Love, Fate And Magic
Chapter 15- Operation Emma
Emma's eyes blinked open, adjusting to the dark of an unfamiliar room. She lay there for a moment, registering where she was and the warm body pressed at her side. Regina. Emma turned her head to see the sleeping brunette next to her, snuggled under her arm. The blonde smiled at how peaceful the older woman looked, her face devoid of any stress and pain, with only a smile gracing her kiss swollen lips. Emma grinned to herself as she thought back to their previous activities only hours before.
It had all been a blur for the blonde, but yet it was very vivid in her memory. Every touch and kiss and all the small moans and whispers were as clear in her mind as if they had just happened. It felt right, like everything was finally in place, she was exactly where she needed to be.
She'd never felt like before, never had home. But now, she had built one with Mary Margaret, and found a family with the teacher. All this time she had been alone, never seeing how much she hated until now. Finally she had a place where she was wanted an accepted. Emma didn't want anything to change, it felt perfect the way it was.
The blonde's attention was suddenly caught by a strange sound filling her ears. It was faint, barely even there and Emma wasn't sure if it was real or in her head. She closed her eyes, deciding it was in her head and tried to go back to sleep.
Emma quickly jolted upwards as the sound got louder; she looked around for the source, glaring into the dark. It sounded like a pulse, beating somewhere in the room. The blonde held still trying to locate the sound, straining her ears. She nearly jumped out of her skin as a soft hand touched her side.
"Emma?" The blonde sprung back as an image flashed in her mind, sending her flying off the bed.
"Regina!"
"Emma…"
"You saved me."
"Of course I did."
The blonde spun around on the floor, the strange image seemed to burn in her mind. She could see Regina, her hair was longer and she seemed younger. She could hear her talking, saying words but blonde couldn't quite hear.
"Emma!" Regina placed a hand on the blonde's cheek, forcing emerald eyes to focus on her. "Darling look at me."
"Regina?"
"I'm here." Emma stared at the mayor, reaching out to her. She was real, not the Regina in her mind. The blonde shook her head, ridding it of the strange images.
"What was that?" The blonde mumbled, rubbing her temples to try and sooth the ache there.
"Did you have a nightmare?" Regina asked as she gently pulled the blonde back onto the bed, pulling the covers over them as Emma went over what she had seen.
"I don't know it didn't feel like one." The sheriff mumbled, closing her eyes.
"What was it?"
"It felt almost like…" Emma paused for a moment realising what she had seen. "A memory."
"A memory? Of what?" The blonde hesitated. If it was a memory of her and Regina, Emma didn't want to immediately involve the mayor in it. The past was a subject Regina was particularly odd about.
"I'm not sure, it wasn't very clear." Emma muttered, making Regina frown and sit up a little to look at the blonde.
"Has this ever happened before?" Regina asked gently, an indistinguishable emotion in her eyes.
"No, never before." Emma's eyes flicker down to the brunette's fingers, which are gently tracing over the scar on her chest. Emma had often wondered where she got it, never entirely sure if it was from the car crash, or from an earlier period in her life. "I know, not very slightly."
"No, I like it." Regina said, continuing to trace the scar from top to bottom, making Emma shiver slightly. "Does it have a story?"
"Yes, but I do not know it." Emma shrugged, and the brunette turned to look at her, a sympathetic look on her face. "But I have my theories."
"Oh?"
"Perhaps I was in a knife fight with a hobo? Or from fighting a tiger in the jungle!" Regina laughed lightly at the blonde's silly behaviour. "Nah, I just assumed it came from the car crash."
"Do you remember much of that?"
"Not a lot. I spent quite a few days blacking out all the time." Emma explained, tracing circles on Regina's shoulder.
"What's your earliest memory?" The brunette asked, kissing Emma's neck.
"Waking up in a ditch." Regina paused in her movements to look up at Emma.
"A ditch?"
"Yeah, I was only a awake a few moments, but I remember being in a huge ditch in the ground, almost like a crater." Emma drew out the story with her hands. "Next thing I remember is being on the side of a road, with people all around me, poking and examining me all over."
"Then what?"
