Part 7

Now What

Emma searched the other woman's face, studying her eyes, the shading of color which revealed far more about the mayor than the sheriff thought Regina realized. The mayor returned the inquiry, her expression compassionate and sincere, it made her pulse quicken and she loved it. Emma dipped her head, lowering her gaze, and kissed her again and again.

Regina reached up and tangled her hand in Emma's hair, pulling her head closer to her if that was possible. She felt her temperature rise, plus her whole entire body tingled with warmth that radiated through her and she knew it had nothing to do with magic….or did it?

The blonde pulled away drawing air in deeply. She felt the mayor running her thumb lightly down her cheek. "Regina," she said drawing in a shaky breath. "I can't believe how you make me feel." She whispered. "There's a tingling throughout my entire body."

Regina grinned deeply because she felt it also. "Okay don't you dare laugh at what I just said." Emma noted tentatively waiting for the snide comment.

"No, I'm smiling because I feel it too." The mayor said. "I've never felt this with anyone." And this time she leaned forward not giving the blonde time to answer, and kissed her with such a sweet, tender, utterly loving passion that Emma swore she was going to pass out. She wasn't aware of her arms surrounding her because in that instant everything else just faded away. All that was here right now was the two of them and the sheriff was truly shaken by it.

"You okay?" Regina added in a low voice once she had released the kiss, resting her forehead against the blonde's.

Taking a deep breath the sheriff nodded. "You?"

The smile that crossed the mayor's face seemed to light up the entire room. Oh my god she is so incredibly beautiful, Emma thought in amazement.

"I'm good." The queen whispered huskily and tightened her hold on the sheriff, closing her eyes as the blonde pulled her against her, feeling her soft lips seek out hers yet again. She had to admit she liked to kiss people in her past, but nothing had ever compared to how it felt to be kissed by this woman. She made a soft sound in her throat and was captivated and moved beyond anything that had ever thrilled her, hell even magic didn't feel this good.

"Your Majesties!"

The two women breathed in harshly as they pulled their lips away upon hearing the intruding knock and the loud voice from the other side of the door.

"Yes," Regina almost squeaked, as she regained her composure even though the blonde looked irresistible and she wanted nothing more than to continue what had they started.

"One of our scouts has found something out, and Peter thought I should immediately tell you." He informed them.

The mayor slowly and very regrettably peeled herself away from the sheriff. "One second." She groaned out. "Don't you dare move." She commanded with a saucy grin, as she pointed to Emma.

The blonde smiled gently. "Wouldn't dream of it your highness."

The brunette quickly pulled her pants back on and slowly inched the door open. "Yes what is it?"

The boy swallowed. "Remember your excellence, I'm just the messenger."

"Get on with it!" She snarled.

"We heard that Hook has Snow White." He exhaled shakily. "He wants a trade."

The queen pressed her lips painfully together. "We will be right out." Then she added, her voice sharp as nails. "Now be off with you."

The terrified boy nodded and ran off.

Emma could hear the stress in the other woman's tone and immediately asked her voice soft. "What's going on?"

The brunette dropped her head into her hands taking a moment to compose yourself. "You're not going to like it at all."

"Something's wrong with Henry!" She quickly concluded.

Regina shook her head. "No he is fine." Her voice grew gentler and she almost couldn't believe it herself when she heard it. "It's Snow."

Emma blinked. "My mmoo….Snow White?" She scratched her head. "What's going on?"

"Hook has her."

"Who?" She exclaimed, moving closer.

"Emma, we need to talk."

"Why."

"You better sit down."

"Oh god, what's going on?" She said obviously confused. She frowned. "You're scaring me."

Regina decided there was no time for beating around the bush. "Who is Henry's father?"

Emma's head snapped back in surprise, her forehead crinkling as she narrowed in on the mayor. "What does that have to do with any of this?"

"He wants Henry, and why do you think that is?" She asked trying to stay calm.

The blonde opened her mouth, hesitated as she finally figured out what Regina was implying. "No Way, I think I would have known if this man you say is Hook…..as in Captain Hook was Henry's father."

"Would you?" She asked then sighed as she watched the stricken expression roll across her eyes. "You have to tell me right now if it's true."

