A/N: Surprise! An unexpected update!

I guess with the hour I gained on the time change and the caffeine I've ingested via Halloween treats, it just felt like the right time to write. :) This chapter isn't as long as the last few, but it serves as a turning point. I hope you enjoy it. There are some lovely moments ahead for our two leading ladies and I am glad to be sharing them with you. This is chapter eleven and I hope to post four or five more before this story is done for those of you who have asked.

So, this story is over 200 reviews and closing in on 500 followers! That is more than I ever dreamed. Thank you all so much for reading and sharing this story and especially for your thoughts and reviews. I haven't had time to respond to any lately but if you send me a PM, I will happily chat about this tale with you. Also, look me up on twitter: LP_EQ_RM or on tumblr: madamemayorrm

"This must be a fate worse than death for you, love. How boring cooped up in this house all week with the Evil Queen." Hook crossed his still booted feet on top of the comforter and pulled Emma closer.

The blonde resisted a little and pushed his legs to the floor. "Don't call her that. And keep your damn shoes off the bed. Don't you have any manners?"

The pirate offered an apologetic pout. "Why Swan, the way you act a lad might get the idea he hasn't been missed at all."

"I haven't had a chance to miss you, Killian. I've been asleep most of the last six days." Emma didn't want to be cruel to him, but he had an uncanny knack for interrupting her at the worst possible moments.

"I see. Well, perhaps I shouldn't have come then. I have been on strict orders to stay away until you felt better so when your father called to report on your condition, I came running. I thought you would be happy to see me, love." For the first time in a long time, Emma believed him and heard a genuine hurt in his voice. He truly did love her, no matter what else he was capable of.

"Oh, babe. I'm sorry. I've just been so sick and I'm medicated. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." Emma pulled the pirate close and laid her head on his chest. He smelled of leather and rum and the sea. How short a time ago she had been laying against Regina's breast, breathing in clean spiced vanilla and… a flower. What was it? Gardenia.

After a moment, the pirate relaxed. "So, what have you been doing… besides sleeping?"

"Not much. I had a bath. Regina made me some soup. Your typical sick bed stuff." Emma smoothed her hand across his shirt and tried to hear his heart beating through his jacket. Regina's had been racing. Killian's was a calm lake surface.

"So I was right. Boring. Listen, love. I visited that dwarf at the pharmacy today and he impaled me with a needle but he assured me that it would keep me from catching the flu. Now that you are feeling better I insist we get you out of here and home where you belong. So, first thing in the morning I will be taking you to—"

"I'm not ready to be around a loft full of people, Kil. Especially not the munchkin. He's too hyper for me right now. I appreciate the idea but—"

"Oh no, not the loft. Home to the Jolly Roger. After all, in a few weeks that will be your home. So, first thing in the morning we will head over and get you settled in. I am sure her majesty will be glad to have her life back. She hasn't been outside these walls since you got here."

Emma felt simultaneously happy, sad and like a burden. Regina had remained by her side all week. How wonderful! But, had she been keeping Regina from important things? Was she a burden to her? Perhaps she should go with Killian. The idea of being in the lower decks of the ship made her nauseous though. She didn't like to think of that as home. Killian had gone on talking but she had stopped listening.

What was Regina about to say? What was I about to say? Maybe he showed up and saved us both some embarrassment.

"So when I finally convinced Willy to take the last drop of rum, he fell face-first into the bar and knocked himself out cold. It was quite funny, love. I wish you had seen it." Willy? How had the conversation drifted so far already?

There was a light knock on the door but it didn't open. Regina's soft voice was muted by the barrier between them. "Emma, I think I am going to bed but I will leave the door open in case you need me in the night. You aren't due for another dose of medicine until morning. Have your guest be sure the front door is locked on his way out."

Emma really wanted to talk to Regina. She was in no mood to hear the droning tales of drunkenness that had transpired while she was near unconscious with sickness. She tried to sound as normal as possible to reply but before she could speak up, Killian did.

"Worry not, your majesty. Emma's guest is more than capable of looking after her. Sleep well." The pirate sniggered and poked Emma roughly in the side. "I have no intention of leaving tonight anyway."

