The special of the day was grilled cheese; it was easy, classic, and everyone loved a good grilled cheese sandwich. Three plates had been set together, one for Emma, Regina, and Henry. While the women went about the meal as if nothing had happened, Henry watched the way they interacted with each other; the curt nods, the one-word answers, and above all, never so much as glancing towards one another. The precocious boy made no mention of the knowledge that he obtained, for even as this version of Henry, he knew he'd be punished for eavesdropping. So, instead, he wordlessly took notes of the blonde and the brunette's attitudes.
When the table had been cleared, Emma washed the dishes like a polite guest, and Regina nursed her fourth serving of apple cider; Henry decided to be bold. "Can I see him? My dad, I mean… can I see what he looks like?"
Emma dropped the knives they'd used to cut their meals and the silverware clattered noisily in the metal sink. The running water cut off, and the Savior dried her hands on the towel so roughly, she scratched the back of her hand. "Uh, Kid, I… I don't know if that's a good idea." She took a knee before her son and tossed the rag over her shoulder. "It's probably not the last image you want of him, Henry."
"Please?" the young man begged. "I promise, I won't puke or anything. I just want know if he looked like me, or… or if I looked like him…"
Emma and Regina exchanged a moment of consultation, the first time they made eye-contact in over an hour. "All right," the blonde resigned. "Why don't you get your coat, ok? Meet us at the door." Henry slid out of his chair and raced to the living room, out of earshot from the parents.
"Us?" Regina questioned.
"Yeah, um, would you… would you mind coming along?" Emma asked. "I was wondering if you could, maybe, do that preservation thing on Neal. If we're bury— if we're having a service, I don't want to worry about what happens several years down the line."
Smoothing down her pleated slacks, Regina buttoned her suit jacket and inconspicuously flicked her hair. "I have a better idea." Sliding the chair out from behind her, the brunette rose and smirked at the wary blonde. "Why don't I teach you how to do it?"
By order of Prince Charming, Neal's corner of the hospital had been blocked off after Emma had left. Caution tape had been pinned up over the windows and on the door, as well as around the stack of chairs stocked down the hall. No one was to enter without Whale's clearance.
As soon as Emma set foot onto the first floor, the stench of bleach and ammonia stung her nostrils and brought tears to her eyes. She sucked in the last bit of fresh air she could, but it wasn't nearly enough to hold her. The fluorescent lights ricocheted off of the newly mopped floors, the metal supply carts, and created a near-blinding trail for the group to follow— as if the signs glued to the walls weren't enough.
Emma concentrated on keeping it together, both for Henry and Regina. Neither one of them needed to witness the sheriff break down, and she was hellbent on making certain that it didn't happen. She walked just a few paces behind her son, resisting the urge to grab onto his coat for support. Regina was right next to her, and still, Emma had never felt so isolated. She hadn't banked on seeing Neal again so soon, and especially not with company.
Curving around each corner and swerving around each meal truck, it felt like an entire lifetime had flashed by before they reached Neal's room. The doctors and nurses had done everything in their power to sustain Neal's body, keeping him just as Emma had left him. However, there was only so much that could be done with a deceased person.
Dr. Whale was at the nurse's station, filling out a chart for another patient when he noticed the Mills and Ms. Swan arriving in his direction. Henry looked just as the doctor recalled, save for a couple of inches. Clicking his pen and setting the clipboard back in its pile, Whale approached the family timidly. "Madame Mayor, Sheriff Swan," he shook their hands. "You must be Henry. We've heard a lot about you," the man said innocently.
"He knows," Emma confessed. "He doesn't remember, but he knows."
"Oh?" Dr. Whale sighed. "Well, in that case, it's nice to see you again."
"You're Dr. Frankenstein," Henry realized. He'd read The Book cover to cover and had made sure to retain every identity and at least one tidbit about each person's history.
Moving past Henry's amazement, Emma cracked her knuckles nervously. "Would it… um, can we… Neal—"
"Take all the time you need," Whale said gingerly. He'd seen enough bereaved families to decipher splintered thoughts.
