A couple days passed, snow had not returned, and Regina and Emma where hard at work looking through spell books and trying to think of what could have possibly gotten Regina here and how she could get back. Though if Emma was honest with herself she was really hoping Regina wouldn't go.
"Uh it's not in here either." Regina slammed a book down on the pile, the sun set streaming light in behind her.
Regina looked up and Emma was grinning like a fool.
"what?" Regina was frustrated.
"You look really beautiful Regina." Emma said with a blush then looked back down at her book.
Regina sighed. Then smiled.
"Thank you Emma." She rolled her eyes but Emma caught her smile.
"I think you need some rest though. Regina, you have been working on this too hard. Come on time for bed."
She walked behind her and trailed her arm down Regina's arm as she stooped down.
"You just want to get me in bed Miss Swan."
Emma wrapped her arms around her.
"Is there something wrong with that?" Emma kissed her hair.
Regina laughed at how blunt Emma was but it felt good to still be loved.
Regina leaned into Emma.
"fine. But…. the longer I wait, the more I am terrified I will have to become her to stop something from happening …. And I am terrified that I might not come back…"
Regina hid her face from Emma's.
"it's ok, I'll protect you, you won't. Before long, you will be right back in Storybrooke with me and Henry. Like this never happened at all."
Emma said the last bit with her heart breaking.
"Come on bed, now." She pulled Regina up with her.
….
The next morning it was early and Regina was awoken by a retching sound.
The bathroom light was on.
She quietly knocked on the door.
"Emma. You ok?" she started to push the door open.
"no Regina, don't come in I made a mess." Emma sounded embarrassed.
Regina sighed and pushed the door open, Emma never did ask for help. Something they had in common.
"Dear, I have seen you and our son throw up plenty of times its fine."
She got a wet cloth and a glass of water and sat by Emma next to the toilet and cleaned up Emma then around her.
"Emma, dear what happened. Why are you sick?" Regina's hand reached for her face to check her temperature. No fever.
Emma looked sleepily back,
"I don't know."
Regina waited till she was sure Emma was ok the put her back to bed. The next day Emma seemed fine. And they spent the day learning more about each other and for a break exploring the castle.
"This is the west wing…" "
"woah like where Belle wasn't supposed to go in the stories?" Emma looked around in awe.
"I actually know Belle, we met one day when my carriage was going by."
"wow that's so cool." Emma was acting like a kid geeking out.
Regina laughed.
"sure emma."
They walked around some more just looking then,
"Regina what makes you happy?"
Regina was taken aback, this was so thoughtful and personal.
"Well…" Regina gave it a long thought. "You and Henry of course. Both Swans. Horse riding, um baking… anything with apples… when it rains… walking on the beach…" Emma always made her smile.
"You Emma? She grabbed her hand still walking. " What makes you smile?"
Emma looked around.
"Thinking of the day I met you a few weeks ago. The day when I was six and you let me go. Getting a pony for my eighth birthday."
"Besides the pony, they all involve you." Emma stopped and smiled. And turned.
"Regina stop looking at me like that I can't take it." She half laughed as she turned around from Regina's "awe" face.
Regina wrapped her arms around Emma.
Emma listened to Regina tell her more about Henry through dinner listening to the stories of henry's first word "Mom" and when he went potty in a fake toilet at a store.
"I was mortified Emma! Your son is such an angel though. I couldn't reprimand him he was so proud he made it. "Mommy I poti!" ha" Reginas face lit up.
"Not my son Regina. Remember?" She said with a sigh as she moved under the covers in bed."
Regina turned and wrapped her arm around her.
"Dear, he is still so very much like you."
Emma was quite for a bit.
"What if she doesn't want me." Emma said this so quietly Regina almost didn't hear.
"Who wouldn't want you Emma? Are you talking about Snow? She was just upset dear…"
Emma turned to Regina and put her head on her hand.
"Not my mother Regina. You. The other you."
Realization washed over Regina's face. Emma thought her happy ending was going to be taken away. Just as Regina's had.
"I don't have Henry… it' just…me." Emma's fingers drew patterns on the pillow.
"Emma." Regina reached for her arm.
"I'm not with you because of Henry. I love you for giving me my son,yes. But I am IN love with you just for being you. For the stupid little things. And If I know you Emma, you are holding a very shattered woman together right now and giving her the hope that there might be an Emma to come back to. Hope is magic. And I know a certain queen quite well actually and I hear she has a weakness for cute blonds with green eyes." Regina leaned forward and kissed Emma.
"ok" Emma said quietly.
….
It was early in the morning again. Regina had been woken again by Emma sick in the bathroom it had been a week since the last incident.
"Emma… "Regina sat next to Emma on the floor.
She looked freaked out.
"sweetheart, it's ok its normal to get sick, don't be upset." She wrapped her arm around Emma's shoulders.
Emma started shaking her head.
"Regina…."
"Yes dear?"
"who is Henry's father?" Emma looked at her wide eyed.
"Why?"
"Regina please. I… I really need to know."
"Neil."
Emma lost the fear and just looked confused.
"oh…. I thought… never mind." Emma started to breathe again
"He is rumplestilskins son, his name before was balefire…" that stopped her breathing.
"no…."
"I'm sorry dear?"
"No…"
It dawned on Regina why Emma was freaking out.
"Emma, are you pregnant?"
Emma looked at Regina, "I'm gunna be sick."
…..
"Emma please talk to me your scaring me. Is that what it's about?"
"Regina, I can't be a mother! I … I'm not ready… I can't handle this, my parents just disowned me, you're going to leave me, the other you won't want me, shit!" Emma pulled away angrily from Regina.
"Emma your just surprised calmed down." Regina moved to get up.
"I'm not surprised I am freaked out Regina!" Emma was now yelling.
"I don't want a baby! I am so stupid. I just, I thought it would be fine, we were betrothed, but I didn't want to marry him, we just thought it would be fun so we snuck off and… shit." Emma hit the wall. Then fell into it.
Regina approached careful with her hands raised defensively.
"Emma please. Calm down. Remember Henry? The boy you love from my stories? The boy who made you smile in the photo? Emma, you will love him I promise."
Emma looked up and Regina then wrapped her arms around herself. She took a few deep breaths.
"will you still want me?"
"will it make you stay?" She saw pity on Regina's face.
"No Regina. You can't tell me she will want me. You can't tell me it will be alright. She won't, Regina!"
Regina grabbed either side of Emma's face with her hands.
"Emma, you don't have to have him. But I can promise you from experience I will always want him. And I will always want you no matter what." Regina wrapped her arms around Emma's waist.
"you cant promise that." Emma pulled away and left the room. Pulled the covers up over her head.
