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Part 12

True Love's Kiss

"Oh no….EMMA!" Snow cried out, and threw her arms around her daughter. "Please you can't go, not now I just got you back."

James bent down and took his daughter's hand. "Emma," he whimpered with a frown. "My baby girl." His tear stained eyes slowly drew up to see Snow's own mournful tears.

"The wave took Hook's ship and cast it far out to sea," Red said joyfully as she stumbled into the room. "We are safe, the wave went around us." Then she realized something terrible had happened once she gazed down at the heartbreaking scene. "No," she muttered complete devastation in her voice. "Oh no."

"Emma," a soft voice broke through the mist. Red turned her head to its direction. She could see someone standing in the shadows.

"Who's there?" Ruby demanded and stood between the person and the savior. "Show yourself."

Snow and James slowly turned as well, and Charming swiped harshly at his tears and growled. "Show yourself NOW." He repeated.

"I'm not here to fight with you." The queen responded flatly her eyes never leaving the blonde's body as she drifted out from the shadows.

"What do you want?" He snarled harshly ready to draw his sword on the evil queen.

Snow looked at Regina and noticed the sorrowful gleam in her dark eyes. "I came for Emma." The queen said with a frown of agony that shaded her face.

"Just leave us." He snapped.

She finally tore her eyes from the sheriff and pinned them to James. "Please let me see her."

"Why should we?"

Regina took a breath and let it out slowly. "Because," she began, her throat tight trying to keep her powerful persona but it was dwindling fast as her gaze found the princess's body once more. She closed her eyes then and she could feel the warmth in her heart, it came to life again because of that woman lying there. So there was no way she was going to let it all go now. Her eyes snapped open with a reaffirming knowledge of where her life was supposed to go. She could feel the magic, but it was a different kind that filled her body. It was warm and soothing, it beat inside her strongly, and she just let her heart guide her. It was now her time, her happy ending and some stupid pirate was not going to stop it. She moved swiftly around James and Snow bringing Emma's limp hand into her own and with her other hand she gently moved some of the soft curls away from the blonde's forehead.

She swallowed as she drew herself closer to the sheriff, "because… I love her." She whispered huskily as the tears ran down her face.

Snow gasped when she heard her, and her hand collapsed over her mouth as her own tears fell.

The queen shook her head sadly. "And I'm not going to let her go."

James blinked. "You love her?" He said quietly once he had regained his composure after hearing what she said. "Is that even possible?"

Regina was so involved with her princess she didn't even hear his mutterings, but she felt Snow's hand tug on her own and she finally shifted her eyes to hers. "Help her." Mary Margret said in a desperate breath.

The queen felt a lump in her throat; she took a breath, feeling her chest ache as tears stung her eyes. She nodded and gathered herself closer. "Miss Swan," she said her voice graveled. "I know you can hear me." She drifted her lips over her ear. "I told you that I couldn't lose you too. So you listen to me and open those beautiful eyes." She stared at her, she could feel their strong connection, and almost physically visible, definitely real, drawing them together, binding them with a force which could not be denied. She didn't think, she just followed her heart as she hovered over her lips.

"I love you Emma." Regina whispered with all the feeling in her heart, she slowly reached up and stroked the woman's cheek fondly. "Please come back to me," then brushed her lips against the princess's with the most gentle loving kiss that shocked Snow White.

A soft glow formed around the two when their lips united. Then a sharp intake of air engulfed Emma's lungs and she gasped as she fought for air. Her eyes immediately landed on the queen's. "Regina," the blonde whispered throatily.

Tears formed and fell down the mayor's cheek and she instantly pulled her princess into her arms. James, Ruby and Snow all gasped from the scene, as they shed their own tears. James quickly came to Snow's side. "Am I dreaming?" He whispered softly so that only she could hear him and in return she gave him a not now kind of a glance.

Emma raised her eyebrow as she embraced the brunette, she could see the frowns and the red rimmed eyes and then it occurred to her that something happened. "Uh um." She mumbled. "Am I missing something?"

Regina smiled when she drew back, and immediately Snow was there pressing a soothing hand to the side of her face. "Oh honey, we thought we had lost you."

"Oh," the blonde said as her forehead scrunched. Suddenly feeling very out of the loop she raised up on her elbows then gazed at the queen, then back to Snow. "Is that why you guys aren't at each other's throats right now?"

Snow frowned and shook her head. "She saved you."