Eager to get by, Henry shuffled to the glass and stared into the small enclosure. From several feet away, he could only pick up bits and pieces, not enough to know for sure what his father looked like. With great hesitation, Henry clamped down on the handle and pushed gently on the door, followed closely by Emma and Regina.
The moment they walked in, the were all brutally assaulted by the pungent odor of death. There was no other way to describe such a scent, only that it was the most vulgar thing anyone of them had ever experienced. Putting on a mask of tenacity, though, Henry waded through the dense stench and neared the man on the bed. Emma tried to turn away and leave, but Regina stopped her. She gave the blonde woman a nudge towards their son, and eventually, Emma obeyed.
"Dad?" Henry squeaked, wanting to touch Neal's hand, but too shaken to even move. Taking in his father's brown hair, Henry knew who he'd gotten it from. Even in his passing, traces of Neal's raucous laughter remained and Henry sensed that he'd had a good sense of humor. The protruding veins in the older man's forearms were proof that he'd been strong, well built. His slight receding hairline gave Henry a premonition of what he might have to look forward to.
Emerging from the shadows, Emma took her place on the other side of her former lover. "You've got company," she said through shaky breaths. Although she knew Neal was gone, she still expected to see him light up at Henry's voice, sweep him up in a hug and take him sword fighting with wooden planks. Regina planted herself at the foot of the bed, which gave her the best view of both her loves.
"I'm sorry I don't remember you," Henry murmured, tugging at his scarf. "But I know you cared a lot about me… I told Mom. She said you didn't abandon us the way we thought… that's good. I'm glad it wasn't like that." As if he were talking to another friend, Henry was suddenly gabby. "I got an A on my last English test. Dunno if you were into that kind of stuff. I didn't do so well on my math exam. But that's ok, because I'm gonna study better next time." With every second that passed and with every idea that Henry conveyed to his dad, more and more pieces of Emma's heart shattered into oblivion. She felt her chin quivering and started to become clammy; she spun around quickly in hopes that Henry wouldn't see her. "People always told me I had Mom's eyes… I guess at some point I knew, but I've always wondered what I inherited from you."
"His strength," Emma answered swiftly, turning back around. "Henry, you inherited his strength." Having summoned the courage to do so, Henry slid his hand into Neal's, ignored the cold grasp and took a moment of silence for his fallen father.
After their son peered up at both of the women, Regina appeared by Emma's side. "Are you ready? Emma, hold your arms out like this," she put them over Neal's body. Emma mimicked Regina's actions. "All right, now, close your eyes and focus only on Neal. Think about keeping him safe, protected. You might feel a —" Emma fell forward violently as the sharp tugging in her stomach started. "Breathe, breathe through it," Regina guided. Emma's face contorted in agony as she wrestled against the rope around her. "That's right, you've got. Picture it wrapping around Neal tightly." A yellow glow emitted from Emma's hands and spread over Neal's form, slowly but surely. It started at his head and traveled down to his toes, and when it was finished, the glow disappeared as if it had been turned off with a flip of a switch.
The yanking on Emma's gut lessened and her frown turned into a slight grimace as she opened her eyes. "Did it work?"
Regina shrugged. "See for yourself."
At the exact same moment, a mystified Henry and an apprehensive Emma touched Neal's arms. "He's warm," the Savior wowed. "How—"
"Magic," said the Queen.
"How touching," a woman's voice mocked in the corner. Startled, Regina instinctively grabbed Emma's sleeve and cursed herself for not being closer to Henry. "Don't stop on my account. Please, continue. But first," Zelena's heels slapped against the tile as she walked into the light, "allow me to offer my sincerest condolences."
"Who the hell are you?" Emma shot back, her hands trembling ever-so-slightly.
