SQ Fix 10
You've been Swenned!
Inked
The library was vast and bright, with comfy seats and mahogany desks scattered around. Regina, Emma and Henry spent a substantial amount of time rummaging through it since discovering its existence, and that day was no different. Only the mothers were there, though, as their son had school to attend (or an education to receive, as Regina so eloquently phrased it).
Well, Emma had a job to go to too, but the recent advent of a fairly share of new deputies (Tinkerbelle, Little John, and the return of Ruby) left her with enough free time to aid in Operation Mongoose. The last couple of weeks had been brimming with peaceful roams about the library, which contained not only empty volumes but quite a number of fully-fledged books; the complete chronicles of the stories of some of the characters that Henry's original book only skimmed upon. More than ever before, Emma had learnt about the tales and lore of not only the Enchanted Forest, but faraway realms and remote lands. The neverending narratives made her feel like a tiny speck of sand in the grand scheme of things, and the words from another hero echoed in her ears. I'm no good at being noble, but it doesn't take much to see that the problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world.
One look at Regina and Henry though, and the inspiring quote lost its meaning; for her, they meant the world and more. This realization came as a subdued shock in what referred to Regina, because she had suspected she liked-liked the brunette as more than friends for a long time but wasn't ready to face the music. Nevertheless, whith every passing day she got readier and readier, as Regina's music followed her everywhere she went. It got to the point that she had to end things with Hook, which she did a mere couple of days after joining Op:M. She had come to the realization that she didn't really see herself with the pirate in the long run, whereas one reformed evil queen always starred prominently in her once upon a dreams.
« Where did you go? »
There was that melody again.
« Huh? » The blonde wasn't aware she had drifted away, staring into the horizon.
« Just now. You were lost in thought. » The former queen smirked seductively as she put yet another volume back into its shelf. « Something I wouldn't have thought possible not so long ago. »
And there was the friendly-albeit-flirty banther. Emma's heart soared. Just like that.
« What do you mean by that, I have my moments. » She pondered her words for an instant. « My philosophical moments. You bet I do. » She finished with a wink.
« My, learning new words, aren't we? The time we've spent holed up in this place has apparently paid out. Trying to impress me, Miss Swan? » Something akin to easyness and affection glittered behind Regina's eyes.
« Always. » The Sheriff flashed her her dashing Saviour Smile (TM) and ignored the snort that followed. « It seems today is not our day, though. I just finished combing through this Agrabah volume, but found no mention of the Author whatsoever. Guess I'll try with the Camelot ones next. » She stood from the chair she was occupying and approached one of the shelves in order to switch tomes.
« Emma. » Regina approached her and the touch of her fingers was delicate on the blonde's arm. « I know I've been monopolizing your time lately. You have the station to look after, I wouldn't want you to fall behind in paperwork or— »
« We have a myriad of new deputies. » The brunette offered her a playful look that Emma caught immediately. « Yes, another new word. I'm becoming a bookworm. Moving on. » She softly pushed the other woman away in jest. « I am here not out of obligation, but because I want to. So no need to worry about it. » She kept staring straight ahead into the dusty covers lining the shelf, as she was sure she was blushing after basically admitting she wanted to be around the former mayor.
Regina moved closer again, flushing her body against the blonde's in order to rest her chin atop her right shoulder - if only for a millisecond (that made Emma's heart race all the same)-. « Thank you. »
Get a grip, Swan. « Thank me when I find the guy. This used to be my job, remember? Tracking people down. Sure as hell ain't gonna fail now. »
« Princess Charming never fails… » The brunette whispered in her ear.
Emma's knees buckled as she swooned and her foot slipped; she became aptly acquainted with the floor of the library, knocking one of the shelves in the proccess, a storybook knocking her in the head in retaliation. « Motherfuck—! »
« … but she sure can take a fall. » Regina laughed as she helped her stand. « Are you all right, dear? That book may have given you a concussion. Let me take a look. »
She had to endure Regina closely inspecting her all over afterwards, and then kissing away a bruise that was starting to show in her forehead. Sorry, it's what I used to do with Henry, I guess old habits die hard. Meanwhile Emma felt like falling to the ground again and by the time it was over she was exhausted as she had used all her willpower not to.
