Sorry for making you wait, but this chapter was pretty long! Enjoy your reading!

Chapter 4 – "Step 4 - Emma" - part 3

Emma's POV

It wasn't her intention to end up directly inside the Mayor's bedroom, she really didn't want to intrude in Regina's private life. Her plan was to poof them in the mansion living room, but hey, it was probably luck that she didn't end up in space or somewhere equally ridiculous.

"Here we are Regina, please don't fall asleep.. stay with me." At that the brunette eyed her strangely but she hadn't enough strength left to reply in any way.

'Please Regina don't fall asleep otherwise it'll speed up the freezing process! You have to stay awake.. here with me! I'll save you.. I swear! No matter what..'

"If you fall asleep it'll speed up the curse, so please stay awake!" Emma told her concerned.

"You.. you really did it, didn't you? You really were able to bring me here using your magic.." Regina was both impressed and very proud of Emma. She really thought it wasn't possible for the Savior to perform such an advanced spell yet, but evidently she was wrong. And for the first time in her life she was really happy to have been proven wrong.

"I told you! You said that 'magic is emotion' and my emotions are pretty strong at the moment. I care too much about you.. So I suppose I've just followed my feelings and let my magic take care of everything".

"You care..?" the former queen asked confused.

"Of course I care.. thought it was something you already knew. We are friend, remember?" a light blush appeared on the blonde's cheeks.

'Maybe the only difference is that I care about you a little bit more than what you are already aware of. My concern for you it's more a I'm-deeply-in-love-with-you-and-I'll-do-everything-I-can-to-make-you-happy kind of caring. But there is no need for you to know that.."

Emma eased down an almost unconscious Regina on the bed, she tried to make her as much comfortable as possible adjusting two pillows behind her head and covering her lovingly with silk blankets.

"Please Regina don't fall asleep.. we have to wait for Elsa to come back with Henry and Robin.. he will kiss you and then you'll be fine again".

Regina eyed her in astonishment, her eyes usually full of life and challenge had resignation in them.

'Why is she so resigned? It's so out of her character.. I've never seen her like that! There is something strange going on that I could quite put my fingers on... Maybe she thinks that moron of Robin doesn't love her anymore! But seriously? How could he not love her..? If I were him.. stop Emma! You would never be in his place, so just stay at her side like the friend she needs you to be..'

"You have to rip my heart"

"WHAT? You are kidding, right?"

"You have to take my heart out Emma.." Regina told her seriously.

'She called me "Emma".. Not Miss Swan or Savior.. OMG she is deadly serious! But I can't do that..! I could never do something that would hurt her.. I care too much..'

"Please.. You have to do that.. I'm too weak.. I can't do that myself.." She reasoned.

"No.. No.. No way I'm gonna hurt you.." Emma was shaking her head vigorously.

"Emma.." She started putting her hand on the Savior's and intertwining their fingers "..it's the only way for me to survive. If Ingrid's magic reaches my heart and freezes it, I'll die and you know that pretty well, don't you? So.. Take it out and give me a chance to live.."

Meanwhile in the library..

Henry, Ruby, Belle and Anna were chatting happily making up all the different scenarios they could think of regarding the first magic lesson that was taking place in that same moment.

"I'm so happy Ma and Elsa were able to convince mom to give them some magic lessons! I'm sure she is a great teacher!" Henry said proudly and grinning heartedly. "If the plan is working as planned in the next minutes Elsa would find an excuse and leave them alone. I'm looking forward to hear news from her!"

"Me too!" Anna interjected excitedly.

In that moment the door opened slowly and a very broken Elsa was there trembling from head to toe. Anna got immediately that something was terribly wrong with her sister "Oh no.. Elsa what happened?"

As soon as the Snow Princess was there with her new friends she started to sob uncontrollably, she fell onto her knees bringing her hands to her face in an attempt to stop the tears and the wracking sobs.

"Everything went so terribly wrong.." she started between hiccups.

In no time everyone was near her and Ruby went to her knees and put the blonde girl close in an affectionate embrace. "Shh.. don't worry sweetie.. calm down and tell us what happened.."

"We were at Regina's vault and everything was working pretty fine.. she was trying to teach us how to control our natural magic.. she really is an amazing teacher.. and we were performing some little spells.. but then.." her eyes went wide, she looked at Henry and she seemed too afraid to continue.

Henry had the feeling that something very bad had happened to his moms during their lessons as soon as Elsa entered the library crying. He tried to be strong with all his might, he needed to know exactly what happened to his moms and find a way to solve the situation as soon as possible. For this reason he kneeled at the other side of Elsa (Ruby was at Elsa right side and so he took the left one) and taking her hands in his he nodded her to continue.

