Shaya repressed a laughter. " Seriously?" she asked.
Regina snorted, but then kissed her neck, killing her once again. " You'll pay for this. Tomorrow." she said, yawning. It was Shaya's turn to snort.
" Oh, I hope so." she said, kissing again her head, inhaling her fragrance once again. " Good night, my Queen."
" I said..."
Shaya smiled softly. " Just mine. I swore loyalty to you as a Queen, so you'll always be my Queen, whether with or without a crown, I don't care. I'll forever be loyal to you, I'll never hurt you and always protect you, I'll do anything to make you happy. Your well is what matters. I deeply admire you and love you. You come before anything else. That's what I always meant for "serving" you. This makes you my Queen. This is what I mean by calling you that way. But if it annoys you anyway, I'll stop, I promise."
Regina glanced at her, then tightened the hug and hid again her face under her neck.
" How can you say these things and seem to be making a solemn oath?"
Shaya smiled, looking at the ceiling. " I was making a solemn oath."
" Stop it." Regina grunted.
" Doing what?"
" Being this romantic. You sound like and old chick lit. You almost sound like Charming! "
The warrior fruitlessly tried to gaze at the brunette. " Well, fair hair, blue eyes, sword in hand... we're kind of similar." she shrugged.
She perceived Regina's glare.
" Tell me that you'll always find me and here's all of his molasses. "
" I'll always..."
" Shaya!"
The warrior repressed a laughter. " He isn't that bad!"
" He's in love with Snow White. There must be something terribly wrong with him."
Shaya couldn't hold back the laughter this time. " They say she's the fairest of them all, her beauty must have struck him, and then her resistance to your numerous attempt to kill her, maybe. Who says that she's the fairest, then, I really don't know, but that blockhead clearly hadn't met you. Or he had a thing for green eyes, I don't know..."
Regina's throaty laugh filled her heart with joy. " You don't think she's fair?"
" I think her intentions are good."
Regina locked gaze with her, a half smile tensing her lips. " Didn't ask this."
Shaya just barely repressed a smile, and Regina burst again into laughter, making her smile explode.
" But you just said that her beauty must have struck Charming!"
" Well, what can I say? He'll have a thing for green eyes, honey!"
Regina laughed again, briefly. When she stopped, she locked gaze with her. Her kind eyes carved deep into Shaya's heart.
" None has ever called me that way." she said in an amazed murmur. She was looking at her as if she was magic.
" Which way? Honey?"
Regina nodded once.
Shaya blushed. " Oh, aye, sorry, I know it's..."
" No, no, I like it!" Regina smiled at her dubious stare. " Really."
The warrior smiled at her True Love. She sighed, able only to stare at her. Regina moved and went back hiding her beautiful face against her neck.
" We should sleep." she murmured. The light shut off.
Shaya sighed again and hugged her tight. " Aye." she said. " Goodnight... honey." she hesitantly whispered, kissing her forehead.
" Goodnight."
Snow blinked. Maybe it was finally time to get out of bed. She wasn't brave enough to look at the clock. If she had to wait another hour yet, she would have killed herself.
The night had been a nightmare. Better, it would have been a nightmare if she'd slept. Instead, she had spent the whole damn night thinking about her daughter in Regina's house, hoping with all herself that Regina's guest room was downstairs, away from her bedroom. Henry's presence gave her hope, but the kid slept as a stone, so...
Snow rubbed her face with both her hands. What if they did it? Oh, she could barely think about it without being sick. She had nothing against homosexuality, but Emma wasn't exactly the princess' stereotype, Regina was evidently bisexual and Rapunzel was probably lesbian. And Regina was in Emma's mind. Emma felt what Regina felt. That meant... Nah! Emma liked men, damn it! Neal, Graham, Hook now! She liked Hook! Not that it was much better. But better than a threesome with... God, she couldn't even think about it.
Nervous, Mary Margaret stood up, causing the annoyed mumble of her husband.
