A/N: Hey! There's a new chapter for you! Hope you'll like it! I want to thank you all for the favorite, the follows and the comments. They make my day everytime :) You can still find me on tumblr under gardenia-queen. I'm actually working on chapter 5, so it shouldn't be long before you get the 4th :) It seems that my chapter are longer and longer the more I write. Well. More for you, I guess! :)

See you soon! Love, GQ -xx-

I still don't own anything except my plotline & again, sorry for the mistakes, they're all mine.

Emma woke up with a groan, startled out of a pleasant dream by her clock. She rolled over to hit snooze, but just as she touched the alarm, she sprung out of her bed. It was Friday, and she'll have another lesson with Miss Mills tonight, before she could observe the circle. She was almost giddy.

After she saw her reaction, physical and mental at the mere notion of the teacher in question, she frowned, and put a damper on the thoughts. What was wrong with her? Why was she that obsessed by her teacher? Of course, she was pretty, but it was like she felt a deep connection with the brunette that she didn't understood.

Oh, well, these musings at seven and a half in the morning were a bit heavy. So, finding back her good mood that had gotten her out of bed despite the little sleep she had during the night, she made her way downstairs after she dressed.

"Mornin'!" Emma said, chipper, and went to sit on a bar stool.

Mary-Margaret beamed, a smile plastered on her face as every other mornings, and seemed pleased by Emma's mood – or maybe because of her ability of dragging herself out of bed in time for once. She got another plate out, filled it and placed it in front of the blonde, who ate with gusto.

"So why are you up so soon? Trying to leave sooner to go impress someone?" The pixie-haired woman asked, a small light of malice dancing in her eyes.

Emma almost chocked on her food at the question. She coughed, and once her breathing was back on track, she said, maybe a bit too vehemently "No. Nobody at all." Still, despite her protests, she couldn't stop a small blush to appear on her cheeks as her mind strayed to the brunette teacher.

"Oh? Are you sure of that?" David asked, getting out of the bathroom, and having caught on the direction of the conversation and the redness of Emma's cheeks.

"Yes!" She almost groaned, at the insistence of her parents.

"Fine, fine. But, well, if Neal interested y-" Mary-Margaret started, just to be cut by Emma.

"I'm gonna stop you there. No. Neal has no appeal for me."

"Then, a girl? You know, if it was, it's ok. We are really accepting." Her tone was still sweet, caring, and the blonde couldn't help herself, and talked. She wanted to be supported and no longer hid something that weighted so heavy on her shoulders. They wouldn't send her back, it was ok for them.

"Well, now that you mention it… Yes, if I ever bring someone home, it would be a woman." The term 'woman' instead of 'girl', used by Emma did not escape her parents, who looked at each other, concerned.

"It's ok, Emma. We are happy you told us, but you should never had feared that to begin with."

"Thanks." She answered softly, her gaze ducking in her plate.

The meal ended in silence, but not a tense one, rather just as if everything had been said and everyone was proceeding.

Putting her plate away, Emma broke the silence, telling David and Mary-Margaret that she would not come home after school, as Regina was giving her another lesson, and that she would stay for the circle, to observe, tonight, before she left for school.

Of course. Once at school, her friends almost cornered her and without prompting started to tease her and ask her questions.

"So, how was the date with Mills, yesterday, Ems?" Emma rolled her eyes. Of course Lily would say something like that.

"You know it wasn't a date, so knock it off."

"Oooh! You're getting defensive! What really happened?" Ruby called on her.

"You are not doing that again, you both. She helped me and helps me learn new thing." Emma said, putting emphasis on the last words to get the message across her two friends that were teasing her, but that now knew she was like them.

"Well, we know, but, still she said it was 'extracurricular lessons'. You can't blame us to be curious. It sounds lecherous, and you both have the hots for each other."

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Lily. You know what she was teaching me and it wasn't something like that." The blonde answered, on the defensive, before adding as an afterthought "And she does NOT have the hots for me. It's ridiculous and preposterous."

Nobody said nothing for a heartbeat or two, before Neal picked up at the hidden meaning behind her phrasing.

"Goddess! She may not, but you totally do! You haven't said a thing about it!"

"For fuck's sake! Knock it off!"

"Not before you admit it. We've been pestering you about it long enough. It's alright to have a crush!"

Emma blushed.

"Ok. Yeah, you are right. She's pretty and sweet, and I might have a girl crush on her."

At her confession, Ruby started to jump around her. "I knew it! Now, we'll help you to get her. Sending positive magical waves, and all. She won't be able to resist you."

