A/N – Nothing much to say except, enjoy the chapter. This is where #SwanQueen makes its grand entrance.
X
The inevitable was bound to happen one point in time or the other.
Perhaps it was emotionally degrading to some, as the questions began to form like festering sores. But to others, Hook's disappearance could be labelled as a delightful occurrence to stimulate the senses and awaken the appetite.
Delicate, at first, she proceeded. With the slightest referral to his absence in the company of the Charmings or anyone else. It pained Regina that distance was still maintained between herself and Emma, because of this hesitation. Because of the fear that Miss Swan wouldn't see her as anything but a friend. Drawing from the attempt on her part to expose herself in New York; to stand there in a room before the other woman and fray those edges away until she had begun to cry. Until her knees turned into jelly and a chair was sought out.
Regina had been crumbling and the one woman she had hoped to show a little more care and love, that very same woman chose to become rigid without even offering the possibility of a hug.
"A penny for your thoughts?" whispered a voice in her ear as she stood just across the street from the Diner, eyes latched onto the blonde seated within.
Regina barely glanced at the Evil Queen and sighed. "Why ask when you're already inside my head?"
"Because it makes me feel like the separate entity I am, apart from you," the Queen inhaled deeply, now dressed in a black and red velvet gown with a wide split in the front. She showed those pair of leather pants quite nicely. But apart from being desirably sexy, the smell of death and darkness still surrounded the demon. "Why stand outside when you can waltz in there and begin your life?"
The shorter hair brunette who was clad in a simple black tailored dress, black stockings and black high heels simply remained in a dull mood. "Because like I said before, I am quite certain that Miss Swan isn't inclined in my direction."
"Oh you babbling fool," the Queen waved off the sentence quite dramatically, the sunlight never seeming to even blush her pale and pasty skin. "In my time, I would conquer that woman within seconds."
"Yes, I could have done that," Regina nodded, growing slightly nervous about approaching Emma in the Diner as she sat alone. "But based on the present case of circumstances, it would appear as if I am not emotionally equipped to handle a third disappointment in love."
"That is where I have nothing to lose," said the Evil Queen at her side, smirking. "Having lost Daniel, I have been through but one smashing heartbreak. I actually loved him. I would have definitely killed Robin off to be sure. But in the case of Miss Emma Swan...hmmm." She studied the face of the woman behind the glass and laughed within her throat. "Oh I would most definitely bed her. Several times. A day."
Regina couldn't believe it and she turned to study the other woman's face with parted lips. "Darling, back off. She's mine."
"Oh you are so cute when you're jealous," the Queen smiled at her twin, bouncing back a little on her dangerously high heels. "Flushed cheeks and softened eyes. You remind me of an ice cap melting. A sickly mess that is. I need to contain you in your frozen state once more before you thaw out into a ball of mush."
"Might I remind you that I have come many years ahead, and my life thus far has altered me," Regina said in a level voice. The wind lightly lifted her choppy hair, and those exposed honey coloured arms were kissed by the warm sunlight.
"Might I remind you that the only way you can snatch that Barbie doll off the shelf, is to resume your former self in all my glory -"
"No," Regina said like a petulant child, folding her arms and staring at Miss Swan as she hunched her shoulders and chewed on a plate of something obviously unhealthy. "No, I have changed my mind. I will not take this approach with her. I will not show my evil side. When I win her heart, it will be with love and care and me being the person she has always known. Not me being the person she was never privileged to see."
"Me," the Evil Queen said, "you mean me. I am not offended."
"Don't be," Regina said in a clipped tone.
She successfully took a few steps forward until the haze of purple at her side made the brunette come to a halt.
Glancing around, it was only shocking to discover that the Queen had vanished, leaving her definite scent of roses around the spot where they had been. So within her own mind, the brunette thought that it was only fitting to have the demon disappear. After all, what good could she do in this situation? What else could someone so set on her evil ways accomplish? Was there any signs of redemption for her former self? Clearly not. She had come this far...
Just as the shorter hair brunette was about to climb the steps of the Diner, those few steps that many had used over the years, something inside her mind begged to be given attention. It was a feeling. A feeling that she needed to tear her eyes away from the stone steps and focus on the depths of the small establishment with a keen interest.
That was done. And from the moment she noticed the exact image of herself, with the very same outfit and hairstyle approaching Emma, Regina's heart stopped beating.
No.
It couldn't be.
It couldn't be that the Queen had transformed into their current self, Regina's current self to jeopardize their situation. Could it? But how else could she explain the sight, the splitting image of herself, except that her skin was paler, standing just by the table in there and already sparking up a conversation with the sitting woman who had stolen her heart?