"5:45" flashed the red LEDs of the alarm clock. Snow glanced at her sleeping husband. The early night had been pleasantly lively, and he had his reasons to be sleepy. She kissed his cheek before rushing in the bathroom to get ready.
She dressed up in less than a minute, running then out of home. She couldn't wait anymore.
Granny's was closed yet, as she thought. She had to talk with Ruby, about her and about David, but she suspected that the girl was sleeping at that hour. Snow White walked over the diner, quickly taking Mifflin street, breathing the morning's fresh air, trying to keep calm. She was terrorized to knock at that door. She walked up and down the short stairs outside the intimidating mansion for almost thirty minutes before she could manage to quickly knock three times against the white wood.
Twenty long seconds passed before that the door opened. Rapunzel was beyond it, wearing a large, grey shirt, long almost to the half of her long thighs.
" Already here?" she asked, sincerely surprised.
Snow opened her mouth to answer, but she wasn't in time: Rapunzel totally opened the door and moved, motioning to her to get in. " Please, come inside. It's still cold out there." she said with such a polite tone that it sounded fake.
Snow suspiciously eyed her, only taking time before entering the mansion, in truth.
She inhaled deeply and got in while Regina's voice asked Rapunzel who was knocking, from her right.
" Snow White." the warrior announced, looking at the woman and nodding towards the kitchen before walking towards it. Snow swallowed and followed her. For how they could make it seem so, she wasn't entering the throne room.
Emma, Henry and Regina were sitting at the island, but only Regina was facing her. Emma, sitting on the opposite side of the table, had to turn on her chair to look at her, and Henry was side eying her, his face basically immersed in his cup.
" Hi!" Emma greeted her with a surprised tone, but a wonderful smile on her face.
" Well, well, look do we have here..." Regina said with a glare to her that, honestly, made Snow shiver. Not because it was scary, she had somehow got used to her killer looks through the years, but because of the slight amusement that her lips couldn't hide.
" Mom!" Henry disapprovingly exclaimed, looking at the brunette. Regina stifled a laughter and ruffled his hair, taking a sip from her black cup.
" Don't worry sweetie, she's used to it." she said without taking her eyes off of her. Snow furrowed her brow, confused. Was that a knowing look?
Emma almost choked at Regina's words. She then put a hand on her mouth repressing a laughter and evidently trying not to suffocate with her coffee.
" Regina! You b..."
" Miss Swan! L..."
" ...anguage, I know, I know."
Snow paled, she clearly felt it. Now they ended each other sentences. Great.
Emma had to think about it, because she turned again to look at her, but with an embarrassed smile this time.
" Hey, why don't ya take a chair and..."
" Oh, I wouldn't bother you." Snow gloomily replied.
" Alright, enough. See you later." Rapunzel suddenly said before grabbing her left arm and basically dragging her out of the kitchen, then out of the house.
" Hey, what...?" Snow tried to object, but Rapunzel stopped her slamming the door behind them and so startling her.
" What is your problem?" the warrior angrily asked, aiming a finger at her.
Snow blushed. How could she answer her?
" What? Why, nothing!"
Rapunzel arched an eyebrow. " Why that long face then? You know, there were smiles and laughters in this house, then you come in and everyone is awkward or tempted to bug you. "
" Oh, well, sorry if I'm a bit nervous seen that my daughter is sleeping in the house of my lesbian, telepathic archenemy!" Snow bursted out, covering her mouth with both her hand a second after and regretting her words as never before.
The warrior looked surprise at first, but then, instead of killing her, as Snow hoped at this point, she did the worst thing she could ever do: she doubled over with laughter.
" Is this that you fear? Of them having a relationship?" she asked between the laughters.
Snow stayed awkwardly silent, making the warrior goggle. " Oh my... you think that all of us three have a relationship together? Egad! Snow White, you need to calm down and reason out, child. Hark, perhaps you didn't think about this: are you interested in anybody else than your true love?"
Snow White dropped her jaw. Okay, she hadn't considered it. " W-well, no, obviously, but Emma..."
