Thank you all for your patience in waiting for this update. Over the past year I've been grappling with a pretty serious health issue – an issue I'm now thrilled to say I've conquered.
It's strange that this story should be ending now, when I feel like I'm just restarting my life. Well maybe strange isn't the word, maybe poetic is.
Again, thank you so much for your support and your kind words and your constructive feedback over the course of this story! I hope this final chapter was worth the wait.
"Hey, keep them closed!"
"They are closed."
"I saw you peeking."
"I was not peeking!"
"Were too!"
"Were no-… Oh for goodness sakes this is childish. I'm not five years old Emma, I shall open my eyes whenever I please."
"So you're admitting you peeked!"
A loan growl issued out of Regina's throat, a warning that she'd been pushed just about as far as she was willing to be pushed.
"Okay, okay, hold your horses. We're almost there."
"Thank goodness for that." Regina replied dryly.
"Give me a break would ya…" said Emma. "I'm trying to be romantic here."
Regina took a deep breath, fighting against her natural instincts – the ones that longed for control over every situation. Emma was making an effort…for her. The least she could do was return the favour.
"My eyes are closed," she said in a tone of submission.
She could almost hear Emma's triumphant smile.
Gently, Emma pushed the hand that had been resting on Regina's upper back, guiding her forward. The two women came to a halt and Regina felt Emma's breath in her right ear.
"Okay," the blonde whispered excitedly. "Open them."
It took a few seconds for Regina's eyes to adjust, having held them in darkness for so long. When they did she found that her sight was the only sense able to function. Words left her, as did the ability to feel Emma's hand, which had now moved to her lower back and was rubbing circles onto her skin.
Regina recognised her surroundings instantly – they were standing at a clearing near the lake, a rarely visited spot that often afforded Regina the only calm and peaceful moments she was able to cram into her day.
The space had been transformed though – clothed in blankets and pillows, and alight with the glow of dozens of floating candles. As she watched the lights levitate, swaying gently with the breeze, a soft wave of instrumental music issued from an unknown source.
Regina turned to face Emma, breathless and overwhelmed.
"You did all this?" she breathed.
Emma nodded, pride and bashfulness in equal measure flushing her face.
"It's beautiful," Regina said sincerely, tears pricking her eyes. "Thank you."
Emma enveloped Regina into a tight embrace, beyond grateful that her efforts had been well received. "You're welcome."
When they both pulled back from the hug, Regina pressed a gentle kiss to Emma's lips – the most honest and heartfelt sign of gratitude she knew how to show. They both kept it chaste, wanting this moment to belong to the purity of their emotions. There would be plenty of time for fever and heat.
Stepping away from Emma's side, Regina approached the picnic setting with reverence and awe. She waved a hand under one of the floating candles, her eyebrows rising when they barely shuddered.
"Your magic is improving," she said, impressed.
Again, Regina's compliments brought about a blush in Emma's face. "Well, it helps to have the right motivation," she returned flirtatiously.
Regina couldn't help the pleased grin that overtook her features. A nagging voice in the back of her head urged her to exercise more restraint, to play this whole thing with more finesse. She silenced it. Emma made her feel like a schoolgirl receiving her first love note. Rather than swallow those feelings, Regina decided to embrace them.
There was nothing wrong with a little demonstrative happiness, despite the contrary lessons of her upbringing.
"There are still a few things I'm going to have to get you to show me though. Originally I wanted them to be like floating orbs of light - like fireflies. But I couldn't get them to stay in one spot – so I opted for candles instead."
"Oh that's easy dear," Regina assured her. "You just have to picture a container around the lights. Unseen but solid. That way the enchantment won't be able to escape your set confines."
"Yeah that makes sense," said Emma, nodding.
"Would you like to give it a try?"
Emma hesitated, not wanting to look like a fool in front of the seasoned witch. "I guess…" she trailed off uncertainly.
"You guess?" Regina was confused by Emma's hesitance.
"Well…it's just…"
"Yes?" Regina quirked an eyebrow.
"Well what if I make a mess of it?"
"Well what if you do?"
Emma scoffed. "Regina, I don't think you realise how intimidatingly powerful you are."
"Oh I'm aware," said Regina smugly. "I'm also aware of the depth of your abilities. You shouldn't be afraid to make errors Emma. Your mistakes will form the bridges between your eventual successes."
"Did you get that off a greeting card?"
"An advertisement actually. But the message is sound. Now, would you like to try this or are we going to exchange playful banter all evening?"
Emma gave a wry laugh before nodding her head in assent.
Walking behind the blonde, Regina put her arms around Emma's, as if she were a golf coach instructing a client on the proper putting stance. They both flushed and tingled at the contact, Emma momentarily forgetting why they were in this position.
Regina's voice breathed in her ear, bringing her back on point. "Close your eyes," she whispered.
"Okay, this is just payback for me making you close your eyes isn't it?"
"No, dear. My revenges aren't that petty. Now do as I say."
"But how can I see if I'm doing it right if my eyes are closed?"
"Your magic can see even when your eyes can't. Trust it. Close them."
Reluctantly, Emma let her eyelids slide shut. In the darkness Regina's voice issued again.
"Picture the glow of the light emanating from your hands. Feel it growing, pulsing. Now imagine that glow pooling together, forming droplets from the end of your fingertips. Can you do that?"
Emma's mind was swirling, conjuring the images Regina was feeding her. Though her eyes were closed she could see the scene with perfect clarity, clearer than she'd ever seen anything. The warm orbs of light were rolling off her, dispersing through the air – perfect and independent creatures.
"Good," Regina's voice was warm with approval. "Okay, this bit is slightly trickier. You have to find each of the lights. Find them, know them, call them by name."
