A/N: Hello Everyone, this one's a doozy and my longest chapter so far. Thank you as always for continuing to read, and review this story, you guys rock!

Memories are in *italics*

Chapter 26

I am surprised when I wake that there is still a hand tightly wrapped around me from behind. I smile.

I guess the powers that be are letting me enjoy a little more time with my love before I have to face reality.

I still cannot believe what took place last night. I cannot believe that Emma is my true love. Well one of my true loves, as Henry is as well. I was beginning to understand that it wasn't all about this one amazing love and only having one true love. It was about having a love that was all accepting, that didn't leave when times got hard, and that still loved you even when you were having your bad days.

I would think that many people had this type of love, but then wouldn't there be more true loves out there?

Oh it was making my head pound again just thinking about it.

Really, I didn't even care. As long as I could be here longer; in this moment with her and Henry.

I was amazed at how quickly Henry took to the idea of us being together. I never imagined even telling him such a thing, but the way that he bounced back at the ice cream parlor was amazing. He seemed to look at me differently on the way home, and I had even overheard him thanking Emma for making me so happy.

I guess that it's true what they say about kids, they really are resilient creatures, and Henry has definitely had to be in his young life.

Speaking of which, he is going to have to be strong now more than ever with us breaking the curse last night.

I'm surprised that I haven't heard rocks being thrown at my house, or people yelling outside with the curse breaking. Surely they would have realized what I had done by now and are planning some sort of revenge. But as long as I have their savior on my side, I am not as afraid as I was the first time.

Even then, when she hated me for so many reasons, she still had defended me and protected me against the town. I daresay she truly is the savior she was prophesized to be. Time and time again she has saved those in need, me being on the receiving end more often than I would have liked. She even saved Marian, and although she did know who she was at the time, I could never truly be upset with her for it because she did the right thing. She always did the right thing.

I push further back into for another moment before I turn in her arms to give her a kiss, but as my eyes refocus in the early morning light I am completely thrown at what I find.

"Ruby?" I almost yell.

"Hmm…. Gina, shhh… it's too early, go back to sleep baby." She says in a mumble and its then that I take her in and realize that she has no top on. I look down and see that I am in one of my satin short nightgowns.

"Excuse me? What the hell is going on here?" I say again, firmer this time as I get out of the bed quickly and find my robe, wrapping it around my body.

She giggles, "C'mon Gina we weren't that wasted last night, and you know that I kinda live here now, right?" she says smiling and wiping the sleep out of her eyes as she sits up and stretches, the sheets falling from her body to leave her sitting up topless in my bed.

I have no words at the moment. I have no idea what is happening.

"Would you please put a shirt on immediately, please just cover yourself up and explain to me how exactly you ended up in my bed. The last thing I recall was Emma…" I start to say and see hurt flash in her eyes.

That definitely makes her jump up and out of bed, as she rummages through one of my drawers and pulls on a t-shirt, and some skimpy shorts and I know I do not own.

"Please, Ruby I'm sorry I am just feeling very confused. Can you tell me what happened?" I ask her more gently this time as I see a distressed look crossing her face.

She then slowly comes up to me and gently caresses my cheek.

It feels wrong but I know if I pull away that she may run, may not tell me what's happening and she really is the only friend I have.

Looking deep into my eyes, "I'm sorry Gina, I know it still hurts, and you aren't the only one who lost her, but I thought that you and I… well I thought that we were working together to get passed it." she tells me, her hand still on my cheek.

I don't say a word as I walk over to the bed and sit down. It's all so confusing. Did I wake up in yet another alternate universe? Has this all been one big nightmare?

"What year is it?" I ask her and she gives me a confused look, but answers anyway.

"It's 2015." She says, but does not elaborate more than that.

I just nod at her and try to gather my bearings.

It seems I am back in real time, but it doesn't make sense why I would have ever woken up so intimately with her like that, even with Emma being the dark one.

She comes over and sits next to me, covering my hand with her own.