"Killian…." Emma didn't like the sound of that.

"What? I haven't seen you in almost a week! If you think I'm going to let little Miss Passive-aggressive dismiss me, you are sadly mistaken. She's had you long enough and I'll be damned if I'll just scurry off to please her." He pulled her uncomfortably closer. When had his touch begun to make her miserable?

"Regina? I will be sure he locks the door on his way out. Goodnight." Emma hoped Regina hadn't heard Killian's continued talk.

There was a moment of silence such that Emma was sure Regina must have long gone to her bedroom. But then a tender voice broke the stillness. "Goodnight… Emma."

Hearing Regina's bedroom door close after all, Emma rolled her eyes at her new bedmate. "God, you are insufferable." Emma pushed herself off Killian and flopped onto her back beside him.

The pirate offered up an irritated look. "Insufferable? How long have you been with the witch until you start talking like her?"

The blonde elbowed him weakly. "Stop calling her names! She has taken good care of me this week and been a real friend. And you are not spending the night here."

"Swan—"

"No, Killian. After all she has done for me… for us. And you come storming into her home, putting your dirty boots on her furniture, talking about her when she is literally right outside the door! I can't be—"

"Us?! What has she ever done for me?" Hook stood up and was towering over Emma where she lay in the bed. To his credit, he kept his voice quiet though his anger was evident.

"You mean besides saving our lives on numerous occasions, getting me to the hospital instantly when I hit my head, opening her home to me, spending an embarrassing amount of her own money on the wedding to be sure it is everything I didn't know I wanted, raising our son and sharing him with me, not to mention the way she—"

"That's all still about you, love. Not me." Hook arched a challenging brow at the blonde.

Emma felt real anger boiling to the surface now. "Well, excuse me but I thought we were going to be one, Killian. I assumed that if it happened to me it mattered to you. Does my health and safety and happiness not matter to you?"

Emma had begun to tremble and her voice was no longer a whisper to protect Regina from hearing. Kilian turned and began to pace. Emma knew he was angry by the width and speed of his steps, a near canter in the dimly lit room.

"Emma. Of course all those things matter. I just get so damn tired of you singing the praises of the ever virtuous Evil Queen. Would it hurt you… would it kill you to acknowledge my sacrifices, my part in your happiness?" Hook's voice was steady and the sound made Emma try desperately to corral her emotions. He was calm. She could be calm too.

"I'm sorry, Killian. I know you have done a lot for me too. That isn't it. I just don't think you should be so cavalier about the things Regina has done to see to it that I—that we are happy. And for the absolute last time—stop calling her evil or so help me…"

At the sound of a threat, the pirate began to laugh. He held his belly and laughed loudly. Emma frowned at his joy. "What is so damn funny?"

"You, lying there in your sick bed, weak as a kitten and threatening me." He settled back down on the bed beside her and pulled her reluctant form back into his arms. "Alright, love. You win. I'm sorry. I shouldn't be so hard on the old wit—on our dear sweet Regina. Forgive me. I will make it up to you."

His lips grazed tenderly on the blonde's forehead, avoiding her bandage. Emma lay against him a moment, unsure exactly how their argument had ended with her back in his arms. "Well, ok. I guess I can accept that. But you are not spending the night."

"Aye. I will be gone shortly and you can get back to sleeping." Killian glanced to the nightstand and saw the book. "Or to reading your book. Whatever pleases you, love."

Emma's cheek pinked at the mention of the book. She could hear the velvet of Regina's voice reading only the first line before she had been interrupted. I was about to tell her I love her and now I am lying here in her home… in this bed, with my fiancé. What am I going to do now?

~ (SQ) ~

Regina had laid in her bed, flat of her back and staring at the ceiling since Emma had said goodnight. She had tried not to listen to the argument across the hall and, admittedly, she hadn't heard much. The brunette had closed her eyes and tried desperately to will herself to sleep but the idea of that filthy pirate thinking he could just remain in her home overnight… well, the very idea of it was keeping her awake.

