Regina paces the great hall, behind the table catching Emma's attention. "Everyone needs to back up a bit," she says though Snow tells her that the whole thing feels wrong. "Mom please, years have passed already, I can't have you interfering when it's coming to an end." She says with a pout hoping it will work in easing her mother.
"Years Emma?! I can't…I don't know where to...begin." she says with a lump clearly in her throat trying to be strong, "how long were you with…"
"Let's not talk about it, please."
Regina looks at Emma worried that her back, forever laced with scars, has gather many more in their absents. She is scared for Emma and of what The Lions have done to her. Emma senses her staring and turns around, "we have an incoming. Sarah, Kevin, Jane, Phillip please make sure everyone keeps a safe distance, you guys as well."
"Yes, understood," they respond.
The room lights up with red and bronze, disappearing to show Athena, David and Timothy.
Athena moves David and herself to stand by the group, leaving Timothy standing in front of Emma. "Are the others safe?"
"Of course, they are being guarded, though the dark one must be having a fit." Athena tells her.
"What about Henry?"
"He is hanging out with a centaur." Athena tells her warmly. "Bright kid that one."
"Emma! I have been expecting this," Timmy says though crosses his arms angry that the blonde got the upper hand on him.
"Of course you have," Emma says sitting down and gesturing for him to join her, "there are some things you need to clear up, Tim."
"Oh, like what?"
"Like how about who side you're on? If you intent to betray us? What day Malcolm and his army is going to attack?" Phillip tells him.
"Oh, is that all? Well let me see." He replies with his hand rubbing his chin, big smirk, just dragging it on. "hmm well I believe I am against Malcolm which would put me on your side, I don't intent to betray Emma again and what was the last thing you asked?"
"When will Malcolm attack?" Phillip repeats.
"What Emma didn't tell you? Well maybe she didn't say it but she has shown it with the army getting a 'kick back' day then everyone guarding tomorrow night."
"So tomorrow?" Sarah asks.
"No, the day after. Does no one remember the prophecy? What is the data? Anyone?"
"It's the 21…of October," Kevin says understanding.
"So what does the date mean?" David asks.
"Well two days from now is the 23," Sarah says then Jane chimes in mentioning the queen's curse.
"So, what does the curses date have to do with this?" Snow shouts.
"The curse, nothing, but what else happen on this day? Anything special, worth remembering at all? Did anything good come from the day the curse was set?" Timothy says.
"What you're doing is not going to…"
"Nothing!" Snow says cutting off Emma who stands speechless, "nothing good happen on that day. Nothing good came from it." Emma sits down slowly, feeling where the chains once bit her waist, the shock collar glowing red.
"And that is why The Lions choose that day; because nothing good happen on it, nothing worthy of anything." Emma says softly.
Regina notices the defeat in her voice and calls to her, "Emma, no. That's not true; your parents are just idiots. Big idiots," she says looking at them ashamed.
"I'm sorry; I didn't realize they'd forget, I thought…I had hoped it would be different with them." Tim says sincerely.
"I know." Emma says.
"You act like you think you know my daughter better than me." Snow says with spite.
"Well you just proved that I do. Do you even know her middle name?"
Everyone looks back and forth at Emma and Timothy realizing that no one knows the answer. They all say no, and Regina mentions that even digging up things on Emma for the year before the curse left that one blank.
"Don't you dare tell them!" Emma says.
"Couldn't even if I wanted to. Unless of course they ask, can't lie now, can I."
"So what is her…"David begins before being cut off by Emma.
"Don't, no one ask him. Leave it alone, please." She looks towards Snow, "if you respect me at all you will leave it be."
"Emma's right, it would be wrong to find out like this," Regina says hoping that the blonde's idiot parents will listen to reason.
"I'm sorry, but I can't, I need to know. It can't be that bad. What is Emma Swan's middle name?"
Emma looks up pleading but knows it's already too late. "She doesn't have one. It's just Emma Swan, they say she wasn't even worth a middle name."
Snow utters a few incoherent words until Emma says enough, "we are here for important matters and if you cannot keep shut and out of the way you will be removed. That goes for all of you."
"We've been back in Narnia for about a week Emma, what is so important that the council must know before we proceed?" Timmy asks.
"What you would do if Zeus and Malcolm bring the witch back?"
Stunned he sits down and stares at Emma. "Is she back?"
"What would you do if she is? How do feel about it?"
"Conflicted, but I would still do what is needed to help you. I owe you that much. Is she back?"
"No, and I believe they can't do it. She did give up her life for her…whatever you want to call it." Emma says.
"But she killed the Lion and Malcolm."
"Yes, because they crossed a line during their tortures, you didn't, though Lion senior taught the both of you. The witch was furious and ended it the only way she knew, hoping that when the time rose it may be a bit different."
"Was it…different than before? Malcolm had you chained and tortured for months Emma, you're still hurting from it. Are you dying?"
"Yes. You remember what doctors said when I was ten, that much elocution is lethal." Emma says softly.
"If you take half her heart…"
"No!"
"Fine but you need to be bound!"
"I said no! I am not risking her life."
"The council wants to know if it is safe to take the collar off after the bones are set back. They want to know if it gives us a better chance. So does it?"
"Yes, I can set them back and give you a chance of surviving this but you will need a day's rest which means it would have to be done now. And it will hurt, Emma, a lot."
Sarah, Phillip, Kevin and Jane all take a seat at the guardians table while Athena stands with the others. "It won't last long without a binding spell though, would it?" she asks Timothy.
