Chapter 25

After we left the ice cream parlor and went back home and I opted to make a light soup for dinner since both mother and son had matching stomach aches from all the sugar.

I must say that it felt nice to be needed in this way again.

After raising Henry by myself for 10 years, I had gotten so used to taking care of someone, and it always felt nice to know that I was the only one able to soothe his ache. To make him feel better; feel loved.

And now that he's gone to bed there's another child for me to tend to.

As she steps out of my restroom I see a slight smile on her face.

"Are you feeling better, dear?" I ask over my book as I try my best to sound nonchalant. Honestly I couldn't even tell you what this book is as I just picked it up as I heard the door open.

She slowly makes her way to my side of the bed.

My side? I mean my entire bed, because there's no way that she could have her own side yet.

"Well… I was just wondering if.. since I am not feeling well." She says and she's trying to muster up the saddest face she can.

"What are you trying to say, dear? Tummy still hurt? Did you want to share my bed?" I ask her in a baby voice that is so unlike me and is teasing at first, but when she gets closer I willing open my arms.

She plays right along, lowering herself slowly onto the bed, and lays her head in my lap.

Before I can even stop myself I am running my fingers through her hair, and rubbing small circles on her back.

She exhales loudly and curls further into me.

"How do you do that?" she asks peeking up at me.

"Do what?" I ask her, looking down lovingly.

"Just know what to do to make me feel better. Jesus, I mean Regina, I know we haven't really known each other long but I feel like I've known you my whole life." She tells me silently while I continue running my hands through her hair.

"I don't… I have no clue dear. But I realize now that when I stopped fighting it, it just came natural to me. Like with Henry, it was like second nature to me. I truly feel like he is my own son in every way possible, and now you. I… " I tell her, but get so overcome with emotion that I cannot finish.

She sits up immediately and takes me into her arms.

"It's okay, baby I know. I feel it too." She tells me.

"No Emma, I have to tell you this because I don't know if I ever will have the chance again." I start, but she pulls back immediately.

"What do you mean? Did someone do something to you? Threaten you?" She asks me fiercely tightening her grip on me to the point that it almost hurts.

"Oh no, my sweet. And... please don't call me baby, I am ok with terms of endearment, but I am no baby." I tell her because it had bothered me slightly.

"Regina, focus here. Why wouldn't you have the chance?" she asks again.

"I just want to enjoy every moment is all. I don't want to waste any more time hiding anything from you." I tell her.

"Well then, hun, please do tell…" she says cheekily and I have to say that I love it.

"It's just that… there have been some before you who I have professed feelings to who.. well now looking back I realize than neither of them were right for me now, for who I am now. I could have seen my life with Daniel, but it was young and innocent and could have been something special, but it wouldn't work now. And well Robin was supposed to be my… " I stop there because how could I tell her he was supposed to be my soulmate?

She just nods encouragingly at me, slightly tightening her grip on me.

"Robin was supposed to be everything I would ever want or need, and well, he turned out to be a big disappointment in every way imaginable. I realize now that he could have fought for me if he so choose, but he never put me first." I tell her looking over my shoulder, and leaning up to kiss her tenderly before I continue.

"But you... Emma Swan. You came into my life, and into my heart like a sledgehammer. You pushed your way through breaking all barriers as you plunged through head first and head strong. Only this time around I didn't push, I learned to let it in. I learned the hard way that all I ever should have done was open my arms to you, my heart to you." I tell her, and I know it's too much, that she doesn't understand the depth of what I am saying, but I needed to get it out.

She turns me in her arms and I see tears streaming down her face.

"All I've ever wanted was to have a home, and I think I could finally have it here, with you. That's if you are willing to put up with me when I'm on my rag and bitchy, or when I feel the urgency to run like hell." She says and I laugh, pulling her in for another kiss.

"Oh Emma why hadn't you come sooner? Why couldn't we have had more of this sooner? I was so senseless." I tell her like a petulant child, but it only makes her laugh.

"Well then let's just make a pact right here, right now." She says to me, still holding me from behind as I lean further into her.

"A pact?" I ask.