" Emma has other interests, child. The brave captain! You know, the pirate's charm... I sort of understand her, the man is quite handsome and pleasant..."
" I know, Rapunzel, I understood it before Neverland, really, but.. I don't know... I feel so stupid now! " Snow sighed, sitting on the stairs under Regina's porch. Rapunzel sat next to her and patted her shoulder, smiling.
" It's alright, child. It's comprehensible, after all: your daughter is quite attractive, forsooth..."
Snow slapped the warrior's arm, making her laugh before continuing.
" Plus, you know what they say..."
Snow suspiciously eyed her, ready to slap her again, repressing a smile. " No. What?"
Rapunzel sneered. " Never trust a mercenary."
The princess stifled a laughter. " You'd better prove that proverb wrong!" she exclaimed, jokingly glaring at her.
Rapunzel pressed her lips in a tiny smirk and titled her head, narrowing her eyes. " Alas, I'm afraid it might be right..."
Snow slapped her again. " Rapunzel!"
The warrior grinned. " Alright, alright, I was only joking, I admit it. Yet Emma is..."
Snow glared at her and raised her hand, pursuing her lips, desperately trying not to laugh. The two stared at each other for a while, until the warrior suddenly raised her hands.
" I surrender to the immense power of your slaps! You almost broke my arm with the last one, and I know that you just spared me, oh powerful Snow White! Please, don't hurt me!" she said with a dramatic tone, waving her hands in the air, then clenching them over her heart, then taking her braid and covering her face with it, warily glancing at her from behind it. Snow White doubled over with laughter.
When she managed to breath again, she faked a serious face and a manly voice, puffing her cheeks. " I shall spare your miserable life, mortal, but only if you stop talking about my daughter!"
Rapunzel repressed a smile. " Deal. Actually I wanted to talk to you, but about and because of another question." she said, now serious, but relaxed.
Mary Margaret inhaled deeply, then nodded once. " Well then, talk."
The warrior hesitated just a second before beginning. " I tried to contact you before, but you didn't answer when I knocked at your door, so I figured you needed more time and, well, I gave you. I guess we all did. But I just wanted to apology with you. I was rough, and I let the anger guide me. I shouldn't have treated you that way, nor make those stupid jokes... You didn't and don't deserve it. I've never blamed you for what happened to Regina, on the contrary, you've been able to forgive her many times, and I thank you and admire you for this. If it was someone else, she'd probably be... But you're different. So much that sometimes you're annoying, I admit it, but, hey, we have different opinions, what's wrong with it? It doesn't mean that I have to be an ass with you. I get why you were angry at Regina: you were just afraid for Emma, and I overreacted in the woods that day. But I'll always do it, Snow, you must know it. I'll let anyone hurt her, if I can avoid it. I'm saying sorry today, and I'll probably say it again. You'll think it's useless then, but it isn't, trust me. We're not enemies, I don't hate you, I'm neither angry with you, but I'll always protect her. For this, don't forget the whole adage, Snow White: never trust a mercenary. They always protect their interests, and nothing else. Not even their friends. " she concluded with a firm look, stained by the tension of her lips. Snow White swallowed hard, because that hint of sadness made everything even worse. Because it made her words true. Rapunzel wouldn't have hesitated a second before cutting off her head, if she was even the tiniest threat to Regina's life. And Snow White shook, because just until that same morning she wanted to throw an arrow at Regina's heart, and that desire was still there, weak but present, and it wouldn't have taken much for the warrior to realize it. Yet she smiled and nodded at the Golden Death.
" Okay." she said, looking then at the point at her right that the warrior's nod had just indicated to her.
As David entered the Granny's, Ruby felt her hair stand up on end. The girl watched him look around, then stare at her for a while before catching her up.
" Hey." he said slightly smiling.
Ruby smiled in turn. " Hey."
David looked around again. " Have you seen Mary Margaret?" he asked, just while she was asking : " How are you?" , so that none of them understood what the other said. They briefly laughed upon it together.
