Emma wondered if this was what heaven felt like. Stuffed with pancakes, pretending to be a dragon, giggling with the most adorable child in the world and his arguably even more adorable mother, she could barely remember the terrors of her parents.
She and Regina were lying on the nursery floor, Regina still in her robe and Emma in a loose shirt and underwear, while Henry scampered around them, dodging their arms as they reached for him and ducking under surges of pretend dragon fire (heatless, but with very real looking flames - magic could be fun sometimes).
"Do you suppose this is merely the calm before the storm?" Regina asked quietly.
Emma was surprised that the Queen had been worrying. Regina wasn't supposed to be afraid of anything.
"It's going to be okay," she said, pulling Henry towards her for a hug and a tickle. He cackled, then wriggled free in search of some pillows to pelt her with. "They… They'll come around."
Even as she said it, she knew it was a lie. Her parents were not evil, and she believed they truly wanted what they thought was best for her, but they were foolish and controlling and small minded, and she didn't think they would ever accept Regina as her true love.
"Do not lie to protect me, love," Regina said quietly. "I deserve their hatred-"
"No! No, you don't!"
"Emma, I," Regina checked to make sure Henry was out of earshot, "I caused the deaths of so many. I caused the death of Snow's father, your grandfather."
Emma pressed her mouth into a thin line. "He deserved it," she said through gritted teeth. She knew that was simplistic, but it was also what she thought. She could consider the complexities of it later, but she knew Regina had been forced into a marriage with a man three times her age, and she knew Regina was still traumatised by what had been done to her, what she had had to do, within that marriage.
"Regardless, their reluctance to forgive me is entirely understandable."
"And idiotic. You're my true love. They of all people should realise how impossible it is to keep true loves apart."
"Hypocrisy is the pride of the White Kingdom."
Emma rolled her eyes. "Touche."
"But they love you, Emma. I know that they do. They wouldn't go to all this trouble if they didn't."
Henry returned to the women, attempting to tug them up from the floor.
"Stop talking, it's boring," he told them.
"Do not be rude, Henry," Regina chided.
"Sorry," the boy mumbled. "Can we go outside now?"
"Can we go outside…" Regina prompted.
"Please!"
"Very well. Emma and I must dress. We will return in five minutes. Find your boots!"
Emma followed Regina back to the bedchamber.
"If they really loved me, they would not try to change me."
Regina thought about the statement. "On the contrary. I believe the people we love are the people we most want to change. We want to pull them closer, we want them to be like us. We cannot help loving them, but that does not mean some things about them are not difficult to accept."
"I don't want to change you," Emma said stubbornly.
Regina smiled. "And I do not want to change you, either. But I am sure you are aware that our kind of love is extremely rare."
"Do you want to change Henry?" Emma asked.
There was a pause. "I love who he is, exactly as he is. But if I could change something to keep him safer - if I could make him bigger and stronger, perhaps even magical, I cannot deny that I would be tempted."
Emma pulled on some riding pants rather more aggressively than necessary. "I want to say I wouldn't. I want to say you're wrong, that real love is purer than that… But I know deep down that you're right. Even if you are a cynical witch."
Regina laughed. "Accepting people are not perfect can be something of a relief, once you get used to it."
"They tortured me," Emma whispered. "They tied me down and crippled me, they cut me from my magic."
Suddenly Regina's arms were around her, holding her close as soft kisses were pressed to her neck.
"And if you did not love them, I would kill them for it in a heartbeat," Regina growled as she pulled back.
There was a knock on the door. Regina brushed non-existent tears from Emma's cheeks, touched a kiss to each one, then waved the door open.
"It's been way more than five minutes," Henry declared, tugging his companion in behind him. Maleficent seemed very amused by the situation - but when did she not?
"The young Prince tells me you are going to the stables," she said. "But if the two of you desire some time alone, I think he would be amenable to going with me?"
"Will you turn into a dragon?" Henry asked.
Maleficent grinned. "Aren't you afraid?"
Henry shook his head gleefully. Regina glared at the wicked glint in Maleficent's eye.
"Come along Henry," Mal said. "Perhaps your mothers will join us later."
She led the boy out of the room, leaving Emma and Regina unsure as to how the situation had been taken charge of so easily.
Regina gave herself a shake. "She's always been that way. It used to be what I liked about her."
"Liked as in…" Emma began to ask.
Regina smirked. "Jealous?"
"Not in the slightest," Emma lied, diving in for a wild, passionate kiss.
BREAK
"Maybe I should talk to them before they declare a full on war," Emma mused.
"Please tell me you were not thinking about that for the last hour!"
