"That looked somewhat necessary" the fairy commented as she sat herself down on the stool beside the blonde at the counter, Emma only sighed in response as she held her freshly poured drink, the now empty glass had been pushed to the side and abandoned…just like her choices in life it seemed. "Wanna talk about it?"
Her first instinct was to say no, it was an automatic response to the question now and that is what stopped her from saying it…since when had she allowed herself to become so shut off from people? True she had never really been the care and share type but slowly she has opened herself up, let her emotions show…with Mary Margaret…but Mary Margaret was gone, now it was Snow, now it was her mother and her mother only seemed to want to couple her off now. It was immensely frustrating.
"Is it your mother?" came Tinkerbell's next question. Emma's head instantly snapped around the find the fairies eyes upon her.
"That obvious?" she asked before bringing her glass up to her lips once more, the warmth of the alcohol was soothing as it slipped down her sore throat. She had resorted to screaming into her pillow whenever Snow would pop up with another scheme to get her and Neal alone together, she truly did not know when to just leave well alone.
Tink only tilted her head in response, a sad smile plastered on her face as she watched Emma slipping in and out of her thoughts. "Since regaining my wings, I regained some of my other…powers shall we say…"
Her tone was clearly alluding to something and Emma willingly took the bait, "such as?" her eyebrows were raised in question as she looked at the woman before her, the smaller blonde's lips turned up in a small smile as she studied Emma's face.
"Such as my abilities to hear wishes, the wishes of those souls crying out for love to be more specific…" she watched the Sheriff's guard go up instantly, reminding her of one desperate soul she had encountered many years ago, the same who was now about to enter the diner, unbeknownst to Emma whose back was to the door, this should be interesting.
"And what does that have to do with me?" the blonde tried, she knew the fairy had heard whom she desired, she wished for her every night, longed for her touch, her smile…everything about her…though she would never willingly admit that out loud for it could never happen…the woman had made it clear she loathed the ground she walked on.
Tink merely shrugged as the bell to the diner rang out signalling someone's entrance.
Time seemed to stop as Emma turned her head instinctively, the hairs on the back of her neck rising up as soon as the scent of vanilla and apples wafted through the air, though no other seemed to be affected by it, just her…always her.
She only realized she was staring when the blonde fairy had jumped from her seat and proceeded to join Regina in the booth she had moved to occupy, but not before shooting Emma a knowing look over her shoulder.
The blonde watched the gentle smile that adorned the brunette's features when Tinkerbell slipped into the seat opposite her and began conversing with her.
The bell above the diner door rang out again signalling another arrival…Neal. Instantly Emma turned back to the counter and began praying that he would take the hint and leave her alone for once…but of course not.
"Hey Ems" he greeted, his voice filled with the same warmth she recognised from their days as young lovers, her truly believed that she could just forget about what he did to her and allow him back into her heart…she didn't want him in there, she only wanted another.
Remembering that he had greeted her, she looked over her shoulder and shot him a small smile before turning back around, once again he didn't understand her want to be alone.
"So your Mom asked me to come over tonight, have a little dinner, a couple beers…I thought maybe we could go out afterwards? I know Ruby's throwing one of her famed parties here tonight…I was thinking we could come together you know? Like…together"
Rolling her eyes, she turned to face him once more. "We've talked about this" her tone wasn't threatening though there was definitely a warning within it.
"Yeah but your Mom said-"
"I don't care what Snow said!" She snapped, a few patrons turned in shock at her outburst, including a certain brunette, she couldn't care about that now however with white hot frustration coursing throughout her body, "I am so sick of having others make choices for me, I didn't choose to be the saviour, I didn't even choose to come to this town but what I can choose is whether or not I want to get back together with you Neal" she was standing now, the scraping of her stool as she pushed off of it was the only sound in the now silent diner, "and I already made my choice clear in that regard, I don't want you back Neal, I never will so no matter what my- what Snow White tells you, you need to respect my decision and just leave me the hell alone!" and with that she was gone.
It took a few moments but the usual bubbling of idle gossip and the sound of the rumour mill churning could be heard amongst the sounds of cutlery and coffee making.
