Live as Regina

by Mac NorthSea

On the way to Neverland,Emma is troubled by the moments in the mines she and Regina had at moment of Regina's self-sacrifice that changed everything,even Emma herself.With understanding her upbringing gave her,the Savior decides to save not only Henry but his mother as well. Doing so will take her and her family through harrowing challenges of love,duty,conflict,and magic.

16. Chapter 16

I would like to thank all of you who took time to review and comment the story, and of course all of you who are following it. Appreciate it greatly! The crazy timing of my obligations has not diminished, and my muse is still at war with me, but I hope this one chapter is adequate. I decided to change the rating, due to some language - just to be on the safe side. And, sorry for the length, didn't know where to break it into two parts...

Enjoy!

Chapter 16

With a smile, he looked at his family, lounging on the checkered woolen blanket in the meadow. The past three hours had been spent in talking, touching all the subjects he had wanted to ask them about, and they in turn would tell him about their experiences and adventures, sharing their thoughts and opinions at some points. An ease had fallen on him, as he had watched his mothers interact with each other and with him, together and apart. The unfamiliar feeling of peace enveloped him, as he had finally been hit with the understanding and acceptance of the situation. Of course, he had known that the war between his mothers had been over, but he hadn't felt it until the moment he had seen them share a chaste kiss in front of him. And, of course he had to complain about it in a typical childish fashion ("Uhh, that is gross!"). For a moment he had been afraid that his outburst had somehow insulted or hurt his mother, who he had yet considered to have a bit low self-esteem in regards to him. But, her smirking and the teasing glint in her eyes had told him a different story. And, he had been proven wrong. Instead of moving away from Emma, Regina had initiated another kiss, this one more passionate, to provoke him just a bit more.

"Children present!" he screeched, jokingly reaching for Kyle and placing his hand over his face, careful not to obstruct his nose. The adults sniggered at his reaction, and still holding each other, looked at him and Emma opened her arms to invite him in the hug. So, with care not to jostle Kyle in Regina's gentle hold, he clambered in between them and sat.

They had commandeered a blanket from the village hall and with Aurora's directions, they had found a small restricted part of the grassy meadow, sheltered from winds with the forest around it. It was away from all the well-traveled paths and it was considered a private property of the Royals of the village. Graciously, Aurora had offered it to them, it order to have uninterrupted family time. So, they had picked an uncovered part of the meadow, where a large log had been placed, and they had put the blanket beside it, using the wood as back rest. After they had settled on the woolen covering, they had enjoyed the random shafts of light from the Sun that had fought the grey clouds to bring warmth and light to earth.

"We'll try not to traumatize you too much, kid," Emma spoke, ruffling his hair. When he glanced toward her, she grinned unrepentantly at him, And at his pout, she laughed with such ease, immediately joined by Regina's more controlled chuckle.

That had been another thing that had warmed his heart. Never before had he seen his adoptive mother laugh and smile this much. Of course, she still had been Regina, and it had been somewhat controlled, but the smiles had been real and warm. And, even though she had been holding and playing with the baby, she had often offered a smile just for him, or gone through his hair affectionately. The mother he had grown up with had been returned to him.

They had been talking for a while, Henry leaning against Regina's shoulder, his back against Emma's side. He spoke softly with Regina, letting Kyle sleep undisturbed on his mother's lap. But, with interest he had noticed that Emma had not joined their talk for more than ten minutes. Carefully glancing over his shoulder, he frowned when he saw his birth mother. With her arms crossed on her chest, and her head leaned against the trunk of the log, Emma had her eyes closed.

"Let her sleep," Regina spoke softly to him. Turning toward his adopted mother, he could see the worry in her eyes.

"Is she OK?" he asked, as a frown appeared on his forehead. She had seemed fine, but he knew that sometimes Emma had hidden things from others, especially if it had been about her health. And, his mother's worried glance only served to increase his concern.

