It was a struggle even after all these years to move from place to place, but Emma managed. With her injury sustained from that stupid dragon, it made life difficult, hobbling from place to place like Gold. Even now, sitting still, it still stung.

The blonde rubbed at her leg as she turned around in her chair to face the person who walked into her bedroom. It was her mother of course. There were few who would enter her room nowadays without knocking. Emma instantly turned back around, rolling her office chair up to where her laptop sat on a small desk.

"We need to talk, Emma." Snow said.

"No, we need to be finding out what the dragon is planning for our town."

"Would it be any worse than what you and Robin did?"

"Probably not." Emma conceded with a shrug.

"She was right, you know." Snow sat down on her bed behind her. Emma glanced over her shoulder, noticing that she was clutching something to her chest. "About everything. We should've gotten you help when we realized that something was wrong."

"Because you would know if something was wrong?" Emma spun her chair back around. "Because you know me that well? Let's not pretend that you don't spend your life in a little happy bubble. For the rest of the world who don't have their happy endings, life isn't as perfect."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Snow asked.

"What could you have done to fix a broken heart?" Emma looked down at her hand, still green for the moment. She could feel it spreading the more she thought about Regina and the dragon and the little family they had created, that wretched child of theirs. Even when she thought Regina was dead, the green affliction remained, serving only as a reminder of what she couldn't have. A reminder that Regina had died as the wife to a stupid beast, and not her.

"There were plenty of ways we could've helped. Even the bare minimum would have been better than you wallowing in misery-"

"Forgive me if I don't divulge the matters of my love life to you. If you had raised me, you would know that I've always been a private person." Emma said, leaning back in her chair, wishing for this conversation to end. She could see her mother grinding her teeth.

"Trying to hurt me won't do anything for you." She stood up, throwing a magazine into Emma's lap. On the front of it was a breathtaking picture of Regina laying on a couch. She was wearing a little black dress with red heels and red lipstick. Her hair was thrown over the rest of the chair, framing her head beautifully. Emma quickly sat up at the sight of it. "For the record, Regina and the others didn't hide. If you hadn't been so busy destroying mementos of Regina and drinking, then you would know that her and the Queens of Darkness have been all over the map, all over the news. Regina's been on the cover of half a dozen magazines, as well as the others."

"You knew all of this and you didn't tell me?" Emma demanded, looking up at her mother. "You knew she was alive?"

"You didn't deserve to know." Snow walked to the door and opened it. Emma threw out her hand and the door slammed shut.

"You let me believe that Regina was dead. How could you?"

"Because whatever love you feel for Regina is not healthy. It isn't. You've had 10 years to try and move on, but you stagnated. Drank yourself silly every night. I'm shocked you still have kidneys. I don't…" She took a deep breath. "I don't know what to do to help you, Emma. That's all I want. For you to be happy and healthy. I just can't help you if you don't want it."

Emma released her hold on the door and turned back to the magazine as Snow left. Regina was alive all this time and her own mother didn't even tell her. She opened the magazine and flipped through it to find the article on Regina. The background picture they used was stunning too. It was one of Regina laughing. She was so perfect that it brought a smile to Emma's face, but the words around the picture quickly wiped it away. The article was talking about Regina's life, what it was like to have so much wealth and be married to the dragon and all the different charities and stuff they supported. Emma didn't really care about any of that because the first paragraph made her tune everything else out. My life truly began when a beautiful blonde walked into my life and set it ablaze. Everything before that is dark in comparison. Mal is my best friend, my true love, my soulmate, the love of my life...everything. At long last, she is everything I've ever wanted and she has gifted me with so much more: a home, happiness, love, freedom, children, a family. I consider it an honor to stand at her side and even more of a honor that she has asked me to do so... forever. A dark light started shining from Emma's palms. The magazine started to shrivel as it was slowly burned away into nothing but tattered pieces. She brushed them onto the floor and turned to her computer. There was more on Regina and the other Queens. Granted Storybrooke had always had a disconnect with the rest of the world it had been dropped in and Snow was a bit right about her drinking problem, but she should've known. The Queens of Darkness were fucking celebrities at this point and she hadn't seen it. She checked the timeline, just to see when Regina started showing up in the real world like this. It was only a few years ago and she couldn't find anything on her before that except a record of her adopting Henry. So she had been in hiding at first, probably using a fake name so she couldn't be tracked even if Emma found out she was alive. They had been with Lily though, who knew all the tricks of staying below the radar and making fake identities. Regina had been alive and well and Emma had just stopped looking for her. Maybe her mother was right…

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It was 5 minutes into her first shift as mayor and Regina was quickly remembering why she used to hate her job. Back in the day, she would actually go through every piece of paperwork and dutifully fill out each one to the best of her abilities, but right now she was completely over it. Pens and pencils and paperwork flew around the room while she was on her phone, each utensil doing the writing for her. She was finished for the day in a matter of minutes. A pair of warm arms wrapping around her waist brought her out of her thoughts and she smiled as Mal kissed her neck. "You're distracting me from completing our slightly non hostile takeover."