"Don't you know?" Zelena's black dress dragged behind her and her frilled collar stretched up her long neck. She lifted her head up and revealed her sparkling eyes from the rim of her hat. "I'm the Wicked Witch." Thinking quickly, Regina put a protection charm around her son; a purple perimeter caged the boy. "I must say, it's been too long since I've seen you, little sister."
"Sister?" Emma choked.
Zelena examined her green nails dryly and made a tsk-ing noise her tongue, causing the blonde to cringe. "My, my, my, still as perfect a liar as ever, aren't we Regina?"
"What do you want?" the Evil Queen snapped, still holding onto Emma defensively.
Popping the spell that kept Henry safe like a bubble, Zelena ran her tongue over her teeth. Regina tore away from Emma and rushed to the boy, putting herself in front of him; she and Zelena were face-to-face. The elder of the two grinned maliciously at her younger sibling, "You know what I want, sis: everything you have."
Regina scoffed haughtily, "And what are you going to do? Take it away from me? I'd like to see you try."
"If you insist," Zelena commented sarcastically. "I'll let old dearie know that he should say goodbye to one of his two, 'best' students, something he missed out on recently. Oh, I'm sorry, too soon?" she asked Emma purposefully.
Wishing she could rip out the heart of the wicked woman, Regina contained her fury and matched her sister's power stance. "You do what you please, Zelena. By the way, I never asked: what does it feel like to know you've never been wanted, hm? Not by Cora or your other family, not by Gold, and definitely not here…"
Zelena drew her arm back, ready to smack the hell out of the insolent brunette. But, she thought better of it when she envisioned a larger audience, not just the two other individuals in the room. Beaming with a crazed spark, Zelena readjusted her hat and stepped away from Regina. "You've got until tomorrow night to prepare. Main Street, eight o'clock invite whomever you like. The more the merrier," she jeered. Walking away, the Witch was reaching for the shaft on the door when she added flippantly, "Oh, and you might want to keep on eye on that Princess of yours- what was her name? Mary Margaret?" Emma flung herself so fast, Regina almost didn't catch her. Satisfied with the riled energy in the room, Zelena exited the sacred space and vanished in a swirl of green smoke.
"One day? That's it? That's all you have?" David pressed as he paced the floor of his apartment, fuming away. His daughter, Regina, and Henry had all fled to the Charming residence, straight from the hospital, bearing the news of Zelena's latest challenge. Hook had gotten there a few minutes after, alcohol free, yet still lamenting Neal's passing.
"That's all I need," Regina replied stubbornly, offended at David's unintentional slight. It seemed, to her, that the Prince was questioning her ability. Once dubbed the most powerful witch of her time, Regina was positive she'd keep the title.
"It's too dangerous," Emma countered from the other end of the table, her locks dangling freely at her waist. Other than Regina, Hook and Henry were the only ones who understood the blonde's concern. At this point, though, Emma didn't care who knew. All she cared about was Regina's well-being. "We not going to risk it."
"What other option do we have? You heard her: she'll go after your mother," Regina said. David draped his arm around Snow and cupped her swollen belly, already protecting his family from the unforeseen danger ahead. The two of them shared a moment with the Queen, who had made up her mind. "As long as I'm standing, I won't let that happen."
Scowling at the head-strong mayor, the sheriff addressed Henry, who seemed somewhat queasy. She didn't blame him; after all, he'd just been in the company of his deceased father and was almost assaulted by the Wicked Witch of the West. What teenager wouldn't be shaken up? "Kid, why don't you play your game for a little while, ok?"
"No," Henry stated firmly, his fists balled tight.
"Uh, what was that?" Emma folded her arms.
"I said 'no.' Just because I can't remember, doesn't mean I'm not still involved," the boy asserted. "I'm not going anywhere."
"He's right," Regina said, much to the surprise of everyone else. "We can't shield him from this, Emma. I want to as well, but he's old enough to know the truth." At the Charmings' and Hook's skewed brows, Regina said, "Yes, Henry knows."