« Fucking book… » she grabbed the offending object from the floor. « What...? I can't open it. »
The sorceress quirked an eyebrow. « Let me try », she asked as Emma let the volume fall into her hands. « No title either. Rather irksome, wouldn't you agree? » She left it atop the closest desk, closed her eyes and attempted to open it with a surge of magic, but nothing happened. « Well, consider my curiosity piqued. » She crooked a smile at Emma, who gulped visibly.
« Hey, careful there. This author ought to be a wizard and after Rumplestiltskin I've had my share of— » She grabbed Regina's elbow just as the latter attempted another go at the book; Emma's magic mingled with the brunette's of its own accord, propelling forward into the volume, which fell open with a flash of lightning. « — Wow ».
Regina winked at her. « It might be nice, having a partner after all. » The Sheriff was too shocked to respond, and could only watch as the brunette grabbed the tome and started reading until her eyes bulged out of their sockets. « Emma... this book… »
« What? What is it? »
« … It's about us ».
And so, the Savior loooked at the Queen, affection brimming in her eyes. I'm in.
You are? the Sorceress asked.
I made you a promise I intend to keep. Everyone deserves their happy ending., beamed the Princess, and was met by a warm smile adorning the Queen's features, the kind that was reserved only for Henry and for her.
« What... what the hell! »
« This... this is… »
« This is insane! » Emma shouted. « This book ships us! »
« What do you mean it 'ships' us? Are we on a boat ride and I didn't realize? » The brunette was puzzled and trying to snark her way out of it.
« No, I mean… »
« Are we being sent away? Because no delivery carrier works this town, I made sure of it. »
« No, Regina, it's… »
« There is no other meaning to the word. There must be a dictionary around here, somewhere. »
« Regina! Let me explain! » The blonde huffed, exasperated. « Shipping means supporting a couple. Being a fan of the couple, in other words. »
The sorceress remained appalled. « But, Emma, we're not a couple. » She pointed out.
« Didn't you just call us 'partners'? » The blonde retaliated playfully and continued as Regina blushed. « It doesn't matter that we're not canon, 'Gin. People can ship whoever they want. »
« Canon? » Perplexed look again.
Sighing blonde. « Part of the official storyline."
« Emma, don't be silly. We're not a story. » She shook her head, chasing the notion away.
« In this book we kinda are. » She reminded her. « Besides, isn't everyone's life a story waiting to be told? »
The eyeroll that followed could be heard over at Town Square. « I've_got_ to get you out of this library. »
They reviewed the book in its entirety, starting from the time they met to that last scene with Emma proclaiming her 'in' into Operation Mongoose. The Author described their relationship as full of longing looks, heated stares and whispered moments across time and space, depicting both character growth and a blossoming friendship tinted with something more along the way.
It wasn't even subtext. It was literally engraved in inked words over high grammage paper.
Once they were through, Emma didn't dare move nor utter a sound. She had all but read, in the portrayal of her observed demeanor, her inner emotions and secret thoughts; thoughts of being savagely attracted to Regina, thoughts she wouldn't even acknowledge to herself, scribbled on a god damn book. Anyone with half a brain would be able to figure it out; and certainly someone as clever and cunning as Miss Mills, who had read it too.
She ventured a glance towards the other woman, who also remained frozen in place, rosy cheeks and heavy-lidded eyes adorning her features. She had to say something, to save face somehow.
« Regina, I— »
« Emma— »
They both spoke at the same time, then blushed some more.
« This guy is messing with us. » Emma began, set on leaving the awkwardness of the moment behind them. « This wasn't written years ago, in some distant kingdom. Whoever is writing this, is doing so now. » She concluded. « That oughta mean the Author is near. »
« I concur. » The former mayor stated, eager to get on the we're-leaving-this-behind-us bandwagon.
A glint appeared in the blonde's eyes. « I say we catch him when he emerges to write on the book. »
« Stop it with the look. » The brunette gave her a lopsided smile.