Emma searched through her past and that one drunken night at the bar in the little fishing town. It was only one night but that was all it took and a month later she found herself crying alone and pregnant and no idea where the man went to even tell him. Could it really be who the mayor said it was? I mean come on, what are the odds of that? "I just, I can't see how?" She responded dryly, still trying to grasp the situation, and failing miserably. "I don't even remember his name." She whispered sadly.

"Emma," The brunette said softly, seeing the emotion coloring her face, she felt an ache run through her and she moved in and gathered her hands in her own. "Okay, I want you to do something for me?"

The blonde nodded slowly. "What?"

"Close your eyes." The mayor said in a gentle voice her eyes full of compassion. "And take a deep breath. Focus all of your thoughts on that night, I know you can see Henry's father." She paused as she waited on the sheriff. "Do you see him?"

Emma slowly nodded again. "I see him."

"Now he had to introduce himself at some point."

"Yes, yes his name is Arthur."

Startled Regina's eyes grew wide. "Are you sure that is his name?" And watched silently as the blonde's eyes twitched as she floated through her memories. She felt the sheriff's hand clutch tightly at her own as she sank deeper and deeper into her past dreams.

The brunette said softly. "You can do this….search it within you."

"No," she whispered. "It wasn't Arthur who I left the bar with."

"Who was it?" Regina urged gently.

Emma's eyes sharply blinked open. "His name was Jim." She muttered. "I see his face clearly. Dark black hair and the deepest blue eyes I have ever seen."

"That's good. Anything else?" The mayor gently coaxed.

"Yes, the reason I couldn't tell him was because he was a fisherman and he immediately left to sea, and he never returned." She gasped her mouth slowly fell open as all of it spun in and grabbed a deep hold of her and jerked her hard in realization. "Oh my god," the blonde cried. "This isn't happening." Her lip quivered and she flung her hands from Regina.

The mayor bit the inside of her lip as she watched the blonde's shoulders fall and tremble slightly from the sobs she was trying to suppress. She gradually moved in behind her and hesitated as she reached an apologetic hand to her shoulder. "Hey its okay, at least we now know."

Emma spun quickly and fell into the queen's arms. "This isn't happening, he can't have Henry." She cried.

"He won't," Regina murmured, sliding her arms around her tiny waist, and then brushing a comforting kiss over her soft forehead.

"How do you know?" Emma asked, taking a much needed breath.

"It's easy, I'm not trading him." She glared.

The blonde's face fell. "Okay…so what will happen to my mom, I mean Snow?"

The mayor pursed her lips for a moment then slowly her haughty grin appeared. "Trust me I have a plan."

…

Emma stared at the mayor as she explained the plan to her and the young man, and then she had to look back to Peter, her eyes focusing, blinking and refocusing on him. She still couldn't believe all of this was happening, and the sickening knot in her stomach wasn't helping either. It was all so surreal of all the things in her past that she used to dream about, fairytale figures wasn't one she would chose to be real and she was a princess locked away in some tower to be rescued. And yet that's exactly what she was she was a princess even though she wasn't locked away in some tower, or had to be kissed awake by some heroic prince. She did get kissed by none other than the powerful yet oh so beautiful evil queen. Yup she decided that this was an all new story for a new Once Upon a Time. Or maybe she should use the word alternative. Her mind kept slipping back and forth like a ping pong match that would never end, and the more she thought the more the knot grew.

"I need some air." The blonde spewed and bolted for the exit.

"Emma," came the mayor's immediate and brief response as she quickly followed her outside. She spotted her easily behind the nearby tree, spilling the remains of her dinner onto the ground. The brunette twisted her lips in disgust but slowly rubbed a comforting hand to her back. "You okay?"

The sheriff shook her head. "Do I look okay?"

Regina tilted her head, her dark eyes going thoughtful. "You're still trying to wrap your head around all this."

The blonde gathered a breath as she stared blankly at the other woman for a moment. "Yeah between Henry, and Jim…..hell then my mother as Snow White and I'm in….uhh….." she stuttered as she leaned back against the tree. "And I'm kissing you of all people."

