When her mother agreed to hold the council meeting she expected to see the usual members: Her parents, Ruby, Granny, Leroy, the Blue Fairy and etc. Nevertheless, the moments she walks into the room she sees a very pissed off Robin Hood look at her with complete hatred and a resentful Hook having almost the same look. She wasn't so worried about Hook because she knew that in the end he was harmless and usually needed others to do his bidding (reason why he excelled at being a captain). But Robin Hood was the opposite, and based on their previous encounter, the man was not ready to let go of Regina. Regina, she thought while smiling softly at the memories of last evening (before they discovered a heart on their porch). Wait, did she say their? she asked herself while smiling at what those words meant for her. Of course, after their discovery, Regina had been adamant about calling her parents to schedule a meeting, something about earning their trust by not keeping secrets from them. She had to agree, and at the same time she was happy that Regina was working at earning her redemption. It made her feel secure in what Regina wanted from them, and based on what little they had talked yesterday, the brunette wanted her in her life. She knew herself and she knew that she always refused to grow attached to places because of fear: She was scared of liking a place and then being forced to leave. Propriety meant settling down, and to say that she was considering Regina's place as her own meant something. It means that I want Regina to be a part of my future, she realized with a gigantic smile.
Regina, on the other hand, was on the verge of collapse. When she decided to cast the dark curse, the last thing that she thought would happen was that she would be in a preventive war meeting with Snow White, Prince Charming, their war council from the Enchanted Forest and the Savior. Now here she was, sitting and discussing the possible destruction of Storybrooke with the 'good guys', which in turn made her chuckle a little at the irony of the situation. She knew that if the royalty of the town forgave her (the Charmings), then the rest of the rabble would follow their lead. Nevertheless, to feel the stares of them on her, judging and deeming her unworthy of even being at the table, made her uncomfortable. That, and the fact that Robin was staring at her longingly and without any kind of shame, which made her feel even more uncomfortable. Emma must have noticed her discomfort because she felt a gentle squeeze on her tight.
Regina looked up and saw Emma staring lovingly at her. "You have every right to be here."
"Some people do not share that view with you." Regina whispered sadly while motioning at an angry looking Hook.
"Well, some people need to suck it up and realize that now you are one of the good guys." Emma whispered back fiercely. "And ignore him. He doesn't go beyond pouting."
Regina was going to answer when she saw that everyone was looking at the two of them in clear expectation. She gestured for Emma to look up and make a statement.
"Something you two would like to share?" Snow asked sarcastically.
"I think we are ok." Emma said back mockingly.
"You called us Emma because you said that you discovered something today." Charming said in full King mode.
"I did." Emma said to the whole room. "Because Regina suggested it."
Everyone grasped in total shock.
"I did promise my son to be completely honest and to redeem myself. In order to do that I have to help, which means keeping Storybrooke a safe place." Regina said softly. "But what we found today is not good news."
"We found a heart in a box." Emma said without fooling around.
"That's an easy one sister. We can blame the Evil Queen for that." Leroy said while pointing at Regina.
"It wasn't Regina." Emma defended her passionately. "Because the magic used to take out the heart is old and dark. I know the Blue Fairy will be able to corroborate that."
Regina stood up and grabbed the box with the heart and left in on top of the table.
The Blue Fairy made her way towards the front of the table, giving a warning look to Regina who nodded in understanding and stepped away from the box. Immediately, the Blue Fairy passed her wand over it, mumbling a revealing enchantment that came from the time of the Fae. When she felt the darkness leak from the heart she looked at Regina with fear in her eyes.
"This is not Regina's magic." she said solemnly. "This magic is old and dark. I have only heard of it, never actually seen it be performed before. And I have lived longer than the Dark One."
"So what is it?" Charming asked while approaching the box with Snow after getting the go ahead from the Blue Fairy.
"That is not a magical heart." Snow whispered.
Regina nodded. "It is not. What you are seeing right now is a normal heart."
"Which means that the owner is certainly dead." Charming added.
