As promised, this one is a little longer. Enjoy!

Chapter 7

Going Back and Pushing Forward

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Regina woke up wondering how she could have fallen asleep at all. Like her life wasn't enough of a mess already. She knew why she had kissed Emma the night before. She had seen an opening, a way to take control, and she had rushed into it like the demon she was. She had done the same think with Graham. Dealing with her frustration physically helped her seeing things more clearly.

That innocent kiss had chased away the fog but what she had found beyond it wasn't very reassuring. She wasn't left with a feeling of satisfaction, of control, but just with a need for more.

Regina closed her eyes and rolled on her back. She unleashed her mind, letting it wonder off wherever it wanted to go. She saw Henry, Snow, her mother, Robin, little Roland, and Emma standing next to the fire place. Her hair had looked almost red by the light of the flames, and her skin had shone golden. She let the memory of the kiss play out before opening her eyes again.

It had felt nice, and simple, and Regina decided not to regret the gesture. However she knew it didn't mean much. Both of them were in deep dark places, Emma having to accept her magic, and Regina having to wake up from a dream of impossible happiness. They had both seeked comfort and acceptance, finding it in the one person that didn't have much interest in expecting anything of the other.

Regina opened her eyes and rolled out of bed. Henry would be waking up soon to go to school. The last day of the week was always the hardest for him, and the brunette would probably have to shake him out of bed. Last day of the week. Tomorrow Emma would be gone. Regina would be relieved but she would also find herself alone again.

"Shouldn't we wake up Emma?" Henry asked later as they were both leaving the house.

"Let her sleep. Magic is exhausting, especially when you don't control it well like she does."

"So... How do you know you have magic? Is there like an age, or a test, or do you wake up floating above your bed?"

Regina opened the car door and stopped to look at her son.

"It's something your born with and often manifest itself chaotically when your young. For Emma it was different, as she grew it in a world without magic."

Henry didn't answer anything but Regina saw his face fall a little.

"Henry, you do not need magic. You're special already. You have the heart of the truest believer."

"Yea but. I can't save people with that, or solve problems. I can't use magic. I'm not a prince, not really. I don't know how to sword fight or even ride a horse."

"You're right."

That startled the boy. He looked up at her with big confused eyes.

"I didn't raise you to be a prince because I wanted you to be whatever you wanted. But if that's what you want, I can teach you."

"How...?"

"I could teach you to horse ride. And sword fight."

"Really?! You know how to sword fight?"

"Yes I do. But you need to understand that none of this makes a prince, or a hero. This does."

Regina pointed at his heart and Henry gave her a half convinced smile. Of course, he was a twelve year old boy. Sword fight and horses seemed a lot more attractive than the power of faith or love. Teaching him would give then a excuse to see each other more, a lot more, and it couldn't be time wasted as their lives were constantly in danger.

"So, when do we start? Could we start now?"

"No, young man," Regina answered, pushing him in the car. "You got your way last night but you are going to school."

Hours later, Regina was walking to her vault, purposefully arriving a little late. She didn't want to be alone in there, knowing that Robin had the nasty habit of breaking in. Fortunately, Emma was already down there, sitting on the floor with her legs crossed. She had a book on her lap and was starring at it intensely, apparently trying to make sense of the runes. The forehead was wrinkled by three lines, making her look a lot like Henry.

Regina stayed out of sight for a moment, enjoying the view and trying to sort through her feelings. She had been lying to herself. This wasn't just physical attraction. She like Emma when she didn't look good. She liked her when they disagreed. She liked her when she made mistakes or infuriated her.

That was it. She just like that woman for who she was and what she made her feel. She wasn't alone when the blonde was around. She didn't feel like an outcast. Actually no. She did feel like an outcast, but that was OK. They were both outcasts.

"Managing?" she finally said, walking in.

Emma looked up.

"No. But my teacher was late so I had to start all on my own."

"You're going to make me cry."