Utterly astounded by the woman's stance, Emma saw no other option than to let Henry stay. "So, that's it, then, huh? You fight Zelena, possibly get yourself killed, and then what?" Visibly heated, the blonde's cheeks flushed and her ears went bright pink, the same color as a flamingo's feathers. She was too invested in the topic to even attempt to hide it.
"I say we all fight," the pirate suggested, his hook raised. "With the exception of Her Highness, of course," he added with a nod to Snow's growing stomach. "As we did in Neverland."
"No," Regina refused the offer immediately. "Zelena's my sister; this is my fight. No one else is going to get hurt." Everyone wanted to probe Regina at the word "sister," but no one had the guts to interrupt the flow of things.
A wave of disappointment washed over the team as the majority of them seethed at the very thought. There seemed little that they could actually do and that helplessness was something that none of them were particularly accustomed to. David and Snow had always been able to stand their ground successfully, Hook had always found a way to defeat a monster, and Emma and Regina were never ones to give up. A pin could have dropped in the room, rattled on the floor one time, and someone hearing impaired would have been able to pick up the sound.
"I'm fighting with you," Emma decided. "You're gonna teach me magic like in Neverland and I'm gonna help you with this." She left little room for a rebuttal, or so she thought. Snow and David could protest all they wanted, so could Regina, but Emma wasn't' going to budge. She wasn't backing down now.
"Have not you heard anything I've said?" Regina criticized harshly, her husky tone deepening with authority. "No one is doing anything."
With the rest of the group watching in mild confusion, mostly Snow and David, Emma and Regina engaged in a silent standoff; the Savior against the Queen. Invisible shots were fired across the room, though neither of them showed signs of relenting. "Tough. You're not going in alone, get it?"
"Emma's right," David said submissively. The urge to protect his daughter battled within him, to consume him. He didn't like the idea any more than Snow did, but being as in-tune as he was with her feelings, he was sure they were in agreement. "We don't know what the Witch is capable of. Regina, you're going to need help."
"And just how much do you think you can learn in 24 hours? What— because you've accomplished one spell you think you can learn a dozen more? They're not all as straightforward, and some are even more painful," Regina informed the Savior curtly.
"You might've been the Queen back in fairytale land, but we're in my world now and I'm the sheriff. I'm responsible for everyone's safety—"
"I'm the mayor and I have the final say—"
Snow pinched the bridge of her nose and rubbed her protruding abdomen, meekly attempting to placate the energized woman. The baby didn't like its older sister bickering anymore than the mother did. "Regina, Emma, please—
"I'm not letting you go without backup—"
"Just who are you to 'let' me do anything—"
"Cut the shit Regina!"
"Stop!" Henry roared forcefully, capturing the attention of all the adults. His mothers ceased their endless arguing immediately, their gazes falling to their shoes in shame. He'd never raised his voice at anyone before, in either of his lives. Henry wasn't used to the adrenaline that accompanied his fervor. His entire torso was rattling with his heartbeat, his chest puffed in and out rapidly, and pupils were dilated to the size of pingpong balls. Everyone was gaping at the boy, and everyone was equally as astounded. Henry had always been a quiet kid, but now… "Stop fighting. It's not gonna solve anything."
"The boy is right," Hook limped forward. "A solution has to be made and we haven't got much time."
Like a pouting toddler, Emma stuck out her bottom lip and rolled her eyes dramatically. All she wanted to do was help Regina. Why was that such a bad thing? Why was the brunette being so inflexible? They both had magic, and they both knew that they were much stronger together than they were apart— even if Regina had yet to admit it. Between the Savior and the Queen, they had to be able to get rid of the Wicked Witch; if they couldn't, then who would?
Rolling her neck in hopes that it would crack and cut the tension, Emma wished she had something to match Regina with, who was doing her best to ignore the blonde. "I swear to God, Regina, the moment it goes south, I'm blasting her ass to Neptune. I'll find a way to do it. Until then, I'll wait in Gold's Shop."