She had glanced at the clock on her bedside table when she heard the sound of the captain making his exit. It was midnight. Anger had kept Regina awake then. Did he care nothing for Emma's well-being? She should have been asleep hours ago. Regina had slipped from under the warmth of her blankets and opened her bedroom door. She feared Emma might wake up coughing and need her.

Easing back into the bed, Regina stared wide eyed at the ceiling for at least another hour, disgust with the pirate humming in her veins. It had been a long time since she wanted to kill anyone. She smirked to herself. No. Emma wouldn't like that even if she suddenly wasn't in love with him. He would live. Cockroaches and pirates… they would survive the apocalypse and subsist on Twinkies and rum. She chuckled quietly. Indeed.

It wasn't hard for thoughts of Emma to invade her tired mind. Emma, naked in the tub with droplets of water glistening on her perfect skin. Emma, sitting between her knees on the floor earlier that day, squeezing Regina's leg affectionately. Thoughts of the blonde laying in her arms played like a movie in Regina's mind. What if the pirate hadn't shown up at her door? Would she be lying awake right now for a different reason all together? Oh, Emma. What were you going to say, my darling?

Regina turned to her open bedroom door, feeling eyes on her. Emma stood there, glancing back toward her own room as if unsure what to do next.

"Emma? Are you alright?" The brunette sat up and pushed back the covers to stand.

"I'm fine. Please don't get up. I…. I just… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you." Emma turned then and started back to her room.

"Emma, wait. You didn't wake me. Come back. Please." Regina waited a long moment. Finally Emma stepped timidly back into view. "What is it?"

"I don't know. I just couldn't fall asleep. I'm embarrassed for how Killian acted and I…." Emma dropped her head bashfully toward her chest. "I guess I missed you."

Green eyes managed to find brown even in the dim light peeking through the curtains and Emma smiled shyly. Regina felt her heart melt in her chest. She reached out a hand and pulled back the blanket, patting the bed beside her in invitation.

"Come, get under here. It is far too cold for you to be up and about." Her reason seemed logical, but Emma saw the truth in brown eyes. Regina had been thinking of her too.

Emma wiggled about a moment until she was comfortable beside Regina. The warmth radiating from golden skin began to wrap around Emma like a cocoon. She felt sure, given time, she would emerge a beautiful butterfly. How did Regina make her feel so many things so easily?

"Now, you have been awake far too long today and you need your sleep so you can feel better. So, no conversation tonight, dear. Let's both just try to get some sleep. I admit, I am very tired." Regina's voice seemed to bear witness to that. It was sleep heavy and deep. As if on command, the brunette yawned loudly.

"Ok. We can sleep. If you don't mind me being in here. I'm sorry to be such a burden." Emma still felt the sting of Killian's words. Was she hindering Regina by being here?

"Burden? Why on earth would you think you are a burden? You know me better. If I didn't want you here, you simply wouldn't be. End of discussion. Besides, I've gotten used to you now. I'm not—" another loud yawn—"I'm not sure what I will do without you when you go."

Emma was surprised by Regina's frankness. For a woman so guarded with her emotions, her words carried the weight of open and honest affection. She must really be tired.

Regina's eye lids were so heavy and the siren song of sleep was calling her away. She rolled onto her side facing away from Emma and scooted back toward the blonde. "Goodnight, Emma."

On instinct alone, Emma rolled onto her side behind the brunette and eased closer. Slipping a tentative arm around Regina's silk covered stomach, the sheriff, savior and former Dark One took on a new role as the big spoon. Regina pulled sleepily at Emma's arm and wiggled back against the blonde until they were a matched set, bodies connected nearly from head to toe.

Emma smiled at the tickle of raven hair against her face and the tiny sigh of contentment as sleep took Regina away at last. The blonde had come to the door tonight hoping they could finish the talk Hook had interrupted but for now she was satisfied to sleep with this beauty in her arms.

Slipping into a blissful and dreamless sleep, Emma whispered into the silence, "Goodnight, Regina."

