Chapter 4

Regina's eyes barely had time to bug out of her head. She didn't even have enough time to register what was happening. The high pitched shriek that came out of the savior's mouth startled her backwards. She quickly averted her eyes, but glanced back as Emma clutched her silky top in her hands, covering her chest. Emma's eyes were darting around the bathroom, her breathing shallow and quick. Regina furrowed her eyebrows.

"Emma?"

The blonde continued her frantic search of the bathroom, finally taking a deep sighing breath when she concluded she was indeed alone. Regina watched as Emma shook her head and dropped the top to the floor.

Regina turned her back on the savior, unsure what had just happened. Did Emma see her for a moment? What else could explain the sudden panic? "Emma can you hear me?" Regina called over her shoulder, sighing in frustration when she heard the water turn on in the tub. Suddenly very aware of a naked Emma Swan behind her, Regina suddenly felt her ears start burning. Unsure of what to do, she decided standing in a dark bedroom with a sleeping Killian Jones was a better option than in here with a naked, wet, savior. Resisting the urge to look over her shoulder, Regina passed through the door into the other room. "Much better option," Regina said to herself.

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Regina looked shyly up as a thankfully dressed Emma emerged from the bathroom, toweling dry her hair. She watched as Emma sat on the bed next to Killian, who moved his hand over her lap but otherwise did not move.

"Come back to bed, love," he slurred, words muffled by the pillow.

Emma forced a half smile. "I can't. I have to go to work."

Killian forced his upper body off the bed, rolling slightly to face her. "Today? But with all that happened yesterday, I thought you'd want to stay with Henry."

Emma bristled slightly at the passive aggressive guilt trip. She took a breath before answering, knowing he probably didn't mean it that way. "He's with David, remember? We've got to have at least one sheriff on duty, especially after what happened yesterday. People are going to want answers. I was supposed to be their savior. They deserve to know that it was really Regina that saved them."

Regina's heart warmed, a lip pulling up into the slightest smile. This woman really was good in every sense of the word. Regina looked down and swallowed, wishing she hadn't been so stubborn before to appreciate this woman who had truly been her friend.

Killian shook his head and sighed. "I know she was your friend, Emma, but you are the savior. One act of goodness does not negate all the evil she has done in the past."

Regina's smile immediately faded. She shot her gaze to Emma to see how she was going to respond. Emma looked flabbergasted. She scoffed noisily and pushed herself up off the bed.

Knowing he had angered Emma, Killian sat all the way up. "I'm just saying, love, you shouldn't be up and giving credit to Regina for saving the day this one time, when you've been saving this whole damned town from her since you got here!" He was yelling by the time he was finished, because Emma had walked out of the room and down the hall. He sighed and fell back down to the bed.

Regina had watched Emma storm off, and walked slowly to the bed. She looked down at the sleepy, rum soaked pirate. She had never felt as much disdain for him than she did in that moment. He couldn't see the dark eyes piercing into him. How dare he say such things? How dare he say such true things? She was pulled away and through the wall as Emma made her way to the station angrily.

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Regina came to the conclusion as she was being pulled through the town forcefully as Emma drove to the station that this situation simply would not do. Being dead was one thing. Being a ghost was one thing. But not being allowed to haunt freely and not be with her son at all times was something completely different. When she had been freed from the strangling hold of her mother, Regina vowed to never be led around again. And yet here she was, being dragged behind Emma Swan like a reluctant puppy. She strode into the sheriff's office to find Emma settling in. She was off put. She was tossing paperwork files around angrily and mumbling about something under her breath. Regina watched in amusement as the annoyance of the woman only escalated. Such a child.

When Emma finally humphed into her chair, Regina was able to refocus on her strange situation. "There must be an explanation," Regina said aloud as she started pacing the room. Emma continued to fumble with things on her desk. "I can accept that maybe I'm dead. I can even accept that maybe I'm a ghost. But I can't accept that it's a coincidence that I'm doomed to be bound to you for the rest of your confounded life." Regina continued to pace, not noticing Emma roll her eyes as she tried fruitlessly to clean up the desk. "No, there has to be another explanation. Something I'm missing."

Regina continued to pace slowly as Emma finally leaned back in the chair and let her arms fall to her sides. "I wish I hadn't agreed to that stupid camping trip. I should be with Henry," Emma said to herself.

Regina scoffed, placing her hands on her hips as she continued to pace. "Obviously. He needs his mother, not the two idiots."

"He's not an idiot," Emma said, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "He's a good man. He probably knows better than I do what to say to Henry."

Regina continued to pace, raising an eyebrow. "You have a point."

Emma snorted and pushed herself up from the desk. "Who am I kidding. I can't do this. Damn it, Regina, what do I do? Tell me what to do! I can't...I don't know how to raise this kid without you!" Emma leaned her forearm up against the wall, leaning her forehead onto it. She breathed out, tears pricking the corners of her eyes.

Regina walked up next to Emma, staring intently but softly at her. "Yes you do," she said, almost in a whisper. "You can. From the moment you walked into my life I've been trying to force you out of it. Not because of the past. Not because...I loathed you, because I did. Not because of Snow White or the Evil Queen. It was because I knew," Regina paused, swallowing down the fire burning in her throat, "I knew you had something that I never would. That you had a connection to Henry...a connection he longed for. I knew you could be the kind of mother he deserved, that you could love him as much but differently than I do. And I knew he needed you." Regina continued as Emma stayed still, leaning against the wall, breathing steadily. Regina licked her lips and continued. "Emma Swan, you are brave. Strong. Smart. I never knew how much I admire you until this moment. There is no one I trust to care for Henry more than you. You can do this."

