Neverland
The beach was a little gulf hidden by a dense jungle corner. The Jolly Roger was anchored not far away from the beach, made invisible by a spell.
The little group reached the land with a tender, Charming and Hook at the rows. They landed and hid the boat between the plants. Emma and Snow were looking around, vigil. Regina was ready to fight, glad that magic flowed so powerful in her veins in Neverland. A quick look at
Rumplestiltskin let her know that he felt the same. Magic was strong in that world.
Snow suddenly took her bow and aimed at a point in the jungle. Emma pointed her gun at the same point. A ball of fire burned ready in Regina's right hand.
" What's happening?" she asked to Emma in a whisper. The Savior was the nearest one to her. Charming unsheathed his sword and went behind them, Hook at his side. Rumplestiltskin was protected by the sea at his back and by himself on the front.
" Dunno." Emma replied with widened eyes, trying to understand what Snow had seen. " There's someone there." Snow answered with a low, warning voice. A rumor from the jungle confirmed her words. Regina kept herself from admiring her watching capacity: she would have never noticed anything. After all, she wasn't used to such things. The years spent in the palace and the others in Storybrooke had left her without experience in "wildlife" stuff. Snow White, on the other hand, had her time spent in the forest because of her. She thanked herself for having forced the girl to do it, and even more she felt grateful for the idiot's cowardice, which had made her runa way in the forest at the time. Ultimately, it happened to be useful.
" Calm down people. Don't force me to hurt you." a voice came from the vegetation. It struck
Regina in a weird way.
" Show yourself! Slowly!" Emma automatically said, regretting it a second later. Snow smirked at her to reassure her daughter.
" Alright. But don't throw that arrow, Snow White. You'd kill me, and it would be unfair after all this time. "
Regina swallowed. She knew that voice.
Snow literally jumped in surprise. Charming immediately intervened. " Show yourself now or she will!"
A few rumors later a black boot showed itself between the dark green leaves. A tall, muscled but absurdly delicate feminine figure followed it. Regina faltered. " You..."
Snow White lowered her bow and her jaw dropped. Rumplestiltskin smirked, lightly shaking his head. The others were looking at the three knowing persons, waiting for an explanation. Rapunzel eyed Snow White and smiled at her, then bowed slightly towards Rumple, making him laugh, and finally looked at Regina. A tiny smile tightened her lips. " Your Majesty." she greeted her, gently hanging her head. Regina was speechless. Rapunzel seemed to notice it, but then she smiled and put her attention back to Snow White, who seemed frozen with her mouth open. "
You'll eat flies if you don't close your mouth, Princess. "
" You...you're alive!" Snow exclaimed, making her laugh.
" Aye, sort of. However...where is your hair?" Rapunzel asked with an amused sneer, making Emma stifle a laugh.
" Who are you?" the younger woman asked, but Rapunzel's answer was blocked by Snow, that basically crushed her in a hug. The warrior laughed hard after a moment of mute surprise, and hugged back the other woman. Regina's eyebrows lifted vertiginously.
" I was right, after all." she commented with a hint of anger in her voice. " You tricked me, Rapunzel." Dark eyes, dark tone. But Rapunzel smiled happily.
" Yes! Busted!" The warrior had the dignity to blush. She let go Snow, and walked towards
Regina. But Snow was still too surprised to stay silent. And she was crying.
" You didn't kill her."
It wasn't a question. She was smiling to Regina. Charming, Emma and Hook were going crazy trying to understand what had happened between them. None but Rapunzel seemed to have noticed Rumplestiltskin's amusement. Regina felt embarrassed. " Indeed. Perhaps I should have. " she murmured, hatred in her eyes, fixed in Rapunzel's. Snow swallowed. The fireball was still burning in Regina's hand, but the warrior seemed not to be worried at all.
" Probably. " she smirked, but Regina's expression didn't change. " But the ring sent me here, and you're here too, now. At first I didn't understand why it had sent me here, but now it's clear to me." She eyed Rumple. " Isn't it, my old friend?"