The blonde princess tried to regain her composure and then she carried on with her narration.

"We were there practicing, trying to summon fire balls and making object gravitation.. and we were really having a good time.. but then.. suddenly.. everything started to freeze up around us and Ingrid appeared!"

"Oh my God! Why was she there..?" Anna asked concerned.

Elsa glared the group around her feeling a little ashamed, she felt like it was her own fault what happened.. after all the magic lessons had been an Anna and Elsa's idea.

"She had thought that Regina wanted to steal Emma and me from her and so she came all the way there to make her point.."

"This is ridiculous!" Ruby interjected taking her bottom lip between her teeth.

"Please tell me it's not true.." Anna's eyes went wide as she caught her breath. Elsa nodded sadly with new fresh tears in her eyes.

"What happened next?" Henry asked shaking and becoming paler and paler each passing second.

"Regina.. She.. She tried to protect us starting a quarrel with Ingrid and making her focus all her attention and hate upon her instead of Emma and me", she took a deep breath, "Ingrid got really furious and so she attacked us with her ice blasts".

They were all holding their breath listening to Elsa's narration and sometimes a gasp can be heard here and there during her speech. It was a slow torture for all of them; they were deadly afraid to know what happened but at the same time they wanted to know it as soon as possible.

"Regina was great! Believe me.. she was really amazing! She protected us with all her might.. she immediately built up a fire-shield against Ingrid's ice blasts so we were safe".

"Really? My mom decided to protect you two instead of attacking Ingrid..?" Henry was so proud of his mom; Regina – 'no not Regina, the Evil Queen' he thought – used to pay attention only in destroying the enemy in front of her and never caring people got hurt in the process.

"Yes she did.. and she did also so much more.." Elsa stated smiling sweetly.

"Unfortunately Emma and I were so taken aback by Ingrid's outburst and so scared that we couldn't use our magic properly; we couldn't help Regina.. we really were useless" She added defeated.

And then she almost whispered "..and due to this Regina got hurt.."

"WHAT?!" all the others said at the same time.

"My mom..?"

"An ice blast was on its way towards Emma.. it had been a matter of seconds for it to hit her.. but Regina saved her! She poofed herself in front of Emma and took the ice blast in her chest.." Elsa cracked in sobs again.

"My mom saved Ma.." Henry said in disbelief, he was too shocked to process the situation further than that.

Anna gaped and stood still embracing herself, she couldn't understand how things could have gone so terribly wrong.

"Oh my God..!" escaped from Belle's lips as she brought her hands over her mouth.

Ruby was literally dumbfounded, she kept on holding Elsa in her arms getting her closer and closer because she needed something.. someone.. to hold onto. Just as all the other members of "Operation M&M" she thought it was their fault.. her fault. She just wanted her best-friend to be finally happy with the woman she had been in love with for the past 4 years but instead they risked Emma's life and got Regina injured in the process. That really was a disaster.

"How.. Where..?" Henry had his mind racing so fast that he wasn't able to finish his sentences, he wanted to ask so many questions that in reality none got out.

"How is she? Where are they now?" Belle got the situation immediately and asked Elsa the questions that were in all their minds.

Elsa got her head up to look at her, "She got hurt pretty badly, because the ice blast hit her just above her heart.." she whispered sadly. "Emma hugged her and poof them at the mansion". Henry felt like suddenly he wasn't able to breath anymore, knowing that his mom was hurt and that he couldn't do anything to help her.

"Emma really did something so advanced and dangerous..?" Belle asked in disbelief.

"You can't imagine how crushed she was.. she wanted to save Regina so badly that she used all her emotions to bring her home using her magic. They are waiting for us at the manor.. and Emma is expecting for us to bring Robin there too.."

"Why..?"

"Only true love can thaw a frozen heart.." she repeated for the second time that day.. "and she is still thinking that Robin is Regina's true love".

"Mom doesn't love him.. she has never been in love with him.." Henry groaned.

"I know.. but we have to take him there and make him kiss Regina. Maybe when that kiss will not work Emma would try something else.. we just have to push her in the right direction.. that's the only chance we have to save Regina." Anna reasoned, speaking for the first time since Elsa told them what happened. It was strange for her to be silent for such a long period.

Later at the Manor..

Suddenly the bedroom door opened and Henry was there with Belle and all the others soon after them.

'Oh God Henry! How can I explain this to him? His mother got hurt after he worked so hard to re-built their relationship after our missed year in New York.. and now I don't even know how to fix this! It's all my fault..'

"Henry.." Emma started not knowing how to end her sentence and with her eyes full of tears.