« What look? » Narrowed eyes surveyed her.
« The one kitties get when they're after a prey. The Author may think you're directing it at me and materialize right now. » Her smile all but grew.
« That wouldn't be so bad… » The blonde gaped. « In fact it is brilliant, Regina! We have to do something romantic in order to make him show himself! », she realized, shooting herself in the foot in the process, as her brain wasn't able to catch up to her big mouth and filter her thoughts. They were off the oblivious bandwagon an into awkward territory again. At least Emma was, because Regina remained in an all-bussiness state of mind.
« Something romantic. Like what? » Inquiry painted the woman's voice.
A kiss. « Huh, I dunno… » A Kiss. « Maybe we could… » Kiss. « Hold hands or… » KISS. « … hug it out or something? »
Emma kicked herself internally. A despicable coward, that she was.
In a swift motion Regina was all up on her personal space, holding her hand and then hugging her closely. Nothing happened (besides Emma's heart stopping to a halt and her thermostat rising a few degrees).
« Didn't work. » commented the brunette, still a mere inches away from Emma's face. « Any other thoughts? »
KISS.
« Huh... Umm… » The princess fixated on red, supple lips. « Maybe, maybe we should… » Big, big breath, make it or break it, this is it, this is it « … _kiss_ », she murmured so low she wasn't sure Regina would even hear her.
« We should what? » She was still holding her hand. « I didn't get that. »
« Kiss! » She shouted instead of loudly thinking about it. Her brain shut off in response and she was left standing there, mouth agape, like a deer caught in headlights.
Regina was surprised by the intensity of the Savior's demand and became self-conscious all of a sudden. « You... you think we should… » She focused so intently on Emma's lips that she nearly developped strabismus.
« O-only if that's ok by you. » Good! She had regained the ability to communicate again.
« I guess we could try. » Regina acquiesced, losing herself in the fathomless depths of Emma's gaze. « If only for... the sake of the Operation. »
The blonde had stopped breathing and wasn't even aware of it. « Yeah... for the Mongoose... I mean the Op… »
Emma closed her eyes and felt Regina's breath mixing with her own. For the love of all that is Holy, it was happening.
« Moms! » CRASH « Ma! Are you OK? »
For fuck's sake. Time had flown by and the Sheriff had forgotten they were supposed to have lunch with Henry and the Charmings that day. She of course remembered it when she fell to the floor head-first, again. And she couldn't hope for Regina to nurse her once more, as she had fled the scene towards David's truck the moment Henry had entered the library.
« So... That was close. »
« Indeed. How is your head? Want me to heal you again? »
« No need, I managed to do it myself on the road here. »
« Oh. » The brunette looked dissappointed.
« Only because I've had a great teacher. » Emma quipped, satisfied when Regina beamed at her in return. « I brought the book, by the way. It's on the back of the bug. » She hesitated for an instant. « Should we... try again? » she said, glancing nervously at chocolate orbs.
Regina blushed at the speed of lightning. « Emma, we're on the back of the Diner. Anyone could bump into us… »
« Well, if you don't dare do it, then… » The blonde shrugged.
The former queen lifted a brow. « Are you actually trying to dare me into kissing you? »
« Do you have any other plan for catching the elusive writer? » Emma replied but Regina didn't. « Thought so. »
« It's not that I don't want to kiss you. It's just that I don't want to do it here. » She pleaded.
The blonde's grin was instantaneous. « So you are saying you do want to kiss me. » She coyly played with a strand of her hair.
Mills Eyeroll (TM). « For the sake of the—! You know what? Nevermind. I'm going back to our table. » The brunette tried to get past her.
« Come on, Gin', wait. » She grabbed her by the elbow, in which had lately become their gesture. « I was just messing with you. I know you wouldn't kiss me of your own volition. » She hoped the disapointment wasn't written on her face. « Let's just… get this over with, ok? »
Emma dove in for a kiss and time slowed down, and as she saw pink lips reaching for hers, Regina felt that it was all wrong, for the blonde was mistaken in looking disappointed and believing that she wouldn't—
« Em, Snow is wondering if you're OK— WOW! Sorry to interrupt! »
One Ruby Lucas observed them with a wolfish grin grazing her lips.
