Regina was drained completely, she could barely stand. Whatever Emma did pulled just about everything out of her. She fumbled around for her phone in her purse as she stumbled to the door. Henry was already trying to call on his. Regina grabbed the keys and tossed them to Henry.
"Close your mouth. I know you have driven my car. I can't right now. I'll call, you drive." She stumbled as she headed to the door but Henry caught her in time to keep her from falling He hooked his arm under hers and she held on tightly to his black woolen coat.
"I don't understand, what just happened?" he asked.
"The ring, it lets your mother pull magic from me if she needs to, and she just did—a whole lot."
"Where are we driving to?"
"Just get us on the road, Henry."
Being extremely conscious that he was driving with his mother Henry tried to stay calm and drive safely. He adjusted the seat and checked his mirrors. His mother kept calling Emma's phone. He backed the dark car out of the driveway and pulled onto the road, the tires crunching the recently salted road.
Regina looked at her ring and it had a slight glow emanating from it. "Keep heading this direction," she instructed. She redialed Emma's number again and this time there was an answer.
"Emma!" She shouted, startling Henry enough that he jumped. "Are you alright?"
"Yea," a breathy voice said. "I'm okay, I'm in the bug on the side of the road right now…parked."
"We're coming your way, stay there."
"Ok," she sighed, a tired edge to her voice. "I'm on Oak. Everything's under control, don't kill yourself getting here."
"Henry, keep under the speed limit," Regina said, "And get us to Oak street."
"Henry's driving! Regina!"
"Just sit tight, Princess. We're almost there."
The yellow bug sat parked on the side of a desolate stretch of road. The forest was thick to one side and a snow covered field was on the other. Henry carefully pulled the Mercedes behind the bug and parked.
Regina jumped out the car as soon as it stopped, and landing squarely on a patch of ice proceeded to fall on her ass.
"Oooommpf," was the noise the air made as it was knocked out of her.
Emma was just getting out of the bug when she saw the brunette go down. She pushed the yellow door frame out of her way and ran over the passenger side of the Mercedes, to see the Queen was already getting to her feet and looking a shade embarrassed. Emma couldn't help it, she laughed.
"Are you okay?" she asked, her eyes twinkling.
Regina slumped against the car. "Barely. What happened?" She heard branches breaking and looked over to the woods to see an ogre emerging.
"No more of 'em, Sheriff," Jim grumbled. Henry was getting out of the car and stopped to gape at the ogre.
"No more what?"
"Grabby trees," he said.
"It was like the whole fucking forest was trying to reach out and grab the bug," Emma said, waving at the trees. "It was unbelievable, like a wave of branches and trunks just reaching out over the road. It was puling the bug in, and I blasted them with everything I had."
"And everything I had. Were you hurt at all?"
"No, just rattled around a little. I took most of them out but there were still some, that's when Jim showed up and took care of the rest."
"I told your mate to stay inside carriage," he said. "Only a few to deal with. No problem."
"Thank you, Jim. It was a trap," Regina said, looking around. "It was a trap. They knew you would drive past here at some point, especially as Sheriff. That gnat…"
"Fairy magic," Jim grumbled.
Regina titled her head towards him. "Even he knows it," she said. "Can I kill her now?"
"No, I'll arrest her." Emma stated. "Jim, can you be a witness?"
"Yes," he grumbled. "A witness to the execution?"
"No, can you testify to what you saw here?"
He nodded his big head, "Yes, and that I smell fairy magic."
"Ok, let's get an arrest warrant. This will probably be weirdest arrest warrant I've ever served."
Regina shook her head. "No, you're staying away from her. David and I can serve it, we're both technically officers of the court, and he's a deputy."
"No, I'm serving it, you can come along but she attacked me! I'm not crippled and you're not my mother," she snapped harshly. As soon as she did she immediately regretted it.
Regina's eyes went icy cold and her jaw clenched. "Very well, I see I'm not needed here. Looks like everything is under control, Sheriff. Henry, let's go home."
"Regina!"
The brunette slipped back into the passenger seat of the black sedan and slammed the door closed.
Emma sat in her car and bawled. Big, messy tears and snot straight up bawling. She cried her eyes out.
"I'm such a shit," she sobbed, wiping her face on the sleeve of her coat. Regina had clearly been terrified, she could tell by her voice on the phone. Terrified and so drained she had to have Henry drive, something she would have normally allowed only over her dead body. And what did she do? Not reassure her that she was ok, not comfort her, but laugh at her fall and then snapped at her.
