Title: Venom

Fandom: Once Upon a Time

Chapter: 3

Pairing: Emma/Regina

Warning: None (well except strong language here and there).

Copyright: Characters belong to ABC.

A/N: The starting point is the 1st and the 2nd chapters so if I write "12 months before", it means 12 months before the events that mentioned in chapter 1. If write "Now" or don't mention time at all, it means it happens sequentially after the events mentioned in chapter 1 and 2.

This chapter is different from the others. It's all about past events but the real plot starts here and I hope you like it. It was actually supposed to be longer at first but I decided to split it into 2 parts and I hope the 4th chapter is coming soon.

Chapter 3: Falling

- Are you sure this is how it's going to happen?

- As much as I believe in destiny, yes.

- I don't believe in destiny. I don't believe you either.

- You don't have too. But even you know we will take care of them.

- Will they be happy?

- Yes.

- Will I?

- Maybe. Eventually.

- I am scared.

- I know.

12 months ago

Emma Swan heard slanting rain drumming out of the window. It was Sunday, around 7.30 in the morning and it has already been an absolutely nasty day. It's been raining heavily the whole night and it didn't stop up till now and it seemed the skies are going to fall down on earth. She was already at the station, trying to fill down one of those report forms she absolutely hated, when the phone rang. "Sheriff Swan", she barked.

"Erm, emm.. Emma?" it was David's voice and she could hear he sounded somehow distant.

"Yeah, Dad? Morning. What's up? Where are you?"

"At the east boarder. It's been.. emm... an accident here."

"Accident? What accident? Why are you even there? It's your day off. Why they didn't report the station?"

"Just get in here, Emma. Asap." The phone went dead.

"What the hell…" she murmured grabbing her jacket and car keys from the table.

To her luck the rain almost stopped when she got to the east boarder of the town. And well, it was her only luck for today. She noticed the crowd as soon as she got from the car – David, Ruby, some of the dwarfs, a few random guys, she knew they were this town's inhabitants but she wasn't sure about their names. Things went a little off the control since the second curse was broken and she could swear there were a bunch of new people from EF she has never seen before. Neal was there too. They all bent over something.

"Hey, guys. What's…" the words got stuck in her throat as soon as she got closer. It was Hook out there. His body was sprawled on the ground and even from that point, not even touching or examinating him, she could say he was dead. "Oh my god," she pressed her palm to her mouth not to scream.

"What happened? Why is he like that? Where is the ambulance, someone?" she bent over him. She pressed her fingers to his face, it was ice cold. She was about to cry. Not now, Swan. Not now.

"It was Red who found him. About half an hour ago." David spoke. "We contacted Blue. She just left before you. She said this is some kind of a poison. Similar the one we faced in Neverland. I faced. But it kills immediately. He is dead Emma. There is nothing we can do now. I am… am so sorry." The last words came hard. He knew something was going on between his daughter and Hook, he wasn't sure if it was love or just mutual attraction but he was important to her, that David knew for sure.

"The hell we can't! There must be a way! It's magical, so there should be some antidote or something, right?" Emma turned to her father. She was angry, pissed and hurt. It couldn't be happening, not now. "Get him in the car, for fuck's sake! It's still raining. I… I will get someone who can help."She turned around on her heels and started to walk fast toward her car. It's at least 15 minutes to drive to Regina's house. Or even more. They said half an hour ago. God only knows how long he has been there before that. I should try this damn teleporting or how-it-is-even-called thing. 'Close your eyes first,' that's what she said. Emma stopped near the are rolling down on her face now but she doesn't mind nor care. Deep breath. 'Think about the place you are going to.' Regina's voice sounded in her head. Regina, Regina, Regina… She clenched her fists with force. Regina, Regina… Please, let it work, please. Warm, almost hot, outbreak strikes her body and the next moment she is standing in Regina's kitchen, behind Regina herself who is standing facing the counter, holding a cup and it seems drinking her morning coffee.

"It works," Emma gasps and Regina shudders and drops her mug.

