Note: Set after season 6. The Evil Queen returns to the Wish Realm Enchanted Forest with Maleficent instead of going to Robin Hood.
They were back. Storybrooke's sterile bricks and concrete floors had left their place to familiar stone walls and cobble pavements; cars had been replaced with carriages and bikes with horses. The air was free from pollution and the cloud- peppered sky was once more being grazed by the sharp, menacing rooftop of the Queen's castle. White concentric squares stood out against a pitch black background and flew proudly in the sky, signaling the return of the monarch. It was good to return home. For all the luxuries and comforts of the modern world (even Maleficent, who out of the two had the hardest time adjusting to Storybrooke, had to admit that indoor plumbing and electric heating were great inventions), the Enchanted Forest remained were they belonged. The Evil Queen rested her hands on the balcony's balustrade before settling her gaze on the vast expense of land stretching in the distance. She could admire most of her kingdom from that standpoint, kilometers and kilometers of land she could utilize as she pleased and millions of subjects that would do her bidding. It was exhilarating to find her possessions once more, Regina's pathetic little town did little to quench her thirst for power. A dot in the distance made her smile. It approached rapidly, until black wings stood out against the blue sky and green eyes gleamed in broad daylight. She could hear the faint ringing of a bell in the distance: a village sounding their alarm at the sight of the dragon no doubt. She took a few steps back when the creature landed, making a screeching sound as its long claws met the stone floor.
"You have to stop bringing things back Mal, we're going to need another castle just to fit all your junk."
She mused as the dragon spat a silver goblet on the floor which, albeit beautifully crafted and finely detailed with complex designs, was rather useless. The animal scoffed, blowing warm air out of its nostrils to show its discontent and Regina raised a hand to touch the smooth scales of its snout.
"Yes I know that dragons hoard."
Intelligent green eyes met soft dark brown irises and the animal lied down, accepting the soft touches of its human with a purr of satisfaction. It had been too long since Maleficent had been able to fly and she had missed the freedom that came with it more than she liked to admit. Before long, the dragon shook off Regina's hand and stood up becoming engulfed by a cloud of grey smoke. When it dissipated, Maleficent appeared.
"It's an instinct my dear, I'm afraid you will have to put up with it."
"I'm afraid so."
The brunette smiled and returned to the balcony, followed by Maleficent who encircled her waist with her arms and rested her chin on a shoulder clad in red velvet. Regina leaned back against the older woman, allowing herself a degree of vulnerability that she would have never agreed to had she not had a change of heart. Quite literally so. Being separated from Regina had been a complicated experience, but having her softer, gentler half infuse her love and goodness into the black, hardened heart of the Evil Queen had been something she hadn't quite anticipated. She felt strangely at peace ever since it happened and to her own surprise the thirst for revenge that had fuelled her for decades had quietened down. She chuckled softly when Maleficent pressed a trail of butterfly kisses along her neck. It was an innocent gesture that bore no trace of the dark, primal lust that had constituted the basis for their interactions before the Dark Curse was cast.
"I missed this so much."
"What, your palace?"
"Everything, the palace, the enchanted forest…you. I was getting bored to death in Storybrooke."
"From what I've heard you've had quite a few adventures there."
The Evil Queen sighed.
"No, Regina did. I was suppressed most of the time. You can't imagine how boring it was to watch her play hero. And good God, all that self-pitying and mourning Robin …"
she rolled her eyes at the memory. Yes, Regina's heart trick had brought balance between light and dark within the Evil Queen but that didn't mean she forgave all of her other half's actions. She understood her pain (she did like Robin as well after all, though she would never understand why Regina had chosen him over Maleficent) but failed to understand the deep depression his death had plunged Regina in. Perhaps it was because the Evil Queen had always been the more uncaring, impulsive side of Regina (it was her influence that had pushed her into Maleficent's arms in the first place all those years before) and it was that ease that had allowed her to move on and rekindle her romance with the dragon sorceress.
"She truly loved him, it's understandable."
