Sorry for the late update.. this is the final chapter and I wanted it to be perfect.. or at least perfect for me
I have to thank Misslane and her video "jar of hearts", it gave me the right push for this chapter.. if you can read it with this video as a soundtrack I'd really appreciate it.
Hope it'll be not too much confusing but I decided to write this chapter giving space to both Regina's and Emma's thoughts.. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as me
Chapter 5 – "Step 5 - Regina" – Part 2
Regina's POV + Emma's POV
Stirring from behind her brought Regina alarmingly back to the present. The arm slung below her breast left her to stretch. The blonde behind her yawned as she began to wake.
Regina immediately panicked and pulled herself out of bed far from the Savior's warmth, wrapping instinctively the sheets around her figure and clutching it to her chest.
"Miss Swan!" Regina blurted out before she could stop herself trying to sound disappointed, but failing miserably.
Emma's eyes popped fully open then. She stared wild-eyed at Regina smiling broadly. The blonde looked so normal, so happy to see her, that it made Regina's heart skip a beat.
Regina was standing near the bedroom door with the blanket around her figure looking at the blonde in disbelief.. 'why isn't she disappointed and freaked out to be in my bedroom.. in my bed.. hugging me?'
"Hey.." the blonde greeted her beaming, 'Soooo gorgeous! Gods, it's not humanely possible to be that damn perfect all the time! She has just woken up and yet here she is as beautiful as ever.. Yep.. perfect.' Then suddenly a rush of memories come to Emma's mind and realization hit her. 'OMG she was freezing to death yesterday night!'. Her eyes widened in shock at the memories, then without even thinking (and with a hint of clumsiness) she threw herself out of the bed and rushed over the brunette, who was taken aback by the Savior's attitude and leant more against the door gridding tightly the sheets over her chest.
Emma took the former queen by her shoulders and checked her inch by inch searching frantically her body for any sign of injuries caused by the ice curse that hit her the previous day. She was so desperate for checking if the brunette was really fine that she even attempted to tear off the blanket Regina was holding so tightly around her body.
"Miss Swan!" she scolded at her arching her eyebrow.
The Savior stopped dead in her track unable to move further realizing what she was about to do and looked in the brown eyes she grew to love so much.. 'she has just yelled at me.. yet her eyes are so soft and caring.. but that's impossible! Damn.. I'm really getting crazy even seeing things that are not there..'
"Sorry 'Gina.. I just needed to check you were really fine! I.. I needed to be sure.. but how..?" she was so relieved that sparkling tears found their way in her green eyes and she hold back a sob putting a hand over her mouth.
"Were you really concerned about the Evil Queen, my dear?" she asked in a mocking tone desperately trying to hide her hope.
"No, I wasn't.." the Savior shot back crossing her arms.
A deep sadness took place in the brunette's heart, 'take a hold of yourself Regina. What did you expect? She would never worry about you.. You are the Evil Queen, the woman that ruined her life and her parents'.. you've always known that you are just an acquaintance for her and nothing more.. '
"..or rather not only for your Evil Queen part, I was worried about YOU.. I was worried sick about Regina as a whole! Oh my God you scared the hell out of me!" the sheriff almost screamed.
"Emma," she began slowly. "Emma, it's okay.."
"No, it's not! You risked your life Regina.. and this is something very far form okay!" she shouted.
"But I'm fine now.."
"You really don't understand, do you?" the Savoir replied defeated looking in the caramel eyes of the former queen.
"I'm sorry, but I'm not aware of what are you talking about.."
'It's better to change immediately the subject of the conversation before I spill out everything about my feelings for her and then be obviously rejected.. Damn you Regina Mills, I was never supposed to fall in love with you!'
The Savior tried to calm herself steading her breath and taking control over her shaking hands before proceeding with the conversation, "You really can't imagine how happy I am to see you're fine.. how are you feeling?" she asked putting a hand on Regina's left forearm protectively. The brunette saw pure concern in the blonde's eyes and she also noticed that her features were pretty strained, it was clear the Savior had just had a very stressful night.
"I'm fine, Emma.. thank you for your concern.." 'and why am I blushing now? Damn you Emma Swan.. whenever you are near me I just act like a teenager-girl with her biggest crush!'