"She has exhausted herself, both physically and magically," Regina said to him, her eyes still glued to the sleeping form of the Savior. Then she turned to him. "And, she has nightmares." Regina had lied to Henry too many times before, and she did not want to discount him that, or any other, way again. He deserved to know, maybe not everything – but the basics.

"From the curse?" Henry spoke, already knowing the answer.

"And, from before…" With soft whisper, Regina smiled sadly at her son. "Your mother is not used to all these things in our lives as the rest of us. Magic, monsters, portals… And, she has not had time to rest and get her balance back." Seeing his confused look, Regina placed her soothing palm against his cheek. Caressing his cheekbone, she kissed his forehead and pulled him back onto her shoulder, going gently through his hair. She had used to do that whenever he had been ill or scared. "Let's take magic for example. I had years to learn and practice it, and even then, it would sometimes overwhelm me. But, she had only weeks to learn how to control it, and even then she had to get used to the amount of energy she needed to use. Where I could go with easier steps and slowly work up to the harder tasks, she has been thrown into the deep end." Her soft voice, accompanied with gentle rumble in her chest, as Henry could hear her from both sides, managed to ease his worry somewhat.

"But, she did it," he said with typical childish arrogance, characteristic of Henry's previous statements.

"Yes, she did, magnificently," Regina spoke and he could hear the pride in her voice. He glanced up and saw the tender smile on her lips. "However, instead of having time to get used to it, she was pushed into another adventure. And, yet another."

"She is the Savior." This time his words were not arrogant, but hopeful that Emma being the hero would be the protection enough for her.

"That she is. But even the Savior needs rest from time to time."

"That is where the former Evil Queen comes in," the boy added with smile, rising from his mother's shoulder. "She will be alright, because you are here," he said with confidence.

"I really hope so," Regina whispered back, glancing toward the blonde hero.

"I believe in you, mom," Henry said, raising his hand to her cheek, wiping away the errant tear gliding down. "In both of you." She smiled at him tremulously, and hugged him closely, chuckling when Kyle started babbling in complaint of sudden move.

Now, he was sitting at the edge of the blanket, playing with crawling Kyle, while Regina watched them with gentle smile lighting up her features. Emma was still sleeping.

Suddenly, Emma flinched in her sleep as her breathing grew more labored, drawing attention of both Henry and Regina to herself. Regina moved quickly, kneeling beside the Savior. "Henry, take Kyle and go into the village. We'll be shortly." The urgency in her tone made him move fast, and with a good reason as he could see a bit later, when he picked Kyle up. Emma's hands were glowing with magic. With rush, he moved away with the child in his hands. When he reached the path to the village he turned to see if his adoptive mother had managed to wake Emma. As the blonde woman was sitting, shaking her head, he had his answer. With a sigh of relief, he walked on to the village with Kyle in his careful hold, deciding to let his mothers have a bit of time for themselves.

"Emma," Regina spoke, placing her palms over Emma's. Henry still wasn't at the safe distance to let the magic unchecked. As soon as she saw that the boys were far enough, she released the hands and started shaking the woman in the grips of the nightmare. "Emma, come on."

The blonde moved up so suddenly that she almost collided with Regina. Luckily, the brunette had anticipated the action and easily moved out of the way. Emma sat up, breathing heavily and shaking, while her skin was clammy and pale. Trying to dislodge the images that were engraved in her memory, she shook her head but immediately stopped, as it was making her sick.

Arms came around her shoulders and she surrendered to the healing warmth of the loving embrace. Breathing in the scent of the woman beside her, she felt her galloping heart ease its rhythm. Still shivering, with heavy sigh Emma leaned her head onto Regina's neck.

"Can you tell me?" Regina asked softly, using small pulses of magic out of her hands to keep the Savior warm. Emma's skin had been ice cold, and now it was only a bit warmer.

