Part Thirty-Six: The One With The Kidnapping
"No, I don't want you to go"
Emma laughed lightly pulling Regina into her arms and kissing her lips behind the door.
They had come back to Storybrooke that morning after spending the weekend over at the lake mansion.
Her heart broke when she closed the trunk of Regina's Mercedes.
The weekend over the lake house had been the very definition of perfection.
The land was beautiful, the mansion was incredibly cozy and the company…
Emma couldn't remember a time in her life before when she laughed so much.
A time when not only she loved but felt immensely loved in return.
Even without words, Emma could feel it.
She could feel it in her bones, in her blood, on every pore of her skin.
It had branded her.
Now she knew what love truly felt like.
Now that her heart was anchored, she knew what it felt like to belong.
Regina sunk her fingers into Emma's neck, drawing a soft moan from her. She deepened the kiss, her tongue claiming and lips demanding more, sucking Emma's lips and breath as she kissed her harder and harder.
Emma could already feel the heat burning in the pit of her stomach, she could already feel the need to have more with no barriers between them, she already wanted to undress Regina and take her to bed until she was nothing but a pleading mess under her.
Regina was the only one she would always want more from.
Emma sunk her hands on Regina's hips, bringing her body closer.
Then she turned their bodies in one swift move, pressing Regina's back against the door.
A little rougher than she had intended to.
Regina grunted inside her lips when her back collided with the door.
And Emma immediately broke the kiss, taking a step away an apology already dancing on the tip of her tongue.
But before she could get the words out, Regina hooked her fingers on the lapel of the brown leather jacket she was wearing and smashed their lips together again.
And fuck, Emma didn't want to go either.
Emma pushed her leg between Regina's legs, pressing her body harder against Regina's.
Regina moaned softly, her hand sliding from her jacket to her breast, squeezing them hard and deliciously into her palm.
"Fuck," Emma whispered, breaking the kiss.
"Stay home and we can do that all night in our bed," Regina said before claiming Emma's lips again.
And Emma was finding it very hard to understand why she couldn't stay home and do just that.
Emma gripped Regina's hips again, pulling her closer to her body, every bit of them pressed against one another.
Regina moaned sinfully inside Emma's mouth making every inch of her skin shiver.
She wanted to make Regina moan like that again and again and again using nothing but her mouth on her naked skin.
"Mom?"
Regina pushed Emma away abruptly, clearing her throat.
She smoothed her hand over her hair and then over her shirt before looking beyond Emma's shoulder.
"Yes, honey?" Regina shouted.
Emma laughed, coming closer to Regina again, and kissed her lips, holding her tighter as Regina tried to push her way.
Footsteps echoed behind them, closer and closer.
Emma broke the kiss and winked at Regina before taking a step away from her.
Exactly when Henry's form appeared by the base of the staircase.
"I need help with my homework," Henry said before looking at Emma, tilting his head to the side "I thought you were working tonight, Ma?"
"I am," Emma said "I was just saying goodnight to your mom since I won't be here and all"
"Oh God," Henry said looking between Regina and Emma "You were making out, weren't you?"
Regina coughed and cleared her throat, her cheeks turning a shade pink.
"Henry, why don't you say good night to your mom and then go to your room?" Regina said "I'll be right there to help you with your homework"
"Alright," Henry said "Good luck with work tonight, Ma"
"Thanks, kid," Emma smiled.
Henry walked up the stairs again and Emma waited until he disappeared into the hallway before turning to Regina.
"I should go," Emma said "I'm already late for my shift"
"I don't want you to go," Regina wined, closing her fingers on Emma's jacket again.
"I don't want to go either," Emma pressed their lips together "But I have to. Graham worked the whole weekend alone"
Regina grunted, wrapping her arms around Emma's waist.
"Be careful out there," Regina said.
"I always am, babe," Emma smiled.
She held Regina's face between her hands and kissed her slowly, her tongue moving lazily with Regina's.
And even when she broke the kiss, she pressed their lips together one more time.
Just because she could.
Just because she craved.
It was unbearable not to kiss Regina when they were this close.
"Text me later?" Regina asked.
"Absolutely," Emma kissed her again "I love you"
Regina smiled at Emma, sliding her hands from her cheeks and kissing one and then the other.
Emma knew what the gesture meant.
It was Regina's way to say it back without words.
Emma smiled at her before kissing her lips again.
And just when the kiss was heating and turning into something more, just when her fingers were digging into Regina's skin, just when their bodies were pressed so closely together that not even air could pass between them, Emma broke the kiss ignoring the way every bone in her body protested.
How her own soul was agonizing for not being closer.
"I have to go," Emma said.
She pressed her lips against Regina one last time before opening the door, the night wind kissing her cheeks and cooling her overheated body.
God, how could she ever survive a whole night without Regina's naked body pressed against hers?
Emma arrived at the station twenty minutes late. Graham was already tapping his fingers against the wooden desk, a disapproving look adorning his features.
"You are late," Graham said.
"Yeah, I know," Emma said "Sorry"
Graham rose from the chair, picking up his jacket from the back of the chair.
"Everything is calm here, no calls all day," Graham said putting his jacket on "You can start your shift by doing the night rounds"
"Already?" Emma frowned "I just walked in"
"The last round I made was after lunch," Graham said "It's better if you just do one now and another in the middle of the night"
"Great," Emma said sarcastically.
"Also, you'll have to use your car," Graham said.
"Why?"
"I need the cruiser tonight," Graham said sheepishly "Sorry"
"Am I going to be refunded for this?" Emma asked.
"Well," Graham smiled "I'm sure you can sweet-talk to the Mayor about it"
Emma chuckled as Graham smiled softly at her.
"You two are good together," Graham said.
"We are," Emma smiled.
Graham nodded at Emma putting his hand on her should and squeezing it lightly.
"Good luck tonight," Graham said "Do not call me under any circumstances"
"Why?" Emma asked, "What do you have tonight?"
"None of your business," Graham chuckled "Good night, Emma"
"Night," Emma said.
She sat on the chair Graham had just recently vacant, putting her feet on top of the desk.
The rounds could wait until she texted Regina.
Two hours later, Emma was entering her bug.
She couldn't, for the life of her, bother with doing her rounds. She had initially texted Regina to let her know she arrived at the station and the next thing she knew, Regina was telling her all the indecent things she wanted to do with her body.
One minute, Emma had her phone in both hands and in the second, she popped the button of her jeans open and pulled the zipper down, letting her fingers wander between her legs while she imagined Regina doing all those wicked things to her.
She came hard in her hand, wishing it was Regina's.
Emma drove the bug around the empty streets of Storybrooke before taking the roads near the woods.
It was foggy outside, the road barely visible and a soft rain started to pour.
Emma gripped the steering wheel tighter, looking to the sides for any sign of trouble.
Her phone beeped on the passenger seat and she smiled when she turned her head to see Regina's name flashing on the screen.
Emma stretched her hand to pick up the phone, taking her eyes off the road for a second.
And when she looked back at the road, Emma let the phone slip from between her fingers as she turned the steering wheel to the left and her foot went down on the brakes as quickly as possible.
Because of that second of distraction and the fog outside making everything barely visible, Emma didn't see there was a person walking on the side of the road.
The bug stopped abruptly, Emma's body jerking forward and then backward when the car stopped completely. Emma shook her head for a second, centering herself before losing the seatbelt and opening the car door.
And then she ran desperately to aid the person laying on the side of the road.
"I'm so sorry! Are you okay? I didn't see you there," Emma said desperately.