"Well that was…interesting" Regina commented as blonde curls finally disappeared from sight, she hadn't expected such an outburst from the usually laid back sheriff. "I guess we finally know her choice…" she tapered off then, saddened by the thought of Emma with the one handed scum of man who most certainly did not deserve her.
"I wouldn't be so sure," Tink commented as innocently as possible for one in the know, her eyes held Regina's with a certain challenge, the challenge to ask questions, to find out what she so desperately wanted to know yet had too much pride to snoop about. "In fact I don't think either man was ever in the running…"
"And what is that supposed to mean?" dark brows furrowed as she watched the smirk growing on her friends face. There was something the fairy knew, something she was hiding and it annoyed Regina greatly, she very rarely had time for those who beat around the bush.
"Just that I doubt any man" her emphasis on the gender term did not go unnoticed as Regina's eyes widened in surprise, "will ever be in possession of our Saviour's heart when it is held by another…"
"A…" She cleared her throat with an awkward cough before proceeding, "a woman?"
Just as she had done with Emma, she simply shrugged in response though her eyes remained upon Regina's face. She watched the initial surprise changing into a look of small hope and possibly excitement before the brunette's trusty mask was back in place. It mattered not what she did with the information now for the seed had been planted in both minds, she had no doubt that both women would surely be thinking about the other for the majority of the day now.
The contemplative silence that had fallen upon their booth was broken when Ruby strutted up to them with their usuals in hand, their get togethers had become a weekly thing to which all had become accustomed. After thanking the leggy brunette, Regina looked up to find the woman looking at her expectantly.
"Is there something else Miss Lucas?" she asks with her brows furrowed, since their return from Neverland and Snow's profession of gratitude to Regina for her prominent role in their rescue and escape, her life in the town had become somewhat accepted and even welcomed by the likes of the young woman standing before her.
"You are still coming tonight?" She asked with a hand on her hip and steely determination in her eyes as she studied Regina carefully, Emma had taught her the warning signs in order to identify lies and she had found them to come in handy.
"Have I told you otherwise dear?" Regina replied with brows raised as she held Ruby's gaze steadily.
The waitress' eyes narrowed as she turned to move away with a non-comital hum in response. "If I don't see you here by 9pm Regina Mills, so help me God-"
"-you'll destroy me?" She replied quickly with an amused quirk to her lips and a tilt of her head as she watched the laughter fighting to break out from Ruby's throat.
"And your precious little child too" she replied with an over dramatic cackle as she sauntered away.
Once Regina turned back to Tink the fairy instantly broke into excited chatter about the coming events, when she began talking about dresses however the brunette allowed her mind to drift and found it in the same place it always fell, to thoughts of one Emma Swan and what the new found revelation could mean…
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"I swear to God, if she tries to set me up with him one more time!" Emma fumed as she watched her mother walk into the diner on the arm of David.
Ruby only sighed as she nudged her miserable friend, the party only beginning but knowing once Emma allowed herself to fall into her angry thoughts it was game over. "Dude, chill, drink, have fun and if it gets too much just come find me okay?" She nudged the blonde again who tried a small smile before throwing back another brandy, "try not to set anyone on fire tonight Em"
"Hey that was one time!" She whined in embarrassment upon remembering the incident, "he was fine anyway"
"Yeah, good job the dude lives on water hey?" Ruby laughed as the image of Hook leaping from his own boat, during his own party, in order to put out the flames that had ruined his ever present leather jacket long before he had even realised what was happening.
"Well it worked didn't it? He's never tried it on since" Emma laughed and waved as Ruby shook her head in amusement and moved to the dance floor where a few had started moving to the upbeat music.
She hadn't spoken to her mother yet for fear of screaming at the woman. Neal's statement earlier about Snow's continued interference, even after Emma had told the woman to stop, only angered the blonde further. As if on cue, the woman appeared.