"Did it hurt when Regina chose Robin over you?"
There was genuine concern in the brunette's voice and it took both women off guard. The Queen wasn't used to caring about others, not so intensely at least. Of course, back in the day before Rumplestiltskin and magic and the mess with Snow White, she had cared about those close to her, but she had lost that capability during her plunge into darkness. Now she found herself hurting at the possibility of having caused Maleficent pain. How ironic, 30 some years before she had cared so little she had cast the curse in despite of the blonde's warning and pleas.
"Yes."
The blonde's hands came to rest on the Queen's stomach and before tan hands were lied on hers, interlacing their fingers like puzzle pieces fitting perfectly.
"I'm sorry."
"You're here now."
"I am. And I'm staying this time."
Maleficent pressed a tender kiss to her temple and found herself breathing in that dark, dangerous aroma that was purely Regina, in every in everyone of her versions. There were things that animals picked up on that humans couldn't even begin to comprehend. Smell was one of them: every person had a unique scent that distinguished them and the dragon had learned to identify each one. Regina's was intoxicating. Now though, something had changed, a subtle note in it had been modified and it hadn't taken long for Maleficent to understand why. Beneath the palm of her hand, protected by the taut muscles of the Queen's midsection, a tiny creature was growing.
"I love you."
The Evil Queen smiled coyly and felt (much to her own surprise) a light blush spreading on her cheeks. She felt lovesick, another one of the delightful surprises Regina had blessed her with (she complained but truth to be told, she had never felt quite so happy.)
"I love you too."
Maleficent had always been the lighthouse Regina sailed back to when trouble arose. It had been to her she had run to when her loveless marriage to Leopold had become unbearable, it had been her that had offered refuge when she sought to escape Cora and it had been Maleficent that had offered comfort after Regina had made herself barren and realized the true extent of her actions. She had been a constant throughout the good and the bad and the Evil Queen realized now, that she had taken far too much time to understand it. It was a type of love the brunette had yet to become accustomed to, one that encompassed the passion and intensity that had characterized their relationship for so long, but mingled it with a wonderful sense of belonging and comfort that was entirely new. She couldn't ask for a better person to start a new life with.
"Do you think the baby will have our same darkness?"
The question came after a few long moments of silence and had been trotting incessantly at the back of the Evil Queen's mind for weeks now.
"Each child is a blank slate with just as much potential for evil as it does for good. What our baby will become, depends on our ability to set him or her on the right path."
The younger woman sighed and turned around, with worry crisping her features and erasing that peacefulness that had reigned over her since they had returned to the Enchanted Forest.
"How are we suppose to do that Mal? I mean I'm the Evil Queen for crying out loud and you are…well you're Maleficent, I mean, people fear you just as much as they do Rumpelstiltskin and that says it all. I don't want our child to go through everything you and I did. I don't want him to self destruct for some stupid feud or in search for power. What if he turns out like me? Or Like Rumple? What if I end up being like Cora? What if I'm a terrible-"
Maleficent raised her hands to cup the Evil Queen's face and pressed a delicate finger to her lips to put a stop to the river of words.
"Hush little one. You worry too much."
"But-"
"No buts. You're not Cora and you will make a wonderful mother. Look at Henry, he's a wonderful young man and it's you that raised him as such. You're right we have done some dreadful things in our past but we've come a long way and we will change to make sure the baby gets the best possible future."
She paused for a moment to take the Queen's hand in her own and bring it to her lips, pressing a sweet kiss to the back of her hand before continuing.
"I'm scared too Regina. I never got to raise Lily and I'm just as frightened as you are about having to care for a child but we'll figure it out, I promise."
Regina smiled and moved into Maleficent's arms, tucking her head beneath the dragon's chin. She felt protected. Everything was going to be all right. The child was a miracle, a bundle of hope that had somehow come into life when all odds had been stacked against it, and it fate had wanted them to be blessed with the baby, Regina intended to make the most out of that chance at redemption. She could build a future and that was more than she could ever hope for.