"I don't care about that." Mal scoffed, nipping her ear. "You are far more important." Her dragon released her and went to sit in her chair, beckoning Regina with a finger. Regina obeyed instantly, walking around the desk and hopped onto it. A pleased smirk appeared on Mal's face as she rolled forward and reached under Regina's dress. Regina lifted herself up to assist her lover in removing her lingerie. "I should make it a rule for no more underwear as long as we are in Storybrooke."

"Then I would never be able to close my legs." Regina muttered, already knowing if they adhered to that rule Mal wouldn't be able to keep her hands off of her. She couldn't really seem to do that now but she knew it would only get worse. "Let's make it a rule."

Mal chuckled softly as she pushed apart Regina's legs, licking her lips. Regina whispered a soft spell and the back of her dress unzipped itself and she shrugged it off her shoulders, leaning back on her hands. Mal looked up, her jaw falling open. "Such beauty." Regina smiled, feeling her cheeks burn a little at her wife's awestruck look that after years of being together had never changed. Just with one look, Mal could make her melt. She made Regina feel special. It was written in her every touch, every look, every kiss, every caress. "Stunning." Mal whispered, leaning up to kiss the tops of her breasts before capturing her lips in a heated kiss. There was a knock at the door and it was quickly opened. Regina almost screamed as Mal threw her into the chair and turned it around.

"For fuck's sake, Lily." Mal hissed softly a moment later. Regina pulled her dress back up and used magic to zip it back while she made everything else was properly covered before she turned around in the chair to greet Lily and Sarai.

"You guys are having sex again?" Their eldest asked.

"No, because we were interrupted." Mal replied.

"As many times as you've walked in on them, this should not be a surprise." Sarai snickered.

"Anyways," Lily ruffled her daughter's hair, much to her annoyance. "We're ready to start remodeling."

"Reschedule it. We're going to be busy tonight." Mal said, glancing at Regina.

"Making me more aunties and uncles?" Sarai asked.

"Okay, let's go." Lily picked her up and threw her over her shoulder. "By the way, Emma stopped by. She wants to talk to you." Regina instantly rolled her eyes. "She was acting weird too. All nice and soft spoken. Want me to kill her?"

"No." Regina sighed. "I'll talk to her tomorrow. How is Mel?"

"We're meeting Ruby at the park in a few minutes. See you guys later." Lily called, walking out. Mal barely waited for the door to close before grabbing Regina and kissing her again. Regina moaned, feeling her tongue invading her mouth. Mal tore open her dress with a deep growl and picked Regina up, placing her back on the desk. With a snap of her fingers, a bookshelf appeared in front of the door. Regina almost swore when she felt the mark on her inner thigh start to burn.

"Oh gods, I completely forgot about that." Mal smirked.

"No, enough! We're not having sex again until you let me mark you." Regina moved away from her wife and crossed her arms. Maleficent continued smirking as she turned her head, offering her neck to her wife and mate. Regina grinned as she skipped forward, quickly thinking of the perfect spell to mark her lover with. Her mark wasn't too big but it wasn't small either and it was simply her initials in draconic letters. She lightly touched Mal's neck, searing the mark with magic onto her flesh. She instructed Mal to remove her clothes and her dragon obeyed. Gods, she was like fire made flesh. Everything that was beautiful and deadly about fire itself poured into the form of this goddess. "You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

"Flatterer." Mal purred.

"On the desk." Regina commanded.

"Yes, ma'am." Mal swept everything off the desk and sat on it. Regina climbed into her lap and pushed on her chest, making her fall on her back. She reached down and burned another mark between Mal's legs. The dragon raised an eyebrow when she placed another at the top of her breast, simply because Regina was well aware of how sensitive they were. "Are you done?"

"No." Regina grinned devilishly and rubbed her hands together greedily. Mal tensed up beneath her and let out a low groan. Regina raised both hands and snapped her fingers. Mal arched her back so high she lifted Regina up a little bit.

"Fuck! Don't do that!" Mal gasped.