"Oh Emma," she breathed, a proud smile on her fair face as she looked her daughter up and down, "don't you look beautiful"
The maternal was not something Emma was used to nor comfortable with, she squirmed as Snow's palm came into contact with her cheek, "yeah…thanks." She was wearing the pink dress she had worn over a year ago on the day that had ultimately changed her life for the better…for the most part.
"I'm sure I know someone who will most definitely agree" came her mother's voice once more as she reached out to tap Neal on the shoulder. "Neal, doesn't Emma look just lovely?" She asked with a twinkle in her eye.
For his part Neal did look genuinely sorry to have been brought into the situation once more and for that Emma could forgive him, he had finally listened to her it seemed. "Uh yeah…you look great Em"
She smiled in appreciation and was glad to see the relief crossing his features at the sight, at least he could see that she was trying.
"Why don't you two go dance?" Snow pressed on, she truly did not know when to stop, it was clear something needed to be done.
"Sorry Neal but I did promise Ruby the first dance" she shrugged as she moved to walk away but was stopped by her mother's hand on her shoulder.
Her eyes were filled with a pointed demand as she spoke once more, "oh I'm sure Ruby won't mind" her subtle, not so subtle, tilt of the head towards Neal caused some sort of red mist to cloud over Emma's vision as she visibly clenched though her mother didn't seem to notice, time to pull out the one thing she had been apprehensive about revealing to the family she had just found, it hadn't gone too well with foster families in the past…
"Well my girl doesn't like to share so…"
Confusion crossed Snow's face before realization set in, "your…your girl?"
"Uh huh," Emma smiled as she looked over to the brunette on the dance floor, luck seemed to be on her side as Ruby returned her smile with an even brighter one before beckoning her over to her side. "Oops," she laughed and it was so out of character though her mother was too stunned to notice, "duty calls."
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The brunette's stomach was fluttering with nervousness, the feeling only increasing with every step closer to the diner. She was running late and was sure Ruby would have a few choice words for her yet she couldn't find it in her to care for the moment.
She had almost turned around and gone home, she would have done had it not been for the blonde fairy now clutching her arm and practically dragging her to the party.
She wasn't sure why she felt so strange, it was only a party full of the same faces she had seen for the last 3 decades…except Emma would be there…and it turns out Emma liked women…could she find it in her to like Regina?
She had scolded herself for thinking such stupid thoughts, of course she couldn't, how could she? Regina had given her nothing but cold stares and barbed comments…simply out of fear. Fear of giving her heart to another to have it broken once more, all that she loved seemed to be taken from her, why would Emma be any different?
These thoughts were pointless anyway, she reminded herself, for Emma could never love someone like her.
That didn't stop the sting however when they entered the diner, the pang that rang through her upon following everyone's gazes and finding the blonde wrapped around Ruby, both grinding to the song playing provocatively as all eyes were on them.
Emma's hands were tangled within brunette locks as Ruby held her lower back firmly, gripping the saviour to her possessively. Both we're smiling at the other as if the world around them didn't exist.
She couldn't stop the tears, didn't even know why they had come in the first place…Emma was never hers, never would be…so why did it feel as though she had lost her?
"Regina, are you okay?" Tink's voice could be heard next to her though it sounded distant, as though she had spoken through a thick glass panel. Watery dark eyes watched as Emma rubbed up closer to her dance floor companion before she spun around to press her backside into the wolf's crotch, hands instantly finding their place on denim clad hips that stopped moving instantly.
Regina held Emma's wide eyed gaze a few moments earlier before backing away from the room and out into the darkness of the night.
"Shit" Ruby had long since let the blonde go after realizing who she was looking at.
"Go the fuck after her Em!" She hissed with a strong push to her friend's upper back. This seemed to wake the blonde as she began weaving through the small crowd and towards the door.
She slammed straight into her mother just as she reached the diner door, the smaller woman seemed to be expecting it however. "Snow move, now!" She yelled when her mother made no move.
"I can't let you go after her Emma, I don't even know why you would want to!"
The whole room gasped a Snow was flung, like a rag doll, from her place before her daughter across the room. Charming was quick on his feet, predictably, and managed to catch her before she hit the ground.