Not particularly proud of the way she had won this round, Regina remained placid, blinking once and only moving her lips. "Fine. And you make sure that no one is put in the line of fire, do you hear me? We've had enough… fatalities as it is." Thrusting her arms into her coat, Regina snatched her gloves and her scarf. "Now, if you'll excuse me: I have to… prepare." Before she left, though, she walked up to her son and brushed his hair out of his face. "Henry, yesterday when you asked about my magic; I know that I told you I rarely use it, and that's true. Magic always comes with a price. What I'm asking, though, is for your blessing. Do you… do you understand what I'm saying?"
"I think so," Henry mumbled. Then, he admitted, "Not really."
Unable to hide her faint smile at his youthful innocence, Regina merely rephrased her request. "I need to know that you won't be angry with me after tomorrow. We're still getting to know each other again; I might have to do things… things I don't want to do."
"Like— like kill her?" the teenager stammered. Regina said nothing, and Henry started to catch on. Although he was still on the roller coaster of the ride called Storybrooke, he sensed there was something in Regina, something that made it easy for him to trust her— not only the fact that she was, indeed, his mother. Reaching for her shoulder like he did the day the curse took over, Henry waited until her eyes fell upon him. "Whatever you do, I still don't think you're evil."
Incapable of thanking her son without exploding in a fit of tears, Regina ushered herself out of the apartment and carried on with her afternoon. She was half-hoping that Emma would run after her like the last time, and she was a little disappointed when then blonde was nowhere to be seen. Regina continued down the street, back to the mansion, and teleported to her destination from her living room. She didn't want anyone knowing where she was going.
"Miss me, dearie?" Zelena inquired as she crossed through the charm. By early evening, the fire had fizzled out and was in dire need of a recharge. The sad flames had long since lost their spark, and all that was left was charred firewood and ashes. Gold hadn't left from his place since Zelena departed; he hadn't been able to. The woman had hexed his chains, making them impenetrable. He'd been stuck to that wretched tree trunk for hours, furiously grumbling away to himself. The only upside to being alone, was having the space to grieve for his son.
Gold spat in Zelena's general direction, but missed by several feet. "I hope they roast you alive," he growled, jerking at his leash.
The frigid air, though unbearable for most people, was eerily comforting to the Wicked Witch. With every breeze that caressed her bare skin, she spiraled deeper into her realm of envy and greed. "Ah, but they'll have to go through you first, won't they?" she asked, raising his dagger. When she saw the fear flicker upon his face, Zelena let out a shrill laugh that rang through the forest and sent even the smallest of insects scurrying back to their homes. "We both know this has been a long time coming, Rumplestiltskin. Come Monday morning, this town shall have a new Queen— its rightful ruler."
Gold detested hearing his name on her tongue. It was like nails on a chalkboard to the aging wizard; it was vile, full of malice. Although it was chilly, the man was sweating like a wild hog. Large, circular stains of perspiration gathered beneath his arms, by his neck, and at the base of his back. Everything from his elbows down had become numb during his capture, though the tips of hit fingers tingled every once in a while. Holes had been torn through his shirt and pants, and dirt had covered up the patches, seeping deep into open wounds. Gold had experienced plenty of hostage situations, but most of the time, he'd been on the other end. Bearing his silvery teeth, the Dark One leaned in as far as he could go, reaching further into the empty space. "Killing Regina won't solve your problems; it'll make them worse."
Sliding the side of the blade against Gold's neck, as if she were about to slit his throat, Zelena tapped the point against his Adam's apple. "We'll see about that."
So as not to look too suspicious, Emma gave it two hours before packing up and chasing after Regina. There were very few places to conceal one's self in Storybrooke, with the exception of Zelena of course, and the sheriff was getting ansy in the crowded apartment. Henry was getting along swimmingly with his grandparents, who were happily bringing their grandson back into their realm; while Snow and David did so, Henry gave no hint of his moms' affections for one another. As eager as he was to help his mothers together, he knew better than to say anything in front of the others.