Every word, exactly as they were spoken seemed to be fine-tuned into the shorter hair brunette's mind. Almost as if they were sharing the same brain. Every word. Even Miss Swan's replies.
"Is this seat taken?" The Evil Queen asked in the softest tone, after admiring Emma up close and realizing that she was entirely delicious after all.
At first, the blonde shook away the thoughts residing inside that cobwebbed mind of hers, and then she stared up at the brunette. From the moment their eyes met, it dawned upon the younger woman that something was different. Something was different about Regina's complexion, about the way her brown eyes appeared to be colder and brighter than ever. Almost as if she had an inner winter storm brewing and every damn snowfall was about to land on her lap.
"Nah," Emma waved it off, although she had hoped to avoid any confrontations with the woman after New York. When the brunette had opened up. "Go ahead. Have it."
"Why thank you," the Queen said, and she gracefully sat down, smirking more than ever. A frown was directed at the blonde's plate. "Forgive my question, but is that...fried chicken?"
"Um," Emma held up a piece of her meal and shrugged, "yeah. As fried as they come."
"Then I'll have the same delicacy as you're having," the Queen clicked her fingers and awaited her turn to be served.
It was the blonde's opportunity to stare. Something was definitely off about the older woman. She realized that and studied the face of the woman who had used her as a punching bag in New York.
"You...never eat anything fried," Emma reminded the brunette seated across from her. She frowned some more. "Are you okay?"
What the hell are you playing at? Regina screamed in her mind from the outside. Still standing by the steps and rearing her neck to peer through the window without being seen, the brunette was alarmed from the confrontation at the table within.
You are so out of character! That's not me! She couldn't believe the actuality of the situation unfolding and wished that her footsteps had led faster inside the Diner a few minutes before, to prevent the Queen from intervening.
"I am quite fine, dear," the disguised brunette made clear, smiling as the waiter approached the table. "Is that a new shirt you're wearing? If I have seen it on you before, I must say that today you look even more beautiful with that piece on."
Emma stared, her face expressionless. The clatter of plates and tinkle of glasses within the Diner filled the silence between the two of them whilst the other woman smiled.
"What's going on with you?"
"Me?" The Evil Queen pressed red painted nails upon her hefty bosom and appeared surprised. "Why on earth would you believe something is wrong with me?"
The blonde narrowed her eyes, ceasing to even eat a morsel from her plate. "I get that you're mourning still. Well it seems so…" she paused when the brunette's eyes widened. "You've been behaving kind of strange since New York and then you…" Emma gestured at her companion. "You look as if you haven't slept in days."
"Is it that bad?" The Queen made a dramatic attempt to pat down her pasty cheeks, appearing horrified. "I suppose that heartbreak does has certain physical degrading effects that cannot be prevented."
"And you smell like roses," Emma said. She was puzzled. "You're wearing something different. You usually smell like…White Diamond and…I don't know…" the blonde shrugged, "…apples and lipstick and nail polish."
The Evil Queen smirked. "Glad to know that you have memorized my fragrance. Is that suggestive of something deeper?" The demented brunette winked. "Care to let it slip out that you are somewhat attracted to me?"
No. Regina, still on the outside of the Diner certainly froze up and stared into the depths of the place with widened eyes.
No you can't be so blunt! What the hell are you doing? She's going to think that I'm certainly going insane!
Emerald eyes were bulging for a few seconds. Perhaps she was consumed by the shock of having someone like Regina compliment her and take a pathway down to questions about attractiveness. But it was still evident, that the possibility of Robin's sudden death, had taken a toll on the older woman's mental state. That was how Emma saw the picture; as she sat there.
"You…are…attractive," Swan admitted, wishing never to insult the brunette's appearance.
"Be careful," the Queen sat back and inhaled deeply with a growing smile. "One might think that you swing both ways." The sound of a new song drifting from the old music box filled the Diner and someone began to hum.
"Well I..." Emma shrugged and swallowed, "...do. Actually. I mean I used to," she explained, tugging at the collar of her shirt whilst avoiding eye contact, never noting brown eyes widening. "I'm really kind of open minded. If you get what I mean. I don't judge..."
Regina, feeling entirely like Adele 'from the other side', couldn't believe what she had heard slip from the blonde's lips. In fact, it was so shocking that her mind couldn't quite register those words uttered.
"Finally we're going somewhere…" the Queen sat back satisfied. "So you have driven through both lanes, in a manner of speaking...openly."