" You go." David said smiling, vaguely aiming at her with his hand.
The waitress shook her head. " Oh, no, tell me. I think you said something about Mary? "
" Oh yes, I can't find her. I mean, she wasn't home when I woke up, so I thought that she could be here, but she isn't. "
Red shrugged. " Well, she wasn't around this morning, but I smelled her scent when I got out of the car, so she walked by Main Street before we opened the diner. "
David pursued his lips, glancing down and leaning his arms on the counter. " Maybe she just needed some air." he murmured, lost in thought.
Ruby furrowed her brow. Perhaps he was right, but if he wasn't... " Yeah, maybe. Or maybe she went at Regina's to check Emma."
David suddenly looked at her with his eyes wide open, then slapped his forehead with a hand.
" I'm an idiot! Thank you, Rubes!" he said already walking away, but the girl shouted at him.
" Dave, wait! We have to talk!"
" Later!" he yelled in response storming out of the diner. When the door closed he had already disappeared beyond the limited field of view that the glass window offered to the werewolf.
Ruby sighed, beginning again to clean the counter. " No way you can talk with one of them if the other isn't around. I almost miss the curse..." she muttered insisting on rubbing a coffee stain that seemed fused with the linoleum, seen the effort she was making to clean it.
" Do you really miss it, Ruby?" Granny asked her while putting a cup of coffee in front of a man sitting at the counter.
The waitress shrugged. " Sometimes. You know, not being a monster was nice. People didn't get like me to save me from others like me. "
Granny gave a soft sigh and caressed her shoulder while walking behind her to take a clean cup.
" Oh, Ruby, David will be fine, he's a strong man, pure of heart, and Snow will help him. Don't waste time feeling guilty, fill it being grateful that you have such good friends. He's not dead, he's more alive than never, you should know better. I bet he's happy to be able to protect Snow in a far more effective way than a couple of lunges. "
The waitress locked gaze with her grandmother, a slight surprise to widen her eyes.
" B-but he could even hurt her..."
" What does they always say?"
Ruby frowned. " What?"
Granny sighed and shook her head, her hands on her hips. " "True Love is the most powerful magic", don't they repeat it like a mantra?"
" Oh, yeah, right..." Red slightly blushed and glanced down. Her grandmother got closer to her and somehow forced her to lock gaze with her. Sometimes Ruby thought that Granny hid some kind of telepathic power.
" Stop worrying for them and do something instead. You let him run away like a hare. Are you a wolf or not? What are you waiting for before joining your friend and talk to him? You're a pack now, Red. A tiny one, but a pack. You must help him if you think that he needs it. If you feel it. Run out of here and be yourself, child. I can handle it."
Ruby watched Granny as if she was a stranger. But she was right, she felt the urge to go and talk with David. She smiled to her grandmother.
" Thank you." she said before taking off the apron and storming out of the diner.
When David arrived at the large white mansion he was completely breathless. He stopped as he saw his wife and Rapunzel chat on the stairs of Regina's porch. The prince leaned his hands on his knees, trying to take breath. Snow noted him when Rapunzel nodded towards him.
" David!" she exclaimed, suddenly standing up and joining him. " What are you doing here? Have you run?"
He tried to answer, but he still needed air, so just nodded, raising a hand as to ask her to wait.
" Hey, take a breath, Prince! A wolf-like run is quite tiring for a half-wolf." Rapunzel said with a a smile from the porch. David nodded at her.
" Yeah, I noted... Wait..." He stood up, gazing at the warrior. " "A wolf-like run"?" he asked, confused. He thought he was normally running.
" Aye! Didn't you notice your speed?"
David shook his head. Rapunzel looked concerned, then her face relaxed and she shrugged.
" The full moon is close. Your transformation is accelerated, I guess."
" Ah." David said, glancing at Snow White. Her name was never so appropriate seen the color of her face. " It will be fine, Snow. I feel good."
" And you'll feel better and better, trust me."