The Dark One sneered, leaning on his cane to help himself to reach the taller woman. Habit. He didn't need it anymore, in truth. But the surprise is always useful when you have enemies, and let the others think he was weaker than he was..." I am powerful dearie, but not so powerful to control destiny. "
Rapunzel laughed. " True, but you can see through time. You knew what would have happened.
"
" In part. I only knew about Snow White and Emma. " he replied, a little of worry in his eyes, immediately hidden by a smirk.
" What are you talking about? " Emma, Charming, Snow and Regina asked at the same time. Rumple and Rapunzel eyed each other and tried not to laugh. " It's so clear you're related. " he commented, throwing Rapunzel into total confusion. " Let's say I may have done something to keep Snow White alive. " He sneered at Regina.
Charming and Snow eyed each other, then looked at their daughter. She and Hook understood each other's confusion, and shared it with their lost looks.
" You sent her to me? You were working for him?" Anger, betrayal, anger again. Regina's eyes were a dark, furious storm. Oh, his little, beautiful creature.
" No, I just made her see you. She decided alone what to do. We didn't even ever meet again.
Well, not after I told her that you had hired the Bogeyman."
" What...?" Regina was totally confused. Rapunzel's eyes showed only a light worry, and some kind of regret. " You leagued with Snow White! "
" I saved her life, but I was by you side. I still am." she replied, calm but with a strange look.
Something visibly stroke Regina. The Dark One repressed an inner laughter.
" You betrayed me!"
" I didn't let you do the wrong thing, Regina. I told you I wanted to help you..."
" You told me you wanted to serve me!"
" I did! I..."
" What the hell is happening?" a frustrated Emma suddenly asked. She was angry too. " You're arguing while my son is lost in a shit of magic land where two fucking pieces of shit brung him against his will! He is in danger! We cannot waste any time! Shit, Regina! He's your son too!"
Regina faltered again. She seemed outraged. " I know well that my son is in danger, Miss Swan. But she didn't know it, and I thank you with all my heart for having just told a possible enemy that we are particularly vulnerable in this moment. Thank you again, Miss Swan. Your genius is unmistakeable. "
Emma blushed. Snow came in her help. " She's not an enemy Regina! We'd be dead if she was!" " Thank you for your consideration, Princess." Rapunzel jokingly murmured, gaining a smile from Snow and a weird look from Emma. Regina glared at her.
" Unless they want us alive. Intelligence must be genetic." she replied as it was the most logical thing in any world.
" What does "genetic" means?" Rapunzel asked whispering in confusion to Emma. The Savior was very angry. " It means that she's my mother and you, Regina, if you offend her another time
I'll..."
" All of you, calm down!" Charming loudly intervened. " This is useless, I guess you can see it if you just take a breath and regain your self control!" He waited a few moments then, giving them the opportunity to do what he said. He nodded, although Regina's eyes were still burning darkly. " Fine. Rapunzel, I've heard about you. They say you're the greatest warrior of all times. We'd be pleased if you'd join our mission. "
Regina opened her mouth to protest, but Rapunzel preceded her.
" I've already done it."
" Fine, so..."
" No, I mean, Henry is really a smart boy. He told me you'd come here to save him."
" You saw Henry?!" Emma almost screamed, instinctively grabbing her right arm.
At the same time Regina stepped closer to her and asked: " Where's he?"
" Relax ladies, he's safe and sound. I've brought him in a safe place, but we'd be better hurry: the sunset is close, the place is far and the two guys that were keeping him prisoner are still looking for him. Let alone the Lost Boys." she said, alternating her gaze between the two women.
Something in Emma looked extremely familiar.
" What are we waiting for? Let's go!" Hook exclaimed behind Charming's imposing figure. Rapunzel could do nothing but admire the pirate's aspect. He smartly smirked at her while Emma was letting go her arm.
" Where?" the woman asked with puppy eyes. Rapunzel quickly confronted them with Snow's, and had the confirm that they were the same. Here's what looked so familiar!
" Follow me. " she smiled, taking the lead of the little group. " And be careful. This is an insidious jungle. It hides everything but, most important, everyone. And the Lost Boys know this island better than everyone else. Except for me, of course."
" And me." Hook added with a bright smile, gaining a glare from Emma.