"Look, I am not sure what you dreamt last night because it seems like you woke up a different person, but we will get through this. We have been through so much, and you know that I am not going anywhere." She says, then pulling my face up to look at her again she says, "I love you okay?" She tells me as she takes my hand in hers and laces our fingers together.

It feels wrong, all wrong, and I just want to go back to sleep.

"I know I may seem a bit… off, but I just need you to help me figure some thing out Ruby. You have become such an important friend to me, and I trust that you will be honest with me, even brutally so if necessary." I tell her searching.

"Friend? Um… okay. Yah what do you want to know?" she asks me.

"How did you and I… well…" I say gesturing to the bed and grimacing because I cannot control my expression, and again I see the hurt in her eyes and immediately feel guilty for it.

Whatever happened between us obviously means something to her, but I cannot fake, I will not fake it again.

"Regina... wow. Okay. I will try not to be offended but you act like this was some cheap one night stand, we've been together for over a year now, and we have been friends for much longer than that." She says, tears springing to her eyes.

A year? What the hell is going on here? Is this the twilight zone?

"What happened to Emma? Is she still the Dark One? And Henry, is he alright?" I ask her because I just need answers.

"Henry's fine, he's asleep ofcourse, you know teenagers…" she says smiling a bit at that and looks away.

This is when I finally initiate contact with her as I bring my hand to her chin and bring her eyes to me.

"And Emma? What of Emma?" I ask her pleadingly.

"Oh Regina, why are you doing this to yourself? Still after all this time. Just stop please, haven't we been through enough. To open up those wounds that will never fully heal? You think I don't know that she was your destiny; your one true love? We have already discussed it and I know you will never love me as you loved her." She says but I cannot hear that… I do not want to.

"How do you know about that?" I ask once I realize what she just said.

"About what? Regina, please hun just get back in bed and I'll get you those pills that Dr. Hopper prescribed, and then I'll go down an make us some breakfast, and Henry will be getting up soon anyway." She says as she goes back to the head of the bed and starts pulling down the sheets, and fluffing my pillow.

As she heads to my bathroom to grab the pills I leave the room and head straight into Henry's room.

He's still a big jumble under the covers, so I don't hesitate in throwing them off of him, "Henry what is happening?" I ask him.

"What the hell?" He shouts before pulling the sheets back over himself, but not before I notice that his hair is buzzed very short and just looks different.

"Excuse me young man? You will get up this instant, I need to… I just need to see you Henry, please." I say losing my anger and just feeling so lost.

He must hear the desperation in my voice because he pops his head up over the comforter and looks at me.

"Sorry… uhhh.. . What is it mom?" He asks, his voice sounding rougher than I remember.

I take a step towards the head of his bed and sit down, running my hand over his now almost bare scalp. And as I finally look at his face I see worry lines that I never noticed before, I see hollowness in his eyes.

"Mom, whats going on?" He asks, sitting up higher and bringing up his hands to rub his eyes, and that's when I see it.

I cannot hold back my deep intake of breath as I see scar marks on his wrists, on his perfect skin.

This makes him look to me again, and when he notices where I'm looking he pulls away ashamed, quickly putting his hands under the sheets again.

I try to calm myself as I continue to look as his face and see his lip tremble slightly. What did he do? How could he do this to himself, to us? Please just let this be some sick deluded nightmare.

I don't say anything as I slowly and shakily pull his hands from under the sheets and gently trace the jagged scars that cover both of his wrists as my eyes blur with the tears that are surely coming down my face.

Where am I? What the hell happened to us?

I try to take a deep breath but there is a huge weight on my chest, and I feel like I can't breathe.

I look up and see Henry's eyes are misty as well, but he won't look into my eyes, and I can see him grinding his teeth.

"Why?" I sob, not able to get the word out.

This surprises him as he shoots me a look, as to say 'you know exactly why' and it only further confuses me.

Then anger shoots through him and he's pushing me back, tears in his eyes.

"Really mom?" he yells and starts pacing the room. "Are we going to do this again? You know why okay! And I promised to never try again, but how can we move past it if you still look at me like that, like you are disgusted with me. Like you can't understand how I could do such a thing. After everything I just.. I just want to forget it all." he yells, falling to his knees as he tries to take a deep breath that won't come, and I know how he feels.