Regina was teasing. She was genuinely relived that nothing had changed between them. She didn't know what Emma felt for her and it didn't really matter. Nothing would happen. This was another illusion. But a least it was a nice one.

The lesson went well. Emma learning fast and Regina enjoying playing teacher. After four hours, Regina saw the tickles in Emma's eyes and put down the wooden horse in her hand.

"I think that's enough. You're reaching your limits."

"No I'm not. I've done more yesterday."

"Your eyes are turning red, Emma. I'm not here to break you. Let's just stop."

"I... One more ok? What's the horse for?"

"I wanted you to try an enchantment. Are you sure you want to do this now?"

"Yea! No problem."

Emma sounded strange. Something was up but Regina couldn't put her finger on what I was. Was the blonde trying this hard because she wanted to get better at magic or because she didn't want out of that vault? Regina didn't mind, she didn't want out of the vault either. There were so many problems out there that just stopped existing down here.

"Here. Try to trace that on the floor."

"Seriously? Is this a magic class or a drawing lesson?"

Regina just starred at her. If Emma didn't want to do it, she had missed her chance. The blonde sighed and knelled down, a chalk in her hand. Regina sat, holding the book open for her.

"So... thanks for the keys this morning. I was exhausted. Woke up at eleven."

Regina didn't answer, not wanting to distract Emma from the circles and lines she was tracing on the stones at her feet.

"Did you go to Geppetto's shop?"

"I did," the brunette answered, giving up on silence as Emma was so eager to make conversation. "But neither him or the boy could be of any help. Geppetto just pointed that the book wasn't made by hand, it had been put together by magic."

"Yea. We kind of already suspected that."

Another silence but this one was awkward. She felt like Emma wanted to say something be didn't dare.

"Go ahead. I won't burn you alive."

Emma looked up, startled for a second. Then she broke eye contact, a small smile on her lips.

"It's not that. I don't think you're going to try to kill me. It's just... I told Hook... about last night."

Regina's face dropped. Of all the things she had expected, that was the last on her list.

"I didn't tell him it was with you. I just... I didn't want to lie. It felt wrong. To lie I mean."

Emma was stumbling on words, not making much sense. Regina sighed. Of course she couldn't just pretend that nothing happened. And in a way Emma's words were comforting. Robin had cheated on his wife, that was the wrong thing to do and she didn't deny her responsibility in that. But Emma couldn't even lie about on of the chastest kiss she had ever given. That was what good people did. People you can trust.

"What did he say?"

Emma tensed and Regina thought that maybe that was not something she should have asked.

"He didn't took it well. At all. And we had a fight. A bad one. And I broke up..."

"What...?"

Regina felt her heart sink in her chest. Had she really done that? Had she broken everything again? The simplest touch and all she cared about just burst into flames once more. Henry liked Hook. Emma liked him. Even Snow and Charming had accepted him. And she had destroyed all of it? Again?

"It's not your fault Regina."

The brunette chuckled bitterly.

"Yes it is."

"No it's no. We weren't... It wasn't working. Not for me. I mean it was sweet but that's all it was. I didn't feel the flame you know? What I mean is, I kissed you because it wasn't working. And not the revers."

Regina smiled a painful smile.

"And I thought that it was I who had kissed you..."

"I didn't scream for help, did I?"

Regina looked into those green eyes and a little of her pain eased. Emma didn't look broken. And she had been a willing victim of that kiss, not like Grahm. Her smile fell a little, thinking of the hunter. She could tell the truth, right now. She could admit killing the man. But the words where stuck in her throat, making her heart race against her ribs.

"Come on, show me what that horse is for."

Emma pulled her out of her inner dilemma and Regina knelled in front of her, her pencil dress not allowing her for any comfortable position. She put the wooden horse at the center of the biggest circle before taking the chalk to readjust some messy lines.

"This might not work at first try. You need to put your hands on each side of the runes, and try to let your magic leak through the ground, following the lines."