As they entered the jungle, they were forced to walk one behind the other. Emma settled behind the warrior, stealing the place to Regina, stuck between her and Snow, who was followed by
Rumplestiltskin, Hook, and Charming. Rapunzel quickly eyed everyone of them, particularly the Dark One, while she was holding a big branch away from the path she had used to reach them as to let them pass. When he walked by her, she was watching him with narrowed eyes. " You look so different..."
He softly smirked. " This is my human aspect, dearie." Hook passed before her after him.
" Oh, and I am really pleased to meet you, Captain!"
" The pleasure is mine! I've never met a woman like you, lady."
Rapunzel laughed hard. " Aye, I hope it."
Charming gave her a little smile from behind him.
" I don't think it would be bad if others like you existed. "
" Snow, your husband is flirting with me!"
" I'll kill him later."
They all laughed. They're try to ease off worked with everyone but Regina, and Emma tensed a second after stopping the laughter. Rapunzel took the lead again, but this time Regina followed her. She couldn't help but feel her shoulders tense under her look. She tried to stay silent, but it was too stressing. Moreover, everyone's anxiety grew in the raising silence and falling darkness.
She had to do something.
" Your clothes...they're really weird..." she said to anyone in particular. Very other questions were in her mind, but she didn't want to ask them in that moment. The guys were already stressed enough, and that question was an acceptable compromise.
" Yours are! " Emma tried to joke, but the laughters were really brief.
The tension increased again. It seemed that they were waiting for something. And they were actually waiting for something. At least, Snow was. Rapunzel was alive, the Evil Queen hadn't kill her. It was almost a miracle! And moreover, instead of crushing her heart, she had sent her here with a magic ring or something similar, if she got it right, and it was something bound to destiny, something that not even the Dark One knew. Rapunzel was ready to die for her, Regina didn't kill her and had sent her there, and she was there too, now. Snow glanced down and smiled.
Maybe she finally knew the answer to her ancient question.
After a little, Regina decided to take her responsibilities.
" They're normal from where we come from. " she said tightly.
Another bit of silent tension. Rapunzel didn't want to ask, but now..." And where is it?" The pain was not exactly hidden in her voice. Snow noticed it, and gazed up at her. If the warrior's shoulders had tensed a little bit more, she was sure they'd have broken.
" Its name is Storybrooke."
" Never heard."
" Because it's located in another world. "
Rapunzel gave a start. She stayed silent for the rest of the trip.
They walked all night with few breaks, but fortunately they didn't meet anyone. One hour after the sunrise a cave appeared in front of them. The plants covered the most of its entry, hanging down from its top. It was really dark and silent inside.
The group stopped in front of the creepy place, and a loud growl suddenly came out from it. Emma jumped back, Snow took her bow, Charming his sword. Regina was looking at the cave with narrowed eyes when Rumplestiltskin got ahead all of them and watched closely. Hook was eying suspiciously Rapunzel's amused smirk.
" Gold, where the fuck are you going?" Emma asked, worried. He grinned.
" A beast doesn't fear other beasts, dearie."
" What?"
" You express as a mercenary little Princess, you know?" Rapunzel asked, without losing her smile.
" Oh shit no, please, don't call me that way! Why the hell are you laughing? I'm serious! And tired! Where's Henry?"
" Right there." Rapunzel replied, pointing at the cave. Regina eyed her with a sort of slight admiration in her eyes. The warrior's chest almost exploded.
" The fuck are you saying? Haven't you heard? There some kind of magic monster inside there!" But while Emma was panicking Regina ran inside the cave. She disappeared into the darkness. Emma's jaw fell. Rapunzel entered the cave with a softer look to her as apology. The rest of the group followed her.
They found themselves in an enormous cave, mysteriously bright for no having other accesses but the one they came by. Magic, Emma thought. And now she could feel it, vibrating in her body as a reassuring, powerful energy. But she didn't bother about that. What she cared about was the little kid who was clasping Regina. The woman was crying, no doubt about that. She kissed the boy on his cheek and then folded him again in her arms, crying over his shoulder, forgetting about anyone else. Everyone froze in the cave. That was weird, Regina crying without control. Weird, but totally comprehensible. Emma was the only one who didn't froze: she launched herself through the cave and hugged Henry together with Regina, too happy to see him to bother about her. She didn't hold her tears when the kid screamed her name and surrounded her waist with his little, strong arm.
