Hi everyone! So, I was going crazy... I got this chapter corrected about 4 days ago and having to wait to update it was too much! HAHAHA
This chapter was in my mind a long long time ago. I remember when I asked you for sugestions about songs and only now I'm using it. I would love to thank my lovely and beautiful friend ANA PAULA for giving me this sugestion.
About last Sunday's episode WHOA! Regina was just perfect, there is no other word to explain her performance in the last episode. SO MANY FEELINGS, I don't know if I'm happy or sad, but I do hope you don't get bored with this fanfiction since Archie is no longer Regina's love (ok, we all already knew about that, but what is the problem in dreaming huh? Fanfiction is not about it?) So... I'm here again! Yeah, baby!
To EvilRegalTwinnies; Yes, she should huh? But I think Regina need some time with them, you know what I'm talking about, do you? Kisses ;*
To CCangel; Emma going to have some anger management classes would really be fun! haha Yes, Archie will get his moment with Claire... There will be a lot of confusions and fights. ahahaha! ;**
To opheliafrump; Claire is a little bitch... and about the kiss... go read!;)
To snoopydoodles17; Hi, Grace. I'm so glad you liked my chapters... keep reading. I do hope you like this chapter, the kiss is here, let's see if it worked. ;) see you soon ;D
To emanu cristina; Ei, porque esse pé atrás com a Cora? Quem sabe ela não pode mesmo mudar? Acho que a atitude da Cora foi porque ela ficou mesmo surpresa, Regina nunca tinha contado e de repente ela chega falando que está esperando duas meninas... Queria mexer um pouco com a sua cabeça, mas vou te deixar acreditar no que você quiser... haha Não vou te influenciar (já influenciando kkk). Ah, me manda o link pra esse grupo, quero muito dar uma olhada ;) Evil Kisses e obrigado por sempre deixar esses comentários TOOOOOPs!
To Gotapenname; Thank you for reviewing me! I hope you like this chapter ;)
To Lilly Mills; Ei, muito obrigada! Você acha que funcionou? Corre pra ver e não esquece de me contar o que você achou. Beijos!
To Guest; Thank you so much, guest. Please, let me know what you think about this chapter and let me know your name, pretty please? *-*
To mihpuretachi; Pois é, eu acho que Regina estava à beira de um ataque, coitadinha. Quanto ao relacionamento da Regina com Leopold, eu também acho que a série não chegaria à esse ponto, mas já parou pra imaginar que impulso seria se isso tivesse acontecido? As pessoas não olharam para Regina apenas com a Rainha Má. Então... a Claire vai ter que esperar só um pouco, mas vai ser divertido e ela vai ter o que merece, aquela vaquinha! O que posso fazr? Acho que a Rainha Má ganhou um pedacinho de mim ;) haha Kiiisses :)
To anapcmesquita; Oh God... I swear, I almost make the kiss don't work just to piss you off. But you already know the answer, now go check it out! I hope you enjoy this chapter ;) Lov u 2 ;D
To md88; haha I love that you are anxious! GO check this chapter ;) kiisses...
To Kristy; THANK YOU SO MUCH! You're a beautiful and amazing beta.
Enjoy!
CHAPTER 36 – ARMS
A large airflow accompanied by a small wave of light came from Regina. It took a few seconds for everyone to understand what had just happened. True Love's kiss.
Their lips were still resting on the other's when Regina's mind started to fill with new memories. She moaned at the intensity of images passing through her mind. She was remembering.
I never thought that you would be the one to hold my heart
She felt as if a weight was being placed on her body, but at the same time she felt confident and safe. Her eyes were still closed and she knew that one arm was wrapping around her, holding her firmly, preventing her from falling on the floor.
But you came around and you knocked me off the ground from the start
She remembered every day, every week, every month and every year she spent lonely in this town until the day she had Henry in her arms. Then, she remembered how it felt to lose the ground when Henry brought his biological mother. Emma. So, one more thing made sense. Emma was Snow White and Charming's daughter and Henry was their grandson.