« Ruby! » Emma cried. « This is not what it looks like! »
Meanwhile there was a full on arrythimia inside the brunette's chest. « I'm going back to our table. Miss Lucas. » She summoned up all her poise to non-chalantly greet the waitress on her way out.
Not two seconds after being left alone, Ruby screamed in a girly fashion and drilled Emma with questions. « OH MY GOD Emma, you and Regina? Seriously? WHEN WERE YOU GOING TO TELL ME YOU SCUMBAG. You don't make out in my Diner without letting me on the know first. » She slapped Emma on the shoulder. « Bad Savior. Bad. » Her grin grew. « The Good & Evil thing is sexy as hell, though. Well, to be honest that woman is sexy as hell. » She fanned herself in jest and Emma felt like dying. « And she isn't nearly as evil as she used to. Way to go, Em, you scoundrel! » She punched her in the shoulder, again, and the Sheriff gave up trying to explain and sank into mortification instead.
The unmistakable sound of stiletto heels reverberated through the Station.
« Hello, dear. »
Emma barely glanced from the pile of reports she was currently filling. « Hi. »
Regina took a seat facing the Sheriff's desk.
« Clogged up with work? » The brunette ventured.
« Kinda. » Came the blonde's succint reply.
This isn't going to be easy, Regina thought, bracing herself. « Emma… is everything ok? »
« Why? » Her eyes remained glued to her paperwork.
« You haven't been around the last couple of days. »
« Yeah, sort of busy around here. »
« Really? With what? »
« Kitty rescues and Lost Boys pranks and… stuff. »
The sorceress quirked an eyebrow. « And your deputies can't manage that sort of thing? »
« Not as gracefully as I do. I am the Savior after all. » She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes, and she avoided the other woman's gaze all through it.
Regina sighed. « Emma, I'm sorry for running out on you when Miss Lucas popped up. I didn't know how to— »
« Don't mention it. » The blonde interrupted her.
« But, Emma, I have to. It happened two weeks ago and you all but disappeared since then. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings by— »
« Feelings? Feelings? Regina, don't overthink this. It was a plan for the Operation. Nothing more. » The Sheriff noted, suddenly mustering the courage to look her in the eye.
« I know. » She whispered, breaking eye contact. « But either way, will you accept my apology? Can we… » She hesitated. « Can we go back to being friends again? ».
The princess dropped her pencil as her heart broke in two at the vulnerability that poured from the former queen when she spoke. The woman had brought whole kingdoms to its knees, for God's sake, but right then she was the image of frailty, and that hit Emma directly in her Savior Feels.
« We haven't stopped being friends. » She asserted, a frown creasing her brow.
« It does feel that way. » The sorceress retorted with a pained expression, that pierced right through Emma's chest.
« I'm sorry. » She began, grabbing Regina's hand to comfort her, and felt a surge of magic traverse through her body as soon as she made contact; if her sudden gasp was anything to go by, the brunette must've felt it too. « I did pull away, I guess. I… I tend to retreat when things get complicated. » She avowed. « I'm sorry. » Her thumb stroke soothing patters on the back of the former mayor's hand.
Regina still looked troubled. « Emma, things between us have always been 'complicated'. Will I always have to worry about you bolting when we have an impasse? » Defeat seeped into her features, and she held onto the blonde's hand tightly.
Emma offered her the tiniest of smiles. « I'll do my best not to. »
And, somehow, the blonde's reassurance was enough.
« Fine. So… Are we ok again? »
The smile grew. « We are. »
Regina chewed on her lower lip.
« Ok enough for you to be willing to try it again? »
« What? » Emma asked in a high-pitched voice.
« The kissing idea. Henry and I haven't got any new leads since that. » Soulful eyes searched for hers. « Would you? Consider it? »
The Savior's heart started beating like she was running an olympic race. « Huh, Regina, but, you, me, we… what, right now? K-kiss? Here? »
« There's no one else here. » The brunette pointed out, leaning over the desk, angling herself closer to the other woman.