Rapunzel watched the scene, still too surprised to see Regina in that mood. She had a son, and she loved him. And Snow's daughter said that he was her son too. What could that mean? Who was Henry's mother? He had never explained that. He always talked about Regina as "mom" and Emma simply as Emma, but now his arms were so tightened around her (and Regina wasn't protesting) that Rapunzel began to think that Emma could be his real mother. They resembled, somehow. More importantly, now that she could see them close, his aspect had nothing to do with
Regina's, but the hair's color. Thinking better about it... Rapunzel eyed Snow, then Henry, then Snow again. Those two really resembled each other, so much that she asked herself why she didn't noticed it before. Probably because she remembered Snow White with her long hair. The short cut drastically changed her appearance.
Rapunzel distractedly grabbed her tress and began playing with it. She noticed after a while that Regina had stopped hugging Henry and was staring at her with a weird face. Regina noticed her look, and a wave of gratefulness invaded her features. Rapunzel's heart exploded for the happiness, but she just shyly smiled, embarrassed by that look. Henry saved her, unleashing from his grandparents' hug and running to her. It was her turn to be hugged. He was trying not to cry for happiness. " You did it! You brought them to me!"
Rapunzel smiled. Again, the dubious identity of his mother confused her. " Aye, sometimes I manage to do it. "
" What?"
" Never mind, little Prince."
He smiled widely. He liked it when she called him that way. He probably felt like his grandfather, if Prince James was his grandfather. She passed a hand trough his hair. Emma was close now, wet eyes, their grey-green color emphasized by the tears.
" Thank you." she said, one hand on Henry's shoulder. The kid hugged her again. No way they weren't related: their smile was exactly the same.
" Duty." Rapunzel replied with a hint of embarrass. She wasn't used to be thanked. Another hug made her falter: Snow had hit her with another of her dangerous hugs.
" I owed my life to you, now I owe you my grandson's, so my family's happiness..." she said, moved, behind her neck. She was squeezing her so much that Rapunzel thanked the leather armor to be there to protect her ribs. She didn't know that Snow White was so strong, really. " I'll never thank you enough!"
A kiss on her cheek paralyzed her. Snow let her go after a last squeeze, then laughed at her dumbstruck expression. Charming was suddenly behind his wife.
" Indeed! Thank you, Rap...is really Rapunzel your name?"
The warrior smiled sadly. " Many years ago it became it. "
" Her name is Shaya. " Regina's strong voice intervened, although a little broken by emotion. Henry went next to her and hugged her again, making her smile. It seemed that he ran from a person to another to hug everyone. It had been really bad for him in the last days, after all. Rapunzel gave a start. She didn't expected the woman to remember her name. Something pleasant burned in her chest. Her eyes smiled to Regina, that seemed confused for a moment.
" Why Rapunzel?" Emma asked.
" Because under her tower was full of rampions, and in her mother language they're called
"rapunzel". It's like a turnip. The peasants began to call her that way after she was locked in. " Henry answered, repeating what the warrior had explained to him days before. " Have I ever eat a turnip, mom?"
" Yes, once, and you spat it." Regina answered with a happy but disapproving smile. He smiled guilty and hugged her stronger. Rapunzel could see only happiness in her eyes now, and hers filled with tears.
Everyone noticed. Emma's jaw fell. Snow widened her eyes for a little, but then she looked at her with a knowing smile. She had just had her confirmation. Hook snorted behind them while Charming narrowed his eyes, slightly shrugging then before gazing at his wife. The only one who didn't react at all was Rumplestiltskin, who was watching the scene by the beginning with a light sneer on his thin face. Rapunzel didn't notice any of them: her eyes were only for Regina, who was looking at Henry.
" So, how did you two met?" Snow White asked, trying to take the attention from Rapunzel's feelings. The warrior eyed her as if she had appeared there only in that moment.
Henry answered instead of her. " The portal brought us in the middle of the jungle. Greg broke a leg when he fell, so we were slow walking, and they were not sure of where to go. After one hour or so she appeared in front of us with her sword and said:" You two, you know it isn't fair to hold a child prisoner". That's because I was trying to escape..."
