I'm just gonna keep going. My mind wanders around a bit, I apologize if things seem rushed. I can't help it! All mistakes are mine, OUAT is not, this story is though.

Chapter 25

Red led them thru a maze of tunnels and Regina followed her without question. Everyone was hoping the lights wouldn't fail before they found the siren.

Regina nearly ran into Red's back as the woman stopped suddenly, tilting her head and listening. Regina was about to tell her to keep going when she heard it too… It was singing. It was Lorelei singing. Somewhere in the darkness the voice could barely be heard. Red took off, sprinting thru the tunnel with Regina struggling to keep up with her. They finally came to a dead end with just a single heavy metal door on it. They started pulling on the door, but it wasn't opening. All the time they fought the door, Lorelei sang her song.

Lord, why did you take her?

She meant so much to me

Now I'm a wretched soul on a privateer

Drowning out at sea

I'm killing and I'm drinking, my blue heart to black

But I swear oh lord

I'll never sin again

If you bring her back.

Emma and David dug around the door, using flat shaped rocks on the ground to pry at it. It slowly started inching open, Regina was breathing raggedly, suddenly wishing she hadn't come. She was about to know whether Lorelei hated her or not. She was obviously taken, even she wouldn't hide here. As the door finally screamed it's way open, the siren had her eyes closed, leaning on the far wall, still singing. Everyone stared at her, not sure what her mental state must be.

The gypsy was a siren, dripping with desire

Her moonlit hair and skin so far

As warm as frozen fire.

She had the loyalty of a cat, behind those pale green eyes

And through her cherry lips,

The devil slipped a thousand lies.

A clan of rogues and vagabonds occupied her head

That thieving band took her pale white hand

And stole her from my bed

And like a ghost ship in the night, she drifted out once more

To land upon the sand of another lovers shore.

Emma was the first to move towards the woman. She gently reached out and touched her foot. Lorelei jumped and her eyes shot open, then she shut them tightly, squinting at the bright lights. "Whose there? Did you bring a snickers? I'm hungry as fuck."

Emma snorted a laugh, "it's me, Emma. I don't have a snickers, but we're here to bring you out. Are you hurt?"

Lorelei was slowly adjusting to the light, but still couldn't see past the lights, "Emma? Bitch you lyin. You always got a candy bar… Who's with you?"

Emma looked her over, checking for bruises or blood but didn't find any. "Snow and David, Red, Graham, Jefferson and Regina. Can you stand?"

Lorelei seemed to get lost in thought for a moment before shaking herself a bit and grinning, "you know, I don't think I can stand. Maybe I need to be carried?"

Emma raised a brow at her, she didn't look hurt. "I see. Well fine then, David could you…?"

"No! Not him. Ew." Lorelei said with a sour face.

Rolling her eyes Emma said, "Jefferson…?"

"No."

"Seriously? Fine, Graham…?"

"No."

Emma threw her hands up in annoyance, "then who do you propose carries your ass?"

Lorelei held her arms up and batted her eyelashes at Emma, "oh I'm so weak. So very weak. Poor thing, I've been starved for years down here."

Emma sighed but picked her up anyway. She wasn't overly heavy. "it's been three days."

Lorelei lounged as Emma carried her out of the tiny cell, taking great pleasure in being carried. Once outside the cell however she pulled herself out of Emma's grip and stood, dusting herself off. "That was unpleasant. I'd rather walk."

Emma clenched her jaw but grabbed her flashlight and pushed the woman further out towards the waiting group. "I am regretting finding you."

Lorelei had finally gotten used to the lights and looked around at everyone. Her eyes settled on Red. "You followed my trail didn't you?" Red nodded, but she was shifting her feet in awkward silence. Lorelei nodded and said sincerely, "thank you. I know you didn't have to."

Red swallowed hard and managed to whisper, "you're welcome."

She then looked at Regina, "are you alright?"

Regina nodded and was wringing her hands nervously, "I am. Emma and Graham and Jefferson helped me while you were missing."

Lorelei nodded and gestured to Red, "can you help us leave now?"