"Yes, but there is an aura to it." Regina said absently. "That beings with magic are able to feel. Like a signature. For example, I can be certain that Emma placed the protective spell around the townhouse because her magic has the trademark of smelling like lavender."
"It does?" Emma asked while smiling softly at her.
Regina smiled back and nodded. "It is a rather unique smell. The one that is only obtainable from the essence of the flower." she said while smiling with full adoration.
Snow looked at the exchange and huffed with surprise. To see Regina give compliments so freely was clearly strange, and to see Emma blush was even stranger. Since Emma brought Marian back there has been something strange going on between them, she mused to herself.
"So, you were saying about a signature?" Ruby interrupted them while chuckling. They are so obvious that it is beyond adorable, she smirked and winked at Regina who looked down in embarrassment.
"So yes, the signature of the magic used to take this heart out is unknown to me. But what I can tell you is that it is older than the magic taught by the Dark One." Regina said after being caught flirting with Emma.
"Speaking of Gold... Didn't anyone call him?" Emma asked.
"Couldn't find him Emma." Snow whispered. "We asked Belle and she has no idea of his whereabouts."
"And did you try tracking him?" Regina asked Ruby. "I may know quite a bit about magic, but the real expert here is that imp. We need his help."
"I tried Regina but I lost the trace at the Troll Bridge. I'm assuming he used magic to teleport himself." Ruby answered Regina.
"So then we have to assume he left town." Regina said angrily.
"Is that even possible? How can we be sure that this is not a trap of yours so we can do the opposite of what you tell us, leave town and forget our identities?" Hook asked with venom on his voice.
"Theoretically speaking? You can go right ahead and try that." Regina said absently, which made Hook get angrier. "But the repercussions of leaving I would not know them. You have to remember that it was never planned for anyone of this world to find Storybrooke. So, if one of you..." she said while pointing at Hook with hate but yet daring him to do the opposite of her warning. "Would leave then you would not be able to come back."
"Would we die if we try?" he asked angrily.
"Ok, I'm gonna stop this." Emma said angrily. "Hook, what the hell are you trying to achieve with your questions? Bring the town to hysteria?" she spat at him.
"I'm just being a concerned citizen, that's all. Since I have no way of leaving this place at least I would prefer to be safe from any kind of dangers."
"You are just being a pain in the ass." Emma hissed and then looked at Snow. "Why is he here?"
"I told him to come." Snow said confused. "Because he is our ally now? Did I do something wrong?" she asked Emma.
"You better not think about going behind our backs and doing something that may end up hurting the people of this town." Emma threatened him.
Snow noticed immediately that although Emma tried to say it as a general threat, the moment she finished scolding Hook she looked at Regina and nodded to herself. Seeing the calming effect that Regina seemed to have on her daughter started to make her feel suspicious, but when she saw the way Regina was looking at Emma, it finally dawned on her: Regina cares about my daughter, she realized in complete shock. She knew that look very well because she saw it on David's face every time he looked at her.
(Beginning of Flashback)
"You always look at me like that." Snow said to David silently.
David smiled. "Like what?"
"Like I'm the single best thing in the world." Snow answered while kissing him softly. "Like I'm the sun in your sky and the moon of your nights." she blushed softly.
"I don't know if you are the best thing in the world." he said while laughing at Snow's expression. "But you are the best thing in MY world." he continued while peppering her with mouth with kisses. "And you are my sun and moon. Without you, life would be so dull and grey. I know we have a family now, but it is your family. I was just lucky enough to be chosen by you."
"It is your family too Charming. You are as responsible for it as am I." Snow scolded him sweetly. "And choosing you was the easiest decision I have ever made. Well, except when you were engaged to Abigail/Katherine. But other than that, loving you is just so easy."
David smiled brightly. "I guess that happens when you are with your True Love." he said mischievously while taking his shirt off.
Snow smiled and kissed him back while taking the rest of their clothes off.