"Yeah, to never take anything else for granted. To seize every opportunity, to take advantage of every moment we have together, and with Henry too. We should leave town, and plan on some trip once Henry has a break. Maybe go on a road trip." She says, and she sounds so excited, but all I can think of is that I know I won't be here to enjoy it with them. I know that I am doomed to face another reality soon. And if the throbbing in my head is any indication, it will be happening as soon as I fall asleep.

"What do you say? Huh? I mean I don't know about you, but I've never been on a family road trip before, and I think it would help Henry too, I think he'd love it." She continues not even noticing that I haven't said anything.

"I remember this one time I was with a family who always had a family trip during summer break. I started saving things up, like camping gear, and saving my lunch money so that I could buy some nice things on our trip, but I never made it to the summer with them… They uhh… they sent me back." She says quietly, sniffing lightly.

I turn to look at her and see both hope and despair reflected in her eyes.

"Oh Emma, no. I'll never leave you willingly my love. And yes I would love to do all of those things with you. I want to do it all, anything you want. As long as you are with me." I tell her with such conviction she has no choice but to believe me.

"Okay, sorry, I didn't mean to start my own little pity party, it's just when you grow up like I did… you just sort of stop making plans or having hope." She says quietly.

I nod at her, and then feel a searing pain shoot through my head and slam my eyes shut.

I can hear Ruby's voice somewhere far away, almost pulling me towards her.

"Regina, are you okay? What wrong?" I hear Emma ask in a panicked voice.

The pain intensifies and I yell. And then immediately cover my mouth as not to wake Henry.

"What going on, should I call 911?" Emma says frantically as she jumps off the bed and runs to the restroom.

"No, Emma. Come here.. please." I tell her as I see her come back with my pain pills.

"I saw you take these before, will it help?" she asks as she walks back to the bed with the pill.

"No, Emma, please just come here and hold me, will you?" I ask her as the pain starts to subside.

She immediately puts down the pill bottle and climbs back on the bed, pulling me into her once more, but far more gently this time.

"I just need some rest dear, that's all. It will subside, but I need to ask you something." I tell her as I turn in her arms to face her.

"Anything." She says while brushing the hair out of my face as she slowly kisses my forehead.

"What if… what if everything that Henry said were true. How would you feel about me then?" I ask her because this is one thing I always wanted to know, more than anything else. What if I had just been honest?

"What do you mean? Like that fairytale crap? C'mon Regina, this is no time to mess around." She says pulling back slightly and looking less than amused.

"Just tell me, please. Humor me Emma. What if everything that that he said was true. What if Mary Margaret was truly your birthmother? What if it was my fault…" I swallow the bile in my throat.

"What if it was my fault that you grew up alone in this world? What if I really did curse this town? How would you feel then? Would you still love me?" I ask her and I can see that she thinks I've lost my mind.

"Ooookay. Well I think that this headache of yours I causing you to." Emma starts in a light tone that only frustrates me more.

"Goddammit Emma, listen to me. I'm trying to tell you something very important." I shout at her, and see her recoil almost immediately.

"Oh really? Are you really fucking trying to tell me that it's true? Henry's book? I cannot believe this…" she says as she moves away from me, and off the bed leaving me feeling cold inside.

"Emma listen, please, it's not all true because there is a lot left out. But yes there is a lot in it that is factual information." I tell her, now slowly rising out of the bed as well.

"What the hell? All this time I thought Henry was crazy, but you are just as crazy. Regina, can you not hear yourself? I think you should just go and rest. And we can talk when you are thinking more clearly tomorrow…" she says as she slowly starts to walk towards the door.

"Emma… stop. Please. Don't leave me like this. Just listen okay, I am begging you." I plead with her as I reach her near my bedroom door and close it shut again, locking it.

I take her hand in mine and look into her eyes, and I see worry and a bit of fear.

"My sweet love, look into my eyes. You have your super power don't you?" I ask and she nods slowly.

"Then you know that I am telling the truth" I tell her and I gently lead her back to the bed and sit at the end.

"Just because you believe it to be true doesn't mean it's actually true Regina." Emma says to me in the most loving voice, like she's scared that she will hurt me by saying it.