The man was already getting up from the ground and Emma immediately reached for him, helping him stand up.
"I think so," The man laughed lightly.
"Are you sure?" Emma asked, her eyes roaming the man up and down.
"I'm fine," The man said "I'm not used to sharing the road with cars so late. You're the deputy, aren't you?"
"Yeah," Emma said.
"What brings you out here in the middle of the night?" The man asked.
"Oh, I'm just doing my rounds," Emma said.
"Curious, I have never seen the police doing rounds around here at this hour," The man said.
"Yeah, I'm…" Emma ran her hand over her hair "Don't tell anyone but I was supposed to have done it two hours ago"
"Ah," The man smiled at her "Your secret is safe with me"
"Thanks," Emma laughed.
The man turned his back to Emma, walking away.
But he only gave two steps before Emma noticed he was limping and if the noise he made was any indication, he was in pain.
"Oh, you are hurt," Emma said, taking a step closer to the man.
"No, I just twisted my ankle, I think," The man said "I live just a mile down the road, I'll make it okay"
"No, let me drive you," Emma said, guilty already consuming her "I insist"
The man laughed lightly and then shrugged, looking at Emma with ease.
"Thank you," The man said "I'm Jefferson"
He handed his hand to Emma who quickly took between hers and shooked it.
"I'm Emma," Emma said "Emma Swan"
Emma ran in front of him, opening the door of her bug and helping Jefferson inside.
Then she got inside herself, forgetting all about Regina's text as she maneuvered the car back onto the road.
It didn't take long before Emma arrived at Jefferson's place.
And she was ridiculously impressed at the size of the house when she drove the car inside the open gates.
The house was huge.
It was probably bigger than Regina's.
Emma had no idea anyone had a house bigger than Regina's in town.
Hers had always stood out among all the others.
Then again, she couldn't exactly say his house was in town.
It was hidden very far away from the main area of Storybrooke.
So, curiosity got the best of her.
Emma parked the car, letting the engine running, before opening the door, her eyes roaming over the house.
"Wow, this is your house?" Emma said amazed "It looks more like a hotel! You must have a huge family"
Jefferson leaned against the car looking at the house and then back at Emma.
"Nope," Jefferson said "It's just me"
Jefferson closed the car door and then walked up a step and then another, his leg barely supporting his weight.
Emma felt guilt sink into her stomach again, as she looked at the man struggling to go up the steps to his house.
"Here, wait!" Emma said.
She went inside her bug and killed the engine before closing the door and shoving the keys inside her jacket.
Then she walked around the car and quickly walked to Jefferson, putting his arm over her shoulder for him to drop his weight on her as she helped him inside.
And Emma had to admit, she was impressed when Jefferson pushed the door of his house open.
The interior was dimly illuminated contrasting with the white and cream of the walls. There was a big L-shaped couch and in front of it, a fireplace burning hot.
The whole room was warm and inviting, especially considering how cold it was outside.
"Would you like some tea?" Jefferson asked.
"Oh, no," Emma said, gently pushing Jefferson's arm away from her shoulders "I don't want to bother you anymore"
"Please, I insist," Jefferson smiled warmingly "It's the least I can do after you drove me home"
"To be fair, I only had to do that because I nearly ran over you" Emma laughed lightly.
"Then let's call it even," Jefferson laughed "Stay. I'll go make some tea"
"Alright," Emma smiled softly.
She could stay for a minute or two.
It was the least she could do after nearly running him over with her car.
Also, her bones didn't exactly mind the warmth of the house.
Emma walked to the fireplace, placing her hands over the thick structure above, letting the heat of the fire kiss her cold cheeks and warm her frozen bones.
She closed her eyes, listening to the crackling sounds of the wood burning, smiling softly as the image of Regina at the lake house near the fire danced behind her eyes.
She was going to read that text the second she got into her car again.
Hell, she might even skip the whole night shift and drive straight home if Regina had sent another one of her indecent texts.
Emma could still feel the dampness in her panties, soaking her cunt from two hours ago.
"Here we go,"
Emma opened her eyes, turning round to face Jefferson, heat warming her cheeks.
Jefferson poured the steamy liquid into a cup and then offered it to Emma.
"Thank you," Emma said taking the cup from his hand.
She sipped the tea, frowning slightly at the bitter taste lingering on the back of her tongue after she swallowed the sweet liquid.
It was strange.
But Emma sipped the tea again, not wanting to be rude.
And then again, the bitter taste prickled her tongue after she swallowed the overly-sweet liquid.
Jefferson smiled at her and then walked to the piano, tapping his fingers against the shining black wood.
Emma smiled at him and tasted the tea again.
And only then Emma truly noticed that something didn't feel right.
Because suddenly Emma started to feel dizzy her head was heavy and her vision was blurred.
The walls started to close around her, the space was suddenly too small and everything was spinning and spinning and spinning.
"Something wrong?" Jefferson asked.
"I… I…," Emma shook her head, fighting against the dizziness "I should go back out and… my rounds"
Her tongue was feeling heavy inside her mouth, her thoughts were running away from her.
She couldn't form full sentences.
Emma tried to take a deep breath but breathing was hard too.
Air didn't fill her lungs the way it was supposed to.
"I just… I feel…"
Nothing.
She couldn't feel anything anymore, her body was giving up on her, her arms and legs, she couldn't feel her body.
She was boneless.
She had no weight.
Emma tried to take a step but her knees cave and she felt herself falling and then being caught by something.
"Let me help you"
Emma fought against the darkness, trying to keep her eyes open.
She knew she was being dragged, she could still hear her feet rasping against the floor and then her body fell on top of something comfortable.
"Let me get you some air,"
Emma let herself fall on top of the couch, watching Jefferson walk away.
And to her absolute despair, on that small fraction of consciousness, Emma looked at his legs and at the way he was walking.
"Your limp…" Emma said between breaths.
Jefferson stopped walking, looking back at Emma.
"Oh. That," Jefferson laughed.
Emma tried to push her body up, tried to stand up, but her body didn't respond and the more she tried to stand the more she felt like she was falling.
Jefferson walked back in her direction, his hands inside his pocket. He stopped in front of Emma, his featured hard and serious when he looked down at her.
"I guess you caught me," Jefferson said.
"Who are you?"
It was all Emma was able to say before everything turned black around her.
Regina looked at her phone for the tenth time that night, biting her lower lip.
She rubbed her hand over her heart, an uncomfortable feeling setting in there for the past few minutes.
Emma hadn't texted her back yet.
Regina knew Emma was out doing her rounds, she told her she was off to patrol the streets on her last text.
But that had been a while ago and it wasn't like Emma to take so long to answer her.
Regina rubbed her heart again, feeling something squeeze inside her chest.
And her stomach turned into a knot.
It was a very mild feeling, more uncomfortable than painful but Regina couldn't shake the thought that something wasn't right.
But what, she didn't know.
Regina clicked on the chat box icon on her phone, opening her last conversation with Emma.
Her stomach tugged coldly inside when she read Emma's name, her heart racing inside her chest.
Bile formed in the back of her throat.
The feeling last a whole minute, crawling under her skin and then twining around everything inside her.
Panic assaulted her senses as if some sort of awareness had clicked inside of her.
And then it vanished.
Just as quickly as it appeared.
Like it was never even there.
"Mom?"
Regina looked away from her phone in the direction of the door, watching Henry enter her room.
"Do you think we can have some ice cream?" Henry asked.
Regina blinked her eyes once and then twice staring at Henry.
"Mom?" Henry asked "Are you okay?"