" I perceived the magic and moved where it was, then I followed your traces. I just saw that you clearly didn't want to be with them." Rapunzel interrupted him, slightly shaking her head with an embarrassed smile on her face.
" Yeah! You were so cool when you appeared!"
Rapunzel blushed. " I didn't appeared, I was already there..."
" But they were so scared! And they fought, and Tamara shoot you but you avoided the bullet like in Matrix and.."
" That was just luck! I was just moving forward to disarm her! I didn't even know that object
could throw stones!"
" Not stones, bullets! They're made of lead!"
" Right, so it's sooo different..."
" But you avoided it! And then you almost cut her hand off with your sword!"
" That's not fair!" Hook suddenly exclaimed. Rumple stifled a laughter, and a deep hate crossed the pirate's blue eyes.
" In fact I didn't. I just hit her hand and wounded it, so that she couldn't shoot me. Or you, little
Prince. Then I punched Greg in the face and then they ran away. "
" You let them go."
" It was more important to take you to a safe place before that the Lost Boys could find you. They were close. They always are. "
Emma was so tensed that it seemed she could break into pieces in moments. " Uh, a great adventure kid, isn't it?" she asked, clearly forcing herself to smile.
" Yes! " Henry screamed. All of his fears had faded away now that his family was there with him. He had felt quite safe with Rapunzel, but now he felt really safe. Rumplestiltskin, Prince
Charming, Snow White, Captain Hook, the Savior and the (not so)Evil Queen, they were all there to protect him. He truly felt safe. But he was also worried for them. " But we have to go away from here now! They're chasing me! We have to go back to Storybrooke!"
" Why are they looking for you, Henry?" Regina asked, suddenly more "Queen" and less
"Regina".
" I don't know!"
The brunette glared at Rumplestiltskin. " Any idea?"
" Don't blame me, dearie. I have nothing to do with this land and its inhabitants. I am here to help to save my grandson. "
Grandson. That was the reason why Rumplestiltskin was there! Rapunzel was wondering why from the first second she saw him, but she forgot to ask. Too many questions in her head. So Emma had to be Baelfire's wife. But she had no ring. No wife. No wife, but a son together. That was weird. So Baelfire was immortal, too? Or Rumple had another son.
" You know so many things, but you never know anything when it's needed! "
" What are you suggesting?"
Anger and magic were slowly and dangerously filling the air.
" Nothing, Rumplestiltskin. " Regina marked his name as an evidence to something. Something that made the man's rage grow.
" Alright, stop it!" Emma said, raising her hands as if she wanted to divide the two of them. "
Your... powers itch. Calm down and let's find a solution."
" They still have the beans." Killian said, nearing her. He eyed Rapunzel. " Do they?" She shrugged. " I guess. I didn't see them, but they left nothing when we fought. So you came here with magic beans?"
" Yep." Henry answered, amused.
" Cool." she replied imitating him. He laughed. Regina smiled over him: they were still hugging each other. Emma's hand ruffled his hair.
" Do you have any idea of were Greg and Tamara could be?" the blonde asked her. " No. But I can find them easily: the man's leg was really bad, they must have found refuge somewhere in the jungle. It's full of caves around here, they could be inside one of them." " I thought the beach was the safest place on an island..." Emma murmured, thinking loud.
" Beaches are full of crocodiles here. " the warrior explained to her.
Emma blushed. " Oh. Right. Crocodiles."
" What if the Lost Boys found them?" Charming asked frowning. Rapunzel tightened her lips.
" They're screwed. " She answered, together with Killian. They smiled at each other.
" And we are, too. " Rumplestiltskin added. Everyone silenced. They knew he was right.
The cave was comfortable after all. It was enormous but not cold or dark (magic), and furnished even (magic again). There was a bed, that suddenly multiplied seven times thanks to Rumplestiltskin, a table with a chair, some tools and a fireplace with a caldron that magically hovered upon it. Some food as fruits, dry meat, vegetables and bread were on a flat stone on its side. A barrel laid next to it. Tons of books laid on the ground behind the original bed. The sun had set down and the fire was burning bright, warming the slowly cooling cave. The caldron's content was beginning to boil.