I'm off the bed and beside him in a heartbeat as I bring him into my arms again, even though he is bigger than me now, even feeling more muscular than I ever remember him; he's not the same person, this almost man. He no longer looks like a boy to me, even as I cradle him in my arms.

"Oh no Henry, I'm not disgusted with you honey, I would never…" I tell him as I stroke his back.

I feel him nod his head, his face still buried in my chest and I just fall back a bit, leaning back into the side of the bed to better accommodate this large body half on mine.

As I look down at him I wonder what brought us to this point in our lives. Would we ever be happy? Would we always have some part of us be broken?

"It's okay, shhh… it's gonna be okay. I just… " I start to say a little while later.. but I do not know how to even ask him.

"No, it's not okay mom, it will never be okay." He mumbles into my shirt, so I pull back from him and start to wipe his tears.

"And I'm not the only one mom, I know you don't like to talk about it, but I almost lost you both. Don't act like it's not true. I saw, I was there too remember. And after… after when we found you unconscious… I know what you were trying to do." He says to me, and it's as if I am remembering as he tells me.

Suddenly it's too much to handle. There are flashes in my mind, like the memories are just starting to flood back into my mind. And I yell out as my head hurts too much to keep my eyes open, but as I close them more and more images come flooding in, I can feel myself shaking, convulsing really as it all hits me.

"Mom! What's wrong? Are you okay?" I hear him yell at me but I cannot open my eyes. It's all too much and I feel like I am falling.

I feel him leave my body but I cannot pull him back.

"Ruby! Help please… something's happening to mom." I hear him shout as he runs out of the room.

I struggle to open my eyes, to call out to him, but no voice comes out.

I hear two footsteps run into the room, "Oh no!" I hear Ruby yell and come towards me.

I feel a soothing hand on my arms, shoulders and on my head. I hear hushed words telling me it will all be okay.

Then I feel strong hands lift me up, holding me close and we are moving.

I finally stop shaking, but I still feel strange as I finally pry my eyes open as I am being put on my bed gently.

It was Henry who carried me, and as I look up at him I see the worry etched in his eyes and I lift my hand to his cheek.

I take a deep breath.

I see Ruby run in after him with a bottle of water and some medicine.

"Please Gina, just take these, they should help with the anxiety and Henry and I will head down and make you something to eat. Do you need anything else?" she asks, and I can see the obvious love and concern not only in her voice but in her eyes.

It startles me to hear it directed towards me, but I do trust her so I take the pills and swallow them down, and nod to both of them.

Henry doesn't move though, so I take his hand and kiss it, "Its okay now dear, I think its just a headache. I will try to rest for a bit okay?" I ask him.

"Okay, but I'm just downstairs… and uhh… I don't think I'll go to school today if that's okay with you. I don't want to leave you…" he says, and I can tell he's scared so I just nod again and they leave the room.

But before they get all the way out I call out, "Ruby" and as she turns I give her a tight lipped smile.

"Thank you… for all of this…" I say, not really knowing what to say exactly.

"Of course." She says as she smiles and walks out with her arm around Henry.

Once they are out I grimace as the pain is still searing through me.

I feel like I've been hit by a truck; my body tired and aching.

Then I close my eyes again and allow the images back in, but this time I welcome it instead of fighting it and feel my body start to relax.

I let out a long breath as I think of Emma again, and where she might be, and how she could let this happen to Henry.

I think back to our time together, our kiss, our declarations of love in this very bedroom, and as I open my eyes it's like I'm being transported there again.

...

I see us making breakfast, and playing with little Henry who is so excited that we shared true loves kiss. How he figured that one out I am not sure, but he's so happy, until we get a knock at the door.

...

Then in another flash I am suddenly in a town hall meeting, being held by Snow and Charming and all the towns people are there.

They are yelling and threatening me, and I feel scared until I see that Emma is with me this time.

I am not alone, and although Snow and Charming are against us, I am not afraid because she is there and I know in my heart she will not let anything happen to us.

Henry is also with us, and I hold him tightly to myself as we face the rest of the town.