"Have you ever believed me to be someone who would believe in such a thing? So nonsensical to believe a child's story book?" I ask her.

She nods no.

"Then you must believe me when I say that everything Henry said is true. It's my fault that you lost your family." I tell her and finally I see some rage behind her eyes.

"Okay, if it's true, then tell me Regina, why let me in your life? In Henry's life? You let me live here, you let me fall in love with you, only to tell me that you are the reason that I was abandoned as a child?" she asks, her voice becoming more hoarse.

"I was given.. I got a second chance. I don't know how Emma, but I don't even care anymore. I made so many mistakes the first time around. I just had to give in this time to you. You have no idea what I've been through, how much I've been hurt. It was selfish, but you just don't understand." I tell her, pulling away from her, the guilt eating away at me again.

"What if I said I didn't care? I mean, I still think this is crazy, but when I look at you, right now, seeing the amount of hurt in your eyes I know that you have changed. Whoever you were in that book, it obviously couldn't be you sitting in front of me." She reasons.

"But it was me, it could be me again. I have tried so much to clear the darkness in my heart.." I tell her looking away.

I feel her hand on my chest, and look to see her looking towards where my head resides in my chest.

"All I see is who you are now Regina, all I have is love for you. If what you are saying is true then ofcourse I am upset. I would be crazy not to be, but what I feel for you and Henry, nothing can compare to that. You may have taken me away from my family, but you gave me a new one. They could have chosen to fight for me, they could have tried everything possible to keep me, but you, you are my family now and I will never give up on us. " She says to me and I crumble into her arms, the pain in my head not comparing the soaring of my heart.

"There is so much you don't know. So much to tell you…" I tell her as she takes me further in her arms, and this time it's her rubbing reassuring circles on my back.

"Baby we have time, I'm not going anywhere. I love you." She says looking into my eyes, and I don't care about the stupid name, I don't care about anything as I close the gap between us.

"I love you too." I tell her as I bring my lips to hers mixing our salty tears together as we become one.

Suddenly there is a surge of white light that passes through us and sends a shockwave throughout the room and I know that we've broken the first curse.

"What the…" Emma says as she pulls back and looks at me.

"I didn't think it was possible…" I whisper to her still holding my lips, but a smile coming to my lips nonetheless.

"What?" she whispers just as low.

"True love. It's what just broke the curse." I tell her cupping her cheek and kissing her again.

"Whoa… I mean... the curse? So it was all real?" She asks me, slowly pulling back and getting off the bed.

Suddenly I have that cold fear again, she's going to leave me.

I swallow my fear and answer her, "Yes, it all happened, but as I said, it was not at all accurately portrayed in that damn book. Snow white was not some innocent person in all that took place." I start to tell her looking down and waiting for her to run out the door.

"What do you mean?" She asks, clearly not heading for the door.

" Well.. it's just that the book does not go into detail about my past, and what had ultimately pushed me towards dark magic. I make no excuses for my actions because they were mine, but my mother and Rumple did play a much larger hand than I ever knew up until recently." I tell her.

"Rumple? Dark magic? Wow, this is just so crazy. I mean, I still don't even know if I believe what's happening." She says sitting back on the edge of the bed.

"Emma, are you going to leave? I just need to know because there is a lot you don't know, but I … I just couldn't bare it. I don't know this means for our future…" I tell her uncertainly.

As she takes my hand and pulls me closer I change another look at her face and see such warmth there.

"No, I think I'll stay right here, we will figure it out in the morning. C'mon, let get some sleep." She says gesturing to the bed and slowly climbing up to the top of the bed and pulling back the covers.

I don't reply, I just follow suite and as I climb under the covers, she wraps the blanket over us and holds me close as I fall into a deep sleep.

…

A/N: So this took an unexpected turn for me, but I like to just let it flow when it's… well... flowing. I hope you all liked the chapter. Let me know where you think this is headed as I haven't quite made up my mind yet. I had a layout, and the next several chapters planned, but as I said, once I get started writing I just let the creative juices flow and it doesn't always stick to my outline.