"Darkness. Emptiness." Emma spoke, her voice was breaking with the shudders still running through her body. She knew she didn't have to explain it further to her beloved, as Regina had seen and felt it in their shared memories. "I hate this," she murmured into Regina's neck, swallowing the bile that had risen.

"I know." Regina kissed the clammy forehead before her. She knew Emma, she knew that all the words of comfort and encouragement would fall on deaf ears, so she stayed quiet, keeping Emma in her arms. Only after several minutes did the shaking stop and Emma's skin reach its normal temperature.

"Where…?" Emma started, but her voice was still weak.

Regina gently moved Emma's head away from her shoulder, for a moment reminded of a previous instant with her son. She looked into the clouded green eyes. "I have sent them on to the village. It is lunch time." Still looking into Emma's eyes, she noticed a flicker of understanding followed with shame. It was amazing how not a muscle on Emma's face had moved and only because she had known the woman and had watched her eyes closely, Regina could recognize the self-reproach.

"No," she spoke sharply, startling the Savior. "It is not your fault." As Emma could only move her eyes, because her face was firmly held in Regina's hands, she lowered her eyes down, avoiding to look at the other woman, her hazy mind already swirling in shame and guilt, Regina did something her instinct was telling her to do. She lounged at the Savior, kissing her deeply, her passion at first freezing the blonde, but then, almost reluctantly, Emma responded. Soon, all the thoughts fled the Savior's mind and her only goal was to continue what she was doing, as she was pulled into a different kind of haze.

When the incessant burning in her lungs became almost unbearable, Regina moved only slightly away, keeping her mouth close to Emma's lips, feeling the blonde's sharp exhales on her skin. The green eyes were glazed with lust, and the Savior's skin was flushed, losing the unhealthy pallor.

"Look at me," Regina whispered, still not completely recovered from the force of the kiss. Her words were heeded immediately, and she gasped when she was faced with the intensity of Emma's gaze. The hunger in it was making her skin tingle and her body grow uncomfortably warm. If there wasn't a more important thing to deal with, and if people did not wait upon them, Regina would have transported them to the nearest room with a locking door and bed. Oh, how she yearned to do just that. But, unfortunately, people were expecting them, and there was Emma's guilt to deal with.

"Emma, it's not your fault." Suddenly, Emma's eyes cleared. She tried to move away, reaching for the brunette's hands, but Regina held on. "No, Emma, listen to me. There is nothing to be ashamed of." Keeping the tortured woman's face in her grip, Regina repeated the words with variations several times until she saw the surrender in those green eyes. Pleased with her result, she kissed Emma one more time, just as passionately as before, but this time she pulled away sooner, not willing to tempt herself or Emma any further.

"Wow," Emma mumbled, dazed. "What was that for?"

"Positive reinforcement, my Knight," Regina answered with teasing tone in her voice, rising up gracefully. She helped Emma up and gathered the blanket.

"You think you can train me?" Emma replied, her hands on her hips, mock-glaring at the former queen.

"Of course I can," Regina said smirking, folding the blanked up. Then she walked to the frowning woman. "I already have," she added seductively, as she leaned against the mildly confused Savior. Having the blanket in one hand, she hugged the blonde with her free arm, pulling her into another kiss. "I did train you in magic and sword fighting," she spoke against Emma's lips, kissing them after every word with a gentle teasing peck. She smiled when Emma placed her hands on her back, keeping her close, as she leaned her forehead against hers. Looking into the revealing green eyes, Regina noticed that something was still troubling Emma, but deciding not to push, she let it go. Growing serious, she gripped Emma's back. "Are you ready? All of them are going to be there."