Regina shook her head, putting the phone on top of the mattress.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Regina smiled.
"So…" Henry said hopefully "Ice cream?"
"Yeah," Regina smiled, "I think I'll join you"
Regina rose from the bed and wrapped her arm around Henry's shoulder walking with him to the kitchen.
She rubbed her heart again in an attempt to ease a pain that was no longer there.
She wasn't quite sure what the feeling was about.
But hopefully, it would stay dead for the rest of the night.
Emma blinked her eyes slowly, consciousness coming back and slowly dissipating the fog in her brain.
She was drugged.
That was the first thing that came to Emma's mind when she opened her eyes.
Emma looked around the room she was in, her eyes roaming over every detail of the room, from the furniture adorning the place to all possible escape routes.
She saw the piano and then the windows behind it.
Which meant she was still in the living room.
And her car was parked just outside the house.
Emma tried to move her body, finally regaining the feeling of her arms and legs again.
Or at least as much as she could considering they were tied up.
There was something around her mouth too.
Emma looked around the room again, paying attention to her surroundings.
Trying to listen to any sound that her captor was near.
She wouldn't give in to fear.
She was alive and that was all that mattered right now.
Emma looked at the floor, an ember of hope lighting in her heart when she saw the cup on the carpet.
It must have fallen from her hands before she lost consciousness.
Emma turned her head to one of the cushions on the sofa she was laying, using her teeth to grab a hold of one and then throw it on top of the cup.
She stayed quiet for a moment, listening to the noises around her before pushing her body up to a sitting position.
And then she hit the cushion with her feet over and over and over again with all the force she had until she heard a soft cracking sound coming from underneath the cushion.
The glass was broken.
She could free herself now.
Emma kicked the cushion to the side with her feet before sliding down from the couch to the floor.
She sat with her back to the broken glass and then tapped on the floor for a piece, running her finger around to feel which one had the sharpest end.
When a piece broke her skin and made a soft whisper of pain escape her lips, Emma held the broken glass between her fingers and used the sharp point to cut the tape her captor had used to tie her arms.
It took her several attempts to cut the tape.
Most of the time the glass scratched her skin more than it cut the bindings.
It burned.
But Emma didn't have time to focus on the pain.
Emma broke free from the tape around her wrist, the tape ripping in the middle. She unwrapped the tape from her wrists and then pulled the tape holding her legs together, breaking completely free of its hold.
Then she pulled away the cloth wrapped around her mouth before getting up from the floor, tiptoeing her way to the windows behind the piano.
She saw her faithful bug parked outside, exactly where she left it.
Her jacket, however, had been taken away from her body and the keys were inside the inner pocket.
Emma pushed the first window up, putting as much force as she could to force it open.
She looked for some sort of lock underneath the sill and then on the higher part of the window but there was absolutely nothing she could use to open the window.
So she moved on to the next and then to the last window inside that living room.
There was no way to open those windows.
They were all sealed.
The only way Emma could ever escape through the window would be by breaking the glass.
But breaking the glass would make too much noise and would alert her captor.
And without her car keys, Emma wasn't sure she could risk him running after her.
Emma tiptoed her way around the living room, in the direction of the main door.
But before she reached the main door, Emma heard a noise coming from another door to her right, the sound making every hair in her body stand up.
It pulled something in her stomach.
Fear started to creep in.
Emma walked closer to the door, putting her hand on the doorknob and pushing it open, just a small crack in the door so she could look inside.
And she wished she didn't.
Absolute fear coiled around her ankle, squirming all over her like a snake smothering its victim.
Her heart raced.
Her legs didn't move.
All she could do was stare at the man sharpening a scissor, the noise of the steel against stone terrorizing her own soul.
She needed to get the hell out of that house.
Emma tiptoed her way to the main door, carefully twisting the doorknob.
But the door was locked and the keys weren't anywhere she could see.
And Emma couldn't afford the time it would take to look for the keys.
Emma looked around the living room again, considering her options. She could break one of the windows in the living room and make a run for it.
It was dark outside and maybe she could lose him running through the woods.
Her legs were still a little shaking from whatever he used to drug her, but adrenaline had kicked in and Emma was completely alert.
Emma looked to the left, noticing the stairs to the second floor.
She remembered seeing a few windows open on the second floor when she was driving and they all had some sort of base underneath on top of the first-floor windows that Emma could use to jump.
It looked much easier than jumping out of Regina's window.
So Emma carefully walked up the stairs, one step at a time, being as quiet as possible.
The wood cracked under her feet, making a slight noise and Emma had to take breaths between steps, looking around the living room to see if Jefferson was coming after her.
She almost cried when she reached the second floor.
Emma entered the first room she saw, going straight to the window.
She pushed the window up, but it was sealed just like the window in the living room.
She had to find the room with the open windows she saw when entering the driveway.
Emma walked to the door, carefully closing it when she pass through it.
And to her absolute despair, before she could fully turn around and make her way to the next room, Emma heard the noise of a gun hammer being pulled.
It echoed so loudly in the silent hallway.
It made her heart drop to her stomach.
Emma faced Jefferson, gun pointed to her head.
Emma took a deep breath, trying to hide the fear that cut through her bones as she hardened her features to stare at the man.
"I've already called for backup, they'll be here any second" Emma said seriously.
"You didn't call anybody," Jefferson smiled at her.
He reached inside his back pocket and pulled Emma's phone from inside, showing it to her.
"I have your cellphone," Jefferson said "And there is no landline in the house"
Emma took a step closer to Jefferson, a mixture of defiance and fear rippling through her body.
"Why are you doing this?" Emma asked.
"I need you to do something for me," Jefferson said.
He unceremoniously grabbed Emma by the forearm and then pulled her with him inside another room, shoving her inside.
Emma looked around the room, the fear momentarily replaced by surprise.
The room had hats on every single shelf on the wall, all looking exactly the same.
All were neatly placed beside each other with a white paper note attached to it that looked like dates.
It was the creepiest room Emma had ever seen in her life.
And she had lived with a dolls collector when she was a teen.
"What do you want from me?" Emma asked, "You want to kill me?"
"Kill you?" Jefferson chuckled "Why would I do that when I need your help?"
"My help for what?" Emma asked.
Jefferson walked around the room, gesturing the gun in the air.
"I need your help to get me out of here," Jefferson said "I need you to get me out of this damn curse"
"What are you talking about?" Emma asked confused.
"Don't play stupid," Jefferson said. He walked closer to Emma, invading her personal space and staring her in the eyes "I know you know about the curse. The one keeping us all trapped. All except you"
Emma looked at Jefferson desperation sinking in the pit of her stomach.
"Have you been reading Henry's book?" Emma asked.
"Henry?" Jefferson asked, "You mean the Queen's father?"
"Henry, the Mayor's kid," Emma said.
She opted not to say their kid's or Regina's name until she knew more about the situation.
In case that man had been harassing Henry without her or Regina's knowledge.
Emma swallowed dry, fear dancing in her heart and consuming her entrails.
Horror was crawling under her skin and curling around her bones as she looked at the man in front of her.
She closed her hands into a fist, dread running coldly inside her veins.
"Oh, Henry. Your Henry... and his book of stories, the ones that you choose to ignore," Jefferson said "Maybe if you knew what I know, you wouldn't"
"How do you know that?" Emma asked, "Have you been spying on me?"
Jefferson smiled at Emma, moving behind her.
"Ever since you arrived in town," Jefferson said.
A cold press of unease slid down her spine when his breath touch her skin.
"Why?" Emma asked, her voice barely a whisper when she turned around to face him.