"Why not?" Regina smirked. "Too much pleasure?"

"Too many marks."

"You might be right." She agreed, snapping her fingers again anyway and causing her wife to writhe beneath her, whimpering and screaming more obscenities. She looked so delicious like this. The mighty Maleficent being pinned by a little old human, being brought pleasure beyond her wildest dreams. However, it wasn't enough. There was something Regina wanted and she was going to get it, one way or another. Mal grabbed her thighs, digging her nails into them with a sharp hiss.

"Regina, no."

"Yes, Mal. Just let go." Regina whispered, leaning down to pepper her neck with hot kisses. She made sure to kiss her new mark, drawing another groan from the dragon. She bared her teeth and bit into the mark. Almost instantly Mal arched up again, almost bucking her off the desk entirely. Flames burst out of the dragon's throat, blackening a good portion of the room, but Regina only grinned, her teeth still against Mal's throat. She could feel the heat her dragon breathed in the throws of her orgasm, the muscles straining under her lips It took several long moments for Mal to come back down and Regina climbed off of her to repair the room. When that was done, she teleported them to their bedroom and tucked her spent lover into bed with a kiss on her forehead.

"Fuck you." Mal said softly.

"You already did that." Regina scoffed. "I'm gonna go see what Emma wants. Rest and recover." Mal let out a soft growl. "I've got this. Relax." She used magic to get dressed in a royal blue dress before going downstairs. Lily was in the living room with the kids, giving a self defense lesson.

"If you can, changed into your beast form. Find something to bite on and sink your teeth in deep." She was using Mel to demonstrate. Her little sister gently bit her arm. "Close your wings. Hold them tight against your body. You bite someone, the first thing they're going to try and do is rip you off. They'll grab at anything, wings, tail- Your wings are your weakest point." Mel nodded and curled herself into a tight ball. "Drop like a stone. You're light to me, but to a human, you'll feel like a big rock. Use that weight against them, drag them down. Understand?" The children all nodded eagerly, stockpiling away the information for future use. Regina wrapped her arms around Lily's neck and kissed the top of her head.

"Interesting lesson?"

"Just some basic self defense. Make sure they're okay if we're not around. I don't trust anyone in this town really."

"I know, but I'm sure they'll be fine. Mel, take a ride with me?" Mel nodded and changed back into human form.

"Where are we going?"

"To meet Emma Swan."

"Can I go?" Sarai asked. "I want to threaten her too."

"Tomorrow, I'm going to see Robin while he's locked up. You all can come then." Sarai rubbed her paws together gleefully and Regina smirked. She took Melisandre's hand and lead her outside to the car.

"What's the plan?" Mel asked excitedly.

"You decide. You're the one who's going to introduce herself."

/

Granny's was almost empty. It was a far cry from the bustling hub it has once been. After her argument with Ruby, whatever it was about, Granny wasn't really the same. She did offer to hold the door while Emma limped inside on her crutch. "Thanks."

"No problem. Have you, uh, seen Ruby? Or the kids?"

"Yeah. She's fine. They were at the mayor's office." Emma let out a grunt as Henry made his way past her to pull out a chair for her. "Thanks, kid." She sat down and Granny took her crutch for her. "I don't really know which kid was hers, so I couldn't tell anything about them. She had a girl though."

"Thank you." Granny sighed. "She didn't even tell me when she had her."

"What'd you guys fight about?"

"Stuff I should've told her a long time ago." The old werewolf walked into the kitchen, already knowing what they were going to order.

"Do you think she'll really come?" Henry asked.

"I don't know." Emma shrugged. "Hope so."

"Roland must've lied to her. She hates me now."

"No, she doesn't. She's your mother and always will be. I'll find a way to fix this."

"She left us for 10 years." Henry hissed. "She doesn't want us anymore. She has that stupid-"

The door chimed and both of them swiftly turned their heads to find out who it was. It wasn't who they were looking for. It wasn't Regina. It was young girl, but Emma could tell instantly that it was her daughter. It had to be. She had Regina's thick black mane of hair, but there was a small blonde streak in it and her eyes were bright blue. Everything else just screamed the former queen. From her smile to the elegant purple dress and necklace of diamonds she wore.

"Emma Swan?" She asked, holding out her hand to shake.

"Yes." Emma said, shaking her small hand. "May I help you?"

"Yes, My name is Melisandre Maria Mills." She said, her smile dropping in a heartbeat. "I'm the girl you almost had killed. And the daughter of the mothers you almost killed. We should talk."

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