~ (SQ) ~

Regina began to stir from sleep as the first light of morning danced through the curtains. She wasn't ready to wake up yet so she snuggled deeper into the covers and the body against her. Letting out a contented sigh, she slipped her fingers into the hand on her tummy and pulled it up to her face, lightly kissing the knuckles, cradling the hand under her chin. She'd been having such a wonderful dream of Emma…

Emma!

Regina's eyes flew wide open and she tried to remain still. Had it been a dream at all? Was Emma really here, in her bed, spooning her?

Chancing a glance back at her companion, Regina was met with two wide green eyes watching her intently. "Good morning."

The sound of Emma's sleepy morning voice, rough and husky, made Regina shiver. She didn't know if it would be better to remain still or to pull away from the warm and soft shape behind her. Which would least betray her emotions to the blonde?

She opted to stay put for the moment and turned her face forward again. Clearing her throat, the brunette hoped she wouldn't sound as aroused as she was suddenly feeling realizing her derrière was nestled perfectly against the apex of Emma's thighs.

"Good morning."

"Did you sleep well?" Emma's voice was hot against Regina's neck and sent another shiver through her.

"Mm… mhmm." Regina couldn't help the near whimper in her answer to the affirmative. She had indeed slept well, but she wasn't prepared for morning-Emma. She hadn't had time to ready herself for that voice, that warm body, that hand she was still clutching atop her breasts. Great, Regina. Just great. She quickly released the hand and it fell back to her stomach.

Emma sighed and tightened her grip around Regina's middle, pulling the brunette even closer to her. She felt Regina shift slightly and had to bite the inside of her jaw to keep from groaning at the sensation of her breasts brushing against the brunette. "Me… um, me too. This bed is amazing."

Emma laughed awkwardly but made no move to release the former queen. Regina wasn't pulling away. Maybe this was ok.

"Yes. It is a fine mattress. I thought it was… um, you know… maybe too soft at first but I found I quite like it. It sort of—" Emma wiggled a bit, and Regina closed her eyes in response. She could feel two perfectly round breasts pressing into her back. "—it sort of forms around your body."

Oh my god. Are we actually talking about the mattress?

"Well, it is very nice. Very nice. The sheets too. What is this, Egyptian cotton?" Emma had an urge to bury her face into the exposed curve of Regina's neck. She wondered how Regina would sound when she gasped, first in surprise, then in pleasure at the feel of Emma's mouth on her.

Assuming she would welcome that. Reel it in, Swan.

"I honestly don't recall. I ordered them online." Regina could only concentrate on one thing and the material her sheets were made from wasn't it. All she could think about was where Emma's hand had fallen on her belly, just barely a respectable distance beneath her breasts and above her sex. She silently begged those long, thin fingers to move an inch either way. "What size is your mattress at the loft? I'll send you a set."

Emma's face broke into a broad grin. "It's the size every bed should be."

Her curiosity piqued, Regina glanced back over her shoulder at Emma. Her face was unexpectedly close. "And what would that be, dear?"

"Queen size." Emma winked at the brunette and wiggled her fingers on Regina's stomach causing the woman to arch away from the sensation and yelp.

Emma's fingers persisted and she was soon hovering above Regina, tickling her sides as the brunette laughed with abandon and begged mercy.

"Please Emma, please! No more!" Regina pushed gently against the blonde's arms, not really putting up much resistance.

"Alright, alright." Emma stopped her assault on the older woman and laughed lightly. The exertion had sapped her strength and she had begun to cough, though not near as violently as before. "I'll give you a break… this time."

Regina arched a brow high and glared up at Emma. "You'll give me a break. Ha! I was taking it easy on you since you have been so sick. I told you, I like a fair fight."

Regina was blissfully aware of the weight of Emma's body on top of her. She felt heat pooling between her legs and wondered if Emma would reject her if she leaned up to capture those pouting pink lips with her own.

"Well then, be on guard, Madam Mayor. I will be back in tip top shape soon enough and I will come for you when you least expect it. Then… Round Two." Emma held herself above the brunette, a hand on either side of Regina's head. She wiggled her eyebrows and wondered if Regina picked up on her deliberate double entendre.