Ruby's comment made Tink flare to life. "Rubes! You know we can't use magic to force two person to fall in love. Taking someone's free will to choose is against the Rede, to not harm anyone." She said, voice flaring, before she registered her words and slapped both hands on her mouth with wide, startled eyes, looking at Emma.

The friends grew silent, and Emma had a confounded look on her face. "You… You are a Wiccan too?"

Her only answer was a whimper escaping between Tink palms. It seemed enough to help the others to step out of whatever trance they had been into.

"It's alright, Tink. She's like us." Said Lily, patting the small blonde's shoulder, whose eyes snapped to Emma with an assertive look.

"Um, yeah. I discovered it two days ago, well, I mean Miss Mills did, and she started giving me lessons yesterday." Added Emma, skittish.

"Goddess! That's great!" Said Tink, relieved.

"I've been told yesterday that Rubes and Lils were, but I didn't thought you all were."

"Yep." Neal contributed to the conversation. "That's one of the reasons we are such great friends. Ya know, secrets tie people together."

"Yeah, I… I know." Emma stammered. Oh, she knew. Of course, she knew. She knew so very well, having been a kid in foster homes. Keeping secrets with the other was the motto she learned first. Better shut up about mild abuse than to talk and be relocated in a possibly worse home, right? So, of course, she'd bonded over hardship with her temporary siblings. They always got each other's backs.

Emma was pulled from her memories by someone calling her name. She snapped to attention and plastered a fake smile on her face. Going back in her memories was always a bad idea and the best way to break her good mood. Well, no one has to be the wiser.

"Yes, Rubes?"

"So, what do you think about good vibes to help Miss Mills and you to get together?"

"No, it's a bad idea. If something has to happen, it will." Emma answered, wisely. Before anyone could come back with something to say, the bell rang, parting the friends for their classes of the day.

When four o'clock came, Emma felt better. She had waited all day for this, and she couldn't wait to see what was to learn today. She stayed seated at her desk until all the students had left the classroom, Ruby giving her a wink before slipping out, receiving a scowl from the blonde. When the last student vacated the room, she rose and waited for her teacher, balancing from foot to foot, averting her eyes from her teacher, as she was half-bent over her desk to clean her desk.

"Well, Miss Swan, I need to go to my office to grab some papers for the weekend. Care to come with me? I won't be long."

"Yeah, sure." Emma shrugged, and followed her teacher to her office. When the brunette came back with a pile of papers – tests she needs to mark – the blonde offered her help to carry a part of it.

They walked to the teacher's car in silence, broken when the latter asked Emma to climb in. Only, this time, when they left the parking of the school, they took another road than the one they had been on yesterday.

"Um, Regina? Where are we going?" The blonde asked.

"What, dear, are you afraid I'll kidnap you?"

"No, I just… I mean I was curious, that's it."

Regina turned her head to look at the blonde for what seemed like a few seconds, a smile blooming on her lips, before she reported her attentions on the road.

"I know, dear. I was just teasing you. We are going to a small shop that will probably become your favorite one." She said, eyes twinkling with mirth.

"Oh!" Emma breathed. Then, she remembered something. "I also finished the book you loaned me yesterday. I'll give it back to you."

"Already?" Regina seemed surprised, in a good way.

"Yep. It was fascinating, I hadn't been able to put it down until I finished it." Replied Emma.

"Glad you liked it, dear."

"Is that why you became a history teacher? To break prejudices and open minds?"

Regina stayed silent for a few heartbeats, before the answer slipped from her full lips. "Partially, yes, it's the reason. It's also to do more research on our history, more easily. But it's a story for another day. We are there."

Just as the brunette finished her sentence, she closed the motor of the car and opened her door to step out.

A building, alone near the piers, with herbs and flowers all around, stood in front of them. Emma's eyebrow lifted, as she read the name of the shop.

"Really, now? The Enchanted Forest for a magic shop? How… Original." Emma sassed.

Regina narrowed her eyes at her pupil. "Ok, snarky pants. Move so we can go in."

Emma's eye roll wasn't lost on either of them and made both smile. They walked slowly, enjoying the view and the enticing smell of the salted water floating in the air. When the finally came to the door, Emma opened it and held it open for her teacher to go first.

"Miss Mills." She said, half bowing, laughter etched on her face.

"Isn't that a bit informal? It's 'Your Majesty'." Regina shot back, eyebrows lifted in a mocking superiority, laughter in her eyes, while she passed the porch of the shop.

Emma couldn't help it, at the jib from the brunette, she chuckled, which made a smile bloom on her lips.

