A/N: Hi All - I was feeling rather inspired today, so I figured I'd better not delay... I think this chapter's bumped the rating up somewhat. It's a little intense, and a little graphic [SO BE WARNED - there WILL be blood], but I hope it's not too much.
Korderoo: 'Fraid it's not going to be quite that simple. Sorry.
zerodarkwolf: 'Twill be no mere scratch, M'lud. I hope you like, regardless.
Guest: I love You, whoever You are. Okay? I'm so glad you're enjoying my Emma. But dealing with Cora ain't exactly a walk in the park...
This, I Find In You
Chapter 5: The Missing Piece
Regina sat on the lounge chair with her book, the television playing quietly in the living room. She'd put on some cartoons for Henry, and he'd sat himself at her feet, leaning back against her knees. Her book had been sitting un-read in her lap for quite some time – she didn't want anything to distract her from a moment like this. Since she'd been living in Snow's apartment with the rest of the Charmings, he'd always made a point of being close to her whenever he could, making a point of seeking out her touch. She didn't know who it was more of a comfort to – Henry or herself – but she wasn't about to question it.
The relative silence of the apartment was broken by a pounding at the door.
She hissed softly though her teeth, a quick intake of breath, every sense – magical and otherwise – on high alert. Regina stood carefully; ruffling Henry's hair in what she hoped was a casual manner, hoping that he was unable to sense her unease.
There were ten steps from the chair to the door.
It might well have been a mile.
She inclined her ear to the door, one hand rested on wood, the other on the door handle and took a deep breath.
"…Password?"
"Emma's been hurt!"
She wrenched the door open – that was password enough for her. Snow stood in the doorway, Emma's arm slung over her shoulder.
Her eyes flickered momentarily over The Saviour and she gasped, panic shooting through her like a bolt of lightning.
She turned sharply on her heel as Snow stumbled into the apartment, dragging her daughter with her.
"Henry, it's time for bed."
"But Mo-"
"Henry!" – It was Snow who'd snapped at him – "Go to bed now!"
The boy's protests died in his throat at her tone, and Regina ushered him out of the room, blocking his view of his mother and grandmother. She bent down to his level, and ran a hand though his hair, trying to stay calm, trying to reassure him.
"Stay in there, okay? I'll be with you in a little while."
He nodded solemnly and she smiled.
The door clicked shut behind him, and she straightened up and turned back to face a frantic Snow. She'd laid Emma down on the bed, and brushed the tears from her eyes with her sleeve, smearing blood across her face.
Regina wasn't going to ask whose blood it was.
"I… I need to go back for Charming and Red."
"Okay."
Snow ran for the door, but paused before leaving through it.
"Regina?"
"Yes?
"Thank you." -her voice broke- "…Thank you for staying."
And then she was gone.
Regina turned to the bed, her eyes taking in Emma properly for the first time since she'd arrived, the weight of everything she saw hitting her all at once.
Her blood ran cold and a single tear ran down her cheek.
No, no, no, no, no…
This couldn't be happening.
Not now.
Not to Emma.
She surveyed the damage that had been done to the Saviour's body.
There was blood. So much blood.
The single tear turned into a river of tears, and a sob wracked her body, forcing out a strangled cry. Emma may have had an indestructible heart, but her body was still just flesh and bone. And it was that flesh that her mother had torn, and those bones that her mother had crushed.
She was unrecognisable.
Her face strangely contorted.
Her rib cage caved in.
It could only have been a magical heart that would allow her to live this long, but live much longer, The Saviour most certainly would not.
Physical injuries Regina could heal. But far more serious than the damage she could see, far beyond the broken bones and blood, was the magical devastation that had been inflicted upon her. She could feel the darkness radiating up from the still form, wrapping around her chest, squeezing tight like a serpent.
...There was no coming back from this kind of destruction.
She brought a hand to her mouth, trying to stifle her cries, trying to keep Henry from hearing.
Oh God – Henry.
She bit down on her hand, now desperate to silence herself.
He was still in the next room, and if he heard her, he would come to see what was wrong.
…and then he would see what was wrong.
Regina bit down harder, drawing blood. The pain, mixed with the tang of blood, gave her focus.
She might not be able to save Emma, but she could at least spare her son the horror of seeing his mother's body like this. She brought her hand to Emma's cheek, the faintest swirl of purple flourishing beneath her palm.
