Time to choose part 2

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

something has rush the potion Regina can sense its need to hurry but she worries Emma wont have time to choose. More frightening is who or what is Emma's second choice.

Snows skin crawled as she let her daughter go into a deep slumber laying in Regina the evil queens lap. Soon she followed but the uneasy feeling didn't fade. Her husband stood as though a guard for both Emma and Regina. He only needed to protect one of them and that was Emma their daughter.

It wasn't that she didn't care for her daughters happiness she just believe it laid with Henry and maybe Neil maybe him or hook but not Regina. She thought she gave her to many chances to change to take a better route but she always let them down. She couldn't ever begin to imagine how much Emma would be let down.

"We should move them apart." Snow suggested but charming disagreed it wasn't their place to judge until they woke. In fact he could tell his daughter felt comfort in Regina's arms.

"The only thing I'm worried about is Henry did she leave him at her house?" He looked at his peaceful daughter and smiled lightly hopefully she was gonna come back and not be so confused anymore. He wanted her happy and if loving Regina was it then he wouldn't let snow mess with that. Granted he didn't try to hard to stop this but it seemed less troublesome then letting snow rip Regina apart.

She had not been the same snow he knew and loved before the curse but he supposed having a child maybe made her vicious to protect after all this time. Once she was sweet and never tempted fate. This wasn't right, it was like she didn't care anymore. He wouldn't trust her to stay while he grabbed Henry.

"Why don't you go get Henry." Trying to sound casual.

"No what if they wake?" She sounded childish but she would do anything to be there when Emma woke up and told her she didn't know what she felt for Regina but it wasn't love.

"Snow? David?" They both spun to the stairs at Henry's voice. "What happened how did I get here?"

"Well that answers that," muttered to snow. "Hey sport, your mom had to come over for Emma guess she didn't wanna wake you an poofed you here." Henry eyeballed the couch knowing something was up. He gave Charming a look that made him subtly notion he had no part which assured Henry something happened.

"Mom? Ma? What did you do?" He looked at snow.

"Well Emma has been a little confused lately, she was alway meant to be a princess, grow up in the enchanted forest, but she not that person because of Regina being the evil queen." She looked to Emma still unable to separate the two. "We are gonna fix that when she wakes up she'll be the person she is meant to be."

Henry bolted to his moms, they were sleeping but clearly not the same as the sleeping curse. He began shaking hoping to arouse them but received nothing.

"Ma is meant to be the savior! It's her turn to save mom now why can't you let them be happy together." He kept shaking his mom then Emma but gave up when nothing happened again.

"You know?" Snow whispered.

"Of course I know they where so happy on the boat and happy at moms house now you wanna take it away. It not gonna happen Emma will find a way out!" He shouts plopping down on the floor in front of the couch angry.

Meanwhile Regina felt something happen to the curse but before she could think the door burst open. It was doctor whale he looked straight at Regina and said.

"Regina you can't be here you're the evil queen. You must go!" Regina saw Emma's eyes bulge in response. Doctor whale hated her although he was sort of loyal to her. Hate that she cursed him but in this world it seemed he was being made to rush things along.

Something must have made the curse need to rush, she imagined it being Henry finding out they where under some spell but it felt to early for him to have woken up and go down the stairs of Emma and Snows apartment. Emma spoke giving Regina the power to do what she could.

"The evil queen?" Emma padded toward her. "It's true then you lied to me and Henry?" The way she said it was true she had but it still hurt to know she had. Emma grabbed her head and began groaning, Regina assumed the memories they watched was now setting in. The mention of her name and the curses sudden need to rush must have started it.

Whale didn't give her time to answer she just looked back at Emma and Henry as she was pushed out the door. She gave some shouts of the curse being broken until eventually she couldn't see them and she waited in the blackness again until Emma was to see her again.

Emma could have screamed as images began flooding her mind. They were so vivid like memories and that just didn't make sense. She didn't know where they came from but hearing Regina say the curse broke it felt like part of it. She winced as the flashes ended but left her with a throbbing head.