"I'm not sure Round One has ended just yet." Without warning, Regina flipped them and found herself above Emma, pinning her arms against the mattress, gripping tightly on her wrists. "My, how the tables have turned… Em-ma."

Emma felt a hot surge of arousal shoot through her body at the sound of her name dripping from Regina's lips. The two women remained still, Regina sitting straddle of Emma's hips, the blonde's chest rising and falling rapidly beneath her.

Both held their breath. Surely this was the moment the doorbell would sound, or the phone would ring, or some fool would stumble into the room and stop them. But none of that happened. Instead they just stared into each other's eyes, studied each other's faces and wondered who would flinch first.

The answer came too soon.

"I suppose I should um…" Emma began.

"Yes. Of course. And I need to…" Regina looked toward the door but still, neither of them moved.

"Regina?" Emma spoke again.

"Yes, Emma?" Was this it? Would this be the moment?

Emma cleared her throat and glanced up at her still pinned wrists.

"Oh. I'm… I'm sorry." Regina release her captive and sat back on her haunches. She made to move from atop Emma, embarrassed.

"No, wait. That isn't what I was going to say." Emma caught hold of the brunette's delicate hands and stopped her escape. The blonde sat up and folded her legs under her. Regina mirrored her stance and folded her hands in her lap.

"Ok." Regina smiled nervously. "What is it?"

"I… I just wanted to thank you for taking care of me this week and for being such a good friend to me. I've never really had a friend who I could count on and it means a lot—you mean a lot to me, Regina." Emma felt like a wimp for not saying what her heart was screaming. Don't pussy out, Emma.

"You mean a lot to me too, Emma." Regina could feel the sting of tears gathering in her eyes. "I've never had a friend like you either."

Emma smiled like a lovesick puppy at the brunette before her. Regina returned the affectionate gaze and took Emma's hand. "I don't think I could ever tell you just how special you are to me. You know that, don't you? How special you are?"

Emma's cheeks blazed with color at Regina's words. "I'm nothing special, Regina. You are the one who—"

"Oh, but you are. You are a precious treasure in this world and I hope you always are treated with the care you deserve." Regina stroked gently across the back of Emma's hand.

"A treasure?" Emma felt her heart leap into her throat. She had never seen herself as important to very many people, certainly not someone like Regina.

"Yes. A treasure. And I for one feel so lucky to have had a chance to discover you." Regina cast her eyes down now and looked up at Emma from under soot black lashes.

"I… I feel that way about you too. Lucky that you are in my life." Emma felt an uncharacteristic bashfulness envelope her and she looked away.

Regina smiled at her and her fingers continued their tender caresses along Emma's hand. A comfortable silence fell upon them and neither dared speak again. Emotion was palatable in the air and Regina could feel the sweet hum of her magic fighting to be freed. Magic really is emotion.

"Well, I guess I really should start packing up now. Killian said he would be by for me this morning." And just like that, it was gone.

"Oh? Are you leaving?" Regina couldn't hide the disappointment in her voice.

"Yeah. He wants me to stay with him and… honestly Gina, you've given up enough of your time babysitting me." Emma pulled her hand free from Regina and made her way out of the bed, the cocoon of safety. She suddenly felt exposed, having shared more of her heart than she was comfortable with.

"But Emma…" Regina rose up on her knees in the bed and tried to protest.

"No buts. I think it would be taking advantage of you to stay any longer. Besides, I can't imagine my mother staying away much longer. Do you want her traipsing in and out of here for the next few days?" Emma smiled a teasing grin.

Regina returned the teasing smile. "I suppose not."

They two locked eyes for another moment and Emma slipped out to gather her things. She was leaving and there was nothing Regina could do to stop her. But something had begun to stir in the brunette. She wasn't ready yet to name it, but she knew one thing for sure. She wasn't ready to stop fighting for Emma. No, she wasn't ready to just let her walk away and down the aisle with the pirate. This morning's talk had shown her loud and clear… she wasn't alone in her feelings. Emma felt something.