"Because for the last 28 years, I've been stuck in this house, day after day, always the same" Jefferson said pointing his gun at Emma as he walked around the room "Until one night, you, in your little yellow bug, roll into town, and the clock ticks and things start to change. You see... I know what you refuse to acknowledge, Emma. You're special. You brought something precious to Storybrook. Magic"
Jefferson stopped behind the table full of sewing objects, lowering the gun.
Emma took a step closer to the table, staring at him.
And suddenly Emma understood what she was facing.
She felt her whole body shake.
Because at that moment she had the lucidity that only fear and terror can bring.
"You are insane," Emma said, fear dripping from her voice.
Jefferson blinked his eyes, staring disbelievingly at her.
"Because I speak the truth?" Jefferson asked.
"Because you're talking about magic," Emma said back.
"I'm talking about what I've seen," Jefferson said walking around the room again "Perhaps you're the one that's mad"
"Really?" Emma asked.
Jefferson stopped in front of Emma, staring into her eyes.
"What's crazier than seeing and not believing?" Jefferson said seriously "Because that's exactly what you've been doing since you got to our little hamlet"
He took another step closer, so close that Emma could feel his breath on her lips.
"Open your eyes. Look around. Wake up. Isn't it about time?"
"What do you want?" Emma asked angrily.
"I want you to get it to work," Jefferson said back just as angry.
He closed his hand around Emma's neck, squeezing it with force, and then forced her to sit on the chair in front of the table.
"You want me to get what to work?" Emma asked, her skin recoiling at his touch.
Jefferson lowered himself beside Emma, pressing his lips on her hair.
"You're the only one that can do this" Jefferson said "You're gonna get it to work"
Jefferson walked to a closet, picking up items from inside.
And Emma used the opportunity to look around the room she was in.
There was a window in the right corner of the room.
The window had a small open crack, gently blowing the curtains inside.
Emma acknowledged that not letting her body show any reaction.
The window wasn't locked like the others.
All she needed was an opportunity alone and then she could jump out of the window and escape that house.
Jefferson walked back in her direction, throwing some pieces of fabric in front of her.
"Make one like that," Jefferson said, pointing at the hat on top of the table.
"You want me to make a hat?" Emma frowned "You don't have enough?"
"Well, none of them work, do they?" Jefferson said walking around the table "Or else you wouldn't be here"
Jefferson sat on the chair across from her as Emma picked up a small scissor from the table.
"Now make a hat and get it to work," Jefferson said.
"I don't…"
"You have magic," Jefferson said "You can do it"
Emma picked up a needle before her eyes landed on a teapot set on a counter on the opposite wall.
Childhood stories rippled on the surface.
Emma looked around the room again, staring at the immensity of hats surrounding them.
"The hats, the tea... your psychotic behavior... " Emma said, "You think you're the Mad Hatter"
"My name's Jefferson," Jefferson said.
"Okay," Emma said, folding the fabric on top of the table "You've clearly glommed onto my kid Henry's thing. They're just stories. The Mad Hatter is in "Alice in Wonderland," a book. A book I actually read"
She had to try and put some sense into that man.
"Stories... stories? What's a story?" Jefferson asked, relaxing his body on the chair before staring at her "When you were in high school, did you learn about the Civil War?"
"Yes, of course," Emma said.
"How?" Jefferson asked "Did you read about it, perchance, in a book? How is that any less than any other book?"
Emma sighed, supporting her elbow on the table and scratching her forehead.
"History books are based on history," Emma said defeated.
"And storybooks are based on what, imagination? Where does that come from? It has to come from somewhere" Jefferson said "You know what the issue is with this world? Everyone wants some magical solution to their problem, and everyone refuses to believe in magic"
Jefferson looked at Emma, pointing the gun back at her.
"Now get it to work"
But Emma had just about enough of his crazy attitude.
She slammed her hands on the table with force hoping the aggressive attitude could somehow intimidate him.
"Here's the thing, Jefferson. This is it," Emma said "This is the real world"
"A real world," Jefferson said.
He leaned forward in her direction on the table looking at her with an anger Emma hadn't seen before.
As if his eyes were burning with something evil.
"How arrogant are you to think yours is the only one? There are infinite more. You have to open your mind. They touch one another, pressing up in a long line of lands, each just as real as the last. All have their own rules. Some have magic, some don't. And some need magic... Like this one"
Jefferson stood to his full height and picked up a scissor from the table.
He looked at the blade in awe, almost hypnotized before turning his attention back to Emma.
And once again, Emma felt fear creep under her skin.
He looked almost demoniacal.
Emma's heart raced inside her chest as she looked at his expression.
Her breaths were shallow and Emma had to close her hands on a fist to hide how trembling they were.
"You are not leaving here until you make my hat," Jefferson said angrily "Until you get it to work"
He dropped the scissors unceremoniously in front of her before taking the seat across from her again.
"And then what?" Emma asked fearfully.
"Then I go home," Jefferson Pointed the gun at Emma "Now, work"
Emma picked up the scissors from the desk and started to cut the fabric with trembling hands.
Then she picked up the hat model Jefferson left in front of her and started to sew.
Or at least she tried.
She pierced her finger every time she glance at him with every stitch she made on the fabric.
She knew it hurt.
Her hands were already sore from when she used the broken glass to cut the tape from her hands.
But she barely acknowledged the pain.
The absolute horror that crawled into her heart made Emma have one thought and one thought only.
She needed to escape.
She just needed one opportunity.
One moment of distraction from him and she could use the scissors to attack him and then jump off the window.
Jefferson picked up Emma's cell phone from his pocket and put it on top of the table.
Then he stared at her, with his gun on top of his thigh, pointed at her.
"Let me see," Jefferson said.
"I'm not done yet," Emma said in a choked voice.
"It doesn't have to be perfect," Jefferson said "It just needs to work"
Jefferson rose from his chair and pulled the hat abruptly from Emma's hand.
And then he put it on top of the table and started to spin once and then twice, staring at it like the madman he was.
"No, no, no, no, no," Jefferson said angrily.
He looked at Emma angrily his nostrils flaring as he stood in front of her and pressed the gun barrel against her forehead.
Emma felt her whole body tremble, like a shadow of smoke kissed by ice had run down her spine, sipping its coldness into every single pore of her body.
She was scared.
Her heart raced inside her chest as Emma took gulfs of air waiting for the worse.
Jefferson pressed the gun against her forehead again, his eyes filled with hate.
Emma's phone started to vibrate against the table, pulling both of their attention to the object.
Jefferson pulled the phone closer, smiling at the name flashing on the screen.
And nothing, absolutely nothing in the world could ever compare to the panic that consumed her entire soul when Jefferson's hideous smile grew wilder as he picked up the phone between his fingers.
"I think I know how I can make the Savior work some magic"
Regina was in the tv room with Henry watching a movie as they ate their second round of ice cream.
Letting herself get distracted by the uncomfortable feeling she had earlier.
Regina waited for the feeling to come back as she went downstairs to the kitchen with Henry and then again when they walked together to the tv room with their ice cream bowls.
But the feeling was completely silent.
As if it had never been there.
But Regina could still feel it lingering, like a ghost touch scrapping her heart.
As if the claws were gently scratching the surface, silently saying something wasn't right.
Even when she couldn't feel anything.
So Regina tried to relax and watch the movie with Henry.
She smiled at her little boy when he cheekily asked for another round of ice cream. She even poured two bowls of ice cream one for Henry and a smaller one for herself.