Ruby's unforeseen voice startled him. David turned to look at her. She looked somehow different, but he couldn't get what was different in her.
" Well, that's good news." he said with a smile, glancing at his wife. She was staring at Ruby.
" I'm not afraid for me, Red. " she said to her friend, stepping forward. David found himself between the two women, so he stepped back to let them space. " I was there. I saw how you were after... Well, you know..." Snow's voice faltered. She had told him about Ruby's boyfriend, Peter, if memory served him. So, when David turned again to look at the woman, he was sure to find regret and sorrow in her eyes. For this he gave a jump when he found nothing else than determination in Ruby's green eyes.
" I promise you that I won't let it happen again. I was out of control because I didn't know my nature, but David does! There's nothing to fear, Snow, trust me." the waitress locked gaze with him " But I need to talk to you. "
Charming gazed at his wife. " Is it all right here?" he asked, glancing at the mansion.
" Yes, yes!" Snow answered, tensely smiling. Lovely liar... " Don't worry, I'm fine. Go!" she exclaimed waving her hands in the air. " Learn how to howl without seeming a dying donkey!" she laughed, stabbing him with her words.
" I thought you liked it!" he whispered leaning forward, frowned.
Snow gave him a quick kiss. " Of course I do. Go, now! If Regina sees us all in her garden she'll have a hysteric! "
She forced him to turn and pushed him towards Ruby, who stepped back and let him pass.
" Mh, if she didn't have it with you storming in her home at this hour..." she said pursuing her lips before smirking. " Or has she already kicked you off of the house?"
" Actually Rapunzel pulled me off of it." Snow replied sticking out her tongue to her friend.
" Before that there was any victim!" the warrior loudly said from the porch.
All them three stifled a laughter. Snow glanced at her.
" There's still time!" the teacher said sneering.
" Red, please, take her away from here!" the warrior jokingly begged the werewolf, making her laugh.
" I'm trying to!"
" Be more convincing!"
" How?"
" Dunno, bite her!"
Red briefly laughed. " Mh, thats not a bad idea..." she said tapping a finger against her lips and gazing at Snow White, who glared at her.
" Come on! " she grunted. " Go away, Rubes! "
" Are you afraid that I could be annoyed by the fact that you and your gang are chatting in my garden, trying to hide it to me instead of coming inside or, at least, say goodbye to me, your daughter and your grandson and go somewhere else, Miss Blanchard? I can suggest you the public park if you lack of ideas, seen that you like the green areas instead of the close ones. I've created it for people to gather and chat, after all."
David gazed up at Regina, standing on her door, glaring at his wife. Rapunzel had stood up and was repressing a smile while looking at the brunette. Charming glanced at Mary Margaret. She was very, very pale.
" D-did you hear what we were saying?" she questioned the former Mayor, loudly swallowing then. David lifted his eyebrows. Why was she so afraid?
Regina sneered, but her eyes stayed two burning, penetrating black diamonds.
" No, I didn't. " she said, and Snow visibly relaxed. Then Regina's eyes glittered, and David had to make an effort not to step back. He knew that stare. " But I've heard you, seen that you were crying out loud your less educative homophobia. I guess that everyone heard you, actually. Emma was really embarrassed when she heard you yell, you know, dear? And you know what I saw on her face then, when she stopped blushing?" Regina angrily asked, stepping forward, but not leaving her porch. " Delusion." she said, devilishly smiling. " It was so intense that I felt it here." the brunette added, pressing her right hand over her chest, above her heart. " It hurt me, I can only imagine what she felt. Can you?" she asked with a pleased, evil smile curving her lips.
It was enough. David walked forward and put himself between the former queen and his wife, but as he opened his mouth to speak Emma appeared behind Regina, glaring at her.
" Hey! It's none of your business, Regina! I can tell her myself!" she shouted.
Regina turned to face her. " None of my business, dear? That idiot comes at my house to control if I have... perverted her poor innocent daughter just because I love a woman!"
