Authors Note: Okay, seriously you guys are amazing. I never would've thought I'd receive the amount of feedback that I have. And with tbat being said, here is the next chapter. My apologies if it's a little dull, I unfortunately have to put school before this. Though, if I had it my way, you guys would be up to your necks in new chapters.
Reviews are always welcome :)
That aside, I'll make the claim that I always do: I own nothing Once Upon A Time related, I just like to have fun with some of the wonderful characters.
Chapter Four: Battle Royale
Right before the blonde launched herself from the bed, Regina saw a flicker of rage cloud her eyes. She watched as Emma's pupils dilated so quickly she was sure that the Sheriff's vision must have blurred for a brief second. And then she was on her like a jungle cat; leaping forwards and latching onto her shoulders with substantial strength while snarling at her the whole time. The force the younger woman used was so surprising that Regina faltered backwards and, in an act devoid of grace, tripped over her own feet, falling flat on her back with the lithe Sheriff falling directly on top of her.
The air was knocked from her lungs with enough force that Regina's vision blackened, but only fleetingly. The blonde, however, didn't seemed phased in the least. In fact, that damned smug smirk rested upon her contemptuous lips. Regina was on the floor, struggling to gain the upper hand but her attempts seemed futile as the Sheriff was clearly stronger, quicker, and more agile than she.
It wasn't until the Mayor stopped her struggling, hating the fact that she was physically submitting to the blonde's power, that she felt her ribs being crushed between the Sheriff's vice-like thigh lock. It became more and more difficult to draw air into her arid lungs. Regina tried to wipe her face clear of any emotion, and even as she succeeded in doing so, the blonde showed no signs of sympathy.
"Miss Swan?" Regina whispered, looking directly into the angry green orbs above hers. "If you're quite through with this display of animalistic power, I'd much appreciate – "The Mayors words word cut off as Emma's hands snaked around her exposed neck.
Emma laced her fingers together behind the brunette's neck and squeezed with a small amount of force. She watched as brunette's eyes widened with fear and smiled devilishly, delighting in the fact that for the first time since her arrival in Storybrooke, she saw fear in the older woman. It was intoxicating. She felt a swallow travel down the Mayor's throat. She felt it as it passed under her hands that coiled so easily around her neck. She squeezed a little tighter…grinned a little bigger.
"Fuck you, Regina!" Emma yelled. Her tangled blonde hair fell on either side of her face and trailed to the floor, effectively cloaking both women's' faces behind a veil of blonde tresses. It became a private show. A show for just the two of them. "You wanted me out of this forsaken town so badly that you poisoned me? If you wanted me gone Regina, then why didn't you just fucking kill me? I'll tell you why you didn't…it's because you're a coward. You're too scared to handle the problem directly so you scheme and plan; gather all your pawns, and then when the time is right, you attack from behind your walls. From behind your pawns. You're always so careful; you're hands are never dirty. You make sure that everyone else will go down before you do. You're a fucking coward!"
Emma's hands were winding tighter and tighter around the Mayor's throat. She didn't care. It just felt so god damn good to have the Mayor on her back, powerless, getting what she finally deserves. She'd dreamed about one-upping the Mayor and she thought long and hard about how it would make her feel. Adrenaline coursed through her veins, her whole body – while still burning up from the poison – was on edge. Every movement the brunette attempted, Emma recognized it first and effectively halted feeble attempts at freedom. Every light hair brushing over her fingertips, every waft of air coming from the Mayors mouth, every muscle twitch – everything; she felt it all. Regina's hands grasped and clawed at Emma's wrists as she soon came to realize that the blonde was dangerously close to cutting off her air supply. But Emma hardly noticed, she kept her eyes trained on Regina's, drinking in the look of fear on the woman beneath her. It was beautiful. A perfect picture of pain.
"Why did you do this!?" Emma demanded in a voice so low and dangerous, she didn't even recognize it. Her hands loosened slightly from the Mayors neck and she watched as the darker woman's chest rose dramatically, sucking in a deep breath of air that was denied to her just seconds ago.
Regina shook her head back and forth.
