The one with the Swan-Mills-Charming-everyone family breakfast.
Emma woke slowly, feeling well rested and comfortable. She was wrapped around the still sleeping Regina, feeling the brunette's chest rise and fall with each soft breath. Pale light filtered in through the curtains and she could hear the quiet clatter of people in the kitchen downstairs. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so peaceful in the morning. Then again, it was the first time she'd woken up next to her soulmate.
The night before was still crystal clear in her mind. She'd been sitting on the end of Regina's bed with the lights off, waiting for the brunette to return. There was a murmur of voices from downstairs, followed by silence that had her cocking her head to one side, listening curiously. The only thing she could hear were soft footsteps coming up the stairs and moving down the hall.
Then the doorway was filled by a golden glow. Emma hadn't been sure of what she was seeing at first, blinking and squinting as what looked like golden dust floated into the room. If she hadn't felt safely surrounded by family, friends, and a magical barrier, she might have defended herself. As it were, the golden dust just bobbed right up to her and circled her like a soft aura of light, warm against her skin, and ticklish where it actually brushed up against her.
She chuckled, wondering if this was some sort of magic trick from Regina. But then Regina walked into the room looking shell shocked and Emma's brows knit together with immediate concern.
"Regina? What's wrong? Are you doing this?"
For a moment, the brunette couldn't reply. Her eyes were wet and her lips were parted but silent. Then, swallowing down the lump in her throat and shaking her head in disbelief, she said, "That's Tinkerbell's pixie dust."
Emma's mouth opened, then shut, then opened again. She was slowly but surely putting the pieces together, eyebrows rising until they nearly hit her hairline.
"But… I thought…"
"That was more than thirty years ago," Regina said softly, repeating what Tinkerbell had said to her. "I've changed." She watched the way the pixie dust swirled slowly around Emma, making her glow in an almost ethereal light in the otherwise dark room, the gold matching perfectly against her blonde hair. An emotional smile found its way to Regina's trembling lips. "And now here you are."
A laugh bubbled up from within Emma, one that was giddy and surprised and just dawning on the fact that this was happening. This was actually happening. "Yeah," she whispered, standing up, the golden dust moving with her like a cloak of warmth. "Here I am."
She held out her arms, green eyes wet and reflecting the golden light, a quivering smile stretching across her lips. Regina rushed forward to close the distance between them, throwing herself into Emma's arms with an unrestrained sob, tightly enclosed in the blonde's arms. Next thing she knew, Emma was swinging her around in a circle, laughing and crying all at once, and Regina just laughed and cried with her because she had never felt this way before, not even with Daniel, and to hell with appearances because she was going to indulge in this breathtaking moment and let her emotions take over for once. The woman she chose was her soulmate, and her soulmate chose her too.
She didn't think it had been possible. Not for her.
But here they were.
"I love you," Regina gasped between breaths, her feet touching the floor as Emma stopped spinning her around. She'd said it. She'd said it first, no less. Regina Mills should have been mortified, but she wasn't, not when she was feeling overwhelmed with happiness, with her soulmate embracing her the way she was and the sounds of their laughter and tears mixing together like a beautiful symphony.
Emma pulled back just enough to look into her eyes, their foreheads resting together, noses brushing. Once upon a time, she might have panicked and ran away. Fleeing was what she did best when she felt out of her depth or backed into a corner, or especially when she felt like she was obligated to be a part of someone's life in ways she wasn't ready for. But now there was only love in those bottomless green eyes, love and warmth and trust and a million other emotions that didn't fit into words, and her lips spread into a brilliant smile that dimpled her cheeks and made her glow with life. Emma Swan was afraid of many things, but a future with Regina Mills wasn't one of them.
"I love you too," she whispered, and she meant every word.