"I beg your pardon?!" she turns around, facing Emma, she seems pretty annoyed. "I didn't teach you to do such things so you can break into my home whenever you like!"

"I know, Regina. I know. I am sorry. I just…" Emma wipes her tear-stained eyes. Her voice is shaking.

"Oh dear Lord, something happened to Henry." Regina sees Emma's terrified, stained eyes and knows something bad has happened.

"No, no. No! NO. Henry is fine. He is probably still sleeping. But I need your help. That's why I am here like that. Something bad, really-really bad has happened. And I can't think of someone else who could help me." She walks closer to Regina and grabs her hand.

"What exactly happened, Emma? Where…" we are going, she wants to ask but the moment Emma touches her hand, they are already standing outside, near Emma's bug and the crowd of people. There is an east boarder of the town a few tens of meters ahead, Regina can tell.

"That was fast, sister!" Leroy exclaims. "Your majesty," he mocks sarcastically and Regina rolls her eyes.

"He is in the truck," that's David this time. Charming, she thinks."And you are barefoot," he points out.

"Yeah, well I didn't have time to wear suitable attire," she says grumpy and turns around to face Emma.

"I am so sorry, Regina. I didn't notice at the first place. It's kinda nasty today. And probably cold." She doesn't feel guilty though, she can't really feel anything right now but she knows it wasn't polite of her.

"I can endure, I think. If it's fast. Who is in the truck and what am I doing here?" she says walking toward the truck and opening the back door. And there he lies, on the back seat. As Emma before, she knows he is dead right away. "Oh God," she whispers. She climbs onto the seat next to him and unbuttons his shirt. There are dark blue, almost black lines on his skin, copying his veins, the same David had back in Neverland but these ones are more visible, spreading all over his dead body. She notices two small dots on the base of his neck. Like a snake bite. She tries her magic but it doesn't help. It's like something inside him is pushing her magic back not giving even a tiny chance for healing. In fact she was never good at healing magic but even she knows it's all useless now. She sees poison spread in his veins and he doesn't react when tries harder the second and the third time. He remains the same cold. And the same dead. It's very ironic in fact. She is desperately trying to heal a man who tried to kill her at least several times and she is genuinely upset when it doesn't work.

"So…?" Emma is staying behind her. There is hope in her voice and even if they are not friends Regina hates to break it.

"It doesn't work. This poison inside him doesn't let my magic in. Do you know what caused it?"

"No, we… we don't. Ruby found him some time ago. They called Blue but she said she can't help."

"That's bad, Emma. We don't know what it is. We don't know what it wants. We don't know if it was just Hook or this thing is hunting us. And the worst part is that we can't heal ourselves. And it means if it gets us, we are dead. I saw these two dots on his neck. Looks like a snake bite. I will try to find out what could possibly cause it. As much as I can. My condolences miss Swan. About Killian." She mentions his real name. That's the least Regina can do now. People probably hug each other in cases like that but it makes her feel uncomfortable and would be awkward for both of them so instead she just squeezes Emma's hand hard and the next moment she is gone.

She wakes up early the next day after funeral. The room is half-dark, she needs a few moments to adjust to a non-sleeping condition and then it hits her – the reality, realization of Hook (or Killian) being dead. Funerals went awful in all meanings even besides the fact it was funeral. People were (they still are) frightened by this unknown creature that obviously got into this world somehow and was dangerous so panic overtook almost everyone in this town since the news about Killian's death came out. Then they didn't know what to do with a body (it's awfully cynical how a man, a person, real human becomes 'a body' in an instant). Obviously he wasn't a Christian, he was a pirate for God's sake and Emma was not sure what pirates do with bodies, probably just throw them overboard, what else they can do sailing sometimes for a several years in a row, right? But since it all seemed barbaric in the world they were living now, they just buried him as any other man in this town.