The boutique was beautiful, and the positive energy that could be felt all around was invigorating. As the chime over the door moved, the woman behind the counter lifted from the chair she was sitting on. She had long brown wavy hair, and her smile was pretty, as the rest of her.

"Merry Meet!" She said, as a way of greeting, before adding "Regina, how are you?"

Emma was stunned. Everyone seemed to know Miss Mills.

The teacher smiled to the other brunette, and greeted her with a small bow of her head. "Milah. I was here to show you beautiful shop to Emma, my new protégé."

Milah's – Neal's mother, if she remembered – smile widened at that. "Oh, you are the infamous Emma! Neal can't seem to stop talking about you. I think he got an eye on you."

She felt more than she saw the change in the air and in Regina's posture. She became stiff as a board, losing her smile, and her fists clenched. The reaction was unexpected, and Emma brushed it aside as she answered to the mother of her friend. "Well, I don't… It's flattering but Neal's only my friend." The tension that had creeped in the room seemed to abate at the blonde's answer, and Milah's smile didn't lessen.

"The heart wants what it wants, right?"

Emma only half-heartedly nodded, trying her hardest not to look at her teacher to not give herself away.

The subject seemed to drop after that, as Milah focused back to their visit. "Anyway, did you come here today for something specific?"

Regina made herself known again, and the pretty – but probably faked – smile was back on her features. "I came here to show to Miss Swan the shop, if ever she needs to procure herself something. We just started yesterday."

"Well, take your time to snoop around! I am here until the circle tonight." The owner said, still amiable.

"So, You, Milah, MM and David, Tink, Red, Neal, Lily, Ariel I suppose, since Neal and Milah are. Who else?" Emma almost whispered to Regina while she started to look around the shop, in the stones and jewellery part.

"You'll see tonight, be patient, dear."

The blonde pouted. "But -"

"Miss Swan." Regina said, with a small warning in her voice. "Later."

"Right." She sighted.

"You can find everything you need here. Sometimes you have to command it a month in advance, but, generally they are well stocked." Said Regina, looking at the candles.

"Oh. And do I need something now?"

"I'd be inclined to tell you yes, but it depends where this lesson is taking us." The brunette said while tapping her chin with her index finger.

"So. What is the most important thing to have for a witch?" Asked Emma, curious, ravenous for new things to learn.

"I'd say we start with a book of shadows."

"And what is that?" The blonde couldn't stop her inquiry.

"Well, I'd compare it to a witch grimoire. Every witch has one. It's the place they write their spells, potions, experiments, but also their feelings about the circles and the celebrations, even their dreams, because some are premonitory, their observation, the way they yield their magic, their thoughts. They usually are passed in the family. You probably could ask to David or Mary-Margaret to loan one to see what I talk about."

"So, basically, it's a witch diary?"

"You can put it like that, yes."

Both woman strode to the side of the shop where libraries displayed books and blank notebooks.

"Wow! They are so beautiful!" Whispered Emma, taking one of the notebooks in a hand and softly sliding the other on the cover. Engraved leather and fitted gems were used to adorn the front of the black, hand-bound tiny pad.

"I'm glad you approve. They are hand-made, and as such, much more important to choose well." Was the answer from the brunette, who was looking at her with a small smile on her red-painted lips.

"How will I chose?"

"Well, dear. You have to let the magic decide for you. It won't be your eyes that will guide you; you will feel it when you'll stumble upon the right one."

After Miss Mills' explanations, Emma perused the shelves, brushing the books with the tips of her fingers, as an intimate caress. She was about halfway through when she felt heat emanating from one of the books. When she registered it, the blonde's fingers were already two notebooks away. She moved her hand back, and took it. The black leather cover was engraved with flowers all over, and in the center of each was a tiny rock of different color. In the center, there was a star with a circle around, and it was bound and closed on each side by metal hinges.

Emma's finger traced the star in the circle.

"It's a pentacle, the most representative symbol of the Wicca. Every branch is one of the elements; and the fifth one, the upper one, there,-" Regina started to answer to the unasked question, her fingers replacing those of the blonde on the shadows book. "-Is the representation of the fifth yielder, as they used to believe there was another power. Since there's not, we also see it as the energy, the flow of life, the origin of our power. It also represents the human body and its five extremities, when you use it on the right side; when the top branch is downward, it represents the devil. Originally, the pentacle was a symbol of life and health but today we use it for protection against danger and evil spirits; it is also an important ritual tool to use during ceremonies. The circle around the star represent the never ending cycle of life, its unity and integrity."