They'd kissed and clung to each other and laughed and cried some more, until eventually they came down from their emotional high and sunk into bed together, embracing like old lovers and falling asleep to the sounds of each other's soft breathing. Neither had slept so soundly as that night, finally having found their other half. There was nothing that compared to fate telling you that the woman you loved was your soulmate.
Emma was propped up on one elbow, admiring Regina's profile in the morning sunlight and committing every curve and detail to memory, when the brunette finally stirred from her slumber. A soft, rumbling exhale left her lips as she came to and noticed the blonde staring.
"Hey," Regina murmured, a dreamy smile spilling across her lips to match Emma's dopey one.
"Hey." Emma leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to Regina's cheek, feeling Regina tilt her head up to return the favor. It was a sweet and innocent moment, just waking up snuggled together and exchanging a gentle kiss on the cheek, and all Emma could think about was wanting to be able to do this every morning for the rest of her life. The thought didn't scare her one bit; what was there to be afraid of, if she had Regina by her side through all of it?
Emma would have been perfectly happy lying there for as long as she could get away with, but she knew that wouldn't be the case when there was a clatter of pots and pans downstairs and a loud grumble that probably belonged to Leroy. Regina, still wrapped up in her arms, lifted an eyebrow at her and she chuckled.
"Okay, okay. Getting up." She pressed one more kiss to the brunette's cheek before releasing her and rolling off her side of the bed, landing on her hands and feet, stretching out like a giant puppy before straightening up.
Regina got out of bed far more gracefully, disappearing into the ensuite bathroom. When Emma stuck her head in through the door after politely knocking and getting an inviting hum in response, Regina was already brushing her teeth, and Emma's green toothbrush had been magicked onto the counter.
By the time they had freshened up, changed clothes, and headed downstairs (Emma had borrowed a familiar steel grey silk shirt and Regina just smirked and said, "Enjoy my shirt,") everyone was already crowded into the kitchen for breakfast. The island counter was covered in platters of fresh eggs, sausage, bacon, and toast. Granny was overseeing it all as everyone ate and talked, with David handing out coffee and Mary Margaret tending to Neal in the dining room.
Emma and Regina lingered in the main hall, just out of sight from the entryway to the kitchen, their hands clasped together.
"Should we…" Emma glanced down to their conjoined fingers, quietly offering a chance at privacy, knowing better than anyone that Regina liked to keep her personal business strictly to herself.
"I appreciate it, but it won't be necessary. I vaguely recall everyone staring at me as I followed the pixie dust, so it's certainly not a secret." Her low chuckle brought a grin to Emma's face, and she couldn't help but lean in to plant a firm kiss on those soft lips. "Now let's go see the damage done to my kitchen, hmm?"
With their hands still firmly clasped together, they entered the kitchen, braced for whatever it was that they would find. To Regina's surprise and immense relief, breakfast looked to be a relatively neat and organized ordeal, thanks to Granny's supervision no doubt. Heads lifted as they entered and there was a chorus of cheerful "goodmorning's," curious eyes noticing their clasped hands and grins all around.
"Sleep well, sister?" Leroy aimed at Emma, smirking.
"A Savior doesn't kiss and tell," the blonde fired back, grinning as Regina rolled her eyes at her.
David looked up from his work at the coffee machine and his smile grew even wider than either woman thought possible. "Good morning," he greeted warmly, setting down a mug to go hug his daughter. Regina tried to release Emma's hand but instead made a little sound in her throat as she was pulled into the embrace, David's arm firm around her shoulder, his head sandwiched between both of theirs. It was like their joint hugs with Henry... except this was David, and dear lord, Regina realized that one day, hugging an adult-sized Henry was going to be like this. She awkwardly pat David on the back.
By the time he let them go, Emma was grinning again and there was a bright blush across Regina's cheeks. She hadn't even gotten around to worrying about what Emma's parents would think and already David had hugged her like she was family. She had been considered 'family' to the Charmings in the past year, sure, but this was something else entirely.