She remembered when it all seemed lost and in fact it was. The curse was broken and Emma and Snow were sent back to the Enchanted Forest. She remembered when Daniel returned.
Daniel.
When she lost ground again. When she decided to take a fatal curse to prove to her son that she trusted him. When all was lost, when she thought she had lost her only friend, Archie... So, after all that, life seemed to settle a present for her. Her girls.
Then Cora appeared and tried to kill her, but she was trapped. The anger of getting pregnant was going away with the time and she was finding an amazing and wonderful man behind the psychologist and the insect.
She felt so insecure. Having two daughters was totally different from having a son. She felt like she had blown it with Henry and she couldn't do that with her girls. So, some people began to remind her of who she was. The Evil Queen. She just wanted to give up. She just wanted to disappear. She just wanted to feel at home. Home. She didn't know what that meant until she actually let Archie into her heart.
You put your arms around me and I believe that it's easier for you to let me go
The feeling of affection, respect, admiration and even love flooded Regina. She loved this man who was wrapping her in his arms. She loved being in his arms. She loved the smell and the taste of his lips. She loved the feel of his fingers on her skin and his eyes. His eyes were full of everything she ever dreamed. Love. She was at home, at long last.
You put your arms around me and I'm home
The uncertainty and fear of losing Archie were leaving her mind. The fear of never getting her happy ending, of never get her true love, of always seeing him dying in her hands and not doing anything is gone. Now she just had a certainty. Archie was her true love and she was his. Nobody can fool the most powerful magic of all.
How many times will you let me change my mind and turn around?
"You... you love me..." She whispered. It wasn't a question, but her voice was full of surprise.
He grinned at the confused woman in his arms.
"I said I love you."
"But... you love me... for real."
It wasn't easy for her to let herself trust someone, not to the point of surrendering completely to someone, letting him see her faults, fears and weaknesses.
"Yes, I love you for real." He laughed at the face more than confused. "And you love me." He noted.
No one could hide his smile when Regina's face contorted in confusion even more.
"But... but Daniel... he was my true love."
"Maybe, but how do you explain the fact that you recovered your memories after I kissed you?" He asked with an air of pride.
"I... I... this is not possible... I-"
"You love me," He interrupted. "For real."
"But-"
"No buts. You love me. I am your true love and you are mine. Come, let's get up." He said pulling her up. His arms were still around her.
He pulled her up and just now Regina saw the three people watching the scene from afar. She felt ashamed, but as soon as she met their eyes, the shame was gone. Their eyes were full of compassion, affection, and if it was possible to say, relief.
Emma approached them and looked at Regina with eyes still full of concern. Regina and Archie didn't need to say what had just happened. The three of them had lived and felt the power of true love breaking a curse. Moreover, when approaching, Emma couldn't see the mess that was always present in Regina's eyes recently.
"Are you okay?" Emma asked and, shortly thereafter, Snow and David were already approaching them.
Archie pulled away and looked deeply into her eyes waiting for an answer.
"I'm fine. I'm just tired." Regina said.
They had already discussed the possibility of using magic on Regina to heal her wounds and bruises, but they knew she couldn't handle the fact that magic was real. But now that she had remembered everything, Archie couldn't stand seeing her injuries healing with time.
"Emma, can you cure her?" Archie asked hopefully.
Emma was surprised, to say the least. She knew he wanted to use some kind of magic on Regina to heal her wounds, but she didn't expect him to ask her. She hoped that the Blue Fairy might help or even Mr. Gold, but trusting him was another story. Besides, Emma didn't trust her own magic to do so. What if she hurt the twins? What if it hurt Regina even more?
"I don't... I don't know if I can do this, what if I hurt her?" Emma started to ramble.
"You won't hurt me." Regina replied quickly.
"But I've never done this, Regina. You didn't teach me how to heal."
"But you are the product of true love. If someone has the power to heal, it's you."
"Please, Emma?" Archie asked again and Emma can't resist him. His eyes glowed full of hope.