...

Now I am in a jail cell as Rumple comes up to me and curses me with the wraith. This feels all too familiar, and I am utterly alone.

I sit for what seems like hours until I hear yelling and turn to see Emma storm into the station.

I reach for her through the bars.

"I cannot believe you two, how could you?" Emma is yelling at them, and then she's grabbing the keys from the desk and approaching me, but Charming snatches it away blocking her.

"Emma listen to yourself. Honey we are trying to help you. She needs to be locked up, after everything she's done to us and our people…" Snow is saying, a bow and arrow attached to her back.

"Oh yes, you and your people. Did she fucking force you to abandon your baby? No! You two made that decision on your own… you could have chosen to keep me!" she yells, tears springing to her eyes.

"Emma, please try to think about what you are saying. This woman has tormented our family, she cursed an entire group of people. How could you love her?" Charming asks, his voice so hurt at the thought.

"Emma we will not stand for this. We love you honey. You must be under some sort of spell. We know you couldn't be like this otherwise." Snow cuts in, bringing her hand Emma's face, and even from the cell I can see nothing but love in Snow's eyes.

I pull back away then, and feel the guilt rise in me.

"She's right." I say softly as I sit on the cot at the back of the cell.

"What?" Charming barks at me, ready to attack even with me trapped in a cell.

"I said she's right. Snow…" I say looking up and seeing all three of them staring at me in shock.

"What do you mean? Regina, just stop talking, these people are all crazy, they will murder if you say things like that." Emma warns me, coming closer to the bars.

"No Emma, your parents are right. I fought for so long, but I cannot fight anymore. You are more important to me than anything but Henry, but this… you fighting against each other because of me. I just… I just cannot be the reason that you never reunite with your parents." I tell them, and see shock in Snow's eyes.

"Don't listen to her Snow… you always had a soft spot, but she's just playing into your soft side." Charming says and then pulls Snow to him. "Remember, she's done it in the past?" he asks her and she nods, but looks back towards me, unsure of herself.

"Believe what you will, but I do not want to fight anymore. I just…" I look down, because although I have grown to love the Charmings, I know that they do not trust me yet, but I also know I have to put myself out there.

"I just want to be happy and free. It's all I've ever wanted, you know that more than anyone Snow." I tell them as sincerely as I can, mist covering my eyes.

I see Charming look away first, clearly surprised by what I just said.

"But after everything you've done… how could you think we could just forgive you?" Snow says, pushing out of Charming's grasp as she comes to the front of the cell.

"Because that's what you do when you love someone." I tell them, and am a little surprised that I said it so strongly, unwaveringly.

I hear three gasps as I finished my statement and I see love bursting in Emma's eyes as she gives me a small smile and then turns towards her parents.

"Regina is right, and I think that I would be willing to try with you both… try and forgive you if you can try to forgive Regina…" she says, and then takes the keys from Charming and opens the cell door, but instead of helping me out of it, she just enters the cell and closes it and tosses the keys on the desk.

I look to her confused, but she just pulls me up and into a tight hug, breathing me in and cradling my head in her hands.

I bury my head in the side of her neck and inhale as well and it smells like home to me, so I kiss her there and pull back as she kisses me briefly but sweetly and then leads us to the cot to sit, never letting go of me as she does.

Then she looks up to her parents defiantly, "The choice is yours, but if you lock her up, then you lock me up too, and I've already spoken to Ruby and she is watching Henry so we have time." She tells them and then looks to me.

I just remain silent and fill with pride that she has chosen me above her parents, who she searched her whole life for.

As we wait for their response, the wraith appears and attacks us.

...

Next I see us after we defeat the wraith.

We are home and enjoying dinner with Henry, and the Charming's surprisingly, even Red is there.

After a long evening we say good night to everyone, including Henry who is spending the night with his grandparents.

And then I am transporting a clearly shy Emma to my bedroom, our bedroom and we finally consummate our love for one another.

In the throes of passion I pledge my love, myself, my life to her and promise to only be hers for now until eternity.