Emma moved only an inch away, keeping their eyes connected and nodded. "I can handle it," she said softly. As Regina was about to comment, Emma continued. "I know I don't seem like it, but if I don't show up, I will bet anything that we will have my mother hounding us the whole afternoon." She sighed with resignation, as she looked away for a moment, a flicker of something dark rushing through her eyes. "And, maybe the crowd will…"

Help. Yes, Regina could understand the logic behind Emma's statement. And, having her arm around her, she could feel the tenseness in Emma's body. Even as they had kissed, the magic did not react just as strong as it usually did. Emma was still tired, the short rest not enough to make up for the days of interrupted sleep and magical expenditure. So, Regina nodded in acquiescence. And, Emma was right, she was not in the mood to let Emma deal with Snow in her mothering mode, or god forbid endure it too.

Having received the nod from Regina, Emma closed her eyes and leaned in the older woman, waiting for the tingling feel of teleportation. As she felt magic rise in Regina, she also felt soft lips on her own helping her keep her focus. Only a second later she found herself in the center room of the village hall with every one of her party looking at her and Regina with surprise.

It was quite the family affair. Again, the tables were brought in, but this time the children were supposed to sit with the adults. So in order to create a cozier environment the tables were pushed together, making a large rectangle, capable of seating eighteen people. And, already, everyone apart from Regina and Emma was seated.

Emma saw the Charmings, along with Ruby, one of rescued children, Bobbie – Regina's memory supplied and, to Emma's surprise Captain Hook, on one side of the set tables. On the opposite side were Belle, Rumplestiltskin, Neal, and the remaining three of the children. On the head of the table were Aurora, Phillip, and Mulan. Emma had to chuckle at the careful placement of the people, because all the possible enemies were separated with either children or a friend. What was most funny, Mulan had brought her enchanted blade to the lunch, and every time she would look at Killian, who was sitting right beside her, she would finger the hilt with malicious look on her face.

And, on the last side was Henry, holding Kyle in his arms. He had sat in the middle, leaving them with the edge seats.

"There you are," Snow spoke with welcoming smile. Waving them over, she reached for Emma's hand and squeezed it in support, not saying a word, but Emma knew that Henry must have told his grandparents about the event in the forest. Taking her place beside Snow, she looked at Henry with a raised eyebrow, her eyes sharp. Henry shrugged sheepishly, but she saw his worry ease. Putting her hand on his shoulder, she only winked at him, the gesture being enough to make him smile. Above his head, Emma saw gentle eyes following her every move, the concern barely hidden under the tender gaze. Slightly leaning her head to a side, she smiled at the woman. With that, she turned to the copious amounts of food in front of her and blinked. The last time she had been in the Enchanted Forest, food had been scares. But now, it seemed not to be the case. There was a huge roasted animal, at the center of the table, surrounded with various vegetable dishes and bowls of broth.

"Let me guess, turkducken?" Emma spoke with amusement to Snow, her stomach rolling with disgust at the memory of the vile beast turned bitter barely edible food. At first, her mother frowned in confusion, but then she remembered their meal the first time in the village.

"Well, something similar," Snow answered, avoiding Emma's eyes as she ate the soup. Emma didn't notice Regina's sudden dropping of the spoon, or the snapping of her head, but she did feel the ripples in the air coming from brunette's magic bristling.

"You OK?" Emma asked, turning to the woman, surprised by the sudden outburst.

"Mhm," Regina spoke nonchalantly, as if nothing was wrong, gathering control back quickly. But, as Emma narrowed her eyes, the former queen lowered her voice and leaned to Emma, ignoring Henry's attentive look. "But, I would suggest you indulge only in the broth, vegetables and bread today."

Reminded of her queasy stomach, Emma only nodded and reached for a bowl with the vegetable broth. Helping herself with several servings of it, along with several small loafs of bread and boiled carrots, the blonde ate slowly, enjoying the easygoing atmosphere. She did not feel the need to join in, but she listened to the stories around the table with a half ear, while she thought about Henry's outburst. Unbidden, the plan formed in her head, and the moment she imagined it, she felt the sick feeling in her belly return, but, nevertheless she kept eating, aware of the pair of intent brown eyes still watching over her.