Seeing his brunette mother lying on the bed unconscious and with her left arm and shoulder already frozen, Henry started to panic and a sob escaped his lips.

He throw himself in Emma's arms hugging her tightly, silently asking for support.

"Please.. please save my mom.."

"I'm trying kid.. I'm trying! I swear to you I'll to everything I can to save her" Emma said wiping his tears with her thumb.

Belle immediately noticed the peculiar treasure chest on Regina's nightstand, it was glowing with a red light and it was easy to understand what was inside.

Emma caught Belle's gaze on the small box and she got quite nervous.

"She kinda asked me to take her heart out.." she started ashamed and Henry's eyes went wide, "I really didn't want do to it, but she was so sure it was the right thing to do that it felt right to just follow her lead.."

"It really was the best thing to do, Emma.. Regina was right." Belle said smiling at her.

"I can only image how difficult it was for you, but that was the only chance of saving her life; this freezing-curse is really going too fast through her body and I'm worried she'll be completely frozen by tomorrow morning."

Emma was still trembling ready to break at any moment. She looked around the room and seeing all her friends there make her feel better. They were all there for supporting her and above all they were all there to help Regina because they cared about her too.

"I'm sorry.. she is sleeping now even if I tried my best to keep her awake.."

"Don't worry Emma, we can let her sleep.. unfortunately the ice blast hit Regina so near her heart that it would make no difference in the freezing speed if she is resting or not.. Let her sleep so at least she can regain a little bit of her strength" Elsa told her.

In that very same moment Robin rushed throw out the door and moved angrily towards Emma who was standing near Regina's bed almost touching her hand (in the last hour in which they were alone at the manor she had never left Regina's side, not even for a second).

"She always gets hurt every time she is near you Miss Swan, do you know that? And now she is under the same curse Marion is! You are just lucky that this time my kiss is going to work.. and so we can have Regina back!" he said shaking his hand furiously in the air.

"Now please move away, so I can kiss and save her!" he said proudly.

"It wasn't her fault.." Elsa interjected.

"Oh no.. I'm sure it was! Now out of the way!"

Emma and Henry gave Robin the space he was asking for and they moved near Ruby, Belle and Anna on the other side of the room.

He leaned forward Regina's sleeping body and he kissed her perfect red lips in the same fashion way Charming had kissed Snow White so many years ago in order to break another curse.

'Please Regina open your eyes.. please I can't go on without you..!'

He opened his eyes slowly and looked expectantly at Regina sure to see her eyes open at any seconds and the freezing process to stop.

The air in the room was full of fear and trepidation with Robin getting angrier and angrier each passing second.

But nothing happened; Regina was still unconscious and the curse was still going on turning part of her body in solid ice each passing minute.

"It's all your fault Miss Swan! You took her heart away and now my true love kiss is not working!" he growled towards Emma and furiously stormed out of the room slamming the door behind him.

'Oh my God what have I done? Now she'll never recover from this curse..' She started to panic even more but suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder and turning her head she found Belle there. She looked at her with eyes full of tears.

"It's not like that, Emma. True love kiss works even if the two lovers are both without their hearts. Robin's kiss didn't work because they don't share a true love bond." Belle said encouragingly.

"Yes Ma she is right! I read it in my books too! Don't worry we'll find another way." Henry said hugging her.. "Robin loves her, but maybe it's mom who doesn't love him back.. Do you remember I told you that she has feelings for someone else?" He winked between his tears. Emma crossed defensively her arms and eyed his son like he has lost his mind.

'My son and this crazy idea of his.. It's not possible in this universe for Regina Mills (former Evil Queen!) to have any kind of feeling for me more than friendship.. And for her something like that is already more than enough!'

"We have to thing about a plan B!" Ruby told looking at her friends full of hope.

"Yes! Ruby is right!" Anna interjected. "I'm sure we'll find a solution in no time!"

"Thank you guys, but I don't really know what we can do right now.." Emma was feeling defeated and hopeless.

"I'll come back to the library and make some research there, I'm sure to find something helpful! Anna, would you mind coming with me?"

Anna nodded enthusiastically and Henry immediately added "I'll come with you two! So we can check all the books in no more than some hours!"

"I will go at Gold's shop to check if there is something useful over there! Mmh.. only if this is ok for you Belle of course.." Belle simply smiled giving the wolf her approval.

"I'll join you Ruby" Elsa interjected shyly.

"Perfect!" The wolf-girl answered a little too enthusiastically with a small grin on her lips.

"What can I do to help..?" Emma asked her friends. Her mind was stuck in panic and she wasn't able to thing about anything at moment. She was sure Robin's kiss would have worked and now she was completely lost.