"I was in the hospital, no more than about a day or two after waking up. I was scared, so scared. There were all people that I didn't recognise, in a place filled with strange machines that I didn't understand." Emma stared up at the ceiling as she spoke, remembering the experience clearly. "I ran shortly after waking up. I didn't know where I was going, I just ran."
"Where did you go?"
"I don't remember very clearly. I woke up in Maine, not too far from here actually. The hospital I got admitted to is about five or six miles from here."
"That must have been awful for you." Emma shrugged, she had never really stopped to think about how it all felt.
"I survived it, I may never get back what I lost but that's okay…" The blonde trailed off and she felt Regina squeeze her side gently.
"We'll make new memories together, I promise." The brunette whispered, leaning up to kiss the blonde.
"Yeah?"
"Yes," Regina grinned. "But in the morning, we should really try and get some more sleep first."
"Fine." Emma grumbled and snuggled down under the covers, Regina wrapping her arms around the blonde as she did. "Night."
"Good night darling." The two feel into to silence for a while and Emma lay there, thinking over everything that happened after she ran from the hospital. She barely remembered anything, other than one small detail that seemed to stick out.
"Purple and green storm." The blonde said out loud, making Regina stir.
"What?"
"The night that I ran from the hospital, the only thing I remember is a purple and green storm." Emma chuckled to herself, missing the panicked look in Regina's face. "I must have been on meds or something."
"Yes… That would explain it."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Emma rolled over in bed, blindly pawing at the empty space next to her in the bed. Forcing tired eyes open, she took in her surroundings. The blonde sat up, rubbing the sleepiness from her eyes, she peered around the room for signs of Regina. She sighed when she noticed the door was slightly open, suggesting the mayor was somewhere down stairs.
Grumbling Emma rolled of bed, searching for the clothing Regina had lent her the night before. Yanking on the t-shirt and trousers, the blonde made her way over to the door in search of Regina, but paused, listening carefully. Emma stood there for a moment, straining her ears for any sounds of beating. Frowning when she heard nothing, the blonde left the room and headed down stairs, following the smell of food as she went.
Rounding a corner, Emma entered the kitchen and froze when her eyes landed on Henry, who was eating cereal at the counter, while Regina lectured him on something. The blonde panicked, not wishing to explain to Henry why she was here and tried to slowly back out of the room. Emma briefly thought her escape had been successful, but swore in her head when she heard her name called.
"Emma!" The blonde turned to see both Regina and Henry staring at her. The younger brunette frowning in confusion while the older looked displeased by Emma's attempt to escape.
"Oh, hey." She said brightly, trying to play off her escape plan and walked into the kitchen, trying not to look at Regina and instead smiled at Henry.
"Emma what are you doing here?" the boy asked, his eyes narrowed at her.
"Well, I, err…" Emma fumbled with her words, unable to come up with a child friendly reason for her presence there.
"Emma and I are together." Regina butted in making Emma groan and Henry screech loudly.
"What!?" He yelled, looking between the two women.
"Henry-"
"But she's evil! She's the Evil Queen." He explained and Emma sighed, her head sinking into her hands as Henry and Regina started arguing.
"What have I told you about calling me that!" she snapped angrily.
"But it's the truth!" he argued back, waving his spoon around.
"Henry perhaps don't do this now." Emma tried to interject gently.
"Wait why are you here so early? Did you spend the night?" he asked and the blonde began stammering over her words again.
"Yes she did. And she will be doing so from now on." Emma frowned at Regina who was glaring at Henry.
"Why?" he asked, his eyes flickering between the two women.
"Because Emma lives here now." It was Emma's turn to shriek this time.
"What?!" But Regina ignored the blonde and continued to talk to Henry.
"So you better get used to it." Silence fell in the room as all three of them looked between one another.
"I need to get to work." Emma suddenly stated turning to leave the kitchen and find her clothing.
"Emma?" The blonde didn't reply as she rushed from the room and up the stairs to Regina's bedroom. She burst into the en suite and grabbed her clothing and pulled them on, ignoring the still damp fabric.
Once fully dressed, Emma went rushing down stairs, pulling her keys out of her pocket. Regina came barrelling out of the kitchen to block her from leaving in. The blonde gave her a sheepish smile.