(End of Flashback)
Oh my God!, Snow screamed internally, Regina is in love with Emma and Emma loves her back! She took a deep breath after her epiphany, looking around the table to see if anyone noticed how she had been distracted. Apparently Ruby did because she was smirking at her with a knowing smile, which in turn made Snow move her gaze from Emma to Regina in a clear need of confirmation. Ruby nodded and winked at her, which Snow knew was the way her friend was telling her she also saw it. So she wasn't the only one that had realized something else was going on because Ruby noticed it too. And Ruby is a wolf, which means that she must have smelled... sweet God, she blushed deeply and tried to focus back on the meeting. She saw Hook nod in resignation to whatever Emma had told him to do. Now that she was looking more clearly, Snow saw the way in which her daughter was leaning her body to Regina's and how the second one looked up and smiled thankfully.
"No. You would just not find the town again." Regina smiled evilly. "There is a containment spell inside the dark curse. Rumplestiltskin planned it all so that there would be secondary spells that would make removing the curse almost an impossible feat. Alas, we need the imp if we want to solve anything concerning magic or his curse."
Snow looked worriedly at Emma who nodded in agreement. "She is right mom. I can feel it too. The magic used to take out that heart is not Regina's or Gold's."
"How can we be sure that this is not a plan of the Evil Queen to destroy us again?" Robin Hood said angrily, making Snow look in complete shock at the man who had been so interested in helping and being with Regina. One thing she hated the most were hypocrites and it seems that Robin Hood was one of them.
"Apart from being told by Blue that it wasn't Regina's magic we can be sure..." Snow said before Emma even had the chance. "That it wasn't Regina because I trust her word. She has aided us since the curse broke, and I believe that it is time we stop blaming Regina for all the things that occur in this town. Remember that in the Enchanted Forest there were other dangers besides the Evil Queen." she spat in complete anger at the man who just nodded and shrugged down to his seat. Snow saw the way her daughter was smiling brightly at her.
Regina smiled at Snow. "Thank you Snow, and you are right. With the curse, a big part of the Enchanted Forest came with us, and the many people that were before in our land relocated themselves and took new identities just like the rest of you. Just as it happened with Zelena, who hid her Enchanted Forest self from us, many common enemies that we shared have kept themselves in the dark."
"So what we can we do then?" Charming asked with concern. "We don't know anything about our enemy, again."
"Emma and I can help with the placement of a protection spell around your homes." Regina said and Emma nodded.
"I won't set your house on fire if that is what you are worried about." Emma joked. "But I do believe that everyone should put some protection around their houses."
"The merrymen can also help." Robin Hood addressed the group, clearly trying to antagonize Emma. "Better to also have weapons to offer protection."
"What are you implying with that?" Emma spat.
"I? Nothing of course." Robin said while feigning innocence. "But then again, some people may not be comfortable with you two performing magic on their houses."
"And why would that be?"she hissed, daring him to continue.
"Well, we have to take into consideration that you are a novice at magic and that your teacher is not very popular with the townspeople." he said with fake innocent eyes.
"And your group of thieves are?"
Robin looked at her with anger. "We stole from the rich to help the poor."
"You took what was not yours and gave it away for your own personal gain. Did it feel good? To be seen as a savior?"
"How dare you!" he said while making his way for Emma.
Snow was in a faze. This man who had been so kind to them and willing to help had transformed himself into a jealous and spiteful man that had come to this meeting with the clear intent of hurting Regina. It wasn't fair for Regina to be at the hands of people like that, and because Regina had been at the hands of many Robin Hoods in Storybrooke (the townspeople), it was heartbreaking to see how hard her stepmother tried to maintain control of her emotions.
(Beginning of Flashback)
"I know you." Snow told Regina while grabbing her hand. "And you feel things deeply. With or without it, you feel things with your whole soul."