"No, it won't."
"Idiot!" both Athena and Regina mutters.
"Don't gain up on me now. Athena, thank you for everything, you are needed at the front line soon." Emma tells her.
"Of course."
Kevin waves his hands and a bottle of scotch appears with some glasses. "A drink first, your grace."
Phillip gives Kevin a angry look, "what? She is about to be electrocuted, and magic cannot heal her, I say she could use a drink or two first."
Emma grabs the bottle and pours herself a glass, drowning it's contains in seconds and pours another getting up from where she is seated. "I want my parents out of here."
"Emma, no. Your mother wasn't thinking. That day bought the world to us, we want to stay." David pleads with his daughter.
"You two are of better use at the front lines, we will see each other before this ends, and after. But please, I need you to make sure that Henry is safe and keep an eye on Gold. Could you do that for me?"
"I guess we don't have a choice. Is Regina staying?" he asks.
"That is her decision." Emma tells them and sits back down, pouring another drink.
Regina nods to David and Snow, "please watch out for her, and yourself." Snow tells Regina, who reaches for her hand and squeezes it while nodding sadly. Regina walks towards the table and takes a seat next to Emma; she takes her hand and laces their fingers. Emma just stares at their hands, washing herself in the feeling.
The Charmings walk over to where Athena had been waiting and leaves.
"Its sweat, you might actually stand a chance when this is done." Timothy says looking at Regina's and Emma's laced hands.
"Tell me what you really think?" Emma says.
"That you have a chance and I hope you do but you will always feel like a worthless orphan." He says and looks down at his hands.
"Well you will always be a Lion!" Emma responds with a bite.
"Yeah, good thing for you in this case though."
Regina just looks between the both of them and squeezes Emma's hand tighter. Emma looks at her expecting to be question on why he's here though she understands he is to be used as a distraction. Instead of being question Regina just holds her glaze and tells her that she is not leaving her.
"From the ashes he will rise, to kill the Swan on the day she first breathed life." Phillip quoted, "how haven't we figured that piece out?"
"Everyone is already prepared for the uprising though." Jane says.
"Athena has helped form a better union with the other gods and guardians such as yourselves." Emma says.
"You are a guardian too, Emma, and none of this could have been done without you. Again you make everyone see reason and strength when we need it." Sarah tells her.
"Let's just get this over with." Emma tells them as she stands up and walks over to a fare wall, holds her hands against it leaning her weight on it. "A little privacy if you will." She looks at Timothy who is walking slowly towards her with a worried look. "Don't pretend you're not going to enjoy causing pain."
"I think that fact that a part of me had once enjoyed the cause and effect of it is what scares me." He says softly looking down.
"That's good then. You need to concentrate on how you will be helping. You cannot undo what has been done and you can't take away the markings but you can return what is in your hands and that is something." Emma says calmly, though dreading the intense pain of the Lions own shock therapy, she closes her eyes and turns to face the wall.
Regina gets up and stands besides Emma, taking her hand she brings it to her chest, "I wish I could heal you, take away some of the pain, do something to ease you a bit." She is unable to mask her worry and shame from Emma.
"You being here is soothing, comfort during the chaos. Don't think for one moment that your presence is not enough, Regina, or that it's not wanted." Emma tells her, she brings her hand to her lips and kisses it, "you shouldn't stand too close though, I can't have you getting hurt. " Regina opens her mouth to protest but Timothy tells her it will be quick, if only she believed him.
Timothy places his hands on Emma's back electrocuting her where her shoulder blades are. He then takes the bones and places them there allowing them to transition into her body and adjusting their size. After a few minutes and barely any breathing by Emma, she tilts her head back as blood is flowing from her nose. Regina rushes forward but Sarah catches her, telling her that Timmy must finish before we intervene. After another minute the air becomes silent, all magic stilled and Timothy backs away from Emma as she slides to the ground, nose still bleeding.
Regina kneels down and grabs Emma pulling her close to her body. Getting a hanker chef from Timmy and wiping some of the blood off the blondes face, holding her head up. "We need to get this thing off you!" She says as the collar glows red again. Emma nods her head indicating for it to be removed. Regina takes a deep breath, looking Emma in the eyes and removes the collar. It crumbles to ashes. Timothy and Regina help Emma up and help her walk to the nearest room.
"You still haven't answered me," he says walking with them, his arm helping hold her weight, "was it the same as before? did he cross mothers line?"
"What do you think?" Emma says rhetorically. He signs sadly and leaves the two of them by the bed, walking back towards Sarah.
Regina helps Emma lay on the bed, on her side. Exhausted Emma shuts her eyes but Regina nudges her, "it looks like some of your wounds have opened up, I need to clean them."
Emma moves onto her stomach as Regina gets a blow of water from Sarah. Softly she cleans the wounds trying not to grasp or cry from the scars that lither Emma's back. Emma holds onto the pillow tightly trying not to look weak in front of Regina. Sensing this discomfort Regina stops.
"I'm sorry, Emma, I'm almost done, and then we can get some rest," she says.
"You're still saying?" Emma asks disbelieve clear in her voice.
"Of course, we do this together." She tells her as she finishes cleaning her back. She places a kiss on the back of her neck then lies down, running her fingers though her hair.
"Gina?"
"Yes, dear," she responds smiling lightly from the nickname.
"Thank you."
Regina nods into Emma's neck and kisses her cheek, both falling asleep holding on to each others arms so as to not cause Emma more pain.