Regina mills and Emma swan time to choose.

*Disclaimer* I have no rights to the characters or the show.

seeing Regina's past may make a world if difference on Emma's opinions of her, her feelings may change. Regina knows this and is hoping against as for snow she is hoping for. when Emma wakes what she has chosen determines snow or Regina's fate as well.

She didn't need to think hard of what to start with, she was the guide showing Emma her past then the things she'd done, and then the test. She had to make her time worth it. Instantly a field came into view not just any field but the field that Regina use to ride in. Her stable boy trained her and she ended up ridding like a pro. Her eyes cast next to her and watched as Emma look out on the scenery.

"Is this real?" She whispered.

"As real as a a fresh memory." Emma got, it this was her memory she didn't know what to expect but this was beautiful.

"Is everything going to be your memories?" She didn't want to invade Regina's mind.

"Yes, but at some point before the test you mind will show you what has happened to you because of me." She admitted because she knew it would be harsh things it would feel dark and empty knowing Emma's past was all her fault.

She wouldn't tell Emma just as her mother wouldn't the most important reason why Regina had to be the one. She wouldn't make her feel torn between choices she would need to pick of her own free will. Regina chose to be her guide. she also knew what snow wanted her to be Emma's guide for.

"So where are we?" Emma's question echoed till Regina registered it and answered.

"My home." She whispered as she watch herself in the memory ride a crossed the field. Emma followed her gaze and gasped and the elegant woman riding on a beautiful steed. "Before my mother and your mother filled me with darkness." As the moments past Regina spoke and they watched the memory of Regina full of joy, innocence, and love. Emma saw the way she loved Daniel, hiding it from her mother. After riding she would have just a moment with him before her mother burst in persistent that she not ride that she find a suitor. Her mother was unaware of her daughter reason for reluctant ness.

"My mother, she was once lowly and humble but she grew tired of being stepped on by noblemen so she found a way to become noble. She bore me and which me more power. Being noble meant I could marry a prince or king. My love would never have been made just in her eyes. It was a secret." The scene changed from Regina with Daniel and with her mothers requests to her standing with Daniel. They stood on a hill with their horses and freely showing affection. It felt peaceful until a child screaming broke them apart. Regina watched as a girl struggled with a panicked horse.

"I don't know how but my mother set this up, she knew you mothers father would be along this way and knew I wouldn't hesitate to save a girl in danger."

"That's my mother." Emma choked she strained to see her better. She watched as the girl was scooped from her horse by Regina and safety placed on the ground. The scene changed again as the little girl stood by a strong man which looked to be her father. They stood inside a home face to face with Regina and Cora.

"Yes it was after her father came to take my hand that I found out who she was. I didn't want it." She shifter it again to her time with Daniel. She rushed to him telling him she was given away that she didn't want it.

"Her told me we could go away together, asked to marry me and I thought we would. The moment you mother, a little girl as it may be, found us and was upset believing I would be her mother to see that I was kissing another. I stopped her I told her that she would understand one day. I loved him I wanted to be with him. I made her promise to not tell my mother until at least till I left because she would be furious and stop me." Regina's hand held Emma tighter.

The next memory was in the darkness of the stable. The two were packed and ready to ride off. They shared their love once more before Cora appeared looking furious. She professed she would only wish to know if it was true did she love him and he her.

It was simple they said yes without a doubt. Cora smiled coated with warmth yet Regina didn't quite believe it.

"Your mother told my mother, she was good with words making people do what she wanted but it didn't change my heartache." The instant both Regina's watched her mother pull out he young mans heart they sobbed almost simultaneously. Emma watched her Regina wipe away her few shed tears and continued. "I hated my mother but I did as she bid because I feared her again and more then than ever. I married not with love but forced. I was angry with snows obliviousness to my pain and the harm she caused.

I told her my mother took Daniel away that because she betrayed my trust I was mad I was hurt and I couldn't forgive her. She was sorry but I was broken I didn't see any remorse or not enough. I vanished my mother my wedding night. I hid my pain for years I tried to be a mother I tried to rid myself of the memories move on but years and years in a loveless marriage made me colder yet. I wanted revenge I wanted to be free again."

Emma knew Regina would be showing her her first act of evil. She took a deep breath an nodded to Regina assuring her she was here. It was night the moon trailed into a room. The kings chambers it appeared that Regina and he did not share which she didn't wonder why because she knew. In the room slept snows father, standing over him was a man dressed like a genie.

"Is he a genie?" Emma asked.

"Yes he was a genie my husband acquired and set free. The man found he loved me and would do anything I asked. I didn't love him but I used it, I used him, and I framed him." The man opened a box and let a set of snakes slither into the kings bed. Emma silently in shock covered her mouth.

The king died mere seconds after the snakes sunk their fangs in. They found their way back to the box and as if night shifted into morning in seconds a ruckus came into the room. Regina played a broken hearted widow long enough to be named Queen.