"Why are you leaving in such a hurry?" Regina hissed quietly.
"I gotta get to work Regina." Emma explained, avoiding eye contact.
"When will you be home?" the blonde shifted awkwardly, bewildered by why Regina seemed to think they lived together now.
"I'll text you when I'm on my way." Emma said briskly and placed a quick peck on the brunette's lips before rushing from the house. It was clear they needed to go over where they were in this relationship.
Xxxxxxxxxxxx
Henry darted out of the school gates, children bustling all around him in a rush to get home. It had been a very long day, and he was not looking forward to returning home. It was clear his mother was in a particularly strange mood when he left, and he wasn't eager to go home to it.
As he left the school, he noticed someone watching him and turned to see a man leaning against the wall opposite him, a friendly smile on his face. It was the stranger, the odd man who had turned up out of nowhere. He beckoned Henry over to him, the young boy quickly obeyed, walking up to the mysterious man.
"I didn't think that would work." He chuckled, grinning at Henry. "Didn't your parents ever teach you about stranger danger?"
"Not parents, just a mum and yes, but I know you're not really a stranger." Henry said boldly and the older man grinned again.
"You really are Emma's son." He laughed, making Henry smile.
"Who are you?" the younger boy asked, and the stranger knelt down to be level with him.
"My names Lucas Swan." He offered Henry his hand to shake, but the brunette ignored it, frowning at Lucas.
"What's your real name?" Lucas smirked at Henry and bowed his head.
"I thought getting people to believe would be hard around here, but you're proving me wrong kid." Henry grinned proudly. "But I think you already know who I am."
"This isn't a safe place to talk." The younger boy said, glancing over his shoulder.
"Do you have somewhere safe?" Lucas asked, standing up straight.
"Yeah I do, you'll probably like it."
"Lead the way little man." Henry quickly grabbed Lucas's arm and pulled him along, the brunette had the perfect place to talk.
After about ten minutes of walking, they arrived at their destination.
"We'll have to use the back entrance." Henry said and ushered Lucas around the building, pointing to the back door. After fiddling with the lock, the brunette proudly opened the door and walked inside, Lucas close behind.
"A library? I wasn't expecting that." The elder said, looking around the dusty room.
"My mum closed it down ages ago, I come here sometimes when I want to be alone." Henry explained, following Lucas, who was examining books. "So are you really who I think you are?"
"I am." Lucas grinned before bowing before Henry. "Eron, son of Laila at your service."
"Wow." The younger boy exclaimed. "And we're family?"
"Yeah, I'm Emma's adoptive brother, which makes me your uncle... Kinda" Eron smiled warmly at Henry who was bouncing up and down with excitement.
"Are you here to help bring Emma's memories back?" Henry asked quickly, now exploding with questions. "Did you escape the curse? Wait how are you alive? Did you never really die?!"
"Whoa easy kid, one at a time." The darker haired man said, raising his hands to calm Henry.
"Sorry." He said sheepishly.
"I was still dead at the time the curse was cast, so I wasn't brought here with it." Eron explained, walking over to one of the reading chairs and sitting down.
"How are you alive now?"
"I'm not." Henry frowned, sitting down on the opposite chair.
"I don't understand."
"I am neither living nor dead, I merely exist because I have a purpose." Sadness briefly shone in Eron's face but it soon vanished.
"How?"
"There are forces in this realm, in all realms that are far greater than anything you can imagine." Eron began to explain. "They watch over the realms, and ensure everything is in order."
"Like Gods?" Henry asked and Eron scrunched his face up.
"Similar, but not quite." Henry frowned at the older man. "But that's a story for another time, we'll be here all day if I explain them."
"Okay, what are you going to do to get my mum's memories back."
"I'm working on it." Eron said awkwardly.
"You mean you don't have a plan yet? Heroes always have plans."
"Yeah we do, it's just this ones still working on his." Henry huffed loudly, making Eron smile.
"You have your mother's patients." The dark haired man commented.
"Emma's?"
"No Regina's." Henry glared at Eron.
"She's not my mother, Emma is! Regina is just the Evil Queen." Eron looked at Henry sadly.