Glad we got over all those times we tried to kill each other in the past thirty-something years or so. By the way, I'm dating your daughter now. The same one I caused you to abandon thirty-something years ago. Good times.
She had to resist the urge to roll her eyes at herself. Good times indeed.
"Feeling better?" David asked, guiding them both by their elbows towards the counter and thrusting plates into their hands.
"Feeling great," was Emma's enthusiastic reply. Regina just nodded shyly, speechless as Granny and Ruby started putting food onto her plate and telling her to eat up. It was a stark contrast from the way they used to set her food down roughly in front of her at the diner without a word. They had been kinder in the past year when the Charmings made it clear to all of Storybrooke that she was a "good guy" now, but it was never like this. Never like she was truly part of the group, one of their own to be cared for and looked after.
"Coffee?" David held out two mugs. Emma took them both with a smile of thanks, pouring an exact teaspoon of sugar into one (just the way Regina liked it) and sliding it to the brunette before dumping cream and sugar into her own. Regina gulped down half her cup, face hidden partially behind her mug as she examined her breakfast companions.
Granny had moved on to shoving a plate into David's hands, ordering him to eat instead of worrying about making more coffee. He ended up compiling a second plate for Mary Margaret while she was busy calming a fussy Neal in the other room.
Ruby was sitting on the bar stool next to Grayson this morning. They still weren't really talking to each other, but they no longer kept a strict ten inch distance between themselves either, elbows brushing on occasion as they reached across the table to grab another slice of toast. Amusingly, neither seemed to have an appetite for pork today.
August and Leroy were partaking in goodnatured banter, with Nova giggling at their antics and Tinkerbell just rolling her eyes at them all. Noticing Regina's gaze from the other side of the counter, she offered her a nod and a genuine smile. Regina smiled back, deciding she would have to find a way to properly thank the fairy later. Maybe a freshly baked apple turnover. Emma would appreciate the humor in that.
"Where's Henry?" She asked finally, realizing that their son was nowhere to be seen.
"With Snow and the baby," said David. Turning towards the entryway to the conjoined dining room, he shouted, "Henry! Operation Apple is a success!"
Emma and Regina both gave David a baffled look as Henry came bounding in, beaming a thousand watt smile and promptly launching himself between his mothers for a hug.
"Morning!" he chirped, easily looping his lanky arms around both women.
"Told you about his Operation, did he?" Emma directed at her father with a chuckle, instinctively ruffling at Henry's hair as Regina planted an affectionate kiss to his temple.
"That he did. It was all he could talk about after last night." David grinned, biting into a slice of bacon. Emma had an identical grin on her face, while Regina suddenly looked hesitant, pulling back to give her son a concerned look.
"Henry," she began softly, suddenly wishing they weren't surrounded by people. "Are you really okay with this? Emma and I-"
"Mom, are you kidding? I've never seen you look so happy before. That's all I ever wanted." He smiled warmly, bumping his shoulder against hers, and Regina was all barely contained joy again. It always amazed everyone at how his love and approval could so greatly affect her emotions, even to this day. Turning to his blonde mother, he continued, "Operation Apple may be a success, but I've got my eye on you from now on. No funny business when it comes to my mom."
He squinted dramatically, using his fingers to indicate that he'd be watching her. Emma snickered and purposefully leaned over him to plant a fast, sloppy kiss on Regina's mouth.
"Emma!" Regina scolded, indignant, a blush rising to her cheeks as Leroy howled with laughter. Even Ruby and Grayson were snickering.
"Eww! Ma!" Henry moaned in mock disgust and scurried away from them faster than anyone had ever seen him move before, grabbing a plate of food and sliding himself in next to Ruby while giving Emma the stink-eye. Ruby offered Henry a comforting pat on the back.
"Better get used to it," she said, amused. "'Cause I get the feeling your moms are gonna be a lot touchier now than before."