« But, but it's the Station, and it's the middle of the day, and, the guys could come back and I don't think we— »
« Emma. » Determined eyes stared back at her. « You couldn't wait to kiss me back at the diner, and now you're hesitating. Are you sure we are ok? » There it was, that vulnerability again, making the blonde sigh.
« I am, Regina. It's just that I don't want to be left high and dry once more. » She admitted, and somehow they weren't talking about a kiss anymore, and something must've clicked inside Regina's head because she approached her slowly and held her cheek and looked deeply into her eyes.
« You won't. I'm sorry. I… »
Was it magic, the whirlwind of energy that pulled her towards the brunette? Or was it something else entirely, lurking behind brown eyes that were closing just an instant before their mouths would meet—
« I'm done chasing Lost Boys for the day. So done. » Came the abrupt statement of contempt behind a swinging door that preceded Tinkerbelle' entrance. « Oh? Regina, fancy meeting you here. »
The sorceress remained seated across the blonde, all poise and composure. « Hello, Tink. » She saluted, her voice unwavering. Emma, for her part, buried herself in paperwork in order to flee from the stage.
« What brings you down to our Law Enforcement Offices, darling? I hope you're not here to make a complaint about some lost boy 'cause sure as hell I am not the one who is going to fix it. »
The brunette actually chuckled. « No, not at all, Tink. Just discussing parenting issues with Miss Swan here. » She gestured towards the blonde. « Right, Emma? »
« Yes, yes! It's a parents-thingy. That's all. » She replied, nose deep in her papers.
« Ok… » the fairy looked between the two women, her curiosity piqued. « Emma, are those the pending reports whe had to fill? I think I botched something in the last one I submitted, let me see… »
The Savior realized with terror that she had scribbled Regina's name all over the page without even noticing it. « Uh, you know what? I botched it too, could you re-write it? » She tore up the paper in a thousand pieces and threw it on the garbage bin in a swift motion.
Tink's eyes tore out of her sockets. « Emma what in the world— » The phone rang and cut short her diatribe. « Hello, Sheriff's Dept. Yes. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Oh, you don't say. Yes, Mr Hopper, we'll send someone right over. You too. Have a nice day. » She pointed to her boss. « Pongo is missing again and I'm sure this is another of the boys' pranks and you owe me for ruining my report so it's your turn. »
Emma huffed. « Ok, ok. » She turned to Regina. « We'll… discuss it later, ok? »
« When? Tonight over dinner? »
She grabbed her keys, holster and jacket. « Uh, sure. »
« Henry and I will be expecting you over at 7, sharp. »
« Ok. And… thank you for not running this time. » She whispered as she pecked her in the cheek in a good-bye gesture, which made Regina slightly blush. « Oops, sorry. » She hurried to the door as she shouted Bye Tink! to her deputy.
No one spoke for a while, as Tink and Regina were engaged in a staring contest until the brunette got fed up with it.
« Well, I shall be going. Bye, Tink. » She tried to keep her composure while walking to the exit.
The fairy side-eyed her on her way out. « A blonde thief who stole from the rich to give to the poor… a former blonde thief who became the Savior to bring the happy endings back… I kinda see it. You certainly do have a type, Reg. » And then it was her turn to chuckle at the eyeroll the Queen awarded her before disappearing from view.
Following their making-up, Team Moms were unable to do the thing. They were interrupted by - in no particular order - Henry, Charming, Archie - well, Pongo really - , Kathryn and Snow, who was the only one totally oblivious to the whole ordeal. They were a week away from Christmas, the library didn't provide further breakthroughs, and Operation Mongoose stood currently to a halt. The year was ending, there was mistletoe everywhere, for Christ's sake, and they still hadn't managed to kiss.
« That's it. I'm kissing you today and there's no stopping it. » Regina declared as she pushed the blonde into her bedroom, and proceded afterwards to enchant the door, soundproof the walls and conjure a barrier to surround the whole mansion.