"Well.. I.. I'm.." Emma sighed trying to regain her train of thoughts and contain the pain of finding out (again) that Robin was Regina's true love.
'He kissed her and now she is completely healed.. HE broke the curse so there is really no doubt he is Regina's true love' and this new confirmation only broke Emma's heart more.
"I'm happy to see that at the end Robin's kiss worked.." she said with an expression between great sadness and relief on her beautiful features and a slight frown. Of course she was beyond happy that Regina was all right, that was the only important thing that mattered at the end.. but it was pretty hard for the Savior to face (probability for the thousand times) the reality of being nothing more than a friend to Regina.
'Oh my God.. she truly is an idiot sometimes! She really thinks that Robin's kiss broke the curse..! Even if a small part of me wishes it to be true because in this way things would be so much easier for me and I would be able to reach my happiness instead of falling in a unrequired love with the Savior.. It's not like that and she deserves to know the truth..'
"I'm not so sure we have to thank Robin for that.. as far as I recall Robin's kiss was not the only one I got yesterday night.." she smirked mischievously. 'Well done Regina, the Evil-Queen-Self-conscious mask is always a good idea..'
'SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! She knows!'
"I.. uh.. because.. you know.."
'I'm really an idiot! OMG she is gonna kill me because I kissed her.. Damn! And now she is using her Evil-Queen-Emotionless-Mask.. it can only mean she is really angry with me for ruining her life over and over again.. and I also took advantage of her when she was unconscious! Stupid.. stupid Emma!'
The blonde was so taken aback by Regina's knowledge that she stepped back from the brunette's personal space where she still was after checking the brunette was fine.
Feeling immediately the loss Regina tried to reach her taking her right hand and squeezing it.
"No wait.. I'm sorry.."
'But.. Wait! Is she really implying that was not Robin's kiss that broke the curse, but mine?! No.. That's impossible.. she is just making fun of me..'.
"You are just teasing me, aren't you?" she asked dreading the former queen's answer more than anything else in the world. 'And yes Regina.. I'm deadly jealous of Robin *fucking* Hood! He is your soul-mate.. your true love.. and I'm nothing for you even if I love you so damn much!"
"I.. I was crushed.. I.. I didn't know what else.." the blonde was trying her best to explain her action without telling her the truth.
"Don't worry Miss Swan.. no need to stutter." The brunette replied leaning against the closed door again with her arms crossed over her chest and sighing.
"And no Emma.. I'm not teasing you. I'm alive because the ice curse was broken and Robin is not the reason."
"What are you trying to say..?" the sheriff asked in disbelief and with a hint of hope in her voice that went completely unnoticed by the brunette.
The former queen sighed. 'Come on Regina, get on hold of yourself and tell her the truth.. well, of course NOT the whole truth! There is no need to tell her how much you really care for her.. she'd just be repulsed and reject you..'
Taking a deep breath Regina continued her speech. "Emma, I know you kissed me yesterday night.. Don't worry it's abundantly clear you did it out of duty of course.. but thank you anyway because you saved me".
'WHAT?' the Savior was flabbergasted, 'OMG! So she is really implying that it was my kiss the one that broke the curse and not Robin's! But.. how could it be possible..? I love her.. that's quite clear.. but to break a curse like that shouldn't the feeling be mutual..? But this is impossible, because she loves forest-man.. right?!'
The blonde was still gaping at the brunette speechless, for this reason Regina decided to continue and finish her speech, even knowing the rejection that would come for sure at the end. She tightened her grip around the blanket like this motion could give her the needed strength to tell the Savior the truth and help her to protect herself when the blonde would finally reply back.
"I know you were worried sick and being the Savior you are, you'd always try everything in your power to save the others.. even do something you don't want to." The brunette said those words with her eyes almost closed leaning her head against the door, then she took a deep breath and opened them again looking fiercely into Emma's green eyes. "I know it was something hard for you to do.. I mean kissing me.. I know it was hard.. but thank you."
'Hard? Does she really think that kissing her was hard or difficult for me..? Kissing her was pure bliss for me.. so "it was hard" my ass! She is kidding, isn't she?'