Emma twitched her head slightly as she glanced at her mother then back to the mayor. "I told you I wasn't going to lose you." She said reaching up and tenderly touching her cheek. "I guess you were right, things do happen for a reason."

"How did you save me?" She asked still feeling confused, but from the corner of her eye she could see the grin appear on Snow's face. She turned to ask what, when from across the room she heard Red's muffled response.

"True love's kiss," Ruby breathed happily. "It truly does exist."

When Emma turned back to look at Regina her heart lurched joyfully from the radiant smile the mayor had across her face. "I didn't think it….I mean….you're here." The queen muttered, tears beginning to break at the corner of her eyes.

The blonde blinked as everything was becoming clear. She did hear her, it wasn't a dream. "Regina?"

"Yes," the mayor whispered, kissing the fingers she cradled softly in her hand.

Emma moved in closer narrowing her eyes in at the queen. "I love you." She declared pulling her close to her.

Now the tears fell softly from the mayor's eyes. "Oh Emma," she choked and then wrapped her arms around her. "I love you, too." She whispered.

The sheriff pulled back and slowly raised her face to gently kiss her lips. "Thank you," she said softly.

"It was my pleasure." She grinned and her eyes danced with delight and then they kissed sweetly once more. Then again, their lips melding into a long line of tender touches, their desire building, slower, hotter with more want, more need.

"Uh ummm." James coughed to remind the two that they weren't alone.

Smiling Regina pulled back slowly from the blonde and looked up at Snow and James and could see the shock and uncertainty set against their eyes. "Okay, I'm still very confused about all this? I mean when did this happen? Or should I say how?" Charming asked his tone was heavy with disbelief.

Snow smiled warmly at them with eyes glistening, and then turned to her husband. "Look at us, remember when we met?"

He pulled her hand up and kissed her knuckles. "That's something I will never forget."

"So just look at them." Mary Margret replied gently to her husband. "You can see it for yourself. In fact…." She paused and moved so she was now only inches from her daughter, and placed a loving hand to the side of her face as she gazed down at her. She didn't say anything she just smiled then took a breath and shifted her gaze to Regina. "I see you, you, the girl who saved me all those years ago. I guess this was the only way you would ever come back." She blinked back her tears. "I just didn't think my own daughter would have been the one."

The queen swallowed and tried to form some sort of thought. "I'm I can't…" she mumbled.

Snow just shook her head. "I just want to tell you, that I am truly sorry about what I said to Cora all those years ago…..and…."

Regina quickly stood, and placed her hands up. "Stop, don't apologize to me." She exhaled. "For one, I've done so many horrible things, and…I don't deserve it."

"But if I had not told her, you would still have Daniel."

The queen turned her head stared down at Emma and smiled. "I couldn't see it, especially then. But I see it so clearly now. I wasn't supposed to be with him, he wasn't my true love. If he was then we wouldn't be here. My place has always been with her." She said softly returning her gaze back to the blonde. "Even my father tried to tell me before I placed this curse, but I was so determined on revenge I wouldn't listen." She dared to take a tiny step closer to the woman she had hated for so many years. "So I want to apologize to you, and hopefully you can find it in your heart to forgive me….and…" She stopped to take a breath and slid her eyes shut as a lonely tear escaped and fell down her cheek. She slowly opened them. "Allow me to love your daughter completely and to give her everything that she deserves and then some."

Snow took the last remaining step between them and looked deep in her eyes. "Regina, I know you love her. I saw it with my own eyes that love had surely prevailed and I will not argue that, but I swear if you hurt her I will not hesitate to…"

Emma stood up by then and moved in between her mother and her love. "Mary, I mean Snow. You can't say that. I've lived my entire life making my own decisions and if she hurts me then so be it. Let this feud go."

"I promise I won't hurt her." They both slowly turned when they heard her whisper. "I love her." Regina said then softly smiled when the blonde turned and gazed at her. "I love you Emma Swan, you are my heart."

Emma swallowed hard against the lump in her throat. She never had this, no one had ever said anything like this to her. So she only could do what her heart told her, reaching up to gently touch the queen's cheek, cupping it warmly with the palm of her hand. "God I love you." The blonde said in a husky trill.

Snow White stifled a smile and leaned in against her husband. "See you can't help who you love."

He smiled back at his wife. "Come on let's leave them alone and see about getting this ship home."

…