Red turned and started leading them out without another word. Lorelei followed behind her and everyone fell in behind them. Emma and Regina were in the back and Emma could see the stress on Regina's face. She would worry herself sick before this was done with.

It was in silence that they all came out of the caves. Lorelei stretched and took a deep breath of fresh air. She then turned to everyone and spoke, "okay. Now, who put me in there?"

Emma shrugged, "don't know."

Red shrugged too, "there wasn't another scent past the docks."

"Well, I didn't lock myself up, I assure you. Someone hit me in the back of the head and I woke up in that hole with a new necklace that I hope everyone likes, because I can't get it off."

Red and Regina both reached for the necklace, apparently forgetting their fight, to examine the thin silver chain around the womans neck. They both felt all around it, but couldn't find a way to open it. It was too small to pull up over head too, as Regina discovered. Both women stepped back and seemed to think about it.

David came forward and pulled a small multi tool out of his pocket, Lorelei snatched it out of his hand before he got to close and he backed up quickly. She opened the pliers and tried to get them on the chain, nearly choking herself.

Regina shook her head and took the tool from her, trying to cut thru the chain. "It won't cut it. It's not even making a mark." She pulled the pliers off and looked at them before shaking her head, "it actually dented the edges. I don't think it can be removed sweetheart."

Red looked at Regina and Regina blushed once she realized where she was and what she had said. She glanced around quickly and stepped back again. Everyone seemed to be waiting for something but Snow broke the silence again, "ah, Lorelei… we're all waiting to know what you're feeling…"

Looking confused, Lorelei said, "feeling?" She looked at everyone and then closed her eyes and nodded, "oh, since the curse broke you mean?"

Emma interrupted though, not really wanting things to explode at this particular moment, "hey, maybe we should get you something to eat? We can talk about everything later."

Lorelei nodded and let Emma lead her off towards the town and Grannys. Jefferson excused himself to go see to his daughter, Graham decided to stay with Regina to make sure no one tried to be her judge and jury again. Snow and David headed off to their home, assuming Emma would collect Henry.

Regina waited a few minutes then turned to Red who was watching Emma and Lorelei walk away. "Red… thank you. For letting me come along to find her. You didn't have to…"

Red shook her head and wiped away a stray tear, "I don't know what she's thinking, but I can imagine the outcome. Just… take care of her okay? You weren't the one who taught her everything in the world, remember? There's still a lot she doesn't understand, this whole thing proved that. She won't walk away from you Regina, we should both know that by now. I don't know if she still loves me or not, but if she does… just tell her I can't compete with you anymore okay? 28 years wasn't enough time to get over her, but I'm gonna try again. But take care of her, or I'll fucking kill you."

Regina nodded, slightly stunned that she gave in so easily. "Okay."

Red rushed off and Regina smiled at Graham, "well then… now what?"

The huntsman gave her a crooked grin in return, "well, I say we follow her to the diner. If she doesn't want you, I'm still single."

Regina laughed loudly and they started walking towards town. "Are you hitting on me, Huntsman?"

He shrugged, "sure, why not? You're fairly attractive and dangerous too. You know I love a good challenge."

Shaking her head, Regina rolled her eyes, "I'm afraid you don't stand a chance. You have no idea how loyal I am to that siren. I don't think I would ever get over her, I don't know how Red intends to try."

Graham nudged her shoulder playfully, "yeah, she's something special I guess. Honestly, if I had to choose, I'd pick the siren over you." Regina shot him a wounded look and he quickly explained, "I told you I like a good challenge! That woman tolerates me, at best, if that's not a challenge, I don't know what is!"

….

Once in the diner, Emma was surprised how many people were genuinely happy to see Lorelei. She got hugs from every woman, and a hearty nod from the men. Granny came out from behind the counter to yell at her, "where the hell have you been?!"

Lorelei put her hands up and backed her way into the last booth, "I was kidnapped! I didn't want to sit in a hole for a month!"

"Three days! You were missing for three days! Regina refused to leave her house the entire time. That woman was dying without you. The mob nearly strung her up too. If it wasn't for Emma she'd be dead." Granny had her arms crossed staring down at Lorelei.