"Than before?" Regina repeated, incredulous, as Henry wrinkled his nose at the mental image of his mothers touching each other. He did not need to know about that part of their relationship.
"Seriously? You two have, like, no sense of personal space with each other," said Ruby.
"You were always right up in her grill," Leroy added with a smirk.
"I did no such thing," Regina argued, grabbing a fork when Granny gestured impatiently at her to eat her food. Ruby snorted.
"Then explain that time you almost kissed Emma outside of the mines."
"I wasn't even close."
"You so were! You walked right up to her with your faces an inch apart. She almost kissed you, right Emma?"
Ruby and Regina both looked at Emma at the same time, the former smirking and the latter narrowing her eyes in a patented Evil Queen glare. Emma shoved half an omelette into her mouth to avoid speaking altogether. Silence was technically an answer.
"Traitor!" accused Ruby.
"Thank you, dear," said Regina with a wicked grin, patting Emma's hand. No one missed the way Emma practically glowed with adoration. If she had a tail, it'd be wagging a mile a minute right about now. Ruby just rolled her eyes.
"Whatever. We know what we saw. You looked ready to eat Emma outside the mines."
"You saw nothing. Besides, I recall you were stuck on the far side of the yellow tape with everyone else, miss Lucas. With the peasants." Regina curled her lip and tucked into her breakfast, and Emma just smiled and shook her head. She didn't expect Regina to be forthright about her feelings with everyone else and certainly had no intention of ever convincing her to do so. Regina being a private - and extremely stubborn - person was a part of why she loved her. Besides, it kept things interesting.
"Graham had a front row seat and he said the same thing," Ruby grumbled, cutting up her eggs with the edge of her fork. It wasn't that she was trying to pick a fight, she just didn't understand why Regina had to argue so stubbornly about not having been attracted to Emma from the start. There was no shame in that, they were confirmed soulmates now anyway, so what did it matter? It was only when the silence stretched out that she looked up, realizing her mistake. Regina had gone still, staring down at her plate. Emma had a blank look on her face, and everyone else had suddenly found something fascinating to affix their gazes to, looking at anything but them. Even Grayson, a newcomer to Storybrooke, averted his eyes.
Ruby swallowed and knit her brows together. "Shit. I'm sorry, I didn't mean…"
Emma released the breath she'd been holding, only realizing how much she'd tensed up when she let her shoulders relax again. Evidently no one had ever really brought up the topic of Graham in front of everyone else these past years, either out of respect for Emma's sake, or for fear of Regina's reaction to it. Christ, had it really been more than three years? "It's fine, Rubes."
"No- Emma, Regina, really, I'm sorry. That was stupid of me. It's none of my business."
Ruby had the 'kicked puppy' look down flat. Emma deflated a little, but Regina's face was pinched when she finally looked up.
"It's fine. No use shying away from the topic for my sake. I won't pretend that I didn't do terrible things in the past, and I don't expect anyone else to forget it either."
"Regina," said Emma, her hand automatically resting on the brunette's knee with a concerned squeeze. "You don't have to-"
"I killed Graham," the brunette said evenly, her expression cool and collected. It was only after saying it that she realized she'd never confessed it out loud before, not to anyone. "I crushed his heart." For a moment she reached down, as if to grab Emma's hand - but then hesitated and pulled away at the last second, refusing herself the comfort. It had been the same hand she'd used to squeeze Graham's heart until it had turned to dust in her palm. "I know it's no consolation, but I am sorry. He was a good man, and I know he was well liked."
Brown eyes hesitantly sought out Henry's gaze, awaiting judgement. She could feel Emma squeeze her knee again, knowing her all too well. It was what Regina did; owned up to her mistakes and simply expected people to hate her. It was easier to deal with the hate when you were already prepared for it.
But Henry's expression was one of sympathy, his eyes seeking to comfort her where words could not. It didn't matter how many times he told his mother that he'd forgiven her for the things she'd done in the past, she never really believed him, likely because she never believed she deserved forgiveness herself.