When second hand landed on the 12 and the clock struck three, Emma dumped her cold coffee into the sink, dropped her mug, and shimmied into her red, leather jacket, tossing her hair over the collar. Hook had placed himself on the stairs, neutral ground between Emma and the royals. He didn't exactly feel welcome in either of the vicinities and this allowed him to be present, but with distance. One moment of eye-contact between the pirate and the Savior was all it took for him to know exactly where she was going.
Sitting on the floor, Henry rested upon his legs as he taught David the ins and outs of a personal gaming system. The older gentleman tried not to look so bewildered at the small piece of technology, but his detached jaw said it all. Snow was next to her husband, reading the baby book she'd acquired and gasping at some of the horrid facts.
"Do you guys mind keeping an eye on Henry for a while?" Emma asked nonchalantly, putting her hat on just right.
"Of course," David said without questioning his daughter's decision, transfixed on the high definition screen in his hands. He steered the device as if he were driving a real car and grunted when he crashed into a ditch. "If that's ok with you?" he posed to Henry after tearing away from the addicting game.
Now on his feet, Henry walked up to his blonde mother; the white strings of his zip-up hoodie bounced against his body and his blue-striped shirt poked out from under them. The overhead lights beat down upon his bangs and further highlighted his growing stature. Already sensing where Emma was headed off to, and wondering what had taken her so long, Henry rubbed his jaw in a fidgety nature. "Mom, she's not gonna… you don't think she'll… I mean…"
"Nothing's gonna happen, Kid, ok?" Cradling her son's neck, Emma whispered into his ear, "Your mom is good, Henry. Never forget that."
"I know," he responded calmly. "I can feel it."
Regina had been working on the same potion for over 40 minutes. Surrounded by her mother's spell books and other magical paraphernalia, the Queen had focused solely on one liquid for her duel against Zelena. It wasn't a permanent solution to ending whatever grudge the Witch had against the brunette, but on such short notice, Regina could think of no other plausible measure.
Tucked away in the stone-walled and concrete-floored mausoleum, the wooden trunk of all things personal sat with the lid open and all of its contents vulnerable. The vault of hearts— the empty vault of hearts— served as a reminder of the life Regina had been so perilously working to escape. After years of name-calling and taunting from various residents, including her own son, the mayor of Storybrooke was more determined than ever to prove that she was a good person. When she beat Zelena— and she would beat her— Regina could finally get her happy ending, she was sure of it. And maybe, just maybe, dare she entertain the thought, the brunette's happy ending could be with Emma.
As a black, heavy cauldron growled and steamed, Regina followed the instructions that she'd memorized all those years ago. The ingredients were simple and the end result was one she was familiar with. Just one more drop of elf blood, and all Regina had to do was sit and wait until Sunday night. Almost as if she were conducting surgery, she delicately lifted the slender test tube off of its stand, tilted the rim over the boiling pot, and let precisely one speck fall into the stew.
"You're getting kinda predictable."
Regina jumped into the air and almost released the entire pipe into the cauldron. Luckily for her, though, she caught it just in time. "Have you lost your mind?! You could have gotten us both killed!" she chastised the blonde woman. Emma stood in passageway, her legs shoulder-width apart and her hands on her hip bones. The light streaming behind her outlined her form perfectly, as if she were an angel on a the front steps of Heaven. When she strode away from the door, her heels scuffed against the cement and sent Regina recoiling inwardly. "Do you have any idea how dangerous this is?!" the Queen shouted, holding up the elf's blood.
"Uh, what the hell is that?" Emma examined the orange goo from all angles, still as dumbfounded as ever. That's when she noticed Regina's little science experiment in the middle of the room and put on her serious face. "What the hell is that?" she asked, pointing to the bucket of mystery. She took one whiff of the rising odor and coughed until her face was red. "Jesus Christ how can you stand that?"
Paying absolutely no attention to Emma's immature antics, Regina went on and stirred the blue goop with a glass ladle. "How did you find me?" was all she wanted to know.