They were sprawled across the bed, a tangle of naked limbs bared to the warm sunlight streaming in through the windows.
"I wasn't," Emma assured her.
Regina watched dust particles dance and twinkle in the light. "I do not want them to get their hands on you again. How do you know they will not restrain you, like they did last time?"
"Just now you were telling me they loved me!"
"And I believe that, truly I do. But that does not mean they will not hurt you."
"Do you have any other ideas? Because I was there. I got away, but they aren't about to let this go."
Regina did not speak for several minutes. Emma was right, of course. Snow and David would not let this go, but neither kingdom deserved a war. Hundreds, even thousands, of innocent people could die, and Regina could not bear to have their blood on her hands. She knew what she had to do. She also knew that Emma would never allow it. So she did not speak. Instead, she leaned in for another kiss.
Emma could tell it meant something. It felt wrong, it was too desperate, too desolate-
"No!"
"Emma, it is the only way."
Emma sobbed bitterly as she clung to the Queen.
"You can't," she gasped. "They will-"
"They will treat me fairly. And they will never harm you or Henry again. Maleficent will be here to protect you, you will live long and happy lives."
"You know that's not possible. You know neither of us can be happy without you."
"Yes, you can."
"Regina, they will execute you!"
"There will be a trial. Perhaps they will show mercy."
"And let you rot in prison for the rest of your life?"
"At least I will know that you are safe. To my last breath, I will love you, Emma Swan, and no matter where I take it, I will know that I protected you. I must do this."
"No! I won't let you, I'll stop you, I'll…"
Regina smiled ruefully. "Tie me down and restrain my magic?"
"That was low."
"I know. I am sorry, my love. But I see no other way to stop them. They are not after you. It is me they want, it is me they wish to harm. I will go to them and offer my surrender on the condition that they leave you and Henry be. They may demand visitation - perhaps once a year? That would not be too bad. Your mother can be quite amusing, when she tries."
"I can't believe you're talking about me visiting my parents with your son after they've killed you."
"That is not a certainty."
"When will you go?"
"Tonight."
Emma stood from the bed.
"There has to be another way!"
Regina followed her, reaching for her, gently taking her hands.
"There is not. Emma, I… I have lived a long life. It was cursed, but it was there. I thought I was doomed to an eternity of loneliness and suffering. But then you brought me Henry and I discovered what it felt like to feel good. And then you were here and you reminded me how much fun, how happy and joyful I could be. You allowed me to feel true love. I am luckier than most. But I have done a great many bad things, and now I must pay the price."
"Regina, you have paid it. You have suffered. There is no more for you to pay."
"I am putting you in danger, Emma. You, Henry, my entire kingdom. Your parents will be planning their attack as we speak. I cannot allow that to happen. I must go to them, I must surrender myself, and I must let them punish me as they see fit. I broke the laws of their kingdom, I wronged them numerous times. The only way to stop them, and to keep you safe, is by giving myself to them."
"You don't owe them a thing! We should fight, we should fight their damn war, and we'll win! We have magic on our side, they'd be no match!"
"Perhaps not. But how many innocents would die? How would we go on, afterwards, knowing our love was built upon blood? And what of Snow and David? Would we kill them? Imprison them? Perhaps they could live in the dungeon beneath us as we tortured them with our happiness. Or perhaps you could watch as I ripped out their hearts." Regina spoke with the gentle wisdom of someone who knew she was right.
She ran her fingers through Emma's hair. Now that she knew what she had to do, she felt strangely comfortable with it. She had always hated the idea of death, but dying for love seemed… Noble. She would go to trial, she would take responsibility for her crimes, and she would suffer the consequences. And Emma, Emma would be safe.
Emma folded into Regina's arms.
"I only just found you. How can I let you go?"
"Because it is the right thing to do, and because you, Emma Swan, are good."
Emma looked Regina in the eye. "You're better. I would never have the courage to do what you want to."
"Liar," Regina told her, punctuating it with a kiss.
"Evil Queen."
"Whore."
"Witch."
"Princess."
"Ouch, too far."
They laughed, but it was dry, hollow laughter that left them feeling cold. They climbed back into bed, no longer feeling the warmth of the sun, and snuggled under the blankets together until they heard Henry coming back inside.
"What will you tell him?" Emma whispered.
"That I am going on a trip to ensure the safety of the kingdom, and that his other mother, and Mal, will keep him safe until my return."
"And when he asks when that will be?"
"I will tell the truth - I do not know."
BREAK
A/N: So, it's been a while… Thanks for reading! There should be another chapter soon, this is the home stretch, so to speak. Please review, you can inspire me to continue.