Emma smiled to her mentor, and dropped her eyes back to the pentacle.

"Yeah, it's a loaded symbol. I love it."

Regina almost smiled back, the corner of her lips briefly lifting before she hid it by clearing her throat.

"I think it'll be all for today, dear. Why don't you go to pay for your book?"

"Right."

"It was fun!" Emma told her teacher while climbing back in the car "I'd like to come back sometime, to snoop around more."

"Of course, dear. Now, hop in, we need to finish our lesson."

Once the car was on the road to the manor, the conversation restarted.

"How did you manage to finish the book I loaned you yesterday?" Asked Regina, slightly curious.

"Well, I was really interested that I read until I finished it."

"What?"

"Yeah. I fell asleep at half past two this morning." Said Emma, a but guiltily. She knew it wasn't healthy, but she couldn't help it.

"Emma, I get that all of this is new and exciting for you, but it shouldn't impact on the rest of your life; you still need to perform in school and see your friends."

"I know. I just want to learn a bit more. And maybe -" Emma cut herself.

"What?"

"Nothing." Was the curt answer that the blonde threw at her teacher, who seemed less than pleased.

"Emma…" Regina's tone was soft, she tried to coax her student from her shell.

"Fine. Maybe it'll explain why they left me on the side of the road, next to a burning house."

"What do you mean?"

"My parents, they left me on the side of the road, I was just a baby. A fireman found me when they got a call that a house was burning. So, maybe I can find explanations… Or just my real birthday date. I'm not even sure. The fireman found me October 25th, and it's my 'official' birth date."

"Oh, Emma… I am sorry. You won't get answers from books, but maybe we can help to try to answer to your questions another way, when your magic is better controlled."

"Really?" Emma's eyes were wide and excited. She could maybe have answer and she couldn't wait; maybe she would learn finally why she had been left to fend for herself. It was a weight that she wore on her shoulders every day and kept her from opening to people; what if the reason the she had been left was that she wasn't enough lovable? Suddenly, Regina's voice cut through the haze that were her thoughts.

"Yes, dear."

The rest of the ride to Regina's was filled in silence. Once they arrived, both women directly went to the room they had their lesson the day before and sat on the chairs that were still there. Emma brought her feet on the chair and hugged her legs, placing her chin on her knees and started listening to today's lesson. The velvety voice of Regina entranced her and she knew that she would remember everything the brunette would say.

"You have a lot of disciplines to learn from. There is, for starters, runes, gems and stones, plants, candles, incent, colors, instruments used, and everything about the circles. Then, we can move to more specificities as reading in tea leafs, or in the hand lines, tarot, dreams, auras, talismans, depending of your powers' family. So, the first part of your apprenticeship will be divided in three categories of those disciplines. First, you'll learn about the circle and witches instruments, then the longest part, about runes, plants and stones, and finally with candles, incent, colors and everything less major. Ready?"

"I was born ready."

Regina giggled. "It's accurate."

"Oh, please." Emma rolled her eyes at her teacher, but couldn't help the small smile that graced her lips at the brunette's fun.

"Shall we move on to something more educative, now?" Asked the brunette, her voice still full of mirth.

"Ok, right. Still an hour left to my lesson, right?"

"In fact, more like half an hour, as I got to prepare myself for the circle. But while I'll be doing that, you'll be reading. Again." Said Regina, with a grimace.

Emma shrugged. "It's ok. I don't mind much."

"Good."

The teacher rouse from the chair and went to pick a book from one of the shelves. Once she found it, she handed it to Emma, who gratefully took it and opened it at the first page.

"I will resume what the book will say in an easiest way for you to understand. The thing is that the majorities of book about the Wicca were written for the practitioners; those of us who were raised with knowledge of magic; and so some terms could be misunderstood by a non-practitioners. Is that alright?"

"Yes, of course!" was the blonde's answer to the enquiry.

"Right. Well, the circle is a safe place we brought to life to protect ourselves during the ceremony. We usually draw it on the floor with a chalk first and we do it again, but with purified salt. You can use other materials, or even no material at all, but it's easier to make it visible because it contain the influences, that can come from the outside or from the inside trying to get outside. Once we're in, we can get out or it'll broke and it could have repercussions. Sometimes, when you do outside rituals, you can use what the nature is providing, like tree branches on the ground, or even flowers. The only thing is that when you take from the nature, you have to give something back as a token of you gratitude and to keep the nature scales on the same level. When you open the circle, you have to go from the north – the cardinal point of the earth – in a clockwise way, until you come back to your original point, to close it. Then, you ask for the four elements to accompany you during the circle with a small offering at their cardinal point.