The mayor looked at her, not bothering to ask what she was referring to, because she knew it was a shock. Hell it shocked her too that here she was standing next to the savior, and that savior was Snow's daughter and she actually didn't want to rip her heart out, instead she wanted to embrace it.

"I know, and I can see why you're feeling so confused. It is a lot to take in all at once. Plus if you add in Henry's father and now what's going on between us…..it's….." She faded out lost in her own thoughts about the beautiful blonde that she was having strong feelings for.

Emma took another breath, trying to control her body's ailing torment. "I need to save her."

"I know, and we will." Regina said, looking at her steadily.

"If he sees you, you know he will kill her on sight." The sheriff began glumly. "I have to go alone." She said quietly and hung her head.

The queen rushed forward and pulled the other woman in to her arms. "So let me go as you."

Emma blinked and held her hand up between them. "Wait what?" She paused her lip thinning as she thought. "You as me?" She shook her head. "I think he would catch on."

"I'm not letting you go alone, I forbid it." Regina glared.

The blonde pushed herself from the mayor. "You forbid me? I don't think so." She argued.

"Hey I'm trying to protect you." The brunette said firmly, her eyes dark and full of intent. "Don't reject that. Okay?"

Surprised, Emma regarded her more closely. "I am not," she assured slowly. "But you know I am right. If he see's or detects that he is being fooled he won't hesitate in killing her."

The queen's head tilted annoyed, she had so many mixed emotions about this that her mind and her heart were at war. "I just don't know how I'm supposed to let you go and get yourself killed for h…." She almost said it but stopped herself before she did.

"You mean for Snow White?"

Regina stared at the other woman, and then lowered her head, a rueful expression crossing her face. "I just can't." She admitted in a soft low tone.

"I am aware of your history with her, but I just don't understand it." Emma told her seriously.

The mayor shook her head as a tiny chuckle spilled up through her throat. "A long drawn out history," she said as her eyes took on a cold disturbing look. Gazing into the distance as her thoughts drifted to the past from saving the young girl from her runaway horse, then to her love Daniel and the pain in his eyes as he gasped for his last breath. Just because she couldn't keep her secret, now all of it, all the pain, and all the revenge didn't seem so big. But what did seem big, what did matter was keeping Emma and her son Henry alive. So why did it seem like fate was stepping in, and was going to yet again take it all away from her. Why… just why couldn't it be easy as to taking them far far away from it all?

Finally after moments of sinking slowly inside trying to find another way through this, her eyes rose to meet the green ones of the woman who was desperately trying to understand it. She swallowed realizing that it was time, time to move on, but that didn't mean she was going to give up without a fight. "I can't lose you, not now and not because of this." Regina pleaded softly.

Emma's face fell, and frowned. "Um you don't know that will happen." She reassured with a hint of break in her voice.

"Either do you." The mayor said, trying hard to fight off the pain she was feeling in her chest.

"I do see one thing." The blonde said moving closer to the other woman, looking at her for a long moment, trying to memorize her face in the moonlight, imprint everything into her mind.

"What?"

"I had a vision…. and I see Henry he is somewhat older then he is now, and I see Snow White and James, they're there with him. But most importantly I see you standing there dressed in the most gorgeous gown I have ever seen. And your smile is so radiant that it takes my breath away." Emma said simply, sincerely, and then took a breath searching deep within herself, trying to gather her words. "And I will make certain that it all comes true."

The mayor had to look away. "You said it yourself nothing is written in stone, you don't know anything."

"I know I did." The sheriff agreed softly. "But please believe this; I will do everything to make this right and fight like hell to make it back to you. I would stop breathing if I knew I couldn't see you or Henry again."

The mayor looked back at her at those words; she couldn't believe she had said that. Her throat collapsed and she was finding it hard to breathe. Yet she couldn't blink away the moisture that rose in her eyes, gladly letting it form and slide down her face. She felt Emma reach out and gently wipe it away. "So let me go with you." The queen said her voice raw and unsteady; she placed her hand on top of the blonde's as it held her cheek. "Please," she added then turned her head slightly and kissed her palm. She heard Emma's slight intake of breath, the warm body moving closer, and she leaned forward when the strong arms wrapped around her and held her close.

Relenting, the blonde responded quietly, as she hugged her tightly. "All right, we will leave in the morning."

….