Emma came next to Rapunzel, who was sharpening her sword sitting on a chair-shaped stone."
Hey."
" Hey."
The Savior sat next to her, on the "chair arm". " So you live here." she said.
" Indeed." Rapunzel seemed not so intentioned to talk, but her tone was kind. Emma tried again.
" So...how long?"
Rapunzel eyed her obliquely. " Sure you want to know?"
Emma raised her eyebrows. " Well...my parents seem my age old, what could be weirder? "
Rapunzel laughed softly. " Right. I lost the count, in truth, but...how old are you?"
" Twenty-eight."
" At least twenty-eight years then."
Emma studied her. " You look twenty-something. A very little "something", like a one or a two.
Maybe not even those..."
" Thank you."
They laughed together. Snow looked at them and smiled. Regina eyed them too, but with an unfathomable look. Then she went back talking with Henry. They were sitting on one of the beds, two steps away from them, while Snow, Charming and Hook were talking on the other side of the cave, next to the exit, with Rumple listening to them.
" Ah, hey, what was that growl when we were out? "
Regina heard her and answered instead of Rapunzel. " A spell, a very intricate one. It's called "the Beast's Calling". When someone arrives in proximity to the place you want to protect or hide, they hear the scary growl, and the one who put the spell hears it too, also from a big distance, and sees who's in the place. If they go over, the spell creates the illusion of a ferocious beast, a very realistic one, that should be enough to make them run away as they had hell behind their back. Which would be correct if the beast was real."
" And if they stay?"
" The spell breaks and invests them with a wave of heat sufficient to melt metal. Just in case they have armor and shield."
" Oh. Efficient." Emma commented swallowing, a hint of fear in her eyes.
" Yes." "Aye." the other two women replied at the same time. A meaningful glance passed between them.
" So we didn't melt because..."
" Because you must always have the control of your spells." Rapunzel said with a smirk. " I stopped it before it could damage us. "
Emma nodded, then addressed to Regina. " So it's a kind of magic alarm system, security guy included."
The brunette smiled. " In plain words..."
" I told you this was a safe place." Rapunzel commented with a smirk. Regina let her deep laugh fill the air, and shivers ran through the warrior's back. Emma noticed and tried with all herself not to smile. Now she was unwillingly super-good in seeing Rapunzel's reactions to Regina.
Somehow, the idea of someone loving Regina, but Henry, didn't reach her mind before, let alone a woman loving her. And if it was an at least twenty-eight years long love, and who knew how many more, and if that woman had lived alone in that cave for so long with the memory of the woman she loved fixed in her mind, probably convinced that she would have never seen her again, then she really didn't understand how did she manage to stay sane. She would have gone crazy! And yet somehow Rapunzel could still smile, and stay next to Regina, and Emma didn't fucking know how she could do it. She would slap her, yell at her, punch her in the face! Because she was sure that Rapunzel was there before the curse, which meant that Regina could have picked her up from Neverland and taken her back to the Enchanted Forest years ago, but she didn't. But still Rapunzel was secretly gazing at Regina with the shadow of a smile on her lips. She wasn't mad at her, not at all. She seemed just happy that she was there. Emma was furious, and needed to know more.
" So how did you come here, Shaya?"
The woman gave a start. " My name is Rapunzel now. And it is indeed a long story."
Emma shrugged. " I have time."
" She was kindly suggesting you to mind your business, Miss Swan."
" Thing that you do extremely well."
Regina gave a jump. Emma immediately regretted her words. Henry was shocked, and a little angry. He was watching her with a what-the-hell-look on his face. He hugged more tightly Regina, making her close her mouth, already ready to reply. But it was Rapunzel the one that caught Emma's attention for suddenly leaping up and glowering at her.
" Don't you dare judging her. n." she said with low, growling voice, a hundred feet tall, flashing eyes. There actually was some electricity in the air cornering her threatening, darkened figure. Emma swallowed hard, her eyes wide opened. She was really scared. Her heart was beating so fast she could barely breath. Now, only now she could see the reason why they called her the Golden Death, as David had explained to her during the trip. Because Emma was sure that she was about to kill her. She was paralyzed, hypnotized by her deep eyes. Her mother saved her.