She turned to Henry who was more than happy to see her. He hugged her and muttered in her chest that he knew she could it. Everything just now had been so quick she could hardly believe it but her head still throbbing told her it was real. Every time she closed her eyes she saw Regina as the evil queen. Even though what she saw she knew in her gut was real she didn't believe Regina was her.

She broke the curse but not on her own she had help from Regina trying to save Henry and if Henry hadn't eaten the turn over no body would have saved her so really it was all him right. She turned to look out the door where Regina had gone. Though she wasn't there she felt her close by and it made her want to go to her and ask her a ton of questions.

Henry hadn't given her much time to do that though and he wasn't willing to go see his mom. In fact he was rather forcefully against it saying they should leave and be happy together before she ruined things again. Which didn't seem much like him, He had always love his mom in a different way than he loved Emma but he had always loves Regina none the less.

"Henry if this curse is broke. Wouldn't someone like me need to make sure people are safe. I'm the sherif I can't let bad things happen just because I wanna run." She didn't want to run but she hoped she'd make him understand.

"I suppose, but I don't think you should help her." Henry said but to Emma it didn't seem like something Henry would say but that was before he almost died because of her. Emma didn't agree or disagree but she took it and kept it in mind anyways.

It wasn't until she woke up the next morning that what she felt like was a dream had continued. Her phone rang, it was Regina.

"Hello?"

"Sherif swan I need your help!" She could hear a roar of voices in the background. "I have a mob on my doorstep." Emma then heard the phone click. She bolted to her room leaving her breakfast on the counter threw on a quick sherif looking outfit and ran to the car. This was her chance make a difference, save Regina, and figure out why she knew parts if Regina's life, parts that proved she was the evil queen.

"Ma, where you going?" Henry asked beside her window if the car. Emma curses to herself that she forgot he was home.

"Just get in the car will ya." She made sure he was in and buckled up before screeching down the road. "There is a mob." She didn't say where but assumed he'd figure it out.

Regina felt herself jolt back into character. She was standing on her porch with the same angry mob as the one in the real world. That meant Emma had come even in this world to save her. She looked beyond the crowd and her face light up at the sight of the sherif running up her drive behind the mob. Their eyes met and for a brief moment Emma probably could see she wasn't cold and empty anymore.

Emma forced the crowd to disperse then this version of Emma walked into her house and demanded answers. Inside she peeked through the curtains to make sure everyone had left and that Henry still sat in the car. He saw her and waved her to come back out. She turned to Regina instead.

"Why is it that I have images of you like they are memories, of you but as this evil queen." It sounded absurd if not completely insane. She hadn't realized how close she let herself get as she spun around to ask her but as she took a breath it caught seeing Regina's brown eyes.

"Do you believe them?" Was all Regina asked. She wanted to tell her everything but that would make things harder. Against her own will she move back and leaned against the back of the couch.

"Well yes they are so vivid but I can't possible think you was that. But my question is where did they come from? Why do I have them?" She tried to not get distracted focusing on what she was saying instead of the beautiful woman in front of her. It was tempting to just tell her of course it's not her or maybe go all out and admit it didn't matter if it was.

"I was evil maybe I still am everyone seems to think so why shouldn't you?" Regina knew Emma couldn't think that but she didn't know if fate had a better wrap on things still or not.

"I don't think you are I never have but even Henry wants to run away me and him. It's not normal I don't even get why doctor whale was being all knight in shining armor at the hospital yesterday for you but today he's jumping down your throat with the rest of the town. I mean you wouldn't stand against someone you love even if there is a town against you." Emma was almost breathless after but she stood strong waiting for Regina to answer. For a moment before she answered she saw Regina's eyes shimmer.

"I wouldn't understand that man if they wrote a book about him.. Well they did but I assure you he is not the one I love." Her eyebrows raises hoping Emma would ask who she did love.