Ruby neared her and took her by the shoulders trying to gently shake her in some way. "Emma you have the most important task ever! You have to stay here with Regina.. You have to stay by her side comforting her and letting her know that we are all here trying to solve the situation because we care! She needs to feel loved, can you do that for all of us?"

Emma just nodded.. "Yes.. I guess I can.."

"Perfect! Then we gotta go and you'll stay with her! Don't leave her alone.. Not even for a minute!"

"Emma.." Belle interjected strategically touching the blonde's forearm "remember that love can slow the freezing-process down, so focus on making her feel loved and safe" she squeezed her hand and then they all left the mansion.

Leaving her mother's bedroom Henry took out the Operation M&M's parchment from his pocket and read the forth step: "step 4 - got mom and Ma finally happy together". New tears came into his eyes as he crinkled the sheet of paper and threw it away behind his shoulders.

They were alone again and for almost half an hour Emma stayed there in silence keeping constantly an eye on the former queen sleeping form, hoping to catch even the little improvement in her conditions. She was sitting in a little armchair at the right side of Regina's bed with her head buried in her hands and a million of different thoughts in her mind.

'What I'm gonna do now without her..? How can I bring Henry up without her support..? I don't want to do it if she isn't with us.. things are not going to be the same anymore if she isn't around..'

"Hey.." She was so lost in her own thoughts that Regina startled her and so she jumped in the armchair.

The Savior immediately raised her head looking sweetly in Regina's brown eyes. She wanted to stroke the brunette's soft black hair, cuddle her and tell her soothing words but then a sort of anger for Regina's stupid act kick in.

"You idiot! Why did you do something so stupid like saving my damn life?" Emma screamed crying.

The brunette was lying on her bed almost unconscious, she was in a great pain while the coldness coming from Ingrid's curse was spreading all around her body.

At Emma's outburst she barely opened her eyes for just a moment and looking directly in Emma's green eyes she whispered "Because you are worth it..", she was so weak that she has no filter for her thoughts.

"No, I'm not!" she had new fresh tears in her eyes, "I know you did it for Henry, but for him you are much more important than me!"

"I did it not only for Henry.." and then she stopped abruptly regaining a bit of control over her mouth.

"Not only for Henry.." Emma repeated more to herself than to the brunette, "but then why?" she asked confused; the brunette saving her life was really something beyond her comprehension. She was also very irritated because from her point of view risking Regina's life was not an option in any case.

"Tell me WHY..!" the Savior almost shouted leaning towards the brunette.

Regina cupped Emma's cheek in her right hand stroking her thumb gently over there, "Because.. you set my heart on fire..", Emma's eyes reached their maximum size.

"Quite hilarious, isn't it? The Evil Queen has a heart after all.." She chuckled and then she lost her consciousness again.

Emma stood there dumbfounded.. 'WHAT?! What did you mean Regina?!'

"Regina.. Regina!" she screamed shaking the brunette body softly trying to wake her up again, but her attempts were futile.

"I know pretty well that you have a big heart.."

She did not know what she was doing as she gently leaned in and closed the distance between her and this woman she had grown so close to, when their lips were just inches apart she whispered "Forgive me Regina.. please don't kill me.." and then she closed the gap and kissed the woman she had been in love with for the last 4 years. It lasted only a brief moment, it was full of undying and unrequited love and that mere brush of their lips made Emma's head spin around sending her in Even. 'I'm sure she is gonna kill me for this sooner or later, but she is worth it.." She thought resting their foreheads together and stroking the raven woman's black hair lovingly.

After some minutes she sat again in the armchair moving it as near as possible to Regina's bed in order to be as close to her as possible without being on the bed. She couldn't help but to stare longingly at her messaging her scalp and caressing her right arm with her fingers, Emma was trying her best to shoot the former queen even if she was sleeping and couldn't feel her touch.

'She is beautiful..' she thought amazed, 'even under a freezing spell she is still gorgeous..'

After another hour she was almost asleep in her armchair when she heard a low murmur.

"I'm-I'm-co-cold.." The brunette whispered in her sleep trying to cover herself as much as possible with the bedspreads.

Regina was so vulnerable that Emma wasted no time and climbed into the bed under the covers. The former Evil Queen was now lying on her right side, so Emma approached her from behind and enveloped her in a warm embrace.

"I'll keep you warm.." she breathed in the brunette ear making Regina shiver. The Savior put her even closer and rested her head on the brunette's shoulder.

"I just wanna be your hero.." she whispered before putting the former queen even closer and drifting to sleep.

"You already are.." the brunette murmured in her sleep, she thought that just some minutes had passed after Emma's confession, instead it was hours; the blonde didn't hear her.