She would have to sneak out of the ship and go to the place where her father had killed the dragon for King Midas. And, she would have to do it alone. The idea of the dark, narrow tunnels was enough for cold sweat to break out on her skin. Luckily, it was hot in the room… But, what would be the hardest part was waiting for someone to return for her. Two months, alone, in the place she didn't know. Hell, whenever she ended up here, she was attacked within the day… And, she was supposed to stay alive and sane for two months.

"Emma?" a voice interrupted her inner monologue. She blinked and turned to her son, recognizing his voice. "You kinda spaced out."

"Sorry, kid. Just thinking."

"Aha." He looked into her face and nodded, not entirely convinced. "Pass the potato, please."

Emma reached out and brought the plate with boiled potatoes on it to Henry, while she focused on picking up the snippets of conversations around her.

"Well, the bastard is tasty," she heard Neal say, chewing the piece of meat in his mouth, as he looked at David and Ruby.

Manners,Neal, close your mouth while you chew. Wait, I did not just think that! Damn it, Regina was right.

"What did you do with the head?" Rumplestiltskin asked Phillip, interested for some reason. "It is, after all such a rare specimen."

Must be something magical, because he was interested…

"The winged monster is just another one that Emma has killed. We should honor her as the hunter of the day, for she did bring the food to the table." Mulan's soft tone reached Emma, as she was talking with Hook.

What?

"You know, Regina, I also had some troubling dreams lately," Snow spoke leaning over her plate, as Regina was looking at her. When the pixie haired woman saw that she had the former Queen's attention, she continued. "Last night I dreamt that Emma was staying behind on a pier, abandoned while the ship was sailing away." Snow took a bite of her meal and, after she swallowed it, she glanced at Emma that was almost absently bringing the plate with boiled potatoes to Henry, not even looking at Snow. "And, what was most weird, she did not even try to get on it. She just turned away and left."

WHAT?

Emma dropped the plate with the potatoes on the table while Henry was still in the process of picking one. The sudden noise ringing out stopped all the conversations making everyone look into her direction. "I apologize," Emma said suddenly, and pushed away from the table, her chair falling over on the stone floor, the thud of the wood heard loudly in the hall. In that moment, Kyle decided to voice his disapproval, piercingly. With another quickly mumbled apology to Regina, she rushed out of the village hall, needing air.

She was panting, her breaths short as she was engulfed in a strange feeling of annoying unnerving tenseness and apprehension. Her steps brisk, she walked out to the center of the village and stood. She was near the upper entrance to the prison cave where she had met Cora for the first time.

Could it be that Snow dreamt of her leaving? And, to share it only moments after she had thought about it… How was it possible? Emma looked down at her hands and saw them shaking with nervous energy, slightly glowing with magic. She took in a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down, as she looked around.

"Emma?"

Even though the voice was soft and familiar, it still startled her. Emma closed her eyes, before she turned to Regina. Before the woman could ask her anything, Emma decided to ask a question of her own. "They are eating the manticore?"

"That is what upset you?" Surprise was obvious in Regina's tone. But, then the woman nodded in reluctant acquiescence and came closer to Emma. "Only the tail is poisonous, and I already took it. The rest was quite edible, especially for those who lived on chimeras' meat for months." Regina took Emma's hands and stilled them gently, as she inched closer, careful not to crowd obviously distraught Savior.

"Then, why did you stop me?"

"You would be able to feel the magic in it…" The former Queen looked into Emma's eyes and frowned at the agitation and uneasiness she could feel in Emma's body. The secret she had sensed before was obviously bigger than she had assumed, but still she did not want to press. However, she had concluded that it was Snow's dream that startled Emma, not the realization that the others were eating her kill. She had known that Emma herself wanted to punish the beast even more for hurting Regina, and being eaten was one of the ways to do it. Additionally, Emma knew the value of not discarding anything that could be used. And, so far Emma had not lied to her, so she would respect the blonde's desire to keep her out of it, for now.