"As I told you yesterday, the stone is the altar. It is placed on the north side of the circle, as it always is during rituals. Then, you have all of the witches' instruments; we have one set for the circle and the majority of us have another personal one, often passed down from the parents."

A pained smile crept on Emma's face at the mention of parents and what could be passed down. The small one that Regina offered in answer was helping.

"The family don't have to be blood-related, dear. You can be given the instruments by the family you chose."

"Thanks, I guess." Emma shrugged, trying to appear unaffected.

"It's normal, dear. But, I have to finish our lesson here."

"Already?"

"Yes, I'm afraid we've been at it for more than half an hour."

"Oh, right."

"Are you hungry?" asked the teacher. "I know I could eat something."

"Yes, I'm famished!" Was the chipper answer from the blonde.

Regina smiled and rose to go out of the room. When she turned her head and saw Emma still seated, she gave her a puzzled look. "Are you coming, dear, or you'd rather stay here and starve?"

"Oh, Um, I'm sorry!" Said Emma, scrambling to get up from the chair and move to follow the brunette to the kitchen. The brunette moved directly to the fridge and took out a Pyrex plate with half a meal already eaten.

"I have lasagna leftovers. Is that alright with you? It would be faster to heat and eat."

"Yes, thank you, it's perfect." The blonde said with a smile while hopping on a barstool attached to the counter.

Once their plates was empty and put away in the sink, Regina excused herself to get ready and left Emma with the book she had given her earlier. So the blonde started to read about magical tools.

'The athamé is a wiccan ritual knife. It traditionally has a black handle and is doubled-edged, however there can be many varieties and exceptions. The athamé is often chosen by the witch senses, and while often kept blunt, the blade of the knife is sometimes found to be sharp when the user of the blade is harvesting its plants and herbs itself. The knife represent the fire element and is used to yield the magical energies, as an extension of the arm. The athamé is often used to open the circles and is the representation of the masculinity part of the fertility. While there are many tools in Wicca, the athamé is pre-eminent among them in being used by all participants in a ritual whereas others will be either shared or used only by those performing particular tasks.'

Emma's reading was cut short when she saw Regina moving down the stairs in a vivid red dress, stripped of make-up and of any ornaments. The blonde felt her heart rhythm go through the roof and couldn't help but stare at her teacher's beauty. She was so beautiful.

The brunette smiled at her student and made her way to the kitchen where Emma was still seated.

"Wow! I mean, you are…" Emma said when she found the use of her voice again.

"Bare? I know." Regina answered.

"No! Well, yes, but that's not what I meant. You are stunning."

"Thank you, Emma. And before I forget, I have something for you. I bought it earlier at the boutique. We all have one, and so, it's time you get your own."

Regina gave a small, rectangular, box to the blonde, who looked at her curiously.

"Why did you bought me something?"

"I'd say it's a 'welcome home' present." Said the teacher. "I'd like you to accept it as a nice gesture from teacher to student."

"Right. Student-Teacher." Emma snorted, and it made Regina frown.

"Emma?"

"Sorry. I didn't meant anything by it."

"Ok, if you say so. You can open it, now."

"Yeah, sorry." Emma's cheeks were slightly reddened. She took the small box and lifted the lid slowly. On a velvet scrape of tissue, was laying a beautiful silver necklace, with a green stone dangling from it, and a silver pentacle. The blonde's mouth was open, she didn't know what to say. The moment was so beautiful and the present so perfect that she never wanted to break the charm. Regina spoke first, not louder than a whisper.

"It's a chrysoprase."

"Miss- Regina. It's beautiful, but it's too much!"

"And why's that?"

"I can't let you buy me some precious stone!"

"Emma. We all carry some with us every day, for their power and protection. Mine are on a necklace, and I thought that you'd prefer that, but some also wears them on bracelets, rings, earrings, or even have made special arrangements in their clothes to carry them around."

"But-"

"No, Emma. It's my pleasure."

"Really?" Emma asked, with a small voice, so small, it almost sounded like a child.

Regina smiled at the girl. "Yes. Now, let me put it on you?"

Instead of a verbal answer, the blonde took her hair in her hands and lifted them, making space for the brunette to work and put the necklace on. The brunette smoothed it with one hand and placed the stone in the front, making Emma's breath catch.

"It's really pretty. Thank you." She said, exhaling.

"It was my pleasure, dear. And as you go, you can add stone to it."

"Do you have a lot of them?" Emma was curious to know. She didn't remember seeing the teacher with necklaces often.