"I didn't do th-"
"Liar!" Emma shouted, tightening her hands once more, relishing in the fragile body squirming beneath her. "Everything you have ever told me was a lie, why should this be any different? For once in your pathetic life Regina…Tell. Me. The. Truth," Emma enunciated the last four words harshly while at the same time lifting the brunettes head by her neck and slamming it down onto the plush carpeted bedroom floor.
Regina was thrashing madly around underneath the blonde. Bucking her hips, kicking her kegs, and flailing her arms about all in an attempt to hit the blonde, or to throw her off…anything so as to regain her freedom from her prison of limbs.
Darkness was threatening to take ahold of her. And at this point, she nearly welcomed it. Anything would be better than the fire in her lungs, the pressure on her throat, and the aching of her limbs. In just seconds, Regina stopped flailing. Her limp arms fell down by her sides. During their descent, Regina's fingers lightly grazed along Emma's jean-clad thighs, until finally falling and remaining dreadfully still at the sides of Emma's knees.
"Mom? Emma? What are you guys doing?" Henry's confused voice rang out through the room like a church bell. He stood at the door in a pair of pajama pants and a t-shirt, rubbing at his sleepy eyes. During the all the commotion, neither woman heard the bedroom door open. Neither woman saw their son.
At the sound of Henry's voice, Emma jumped off of Regina, looked over at Henry, back down to Regina - who thankfully, was taking in numerous deep breaths while staring at Henry – then to her own two hands held out in front of her face.
Nice going, Swan.
Emma's blood was pounding through her veins. Her heart was thumping so loudly that she could practically feel beat reverberate through her bones. Stunned by her actions and eyes focused on her murderous hands, Emma backed further away from Regina until the backs of her legs collided with the bed. She sank onto the comforter automatically and continued to stare ahead, mouth agape, trying to make sense of the recent events. And for the second time this evening, Emma Swan had minimal recollection of the events played out in the last couple of minutes. She was horrified. For the first time, since this whole mess ensued, Emma Swan finally understood exactly how dangerous the poison ravaging her body truly is.
Regina noticed Emma falter. And once she had sunken onto the bed, Regina knew that Emma's bout of anger was over…at least for now. But the Mayor's was just getting started. There was no way in hell, not even if Emma Swan was the last woman on the planet – there was still no way that she'd be getting away with that one.
The Mayors throat was awash with a red collar that, if measured, would be precisely the size of the Sheriff's hands. Casually rubbing at her throat, Regina collected herself and hurried to Henry who was now looking between the two women with what could only be described as absolute confusion. Regina knelt in front of him and brought her arms around his small frame, hugging him to her chest. She stroked his hair causing the tired young boy to bury his head into his mother's chest. Regina took this minute to throw a furious glance at the younger woman still sitting on her bed, still with a look of disbelief on her face.
The sleepy eyed child glanced up at his adoptive mother in search of an answer to his previous question. Regina smiled at him, despite the fact that the only thing she wanted to do was pound her fists into the blondes face over and over again.
Oh, yes dear, that sounds like just the type of thing royalty would do.
A slight frown.
Guess we know the origins of battle royale now don't we?
"Oh, Henry, Miss Swan and I were just…uh playing a game," Regina offered her lame excuse.
"That didn't look like a game to me," Henry replied, eyeing up Regina before taking a quick look around her at Emma. "Is Emma okay?"
Regina ushered Henry from her room and walked him back down the hallway into his own bedroom. Tucking him in with the precision only a mother could, Regina was able to lull him back into sleep with a few strokes of her fingers through his unruly brown hair. She hoped that he'd forget about everything in the morning and chalk it up to a weird dream.
Now, to deal with the Sheriff.
If she was being completely honest with herself, Regina had no idea what to do about the Sheriff sitting in her bedroom. Back in her land, where she was Queen, there were no doubts that Regina would've pulled the girls heart from her chest and forced her to watch as she gripped it so tightly between her fingers that it crumbled to dust. Alas, and unfortunately, the same punishment was not an option here in Storybrooke.
And while her anger was boiling so intensely, she thought she might actually be able to kill the insolent Sheriff, a sudden realization dawned on her. How on Earth would she be able to explain that one to Henry? No. She couldn't outright kill her. So why not let the poison do the job for her? Sure, the poison wouldn't actually kill her. But Regina was pretty sure that the Sheriff was fragile enough to be broken; broken past the point of repair. And well, hey, having the Sheriff locked away inside a mental ward was just as good as having her gone completely. And at least this way, she could keep an eye on her, just in case humpty dumpty found a way to piece herself back together again.