"I am all over the place…" Emma whispered, looking down, at her now calm hands. "I never thought I would be the one to suffer from any stress disorder. Not after all the things that I had lived through…" With ease, she pulled out her hands and turned away from Regina, walking toward the outer table and benches. She dropped herself to one of the benches, incidentally the same one she had sat on the first time in the village. Looking up at the concerned brunette, she shrugged helplessly. "I am sorry," Emma whispered, looking down at the muddy patch of the earth her legs were on, as she leaned onto her knees with her elbows.

She heard the soft crunching of the boots on the uneven ground and the rustling of Regina's clothes as the brunette sat beside her. "You know, I liked you a lot better when you were cursing me," the former Queen spoke gently, bumping Emma with her shoulder.

"I thought that was your specialty, Your Majesty?" Emma replied with a smile. She knew what the woman beside was trying to do. And, she was right, all the apologizing was leaving bitter taste in Emma's mouth.

"It would seem so, Sheriff Swan. As it would seem that yours is to save everyone and to constantly aggravate me." Regina placed her hand onto Emma's forearm. "But, for some reason, you neglected your job. You have not managed to annoy me in past few days…"

"It does seem weird, doesn't it? Us, not arguing about everything." Emma looked at the woman beside her and placed her palm over Regina's. "I guess this is an unknown territory for both of us, and we are being careful with each other." She leaned her shoulder against Regina's and looked in front of herself. "It is strange. Usually, by this time, I feel an intense need to disappear, and protect myself from being hurt."

"By this time, I usually already control completely people around me, their hearts in a box somewhere." It was the self-deprecating tone that made Emma look back at the woman beside her. The sad smile that welcomed her made her insides tighten painfully, and Emma placed her arm around Regina's shoulder, pulling her close, enjoying the additional warmth, as she kissed the temple closest to her.

"Emma?" the soft tone of Regina's voice broke the comfortable silence after several minutes of enjoying the quiet. The blonde only hummed in reply, so Regina continued. "I want to ask you about the curse." The careful tone only helped Emma understand that Regina would not push, by only informing her of her wish, leaving it to her to grant it or not. Any other person would ask about it, but not Regina. She would state clearly, or order around, keeping the modicum of control in her hands. However, the gentle way of saying it told Emma that Emma was the only one left with the choice and that choice would be respected.

"OK?" Emma said softly, not trusting her voice to be strong enough to speak in the normal tone.

"What is it about it that frightens you the most?" In surprise Emma moved inches away in order to see Regina's eyes. She had thought that everything was clear from their shared memories. "You forget, I can only feel what you felt and see what you see, but I cannot sense your thinking behind it," the gentle reminder cleared the confusion for her. "I only felt your increasing fear. I would like to understand why."

Emma nodded, swallowing hardly and clenched her jaw. She had hoped that with the connection, she wouldn't have to talk about feelings and stuff, as she was unused to sharing such things. But, it was Regina, her True Love. If she didn't do it for her, for whom else would she do it…?

As the brunette returned to her previous position of leaning her head on Emma's shoulder, Emma closed her eyes in preparation. In a way, it was easier to share this now, because her emotional walls were already cracked with all the stress and nightmares. "I think it is the combination of many things," Emma started softly. "The absence of everything, meaning I was alone with nothing around. Not being able to move, the helplessness I feel every time I see that dark fog creeping over to me. The sense of loss… But, most I think I am afraid of dying just when I have found my family, making it thousand fold worse." The Savior spoke softly, pushing out the words with some difficulty, looking in front of herself.

"Thank you," Regina spoke when it was clear that Emma would not say anything else. She had assumed it was related to the helplessness and immobility, as the Savior was the picture of the Hero. But, the additional things did not come as a surprise to her. "How do you feel?"

