A/N: This is the penultimate chapter and it really kicked my ass while I was trying to write it, so I apologise if it's not great! Literally, I was trying to finish it for about 2 and a half months... The last chapter was done and dusted ages ago!

Anyway, thank you all as always - you're awesome! :D

x


Regina had avoided Emma since breaking up with her. She felt stupid and she knew she had acted rashly. The brunette hated how much she missed the blonde; her stupid jokes and her inappropriate behaviour and the way she made Regina feel. But still she couldn't bring herself to apologise or admit she had been wrong.

Emma, on the other hand, was doing whatever she could to get the other woman to talk to her. She refused to let Regina go after finally getting her. Ruby and Mary Margaret seemed to think it had been inevitable that the relationship would end this way and were trying to get Emma to admit that to herself. Belle and Aurora were of the opposite opinion and argued that there was obviously something behind Regina's sudden decision to end things. Killian was just sorry that he hadn't had the opportunity to watch the two women interacting; something that earned him several swift smacks from several different directions.

Henry was doing his best to try and fix things between his mother and his Charms teacher. As far as Regina and Emma were concerned the boy simply wanted their friendship to get back on track; they had no idea that he knew exactly what had been going on between them.

Aside from her failed relationship, Regina was on tenterhooks waiting to hear what was happening about the plan to kill Dumbledore. She hadn't told Severus or Draco that she was aware of the end result of the plan and neither did they know that she knew that Severus had promised to go through with the murder if her nephew could not. The knowledge broke her heart because she knew that neither man was really capable of doing such a thing and neither would willingly do so. Then again, neither really had a choice in the matter.

"Gina…" Severus barged into her chambers one evening and looked wildly at her. "Potter used Sectumsempra." He paled slightly as her eyes flickered over his face. "Draco is in the hospital wing."

"What?" She almost screamed. "That… Potter dared to… he used Sectumsempra on my nephew?"

She shot to her feet and moved towards the door so quickly that her hand was on the handle before Severus reached her. "Gina… think about what you're doing before you kill the boy."

"I wasn't even thinking that far ahead." She spat venomously.

"I have dealt with the situation."

Regina's eyes narrowed. "How long did you wait before telling me this, Severus? Why didn't you inform me at once?"

"Because I know that you wouldn't have been able to remain the slightest bit objective in dealing with Potter." He told her bluntly. "He didn't have my old text book in his possession, but I know he has it; how else would he have known about Sectumsempra? The idiot boy even tried to claim that the book he had, with the name 'Roonil Wazlib' written inside the cover, was his own… as though that would fool me."

"What did you do to him?" Regina demanded, wanting vengeance for her nephew.

Severus looked at her sharply. "What could I do, Regina? Use the Cruciatus curse on him?" He ignored her visible flinch and frowned. "I gave him detention every Saturday for the rest of the year."

"Det– Detention?"

"He will be missing every remaining Quidditch match which, for Potter, is one of the worst punishments available."

Regina scowled. "The Gryffindor–Ravenclaw Quidditch match is this Saturday… I suppose I shall take a great deal of satisfaction in watching Henry's team destroying the Gryffindors. But Potter better hope he doesn't run into me in a deserted corridor anytime soon…"

"Don't be a fool, Gina." Severus snapped at her. "You cannot do anything to Potter. The golden boy is untouchable."

She ground her teeth, knowing that he was right. If she got revenge for the boy's attack on Draco then all the work she had put into redeeming herself and convincing everyone that she could be trusted would be ruined. Instead she busied herself with visiting Draco in the hospital wing and assuring Narcissa that he was alright.

The fact that Gryffindor triumphed over Ravenclaw in their match the following Saturday even without Potter's involvement did nothing to improve Regina's mood. On top of her fury over the boy's attack on Draco, she now had to deal with Henry's intense disappointment which seemed to lead to him double his efforts to reunite her and Emma. While Regina was sure that the blonde would be able to soothe her bad temper unlike anyone else, she was too stubborn to admit to it and pushed her even further away.

Time passed and things went on as normal. There were several more meetings of the Order of the Phoenix and gradually the members were starting to adjust to Regina being part of their ranks. By Dumbledore's request, Regina hadn't mentioned anything about her conversation with Narcissa or what they'd privately discussed. She didn't understand why he was acting like there was nothing going on when he was perfectly capable of doing something to prevent whatever was coming.

"Severus…" Regina grasped her friend's forearm tightly and pulling him into the newly emptied Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. "What's going on? How long will it be until Draco finishes whatever it is he's working on?"