A wicked smile crept across her face as she could almost taste the delicious satisfaction that the blonde's suffering will bring to her. And with her new resolve, Regina squared her shoulders, wiped her face of all emotion and strode with confidence back into her bedroom.
Emma was no longer seated on the bed. She was standing with her back facing the door, looking out the large window that overlooked the front yard of Mayor Mills' manor. Though she wasn't looking at anything in particular, the view of something more than the four walls of the bedroom gave her solace. Almost grounded her in a way. Thinking about how big the world truly is would be a disconcerting thought to most. But for Emma, it was the most relaxing, peaceful thought she could envision.
As a child, shuffled around in the foster system, all Emma dreamed about was going where she wanted, when she wanted. Never to worry about money nor obligations. And when she met Neal, so many years ago, that dream…that longing, it was finally realized. They travelled in a twice stolen car doing whatever they wanted. But that came to a quick end. Now, here, in Storybrooke – or more relative, Regina Mills' house – Emma felt that longing to see the world in all of its enormity once more.
"Miss Swan…"
Emma's reverie was interrupted by the sound of Regina's voice. Emma didn't turn around to face her. She couldn't. Not after knowing she'd hurt Regina….in front of Henry.
Good thing you gave him up, Swan, you're really not mother material.
"Regina…I…I am so sorry. I didn't know. It's like, I don't know…I blacked out. I'm sorry." Emma apologized in a hushed tone. She made no attempt to look at the mayor. Instead just continued to stare out of the window, transfixed by the moon, the stars, and the never-ending sky.
"I am not interested in your apologies, Sheriff. The only thing I am interested in is my own well-being. It seems clear to me that I am no longer safe in your presence and neither is Henry for that matter." Regina snarled. In an act of pure egocentrism, Regina crossed the room to stand in front of Emma. She wanted Emma to see the marks on her skin. She wanted Emma to see her. "Come. I'll see you out."
Emma gaped at her. Not sure what to make of the Mayors seemingly appropriate gesture. Confusion pummeled her in waves. Regina's mysterious appearance at the docks. Regina's efforts to get her into the car. Regina's kindness affording her with a place to stay. Regina's lack of anger when she rightfully should be. None of it made sense.
"Regina, please. What am I supposed to do? I keep losing myself…keep blacking out and I have no idea what I've done." Emma half-way sobbed. She looked up at the Mayor with glistening eyes, pleading fir understanding and a second – technically third – chance to redeem herself.
"That, my dear Sheriff, is not my problem. But at this moment, you are my problem, and I don't care for unnecessary complications in my life. What happens to you is none of my concern. And if I'm being frank about it…you deserve anything and everything that's coming to you. Let's just hope you don't get yourself pregnant with another child that you'll no doubt throw away."
Nice going Your Majesty, add fuel to the flames.
If it were possible for Emma's jaw to hit the floor, it would have. But in a moment of clarity, Emma found herself less alarmed by Regina's baiting comments, and more alarmed by her subtle threats.
"And tell me, Madame Mayor, why is it that you think I'll run off and fornicate with some stranger in a town so small that it would surely make its way back to you, via your pawn Mr. Glass, within moments?" Emma questioned. "Let me guess, you've already planned everything out to have someone waiting for me so that I wind up sleeping with them. You are a cruel bitch Madame Mayor."
At this, Regina laughed a most sensual laugh.
"Oh no, dear, I have no doubts that you'll do just fine in your search for someone to bed. After all, you probably won't remember it. Just as you haven't remembered it in so many times in the past."
"What the hell are you getting at?" Emma threw up her hands in frustration. Feeling the need for those hands to wrap around the already blemished flesh of the Mayor's throat.
"I'm sorry, I must have failed to have mentioned this, what with being choked half to death and all. That poison, the very one coursing through your veins, it not only heightens happiness, depression, and anger…but your libido as well."
"Oh…shit."
"Yes, well, have fun with that." Regina quipped, smirking in pleasure at the blonde.
"Well, I guess that explains it." Emma breathed quietly.
"Explains what, dear?"