And I intend to find out what.

~ (SQ) ~

Maleficent swirled the last sip of wine around in her glass. "So, how is Emma? I heard she has been sick."

Regina walked to the sidebar and picked up the wine bottle, refilling her glass and pouring into Mal's. "Oh, she's doing much better. She was out of work for about two weeks but she came back into the station for half a day today. She wasn't happy about the half day thing but her boss insisted she take it easy." The brunette sat back down on the sofa in Maleficent's living room and kicked off her shoes, pulling her bare feet up on the cushion beside her.

"Aren't you her boss?" The blonde mirrored her guests lounging stance and kicked off her own heels as well.

"Details, details. She has been very sick, Mal. This town's crime rate is something like zero unless we are battling witches and ogres. It wasn't like she needed to rush back. Let Archie hunt down Pongo on his own for a couple weeks and he might keep the creature on his leash." Regina sniffed arrogantly. She wasn't ashamed of her abuse of power to protect the ones she loved.

"I see. I thought I heard she was staying with you. How'd that go?" Mal was treading carefully. They had been having a fine time. She was in no hurry to get Regina's ire up by talking about the sheriff, but it was an unavoidable topic.

"I guess it was fine… while it lasted. She slept a lot. The one day she was feeling more like herself, well—" Regina wanted to talk about this but she also liked keeping her private moments private. She didn't want to sully the memory or betray the sweet intimacy by inviting someone else in. But, she could talk about it without saying too much. "Well, I just felt like we had a moment. And the morning before she left with the pirate… I felt it then too."

Her friend, raised an eyebrow but said nothing. The silence began to feel uncomfortable as Mal kept her eyes on Regina, refusing to comment. Regina felt compelled to fill the silence so she rambled on.

"I just don't know what to make of it. I thought she was in love with him and we were just friends. But then, she…" Regina envisioned Emma, standing naked in her tub. "She just did and said things that made me second guess myself. Maybe she feels something for me. But then, off she goes with Guyliner to the Jolly Roger so he can take care of her." Regina shook her head. She was mildly angry that she had been there, caring for Emma in the worst of her sickness only to have her wakeful and healed being whisked away.

"And did he? Take care of her?" Mal knew the answer, but she wanted Regina to go on talking. The blonde felt her oldest friend may be on the verge of an epiphany and she wanted to see it happen.

"Ha!" Regina barked in sarcastic laughter. "Hell no. She was there one night before she moved back to the loft. Henry said she claimed the ship made her seasick, even in port. She could've come back to Mifflin but I think she thought she was bothering me. So, she stayed at the loft and Snow took care of her but to be honest she was well on her way to being one hundred percent by the time she left me. I'm glad she had her mother to care for her. And I'm glad she is back to work. I just wish…"

"What? What do you wish, little queen?" Mal took a sip of her wine and watched her friend closely.

"I can't say it without sounding as possessive as the pirate. Emma isn't an object to be owned but…" Regina was clearly afraid of how her next words would sound to her friend. "I just wish she were mine. I wish she knew she wasn't a bother because I want to care for her. I wish… she belonged to me. God. I sound like a misogynistic old man."

Regina buried her face in her hands and tried to make light of her words by forcing a laugh. Peeking through her fingers at the blonde across from her when the silence went on too long, Regina found thoughtful eyes studying her. "Ok. Go ahead. Say it. I'm no better than the pirate."

Maleficent smiled then and sat up straight, putting her feet back on the floor. She leaned forward and rested her arms on her knees. "No. I don't think you are like him at all. Listen Regina, you know better than anybody what it feels like to be a possession. Your mother owned you and molded you and forced you to do things you didn't want to do. You had no options. At least, you didn't see any at the time. Then you were our world's version of a trophy wife to Leopold. He paraded you out on display whenever he liked. But he treated you like a possession, not a wife." Regina dropped her hand from her eyes and sat up in response to Mal's serious tone.