« Whoa, whoa! Easy there, tiger. » Emma laughed nervously, swiveling restlessly on her feet and stealing a glance to the wall clock: 17:18. « What if something happens or Henry needs us or a new Villain of the Week™ strikes or…? »
Regina swiped Emma's cell from her jean's backpocket - causing the blonde to blush a deep shade of crimson -, picked her own phone from her purse, put both on vibrate and left them one on top of the other in a cushion over her dressing table. « There. If they cannot leave us alone for five god-damned minutes because something warrants our presence, they'll call and this way it won't startle us. Now let's get this over with. »
The blonde fidgeted shyly. « Gee, some game you have going over there for romance, Mme. Mayor. » She joked.
« I've never needed any game, Miss Swan. » The sorceress replied, voice all caramel and velvet, and Emma died a little bit inside as she heard it. « Now, come here. » She took a seat near the foot of the bed and beckoned her to get closer. The blonde, nearly succumbing to panic, followed her lead and approached her.
They contemplated each other for what felt like centuries, Emma nearly shuddering in goosebumps and shallow breaths, until Regina took her hand in hers. « Emma, you look like about to blow a gasket. We don't have to go through with this if it makes you this uncomfortable. »
The Princess had lost her ability to speak, overwhelmed by Regina's presence before her. She's so beautiful. She's so, so... so much more than that, she confessed to herself, and could only hold the other woman's gaze in awe while she did so.
Regina fled said gaze sadly. « It's okay. A lot of people would be grossed-out by having to kiss The Evil Queen. »
That jumpstarted Emma into finding her voice again.
« What on earth are you talking about? Have you seen yourself in the mirror lately? You're absolutely— » gorgeous. « You can't even imagine how much I've— »dreamt about this moment. « What you— » mean to me.
Actions spoke louder than words, and Emma was so invested in getting her point across that she grabbed Regina by her wrists, pulled her up to sit on her lap, drove both hands through dark locks and mashed their lips together in a searing kiss, swallowing the brunette's gasp in the process.
It was…
It was happening.
Emma faltered under the intensity of the moment and fell backwards onto the bed, carrying Regina with her, their kiss unwavering. Somewhere deep in the blonde's mind, the morality beyond kissing the brunette out of a plan instead of out of true honesty started to jab at her, but the initiative to stop was quickly thwarted by the overpowering feeling of Regina reciprocating the kiss, her teeth nibbling on Emma's lower lip, the weight of her body on top of hers, the warmth of her breath mingling with her own. She felt the air being sucked out of her lungs and she suddenly had to inhale, but instead of doing so she - sort of - moaned Regina's name very close to the former queen's left ear, which in turn stirred the latter to resume the kissing with renewed spirits, her tongue tracing a path over the Savior's upper lip and then dipping inside her welcoming mouth, making Emma squirm with pleasure pooling from her lower abdomen. Hands started roaming over expanses of skin and breaths became ragged and kiss after kiss was delivered and Regina had a leg between hers and God she was unable to stop moaning. Then Regina did this thing where she kissed/bit/sucked her right over her pulse point and the blonde just lost it. In a swift motion she rolled them over and reversed their positions, lying over the sorceress and kissing her feverishly. It was Regina's turn to moan and jerk her hips up unintentionally; the bolt of pleasure that zapped Emma through her spine was so intense that her brain woke up from its Regina-induced-daze and made her realize that it was too much too soon. She rested her forehead against the brunette's, trying to even her breathing and get a grip on herself.
« Do… » The former queen's voice came out several octaves lower from under her. « Do you think it worked? » She asked, all swollen lips, heavy eyelids and disheveled hair.
The princess, for her part, was barely able to breathe, let alone speak. « I… hope so. » She closed her eyes in order to avoid Regina's gaze, fearing she would start kissing her again if she kept looking at her as close as they were. « We should… check the book. »
She forcefully removed herself from atop the brunette, falling next to her on the bed. The peeked at the wall clock again: 17:51. Had she really been making out with the other mother of her son for over half an hour?
Regina stood up and walked over to her dressing table to grab a brush in order to fix her messed-up hair. She glimpsed at Emma through her mirror, and voiced the softest giggle the blonde had ever heard; remarkably, it made her chest tighten with emotion.