"Quite a bit. I don't always wear the same ones every day. I change, depending on what I need to be helped with."

The silence lingered for a few seconds before Regina broke it.

"There is still a couple of minutes before the people start arriving. Do you have questions about tonight's circle?"

"Yes!"

"Then, feel free to ask."

"The first circles were 12, right? Three from each families?" questioned the blonde. At that, Regina had an eyebrow that rose before she answered to the girl.

"Yes, it was."

"So, won't it break the circle, if I step in and we are 13? I mean, 12 was the number of original magic yielders and so the covens are divided that way…"

"Emma, it does not matter. And if it did, the number thirteen had a rather profound meaning it the Wicca. A coven of thirteen is right. You'll be the missing yielder. But, in reality, we can't always be a circle of 12 or 13. Sometimes covens are three or four persons only and other times there is fifty people in the circle. So, no, our number does not matter."

"And is there a hierarchy in the circle?" Emma asked, still unsure of herself.

"Yes and no. I am the high priestess of this circle, meaning I am the one who controls what happens, and how, but we are all seen as equal. I am not any different, simply invested with the power to direct the rituals." The brunette smiled softly to her protégé.

"And we don't do these 'dancing in the rain naked' things, right?"

Regina chuckled at that. "No, not in the circle. But you don't have to be ashamed of your body dear." She said, her hand sliding along Emma's jaw. "We are quite proud of what the god and the goddess gave us. And some of us, in fact, do their rituals naked. It gives a power more connected to everything around us. It's not something to reject before you tried it, as we are all beautiful with what the deities gave us."

"You… You tried it?" The blonde stammered, her mind focused in the image of a naked Regina Mills, head thrown back, palms raised as magic seemed to flow through her.

The smile the brunette had on disappeared for a few seconds, as something dark flashed behind her eyes, but her mask came slamming back on. "Yes, dear, I did. It can lead to an amazing completion, even more if you are with the right person." The thought seemed to amuse the teacher, or maybe it was the face Emma was doing at this new bit of information, her mouth open in an almost perfect 'O'. "But to come back to your question, even if we are not naked, we usually have a ceremonial dress, which you often have a vision about before having it done. It's the only occasion we wear it, like uniforms, because it permit at the energy to move better, as the cloth is already soaked with magic and can't deflect it."

"Oh! So that is what you are wearing! So, I'll have a mental image of my dress?"

"Probably dear. Maybe this week, and then you can go to see Milah. She used to do the sewing since her shop opened."

"But how-" Emma's answer was cut short as the doorbell rang. She knew it to be the first member of the circle. Regina smiled at her.

"Why don't you come with me, dear? I can officially present you the members of our circle."

Emma hopped from the barstool and followed the brunette to the door and stood awkwardly on the side.

Once she opened the door, a tall blonde was smiling at them on the other side. Regina moved to invite her in. She stepped inside, and left her shoes on the entrance mat. She was dressed in a black dress with red stones embedded in all the front and around the drooping sleeves. She had an impressively plunging neckline and the fabric of the dress was black with patterns of a deep red.

"Merry Meet, Regina!"

"Merry meet." The brunette answered with a small smile. "Do come in, dear."

"Hello, Emma, right?" The older blonde said, extending her hand to the youngest who shook it.

"Um, yeah, and you are?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, how rude of me! I am Mallory, Lily's mother." The older blonde said with a smile to Regina. Emma felt her eyebrows raise on her forehead. There was something going on between the two, as she could see with the looks they exchanged. The brunette licked her lips before talking.

"You know where to go, while I wait for the others to arrive. They probably won't be long."

"Alright. It was nice meeting you, Emma."

"Yeah, you too." She answered, a bit rudely. She didn't knew why, but the tall blonde was grating on her nerves, and she didn't liked one bit the way Mallory was looking at Regina. She bit her lip to rein in her emotions.

Once alone again, Emma whispered, as if she didn't wanted to be heard. "What is Merry Meet about? It's the second time you've been greeted like that!"

The laugh Regina produced was full of joy. "Oh, Emma! It only means that we are glad to see each other and it's our way to greet each other between the circle members. We don't use that outside of our group, and it's only those in the circle that use it with one another. We also use 'Merry Part' when we leave."

"Oh!" Emma was sheepish, but she was saved by the doorbell, that rang once again.

Regina opened the door and her friends were there, all in dresses.

"Merry Meet!" Said Tink, Ariel, Neal, Lily and Ruby, almost in the same time.

"And Merry Meet to you." Answered their teacher. "You know what to do." She finished, smiling slightly.

