Chapter Three: True Love's Kiss
Breaking her own curse was not something the Evil Queen would have ever done. Regina, however, would do whatever she could to save Emma. She wasn't sure if her kiss would work, but she had to try. As far as Regina knew, she had already had her true love. Daniel had been everything to her. But, Daniel was gone. And somehow, the thought of losing Emma, was ever more scary than when Daniel had died. Still, Regina knew when the curse broke, she'd lose everything. Emma and Henry would leave her, and the town would come for her. She'd be held accountable for the crimes she committed nearly three decades ago. In the storybook, she was villian. Even to her own son, she'd never be a hero. And there was one hard rule about villains: they don't get happy endings.
As Regina and Henry hurried to the hospital, she took in her last few moments of freedom. If they let her live, she'd never see the light of day again. Emma and Henry would move on. They'd be a family with Snow White and her prince. It was too much to think about, so instead Regina focused on remembering the happy times.
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"Thank you for inviting me to dinner, Regina." Emma said as she helped Regina clear the table.
It had been four weeks since Emma had come to town. The first week, Regina was desperate for the woman to leave. The second week, she realized the harder she pushed the more Emma wanted to stay. So, she started to get to know Emma. By the third week, Regina realized Emma wasn't trying to steal Henry. The pair actually had a lot in common, and got along very well. It was nice to not be alone. And now, four weeks in, Regina realized she had somehow developed feelings for her son's birth mother. It was scary, and exciting, and she had never felt this way about anyone before. Even her late fiancee.
"I appreciate your help with cleaning up." Regina replied with a smile. Henry had gone upstairs to finish his homework. Regina had let him wait and play a game with Emma while she cooked dinner. Usually, she wanted him to do school work right away, but Emma coming to dinner was special. His math homework would be waiting when he was done. "Did you enjoy the food?"
"You almost have to roll me out," Emma teased. "It was great. I can barely scramble an egg, much less cook a pot roast."
"Lots, and lots of practice, dear." Regina said.
The night continued on. When Henry had finished his division problems, and book report. Regina let him pick a movie for the three of them to watch. He passed out on the sofa before Toy Story had even finished. Emma helped Regina take him up to bed.
After they tucked their son in together, they made their way back downstairs. Regina offered Emma a drink to end their night, and the sheriff accepted. The brunette poured them both a glass of red wine, and they sat together in front of the fireplace.
"This has been nice, us getting along so well." Emma commented. Regina nodded her head in agreement. She felt guilty for wanting Emma gone so badly at first. "You're pretty great, you know? I mean now that you aren't trying to run me out of town." Regina chuckled.
"I enjoy your company, Emma." Regina told her. Since they'd stop coming for each other's throats, Regina had started calling the other woman by her first name. The beloved 'Miss. Swan' was saved for special occasions.
"I enjoy yours too, Regina." Emma smiled softly at the woman before her.
Regina couldn't decide who made the first move. It might have been Emma, it might have been her. It didn't matter. One moment they were smiling at each other, and the next they were kissing. There was a warm glow in Regina's chest as her lips moved with Emma's. She felt like she was flying. It was over too quickly, but as one kiss ended, another one quickly began. They did this for what felt like ever. She wasn't sure how long exactly. Emma was the one who pulled away, desperately needing to catch her breath.
"That was…so many words that don't even come close to describing it." Emma managed to get out. Regina chuckled.
"I understand, if I'd know how amazing that would be, I wouldn't have bothered with trying to get you to go back to Boston." Regina smirked before she suddenly grew self conscious. She bit her lip and looked at Emma nervously. "Was uh, was that okay?"
"Gosh, Regina it was more than okay. It was amazing, I've been thinking about what it would be like practically since I met you. Let me reassure you, that kiss blew even my greatest expectations out of the water." Emma replied, taking Regina's hand and squeezing it.
"Really?" Regina felt tears start to well up in her eyes. She couldn't believe Emma felt this way about her. It had been a long time since someone had cared for her like this.
"Here, let me see if this proves to you that I mean every word." Emma leaned in and kissed the mayor again. Regina decided right then that it was time to stop doubting. She knew that tomorrow was never promised, and in that moment with Emma, all she cared about was the present.
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Emma looked rather peaceful in the hospital bed. As the curse would assume, she looked like she was sleeping. Regina had given the curse to Emma's mother, hoping she'd never wake up from it. Now, she looked at the daughter of her sworn enemy, and pleaded with fate that her kiss would work. Could an evil queen with a heart as black as coal wake the savior? Was she good enough to use a kiss meant for pure love? Regina doubted herself. But, she had promised Henry she'd try, and if there was any chance she could save Emma, she'd do it. Henry was waiting in the lobby. Regina knew it would be better for him to not be near her when the curse broke. Everyone would be after her, and she didn't want her son getting thrown in the middle, possibly in a literal sense.