"I turned into the woman my mother wanted me to be. I didn't want it I saw what she was but I lost everything and nothing left to keep me from my buried anger. I told her my mother killed Daniel she was old enough to except her part and fault in his death. I banished her after her fathers funeral and my crowning. I Called her a traitor to the crown that she didn't or couldn't remain loyal to me. I thought that was enough but she never excepted that she was at fault and the more her sorry's didn't sound serious the more I didn't want her around to remind me.

I speared her because I had a form of care for her but I hated her all the same. In return I received rebellion, she thwarted everything I ever built, kept, and treasured." Emma couldn't speak. She was seeing the life Regina lived. Not necessarily how she came to the evil queen but now what she did and others did to her. Some were flashes like pictures to gruesome to watch but some more than flashes showed times she was brutal and times she argue with snow. Not all of which she was victim but sometimes the blame.

"I became the thing my mother wanted. It was as if my destiny was made without my choice so I embraced it. I wanted to change at times I wanted love and forgiveness but some many times people showed me told me I was evil that those were things evil people didn't get. I loathed snow so much that every bit of joy she found I wanted to crush it. She found love I tried to break it, she found a happy ending I promised to ruin it, and she bared a child that she would love and have love in conditionally I wanted to take it."

Regina knew this was her last memory but it was important Emma see. Like slow motion the image around them took place in the palace Emma was born in. it wasn't Regina's memory at first rather one given in perspective of the need to see. Showing the conversation of getting Emma through a portal, snow meant to go along force herself to hand her newborn child to her husband. Leaving it to him to send her through. Emma knew this but seeing her parents not hesitate even if she was going alone was a surprise.

She felt a sense of anger build up at the moment she didn't know if it was at her happy mother that was muttering that she'd gotten away, alone, but destined to return bullcrap or if it was toward the evil queen who forced her hand to send her daughter away. To her hating her mother felt normal and hating that version of Regina made her stomach cringe. Wondering if maybe her feeling held her from how she truly could feel.

Out of no where everything went black and all she could hear was Regina's voice.

"This is it, you have seen what I have done and what has been done to me. You know who I am and why. Now you will understand how I effected your life. After that you'll forget the tests but you will be tested further and you must choose one destiny or another."

To Emma Regina just didn't sound herself like she wanted to be there wanted to help Emma choose right but didn't wanna tell her everything. She sound like if she said emotion she'd spill just what it was she hadn't mentioned yet. As she pondered what I could be she kept listening.

"First relax and let me into your memories now. It will appear what needs to be seen." Emma took a deep breath and tried to let her mind wander on its own relax and fluid through her past. "Of course we know the first thing my path of vengeance has done is make you alone, for all the years you lived you knew nothing of your true family and home. Nothing that made you feel like you fit in right. I took away those years, I took away 28 years of your possible happiness and each year you have a reason to hate me."

"No." Emma said she was tired of hearing Regina blame herself. "Yes 28 years alone, I didn't fit in well, and I didn't know my possible life before the curse. So what." It was Regina's turn to watch as the two became surrounded again. It was a life of home to home for Emma, and each time she didn't fit in she wondered why. Seeing Emma hurting broke Regina's heart for all she had was love for her now and her anger and hatred hurt her more than she believed her love could repair.

"I can't regret what you did. With everything I hated and use to think, I'm better now. I don't know who I'd be if I was who my family or who the town wanted me to be. They still want that person but I'm not it I'm me and that's because of you." Emma said with all the certainty in the world. "I may have some weird fate destiny thing always pointing back to your past but every time I think about Henry I know it's because of you I had him. Without Henry I wouldn't have seen you. The person you use to be I have all the compassion in the world for because I see who it made you today."

Emma let her mind reel and revel in times she spent with Henry and times she felt happy being in the town. She showed Regina not everything that came from Regina's wrath turned out to hurt her. Not everything was her fault either.

"No matter what happens next Regina I'll love you anyways." Her last words echoed as blackness fell on her again. She felt Regina's hand that held her vanish. It didn't slip out of hers but vanished just like her comfort did without it there.

As if her eyes where closed emma opened them and a bright light flashes before her face. She was leaning over her cold lifeless son. Tears had slid down her face. The light she saw spread from her cursed son and surrounded the town. She looked puzzled her eyes following the light. As if it was something she hadn't heard in years her son woke from his curse alive and gasping air.

It was the moment all her resistance in believing him about the curse, the evil queen, and who she was realized to be true. Her son beamed at her and she hugged him without hesitation. Behind her she her Regina gasp she was no less shocked than Emma.

Regina looked out at the room and saw where it was that she would be taking place in Emma's test. She waited for Emma to look at her and speak knowing that everything would be starting the same that nothing could be said to alter her free willed choice. The last of the potion had its own way of ensuring accuracy. Regina would be able to speak her mind freely to an extent and until Emma made the first move she was only able to do as the potion willed.

Review been excited to see where this goes.

next chapter

what happens while the two are under the potions effects. Emma finds herself with memories of who Regina is and what she did will she believe it or call it her imagination. When she wakes and finds out the outcome who takes the punishment fate has to give.