The blonde nodded, feeling the back of her neck as she hunched over the table some more. "Are we actually having this conversation?" she nervously laughed and reached for the can of Coke.
"Well I opened up to you in New York," The Evil Queen reminded her. "So it is only fitting that something is given in return."
"About New York," Emma continued, her voice lowered to a softer tone, "look, I know that I didn't say much when you opened up to me. But I had so much on my mind back then. And I probably didn't make the best steps towards comforting you but –"
"I didn't need comforting, dear," brown orbs grew fiery. "I needed so much more –" The blonde's attempt to change the topic was slightly disappointing on the other woman's behalf. "I needed to...how shall I put it? Have you drive your carriage into the other lane and collide with me."
"Abort!" Regina frantically whispered practically to herself behind the glass. "You idiot! If you can hear me, stop what the hell you're doing and get the hell out of –"
"That's kind of...poetic," said Emma, studying the other woman's face. "I like poetry."
"My fingers have been known to also write poetry across my lovers' bodies," the Queen lifted her red painted nails and splayed them out between the two of them.
Emma was impressed, that much showing on her face as she stopped sucking on the red and white straw. She was absolutely astounded by the change in the other woman.
"You're on a roll today, aren't you?" emerald eyes were pinched from a smile, but nevertheless, she eventually frowned because of being assured that something was definitely off about her companion.
"Truth be told," red painted nails curled upon the table, drawing closer to the blonde's slim ones, "have you never noticed the way I seem to savour our time spent together? The way I…" her husky voice grew huskier if that was possible, and those lowered eyes suggested so much more, "…seem to lose myself, open myself up with ease when I'm with you…"
Obviously Emma was dumbfounded by the string of words that seemed to play with her heartstrings for she was of course certain of their bond growing closer over the years. But to hear these confessions from the woman herself, who was somehow always hesitant to speak about certain matters. Like love. Hadn't Robin just been snatched away? And here the brunette was, speaking about love and asking if she was attracted to her.
"I know that you find a friend in me," the blonde said softly, "and for that I have to say that I'm glad to be there for you. But Regina, you've got to give yourself time to mourn. If you need time to be alone then take it. But don't be too hard on yourself. Just know that there are people here for you –"
"I just want you to be there for me," the Queen said, suddenly drowning in Emma's eyes. "Only you. Woman crushes may be termed differently in the world as we know it today. But Miss Swan, I am severely attracted to you. And as the days go by –"
"Regina…" Emma's voice was softer.
"As the days go by, I find myself wishing to be more than your friend," internally, the Evil Queen was cackling. "The things that I wish to do to you might make you blush deeply, if I say them out loud and –"
"Have you been drinking?" the blonde's face displayed utter surprise.
The Queen found that rather offensive. "Dear, if I was intoxicated then you'd be chained to my bed with nothing on. And might I remind you..." she savoured the look of disbelief on Emma's face, "...that a woman as powerful as myself is powerful in every department. Including sexually -"
"Wow," Emma sat back, her emerald eyes widening. "Where the hell have you been Madame Mayor? I've kind of missed this side of you. Although you used to piss me off," the blonde inclined her head, reaching for the red and white straw again.
"I am done being a mush ball," the Evil Queen said, completely embarrassed that her current self had changed so much as to disappoint someone like Miss Swan. "Mark my words, being an emotional wreck all the time doesn't get me what I want."
"Regina," Emma's voice softened, "Robin's death wasn't your fault."
"Who gives a rat's ass about Robin Hood?" The Queen's outburst made emerald eyes widened from shock. "I'm glad he's dead. The hopeless excuse of a man. Right now, the only person I care about is you."
Emma raised her eyebrows. "Don't you think that you're going a bit over the top?"
"I'd like to get on top of you any day, Miss Emma Swan," the Queen's lips curled into a smile. "I'd like to –"
A window suddenly shattered at the front of the Diner and then there was barely the hint of purple smoke as Regina disappeared just outside the door. No one noted the haze of purple, but only seemed to focus on the threat of a devious rock thrower. The object lay on the ground, and Granny slowly approached it with a deepening scowl on her face as the onlookers stared and shook their heads.
"Um…" Emma was frowning at the window and rose up slowly, those emerald eyes flicking to the Queen, "Sheriff Duty calls. You know…since I'm still Sheriff in a way." She shrugged.
The Queen inhaled deeply, still smirking. "Oh by all means get into action. I honestly love to see you get yourself all worked up." The brunette narrowed those brown orbs and smiled. "It really turns me on, Miss Swan."