There was a moment of hesitation – the promise made to Henry echoing through her mind.
There was another sob – silent this time.
Henry might not forgive her for performing this magic, but she knew she would not forgive herself if she did not.
That would be her price to pay.
It was a gentle touch that graced the broken skin, and it occurred to Regina that she had never actually touched Emma before. The last time her hand had made contact with this face, it had been in a vicious right hook. She smiled softly at the memory, despite herself - her tongue tracing over the place where her lip had been split. Emma had always given as good as she had gotten and Regina idly wondered, with no small amount of morbid satisfaction, what state she must have left her mother in.
Her hand slowly began to roam across Emma's face, torn skin knitting together, her cheek bones slowly sliding back into place, her jaw taking on a more familiar form, popping back into its socket with a sickening click. Regina breathed a small sigh of relief. She might still have been covered in blood and oh, so pale, but at least she looked like Emma again.
Who would ever have thought she'd have been so comforted to see that face again?
…Small mercies.
Her eyes remained fixed on Emma's face as her hand began to travel lower - she couldn't bear to look.
Regina heard the dislocated shoulder slide back into position and took a deep breath, bracing herself for the damage that lay below. She closed her eyes as her hand began its descent down Emma's side.
When the first rib snapped back into place, bile rose sharply in her throat.
She stalled and swallowed hard - she didn't know if she could do this.
…But this wasn't about her own comfort, or lack thereof.
This was for Henry.
For Emma.
One, by one, by torturous one, she could feel the ribs moving beneath her hand, the fractures mending with a snick. She winced sharply with each one; eyes screwed shut, her other hand pressed firmly over her mouth. Regina knew that the younger woman couldn't feel a thing – the poor soul was dead to the world – she knew that the tenderness of her touch wouldn't make the slightest difference in the world, but yet she couldn't help it.
Regina's hand finally finished its journey and came to rest at Emma's hip. Brown eyes opened to survey her handiwork, a trail of smooth skin leading from forehead to shoulder and continuing on all the way down. Her chest still moved slightly with each breath.
She looked peaceful.
She could almost be sleeping…
And if it weren't for all of the blood, that's exactly what Regina would've thought. Her thumb moved back and forth, slowly tracing over an old, ugly scar.
She wondered when the last time was that someone had touched Emma's body like this.
With gentleness.
Reverence.
She wondered if anyone had ever touched her like that.
…they certainly should have.
But Emma would never have that now.
Not ever again.
She wouldn't get the chance to grow old and fat, and sit on a porch on a summer evening with a grandchild sitting in her lap and watch the sun set, holding the hand of someone she loved.
And that was her fault.
This was all her fault.
"Emma…"
She reached for Emma's hand, ignoring the shifting of healing bones, and brushed a kiss against bloodied knuckles, the raw skin repairing at her touch.
"…I'm so sorry."
Regina crumpled in on herself, tears flowing anew. She moved both hands to Emma's face and lowered her head to Emma's chest, sobbing unintelligible apologies against her skin, not caring that she was covering herself in scarlet red.
She cried herself to exhaustion there, clinging to the still form. Her joints had stiffened and her muscles ached and the younger woman's skin had turned to ice. The need for sleep was pressing itself upon Regina, but she wasn't ready to move just yet.
Regina picked herself up and gingerly laid herself out alongside Emma, placing her head on her shoulder and laying an arm across her torso. Without thinking, she shifted, lifting her leg and she hooked it around Emma's. The brunette lay there a moment and whimpered, heart breaking, marvelling at how well their bodies fit together.
She'd found her missing piece, and now it was going to be torn away from her.
Rolling slightly, she burrowed her head into Emma's neck and pulled her closer, pressing their bodies together.
Her body was so cold, and she was all out of tears.
...But for now, she could pretend.
She could pretend that she would wake up and Emma still would be there.
She could pretend that everything was going to be okay.
She could pretend that her heart was still in one piece.
And so, sleep claimed her.
The bedroom door was opened just a crack, and young green eyes watched the sleeping pair.
...They watched as tendrils of purple began to swirl, mixing with tendrils of pure white, enveloping them both.
...They watched as a glow began to pulse from within the haze, slowly growing with intensity.
...They watched, and they watched - spellbound - all the night long.
A/N: BOOM! Please review, reviews are love, love is the most powerful magic of all - it creates new chapters! [and happiness]