"Ems! You're there!" Ruby said when she saw her friend.

"Yup!" Was her answer as the wind was knocked out of her lungs when Ruby tackled her to give her a hug.

The rest of the group was more controlled and gave her a hug before going to the room at the back of the house. Emma sagged against the wall, and so Regina had to turn a bit to see her from her position next to the door.

The silence between the two lingered.

"Ruby seems to like you quite a bit from what I've seen." Regina said, her lips pursuing.

"Oh, um, well, we're friends. She's just really friendly with everyone."

The brunette only hummed as a non-committal answer, but before the silence could become too heavy, there was a knock at the door. Regina opened it, revealing Mary-Margaret, David and Mrs. McFly, the school secretary.

"Merry Meet!" Came from three voices.

"And Merry Meet to you three."

"Are we late?" Asked David, curiously perusing the hall of the mansion.

"Not at all, dear. We're still waiting for Milah and Killian." Was the swift answer from Regina.

Mary-Margaret saw Emma standing there and left her boots laying in disorder to go hug her daughter, while David only smiled to her.

"I'm glad you're here tonight, Emma." Squeaked Mary-Margaret, who seemed emotional.

"Yeah, me too." Emma answered, more dully.

"So, have you met Nova?" Her mother asked, smiling to the brunette she just mentioned with whom they had come.

"Hum, well, we've briefly met at school."

"Oh, yeah, right. The first day of school, I remember you!" Nova said, a smile stretching the lips of the tiny woman. She seemed genuine and sweet, even if she was a bit clumsy. "Anyway, I am Tina's – I'm sorry, Tink's – Mother."

"Oh! Right. I am -"

Emma's answer was once again cut short when two new persons showed up on the doorsteps, before the door was even closed behind the trio that just got in. Emma recognised Milah, which she had seen at the shop earlier, but she had never seen the man at her arm.

"And we are now all here!"

"Merry Meet, Regina." Came from the man clad in black pants that seemed to be done in leather, black leather at that, and a long shirt with lapels on the back, and from Milah, who had him at her arm.

"Merry Meet, Milah, Killian. The rest of us are already in the room, so I will join you shortly."

"Yes of course, Regina!" Mary-Margaret answered; she seemed eager to please.

Killian eyed Emma with something akin to… pleasure? And he extended his arm to her.

"Killian Jones."

With a tight lipped smile, she extended hers to be polite and answered. "Emma Swan."

"Well, I am certainly glad to finally meet you, Love. Ariel and Neal never stop about you. I can see why!"

Emma wasn't sure what was expected as answer, and so her eyes strayed to Regina, who looked at Kilian with a murderous gaze. Before she could say anything, however, Milah talked.

"Well, it looks like you even forgotten that I was with you, dear."

"No, Milah, my love, I could never forget you. But, well, she still is a new creature in our quaint little town, and I have to admit that it does intrigues me."

At that, the owner of the magical shop rolled her eyes and mouthed a sorry to Emma, before leading him to the back of the house, where everybody was.

Emma turned to her teacher, who seemed to finally relax, and with a tilt of her head, Regina asked if she was ready to go to see the circle. The blonde beamed at her and nodded, following the brunette to the room.

"I am sorry, Emma, but I will have to ask you to sit here and… wait. Well, you can watch what happens, but it's important that you do not break the circle, alright?"

"Yeah, alright." Emma said, sitting in the chair that was on the other side of the altar, on the most reclusive center of the room. Of course, Emma wanted to watch what happened during the circle, but she was also fascinated by all the shimmering colors and jewels of the ceremonial dresses, the tools on the altar and the flow of magic she could feel all around the room.

When they opened the circle, the energy that was previously buzzing all around the room seemed to leave, or to be contained inside the magical barrier created by the chalk and the salt on the floor. All twelve members stood inside the circle once it had been closed, and as one, turned to the North. Regina rose the athamé she took from the altar in the air with one hand, bunching the sleeve of her dress up to her elbow, and in the left one took a small bowl in a shimmery material – probably a type of metal – full of rice. Once she had raised both hand, the coven started to chant, as one.

"We are calling to you, by turning to face the North. Strength of the Earth, stand by us, give us your strength and wisdom to proceed to our circle. Blessed be."

When the voices stopped, Emma's teacher moved again and reverently paced the bowl on the line of the circle. Then, she went back to the altar and took another small bowl, that had smoke coming off of it; probably a incent cone, Emma mused, from her seat. Regina moved to the east, followed by the other witches. And the chants started again.