Emma stared for a few seconds and when the actuality of her stalling to chase the window breaker was realized, she blinked several times. Then the blonde ran off, pulling open the door to the Diner and sprinting onto the sidewalk.
"Are you insane?" Regina asked in a high pitched voice half an hour later as the two gathered inside her vault. "What have you done? You've jeopardized every successive attempts I have made to draw closer to Emma!"
The Evil Queen appeared as always, delightfully pleased. She ran a gloved finger over an oak table within the space and studied the lack of dust.
"I only spoke the truth, teddy bear," her husky voice said. "Being blunt is my thing. If I want a woman, I take her."
"She's going to think that I'm a pervert now!" Regina exclaimed, her brown orbs widening. "Have you any idea of the magnitude of your involvement?"
"And there I was, about to tell her of where my fingers wanted to walk," the Queen raised her eyebrows and smiled. "I also wanted to show my interest in tasting between her legs."
"Well I did squeeze her like a lemon, did I not?" The Queen rounded on the other brunette who appeared to still be processing the whole ordeal. "She is also attracted to women. Now that wasn't a surprise, due to her taste in a man who wears a heavy abundance of eye makeup. But it was accomplished as easily as ever. Her confession. Something you obviously couldn't accomplish."
There were truth in those words, that much Regina realized. That she had been struggling with her investigation into Emma's sexuality since their first meeting. Struggling was such a cheesy word. More like battling with her own mind and moving through an endless maze of clues, picking and prying apart confrontations they had to discover the truth. When all it took was one table sitting for the Queen and the blonde to unearth so much.
Unless there was more to this than she had bargained for. Unless her choice to open up to Emma in New York had somehow forced her to return the favour easily. But she had been somehow aware of this all along, hadn't she? That Miss Swan could be bisexual. Surely there were signs. Her manly stance for example and if that was too prejudiced, then what about her openness to certain topics? What about her constant referral to seeing things not only in black and white?
"I take different approaches now -"
"You know, you remind me of a cage of rabbits," The Queen came forward with a glint in her eyes. "All fluff and no fun."
"Pandora's Box," said Regina suddenly, as if she had a new purpose and was desperate to fulfil it. "That is where I should put you. In Pandora's Box so that you will not intervene."
"Might I remind you that I snuffed the vermin's life out last night whilst you stood on the sidelines like a painted China doll?" The Queen reminded her twin. A few steps were slowly taken in the shorter hair brunette's direction. "I took care of business whilst you still haven't embraced the fact that by me, you can get anyone you desire. Even Miss Swan. She's not even a challenge."
"You told her that I would like her to be chained to the bed with nothing on!" Regina cried, her eyes wide as saucers. "Have you any idea what this means to me?"
"Certainly," the Queen nodded, appeared as calm as ever and proceeded to take steps towards an opened chest. "You wish to fuck Miss Swan, do you not?"
The shorter hair brunette's chest heaved. There were two sides to that; the respectful approach and the boldest one taken earlier by the other woman.
"Yes. But -"
"Do you wish to lick her like a lollipop on a hot summer's day?" The Evil Queen made a graceful turn and their eyes met. When that connection was achieved, she smirked, those brown eyes appearing like two windows to two volcanic openings. "Tell me, did anything I say serve as a lie? If you ask me, I was merely speaking exactly what is in your mind, body and soul already. That you want the prize but you are too pussy to get in there and snatch it off the shelf."
"I have my own methods," Regina strode towards a shelf and whilst doing so, she angrily batted a vase from a table. "I have changed from you into me because of things learned along the way. And as disrespectful as this may sound, your immaturity and lack of respect for feelings is unbecoming of a Queen."
"Is that so!" the Evil Queen stared in amusement at her softer twin. "Well I didn't see you showing any kind of feelings when you shoved your hand into my chest, ripped out my heart and crushed it! I didn't see you show any mercy when I ripped the Pirate into shreds! Call it immaturity and disrespect but you, my dear...you're nothing but a pair of sagging breasts that needs some uplifting urgently..."
One of them glared whilst the other smiled pleasingly.
She couldn't quite shake the feeling of losing her grip on the situation. Of realizing that something was developing that could spiral out of control. As delicate as ever, Regina's feelings did take on a softer touch when Emma was concerned. That much was evident, due to the fact that she had been broken down many times and had arrived at that point. Where her bruised heart could only yearn for the blonde to shelter those broken pieces. To love and to treasure every broken piece, bit by bit. But never to view her as a perverted person.
Never.