Emma approached Regina and undid the bandage from her wrist, letting the terrible mark show. Soon after, she did the same with the bandage on her forehead. Then, Emma extended her hands motioning for Regina to hold them. Regina had her back resting on Archie's chest and his hands were wrapped around her body, protecting and holding her.
Regina watched as Emma closed her eyes and pressed her face in concentration.
"I trust you." Regina whispered and gave a slight squeeze on Emma's hands, soon after she also closed her eyes and could hear Emma releasing a breath in exasperation. "Just breathe."
Archie, Snow and David watched as a white and brilliant smoke began to flow from Emma's hands and go through Regina's whole body. The smoke had a soft and, at same time, striking glow. When the smoke found the bruises, it changed to a slight purple and disappeared into Regina's skin.
Sometime later, the smoke simply disappeared and Emma opened her eyes when she felt the magic in her veins shrinking dramatically.
"Are you okay?" She asked Regina, whose eyes were still closed.
"Yes, I'm fine." Regina opened her eyes and smiled. Soon after she let her eyes roam over her body. The pulse was not cut. Then she ran her fingertips across her forehead and found no sign of cut. The discomfort in the neck due to the contact with the taser also was gone.
"I did it, I got it." Emma said with a huge smile.
"Yes, you did it. Thank you, Emma." Regina thanked, but fatigue was still very present.
Archie tightened his hold on Regina and the woman turned to him.
"I think I need to rest, will you stay with me?" She asked in a voice so soft that it was barely possible to the other three to hear.
So, Archie's heart gave a leap. It was clear that he would be there for her. She had regained her memories and she was asking him to be there with her while she slept. And the best of all was that she didn't care what the others would think about.
I can't decide if I'll let you save my life or if I'll drown
He laid one of his hands gently on her face and smiled at her in a different way. "Of course I'll stay with you. I'll never leave you, ever. I love you."
He smiled once more to see the impact that those words had on the woman he loved and then he brought her lips back to his. It was a quick kiss, but full of promise.
"I love you too."
"Emma... So, what happened? Where is Regina?" Ruby said as she saw the blonde approaching.
"She's fine, Ruby. She has her memories back." Emma smiled.
"Really? How?"
"Archie." It was all that Emma needed to say.
Ruby let the relief overwhelm her. She had learned to like Regina, even with the woman being grumpy and bossy sometimes. She had noticed the change that the woman was going through. But, after Regina had been kidnapped and when she had returned with Emma, seeing her so vulnerable and fragile made her realize one side of Regina that she never lets people see. She realized that she cares about Regina. She is part of the family now.
"Where is Henry?" Emma asked.
"He's finally asleep. He was so worried, Emma. He kept saying it was his entire fault and that if anything happened to Regina or the girls, he wouldn't forgive himself."
"My sweet boy." Emma smiled. "I'll take him home."
Emma entered the room where her son was and approached his bed.
"Henry. Henry." She shook the boy, who woke with a start.
"Ma, where is my mom?" He asked with wide eyes.
"She's fine, Henry." Emma assured with a huge smile on her face. "She has her memories back."
"Does she? How?"
"True love's kiss." She smiled.
"I knew it!" He vibrated. "I knew mom loved Archie. I told you."
"Yes, in fact she does."
"I want to go see her." The boy demanded. Any semblance of sleep had left the boy.
"She was so tired, Henry. Archie took her home and he will stay with her. I bet they are asleep. Tomorrow I'll take you there. Now, let's go home?"
The boy nodded with a relieved smile.
Archie opened the front door and opened the way for Regina to enter her home. Home. Regina was exhausted, she just wanted to sleep. Archie couldn't even understand what he was feeling. He didn't know if he was happy or worried. Happy because she had her memories back and he was the one who brought them or worried about the amount of strong emotions that Regina went through today.
The journey from the mine to the house was silent. Neither of them dared to speak, but clasped hands and worried glances did more than any words could do.
Now, Regina was inside her closet changing clothes and Archie was sat on the bed waiting for her. Actually, he was more than waiting, he was lost in thought. His head was traveling a mile a minute with the events of recent weeks and, especially, the last few hours.