"Emma, I want to talk to you before I do this," Regina began to speak from the chair next to the bed. "I love you, and I know it will be hard for you to believe when the curse is broken, but it's true. I didn't think it was possible to love again, but then, you walked in your red leather jacket driving that yellow death trap, and everything changed. I didn't know who you were or who I was. I truly thought Henry was just having a hard time. He brought back my memories. He said the only way to save you is True Love's Kiss. If we were just Regina and Emma, I'd have no doubt this would work. But, I am the Evil Queen and your are the Savior. My kiss shouldn't wake you up, but Em, I hope more than anything that I am wrong. I know when you wake up and learn the truth about me, you will probably take Henry and leave me. I don't know how I'll survive it, but I won't stop you. Because I learned, long long ago, that if you hold someone too tightly, it won't make them love you back. This was real, you and I. We were real. Our love…it was real. I wish things were different. I wish that I was just the mayor of Storybrooke and not the person who separated you from your family. I ruined your life, but I hope now I can save it. I love you, Emma Swan. No matter what happens next, I will always love you."
She was shaking. Regina stood from the chair, wobbling on her unsteady legs. She leaned on the edge of Emma's bed. Gently, Regina stoked Emma's cheek, looking down at her love, wondering how everything had changed so fast. She whispered words of love one more time, and then she leaned down and touched her lips to Emma's.
Regina had seen the effect's of True Love's Kiss, but she'd never been a part of it before. She had thought everyone exaggerated how magical, and powerful it was. But when the white light shot from her Emma, Regina knew why everyone was so obsessed with finding their True Love. She took a moment to take in the love she shared with Emma. This was her soulmate. She could have been her happy ending, and maybe in some other life, she was.
Before Emma could open her eyes, Regina fled the room. She had to get out of there.
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Emma woke up with a throbbing headache, and a realization that the curse had broken. The curse had been real all along, Henry was right. So, how had she woken up? If she remembered correctly, she had been under a sleeping curse. And if the fairytales were right, only a kiss from her True Love could have woken her. She looked around, there was no one there, but the mixed scent of apples and vanilla filled her nose. Regina.
"Emma!" Emma looked up to see Henry barreling into the room. He threw himself onto the bed and hugged her tightly. She squeezed him back, happy to see he was alright. "The kiss did work! Where's mom?"
"I-I don't know, she's gone. When I woke up, she wasn't here." Emma explained. Henry frowned. "Henry, I'm sorry I didn't believe you."
"The curse is broken now! We can go find your family!" Henry exclaimed in excitement.
"Wait, kid, first, catch me up on what I missed, okay?" Emma said. She rose from the bed, changing quickly into her real clothes and not the hospital gown.
"You ate the apple and fell under the sleeping curse. I had asked Mr. Gold for help, and he told me that the Evil Queen lost her memories too. It was then that I realized my mom hadn't been lying to me. Still, the right thing to do was to break the curse. So, I asked her for help. She was so scared that you were going to die, and she was going to do anything possible to save you. I asked her to trust me, and she did. I handed her the book, and well, she got her memories back. Then, we raced her, and I guess she woke you up." Henry summarized. Emma felt a pit in her stomach. Where had Regina gone? Surely she wouldn't have just left Emma and Henry, right?
"We need to find her. And we need to do it quickly before anyone else does."Emma grabbed her belongings, and pulled Henry out of the room.
"What about your parents?" Henry asked.
"The only people I care about right now are you and your mom. That's my priority, and it's about all I can handle right now." She replied.
Emma and Henry raced to the mansion, but they didn't beat the crowds of angry citizens. Whale had Regina pinned against the pillar of her porch. Emma had never seen such fear in the mayor's eyes before. She wanted to knock Whale out.
Quickly, Emma hurried to get to Regina. She pushed past the crowd. Emma grabbed Whale by his shirt and yanked him away from her girlfriend. He looked at her in surprise, but before she could say anything, she heard her name.
Emma turned to see Mary Margaret staring at her. It was like it was the first time they were meeting, even though they'd been roommates for months. This was her mother, and yet, all she cared about was helping Regina. It seemed her parents remembered in that moment what they were there for. Suddenly, Mary Margaret was pulling Emma away from Regina and David was grabbing the queen.
"Stop!" Emma yelled, doing her best to get away from her mother, who was surprisingly strong.
"She can't hurt you anymore, Emma." Mary Margeret said, trying to soothe her daughter, but she was only making her angry.
"I swear if you don't unhand me Mary Margaret…"
This shocked the school teacher enough to loosen her grip. Emma pushed her away and moved to get close to Regina. David was holding her against the pillar now. Emma didn't care if this man was technically her father. No one was hurting Regina.
"Let her go," Emma had never heard such iciness in her own voice before. "Right now."