"Hey, okay, I'm sorry I got kidnapped and locked up! Can I have some food though?" Lorelei watched as Granny huffed and stormed off, preparing to get her something to eat and drink. She looked at Emma, "you saved Regina?"

Emma sat across form her, motioning for Henry to wait a minute before coming over. "Yeah, well I'm the sheriff, it's my job."

"You're the savior. You're supposed to be here to defeat the bad in the world. I had thought the evil queen would be your new enemy."

Emma shrugged, "she doesn't seem evil to me."

Lorelei smiled as Henry couldn't wait and made his way over. She quickly whispered to Emma, "she wasn't born evil, it's not who she really is."

Henry threw himself at Lorelei, hugging her tightly as she tried to pick him off herself, "Ma! I was so worried about you! Are you okay? Did you die?"

Lorelei finally got him to sit down without attaching himself to her, "I did not die. I was kidnapped by some nefarious villain. No worries though, I was rescued just before I made a daring escape."

Regina was behind the booth as she heard the last part. She laughed lightly, "you were singing a ridiculous shanty in a locked stone room. You didn't have a shot in hell of escaping."

Lorelei smiled up at her and Regina sat beside Emma. "Lies. No one can trap me."

Granny delivered several plates of food and Lorelei refused to speak again until she had eaten every bite and drank four glasses of water. Finally, she had finished and she looked at Henry, "I think you and Emma should go wander off for a while."

Henry frowned at her, "why?"

Emma looked from Regina to Lorelei, they obviously had to talk. "Yeah, come on kid. We can drop by to see your moms later."

Henry didn't move, "I'm not leaving. No one knows what Lorelei is thinking. What if she hates my mom and wants her alone to kill her?"

Regina looked away quickly, not wanting to hear the answer. Emma was in shock that he had said such a thing. Lorelei just smiled at him and then leaned in very close to his ear and whispered something that made his face light up and he hugged her fiercely before jumping up and waiting impatiently for Regina to let Emma out of the booth. He drug her out the door without letting her say good bye. Graham nodded and left also, feeling the siren would take up the guard.

Regina frowned after them, wondering what she had said to him to make him so sure she wasn't going to kill her. She jumped a bit when Lorelei held her hand out to her. She looked up at the siren, unsure.

Smiling lightly, Lorelei wiggled her fingers a bit, "come on. You can't let me leave alone, look what happened last time I ran off. I got kidnapped. I need my knight in shining Prada."

Regina giggled and took her hand, "I'm still not sure you got kidnapped. I mean, that's a fancy necklace you got there, maybe you were on a hot date and it took a weird turn."

Lorelei guided them out of the diner and was leading them to the docks again. They sat at their bench, a small space between them as Regina was still very unsure of her place with the siren. "Well, I can assure you, this was not a gift I took willingly. I don't know what it does, but I don't like it not coming off."

Regina watched the harbor and wrung her hands in her lap, finally breaking the awkward tension she felt. "Lorelei… I want you to know… I didn't intend for the curse to put us in a relationship. It just sort of came out that way, probably because of the way this world sees things. I tried not to love you the way you were cursed to love me… I just couldn't help it. I'm so sorry…"

"You're sorry you fell in love with me?"

"No!" Regina shook her head violently, "no not at all! I can't even begin to tell you how happy you made me. I've never felt so loved and wanted. I just… I'm sorry you were made to feel the way you did. I feel like I took advantage of you and I shouldn't have."

Lorelei was listening, and a small smile stayed on her lips as the other woman spoke. "You didn't take advantage of me, Regina. I wasn't cursed."

Regina was frowning, trying to think of a better way to apologize and barely caught what the other woman said, after a few seconds she processed it and looked at her with confusion, "what did you say?"

Taking Regina's hands in her own, Lorelei scooted closer, "I wasn't cursed, Regina. I was somewhere between you and everyone else. I got a new life of memories, but I kept my own too. I knew both worlds like you did, but instantly, I didn't have to learn like you did."