She started the car and cursed herself under her breath as she made her way to the Sheriff's station.
When she got there she did exactly what she had told Regina she was going to do. She started on the paperwork for an arrest warrant. As she did she called her parents and asked them to come to the station.
When David and Snow got to the station with young Neal in tow they saw their very pregnant daughter crying at her desk. She stood when they entered and handed the warrant to David.
"I need you to serve Blue with this warrant and arrest her." She stated calmly, even though her face showed she was anything but.
"Emma, what happened?" Snow asked, concern emanating from every pore as she shift Neal on her hip. He gazed at his big sister and stuck his thumb in his mouth.
"Blue wants the baby dead, and just tried to kill me. Jim was a witness. I just got the okay from the judge over the phone to charge her."
"No," Snow whispered in disbelief, "No, not Blue. How…why would she do this?" She was staring now at the folded warrant that Emma was still holding out to David. he took the paper and tucked it inside his jacket, his eyes narrowing and his jaw set.
"She has some…stupid ideas about the baby, thinks she's a threat. Regina and I have known for some time, this is the first time she made a move."
"Regina knew…and didn't…" Snow fumbled.
"No, I wanted to handle this the right way and she respected that," she sniffed.
"Are you okay?" Snow asked, putting a hand on Emma's shoulder.
"No, I'm…I'm a fucking jerk."
"You fought with her?" she asked.
She nodded, tears slipping down her cheeks. Snow maneuvered her over to the couch and let her cry as they held her.
Snow figured with the hormones, stress and adrenaline were driving her emotions to the breaking point. The self loathing she exhibited frightened her though, and she decided she was going to try to help get this resolved. They needed each other right now, more than ever. She slipped away as David sat with Emma, his arm wrapped around her shoulder and Neal tucked into her side. She went outside and called Regina, and was relieved and surprised when she answered.
"Snow," she said sharply. "Is Emma ok?"
"Yes."
"Good, then I'll talk to you later."
"Wait, hold on! She's a mess Regina, I'm at the station. She told me about what happened wth Blue and you. She's beside herself, like I've never seen. She's been crying since I got here. David is with her now."
"I don't…I don't understand."
"She's upset at herself, about the way she acted towards you. It's just a lot, a lot for her to handle. She puts up a good front. I think this sort of pushed her over the edge a bit. David is going to handle the arrest, we need to take care of our girl." There was no response except the sound of sniffling. She looked at the dark clouds looming over the town and thought it seemed to fit the situation.
"I was scared to death, Snow."
"I can imagine. I'm shocked Blue still has her heart in her chest honestly."
"Me too, but Emma didn't want…she's a hero you know."
"I know."
"You heroes are going to be the death of me."
Snow smiled. "You love us."
"I would magic myself there if I could but I'm still too drained. Give me time to drive over there. Please…please take care of her."
"She's my daughter, of course I will."
"I'll be right there."
Emma was coming back from the bathroom when she saw Regina sweeping into the station through the glass doors. She stopped in her tracks and felt the tears coming again.
Regina could see she had been crying a lot, and if anyone could understand self loathing it was her. It all had finally become too much for the blonde, she could see it on her face. Her hands dropped to her side and her heart sank. The softness and love in her brown eyes pierced Emma like an arrow and she couldn't stop the tears from coming.
"Oh Emma, my beautiful girl, my princess…"
Neither knew who moved forward first, all they knew was they were both crying and wrapped in an embrace.
"It's going to be ok, I promise."
"You were right, and I didn't listen…" Emma said, she buried her nose in the wool of Regina's long coat and breathed in the scent. The faint smell of lavender soap could be detected and calmed her.
"Sshhh….doesn't matter. It doesn't matter, baby. We're ok, that's the only important thing. I love you so much."
"I don't deserve…"
"Stop it."
Neither of them said anything for a while. They were standing in the middle of the station in their own world for that moment. Snow and David tried to discreetly look elsewhere so they occupied themselves with Neal.
"I'm tired," Emma said. She removed herself from the embrace and wiped at her eyes.
"Me too, you pulled everything I had. I guess we know the rings work."
"I want to go home," the blonde said. There was no mistaking where she meant.
Regina nodded. "Me, too."
Emma took her face delicately in her hands and kissed her tenderly. "I love you. Let's go home."
