I don't own anything.
I would like to thank everybody who reviewed or put this story on his or her favorite/ alert list.
To the question if in this story Emma and Regina are together I would like to say that it will mainly focus on the relationship between Zelena and Regina but I would like to also include some SwanQueen-elements.
Please keep on reading and reviewing!
It was in the middle of the night when Zelena woke up. In the first moment she didn't know what woke her up but then she heard suppressed sobs echoing in the hallway. Zelena frowned and stood up. Cautiously she made her way down the hallway and stopped in front of her sister's bedroom. Carefully she pushed the door open and peeked inside but the bed was empty. Quietly Zelena tiptoed down towards the end of the hallway towards the only room that Regina hadn't shown her. Now unlike before the door wasn't closed so she was able to peek inside. It was obviously Henry's room.
Zelena knocked quietly on the door and immediately Regina tried to muffle her sobs even more but she failed to do so.
"Regina?" Zelena asked carefully. "May I come in?"
Regina didn't say anything and Zelena took that as a yes. Slowly she stepped into the room and closed the door behind her. The room was dark. The only light came from the moon shining through the window and illuminated the room partly. Zelena walked over to the bed in which Regina was lying. Actually Regina was much too big for the tiny bed but obviously she didn't care.
Zelena sat down next to Regina on the bed. The other woman faced the wall and didn't bother to turn around. Carefully Zelena placed her hand on Regina's shoulder.
"Hey" she whispered. "Do you want to talk?"
Regina answered with a quick shake of her head. "Okay, then I am going to lie down next to you and if you want to talk you just do so okay?"
Without waiting for an answer this time Zelena laid down next to Regina under the blanket and pulled the other woman into her arms. It took about an hour for Regina to finally stop crying. In all that time Zelena did not once loosen her tight hug.
"It's Henry's room." Regina whispered quietly. If Zelena hadn't been so close to the brunette she possibly wouldn't have been able to hear it.
"I know" Zelena answered just as quiet as if not to startle the finally calmed witch. "You missed him terribly, don't you?"
Regina nodded and started crying once more. "Until yesterday I couldn't remember the last year, all the time that I've been separated from Henry. I missed him so much."
"Do you remember the first time we met? I was right when I guessed that life's got you down, right? But Regina, Henry is back and you will see him again and you and Miss Swan will work out an appropriate agreement." Zelena answered and rubbed soothing circles on Regina's back.
"I really hope so." Regina sobbed. She quickly turned around and buried her face in the crook of Zelena's neck.
"Shhh" the red-haired woman whispered while she let Regina cry on her shoulder.
"Can I be honest with you?" Regina suddenly asked and drew back a little.
"Of course, dear."
"I promised you I would support and protect you and I stick to that promise but I'm worried anyway. Not about my life per se but I'm worried for my relationship with Henry. I know that I first have to find a way to restore his memories as well but when he remembers he might think that I stopped trying to redeem myself. He will think I broke my promise not to use magic…I don't want to lose him." The last part was said in an almost whining tone.
Zelena felt guilty. While the original purpose of the curse had been to actually hurt Regina she (luckily) had not been successful in that matter but now that Regina tried to help her and they tried to strengthen a family bond between them it might actually result in her sister getting hurt. It was simply unfair.
"Regina, I'm so sorry. I know that I enacted the curse primarily to hurt you but now I don't want to hurt you anymore. I promise that I will do everything in my power to prevent you from losing your son. I promise."
"Zelena, I don't blame you. After all I've done the same a long time ago. But thank you for your promise anyway." A small smile graced Regina's lips. Then she rested her head on her sister's shoulder once more.
"You know, I am very happy to have you at my side. Back in Oz or Fairytale Land I did not once considered that you were in some way worse off than I've been and that we could become a family. But I'm as happy as I've ever been in my whole life."
"I'm happy that you are here too. I've lost so many family members in the past…did you know that I killed my father to cast the curse? He was the thing I loved most and therefore I had to sacrifice him. I killed my own father. Sometimes I don't understand how I can live with the knowledge of how much pain I caused. For a very long time the only good thing in my life was Henry and although the curse is broken he still doesn't even recognize me. I first have to find a way to restore his memories just like Emma's have been restored."
"But you are not the Evil Queen anymore, no, you are simply Regina. The Evil Queen would never allow herself to cry in my arms. She also would never be able to love a child in the way you do. Regina you are a good mother and once we find a way to restore Henry's memories as well he will remember that. I'm sure of that."
For a couple of minutes neither woman spoke. They simply enjoyed each other's company. Suddenly Zelena broke the silence.
"Regina, what do you think will happen in the morning?" A slight trace of fear could be detected in her voice.
"Well, speaking from experience I would say that there will be a mob pounding at my door. They will demand that I send you out so they can lynch you but don't worry there's no chance that I'll follow their instructions." Regina explained and closed her eyes. "But first of all I suggest that we try to get some more sleep."
Zelena nodded and was just about to stand up and go back to her own bed when Regina grabbed her hand. "Will you stay with me?"
"Always."