Even though Emma had had so many things in her head that she wanted to say, in that moment she was fighting an internal battle to try to get a sentence together and so she replied with just a simple "But how..?"
"I mean.. I've always thought that a true-love-kiss is needed to break a curse like that.." at the end the blonde was able to voice at least one of her thought.
"Yes Emma.. that's true.. in fact it was a true-love-kiss that broke this curse.."
"I really don't understand Regina.." the blonde said utterly confused.
"It's easy Miss Swan, you are the Savior.. you are meant to break curses.. I think that this grant you the power to give people a true-love-kiss even if you don't love them, it's enough that they.." she paused and took a deep long breath, "it's enough if they care about you.. their feelings would be enough for your magic to work."
"I know that maybe your pirate won't be too happy about that.. I mean you sharing true-love-kisses with other people.. but this is the only rational explanation."
'Seriously? Does she really think that I can just go around and give true-love-kisses to everyone on this planet just because I'm the Savior?! This is crazy..' she snorted internally.
"Stop this non-sense Regina!" she shouted more angrily than what she intended.
The brunette was dumbfounded by the sudden outburst of the sheriff.
"You love Robin.. he is your damn soul-mate.. he kissed you.. and now you are fine. So stop teasing me with this I-was-saved-by-the-Savior's-true-love-kiss! It hurts.. too much.. so stop!" she said with tears in her green eyes. She was on the verge of falling unable to contain her emotions anymore.
"Emma dear.." Regina started to say arching her sculpted eyebrow not understanding the Savior's attitude.
"Do you love him..?" She screamed. "Answer me!", tears were falling down her cheeks.
"Of course I love him.."
"See.. that's enough! It means that HIS kiss broke the curse and not mine! So stop with all this non-sense.." she was now crying openly. She was about to turn and leave when the brunette took her wrist strongly holding her in place.
"But I'm not in love with him! That's the reason why it didn't work.. I felt only cold when he kissed me and not the deep warmth I felt with you.. that's how I know which kiss saved me! But why do you care so much? You choose your pirate so why are you checking with me on this now?"
"YOU. WERE. ALREADY. TAKEN!" She shouted entering in the brunette's personal space, their lips just inches apart.
"Pardon?!" she asked in disbelief.
"Oh come on Regina..! I've been in love with you since.. well I dunno.. since forever I guess?!" she spat almost exasperated stepping back. 'Well done Swan.. now she knows your deepest secret and she'll reject you.. of course she'll be polite and all but she is gonna crush you..'
"That's impossible.." her brown eyes widened.
"IT'S TRUE!" she shouted with new tears in her eyes.
"But you are with that sultry pirate.."
'you were already taken..'
'You really don't understand Regina, do you? Ok.. it's now or never.. I've already told you that I'm love with you so I think that telling you something more would be no more harm..'
"Look, when I came back from NYC I finally remembered you and my life here in Storybrooke, I wanted to risk everything and tell you the truth.. but you were already happy with Robin *fucking* Hood and I'd never do anything to ruin your happiness! For this reason I didn't say anything.. and I set for something easy with Killian.."
The brunette remained silent too stunned to even breath.
"I'd have chosen you if you were an option! You were my FIRST choice but you were already taken by your soul-mate! I'd always choose YOU, Regina! And you know that pretty well.. I've always chosen to trust you and believe in you.. I've always put you at the first place. But of course I'm not even an option for you, because you have your precious soul-mate to run after. And for the record; I'm not with Hook anymore.. we broke up two months ago, because he knew. We are just friends now and he was just trying to help me.. in reality he is going out with one of Ariel's sisters."
Regina was utterly shocked as Emma's words kept on repeating in her mind every single minute.
'I'd have chosen you if you were an option'
'I'm not with him anymore'
"You.. You are not with him anymore?" for the first time during the last thirty years the former Evil Queen stuttered in surprise.
"The choice is yours.." the blonde told her bravely waiting for the rejection she was sure was coming. 'There it is my heart Regina.. go on and crush it!'
Letting the blanket fell to the ground Regina launched herself toward the blonde cupping her face in her hands and crashing their lips together.