"And I know… I know you personally treated many people like possessions yourself. You totally robbed them of their personhood and autonomy by stealing their hearts and demanding they bow to your every whim." The blonde held up her hand to silence the protest already forming on Regina's lips. "I know, that was a long time ago and you are not that person anymore. I can't imagine you ever doing that now. In fact, I have a hard time remembering that the person who did those things was even you. The point I'm making is, you naturally judge yourself and your desire to love Emma, to have her belong to you as equal to what you have suffered and to what you have inflicted on others. And that just isn't what I see happening at all."

"Go on…" Regina was interested in what Mal had to say.

"Hook is from that old guard. He sees Emma like many men view women. She is helpless without her man. She needs, hell… she requires constant care and saving like a damsel in distress. She can't take care of herself. Poor thing. Probably couldn't find her way home with a map." Mal put on her best pouting face. "But that is utter bullshit and we both know it. Emma, Snow, Belle, you, me… we are all capable women with brains and brass. We don't need a man or another woman to own us. We need someone to love us. To walk with us. To share life with us."

"Ok, so far you aren't making me feel better about wanting Emma to belong to me." Regina arched a brown and crossed her arms defiantly.

"I'm getting to that. I think when you say you want Emma to 'be yours' or to 'belong to you', what you actually mean is, you want to be that person who loves her, cares for her and helps her be the very best she can be. The one that goes along through life shining a spotlight on her good points, helping her discover what makes her, her. I don't think you mean belong to you as much as I think you mean you want to belong together. Like salt and pepper, yin and yang, day and night. Separate, unique and forever tied to each other. Like two sides of the same coin. I don't think you want Emma to be your mindless Stepford wife. I think you just want Emma, with everything that makes her Emma, to be committed to you and you to her and then the two of you face the world together. Hook wants to possess her. You want to be one with her."

Regina sat stunned into silence. Was that how she really felt? Yes. Yes it was. How could Maleficent see it so clearly? Her mind, afraid to respond to the warming truth Mal had exposed, latched on to her anger with the pirate.

"God, he does want to own her, Mal. If you could have seen that smug prick, barging into my home, shoving past me without so much as a hello and bounding up my stairs. It was infuriating! The way he talks to her and demands things of her, manipulates her. I could literally kill him. Kill him. Do you know how long it has been since I wanted to just murder someone? I can't believe the way he ignores her needs and just reaches for what he wants. That night alone, he kept her awake until midnight… after she had been half-dead with the flu, on the verge of pneumonia and he just… he just… ugh!" Regina was nearly yelling. She had started marching back and forth in front of the sofa. "Who the hell does he think he is?!"

"Perhaps…" Maleficent smiled. She had Regina right where she wanted her. "Perhaps the better question is… who do you think you are?"

Regina stopped dead in her tracks and looked at her friend. "Who do I….?" Regina's voice trailed off as she pondered the question. The dragon watched with glee as a light of realization dawned on the brunette's face. "Who do I think I am? I am Regina-Fucking-Mills, that's who. And I don't have to put up with this. I've been going about this all wrong, Mal. I've never been afraid to face anything, consequences be damned, and I am not about to start now. I've been afraid that Emma wouldn't want my love, that she would reject me and that I'd lose her. But I'm going to lose her anyway if the pirate has his way. And after all we've been through together… surely my love isn't the worst thing. Surely we can face that together. Dammit. I love Emma Swan. Do you hear me? I love her. And I'll be damned if I am going to sit back and watch that leather bound sack of horse shit lay claim to her. She is her own person. She is a free agent. I don't have a right to possess her any more than the pirate does. But one thing I can do… I can remind her she has options. There is more out there than a man in eyeliner. She has a choice."

There was a dangerous lilt in Regina's voice and her fingers were sparking with magic, though Mal was sure she was unaware. The former queen grinned a determined and somewhat maniacal grin at her friend. "You beautiful, old dragon. You walked me right into this, didn't you?"

The blonde smiled and picked up her wine glass, taking a sip. "All I can say is, welcome back your majesty. I've been missing you these weeks past."

The two women shared another smile and the comfort of long-time friendship passed between them before Maleficent spoke again. "So, little queen, what's the plan?"