« Here », the brunette said, blushing slightly and handing her over a make-up remover wipe. « You have my lipstick smeared all over your face. »
There was a twinkle in her eye when she said it and Emma would've fainted right there if she hadn't been already lying down.
« Why didn't it work?! »
« Emma, calm down. »
« Don't tell me to calm down. This stupid author and his stupid book and.. Argh! »
They had gone back to the library in the hopes of catching the writer penning down their latest relationship milestone, but found nothing except empty pages after the scene where Emma joined Operation Mongoose.
« From the beginning we knew it was a longshot. » Regina reminded her, leaning her body against a red desk. « You don't need to get so disappointed over it », she added, but looked kind of crestfallen herself.
« No. This has to be wrong. You don't understand. » Emma supplied, suddenly cryptic.
« What don't I understand? »
« That was one hell of a kiss. » More like one hell of a make-out session, really. « It belongs in our storybook. » The blonde pointed out, powering through her blushing cheeks.
« I agree, but... there's nothing else we can do. » The brunette sighed.
Emma was suddenly determined. « There is. Let's do it again. »
« What? »
« Let's kiss again. » The princess was in her personal space in no time, eyes zeroed-in on her lips.
« But… But do you think that's…? » She was looking at Emma's lips then too.
« Regina… » The Sheriff whispered, making the sorceress look up at her. « May I kiss you again? » She asked for her consent, already trapping her against the desk, an arm at each side of her body, both hands clutching mahogany.
« Yes », the former queen barely mumbled, entranced by pink lips once more, and then Emma obliterated the inch left between them and kissed her again, her arms encircling her from the waist, lifting her up from the desk into an tight embrace that took her breath away. Emma held onto her for dear life, and the whole gesture was so soft, so tender, so… loving, like a balm for Regina's soul, and it was too much in a different sense than the previous kiss, because she was feeling (and hoping for impossible things) so much she could almost swear she was having a myocardial infarction.
« We… we have to stop, Emma » She pleaded, gasping for air. « My heart… it hurts. » She buried her face in the blonde's shoulder, and then her chest hurt some more when she heard Emma chuckle with mirth.
« It hurts good or it hurts bad? » The Savior asked, paving the way for the impossible as she pulled her even closer into her arms. « 'Cause mine always hurts just right when I see you and I… I can't get enough of it. »
Butterflies spread through her thorax and the acute MI theory flew out of the window. « Emma, what are you…? » She tried to lift her head up from the crook of the blonde's neck, but the princess kept her in place.
« No. Don't look at me right now, I may… ravage you again. » She breathed, and the butterflies were chased away by her heart doing somersaults.
« Emma… » Regina all but moaned, and the Sheriff shuddered in response.
« You're not making it any easier with that throaty voice of yours. » She acquiesced, releasing Regina to go check on the book again. « Niet. Nada. You stinky good-for-nothing writer. » She lifted her gaze to the ceiling, as if talking to the heavens, and then sat down on another desk, defeat tinting her demeanor.
Regina approached her carefully, her high heels brushing the plushy rug, and then smoothly lifted Emma's chin up ir order to look her in the eye, a move she always used with their son. « To be honest, I'm currently more interested in what you were saying that in the Author turning up. » She admitted, concern oozing out of her in waves.