And she sat down on the couch with him, watching the movie on the screen.
Letting the sound of Henry's laughter calmed that phantom ache in her heart.
"This is hilarious," Henry laughed.
Regina looked to the side and smiled at Henry. She slid closer to him on the couch and kissed the top of his head before wrapping her arm around his shoulder and bringing his body closer, the ice cream melting in her bowl.
It was comforting having him closer.
Regina looked at the screen again, watching some goofy characters do something incredibly stupid when suddenly, she felt something curl around her heart
She could feel the twigs twining around the organ, its thorns scrapping the surface lightly.
Regina put the ice cream bowl beside her on the couch and brought her hand to her heart, rubbing it gently.
Henry laughed beside her again, his laughter echoing in the tv room.
Except for this time, Regina couldn't quite focus on it.
Because that tightness in her heart started to squeeze everything she had inside of her.
Taking her breath away.
Regina gasped for air, feeling each intake pierce her lungs like small needles.
And then her eyes narrowed at the screen seeing nothing but empty darkness in there, calling her, warning her, telling her something was wrong.
Until the most primitive fear, Regina had ever felt started to slip inside of her, sliding through her blood, through her very bones.
And then there was nothing.
For a moment, all Regina could feel was a cold and brutal panic, like she couldn't do anything to save herself.
"Mom?" Henry asked beside her "Are you okay?"
"Henry…" Regina started to say before leaning forward on the couch.
She brought her hand to her chest again, rubbing strongly when this invisible and oppressive weight pressed on her chest as if it were going to crush her completely.
It was pure fear.
One Regina only felt once before.
The night she thought she lost Emma.
Regina opened her eyes, breathing fast, trying to get any air to fill her lungs.
She gripped the sides of the couch, her nails digging and then scratching the surface as panic started to take over every single inch of her body.
Shattering her heart.
Freezing her bones.
"No," Regina said the words barely a whisper when they left her lips "Emma"
"Mom?"
Henry kneeled on the couch beside Regina, putting his hands on Regina's arm and squeezing them softly.
"Mom, what's wrong?" Henry asked his voice scared.
Regina swallowed dry but all she could taste was a raw pounding agony lingering in the back of her throat.
"Henry, get my phone," Regina said, her voice choked "Get my phone and call Emma"
"Okay," Henry nodded "Where is your phone?"
"My bed," Regina said "Henry, please hurry"
"Okay," Henry said.
He left the tv room running, the cracks of his steps echoing in the house.
Regina rose from the couch taking a deep breath as she rubbed her heart again silently praying for the feeling to decrease.
For it to ease inside her chest.
But the more the seconds ticked by her the more the feeling grew.
Devastating her completely.
Her own soul was screaming in agony.
Something was seriously wrong with Emma.
She knew it. She could feel in her flesh and bones, all those feelings she was having all that fear that creeped out of nowhere, it didn't belong to her.
It was Emma's.
It was their true love connection alerting Regina of her other half.
Telling her she was in danger.
Perhaps she had been in a car accident while doing her rounds.
And if that was the case, if Emma was hurt, Regina needed to go out there and find her.
Because she was scared.
A kind of scare Regina never wanted her to feel.
But first, she needed to call Emma, to know where she was. If she was having all of these feelings coming from her it meant that Emma was conscious and that had to be something.
She was alert.
All Regina had to do was find her.
Regina took another breath, feeling a cold press of unease slide down her spine.
Her hands shook slightly and her knees nearly gave in.
Emma was scared.
No, not just scared.
Emma was terrified.
Regina could feel every drop of her emotions sipping into her blood.
Consuming her.
She needed to find Emma, she needed to help her, she needed to bring her home.
She needed to keep her safe.
Always.
That was all that mattered to Regina.
Keep Emma safe.
"Henry," Regina shouted.
"I can't find your phone," Henry shouted back.
"It's in the bed," Regina shouted again "Look under the sheets"
"Found it," Henry shouted.
Regina stood in the middle of the room, listening to every scrap of Henry's feet against the floor until he entered the tv room, holding the phone in his hand.
Regina picked up the phone and dialed Emma's number, a number she already knew by heart now.
She pressed the phone harder against her ear, listening to the line ring once and then twice and then a third time before the call was connected.
"Emma?" Regina said desperately "Emma, what happened, where are you? What's going on?"
The line went silent for an excruciating moment before Regina could hear a sinister laugh on the other side.
One that made the blood in her body run cold.
"So worried. And here I was thinking she was just a pawn in your evil schemes"
Regina closed her hand around the phone, squeezing it with force.
Every pore in her body was taken with nothing but pure hatred.
"Jefferson," Regina said tonelessly.
"Your Majesty," Jefferson said and Regina could feel him smiling on the other side.
"Where is Emma?" Regina asked coldly.
With a calm, she wasn't really feeling.
There wasn't a single cell in her body that wasn't shaking to the core with fear.
"The Savior is a bit busy right now," Jefferson said "Making me a hat"
"If you touch a single hair in her head I will…"
"You will what, Regina?" Jefferson laughed "Kill me? You've done worse than that already"
Regina took a deep breath closing her trembling hand in a fist.
"What do you want?" Regina asked.
"I want a way out of this curse," Jefferson said cruelly "But right now I'll settle for having you here. I think the Savior needs a little incentive"
"Regina, don't,"
Regina heard some noises in the background and then something shattering on the floor before Emma's sharp voice of pain echoed on the line.
"EMMA?" Regina shouted her heart racing desperately inside her chest "Emma? Emma? Can you hear me?"
Regina heard more muffled sounds in the background before Jefferson's sinister voice reached her ears again.
"Someone really should teach the Princess how to have manners," Jefferson said lightly.
"If you hurt her, I will kill you," Regina said coldly.
With anger that came from the depths of her core.
"If you want your Princess intact," Jefferson said "I suggest you came over here and force her to make my hat work. Otherwise, she'll be useless to me and I might as well just kill her"
"Jefferson…" Regina said warningly.
"You have an hour," Jefferson said.
And the line went completely dead.
Regina gripped the phone with force again, letting the tears fall down her face as the beeping sound of the phone echoed in her ear.
"Mom?" Henry asked "Mom, what happened?"
Regina moved her eyes slowly to Henry, blinking once and then twice.
She moved the phone away from her ear, throwing it on the couch before cleaning the tears from her face.
Determination taking over her actions.
"Henry, I want you to go to your room and lock yourself there," Regina said "Do not open the door under any circumstance to anyone unless it's me or Emma"
"What happened?" Henry asked desperately "Is Ma okay? Is she hurt?"
"No," Regina said firmly.
She kneeled in front of Henry holding his face between her hands.
"I am going to bring your mother home," Regina said looking deeply into Henry's eyes "I am going to bring her home unharmed and then I am going to punish the person who dared lay a hand on her"
"Is this because of the curse?" Henry asked.
Regina sighed and tightened her grip around Henry's face.
She pressed her forehead against his and then kiss his cheek, before looking into his eyes again.
"I have to go now," Regina said "Promise me you'll stay home where is safe"
"I promise," Henry nodded, his eyes shining with fear.
"And you won't open the door to…"
"Anyone that it is not you or Ma," Henry said.
"Good boy," Regina smiled, a soft tear rolling down her eyes.
Regina rose from the ground and walked to the door, Henry following after her.
She put on her coat and then picked up the keys from inside the pocket before opening the door.
"Lock the door and go to your room," Regina said "I'll be right back"
"Mom?" Henry called for her in a small voice.
"Yes, honey?" Regina asked.