If he is sure of one thing in life, he is sure that he cares about Regina and this is not just because they are having children together, but because he realized that he loves her and it can no longer be denied. Just a few minutes ago he had a heavy heart. He felt as if his ground could vanish if anything happened to Regina. But soon after, he was given a gift and, until now, he couldn't understand what he did to deserve such joy. Regina loves him.
I hope that you see right through my walls, I hope that you catch me 'cause I'm already falling
He was so caught up in thoughts that he didn't realize Regina looking at him from the door of the closet. She saw that he had a lost and still worried look and he hadn't even realized that she had already finished. She stepped carefully to not scare him, but he still didn't seem to realize she was there.
She sat beside him and rubbed her hand on his back. Only then he realized her presence and he smiled at her. Both didn't know what to say and how to act. She smiled back and rested her head on his shoulder.
The sensation of having her so close again was strangely frightening. He could see how much he had missed her and the importance she already has in his life.
They intertwined their hands and Archie was playing with her fingers.
"What are you thinking about?" She asked softly. She didn't raise her eyes to look at him, but she knew his eyes were on her.
"I'm just happy..." He smiled at her. "Very happy, that's all."
"You are thoughtful and worried." She said while massaging her swollen belly.
Then, Regina heard Archie sighing and she was sure that something was really wrong. But before she could say anything, she realized he was crying.
"Archie?" She asked worriedly. "What is happening?"
"It's nothing, I promise."
"Don't lie to me, Archie. Please."
He let out another sigh.
"I... you... will you forgive me?"
"What? Why?" She furrowed her brow. She was looking at Archie profusely.
"I wasn't there for you... I mean... I said I love you and I do, more than anything... and when you needed me, I wasn't there... I couldn't even go after you... You could have died, my daughters... our daughters could have died and what about me? I had to stay here in this town, not knowing what was happening or where you were... you see what was hap-"
I'll never let our love get so close
Regina couldn't believe what she was hearing. She knew he didn't go because he couldn't, but here he was apologizing for something that was not his fault. She fumed.
"How can you say such a thing?" Regina walked away from Archie and rose from the bed, positioning herself in front of him.
"I... I just... I'm sorry that I didn't go after you-"
"Archie, you can't be serious. Are you listening to what you are talking about?" She asked incredulously.
"Regina, I should have protected you and I couldn't. I can't protect you, don't you see?"
"You don't need to protect me, Archie. Don't you see? You saved me."
"No. Emma and Henry saved you. If it wasn't for them I would never have found you again."
"No. You saved me. Don't you see that? Look at me." She opened her arms as if encouraging him to look at her from head to toe. "What do you think is happening to me? You still think I'm the Evil Queen?"
"No," He answered quickly. "You're not her anymore."
"No, Archie. You still don't understand, do you? I will always be her."
"No, you're not her, Regina, everyone knows that."
"But they are wrong. She is part of who I am. Don't you understand that you changed my life? I was the Evil Queen, I still am, but you came and showed me that I can be happy. You showed me that I can be loved, even after the terrible things I did. I was dying inside, Archie. The world was falling right on top of my head. Henry was all I had, all I cared about and I hurt him so much that he hated me." She said these words with a heavy heart at the memory.
The world is coming down on me
"But, then, Daniel appeared again and he told me to love again. Things happened very fast, Archie." She started crying and Archie decided to stop, he couldn't handle to see her like that.
"No, please... don't cry." He said as he approached her, but she interrupted him.
"No, I need to say that." Then she continued. "I showed up at your office that night, because it was the only place I knew I wouldn't be judged. You were there to hear me. Obviously that night got out of our control." She said and smiled at him before looking at her swollen belly. He smiled back. "I thought it was a mistake, that our night had been a mistake, but time passed and I realized that that night was the more right thing that happened in my lifetime."
He smiled openly at her and got close, passing one of his hands on her tearful face. He, as always, was looking at her with eyes full of love, affection and admiration.