She saw her irrupt between her and Rapunzel, one hand on the warrior's shoulder, strongly trying to push her away from her, with no result though.
" Shaya you..."
" My name is Rapunzel." she growled, literally. But Snow was fearless, it seemed.
" Okay, Rapunzel, don't you try again to threaten my daughter. Ever. " It looked like an order.
The other woman seemed to realize something. She clenched her jaw and her fists.
" It wasn't my intention. I apologize if I was a little... frightening, Princess."
She smiled shyly, and Emma could finally recognize her I-just-want-to-help-mood. She was still a little bit scared, but she felt strangely safe with Mary Margaret at her side. It was an unfamiliar feeling for her. Emma forced herself to smile.
" Yeah, just a little. No problem, but don't call me that way."
" Princess?"
" Yep."
" But is your title."
Emma lifted her eyebrows. " And Shaya is your name."
A hint of rage passed through Rapunzel's face, immediately replaced by an amused smile. " You won. " she capitulated, bowing slightly her head.
" Fine!" Emma smiled back at her, truly pleased that Rapunzel wasn't angry anymore. She was the only person capable to scary her when she was.
Regina was speechless. Henry was still hugging her tight, and she felt as her heart was melting down for joy, but there was something more she felt. It was creeply similar to what she had felt seeing Emma and Henry and the two id...Charmings appear running through the mine to tell her they wouldn't abandon her. That they wanted her to live. Henry had said that she was a hero. Emma had helped her with magic. And she had felt good. She had felt thankful, she had felt there was still someone thinking about her as a person, she had felt...loved. Henry was still demonstrating her he did love her. He just stopped her to say something stupid, as Emma, instead, did. Well, Emma was pretty right, after all. She managed to think this, not only to know it and ignore it. She knew that Emma had said the truth, and shut. She had minded her business for so many years before Henry became her son... but that was true, too! She hadn't always been that way! Before Daniel's death ( her heart crushed once again at his memory), and after Henry's arrival, she did think about the others! She was going to make her notice that when Rapunzel had stood up and defended her. She did stick up for her, and with a totally unexpected passion. She was imposing, her shoulders were impossibly tensed, her fists closed. Regina felt her power, clearly grown over the years, fill the air and caress her skin. And she was defending her. Even after what she had done to her. After all she did, in general. She voluntarily stood up and menaced the Savior just because she had said the truth about her. So Regina was speechless. She just couldn't understand.
Henry was desperately hoping that his moms wouldn't kill each other, and the only way to impede this was by calming Regina down. And the only way to calm her down was show her his love. So he did. He knew she loved it when he hugged her. And he imagined how stressful might have been for her the whole trip to Neverland, trapped on a ship with his grandma always there, kissing and smiling at her True Love. And Mr Gold, the one who helped her to become the Evil Queen. And Emma, as powerful as she was, probably more, ready to save him. Maybe she felt like she would have been the Evil Queen again. Perhaps she thought that Emma would have saved him, not her, and he would have loved Emma more than he loved her. And the fear for him, that had had to be very stressing. He knew she loved him, she did everything possible to keep him with her in Storybrooke. So it seemed so natural to him that she was so nervous. She smiled at him, she was really happy to see him, but a hint of tension stayed on her face. It was so obvious that he really didn't know why Emma had said that thing. Well, she was stressed too, sure, but she was the Savior! She had to be more controlled than the Evil Queen! Actually Regina was it more than Emma. It was absurd. He literally saw his mom's face crumble when she realized what Emma said. Fortunately Rapunzel saved her from total depression with that creepy intervention. He already felt afraid of her when he saw her fight against Tamara and Greg, but now she was even more frightening. But he was happy that she was it. He felt safe with her, and he knew she would have done everything to save his mom. It was so obvious that she loved her! But Regina didn't know yet. Maybe he should tell her, so she could forget Daniel and be happy again. He really didn't mind that her True Love could be a girl. It just mattered that she was her True Love. Because he was pretty sure that she was. All those coincidences wouldn't made sense if it wasn't destiny for them to meet again.