Snow saw the tears fall from Regina's eyes and she brushed them softly with her thumb. It was so strange, yet heartwarming, to see this woman, this woman who had been a constant rock during most of her life, crumble in front of her. Many times as a child she had gone to Regina for comfort, and knowing now how things truly were, she had been surprised at Regina's capacity for caring about her. Even when deep inside of her heart, the older brunette had been incapable of loving her. No one, after understanding how much Cora had manipulated and hurt people, should have been able to love, and yet Regina was one of the fiercest lovers she had ever met: The love for life she had as a young woman, the love for revenge she had as a Queen and the love for a son that she had as Major. Yes, it can be agreed that Regina has done many wrong things during her life, but it is impossible to say that Regina has never loved because her whole life has been about filling the emptiness of her heart with love.
"Don't let anything hold you back." Snow finished while kissing Regina's temple and hugging her tightly.
Regina hugged her back fiercely and kept on crying until the tears stopped completely. When Snow saw Regina's eyes she noticed in them the love that she had craved for as a child. The love she had seen when that young woman had saved her from a horse and still had not experienced the true hardness of life. This young woman was now looking at her, expecting to be told what to do and Snow was not going to lose her again. This woman in front of her was the Regina she had been waiting for during her whole life.
"Love..." Snow said while smiling shyly at the memory. "True Love, is magic. Not just any magic but the most powerful magic of all. It creates happiness."
Regina smiled too.
(End of Flashback)
Before anyone could react they saw Regina stand up and place herself in front of Emma in a protective stance.
"Go ahead." she dared him. "Go ahead and hit her again like you did last time."
"That was an accident." he whispered while looking around the room.
"It was an accident that you hit her because that fist was intended for my son!" she screamed at him. "I know what you are trying to achieve. Trust me, I have used the same tools." she said with regret. "What we had has been over since your wife came back through that portal."
"Because she destroyed it!" he pointed at Emma. "Regina, we were good together, don't you remember?"
"What I remember is you trying to punch my son and my Em..." Regina stopped herself in clear embarrassment. "my friend." she finished.
"I was angry, and I know it wasn't right." Robin tried to apologize while coming closer. "But you need to understand what I feel and what we have. What we can be."
Emma saw red the moment he saw Robin approaching Regina again. She knew that Regina was trying her hardest to not lose control and that her two hands being in a fist were a clear sign that she was losing that battle. Knowing how townspeople minds worked, they would forget every bad thing they heard about Robin and blame Regina if she lost control because in their eyes she would never change. This made her be more angry with her role as the Savior: It was the epitome of hypocrisy to see these people, who considered themselves the 'good guys', refuse to forgive and give second chances.
"Just stop please. You keep telling everyone about honor and doing what is right and yet here you are begging me to do something wrong. Forcing yourself on me and my life. You have a family, Robin: A wife and a son that need you. Would you abandon them so lightly?" Regina asked again in hope of showing the town Robin's true colors.
"If I cannot be honest with my feelings for them because of you, then yes I would. I have always done the honorable thing and look where it has led me." he said with anger.
"So you blame me for your misfortune with your family and yet you cannot let me move on even when you just got another chance at happiness." Regina mused to herself in complete shock. "And I thought I was the evil one." Emma heard Regina whisper sadly.
"You are! You are the Evil Queen after all." he said darkly. "You put a spell on me and made me fall in love with you so you wouldn't be alone anymore." he said out-loud. "Maybe Marian was right and you truly are a monster." he finished with a dark smile on his face.
The moment he said that, Emma's anger couldn't be kept at bay any longer and she threw herself at the man. She knew he was stronger than her but then again she had the element of surprise and magic.
"You bastard." Emma screamed. "Stop being so fucking selfish and let Regina live her life. Go back to your family and leave mine alone!"
Everyone froze after Emma's words while Regina looked at the blonde with full adoration. Snow confirmed her previous suspicions about Regina's feelings as soon as she saw the way in which the older brunette's eyes were filling with tears. She knew that look very well: that was the look of True Love.
"Charming, won't you do something?" Snow asked with little concern for Robin Hood when she realized how manipulative he really was.
"I should, right?" he mused with hate. "But then again he tried to hit my grandson, got my daughter instead and is now messing with her family." he smiled darkly. "I think Emma can take care of things."
"So you noticed it too."