"You loved Daniel, ughhh how do I know that you never told me but I can see it!" Emma let Regina's words sink in. She said love not loved and loved would pertain to the man Emma saw Regina love in a field and the same man that died in her mothers hand. "Oh god!" She couldn't control the images as they became stronger.

She clutched her head again and cried at the sight of the man dying but more at the fact Regina knew that snow had betrayed her trust. It became clear then why Regina hated Mary Margaret and how broken she was. Still Emma remembered she said love not loved and told herself to see what Regina meant. Looking up Regina held her arms gently underneath to keep her from falling to the floor.

"Does it hurt that much or is it something you are seeing?" Emma heard her concern was real. Her body shook in Regina's hold.

"Both, I can't imagine if I was you going through all that." She let her tears spill down her face.

"Good thing you don't have to. Regina wiped away the fresh tears. Fate was letting her play the role Emma would have to pick from it was who Regina wanted to be to Emma and if she liked it liked her knowing who she was then it was truly meant to be. She worried secretly though what her second choice would be. If it was better than this Regina that Emma now saw Regina would be stuck here forever and Emma would wake. She's be stuck in a sleep until she willing chose a new path for herself, which she wouldn't, or until Emma chose her.

"Why are you so different than what I see you were?" Emma stood up and looked this totally different Regina in the eyes.

"Because I-" Regina began but was cut off by Henry bursting in the door. He yelled Emma's name and started pleading her to leave Regina and go away with him away from all this pain and live happy with him. Regina beat herself senseless in her head. Of course it was Henry Emma didn't love anyone else as much as Henry. Even if the potion had woken them up with Neil or hook the alternatives snow would have preferred she's still choose Henry.

"Henry I can't just take you I would love to live away with you but I'm no good on my own, you mom has the best chance to take care of you alone but look at her now she is tired of alone." Emma was right she was tired of alone and that was something Regina saw when she first met Emma. "She's not evil that's what you always said. Why is she now she's still your mother she's still the person who took you in when I couldn't."

She once again spun on Regina. She remembered but told herself it couldn't be though. It was true she looked and saw someone she cared for someone she was in love with. Her eyes grew wide. The fell to Henry and she shook her head refusing to choose because either way she loved both and choosing one would break the others heart and leave them running away.

"I can't-" she started out the door but paused as she let a memory wash over her. She let herself remember the night they all met. The way she felt when they touched she wondered. If Henry believed in fairytales wouldn't true love trump his mother being evil. She returned to her place in front of Regina and told herself Henry was not going to be mad forever as she placed her lips to Regina's.

Like a millions stars bursting inside Regina took Emma into her hold and deepened the kiss. Just before they awoke Emma whispered

"Your not evil. Maybe fate brought us together like this beaten and broken so that we could mend each other and help fix past mistakes." Her Emma back, she wrapped her arms around her and let a fire of kisses bruise her lips.

Emma opened her eyes to a see the back of Henry's head and groaned at the way her head ached. Henry whipped around worry and joy all over his face. She felt the Regina shifting under her and let her hand brush through her hair for a few moments before sitting up and turning to see her face. Her eyes laced with tears of joy.

"What would have happened if I choose differently?" Emma asked certain that this was the thing Regina hadn't told her.

"You'd be awake and I wouldn't until I choose a new path or you kissed me awake choosing me." Her tears built up and for the first time in a long time she let them fall. She would have never put Emma in the mental agony before the test began. Now that Emma had chosen her she would face snow proudly.

Behind her Henry had gotten charming and told him the two were up. Hearing he was happy by this left snow even more upset. Not just for the first time Emma became endearingly defensive making Regina smile as the woman ranted to her mother in front of her. The only words that caught Regina up and surprised her was and only until Emma clasped her hands over hers and repeated

"I love you."

"And I love you Emma." Regina said. With that rumplestiltskin appeared grinning at the two.

"I've always been a fan of true love. Oh yes dearie I mean true love." His attention now falling to Snow. "You said you knew the risks now it's time to pay for your deal and for tempting fate." He waved his hand before anyone could object if they had really wanted to. "The potion fates path has two names. The second name, which I assume you knew but appears you didn't know what you have gotten yourself into, is called fates game."