Emma's fingers touched Regina's chin, turning her head towards her, understanding in her eyes. Her lips were turned up in the softest of smiles. "Hey," she whispered, as if they were still lying in bed, just the two of them, waking up together. For a moment, no one else existed.
"Hey," Regina said back, instinctively relaxing with Emma's fingers under her chin, her expression softening. In the end, it was only Henry and Emma that truly mattered to her. As long as they still loved her, it didn't matter what anyone else thought of her.
At least that's what she tried to convince herself of. But it was hard to believe that when David's hand touched her back in that gentle, supportive way of his, and when she noticed Mary Margaret standing in the doorway smiling at her. They had somehow become family after all these decades of hating each other, and as much as she didn't want to admit it, she did care.
"Snow," Regina greeted numbly, wondering how long the younger brunette had been standing there as Mary Margaret entered the kitchen with Neal in her arms. The baby cooed and immediately reached out his chubby arms towards her, demanding attention.
"Looks like both my children are quite taken with you," Mary Margaret laughed, holding Neal out in a way that Regina could accept or decline. After a pause, Regina took the baby and cradled him in her arms with all the ease and familiarity of an experienced mother.
"They're both crazy," Regina murmured, gently bopping his nose with her finger. He smiled at her, his eyes big and green, just like Emma's.
"Regina," Ruby said, waiting until the mayor finally looked up to meet her gaze again. "I am sorry. I didn't forget but I don't hold it against you either. You really have changed. And well…" At this, she glanced to Emma and offered a supportive smile. "You're part of the family now. Which means we accept each other's faults and mistakes."
Regina smiled humorlessly, appreciating the girl's honesty for what it was. It didn't change the fact that she felt a bit sore over the entire subject still, but it was a start. "Thank you, miss Lucas."
"Call me Ruby." Sheepishly, she added, "And since we're sharing, I ate my boyfriend, so..."
And Regina really did laugh at that. "I can say I've never eaten anyone, at least."
There was a dirty joke there. Sometimes the mayor made it too easy. Ruby and Emma looked at each other and wore matching shit-eating grins, though they smartly said nothing.
"I tried to eat the Bacon boys," Grayson offered, vaguely amused, as he pushed at the strip of bacon on his plate. "I did eat their parents back in the Enchanted Forest."
"I tried to kill you in Neverland," Tinkerbell said. "Multiple times."
"I left Emma at an orphanage when we were little," said August, giving Emma his sad-eyes. He looked like a kicked puppy, so Emma just grinned and shrugged a shoulder at him. If it had been the other way around and she'd been the older kid, she might've left baby August behind too, so she didn't hold it against him. She hadn't been able to take care of Henry at eighteen, so August certainly couldn't have taken care of her while he'd been seven.
"I ran away from my duties as a fairy, and I even stole fairydust," Nova offered.
"I ran away from you and called you Evil," said Henry, flushing with embarrassment. It had been years ago but he still felt bad about it, especially when some people still treated his mother like a villain to this day. "Which I really didn't mean. I love you, Mom."
"I love you too, Henry." Regina flashed him a reassuring smile. She'd never truly been angry at him for that. How could she, when he had been partially right?
"I stole Ruby away from her mother when she was a baby," said Granny, at which Ruby flashed her grandmother a smile, having forgiven her for that a long time ago.
"I stole my dead twin brother's life," said David, leaning his hip against the counter with one arm around Mary Margaret's shoulders. "And then destroyed his Kingdom in a war."
"Mostly King George's fault," Leroy interrupted.
"And it was my fault for letting him play me," said David. "And letting things get so out of hand. Hundreds of soldiers died in that war."