"Emma, this woman destroyed our family. She took countless innocent lives, cast a curse on all of us and-"
"And until today she had no memory of any of it!" Emma exclaimed. David and Mary Margeret looked at her in shock. "I was under a sleeping curse. I took a bite of an apple to prove Henry wrong, but he was right. I went under the curse, and Henry knew he had to get Regina to believe. She finally did, and then she got back her memory. Do you know what happened next? She woke me up with True Love's Kiss. So before you decide to execute her, think about what it would do to your daughter. Because I am in love with Regina."
"She's going straight to her cell." David stated.
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Life with her newly found parents was not off to a great start. They'd thrown Regina into a cell, and were forbidding Emma from seeing her. Now that they had their memories back, the town would only listen to Snow and Charming. Their beloved king and queen. The role of sheriff or mayor meant nothing to them. And, for their first act as the new rulers, the couple called a meeting in the town square.
"All hail queen Snow and king David!" The crowd cheered.
Emma rolled her eyes. This was ridiculous. Henry and Emma were seated behind the king and queen as they waved to the citizens of Storybrooke. Emma was only putting up with this until she could think of a plan. She needed to talk to Regina. But right now, that was impossible. Doc, or Sneezy, or maybe it was Grumpy, were guarding the station right now. No one could get in, and Regina definitely couldn't get out.
"Everyone, I know this is a scary and uncertain time for all of us, but fear not, we have the savior here. And together, we have defeated the Evil Queen!" Charming announced. The crowd erupted in cheers. "She is being held captive until we decide what to do with her."
"Kill her!" Someone shouted. That was enough. Emma shot up from her chair and pushed David out of the way. "An arrow straight through her heart, or we could burn her at the stake!"
"Burn her! Burn her!"
"Absolutely not. We are not killing Regina." Emma stated, glaring at her parents. How could they even allow this? "Come on, Regina didn't know about the curse. For the last 28 years, she's been living alongside all of you. Some of you would even consider her a friend. Just last week, she helped Mary Margeret with a school fundraister. When David came out of his coma, she helped him navigate through things. She even helped him plan a date with Mary Margaret. When Granny's freezer broke two days before Thanksgiving, who got a replacement for her? Or, when Ruby needed a few days off because she had strep throat, who helped out at the diner? The woman held captive isn't the Evil Queen. She's just Regina. And she has a family who loves her."
"She can't go unpunished." Snow stated.
"We could banish her!" Whale shouted. "Let her be the test subject to see what happens if we cross the town line."
Some of the other members seemed to voice their agreement. Emma looked at Snow with pleading eyes. She hoped her mother wouldn't let them do that to Regina. Why couldn't they talk about this civilly?
"She's my mom!" Henry exclaimed, tears running down his face. Emma's heart twinged. She'd forgotten he was there listening to this. She reached out for him and he melted against her. He sobbed at the thought of them hurting his mom.
"We could keep her locked up for the rest of her life." David suggested. Emma glared at him over Henry's head.
"We'll put it to a vote. In three days, we will decide what happens to the former queen. If anyone has any other suggestions, give them to me before the end of the day tomorrow. That is all for now." Snow said.
The crowd began to disperse. Emma couldn't believe this was happening. She knew they were all from the enchanted forest, but these people were barbaric. She hoped she could think of something before the three days were up. She wished she could just take Henry and Regina over the town line. But, the effects were unknown and it was too risky.
"Emma, wait, can we talk about it? I mean us?" Mary Margaret asked.
"After you let them suggest we kill Henry's mom?" Emma sneered.
"They're angry, and they have a right to be." David said.
"I thought we were the good guys." Emma replied.
"What do you suggest? That we just let her go?" Mary Margeret looked at Emma seriously.
"Yes, actually." Emma told her.
"That's not going to happen," David told her. "Where we come from, people pay for their crimes. Exile or death is the answer in the Enchanted Forest, but for you and Henry we'll consider other options."
"If she dies, I'll never speak to either of you again. If you exile her, Henry and I are going with her." Emma threatened. She looked at her mother. "Please, she's the love of my life. I know that the Evil Queen was a villain, but Regina has changed."
"You don't know what." David said. He shook his head at his daughter. "She just got her memories back. It's only a matter of time before she reverts back. Emma, I know you want to believe the woman you love is in there, but she's not. Trust me."
"We've been down this road before, Emma. Regina will only disappoint you." Mary Margaret told her sadly.
"I believe in her, and I won't stop fighting for her. If you want to have a relationship with your daughter or grandson, you will give Regina a chance. If you don't, I will choose her." Emma warned.
She took Henry's hand and the two walked away. Emma needed to drop him off at home. She didn't care what it took, she was going to see Regina.
A/N We will have a lot of SQ in the next chapter! Also, the town will decide Regina's fate. Will Emma be able to convince her parents to let Regina go?