The brunette moaned and grabbed the back of Emma's neck as she kept her close, pushing her body against the toned and lean body of the Savior and threading her fingers into blonde hair.
The Savior tensed up in the kiss and wasn't kissing back, Regina's heart shattered.
'She is not kissing me back.. Oh My God what have I done? As usually I mistook everything!'
After a few seconds were the blonde was standing still Regina was going to pull back defeated with tears in her brown eyes when suddenly Emma started to kiss her back pinning her effectively against the door. She closed her eyes and edged more into Regina's lips, licking the brunette's bottom lip asking for permission to deepen the kiss. Their kiss deepened and Emma couldn't stop her breathy sighs when Regina pulled her closer, cupping her face again. One of her hands went to Regina's waist, the other to her neck pulling her as close as possible never letting her go. Their lips collided softly and their tongues were fumbling around one other's.
When the kiss ended they were both breathless, Regina rested her forehead against Emma's looking incredulously into her eyes, her hands still cupping Emma's face to keep her close.
"I want you.. YOU and not Robin.. I want my Emma.. my love."
"I don't know if I was clear enough before but.. you are everything I ever wanted.. I love you." saying that the blonde smiled broadly like she has never done in her entire life and kissed Regina again fiercely.
"Well if I recall it correctly, you wanted to be my hero Miss Swan.. and I guess now it's abundantly clear that you really are.. after all you saved me.." she smirked.
"Oh my.. So you.. you heard that too?" 'Great! But wasn't she unconscious? "Is there something, Madam Mayor, that you don't remember about last night?" she joked smiling sweetly and pulling her closer and closer.
"Nope.. sorry for that. As I was saying.. it's clear that you really are my hero.. but I want to be your home Emma. No more running.. Henry and me, we are your family and we are your home, is this a deal?" Regina asked her seriously.
Emma was overwhelmed by the brunette's words, she felt like her soul was finally full and complete. 'That's the family I've always been searching for..'
"Deal! Anyway, sorry to disappoint you but the two of you already were since a long time.." she beamed. 'I'm sure my heart is gonna explode! Wait! Speaking of heart how can I feel so much love coming from Regina when her heart is not in her chest?'
"Regina.. you heart!" the savior pointed out panicking and scanning the bedroom with her eyes. She was about to turn around and leave when Regina hugged her, "It's still where you put it last night and it's completely safe, my dear". Pulling her closer she whispered in her ear, "So would you mind returning me my heart..?".
She took Emma's hand and lead them near her bed. There on the nightstand there was the jewelry box that was containing her heart since the previous night. They set together on Regina's bed and she handed the box to Emma, who opened it carefully. She looked questioningly from the heart laying in her hands to Regina's caramel eyes, unsure of what to do.
Regina put her hands on Emma's intertwining their fingers.
"Well it seems you really got the Evil Queen's heart after all, not only from a metaphoric point of view but also physically.." she joked, but Emma was really petrified to have something so precious in her hands.
Sensing her distress, the brunette just whispered "Put it back in my chest, dear".
"I don't want to hurt you.. you said that putting a heart back is always gonna hurt the owner.." she told the brunette with her eyes full of concern.
'Oh my.. does she really care so much that she doesn't want to give me even the slightest pain?'
"I'm sure you won't hurt me.." she squeezes the Savior's hand. 'This is not completely a lie, it's just going to be a brief pain and then I'll be fine..'
Emma's lie-detector detected the lie immediately, but she decided to do as she was told anyway. 'It's necessary.. I just hope I won't hurt her so much..'
She carefully took the heart from the box, holding it in her hands with care as the most precious thing in the world. Then she looked in the brunette's eyes who nodded her to proceed. She slowly put the heart close to Regina's chest when suddenly a white light flashed and the heart came back in its natural place without any hurt. Regina's eyes widened, that was the first time she saw something like that. Yes sure, she had read sometimes in her books that if it's your true-love the person who returns you your heart, you wouldn't feel any pain.. but she had never seen it happen and she had always thought it was just a myth.