"He's finished."

"What?"

The man nodded slowly, folding his arms and looking down at the witch. "The Vanishing Cabinet is repaired. The plan is going ahead as the Dark Lord and Cora intended."

"When?"

Severus glanced at her sharply. "Regina…"

"When, Sev?"

"Tonight."

Some undefinable emotion flashed through the woman's eyes and her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "What's going to happen?"

"Regina, you don't–"

"Just tell me the truth!" She bellowed furiously, stalking quickly towards her friend and stopping just before she collided with him. Her eyes slipped closed and she exhaled sharply. When she spoke again, her tone was softer, more resigned. "Please, tell me."

"Draco will signal to the others waiting in Borgin and Burkes and they will travel through the Cabinet and into Hogwarts."

"Why?"

"What?"

"Why?" Regina repeated with a frown. "Why are they coming here? Why?"

"You know why." Severus said in a soft voice. "Narcissa told you."

"… to kill Dumbledore."

"Yes."

There was a long pause as the two friends stared at each other. The man's face was set and determined as he refused to allow himself to dwell on the impossible task facing him. Regina was trying to work out how she should feel. There were too many demands on her emotions, pulling her every which way in a barrelling onslaught of feelings that she could barely hold herself firm against. She could barely begin to sort through with her desperately repressed feelings for Emma while she was still struggling to deal with everything else.

"Is there no other way?" Regina asked at last, her voice low and quiet.

Severus shook his head. "You know there isn't. You know about the Unbreakable Vow and you know about Maleficent's prophecy."

"But this is Aunt Mal!" She argued vehemently. "She's always saying things are going to happen and then they don't."

"This is different, Regina. You know it, I know it… as much as I want to believe there's a way around this, a way out, I can't."

The witch shook her head, unable to look at him. "I want no part of this."

"You don't have to play a part, Gina. But you cannot tell anyone. To do so would put them in grave danger. If Cora thought for a moment–"

Whirling round, she fixed him with a furious glare. "You think I want people to be aware I even know of this plan? You think I want to be linked to… to this… in any way? Dumbledore believed in me… he trusted me… he allowed me a chance that very few would be willing to give. I want no part in any of this, Severus."

"Your mother–"

"My mother is my concern."

"She wants you to be there, Gina."

"No." Pulling herself up to her full height, the brunette glared at him with narrowed eyes. "I will not play any part in this. You can tell my mother that I want nothing more to do with her and her scheming and plotting. It's been a long time coming, but I finally realised that I don't need her. I am going to live my own life from now on. I am going to make my own decisions. The only thing I'm going to concentrate on now is my son's happiness."

Severus looked at her warily, recognising the streak of defiance that had long been part of his best friend's nature. It rarely showed itself, but when it did there was no changing Regina's mind. She looked as determined now as she ever had and the wizard had no trouble believing that she would defend her son and her decision to lead her own life with whatever it took. It had never been a doubt in Severus' mind that Regina would die for Henry if it came to it and now, with her pitting herself against her family, he was worried that it would, indeed, come to that.

"Gina… for your sake… for Henry's sake… don't do this." He almost pleaded. "Don't stand against Cora. By all means stay out of the action, but please don't make her any angrier than she already is."

With a sigh, her expression softened, and Regina laid a hand on his arm. "Sev, I have to. I'm thirty-six-years-old. I have to stop letting Mother control me before I run out of chances for happiness."

"Is this about Swan?"

"Partly." Regina admitted. "She was willing to put her faith in me. Emma was willing to be patient and believe that, eventually, I'd trust her enough to let her in. She could be my happy ending, Sev. She could have been everything I needed for the rest of my life."

"You do love her."

"Yes."

"Have you told her?"

Shaking her head, the woman looked away. "No. I think it's too late for me now. I pushed her away. I was trying to protect her, it was for her own good, but I was an absolute bitch to her. I have to concentrate on Henry and making sure he has the best life he can possibly have."

"Cora's already taken his father… don't give her an excuse to take his mother away as well."

Regina smiled and laid her hand on Severus' cheek in a rare physical display of affection. "He may not have had Daniel, but he always had you."

"And he always will, Gina, as will you, but–"

"Good." She cut him off with a smile. "My decision is made, Severus. I will no longer blindly do as my mother commands."


Severus watched as Regina strode from the room with her head held high. Then he followed in her footsteps quickly and headed towards the Teachers' Wing of the Castle. Finding himself outside Professor Swan's door, he hesitated, almost hating himself for what he was about to do. Raising a hand, he knocked firmly and waited for the door to open.