"That Emma is head over heels in love with Regina?" Charming smirked. "With the way Emma had been following Regina around like a little lost puppy and the dreamy stares those two were giving each other during the meeting, I wouldn't be surprised that the whole town now knew. "
"And how do we feel about this?" Snow asked Charming.
"Well, I think the real question for us is: How does Emma feel? It's her life, and although I can think of many reasons to prevent her from getting involved with Regina, I can also think of one that puts all the others to shame."
"And what reason is that?" Snow smiled, proud of her husband.
"True Love." Charming smiled at his wife and pointed at Emma who was still grabbing Robin down. "Apart from our daughter reacting like an angry pit-bull, the way those two look at each other is the same way we look at each other."
"Good." Snow said and motioned for them to get closer to where the quarrel was taking place. "I think it's time Regina gets her happy ending, and if Emma was meant to be that happy ending then, who are we to stop it from happening?"
Meanwhile, Emma had been surprised for a while when she felt that no one was trying to separate her from Robin Hood, who was attempting, and failing at hitting any part of her anatomy. Completely bored and ready to just get done with the man, she pinned him to the ground.
"I believe these are old warning words, but trust me when I tell you that if I see you trying to mess up Regina's happiness I will destroy you. Regina is mine." she whispered possessively.
Robin opened his eyes in clear shock. "You, and her?" he screamed in shock. "She would never be with someone as tainted as you, orphan." he spat at the blonde, who recoiled, but still refused to release her hold on the man.
Regina decided to end things once for all, and approaching the two people on the ground she whispered. "Yes. And she is so much more than what you could ever wish to be. She is my True Love and I am hers." she finished possessively before grabbing Emma's hand and pulling her up. "Thank you." she said while caressing Emma's cheek lovingly.
"For what?" Emma asked while accepting the gesture.
"For defending me. Again."
Emma's heart warmed. "For you Gina, anything."
Regina was moving forwards but then she heard the soft squeals of people around her. Realizing where they were, the two women separated and immediately saw the shocked expressions of the members of the war council. Emma smiled softly and grabbed Regina's hand and kissed it softly.
"I guess the cat is out of the bag." she said while smiling. "And although we are not ashamed, we would prefer it if you kept this evening discussions to yourselves."
Everyone nodded in understanding, and after Snow adjourned the meeting because of Robin's breakdown, the two Charmings approached Emma and Regina. Emma looked at them and shuffled around the room.
"Is there something you want to tell us? Snow mocked the blonde.
"I was going to tell you as soon as we settled things between us." Emma said apologetically. "I mean, I wanted to tell you after I asked Gina to be my girlfriend but then this happened and I just had to stop him from being a jerk and..."
"Darling." Snow said while smiling softly. "You are rambling. And I know what you mean with Regina." she smiled brightly at the woman who returned her smile. "She does seem to have a special charm with the women of this family."
Regina blushed deeply. "Although it is hard to admit, I must say that you were quite adorable when you were a child and you looked at me and blushed."
Snow blushed in embarrassment, which earned a laugh from Emma. "You had a crush on Regina too?"
"She was beautiful and she was my step-mother." Snow said while smiling and grabbing Regina's hand.
"And I apologize for not being the best one." Regina lowered her gaze.
"In your own way you were. Because if you had been different I wouldn't have become the woman I am today and I wouldn't have the life I have today. All of this occurred thanks to you." Snow winked.
Charming nodded. "If you wouldn't have made her an outlaw we would have probably never met."
"And you would have never had Emma." Regina said while looking at Emma with complete love.
Snow nodded. "I took your chance at happiness away when I told Cora about Daniel." she whispered softly. "So it seems right that I give it back to you by bringing Emma to this world." she smiled at the last part.
Regina felt tears falling from her face, accepting the forgiveness and understanding that came from her ex-arch nemesis. She knew that she didn't deserve any of it but here she was now having her happy ending. It took longer than expected but it happened. Regina smiled and hugged both Snow and Emma at the same time.
"Thank you." she whispered to both.