The gesture tore through the blonde's last barriers. « It's true. » She revealed. « Everything is true. » It reminded her of the time the curse broke, only their roles were reversed this time around, Emma being the one with something to confess. « This No-Show was spot on. I don't know how he did it but he just… knew. » She removed her jaw from the brunette's grasp and avoided her gaze, opting to look out of a window instead. Regina mustered all her self-restraint to avoid prodding the blonde to continue, and after a couple of seconds it payed out. « I have feelings for you, Regina. Have from the moment we first met. At first it was this savage attraction » she avowed, burying her face in her hands, trying to wipe the embarassment away, « but then things got really complicated, what with curses and magic and family and more curses and I thought it was over, that I had overgrown it, but then I saw you struggling to become a better person and I started to care, in spite of everything I started to care so deeply, and suddenly I trusted you and I knew you and you kinda tolerated me and everything was going great, until I sorta messed things up with that time-travel gist and you were giving me the silent treatment while I followed you around like a puppy, and Elsa, Elsa of all people gave me pep talks and told me something akin the lines of 'don't give up on the people you love', and she said that and she was referring to you and she knew, just like the stinking author, while I had no clue, and everything was so obvious but I hadn't realized yet why I wanted so desperately to be your friend, to have you back in my life, and I kind of had to chase you down for that, you stubborn mule », she stole a glance towards the brunette but then fled her eyes again, « and then… then I joined in on your Operation and you started smiling a lot and I would get this… » she put a hand over her chest, « this stupid warm feeling inside everytime I saw you, growing stronger day after day, and next thing I know, I'm head over heels in love with you, have been for the longest time. » She clenched her jaw, determination setting on her features, her strength coming back to get her to look at Regina straight in the eyes. « But I want you to know I won't let this affect our friendship, nor our parenting situation with Henry, nor anything. »
She loved her. Emma loved her. She was in love with her. The revelation took a hold of Regina's being, filling her with joy. « Emma », she pronounced, looking at the blonde as in in a daze, « What on earth are you talking about? »
The princess remained firm. « My feelings. They won't get in the way, I promise. I'll… manage.» She vowed sadly.
The sorceress quirked a brow, bereft of its usual sarcasm as she was too elated to feel anything else. « You are so obtuse, darling. Guess the Charming genes outrun the Savioury ones there. » Emma looked more confused than ever and so Regina plodded ahead. « The story made clear my true feelings for you too. Didn't you… get it? While we were reading through it? All the smiles that were just for you and the shuddering hearts and… Emma! Really? » She smiled, a flame Emma had never been privy to before lighting her eyes.
« You, you mean you— » The look of hope in the blonde's features was so all-encompassing that Regina was unable to resist and interrupted her shy retort with a definite I do while inching forward to kiss her again, both hands holding her partner's cheeks, pouring all her love into the gesture. « Oh, thank God, I would never have been able to manage. » Emma sighed in relief, making Regina chuckle in delight and pulling her onto her lap in order to bringing their lips together once more.
And then…
A multicoloured wave of energy burst away from them, reaching all over Storybrooke, and the storybook blazed alive and the pages started fluttering one after the other in the air, words inking all of their remaining story up to that point; words that Emma and Regina would only much later read, lost in each other as they then were.
And so, with True Love's Kiss, The Savior and The Queen found together their Happy Ending in each other at last. On their journey they had come to learn that Love is something that is not just bestowed upon us like it usually happens in fairytales, but something worth fighting for everyday of our lives. Soon they would come to discover it wasn't an Ending what they were after at all in the first place, but a Happy Beginning instead.
The End
Notes
Six thousand words! WOW. Long for a fix.
First of all, I want to thank you for reading and for the wonderful follows, favorites and reviews you've been throwing my way. It really puts a spring in my step. Thank you!
Second of all, storywise, I have to acknowledge Regina came off way more flirty that I intended her too. I cannot control her. Not sure anyone can, honestly (now that she's free of her mother and Rumple).
And finally, this is the last installment of the SQ Fixes for this season (I still have to get around writing the fix for 4x05, but seriously, with al the SQ Goodness going on there I'm not sure there is much to fix either way), and so I want to wish you all a Merry, Merry Christmas (or whatever sort of celebration you prefer at this time of the year, I'm not aiming at being Christnormative considering I'm not even a Christian myself) and encourage you to not lose hope on these two characters. I don't know if all of you know The Legend of Korra, but that awesome story just ended with the heroine romantically paired up with her best friend, in a bold move for a « kids » television show. As a fellow fan put it: « Korra showed us that it's true what they say: the hero always gets the girl in the end. » I'm looking forward for Once to follow their lead and let our hero and anti-hero-turned-hero get each other in the end.
PS: As for the Author's identity… that one is up for grabs, but I rather enjoy my headcanon of Walt Disney himself penning it down on a lazy sunday afternoon at one of his parks, circa 1960.