"I caused the deaths of Daniel and Cora," said Mary Margaret, her voice quiet. Regina met her gaze and nodded ever so slightly. It had taken years to get here, to a point where they could all get over what they'd done to each other and coexist peacefully, and she no longer had the desire to hold on to her grudges or her need for revenge. It wasn't worth it, it wasn't worth coming between her and Emma. At least they could all come to a mutual agreement on that.
"And I brought Marian back to Robin," Emma said finally, a wry smile tugging on her lips. "I've done a lot of crap that I regret, I've made a lot of mistakes. But that one, I won't apologize for. Heck, I'd do it all over again."
She reached up and took hold of Regina's free hand, the one not holding on to Neal. "Because that mistake is the reason we found each other. And I'd relive my crappy life all over again, as many times as I had to, if it meant being your soulmate. I'll always find my way back to you, Regina."
"Ridiculous, just like your parents," Regina scoffed, blinking to hide the wetness in her eyes. She'd turned her head away from everyone else to hide in her moment of weakness, with Emma hovering closer to act as her human barrier. David lifted his mug of coffee into the air.
"To new beginnings, for all of us," he said.
"To forgiveness," Grayson said in a serious tone, which startled Ruby into actually meeting his gaze directly for the first time all morning. He gave her a significant look, to which she smiled wryly and lifted her coffee mug as well.
Three's the charm, as they say. Emma lifted her mug, cast her gaze around the table, and said, "To family."
There was a chorus of "cheers!" accompanied by the clinking of coffee mugs and a rumble of voices returning to conversation. Cutlery scraped dishes as Granny ordered them to eat up. "Food's getting cold and we've got a big fight ahead of us!"
Emma turned her head to find Regina murmuring sweet nothings at baby Neal, her fingers brushing gently at the wisps of his dark brown hair. Instinctively, Emma rested her hands along Regina's arms so that Neal was cradled between them. She lifted her eyes to meet the brunette's dark gaze, a warm smile gracing her lips.
'To family?" Regina murmured.
"To family," Emma agreed, leaning in to kiss her.
"That was nice, right?" Emma leaned against the heavy mahogany desk, watching as Regina plucked vials of colorful liquids from a locked cabinet in her study. The brunette gave an inelegant snort, eyes focused on her work.
"If by nice you mean cheesy and juvenile, then yes, it was very nice."
"Big family meals not your thing?" Emma lifted a brow.
"My entire life since the first curse involved meals alone or with Henry, so no, I'm not loving the entire Brady Bunch invading my kitchen."
Vials clinked noisily together as Regina sorted through them, pulling out ones she deemed useful and setting them aside on the table. Emma stepped up behind her to hug her from behind, her chin gently resting on her shoulder. With a sigh, Regina slowly relaxed in her arms.
"Hey, as soon as this is all over, they'll be out of here, I promise."
"I have no doubt," came the dry reply. She didn't need Emma's reassurance on that; she was perfectly capable of kicking people out of her house on her own.
With fireballs.
"Whatcha doing?"
"Bolstering our chances of success." Gently collecting the stoppered vials into a leather pouch, Regina slipped from Emma's arms and motioned for her to follow. "I trust your friends know how to follow simple instructions if I entrust these to them."
"Just don't give them anything that explodes," Emma muttered with a grimace, following her out of the study and into the main room. Everyone was already gearing up to go, strapping on their gear and weaponry. Henry sat on the couch with Neal in his arms, looking despondent.
"Why can't someone else stay?" he was complaining to his grandmother.
"Henry," Regina said briskly, putting a prompt stop to his whining. "We've already gone over this. I will not have you putting yourself in danger."
"Besides, kid," said Emma, dropping down into a crouch in front of him. "Someone needs to protect Neal while we're away, and you're the only one we trust to do that."
Henry knew they were just saying that, but there was very little he could do when his mothers were teamed up against him. He just jut out his lower lip and grumbled something about having it handled while Regina went around the room handing out vials and giving firm instructions to each person.
When everyone was ready to go, they gathered just outside the house. The morning sun was bright but the air was cool, more so with the stiff breeze that blew by every so often.