"Be careful," Henry said.
Regina crouched in front of Henry lifting his chin to meet her eyes.
"I will," Regina said "I love you, Henry"
"I love you too, mom," Henry said.
He threw his arms around Regina hugging her tight.
And Regina held him inside her arms letting the feeling of her son envelop her, letting her heart have a second of peace from the agonizing fear she was in.
Regina left the mansion, each step heavier than the other before she reached her Mercedes and get inside.
She gripped the steering wheel, her feet going down harder and harder on the gas.
Panic and hatred were all she could feel as she drove to Jefferson's mansion.
All in front of her were shades of grey and red.
She would kill that bastard once and for all.
For daring touching Emma.
For daring to hurt her.
For dare thinking, he could force her to bend to his will.
But all of that would have to wait until Emma was safe.
Because nothing in the world mattered, not even killing him if Emma wasn't safe.
Because if something happened to Emma…
Regina couldn't even begin to think how she would burn the world to the ground until it was nothing but ashes.
How she would cross any immortal realm if there was one to bring her back.
How she would go far beyond anything she have ever done before to be with her again.
Regina arrived at the mansion and parked her car behind Emma's yellow bug, opening the car door before the car was even fully dead.
The air was thick with Emma's scent exhaling a frightful smell that made Regina nauseous.
She could hardly breathe.
And the more that scent reached her nose the more Emma's fear enveloped her the more Regina's hatred grew.
Regina walked the steps to the mansion, her legs burning with every step she took.
She rang the doorbell, nothing but pure horror forming underneath her skin.
But she straightened her posture.
Hardened her features.
And became The Evil Queen they once feared.
One moment passed.
The another.
Then Regina heard the click of the door lock being opened and then Jefferson opened the door.
Smiling at Regina with a savage smile of anticipation.
While he pointed the gun at her head.
"My Queen," Jefferson said.
"Where is Emma?" Regina asked angrily.
"Would you like to come in?" Jefferson asked, gesturing with one hand inside the house.
"I will not ask you this again," Regina said, every bit of anger and cold sipping into her voice "Where is Emma?"
"In my hat room," Jefferson said before lowering his voice "Trying to work some magic"
"She has nothing to do with this," Regina said, her voice betraying her by trembling.
"She has everything to do with this, Your Majesty," Jefferson said calmly.
"Jefferson, please," Regina begged, her voice choked "You don't have a problem with her. It's me, I'm the one who betrayed you"
"Wow," Jefferson laughed "You actually care for this woman, don't you?"
"Let her go," Regina said "Let her go, and I'll stay. I'll take her place, just let her go"
"You don't have any magic," Jefferson said between teeth.
"Neither does she," Regina said desperately.
"Of course she does, she only needs a little help activating it," Jefferson gestured with the gun in the air.
He took a step closer to Regina, pressing the gun against her forehead.
"And that's where you come in"
Jefferson pulled Regina by the arm, forcing her inside the house.
She nearly stumbled when he pushed her inside, but she regain her balance only to have her stomach turn into a knot.
Emma's scent was even thicker inside.
And that scent made the fear creep through every part of Regina, burning her intensely.
Jefferson pointed the gun at Regina again, his features tormented by hatred.
And Regina's blood awake inside her vein roaring louder and louder for her to go to Emma.
To find her.
Because right now, Jefferson owned his title.
He looked mad.
The mad hatter.
"Walk," Jefferson said seriously "Upstairs"
Regina swallowed dry before walking to the stairs, walking up a step and then another.
A voice whispered in the back of her head, telling her this was dangerous, telling her to run.
But Regina would only run in one direction.
She would only run to Emma.
Regina reached the second floor, Jefferson's gun glued to the back of her head.
"Third room to the right," Jefferson said.
Regina walked the hallway, stopping in front of the third door to the right and pushing it open slowly.
Her heart stopped inside her chest.
Her legs shook out of pure fear.
Hers mixed with Emma's.
Terror was all Regina could feel.
Because in front of her, was Emma, arms locked behind a chair by handcuffs and a disgusting cloth covering her mouth.
She had a cut on her forehead, smudged with blood.
But her eyes…
Her eyes held nothing but pure terror when she looked back at Regina.
"Look who is here," Jefferson said cheerfully.
"Let her go," Regina whispered, her eyes locked with Emma's.
She could feel her heart bleeding inside her chest.
Jefferson smiled at Regina and walked behind Emma, taking the cloth off her mouth.
"You shouldn't be here," Emma cried looking at Regina "Why did you come here?"
"Do you really need to ask me that?" Regina asked, soft tears falling down her face.
"Funny," Jefferson laughed "The Evil Queen has a heart after all"
"Don't call her that," Emma shouted angrily, turning her head to look at Jefferson.
"Oh, my darling, but she is," Jefferson said "She is The Evil Queen just as much as you are the Savior"
"Jefferson, let her go," Regina said in a choked voice "Please, let her go. Your problem is with me, your problem has always been with me"
"Oh, you damn right my problem is with you," Jefferson shouted walking angrily in Regina's direction and pointing the gun at her "You took everything away from me"
"I can fix this," Regina said "I can fix everything, just let Emma go and I'll do whatever you want"
Jefferson laughed cruelly, the sound echoing in the small room.
"You don't have any magic," Jefferson said "You are useless, Your Majesty. She, on the other hand," Jefferson turned to Emma pointing the gun at her "She is made of it"
"She doesn't have anything," Regina said desperately "This is a world without magic"
"She is the Savior," Jefferson said shouted.
"Only if the curse is broken," Regina said.
Emma looked at Regina, a confused expression adorning her features.
It made Regina's chest ache and anger simmer in her gut.
"You are lying," Jefferson said "And I am done with you"
Jefferson walked in Regina's direction, pointing the gun at her. Her eyes locked with Emma's, anguish shining behind her eyes and soft tears falling from her face.
It broke something inside Regina.
Watching Emma in such despair broke her own soul.
"Jefferson," Emma shouted. She waited until Jefferson turn around before breaking eye contact with Regina to look at him "You need my magic to make your hat work, right?"
"Yes," Jefferson said.
"Then let Regina go," Emma said "Let her go and I'll make your hat work"
"Don't you even dare" Regina said looking at Emma.
"Let her go and I'll do whatever you want to make your hat work," Emma said.
"She is not going anywhere," Jefferson said looking at Regina.
He walked to Emma and crouched behind the chair, picking up something from his pocket. A second later, Regina heard the soft click of metal being unlocked and then the handcuffs fell on the floor.
Jefferson rose from the ground and pointed the gun at Emma.
The gesture made Regina's blood roar in nothing but pure rage,
"Get up," Jefferson said "And tie her to that chair over there" Jefferson pointed at the chair at the head of the table.
"No," Emma said angrily, looking up at him.
"Tie her up," Jefferson said lightly "Or I will kill her. I have no use for her"
Emma rose from the chair walking in Regina's direction.
She put her trembling fingers on Regina's face, tears falling from her eyes.
Emma's hands were so cold.
There was so much fear from both of them that Regina couldn't tell what was hers and what was Emma's.
Regina leaned into Emma's touch, letting her mind silent for a second, letting herself feel Emma.
Just for a second.
Just a second more of her touch.
"You shouldn't have come here," Emma said in a choked voice.
"I will never hesitate to save you when you are in danger," Regina said covering Emma's hands with her own.
Emma leaned forward and pressed her lips against Regina's.
Her lips were as cold as her hands and every inch of Regina wanted to pull her closer and warm her body.
Get her away from that place.
Keep her safe.