"How do I do that?" Emma's voice was coloured in doubt.
"They came from you Emma, they are you. Your magic will know where they are. Ask it to find them for you."
Taking a deep breath in Emma let her body relax, let her mind wander. At first nothing happened but then, slowly, she felt the familiar unfurling sensation in her chest, her magic unravelling itself to seek out forces beyond her own body.
She encouraged it to go further and it spread out its fingers in every direction. It curled around the orbs of light, touching upon each one with tenderness. When each orb was encircled she called out for Regina.
"I've found them, I've got them. What do I do now?"
"Now," Regina said softly. "You need to encase each one. Bind it where it is so that it can exist without your constant attention."
"That sounds hard."
"It's...delicate."
"Will you help me?"
Emma felt Regina's hands tighten their grip slightly on her arms, felt her body spoon Emma's back more closely.
"If that's what you want."
"It is." Emma confirmed.
As she felt Regina's chest shudder slightly it dawned on Emma that she had asked for something very personal. The process of combining magics….
Well, Emma had only experienced it one other time - when she and Regina had come together to defeat the death curse. And to say that it was an intimate experience was a massive understatement.
Suddenly Emma was very conscious of the fact that although Regina and she were essentially living together now – they were doing so in separate bedrooms.
It had been Regina's suggestion, a way to maintain some of the boundaries that had threatened to be breached by the speed of their cohabitation. Emma hadn't minded. In fact she'd been grateful for the time it had afforded them. She wanted this thing with Regina to last and she didn't want something careless like jumping into bed too soon to ruin it.
Still, was it crazy to contemplate sharing this part of themselves with each other again when they hadn't even been physically intimate yet? Wasn't this a breached boundary of a far more serious nature?
With a deep breath, Emma sought to silence her inner voices and will her magic to seek out Regina's – to search the atmosphere for her. It happened slowly, like a gradual rise into consciousness. Bit by bit the familiar taste of mint and chocolate flooded Emma's senses. She relished the combination, surprised by how just much she'd been feeling Regina's absence in her psyche.
If Emma thought Regina tasted good through their kisses it was nothing compared to the taste she experienced through magic. It was like the difference between catching scent of an amazing dish and actually putting it in your mouth. It was almost overwhelming.
As she acclimatised to the feeling, Emma heard Regina give a low and satisfied hum.
Then, as easily as breathing, she felt Regina leading her magic towards the light. With the strong force of the brunette's power as a guide, Emma followed dutifully. Without the need for words she suddenly knew what to do, knew what it was that Regina was showing her.
She raised her magics like a cupped right hand and felt Regina doing the same to make the left. Slowly they each drew forward, forming a barrier around the lights – a connected sphere. With a slight increase of pressure Emma felt the barrier crystallize and she knew that it had solidified perfectly.
The blonde opened her eyes and saw that each glowing orb was now suspended in mid-air – encased in an invisible jar of her and Regina's making.
"We did it," she whispered.
"Indeed we did."
"Will they stay like that?"
"As long as we will it."
"So we have to like, concentrate to keep them up?" Emma's brow furrowed. "That sucks."
"No dear, we don't have to, like, concentrate," Regina teased. "They will stay up until we actively take them down."
"What if we never took them down?"
"I'd imagine the mayor's office would be inundated with calls from concerned and alarmed citizens."
"No, I mean, not what would happen if we ACTUALLY left them up. Just theoretically, they'd…you know. Stay there? Forever?"
"Not quite forever. If one of us were to perish our magics would be undone."
"Ah, a til death do us part deal. Gotchya."
"Why Miss Swan, was that a proposal?"
Emma felt a six second surge of panic before she recognised the jest in Regina's voice.
"You wish!" she joked back.
Regina smiled gently. "Well, I am growing accustomed to the taste of cream and honey."
Confused, Emma turned in Regina's arms to face her. "Cream and honey? I don't eat a lot of cream and honey."
Red splashed up Regina's neck and cheeks. Realising what she'd inadvertently divulged she cursed herself for being so loose with her words. She was struggling with a way to explain herself that wouldn't leave her completely vulnerable when Emma put two and two together.
"You mean the taste of my magic right? My magic tastes like cream and honey?"
Bewildered, Regina simply nodded.
"I'd wondered," Emma continued. "I was going to ask but it seemed a little…"
"Personal?" Regina suggested.
"Yeah."
A static charged silence buzzed between them.
"Dark chocolate and mint."
"Sorry…?"
"Dark chocolate and mint – that's what you taste like. In case you were wondering."
Regina licked her lips. "And you…you like the way I taste?" she asked carefully.
"Love it." Emma's answer was plain and direct. "Love you."
A smile pulled Regina's mouth upwards and pushed away the last remain streaks of embarrassment from her face.
"I love you too."
Emma tugged the brunette towards her and brought their lips together. It was the first time they'd kissed while their magics were intertwined and neither one was ready for the sensation.
It was overwhelming, intoxicating, ecstasy pulsating towards unbearable. Their lungs burned and their hearts pounded. Regina had to rip herself away from Emma for air and the sense of immediate loss was staggering.
Panting in each other's arms, Emma's mouth protested at having to form words rather than kiss Regina.
"Wow!" she finally managed.
"Yes."
"Really wow."
"Yes."
"Wanna get out of here?"
"Still yes."
"Your room or mine?"
"Mine."
Regina's hand was in mid twirl, about to transport, them when Emma interjected.
"Wait, what about the lights?"
Regina looked upwards, her face glowing under the orbs, and smiled.
"We'll take them with us," she said.
As a purple cloud engulfed them both, a swirling mass of magic and lights spiriting them away through time and space, Emma had never felt more grounded.
She was home.