Moments later it did and the blonde Charms Professor blinked at him in confusion. He was obviously the last person she had expected to be standing outside her door and she couldn't quite think of any reason why he would be.

"Can I come in?" Severus asked bluntly, keeping his face expressionless.

"Err… yeah, I guess." She agreed, standing aside to let him in. Severus looked around, taking in the young woman's private space, before she coughed uncomfortably and drew his attention back to her. "So… how can I help you?"

"It's about Professor Mills."

Emma's face hardened instantly and she raised her chin, expecting him to tell her to back off. "What about her?"

"Don't give up on her, Swan."

"Huh?" The blonde frowned, not having expected to hear those words at all. "What?"

"I'm sure I don't need to tell you that Regina is an extremely complicated woman. She feels things deeply and that, ultimately, has been her undoing thus far. She adored her father and he died. She loved Daniel and he was killed. Her biggest fear is that something will happen to you if she lets you into her life completely."

"I can take care of myself."

He chuckled mirthlessly. "Have you ever met Cora Mills-Black?"

"No." Emma admitted, shaking her head slowly. "But she can't be that–"

"Underestimating her is a big mistake. It could be the last mistake you ever make, Professor Swan." Severus warned her. "If Cora found out how much you mean to her daughter she would kill you as soon as look at you."

"Why is she so intent on making Regina miserable?"

"Cora wants Regina completely under her thumb. She hates the idea of her daughter having her independence. Cora needs to be in control, to know that Regina will do exactly what is asked of her. If she realises that Gina is in love with you then she will realise that her control is beginning to slip and she will react as she sees fit to remove the obstacle to her power. You are that obstacle, Emma. Regina can't lose anyone else she feels so strongly about and so she is distancing herself from you for your own safety."

Emma blinked several times, the man's words slowly sinking in. "She… she's in love with me?"

"Is that really a surprise?" Severus asked, raising an eyebrow.

"But she never…"

He sighed exasperatedly. "Of course she didn't. Haven't you been listening to anything I've said?"

"No. I mean yes, but… she's in love with me?" A slow smile spread over the woman's face and she bit her lip, her eyes beginning to glaze over. "She actually loves me?"

Severus sighed again. "Really? Focus, Professor Swan."

"Right, sorry…"

"You'll have your work cut out persuading her that she doesn't need to keep you at arm's length and you don't have much time to do that."

"Why not?"

There was a pause, but Severus chose not to answer. "It's not important. The sooner you change her mind the easier it will be. The longer Regina is left to brood on this, the more determined she will be to keep you at bay."

Emma nodded distractedly. "I'll go now. There's no time like the present, right?"

He nodded as she left the room, not even stopping to remember that they were her chambers and she was leaving him in them. Emma made her way along the corridor and knocked on Regina's door urgently. There was a long pause before it was opened and then, on seeing who was demanding her attention, the brunette tried to close it without allowing Emma inside.

Refusing to be turned away, the younger woman stuck her foot in the gap, preventing the door from being closed. She barely even noticed the dull ache that caused her foot to throb as the thick wood rebounded off her shoe and allowed her to push her way into the room. Regina stared at her in a mixture of surprise and indignation as Emma rounded on her determinedly.

"I won't let you push me away anymore, Gina."

"Professor Swan, what on earth do you think you are–?"

"Don't you Professor Swan me, Regina Mills. I know you want this, us, as much as I do." A flicker passed through Regina's eyes, as though she was surprised by the passion behind the blonde's words. Emma noticed it at once and frowned. "You didn't believe me, did you? Did you think I'd have given up on you before now? You did, didn't you? You really had that little faith in me?"

Regina's heart clenched painfully in her chest at the defeated expression on Emma's face and she wanted nothing more than to kiss away her fears. "Emma, I… it was nothing to do with you, I assure you. I am simply not sure that I deserve half the loyalty or effort that you have put into attempting to win me over."

"Oh, Gina, you are." Emma replied forcefully, moving into the brunette's personal space and backing her up against the door that had closed behind her. "You are. Since the first time I saw you when I was eleven-years-old I knew that I would always fight for you. I've always known that you were my destiny, my missing piece. I will never, never stop trying to make you see that too."

"Em…"

Taking her chance, the blonde grasped Regina's face gently between her hands and kissed her. She poured every ounce of emotion she possessed into the kiss, willing Regina to believe what she said.