"Do you draw a lot of these?"

"I don't need to. After a while, you don't need the lines as guides. You just draw directly with magic."

" 'Kay..."

Emma put her hands where Regina had indicated, and focuses on the lines of the drawing. After a moment, she could feel herself leaking on the stone and the chalk on the floor started to glow.

"Good. Now focus on the horse without pulling away from the runes. You need to handle both at the same time. Take your time. It's not a speed exercise."

Strange veins of gold started to crawl on the toy. Regina could feel Emma's efforts. She really was giving it everything she had. The brunette hadn't even expected her to do so well. This was her very first enchantment and Regina found herself rooting for the blonde's success.

"Now try to think of the sound of the hoofs of a real horse. The clapping noise in makes. The rhythm it has when they gallop."

Emma's forehead started sweating ans the all room was vibrating with magic. Suddenly the body of the wooden horse swallowed the golden glow of the runes. A puff of magic ran through the air but nothing else happened. Regina frowned. It should have worked. When she looked up she found Emma, eyes close, focusing with all her might.

"Let it go, Emma. Let it go."

The blonde opened her eyes and the horse jerked forward. The toy started running around them, it's little wooden hoofs clapping on the floor, it's ears moving back and forth with a happy rhythm.

"I did that?! I did it?!"

"Yes, you did."

Regina couldn't contain her glee. The toy was galloping joyfully, making the blonde shine with happiness. Emma stretched her hand and the wooden creature run to her, not really managing to stop galloping in circles.

"This is amazing..." Emma let out, smiling and glowing.

"It is..."

Emma finally looked up from the horse, beaming in the candle light. They just held each others' gaze for a moment, before Emma grabbed the back of her skull and Regina jerked forward. Their lips collided almost painfully. They held their position for the better part of a minute, Regina bent forward on her bare knees, Emma sitting with her legs crossed, holding her face in her hands, the little wooden horse galloping in circle all around them. Her heart was biting steadily and powerfully against her chest. Her all body felt warm and her mind was fuzzy. She didn't want it to end, yet, when it did, it didn't feel wrong.

Her eyes met the stormy green of Emma's, watching the light of the candles dancing in them. Regina didn't feel like she wanted or needed more. That had been just enough. She pulled away, not uncomfortable under Emma's burning stare but not wanting to encourage it any further. Robin's presence still lingered here, and in her mind and heart. She didn't want the thought of him to tarnish whatever she and Emma had.

She stood up and walked to one of her shelf. She heard Emma imitating her, and found the blonde looking a little awkward, her eyes wondering back and forth between her teacher and the horse. Regina smiled to reassure her, before bowing down and catching the toy. She put a string around it's neck and the wooden horse stopped moving.

"The string will keep it still," she explained, giving the toy to Emma. "If you remove it, the horse will start running around again."

"Thanks..." Emma said, confused and a little uncomfortable.

"You'll be able to show it to Henry."

With that explanation, Emma's smile reappeared, bright and honest.

"That's enough for one day I think."

Regina walked by, grabbing her coat and waving things into place.

"Keep the keys. I'm not going back immediately. I have to make a stop at the stables. I want to see if Henry's horse is still there."

"Henry has a horse?"

"Yes... Your father bought it for him. But I think they never went back after..."

Regina bit her lower lip. Way to ruin the moment. Daniel's broken body and spirit came back to her like memories from a nightmare. She felt Emma's hand on her shoulder and looked up to her. For a second, those big puppy eyes and that idiotic look of not knowing what to do almost made Regina want to cuddle.

She broke the moment before any of them could do something stupid. A bittersweet feeling of warmth accompanying her way after she had left the vault and Emma's presence.

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I don't know why but that image of Emma and Regina kissing over badly drawn runes and a galloping wooden horse, the candles dancing in the back ground, really didn't want to leave my mind.

Hope you guys liked it!