"Every time I showed up at your house in the middle of the night, you received me, you took care of me... you took care of us." She smiled again and, this time, they both looked down. "I was scared to death to become the Evil Queen again, to do the things she did. Deathly afraid of scaring my daughters and, to be honest, I'm still scared to death."
"But you are no longer the Evil Queen." He insisted. "I know that, I have seen it."
"Thank you, Archie. But I didn't get here alone. You did it, you brought me here, along with Henry, along with them."
"I'm afraid..." He finally admitted.
"I am too... what if I become her again, Archie?" Regina said in a whisper. "I killed so many people, I hurt-"
And I can't find a reason to be loved
"No," He interrupted. "It's not about this that I'm afraid."
"Then, what is it about?"
"What if I can't protect you? What if I can't protect our girls? What if I can't be the man you need-"
"No, Archie. You can't say that to me. Please don't do this to me, never say that." She approached him and wrapped him in a tight hug.
I never wanna leave you
"Regina?"
"I don't want to be alone, Archie, I won't-"
"You're not alone anymore. I'm here now."
"But will you stay here?" She said, her voice muffled in his neck.
"I will. Of course I will."
He spent some time rubbing circles on her back as he tried to calm her sobs. When they stopped, the room was completely silent and the only thing that mattered was the two of them.
"I love you." She whispered. Her head was resting on his chest and her nose hidden in the crook of his neck.
She felt Archie smiling upon her.
"I love you too. I love you so much."
Regina was already asleep. Archie could almost say that she was creating a kind of trench made of pillows and cushions. She had her head on a pillow, her belly was resting on a cushion and she had another pillow between her legs.
Archie couldn't sleep. He spent the last hour looking at her. Decorating every inch of her face, every stain, every sign, everything. From time to time he caught himself laughing to hear that Regina was softly snoring. The simple movement up and down that Regina's chest was doing already served to reassure Archie.
It was dawn, and as always, the girls seemed to like being awake at this hour because Archie began to feel the movements in Regina's belly getting stronger. He smiled, a smile full of love and if he was sincere, full of longing.
He pulled the sheet covering Regina and lifted her shirt, leaving her belly exposed. He did everything very carefully so as not to wake her. Smiling, he placed both hands on her belly and waited. It was impossible not to notice the huge bump that was forming on the side of her belly.
"You are awake, right?" He whispered. "I was dying to feel you again, have you missed me too?"
The instantaneous movement against his hand was the best answer he could have achieved. The silly grin on his face was interrupted by a low growl from Regina, who looked uncomfortable.
"Shhhhh. We can't wake mommy. She is very, very tired." He continued massaging her belly. "In fact, you should be sleeping too. I really don't understand how you can have so much energy... it was quite a day." He smiled again. He knew he could never get that silly grin off his face while he was talking to his girls. "Good night, my little princesses." He said quietly and bent to kiss the exposed belly.
The contact made Regina fidget in her sleep, muttering something that Archie couldn't understand and making a brief grimace. He pulled back a little to make room for her to move and she ended up turning her back to him. Archie waited for her to calm down and when he realized she had returned to her peaceful sleep again, he pulled her close to him, sticking her back in his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, feeling happy with her snuggling closer to him.
"I love you, my love." He whispered before falling into a deep sleep, knowing he was in the right place, the place they were supposed to be. At home.
You put your arms around me and I'm home...
You put your arms around me and I'm home
Wait a second, before I forget to say... I LOVED TINKERBELL :) I'm totally in love with her *-*
About this chapter, I'm totaly nervous and anxious to know what you thought. Seriously! Leave reviews and let me know, I need this feedback in this chapter in special. This was a little hard to write, but I knew you were expecting for that!
For the next chapter: Raise your hands and show yourself those who want to see Tamara getting a bit of payback. PAYBACK SUCKS, BITCH!
See you in the next chapter. Thank you all who just take a time to leave me these beautiful and encouraging reviews. I really love you all.
Bárbara.
Only one more thing. I'm turning 21 in a few days. The special (yes haha) day is October 20th, so... HAPPY BIRTHDAY to me! ;)