn't change the way I feel. All that matters is if you feel the same."

Regina could only stare at her with tear stricken eyes. Eyes full of wonder. How could Emma care for someone like her. How could she have feelings for the woman who had hurt so many? But in this moment, none of that mattered. In this moment all she could think about was the beautiful woman beside her. They had been enemies and then friends and now… now Emma wanted more and Regina couldn't keep herself from leaning in and returning the kiss. Emma pulled her closer and Regina could feel her fingers combing through her hair.

It was all the answer Emma needed and she smiled, beaming and laughing when Regina kissed the corner of her mouth.

"I'm guessing you do, huh?" she asked, resting her forehead against Regina's. The other woman only smiled at her, her eyes lighting up and Emma had only seen her this genuinely happy when she was with Henry.

Before Regina could respond, footsteps sounded above them and they abruptly pulled away. They looked up at the ceiling.

"Someone's up there," Emma whispered.

"He's up there." Regina's tone was suddenly cold and Emma tore her gaze from the ceiling to see the previous warmness from Regina's eyes replaced by dark fury. She wanted revenge on the man who had been terrorizing her these past weeks. Regina stood and Emma stood up too, quickly grabbing her arm before she could rush up there.

"Wait, Regina we need a plan."

"Fine," she growled. "We find him and I'll burn his face off." As if to prove her point, she flicked her wrist and a fireball appeared in her palm. Her brown eyes flashed purple and Emma could feel the fury radiating from the former Evil Queen in waves.

"This is too easy. Why taunt us these past weeks and then just let us catch him here?" Emma asked, shaking her head in disbelief. Her gut was telling her this wasn't right. It had to be some kind of trap. "I don't like it."

"I want him to suffer," Regina was practically getting lost in her fury. She wasn't thinking clearly, letting her desire to punish this culprit cloud her judgement. "I want him to pay for what he did to me!"

"I know, ok?" Emma tried calming her. "I know you do. I want to make him pay too, but we can't be stupid. We can't just go up there blazing and hoping for the best. It could be a trap and if we fall in it, then he wins. Is that what you want?"

Regina stared her down and god she hadn't looked at her like that since that first year they met and hated each other's guts. Emma held her ground though until Regina finally looked away, her gaze softening. She took a breath of relief as she started to recognize the Regina she had fallen in love with.

Regina let go of the strong impulse to storm in and kill, the darkness that she was easily being swayed into and let Emma pull her back. She trusted her enough to put out the ball of fire.

"What do you suggest dear?"

"We can't let him get away. Could you put up a shield around the house that would keep him from escaping?"

"And then what?" Regina asked as she closed her eyes and concentrated on the spell.

"I'll confront him first," Emma explained and Regina heard the click of the safety. Emma had pulled out her gun. She hadn't even noticed it on her belt. "You poof in behind him, armed with your fireballs. We'll force him to cooperate and surrender himself into custody or he could make it difficult and fight us."

"That's a terrible plan."

"It's all I've got on such short notice," Emma shrugged sheepishly. Regina didn't answer. Her eyes were still closed and Emma guessed she was deep into constructing the spell around the mansion. It was only a minute later did she finally open her eyes.

"It's done."

Emma quietly stalked down the hall, searching the rooms with her gun out in front of her. Regina was lingering by magic. She had no idea how that even worked. She just knew that Regina was watching her somehow.

When she finally approached Regina's bedroom, the room above the study where they had heard the footsteps, she could feel her heart beating in her chest out of fear. She was terrified but she kept herself calm. If she wanted to catch this guy and put an end to all of this, then she couldn't screw this up.

She opened the door and to her surprise it was empty. She looked in the closet, the bathroom, and underneath the bed until her eyes landed on the open window.

"He's gone," she said, looking down into the yard.

"He must have escaped before I put up the spell," Regina replied in frustration as she poofed in beside Emma. She turned, pulling her head back in and looking at Regina. She can see the anxiety in those brown eyes

"Come on, let's get out of here," she held out her hand for Regina to take but the brunette only shook her head in disbelief.

"When does this stop?" she asked, her voice shaking and Emma couldn't tell if it was out of anger or fear.

"Soon," Emma told her softly, taking her hand herself and urging her to poof them back home. "But right now we need to get out of here."

Regina must have heard the urgency in her voice. Emma was really freaking out that this guy was close to them and still managed to escape unseen. Purple smoke surrounded them and in less than a second they were standing in Emma's bedroom.

"We're practically sitting ducks!" Regina snapped, pulling away from Emma and pacing the small room.

"Hey, he's not to going win," Emma reminded her, trying to calm her before she completely closed herself off from her.

"He's one step ahead of us, Emma." Regina quit her pacing and rounded on the other woman. She was angry that this guy got away. She was frustrated that such a tender moment between the two of them had been interrupted and all she felt instead of the tingling warmness from before was anger and fear and frustration all mixed into one dangerous storm of emotions. "He could strike and we won't even see it coming! Why didn't you just let me poof up there and kill him!"

"You and I both know that was a stupid plan!" Emma shouted back. "You've worked too hard to redeem yourself and I'm not about to let you ruin it over some sick fuck!"

"This isn't about my redemption. This is about life and death Emma. If we don't take the right action, he wins."

"Killing is the right action here?"

"No," Regina replied, lowering her voice and visibly trying to calm herself. "But if that's what it comes to then so be it."

"You're not wrong," Emma said with a defeated sigh. "I just don't want you going down that path again."

"I know," Regina whispered and the anger she had been feeling suddenly faded and turned into a bone deep exhaustion. She just wanted to sleep. Even if her stalker was somehow watching them he couldn't get in. She had placed a protection spell around the house when all of this started. At least here, she could sleep. She could feel safe. She took Emma's hand in silence and pulled her towards the bed. Emma got the hint and soon enough they were under the covers, the savior holding the former Evil Queen in her arms.

When Regina had fallen asleep, Emma pressed her lips to dark hair. Breathing in her scent and feeling her heart fill with newfound love for the woman she had been through so much with. She wouldn't dare let anything happen to her. Even if killing this stalker was the only way, she would do it even if it meant protecting the woman she loves.