Never had I ever felt so safe, and so loved as I had that night, the first of many nights that we made love until the early morning hours.

It was to be our happy ending, and even with the towns people still not fully trusting me, I knew that in time the wounds would heal, I knew that all things were possible if I was able to come back, to get a second chance at love like this.

And as I fell asleep that first night, I knew that whatever had happened in my life, all the pain, all the suffering; it was worth it if it led me to this beautiful blond laying next to her.

...

More and more memories flooded my mind as I lay there in my room, and although I could hear Henry and Ruby downstairs, I couldn't move, I wanted to stay there and relive all of them with my love… because I couldn't figure out where she was, why she had left us

I saw Henry growing up and loved how my friendship with Ruby had blossomed, and even my relationship with the Charming's was better than ever.

As time progressed I had somehow forgotten about the other reality as my time with Emma and Henry became my new reality, and we didn't have to worry about Cora or Hook because we were together. Henry never took that trip to Neverland, and as far as I know, we were happy together.

That is until the next memory appeared in my mind.

...

We are walking hand in hand down the main street to Granny's to meet Henry and Red for an early dinner.

I am telling Emma about my day and how I hated dealing with Rumple on a daily basis, but glad that he had backed off since he and Belle had gotten together.

She was playing with my fingers and we nodded to Mr. Hopper as he walked passed us with Pongo on a leash.

I was lost in the sensation of her hands holding mine, still after all this time it felt amazing to have her openly loving me in public.

She was telling me about how she and Graham had signed up to teach a self-defense class with the community center, and that I should probably come to it.

"Really Emma? I think that I can get by just fine with my magic." I tell her, nudging her a bit playfully.

"No, I know you can, but I mean what if somehow you lose your magic or something. I just want to make sure you can handle yourself." She says, stopping to look at me seriously, her eyebrows bunching up in that determined look.

"Oh dear, well that's what I have you for, my strong and tall savior." I tell her as I grab her arm and lean into her, slowly reaching up to kiss her cheek.

I see her cheeks tint pink.

"Uhh.. well.." she coughs, "I do my best Ma'am" she says in a manly voice and pulls down her invisible hat to me.

This just makes me laugh as she wraps her hand around my body pulling me further into her as we cross the street towards Granny's and wave to Henry who is already seated outside.

But before we finish crossing the road I hear metal crashing into metal and turn to see a car headed straight towards us, but then I am being pushed out of the way by Emma, and as I am about to hit the ground I see Emma get hit by the car that is out of control and scream as I hit the ground and am knocked unconscious.

The next time I awake it is to chaos in the hospital.

I can hear people yelling, and hear feet screeching all over the place.

I slowly sit up and try to get my bearings, but what I am met with is a horrific scene.

Blood, there's so much blood on the floor, and then I look up and see multiple gurneys in the room with people in them, and nurses and staff attending to them.

"Emma…" I try to yell but my voice will not come.

I quickly climb out of the bed and start going to each body, but I cannot find her.

I feel my magic going haywire, as lights above the patients are blowing out.

I need to find her, I cant feel her, I feel hollow, something is severely wrong.

"Emma!" I yell louder this time, and the glasses shatter in the room.

This gets everyone's attention as they all stop and then they are all staring at me, scared out of their mind, and I make it to the last bed, hidden behind a curtain.

They all back away from me, and I see the sorrow in their eyes.

As I pull the curtain I see Charming holding Snow who is half standing half kneeling in front of the bed.

"Mom!" I hear a scream so horse and turn to my right to see Henry barreling towards me.

"Henry… what…" I say, still not able to comprehend, until I see her hand hanging off the side of the bed, that hand I was cradling just hours before, that hand that made me whole, and my body collapses.

"Noo…." I scream as I drag my body towards the gurney in front of me, dragging Henry with me.

And as I reach that hand and touch it I feel the coldness from her lifeless body spread through me as I let out an ethereal scream, as everything fades to black again.

...

I sit up straight in bed in my room and let out the same scream as I awaken from the memory.

A/N: Although this chapter contained some Red Queen, this is still and always will be a Swan Queen story. Don't give up on them yet!