To discover that the Queen was beginning to savour an attachment to Miss Swan, it was slightly frightening. Knowing that if her focus faltered, then perhaps the demonic side to their form would catch and capture and squeeze out every possible reaction she could get before discarding of her prey. Before making Emma fall to her knees with a twisted heart. That was her intentions and would have been her planned action many years ago. Capturing and luring a potential lover into a web of mind games, devouring them and then tossing their nakedness into the world again.
The Evil Queen's only concern was to seize the challenge and use it. She didn't care about emotions or the consequences. What she wished for was an easy fuck and then the world would keep on turning. That's it.
"I will proceed alone from here," Regina chose to say in a level voice, frowning upon the vase she had broken, a gift from Snow White. "In regards to Miss Swan."
"It's a shame," the Evil Queen said, leaning a hip onto a table and studying those red painted long nails. "Think of the fun we three could have, with your Miss Swan in the middle. I could eat my way down south whilst you sit on her pretty round face -"
"Tempting but three's a crowd," the shorter hair brunette admitted, smirking internally at the image of Emma's face if that occurred. "Besides, I'm not even supposed to be entertaining you in this world for so long." She frowned at her twin and wondered if Hyde could have concocted a counter potion to eliminate this problem. "Your existence could cause too much chaos."
"I have a few things planned," the Queen said brightly, "I would love to unwind Snow White in front of her Prince -"
"You can't..." Regina held up her hands, eyes fluttering close as she breathed in, "...touch her. She is off limits."
"You little weak kitten," the demon stared in astonishment. "Please don't tell me that you have become Snow White's best friend."
"Stay in the vault," the shorter hair brunette said, already growing agitated with her evil conscience whispering around every corner. "Play with your potions. I really need to do a few things without you in my head."
"What makes you think that I'll stay in here?" The Evil Queen gasped when Regina waved her hand and a pair of black cuffs appeared around both wrists. "What is this?" She considered them with widened eyes and stared at her companion in disbelief. "You're imprisoning me now?"
"Yes," the owner of a black leather jacket and a tantalizing leather skirt smirked, as she made her way to the door. "You're grounded after what you did today. I'll be back later to feed you." And as she passed by her twin, Regina' lifted cupped fingers to caress the Queen's pale cheek. "Don't worry, my pet. One of us runs Storybrooke and it was never you. It's me."
Then disappearing in purple smoke, she left a wide eyed Evil Queen gaping, powerless near the table.
What she wasn't fully prepared for was a confrontation with Miss Swan outside of her vault. In the shadowed graveyard, the wind whipping black choppy hair about pushed back shoulders, she didn't notice the other woman at first. Because she was seated on the stone steps just outside the concrete building, red leather jacket on and a sense of being terribly conflicted hanging above that head of blonde hair.
But they always seemed to have a kind of connection neither of them could explain quite fully.
From the moment Regina went down the steps and placed both boots upon the grass, she ceased all movement. Her neck prickled, and that beating heart was pulled slightly, only to awaken inside of the brunette, something that been stirring since New York.
"I thought I'd find you here," the blonde said from behind, her voice slightly unsteady.
The older woman sucked in air through her parted lips, chest heaving and she turned around slowly, anticipating the conversation and how beautifully it would unfold, due to that day's events.
"Yes. Well..." Regina tried a smile and felt how stiff her face grew, "it is my vault. My secret place in a manner of speaking..."
"We need to talk," said Emma, her face shadowed by the lack of lighting around them.
There was no expression displaying amusement but a stolid face that suggested either one of two things; either Emma was angered by the previous meeting or she was there to discuss something else of a much more serious nature. Hook, perhaps?
"Okay," Regina stepped forward and held her breath.
"Inside your vault," the blonde gestured behind her warily.
"I don't think that's wise at the moment," the brunette said quickly, and when she realized her show of hesitation that might lead to suspicion, her throat was cleared. "What I mean is, my vault isn't exactly the place to have a conversation since it has gotten severely dusty due to my lack of visits recently. Shall we walk?" She gestured towards the trees and the pathway that led to Main Street.
At first, Emma's hesitation showed. But then her eyes softened and a shrug was offered. "Yeah, why not."
"Care to enlighten me on what this is about?" Regina tried as the blonde fell into step beside her. "Or will I be aware of everything along the way?"
"I kind of have so much on my mind right now, and most of it is about you. So..." Emma stalled a bit whilst they moved between the swaying trees, the leaves rustling. "I don't know how you'll react to this but the stuff you said earlier...I don't know...it kind of gave me the answers I needed for a long time now..."
Regina felt her chest flutter and stared ahead whilst they walked. Answers? Oh this was going to be quite enjoyable after all...
X
Please leave a review?