"It really didn't hurt.." she was utterly surprised. She was ready to feel the pain although to pretend she was fine, but at the end the pain never came. "Well, I suppose this is another confirmation that we really belong together Miss Swan, isn't it?" she laughed softly cupping Emma's face and kissing her sweetly.
"Do you still have some doubts Madam Mayor?" the savior joked back.
"Mmh.. nope, none at all! It's still early in the morning.. Would you mind staying here in bed a little longer and hold me close? I'm still freezing.." the blonde just flashed a smile at the suggestion and they slid together under the sheets cuddling, Regina was on her right side and Emma was spooning her from behind.
"So.. Mmh.. You are not going to kill me, aren't you? You know.. For the kiss I gave you last night when you were unconscious..?" Emma asked unsure.
"I don't want to kill you Emma.." she smiled pulling the savior's arm closer.
"See.. That's a start!"
Regina rolled her eyes.. "But you know Miss Swan I'm for sure going to kill you if you don't kiss me again immediately". She said mischievously turning her head and leaning toward the blond for another kiss. Emma closed her eyes ready for the kiss she longed for when suddenly she stopped Regina.
The raven woman glared at her with worry.. "Regina.. Can I be your happy ending?"
And Regina smiled, the sweetest smile that Emma had ever seen.. "You already are my dear.. since a long time" and then she kissed her passionately.
Readjusting herself in the blonde's embrace and keeping Emma's arms as close as possible she fell asleep almost immediately with a radiant smile on her lips. 'She is going to be my new favorite blanket..'.
Seeing Regina safe in her arms sent a sense of warmth in Emma's heart, she can't stop staring at her while stroking lovingly her dark hair. Suddenly she remembered that Henry was still in the library with Belle and Anna oblivious that Regina was finally safe. 'He must be deadly worried about his mom, maybe he hasn't even slept all night', and so she took her mobile and sent him a txt.
Emma: come home kid, your Mom is fine!
Henry: really?! OMG! But how..?
Emma: ehm.. let's say I followed your advice kid.. x
Henry: you kissed her?
Emma: yep! And now she is here asleep with me.. and she is not an ice-statue!
Henry: Great Ma! Well done.. I've told you so! Love you! oxoxo
Emma: come home kid.. And Henry, I know you'll be very tired when you'll be back home but come here to cheer your mom before going to bed..
Henry: where is "here" exactly Ma? LOL
Emma: ehm.. *blush*.. in your mom's bedroom
Henry: ROFL.. I'm on my way Ma!
Henry placed his mobile on the desk and looked at Belle and Anna with watery eyes, they all stayed up all night searching for a way to break the impending curse.
"Ma did it!" he said proudly and the two girls burst into a fit of laughter relieved that at the end everything sorted out well. "She kissed mom and broke the curse!" he pointed out as it was necessary.
"Oh Henry I'm so happy!" Belle hugged him heartedly.
"I can't wait to come back home and hug her!" he said with tears of relief in his eyes still hugging Belle.
"Go home Henry, we'll advise Ruby and Elsa.. and then go and get some sleep" Anna said smiling at him. Belle tried to call Ruby's mobile, but for some odd reason she wasn't able to reach her and so she just sent her a txt. Ruby's mobile was long forgotten on the counter in Mr. Gold's shop.. [author's note: but this is totally another story..]
"I'm gonna go and thank you very much for all your help" saying that he waved and rushed out the library running toward the mansion. When he arrived there he was so eager to see his mom that he almost slammed the door and climbed the stairs two steps at a time. When he reached Regina's bedroom he opened the door cautiously and popped his head in. Seeing his moms curled together sleeping safe and sound was the best view of his life and he beamed broadly. He decided to not wake them up heading directly toward his bedroom for taking his well-deserved rest. On the way there he saw his M&M's operation parchment crinkled on the floor from the previous night and picked it up.
He opened it and re-read the last step of his plan: "step 4 - Get mom and Ma finally happy together". He grinned and took a pen from his pocket to make the last change in his plan:
Step 4 - Get mom and Ma finally happy together accomplished:
"There are persons in our life that are demons and others who are guardian angels.. but what would you do if someone is both..? You just fall in love with them".
FIN
I really loved writing this story, I hope you enjoyed it as well .