"Enough," Jefferson shouted.
He walked beside them, pointing the gun at Regina's head.
"Tie her up"
"No," Emma said between teeth looking defiant at Jefferson.
Jefferson pulled the hammer of the gun down, looking at Emma, and the gun pointed at Regina.
"Tie her to the chair," Jefferson said slowly.
"It's okay, Emma," Regina nodded "It will all be okay"
Regina sat on the chair Jefferson pull for her before giving the rope to Emma.
Emma kneeled in front of Regina, wrapping the rope around her legs.
"I'm sorry," Emma whispered.
"It's okay, Emma," Regina said "It will all be okay, I promise you"
Emma tied up Regina's legs on the chair but Regina could feel the knot wasn't as strong as it was supposed to be.
And Jefferson either didn't notice or didn't care because the only thing he did was wave the gun at Emma for her to tie Regina's hands behind the chair.
Emma walked behind Regina, wrapping the rope around her wrist behind the chair.
She left it loose enough for Regina to slip her hands through it.
Except that this time, Jefferson actually bothered to notice.
"Tighter," Jefferson said.
Emma pulled the ropes tighter around Regina's wrist, the material scratching her skin.
"Good," Jefferson said "Now you sit on that chair and make my hat work"
Emma walked around the table, taking a seat at the center of the table.
She looked at Regina her eyes full of tears and lips that whispered Im sorry.
And Regina hated that.
She hated the guilt she saw skittering across Emma's face, the way it lingered on every gesture.
This wasn't her fault.
It was hers.
Emma was paying for her mistakes.
Guilt was a silent scream inside Regina's blood and she could hardly stand it.
Jefferson walked behind Emma, pointing the gun to her head while smiling cruelly at Regina.
"Go ahead, Princess," Jefferson said "I've been waiting too long"
Emma picked up the scissors and start to cut on the fabric, working to make one of the several premade hats on top of the table.
"How am I supposed to do this?" Emma asked.
"You put your magic into the hat," Jefferson said.
So Emma did what she was supposed to do. What Jefferson asked of her.
Cut, glue, sew.
Giving him the hat.
She pierced herself several times with the needle, her trembling hands barely able to sew.
It destroyed Regina each time Emma cut herself.
Each break of her skin she could feel it on her own.
Jefferson exanimated hat after hat after hat, shouting at Emma, telling her she wasn't putting her heart into it.
And each time he raised his voice at her, each time he grabbed her arm with force, Regina had only one thought in her mind.
She was going to kill him.
Because the horror she was feeling was giving away to fury.
The purest form of hate was lingering under her skin.
Waiting, and waiting and waiting to lash out.
To break free and destroy him until he was nothing but blood and ashes under her feet.
Emma started to make another hat but halfway through it, she threw the hat on top of the table and defiantly stood up.
"I can't do this," Emma shouted "What you are asking of me is impossible"
And in that very second, Regina's heart stopped beating inside her chest.
Because Jefferson closed his hand around Emma's neck and pushed her against the wall, pressing the gun against her forehead.
All Regina could feel was panic.
She pulled the bidings from her arms but the knot was too tight.
Regina had only one certainty in her heart.
Jefferson would kill Emma.
Jefferson would kill Emma and Emma wouldn't even know what she was dying for.
And that shattered Regina's very soul.
It made her heart bleed inside her chest, pouring out drop by drop.
Hate became a burning rage in her stomach.
Ripping her guts apart.
"You are a coward," Regina said cruelly "You could never provide for your daughter and then you abandoned her"
Jefferson let go of Emma and walked in Regina's direction, nothing but pure fury adorning his features.
"And whose fault is that?" Jefferson said, pointing the gun at Regina.
"Yours," Regina smiled, with a satisfaction she wasn't feeling.
"You tricked me into going to Wonderland with you," Jefferson shouted "And then you abandoned me there"
"I didn't force you to do anything, you went for your own greed," Regina said.
Jefferson laughed loudly, before hardening his features as he looked at Regina.
He pointed the gun to her forehead, pulling the hammer.
Regina could see his finger slowly pressing on the trigger.
If she was to die tonight, at least she would die saving Emma.
And Regina couldn't imagine a death more honorable than that.
"I'll make another hat," Emma said desperately behind them "I'll make as many hats as you need until you get what you want. Just please, please, calm down"
And that broke Jefferson's daze.
He lowered his hand, looking behind his shoulder at Emma.
"I think I have something that can help you," Jefferson smiled.
He walked around the table picking up a rectangular black object from the chair.
And when he pressed the button, Regina heard an electrical discharge noise and blue waves of electricity shining on both ends and connecting in the middle.
"I found this in your car too," Jefferson said looking at Emma "Interesting toys you carry"
Emma swallowed dry as Jefferson walked behind Regina.
One moment, she had her eyes focused on Emma.
On the second, her whole body was convulsing and her teeth were clenched as a shock wave ran through her body.
Burning her intensely.
"STOP!" Emma screamed.
When Regina looked back at Emma, she saw tears pouring down her beautiful face.
"Then sit down and make my hat work, Princess," Jefferson said.
So Emma did.
She sat on the chair, her eyes never leaving Regina before picking up another hat.
And another.
And another.
None of them worked.
They never would.
Simply because Emma didn't believe.
Jefferson walked closer to Regina again, pressing the shock gun to her ribs.
Her whole body convulsed painfully.
She could feel the electricity running through her body shattering her muscles apart.
He had barely stopped the first wave before shocking her again
And again.
And Again.
Regina heard Emma's painful screams louder and louder, begging him to stop.
Regina could hardly feel her legs now.
Her whole body burned.
But she would gladly take each and every shock if it meant Emma wasn't the target.
"Jefferson," Emma said, her voice completely toneless.
Jefferson shifted his attention to Emma, taking a step away from Regina.
"I'm going to tell you something and I want you to listen to me very carefully," Emma said.
"What is it, Princess?" Jefferson smiled.
"If you hurt her again," Emma said angrily "I will tear you apart limb by limb with my own hands"
Jefferson walked behind Regina pointing the gun at her head.
"If you knew who she really is," Jefferson said "I doubt you would feel the same"
Regina looked down, tears falling from her eyes.
Because it was true.
If Emma knew who she was, and what she had done, she would never look at her the same.
She would never look at Regina with love behind her eyes.
And that thought was more unbearable than any shock wave Jefferson discharged on her body.
"I know who she really is," Emma said "The past doesn't matter, whatever she did before it's not who she is now"
"She is a liar," Jefferson said "The title suits her right. The Evil Queen"
"Don't call her that," Emma said angrily.
"But it is true," Jefferson shouted angrily "Why do you think you exist? Why do you think you are the Savior?"
Jefferson scratched his head and put the shock gun on top of the table as he walked around the room, waving his gun in the air.
"The only reason you exist is to break the curse The Evil Queen cast upon everyone in The Enchanted Forest," Jefferson said.
Regina watched Emma silently walk closer to the table, her eyes mentioning the shock gun.
She weakly shook her head no, trying to tell Emma it was too dangerous, but her body barely responded to her actions.
There wasn't a single part of her that wasn't trembling.
Not a single part that didn't burn deeply.
Emma closed her fingers around the shock gun, her face the picture of rage when she stopped behind Jefferson.
Regina could feel the fury rippling from Emma's body in waves so thick she could almost touch them.
"Your parents knew that from the beginning and they have deposited the entire faith of the realm in you," Jefferson shouted.
And that's when Emma pressed the shock gun hard against his back.