The blonde only glared before disappearing out of the door but not before shouting for all to hear, "because I fucking love her!"
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Her feet stung as she moved forward, her heels long since discarded after one had broken in her haste to get away. The taste of bile stinging her throat as the images of Emma dancing against Ruby burned behind her eyelids.
Her breathing was laboured as she tried in vain to withhold the tortured sobs attempting to break free. The night air stung as it froze the tear tracks on her face, she hadn't noticed where she had walked to until the smell of salt air filled her nostrils.
She had found herself to be standing on the beach not far from the cannery…the very place she had been tortured to within an inch of her life…the same place she had first realized her true feelings for the blonde. Her dying thoughts had predominantly been of her son before green eyes seemed to glow behind her closed eyelids, blonde curls dancing around strong yet slim shoulders, a crooked smile just for her in the moments she thought to be her last on earth.
"This is my favorite place" she jumped at the sound of the voice from beside her, Emma's voice. She couldn't look at her, couldn't let her see the sheer state she was in. "It's where I come to think sometimes…to get away…to be me" her voice was soft, wistful almost as she looked up at the moon. "I think about you a lot here…"
She couldn't suppress the small whimper that escaped in response, her stomach tight with the force of the sobs wanting to be let out. A trembling hand came to rest over her mouth as she closed her eyes.
"I think about Henry too…but mostly about you Regina" she turned, turned to look at the woman who had once seemed so tall, so powerful and put together…it was strange seeing her like this and it was only now that the blonde realised how small she actually was, she was tiny, like a little broken doll just waiting for someone to look after her, to take care of her, to love her.
"I think about your smile," the memory of it alone brought a soft smile to Emma's face as she moved to stand in front of the brunette, she removed the hand clasped over Regina's mouth and traced the light creases around her lips created by the expression that had once felt so unnatural yet now so familiar to Regina. The older woman gasped at the contact yet never moved to pull away, she seemed to love closer it seemed. "I think about your eyes," she stroked under the eyes that remained closed, "I think they're my favorite because your mask doesn't reach them…you can't hide your soul like you do your emotions…"
Another small sob was released due to the sheer truth of the statement…her eyes had always been her weakness, the way for those who knew to break her down yet Emma seemed only to want to bring her back up.
"No…" Emma breathed then, Regina's eyes opened to find the woman looking down at something else on her, a soft whimper escaped when the blonde's came to rest on her chest, above her heart, "this is my favorite" she rectified whilst catching the brunette's gaze suddenly, "your heart…that's my favorite"
"A dark heart is of no use to anyone" her voice trembled as she spoke, her breathing caught when the blonde moved closer and cupped her cheek.
A sad smile crossed the blonde's features as she studied the woman before her, "it is the one I want," she breathed, "the only heart I have ever wished for…a little too loudly if Tinkerbell is anything to go by" she laughed softly then, at Regina's furrowed brow she continued, "she told me today that she had heard my wish, the one that my soul cries out for night after night…" she moved her hand up to scoop a section of hair behind the brunette's ear and keeping a hold of her, "you Regina"
She could feel the woman beginning to shake her head, could almost see the words of denial moving up to spill from her mouth. "Don't…please just don't"
"Emma I-"
"Look I understand if you don't feel the same way…I…I'll get ove- I'll learn to accept it somehow but please don't say anything…I… I can't hear you say it" she turned then, eyes glistening as she tilted her face up to the sky, breathing felt unnatural to her now, as though she wasn't doing it right somehow.
"I wished for you too…"
Her heart all but stopped…had she heard that right? Was that a trick on the wind or had she actually heard that?
A hand on her forearm had her turning to find the brunette standing before her, tear tracks glistening in the moonlight as watery eyes held her own, "I wished for you too"
There are said to be 7 wonders in this world that all should see but on that night, a night so ordinary to many others, a new wonder had been created, for two souls, one born from light and the other from dark, stood united in their embrace. Two souls fated to become one had finally found the other and as tongues entwined and lips caressed, a shift could be felt throughout the town as the Saviour and The Evil Queen found their love, found their happy ending.