And besides all that Killian was dead. Actually gone now. Emma couldn't say if she was more pissed or crushed. Pissed because she was supposed to protect this town's inhabitants and she failed. Crushed because a hurt person was actually one she really cared about. She wasn't sure if they reached this 'love' part already but they became close for the last few months. He helped her greatly. He stayed with her without any expectations and she was extremely grateful for that. She needs this. To have someone who is not expecting anything from her like anyone else in this town. They shared were special feelings, she was longing for him, she was excited to see him, he even made her laugh very often with his dirty but still hilarious jokes and she knew it was just a matter of time for her to fall in love with him completely. But she never got this chance. Now she knew it. He was dead now. Utterly and completely dead. He reached his never-return point. Among all this chaos, all these creatures and danger, death was still this one thing that terrified her deeply. Because if you are dead you can't go back and fix things that went wrong. You can't ask for forgiveness. You have no present and no future. You are just a body buried underground.

Maybe it was because she didn't know if there is something on the other side. She was very rational person. She believed in what she saw, knew for sure. Maybe if she knew he got into better place, some better world, she would be calm but she didn't. She swears to herself to catch a killer no matter what. If only she knew back then how cruel faith can be…

10 months ago

Loud and annoying knocks at the door bring her back to reality. She closes her eyes and tries to sleep some more hoping that noisy visitor will leave since she doesn't respond. But it fails, knocks continue and now they are even louder now.

"Miss Swan, you better open the damn door!" Fucking great, she thinks. What she forgot here?

Knocks don't stop and it irritates her even more. She feels like crap, she slept like for 2 or 3 hours, her head buzzes and it tastes like cat piss in her mouth. Regina is literally the last person she wants to talk right now but Emma knows she won't leave so she gets up and storms toward the door.

"I hope this is fucking urgent! Or else…" she says, almost yells, opening the door.

"Or else what? You will slap me like Henry last night?" Regina is right there and Emma could swear she has never, like literally NEVER, seen Regina so angry. She pushes Emma aside and enters the apartment. "Have you completely lost your mind? You can give no fuck about your parents, me or anyone else in this town but if you touch my child once more… if you treat him like this once more… God help you, Miss Swan. You are only standing here still in one peace because I promised Henry not to touch your."

Emma wants to stay calm and rational at first but Regina's threats don't really help that. "He was disrespectful. Probably learned that from you." She spills out.

"Disrespectful? Was he?"

"He was. You don't know what he…"

"Said to you? Actually I do. He said you are savior no more. That you are just a drunkard now. It's not like I support him saying this to his… mother… but he is right."

And with that Emma slaps Regina across the face, then pushes her against the wall and presses the elbow to her throat the same she did years ago. "What is happening in my life is not your damn business. Is that clear?"

Regina reacts instantly. She pushes Emma back and then grabs her wrist and squeezes it hard. She is definitely using her magic right now. There is no man who can squeeze with such force. Emma feels like her hand has got into a mantrap.

"You are right, your damn life is not my business but my son is. So if you touch me or especially him once more, I will break your hand. Am I clear?" She squeezes the wrist even harder. Emma is wincing but says no word. "And get your shit together, Swan. Pathetic, you are pathetic. Look at yourself." She is actually right. Emma does look terrible. And yes, pathetic. Greasy hair, dirty shirt, she probably didn't shower and brush her teeth for a few days. And it's not even mentioning her emotional problems and well… her drinking problems. "Your breath can kill a bear and you stink. I don't know what affected you more – your pirate death or the fact you were absolutely worthless in catching the thing that killed him, but be dear, get over your problems soon because even if I loathe it, your son needs you." With that she lets Emma's wrist and pushes her aside.

"Fuck you," Emma says rubbing her wrist. "You are just a loony bitch. Henry is living with you now because…"

"You can't take care of him? I know that. Because you are always, always drunk. No one has seen you sober in weeks. All you do is either sleep or drink."

"Get. Out." Anger is boiling inside her blood. Regina has definitely touched a nerve. "And be dear not to come back." She knows that Regina is right but admitting it would be a total loss. She is broken enough. Admitting something like this in front of Regina would kill any remains of self-respect. It's if she still had ones.