She held it in there watching Jefferson squirm in pain and Regina could tell Emma was enjoying every second of his suffering.
The glow in her eyes was almost scary.
Jefferson fell on the floor, his body still twitching as he lay on the floor.
Emma put the gun down and walked to Regina, kneeling in front of her.
"I'm going to get you out of here," Emma said, her eyes searching Regina's desperately "We are leaving this place right now"
Emma easily freed Regina's feet from the ropes but had to work for a while trying to untie her hands.
And when Regina was finally free, she just fell on the floor.
Her legs couldn't support her.
She couldn't walk.
Her whole body was shaking.
"You have to go," Regina said desperately "Get out of here, right now"
"No," Emma said firmly holding Regina's face between her hands "We are leaving this place together"
Emma moved to help Regina up, but her attention was pulled to Jefferson who stirred on the floor, grunting lowly.
"Emma, you can't," Regina said her voice rough "I can't walk. I will only slow you down"
"I can carry you," Emma said, her face full of anguish as she looked at Regina.
"No, you can't," Regina softly.
She lifted her hand to Emma's face, cherishing her cheek a weak smile adorning her lips at the way Emma leaned into the touch.
"I lov…"
"No," Emma said tears falling down her face "Don't you dare tell these words to me right now"
"Emma..." Regina cried.
"No!" Emma said strongly. She pressed her lips against Regina's her warm tears wetting Regina's cheek "I don't want to hear them out of fear, Regina. I deserve more than this"
"You deserve everything," Regina said.
"You asked me for a year," Emma cried "You promised we'll be together for a year before you could tell me these words and then you promised the rest of our lives together. This is not how it ends"
And in that second, Regina knew just how much Emma was right.
Regina nodded at Emma, pushing her body up attract to every word Emma said.
Emma wrapped her arm around Regina's waist, helping her stand up, and pulling most of Regina's weight onto her body.
But they only managed to give a few steps before Regina fell on the floor again.
When Jefferson recovered and pushed Emma away from her.
They both fought on the floor, throwing punches and kicks at each other, rolling on top of one another.
Regina had never felt so useless.
Her legs were still too weak.
Her body didn't respond properly.
But that only lasted until Regina saw Emma at gunpoint.
Jefferson recovered the gun and was pointing it directly at Emma.
He walked to the table and put on the hat Emma was previously working on.
A hateful smile curved his lips as he looked at Emma.
Dread screamed as a roar in Regina's blood.
Protective instinct took over every action in her body.
Regina pushed herself up from the floor, her legs burning at every effort she made to stand up.
She could feel it ripping every nerve and muscle in her flesh but she didn't care.
Regina grabbed the chair she was tied up to, using every shred of strength she had to lift it in the air.
And then she walked behind Jefferson, smashing the chair against his head and back.
Regina fell on the floor, her legs unable to support her any longer.
And when she looked up, she saw Emma throwing Jefferson out of the window, glass shattering and spreading loudly inside the room.
Panic eased breath by breath at the sight of Emma looking out the window.
Safe.
Emma was safe.
A moment passed and then another.
Emma stared out the window looking down.
"He disappeared," Emma said.
"What?" Regina asked, slightly out of breath.
Emma looked behind her shoulder her eyes blinking once as if something clicked inside of her.
She ran in Regina's direction, holding her face between her hands and lifting her gaze to meet hers.
"You saved us," Emma smiled.
Regina nodded slowly, every inch of her body in pure pain.
"Come on," Emma said "Let's get out of here"
Emma wrapped her arms around Regina's body pulling her up.
Regina could hardly stand a step and Emma nearly dragged her down the stairs.
"The door is locked," Emma said when they reached the base of the stairs "I need to look for the keys"
"We don't have time," Regina said "He might have the key with him"
"So, I'll break the window," Emma said.
"Seems like you are an expert in it," Regina joked.
And the side smirk Emma gave her eased something inside her chest.
Like that knot that formed in her stomach had loosened up a bit.
Emma sat Regina on the couch and then disappeared inside the house.
Regina took small breaths, in and out, in and out again, trying to control the way her body was shaking.
She heard some muffled noises, fear making its way to her heart again.
"Emma?" Regina shouted.
No answer.
Regina tried to push her body up, every muscle in her body protesting.
"Hey, what the hell are you doing?"
Emma rushed to Regina's side, helping her sit on the couch again.
"You didn't answer me," Regina said her voice full of panic.
She closed her trembling fingers around Emma's tank top, soft tears falling from the corner of her eyes.
"I'm sorry, I didn't hear you," Emma said.
Emma leaned forward pressing her lips softly against Regina's.
And just the feel of Emma's lips on hers was a relief so heavenly that Regina fell humming in her bloodstream.
Emma rose from the couch, picking up a hammer from beside her on the couch.
"I found this in the kitchen," Emma said.
She didn't even notice Emma was carrying anything.
"We should hurry," Regina said "He could be back any second"
Emma nodded at Regina and walked to the windows behind the piano.
And then she smashed the hammer against the glass.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
The glass cracked all around.
And when Emma hit a fourth time, the glass exploded, broken glass flying everywhere.
"Emma?" Regina asked worriedly "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Emma said.
She kept her back to Regina, cleaning the remains of glass from the sill of the window.
By the time she walked back to Regina, she could see she had cuts all over her arms, blood staining her skin.
"You are hurt," Regina said.
"It's all superficial," Emma said "Come one, let's get out of here"
Emma wrapped her arms around Regina again, walking with her to the window.
She went through it first and then helped Regina out, pieces of glass scratching her hands.
"Do you have your car keys?" Emma asked.
"I left them in the car," Regina nodded.
Emma walked with Regina's weight over her body past the bug and then to Regina's Mercedes.
She put Regina carefully on the passenger seat and then walked around the car, getting inside.
It didn't take long before they arrived at the mansion.
Emma stepped on the gas, her foot going down on the accelerator as her hands gripped the steering wheel.
She wanted to take Regina to the hospital.
But Regina didn't want to leave Henry alone a second longer.
Not with Jefferson out there missing.
Not when he was alive and a threat to her family.
Emma parked the car in front of the mansion, carrying Regina in her arms.
Regina didn't even have it in her to protest.
Now that the adrenaline had dissipated, Regina could feel every shred of pain from the shocks worse than when they were happening.
Her entire body ached.
Emma opened the door of the mansion, nearly kicking it with her foot.
Regina heard steps echoing in the house and not long after that, Henry's desperate voice reached her ears.
"Mom?" Henry said "Mom? What happened? Is she okay?"
"Im fine, Henry," Regina said, trying to keep her voice as calm as possible.
Emma carried Regina up the staircase and then into their bedroom, depositing her gently on the bed.
"What happened?" Henry asked.
"Nothing that you need to worry about, kid," Emma said, her voice firm.
"Mom?" Henry asked in a small voice, looking at Regina.
"I'm okay, Henry," Regina smiled weakly at him "I just need to rest, that's all"
"I should go," Emma said "I need to go out there and find that man"
"No," Regina said desperately.
"Regina, I can't let him escape"
"Emma, please," Regina begged "Please, don't go. Please, stay here with me"
Emma looked at Regina softly and nodded at her.
She removed her boots from her feet and then climbed onto the bed with her taking Regina in her arms.
Henry did the same on the other side, snuggling closer to Regina's body.
And all she could think, all Regina could feel was that her family was safe inside her arms before empty darkness claimed her.
I am going out of town next week to visit family.
There will be no updates on this story for the next two weeks.
Sorry about that, I'll catch up with the updates as soon as I get back!