"You weren't at your house and you weren't in your office. I just connected the dots."
"You also assumed you had the right into a familial crypt, I see," Regina said. "Henry's protected?"
"As much as he could be without the two of us," Emma jested. She hovered over the pot as far as she could without invading Regina's zone of personal space and held her breath. "Seriously, what is that? 'Cause, I'm pretty sure it's not vegetable soup."
"Very astute, dear." Regina filled three empty bottles, slid a cork topper into them, handed one to Emma, and shook the one in her own possession; the blonde followed her movements. "This, Emma, is what put your mother into her heavily sedated state; it's a sleeping curse."
Immediately, Emma's wrist went limp and she stopped mixing the liquid. She stared at it as if she'd just been told she was holding someone's heart in her palm and was debating whether or not to get rid of it. "You're gonna use this on Zelena? That's your big plan?"
Deeply insulted, Regina swiped the potion from the irritating woman and started on the third vial. "That depends; have you come up with anything in your infinite knowledge of magic?" she asked, her inquiry bleeding with sarcasm.
"I mean, no, but there's gotta be something else right? Something more… um... ?"
"I'm not going to kill her, since you're too scared to ask." Sealing the three servings in a velvet pouch, Regina seemed satisfied with what she had come up with. With a wave of her hand, the rest of the supplies returned to their home in the chest and the lid slammed shut; the lock on the outside clicked into place as if controlled by a remote. Sizing up Emma's wrinkled forehead and downturned smirk, Regina regretted her witty tongue and all the trouble it got her in. "Forgive me, that was… insensitive."
"But true," Emma quipped. Not wanting to dwell on her own sorrow, she brought the subject back to Zelena. "So, you really think that's gonna work?" she nodded to the bag.
"I don't see why not. For it to be broken, she'd have to have True Love's kiss, and as far as I'm aware, there is no such person in her life," Regina thought out loud.
"How're you gonna get her to drink it?"
"Leave that to me; I'll find a way."
Scratching a spot under her wool hat, Emma said, "We've still got some time, Regina. You can at least teach me some magic."
"Tempting, but I'm afraid not. I'd rather be assured that you're practiced and ready, not rushed and going on a whim." The glass containers jingled together in their sack each time the brunette shifted her grip. "Emma… remember, magic is already in you… What you did earlier with Neal— you should be proud. Most beginners can't even grasp a basic charm, much less a preservation spell. I… I see why you're the Savior."
"I can't tell if that was an insult or a compliment, so I'm gonna say thanks anyway," the dimple-chinned woman said. "Can I tell you something?"
Always. "I don't see why not," Regina sighed; her leather gloves rubbed together as she curled her fingers around the pouch's golden cords.
Scanning the freezing and dark crypt, Emma started to get a sense of the Queen's past. It was like a glimpse into the person Regina had once been and the environment she'd been trapped in; the shelves for human hearts, the gray walls, the black trunk, and the feeling of segregation. She'd only been around Cora for less than a week, but Emma had seen enough of the Queen of Hearts to know that she hadn't been a good mother— not the kind Regina wanted.
Wanting so much to close the gloomy space between them, Emma restrained herself. Instead, she merely reached for the satchel and jiggled it out of Regina's firm clutch. "Maybe I should I hold onto these. You know, since I'm not the one Zelena's targeting. Don't want her taking everything valuable."
A million percent confident that that wasn't what Emma was initially going to say, Regina had the urge to dig deeper. But, with the day that the blonde had endured, and considering it was barely halfway over, she decided better of it. With a coy smile that couldn't have been hidden through an iron mask, Regina snorted in dismissal. "I agree that they should be kept safe. However, the same reasoning applies to you, Emma. I wouldn't want her taking everything that's valuable, either."
A/N - I hope you enjoyed that chapter! I had some more time this week than I'd originally thought. I love spring break! Thanks for the amazing reviews/follows/favorites! It's the highest amount of followers any of my stories has received other "The Queen's Savior!" More to come soon!