Snow tried to utter a few words then realized her voice was gone in fact she was mute with not even a sound able to be heard.

"What is this? What did you do?" Charming demanded.

"Oh I did nothing but trust that when her majesty said she knew what she was asking for that she was sure. Now let me tell you what this is." He gestured to the soundless babbling snow. "Fate isn't one to be tested but when you do it's simple either the person chooses to follow what other choices you would rather they had or they chose fate has planned all along. Which I can assume snow wanted Emma to pick someone else over Regina and find herself with a new destiny but seeing that Regina is not comatose it appears Regina was her choice.

This in turn lead the potion a small curse to be lifted from the two and the person who has interfered with fates plans must then learn a lesson. Fate it seems wishes you to learn something in having someone else control your destiny until the lesson is learned you'll remain like this."

Charming wrapped snow in his arms an looked to rumple.

"Who is it that has the control?"

"Why you dearie of course who other than her own true love to help her become the person she use to be." As soon as he appeared he vanished leaving the room silent. Emma had said it just before they woke but she repeated it.

"So it really does look like fate brought us together like this beaten and broken so that we could mend each other and help fix past mistakes."

Everyone agreed except the resilient snow. She kept pointing between Emma and Regina and glaring at charming to do as she wanted break them up. He let her glare until eventually he let Henry, Emma, and Regina disappear to her place.

Until Henry was silently sleeping in bed again Emma waited down stairs again. She couldn't rest having felt like ages since she had been away. She looked at the glass that sat on the table and remembered how quickly Regina had come when she called. She smiled at idea that Regina didn't even wait to clean.

When Regina joined her she couldn't help but ask.

"I thought you said I wouldn't remember I loved you?"

"Well normally you wouldn't but I suppose being made of love and having true love magic and all it kinda busted through anyways." Regina cupped her face and bent down to kiss her fully on the lips. "I'm glad you did remember."

"Me too and thank you for believing in me the whole time." She allowed Regina to pull her up from the couch. Regina turned on some music and took Emma by the hand and lead her into a dance.

"I wouldn't have doubted you for a moment if I wasn't sure you would have picked Henry. I know you was torn between us." Regina rested her head on Emma's shoulder nuzzling the crook of her neck.

"Actually I couldn't choose I was going to leave until I remembered I love you. That was all I remembered I was worried that Henry would be mad but I told myself he couldn't be mad forever." Emma truly felt Regina was a new person since she admitted she loved Emma since they both admitted they cared. She believed that the way she opened up and became softer kinder was just the way fate had made everything to turn out.

Regina's mother had done the worst to her making her broken and it was like a chain effect that Emma was made to correct. She was glad she met Regina, glad the lived her life, and glad she was just right for her. That she met expectations and that she was strong enough to choose Regina. She didn't think Snows punishment was to harsh she needed to mend to and this was hopefully her way.

The song ends or maybe Regina turned it off as Emma finds herself being lead from the living room.

"Where are you taking me?" She smiled.

"I should have not let you go the other day I wanted to lay in your arms and it was all I could think of the whole day today."

"I know I have that in mind but I was thinking a little more wildly." Emma whispered sprinting up the stairs past her. Her face flushed wondering if she spoke her mind to soon. When she peeked at Regina she was silent and red. Regina was thankful when they reached her room with the light off she composed her face and switch a lamp on.

Turning around she decided to ask her before making herself comfortable.

"Do you mind if I.. or I can just slip on something more comfortable?"

"I don't care how you dress or undress." Emma teased she takes the light blouse Regina wear and slowly unbuttons it. Watching Regina's skin burn red she lets her fingers brush her skin as she works each button. With every second the flushed skin darkened Emma's courage grew she was glad she choose Regina because this felt right.

Review

Now that Emma has chosen and snows fate is under charmings control Emma and Regina can finally admit what is between them.