Taking her hands back, Regina was suddenly furious, "why didn't you tell me?!"

Lorelei took a deep breath and told her tale. "I didn't tell you because I wanted to be cursed. When Red attacked you with the sword infused with my magic, it pulled me out of the hell that is Wonderland. I went from that living hell into a new one where Red was trying to kill you. When I woke up here, with new memories, I wanted it to be real. I wanted so very much to forget the enchanted forest, and especially Wonderland. My mind was a fucking night mare. I wanted no part of it. So, I pushed my old life out and embraced Rory. Rory loved you… and so did I, so it was easy."

Regina settled back down as she listened. "You…?"

Nodding, she took Regina's hands again, "when I was stuck in Wonderland… I tried to comfort myself with thoughts of Red, but it didn't help enough, not when things got real bad. Then I started to think of you… Regina, it took a good minute and a lot of pain and torture, but I was never a quick learner. I realized I was in love with you. I wanted you, even if you never wanted me in the same way."

"Red…?" Regina couldn't believe any of this yet.

"I did love her… but not as much as I loved and needed you. When I woke up next to you here, it was perfection. You didn't want to let yourself love me, and I appreciate you trying to not take advantage of me. But, really, I'm still surprised you resisted me for two years…"

Regina slapped her arm lightly, "you're not that irresistible."

She smiled and pulled Regina close enough to wrap her arms around her, "yes I am."

Regina sighed as she pressed herself into the other woman, "that's why you changed and no one else did. I bet you told Henry you weren't cursed, that's why he left."

Lorelei nodded, "yeah. Little doorstep demon baby is very protective of you. So is Emma, apparently. Anything I need to know on that one?"

Regina shrugged, "no, I have no interest in her. However, Graham offered to keep me company if you left me."

Lorelei pulled back and stared angrily at her, "the fucking Huntsman? You got a thing for hairy boys that smell like bear shit?"

Regina laughed and pulled her in close again, "no I do not. Besides, I don't think I could date him since he said he would rather have you."

"Oh hell no." Lorelei got up and started towards the diner to slap the beard off a huntsman.

Regina laughed and grabbed her arm, pulling her around and pressing their bodies together. "Never mind that boy. I know he doesn't stand a chance at either of us. Besides, I think he actually has a thing for Emma."

Lorelei relaxed and held her close, kissing her forehead, "I'm gonna bitch slap him when I see him."

Regina smiled and just said, "okay."

….

Red watched the women as they sat on the bench by the harbor. She hadn't meant to be anywhere near them, but here they were. She couldn't hear them, but she knew what was happening. She watched until they were standing and laughing. When they started kissing, Red turned and headed for the one place she could find a bit of peace, the rabbit hole. She just hoped the siren was too distracted to visit her bar.

….

The days passed in a sort of chaotic whirlwind. Everyone quickly decided they needed Regina as mayor. No one could keep this town running without a good mayor. Everyone else eventually went back to their work, trying to adapt to two sets of memories and their life in general.

Lorelei had thought about going to her bar, but decided to wait another week or so. Belle apparently only opened on Friday and Saturday and all the patrons were content to drink quietly and keep to themselves.

Everything seemed to be coming to a sort of calm existence, right up until everyone saw a massive purple cloud erupting from the forest. Regina held Lorelei's hand tightly as it rolled towards them. Emma, Snow and David had rushed to Regina to ask her about it, it was obviously magical.

"I have no idea what the hell that is!" Regina shouted at them while they rained questions down on her.

"Regina, it's obviously magic! No one else knows anything about magic, it has to be yours!" Snow shouted angrily at her.

Regina rolled her eyes, "have you forgotten the fairies? They have magic knowledge too."

Lorelei inhaled sharply and looked at Regina, "how's Mr. Gold lately?"

Regina's eyes widened in shock, "I forgot about him. He hasn't been around since he stole the egg thing Emma fetched."

They all turned and watched helplessly as the cloud came roaring towards them. It had to be the dark one. It wasn't going to be pleasant, whatever he had done.

….

The song referenced here is 'Lovers Wreck' by Gaelic storm.