"No matter what she's done, Regina is still your mother, Henry." The younger boy shook his head furiously.
"She only adopted me." Eron opened his mouth to speak but closed it, shaking his head. Getting into Henry's parentage was a conversation for another time. "She's dating Emma."
"I know."
"Are you going to do something about it?" Eron didn't reply for a while and instead stared down at bracelet on his wrist. Henry peered over and noticed a small swan engraved on the bracelet.
"No I'm not."
"Why not?!" Henry exclaimed loudly.
"It's complicated Henry."
"How? She's the Evil Queen! Emma deserves a different woman, someone who isn't evil!"
"Regina is Emma's true love, they're meant to be together." Eron said sadly. "Regina just can't get past the person she was turned into. She can't see the light yet."
"She'll try and stop you from bringing back Emma's memories." Henry warned.
"I know… She isn't ready to let go of the Evil Queen inside her, even if she think she already has." The younger boy slumped back in his seat heavily. "It's still a long road for Regina, returning light isn't an easy thing to do."
"Emma did it."
"Her dance with the darkness was fleeting, barely enough to truly taint her soul, however Regina had lived in the darkness for years, it's all she knows, or thinks she knows."
"But she could be good again? If she tried?" Eron nodded, and Henry couldn't help but feel hopeful for that day.
"I want that."
"So do I." Eron agreed. "Emma and Regina have a connection far deeper than just love. Their very souls are connected, bonded to one another. That is why Emma is still able to feel for Regina even when she is devoid of her heart. Regina is Emma's life force, the very thing she needs to live."
"Why? How can Emma love the Evil Queen?"
"She saw the real Regina inside, not mask on the outside."
"But it's her fault, she's the reason Emma ran."
"She is, and it's something I am finding hard to forgive. However I'm fighting for Emma's happiness and if it's with Regina then so be it. I just hope Madame Mayor won't get in the way of me bringing back what Emma lost." Eron admitted, a slight smile on his face.
"And you'll let me help?"
"When I have a solid plan, yes. But for now, I wish to get back my sister, her memories can come later."
"We'll call it Operation Emma."
"Operation Emma it is."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Emma fidgeted restlessly in her office chair, her eyes flicking up to the clock every few minutes. Morgan was sat one of her office chairs, watching her curiously. Since arriving at work, Emma had yet to fill Morgan in on the previous night's events, her mind remained stuck on the conversation from the morning.
"Are you ever going to talk to me?" He asked, throwing a ball into the air and catching it.
"I'm getting to it." The blonde said, looking up at the clock once more.
"It's not going to do anything else other than tick you know." The younger said, resting his elbows on the desk. "Come on Em, what's going on?"
"I think Regina thinks we live together." The blonde blurted out, taking Morgan by surprise.
"Okay, I wasn't expecting that." He said with a chuckle. "Care to explain?"
"I went to Regina's last night and confessed a bunch of soppy stuff and we ended up doing it, twice." Morgan raised his eyebrows at her. "And this morning she told Henry that we're together, which we are and I'm super happy about it, but she also said I lived there now."
"Do you?"
"No! I like things how they are, and I am so not ready to live with Regina, not yet at least." The deputy nodded his understanding.
"Have you talked to her about it?" Emma shook her head.
"No, I left before she could talk to me." Morgan laughed and gave her a thumbs up.
"Good job Swan." The blonde stuck her tongue out at him.
"I panicked okay!"
"That's how most things seem to go with you and the Mayor." He pointed out.
"What do I do?" Emma asked with a groan.
"Talk to her! Have a good old fashioned conversation instead of jumping her bones." The blonde glared at him.
"You're a pain, leave my office." She flicked her wrist at him and Morgan laughed, standing from his chair and leaving the office.
"You know I'm right." He called to her but Emma ignored him. She would have to talk to Regina, and not allow herself to run off when it got a little tricky. It's only a conversation, how hard can it be?
A/N: Looks like things are starting to come back to Emma! How will Regina react to the prospect of Emma remembering her past and will Eron and Henry succeed in bringing Emma's memories back fully? Please follow and review, since I love everything you have to say! Till next time Kids.