"Be careful," Henry called to them from the front door, his eyebrows knit together with a frown. Neal was fussing in his arms, as if even he knew that their family was heading into battle.
Emma and Regina stood side by side, facing the house.
"We will," Emma called back. Then, together, she and Regina lifted their hands and cast a new protection spell upon the house, magic rippling across their palms until it solidified into a golden barrier around the property. Henry glumly watched everyone march off, only closing the door and returning to the living room once they were long out of sight.
"Do you think he'll be okay?" Mary Margaret asked, bumping against Emma's shoulder as they all headed down the street.
"Our combined magic is powerful, I doubt the demons can break through it," Regina answered for her. "Besides, they're after Pandora's Box, not our children."
Emma held Pandora's box in her hand with a grim smile. "Speaking of- when do you think they'll come for it?"
"I'd say right about now," David murmured, feeling the odd sensation of being watched. Their group slowed to a stop in the middle of the road. There weren't any cars around at this hour of the morning, especially not in a residential area, so they just stood there in a line on the road, weapons drawn and waiting.
"Where is it?" August said aloud, his head whipping back and forth.
A long moment passed. The wind seemed to grow colder.
Tinkerbell sucked in a breath. "There!"
Heads turned in the direction she was pointing at. On the corner of the street, a black glob was solidifying against the pole of the stop sign, widening out until it looked more human shaped. Mary Margaret immediately notched an arrow and let it fly, striking the demon directly in the head. It jerked back with a splatter of dark matter, startling everyone from their moment of shock. As they had discussed, the others closed rank behind Mary Margaret, with David on her one side and Emma and Regina on her other.
Snow White let loose another arrow, and another. They plunged into the demon's body, but it continued to drift towards them looking like a stuck pig. It was halfway down the street with a half dozen arrows jutting out of its body when Leroy lost patience and charged ahead with his pickaxe lifted over his head, a battle-cry on his lips.
"Leroy!" David shouted, exasperated. Mary Margaret's mouth hung open as her dwarven friend brought the pickaxe down with a grunt, slamming it onto the demon's head with such force that the demon crashed into the ground and caused the arrows to snap beneath its form. Stumbling from the momentum, Leroy ended up stomping over the demon, his steel-toed boots passing right through its body.
"Gah! Use the box!" he shouted to them, realizing that its physical form had lost its solidity.
"Get out of the way, you idiot!" Regina shouted back, waving her arms at him as if to shoo away a giant fly. Leroy bolted aside as Emma grabbed her hand, passing her Pandora's Box. Feeling the familiar rush of magic flow through their bodies, Regina channeled it into the box and unleashed the vortex. There was a chorus of gasps from those who had never seen the box in action before as the vortex zeroed in on the demon and began dragging it across the pavement. It shrieked angrily, clawing at the road, but the pull was too strong and the demon ended up rolling and bouncing violently across the concrete before getting sucked in.
The lid clicked shut, the wind died down immediately, and Leroy broke the silence with a loud whoop of success. The others looked pleased at the capture of their first demon, but Emma and Regina exchanged a more thoughtful look.
"That's our third?" Emma checked. The brunette nodded.
"Four left. One of which is me," Regina drawled, her lip curling. "Why do I get the feeling that was too easy?"
"If using up half of my mother's ammo - plus a stampeding Leroy - is considered easy," the blonde snorted, rolling her eyes at the dwarf. "On to the next one?"
Regina nodded. To their chatty party, she said, "Let's go. We don't have all day."
The brunette strode off ahead, leading the way by tracking the dark magic. As the group followed along, Leroy elbowed Emma in the ribs.
"You have a thing for the bossy ones, huh?"
"And the next person to pull a Leroy," Regina called back snarkily to them, "Is getting a fireball to the ass. Am I clear?"
"Crystal," the dwarf muttered as Emma laughed.