Emma slowly lifted her head from her forearm, eyebrows furrowed. A single tear spilled over onto her cheek. She had a strange feeling that she wasn't alone. She felt a presence there with her. And she was strangely comforted.

Regina reached up and placed her hand on Emma's shoulder, look of compassion in her eyes. She barely noticed that her fingers wrapped firmly around the blonde's shoulder.

Emma felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She slowly turned her head. She saw pleading eyes. She saw a ghostly arm raised up, perfectly manicured hands gripping her shoulder. The unmistakable jawline and lip scar of Regina Mills. "Regina?" she rasped out. As quickly as she had said the word, the apparition was gone.

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Regina immediately pulled her hand off Emma's shoulder in shock. "Emma?! Can you see me? Can you hear me?" But she could tell whatever spell had held Emma had released, because the blonde made no indication that she could do either of those things.

Emma looked around the room in confusion. She could swear that she just saw...she lifted her own hand and placed it on the shoulder she could have sworn she felt a hand. Nothing. Emma's eyes darted around the room. Was she losing her mind? She ran her fingers across her scalp. She grabbed her jacket and headed for the door, unwitting of the yelling Queen running behind her.

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Emma burst into Archie's office, catching him off guard. "Emma! Is everything alright?"

She gripped the hair at her scalp, pacing furiously around his office. "No. I think-I think I'm going crazy."

Archie, clearly concerned, got up from his desk chair and sat in the small armchair across from the couch. "Why? What's going on?" Emma let out a few grunts and exasperated sighs until Archie caught her hand and gently sat her down. Finally she looked up at him, clearly pleading for help. "I know these last few weeks have been trying for you. And yesterday...the loss of Regina is a lot to handle for everyone, I can't imagine how you and Henry-"

Regina walked in and scowled. "It broke him. He's broken," Emma yelled, finally tears falling in droves. "I don't know how to help him through this!" her voice had risen octaves as her sobs were barely held back.

Archie bowed his head, leaning forward to put a hand on her shoulder. "You'll find a way."

Emma shook her head. "No! How can I help him through this when I can't handle it myself!?" Archie paused, hoping Emma would continue. He knew what she was feeling now was bringing up a reality she had suppressed for a long time. When she said nothing further he spoke.

"Regina meant a lot to you too." He pursed his lips as Emma could do nothing but nod emphatically. Regina looked on curiously. "Perhaps...there were some things left unsaid between you."

Emma took a deep breath, seeming to get a hold of her sobbing. She dried her face with the sleeves of her shirt. Her eyes never left her lap. "You can say that about anyone who left too soon. Without being able to say goodbye."

Archie nodded slowly. "Yes, but you and Regina...you went through a lot together. You had a very special relationship, outside of Henry."

Emma scoffed, even smiling sarcastically. "Are you kidding? If it hadn't been for Henry we would have killed each other eons ago."

"I don't think that's true."

Emma shook her head and made a look of disbelief. "We were barely even friends!"

Regina just stood, motionless, taking in the surreal scene unfolding before her eyes. Archie hesitated. "I think...on the surface that's how it seemed. But I think if you really look at it...if you think about it...there was much more to you and Regina than what we saw on the surface."

Emma sat in silence, an uneasy calm had set upon her. Resignation. She knew he was right but was not ready to admit or acknowledge so. Her bloodshot eyes looked up at him. "I'm seeing her. I'm hearing her."

Archie nodded. "That's not uncommon. When a loved one leaves so suddenly-" Regina shuddered at the words, but Emma cut him off.

"No. I mean...I'm REALLY seeing her. I can hear her talking to me!"

"Where? Where has this been happening?"

Emma squirmed at the memory of seeing Regina's shocked face as she had been topless in the bathroom. "At my house. And the station."

Regina folded her arms, knowing Archie would chalk it up to some Freudian manifestation. "He's not going to believe you."

"You have to believe me! I don't-Regina has never even been to my house before, why would I just imagine her there?"

"What does she say?" Archie asked, hoping to help Emma work through some pent up emotions.

Emma thought hard. "I-I couldn't make much of it out. Just her yelling my name a lot." Archie flicked a knowing smile which Emma caught. She knew what he was thinking, that she was just remembering the past. "It wasn't just that...she sounded desperate. I think-I think I heard her say...she's not dead."

Regina froze. She HAD heard her! This gave Regina renewed hope. Then Archie started spewing more mumbo jumbo about the mind manifesting things when someone close to them dies suddenly..blah, blah, blah. Regina knew Emma would never get anywhere with him. She sighed and rolled her eyes. "He's never going to believe you. Just...get out of here and go talk to Zelena. Maybe she can help figure this out." She looked over to see Emma, with her hands gripping at her scalp again in frustration. She rolled her eyes. "It's not going to do you any good to pull your own hair out." Regina froze, staring at Emma's blonde hair. "Hair...That's it! Your hair!" She rushed over and sat next to Emma on the couch. The blonde was unfazed. "Fiona used your hair to make the fireball that hit me. It was meant for you, not me! Something must have happened, the magic that was meant to kill you, has somehow, I don't know, bound me to you! Of course! That's it Emma! Don't you see?! I'm not dead, because it can't kill me! Please Emma, hear me!"

Emma had already blocked Archie's droll explanation from her hearing. She sat on the couch, swaying slightly. She loosened the grip on her hair slightly, allowing her hands to slide down the long blonde locks falling in front of her forehead. Something compelled her to stare at her hair. As her hands fell to the bottoms, she pinched a small strand of hairs and looked at it. She looked at it curiously and rolled it between her fingers. The thought hit her like a ton of bricks. Her blood felt cold as hope sprung in her chest. Her eyes were as wide as saucers as she looked up to see Archie looking at her in anticipation. She stood up like a shot.

"My hair!"