" No! Not because you love her, because of who you are! You corrupt people! You make them do horrible things!" Snow cried in response, walking towards the porch to face the brunette.
Regina gritted her teeth and, with a lower tone, basically snarled at Snow White: " So making love is a horrible thing?"
" Yes if it is with you!"
Regina wrinkled her nose. " Are you completely out of your mind?"
Snow climbed a stair and got closer to the former queen, then snorted and talked in an angry whisper, so David had to make an effort to hear her.
" Out of my mind? As far as I know, of the four men that slept with you three died because of you, and one killed for you."
David saw Regina goggle, then her face was contorted by a tremendous rage, and she moved her hand. Snow bent and grasped her throat with her mouth wide opened, trying to breathe. The Prince ran to his wife, feeling something agitate inside him. Something big and hairy, with yellow eyes and long fangs.
Emma grabbed Regina's stretched arm. " Stop it, Regina!" she cried, but the former queen ignored her.
" Because of me? " she growled " Because of me?! Daniel died because of you, stupid child! Your oh-so-good father used me like a toy for you and for him, good to use when he felt too sad and lonely for his wife's death! The Genie killed him because he could see it by himself! I didn't even need to ask him to do it!" the brunette shouted, tears sliding over her face. David felt bad hearing this words, but his wife was suffocating.
" Regina let her breathe!" he cried holding Snow, who had fallen on her knees.
He gazed up, and saw Rapunzel cup Regina's face with her hands and force her to look at her, holding back her own tears.
" Don't do it, my love." she whispered, so sadly that David had to look away. But he had to watch. His eyes leaned again on the warrior's face. " It's over now." a tear ran over the warrior's cheek, and the grasp on Snow's throat loosened a bit. The princess inhaled all the air that she could, coughing then. Regina was still choking her, but not that much to kill her. " Henry won't like it if you kill his grandmother." Rapunzel forcedly smirked, and the grip completely loosened as Regina suddenly dropped her arm. David caught a glimpse of the blonde kissing the brunette's forehead before hugging Mary Margaret tight.
His wife hugged him back for less than three seconds. She gently but firmly pushed him away and stared at the former Mayor, hate in her eyes. She gave a glance at Emma, and so David did. Their daughter was open-mouthed, slowly alternating her shocked stare between them and Regina.
" And what about Graham?" Snow suddenly asked with a hoarse voice and a tone that he had never heard from her. He stared in frightened surprise at his wife. He thought she had overcome it.
" Snow..." he murmured with a hint of voice, but she ignored him.
Regina's glare darted towards Snow White for a moment, then the brunette glanced down. She hid herself between Rapunzel's arms, who looked confused, and sad. And angry. She glared at him, no, at Mary Margaret.
David gazed at Emma.
She was staring at Regina now, still open-mouthed but her eyes were wide open, more than before, and a few tears were falling from them on her pale skin.
" Why did you kill him? He raped you, too?" Snow went on with hate sharping her words.
" Mom..." Emma murmured, glancing at her.
" Or it's my fault? "
" Mom..."
" Cora managed to kill him from the Enchanted Forest?"
" Mary Margaret..."
" You wanna blame Emma, this time? "
" Mary Margaret!"
" Which one, Regina? Why...?"
" Snow White!" Emma shouted, startling her parents. The Princess finally locked gaze with her, astonished: Emma looked furious, and sad, terribly sad. David's heart clenched at that sight.
" Stop it, please." Emma whispered, weeping. " Stop it. It hurts too much."
A movement caught David's attention: Regina had turned to look at her, astonished. She glanced down, shut her eyes close for a second, and Emma gave a sigh of relief as she opened them. The two women locked gaze, both weeping, both equally sad and grateful.
" She was desperate. " Emma whispered still looking at Regina, who glanced down again. Rapunzel kissed her head with her eyes shut, slightly tightening the hug. " She was afraid to lose Henry. She... she thought that it was the only way to keep the curse intact. I can't forgive her." Emma said, and Regina gazed at her. The Savior slightly smirked. " But I can understand."