"We are calling to you, by turning to face the East. Cleverness of the Air, stand by us, give us your intelligence and creativity to proceed to our circle. Blessed be."

Emma felt goosebumps all over her arms; not because of the temperature, but something in the voices, all mingled together was calling to her and seemed to pull her in. The blonde just had the time to regain her composure before they chanted something else again, turned to face the south, where she was seated, while Regina had once again a bowl and the athamé in her hands, this time, the bowl had a small candle, lit up, inside.

"We are calling to you, by turning to face the South. Vitality of the Fire, stand by us, give us your passion and energy to proceed to our circle. Blessed be."

The brunette crouched to place this bowl on the line of the circle too, and when she lifted her eyes, and saw Emma, who seemed entranced, she made a small wink to the blonde, who blushed slightly, with what she could see from the light the candles around the room projected. The brunette went back to the altar one last time and took a last bowl, which sloshed as she tried to get a grip on him. It was filled with water to the brim, and as Emma had thought, they went west and repeated the chant.

"We are calling to you, by turning to face the West. Insight of the Water, stand by us, give us your emotions and intuition to proceed to our circle. Blessed be."

The circle reformed, inside the line on the floor, where the bowls were still placed. Emma wasn't able to see a lot, but the shift of the energy around her was impressive enough for her not to be disappointed to be present.

Then, she saw everybody holding each other's hands. She heard the sweet voice of her teacher suddenly cut through the silence that had installed itself in the room, charged with power.

"As we are reunited tonight, we are here to thank the God and the Goddess to give us everything that surrounds us, as well as our magic. We give them our gratitude and open a place for them in our circle."

"Blessed be!" Was said by everybody at the same time.

"And we stand here tonight to share the power that has been given to us freely, and to give back some to the earth for the cycle to go on."

At that, everybody's palms went up and the room seemed to fill itself with magic. Emma was stunned. She felt the powers slide through her veins and it felt great, better than what she used to do with her own powers; it felt warmer, more controlled, but also foreign, and Emma supposed that it was the power from the other families inside of her that seemed not usual. Even with the tempering of the circle, Emma felt acutely the magic; and her head started to spin, forcing her to breathe harshly by the mouth. She heard voices, that seemed far away, and movement in the shadows behind her eyelids, but she felt so good and so powerful! She couldn't bother to do otherwise than to feel.

Son enough, she heard voices more distinctly and felt a hand on her shoulder, grounding her. When she opened her eyes the candles were still lit and she saw Regina in front of her. The world was still blurry and the voices still muffled, but it felt better. Through her haze, she heard distinctly the voice of her teacher.

"You absorbed too much of the power we freed. Come with me." And the brunette extended an arm for Emma, which she took gratefully.

Regina led them outside by the back door, and sat herself on the ground, her back pressed to the apple tree trunk.

"Come, sit next to me, Emma."

The phrasing made it like it wasn't a question; it probably wasn't, and Emma complied with the demand without much more prompting. Once she was seated, her teacher moved and kneeled in front of her.

"Now, I need you to do as I say. It won't be easy since it's the first time and the energy you took was powerful, but I know you can do it. Can you do that for me, Emma?"

The blonde couldn't produce a sound, so she merely nodded, feeling her eyelids drop.

"Focus, please, Emma!" The brunette said, in a tone that seemed a bit desperate, making the student snap to focus as best as she could.

"Thank you. Now, I need you to put both your hands flat on the ground, and your forehead in between, like this." The teacher said, while demonstrating to Emma what to do. She had both her palms on the grass, separated by the width of her shoulder, and she put her forehead in between the two hands, still on her knees.

The blonde tried to do as her teacher had just shown her but she seemed to lack in stability. After a few minutes of struggle to get in the right position, she finally got it, and waited for the brunette to finish the explanation.

"Now, I need you to feel the power in your veins, the magic you absorbed, and to push it through the earth, by your palms. You'll have to do as you did when you used your powers the other times. Can you do that for me, Emma?"

Once again, Emma nodded, and started to search the point of her magic, and started to try to push it outside. Still, nothing seemed to change, and so she pushed again. She could do it, Regina believed she was able to.

And so, when she found the center of warmth inside of her, she pushed it to her hands, again and again, until she felt that the magic was starting to drain from her without too much difficulty. Her body seemed to cool, and the sounds came back slowly, her vision too, and when she felt that she could breathe more normally, she lifted her head to see the brunette, who offered her a small smile.

"What was that?" Croaked Emma, as if her voice had been used to scream all evening.

"That, my dear, was a magical overdose."