It felt as if the entire world suddenly bared it's weight on her shoulders. Images flashed into her head, bouncing around all at once. These images compiled into story lines, people, places. She saw everything, everyone. Her life story. Everything that had been altered. Now she could see. Now she could remember.
And of course, she now realized who she was kissing.
The woman who was her sworn enemy.
Emma wrapped her arms around Regina's neck to bring her in closer.
The woman she hated more then any other.
Emma took a breath and continue their kiss, her tongue on Regina's bottom lip, begging for entrance.
The woman who will always be evil. That could never change for the better.
Regina allowed Emma to deepen their kiss.
The woman she loved.
Emma slowly released the kiss and looked Regina in the eye. "Regina."
Regina lips curved into a smile and she hugged Emma. "You remember." Emma felt overwhelmed. The woman she had thought all the time she was in Storybrooke hated her, actually loved her. And not just any kind of love; True love. The shock left her speechless, not able to form words. Instead she sat dumbstruck in the arms of a woman she could have sworn hated her with her jaw dropped."You remember!"
Emma arm's fell from Regina's body. She slid herself to the far side of the couch, now able to make eye contact at what she though was a safe distance. "And, you love me?" Regina nodded and Emma felt her check grow warm as she blushed. "I just never expected... that..."
"That I love you?" Emma nodded. " I know. I didn't believe it at first either. But when I sent you and Henry away, I knew. I do love you."
"But true love?"
"Love, true love, always seems to spark from the most unusual of circumstances. In your parent's case, it was by an act of banditry. For Belle and Rumpelstiltskin, it began with him making a deal to take her in as a house keeper. And I would guess for us, it begins with you bringing Henry back to me." Regina explained. "True love is magic. The most powerful magic. And that for of magic that can overcome everything. True love is strength. I realize that now."
Emma sighed and put her hand on her head. "It is just a lot to take in... I-I don't know what to say..." Regina reached across the couch and placed her hands on Emma's cheeks. Then slowly, Regina closed her eyes and moved her lips to Emma's. Instead of accepting the kiss, Emma pushed away. "I thought I just said I was confused? What part of confused means I wanted you to kiss me?"
"You think you are confused? Put yourself in my place! I had to make both you and my son forget me, giving you false memories where I never even existed! I was confused on my emotions, so confused in fact that I ripped out my heart and almost place myself under a sleeping curse! I felt so pained by leaving you behind that I was going to end it all right then and there! You can at least tell me how you feel!" Regina snapped.
"You want to know how I feel? When I look at you, my chest gets tight! I feel light headed! My heart starts to pound!" Emma blurted out."From the moment I met you, I have felt something! I just don't understand how it is true love!"
Regina took a drink of her coffee and set it back down on the coaster on the coffee table. "True love comes in the most unexpected of places. Look at the people you met in Storybrooke; it is evident almost anywhere you look. All you have to do is open you eyes and see it."
"Oh my eyes are open." Emma got up from her place on the couch. "You came from a land of fairy tales. A land where," She lifted her hands up and tiwiddled her fingers, "every person gets a true love. Where magic is a staple of life. Here in the real word Regina, not every one gets a true love. Some people just get screwed over! They fall in love and get burned."
"Stop being stubborn Emma."
"I'm not-" Emma suddenly felt light headed. Her left hand grabbed for the kitchen counter for support. "I-I-" She pinched the bridge of her nose with right hand and breathed in deeply. A sudden dizzy spell washed over Emma, her legs coming out from under her and fell to the ground in a limp heap on the floor.
"Emma!"Regina quickly rushed to Emma's side, almost tripping over her heels as she ran. Regina placed her hand on Emma's forehead. It was burning hot. "No, no. Please be okay!" Regina placed two fingers on Emma's neck, and found that her pulse was racing. Regina attempted at picking Emma up to move her somewhere more suitable to rest out her spell, but found that Emma's weight was too much for her smaller arms. "What I would give for magic now..."
Then, she felt curious. Flexing her fingers over Emma's body, a light glow appeared around her body and lifted if off the ground enough so that Regina could move her into her bedroom. Regina pulled the quilt away and tucked Emma's body in the bed to rest before going back into the kitchen to get a cool rag.
For two hours, Regina stood over Emma, dabbing her forehead to help ward off the fever, yet nothing seemed to work. Suddenly, she heard something that she had not heard for an entire year. A voice that made her heart melt. "Mom! I'm home!"
"Henry..." she whispered. What would she tell him. How could she explain what she was doing in his home, being a woman he has never seen or heard from before. Slowly she emerged from Emma's bedroom and peaked her head out into the kitchen where she saw his back turned. "Henry." She said a little louder, this time, so he could hear it.
She watched him tense up when her voice rung though the apartment. He did not turn around, but replied softly. "This is just another vision, isn't it."
"No Henry. This is not a vision, this is real. Do you know who I am."
"You are Regina aren't you. R.M.?" he said quietly with his back still to her, facing the wall.
She smiled. "Yes. My name is Regina Mills."
"Why are you here."
"I-Well, I-"
"You are not supposed to be here."
"And why do you say that?"
"Because my Mom told me I am not allowed to see you. That is why I haven't turned around yet. She gets visions of you like I do. A lot. And you look like the Evil Queen from the fairy tale book you gave me."
Regina sighed. That memory Emma had of magic in front of the cafe must have scared her a lot more then she previously had thought. "You, you have grown a great deal taller since the last time I have seen you."
"Why don't I remember you then? I mean directly. The only time I can see you is in the visions, but the problem with some of these visions is that they are memories. Memories that I have with my mom. And once I have these visions, I can't see her face in them or hear her voice, I see you. Do you know why?"
"Yes."
"Then why do I call you mom?"
"Because I am you mother."
Henry slowly turns around and looks her over. His eyes are wet, they looked as if they were about to burst into tears, but he was strong. "Mommy..." He slowly walked forward and touched her shoulder. "I know you are real now." He wrapped his arms around her. "And I don't know why, but I believe you."
Regina smiled as she returned the hug. "Thank you Henry."
"But I need you to tell me something."
"Yes?"
"Where is my mom?"
"She is in here." Regina said leading Henry to Emma's room. He saw her sitting in the bed with a cloth on her forehead and instantly went to her side. "She collapsed earlier when we were talking and I brought her in here."
"Will she be okay?"
"Of course she will be okay. Your mom is strong, I know she will wake up."
Henry turned around to face Regina. "When she wakes up, I want to know more answers. I need to know why we have these visions."
"Okay Henry. We will do that."