Emma just shook her head, unable to say. She felt a hand pass through her hair, pushing it off her face and tucking it behind her ear. The gesture was oddly soothing. Emma closed her eyes, relaxing in Regina's embrace, humming softly when the warm lips kissed her cheek. "We're missing lunch," she said quietly.

"And?" Regina's reply came, the warm air passing next to Emma's ear. "Are you hungry?" The seductively whispered words made Emma uncomfortably warm and her neck hairs stand on their ends. When the searing lips touched her neck, the last thing on her mind was food.

Oh, God, yes! Emma's mind supplied the answer, as she turned in Regina's hug and kissed the inviting lips before her. She felt the magic rise in her, increasing the warmth she felt in her body. She needed the woman before her, needed her in so many ways, overwhelmed by the sudden desire flashing to life. Her hands went to Regina's back, pressing her soft and lithe figure hard against her own body. But, just as she was to activate her magic to transport them into their room, a sharp pain flooded through her, spreading along her body, freezing her up as she gasped in agony, her eyes turning bluish white. "Fuck!" she managed to squeeze out through her locked jaw.

Just as it came, the pain left, leaving behind a thrumming soreness in her muscles. Emma found herself on the ground, her head on Regina's lap, while the concerned chocolate eyes studied her carefully, lighting up in relief when Emma focused on the brunette's face. Then, the blonde felt magic pulsing into her, and glancing down her body, she saw Regina's hand under her shirt, over her heart. Regina was feeding her magic, and with every pulse the soreness receded. But, even after she finished with the magical infusion, Regina left her hand there, her palm on Emma's chest.

"No magic for you, not until you stabilize," the former Queen spoke sharply but Emma knew it was due to fear and worry Regina was feeling, not anger. Nodding slowly, she looked up to the brunette's face. It was immensely softer, as Regina used her other hand to caress her forehead. "And, that means us, too." Emma understood that Regina was trying to protect her from herself and her own exhaustion, but she could not help but feel disappointment and frustration. After her displeased sigh, Emma closed her eyes when soft lips kissed on the forehead, lightly enough not to provoke the response from Emma's magic. "Me, too…" Regina whispered, telling Emma that her True Love shared her frustration.

"Then, you need to move your hand," Emma murmured, as she felt the caress on her chest. Seeing the confused look, she placed her own palm over Regina's stilling the tender fingers. "It's hard enough as it is," the blonde whispered gently.

Pulling out her hand, Regina smirked at the lying Savior, and placed it on Emma's face. "I love you."

"Yeah, what's not to love," Emma said flippantly, before she pulled herself up, still holding Regina's hand on her face. Then she turned to the brunette and smiled. "I love you." Then, she jumped to her feet, groaning when the muscles complained, and helped the former Queen up. Taking her hand, Emma pulled Regina to the village hall, seeing others come outside. As Snow and David only waved to them when they saw the two women, leading Henry and Kyle away, Emma changed her direction, taking them to a different couple.

All in all it had been a strange day. And it had not been over yet. The morning meeting with the Savior and Regina had passed rather quickly for his taste for it had left him with little time to think of all the things he wanted to say to his daughter. And, lunch had been quite an uncommon affair, with Regina following the bolting Savior out. But, in the end it had not mattered, for it had been Miss Swan herself who had led the reluctant woman toward him in order to get them to talk. With a flimsy excuse, she had taken Belle away, leaving them alone, as alone they could have been in the middle of the village. Aware that there had been people watching, Regina gestured to him to commence walking and that this conversation would be conducted in such matter, not that he had minded.

She had kept her hands beside her hips, and she had looked straight ahead, and the only thing that had showed that she indeed had been there with him had been her conscious slow gate, allowing him to follow her without much trouble with his cane.

"Are there any remaining troubles from the poison?" he asked, not knowing how differently to break the silent stalemate.

Regina glanced down toward her covered arm and shook her head in answer. "No, there aren't." She glanced toward the old man. "I suppose I should thank you." There was no need to say that it was for saving her life. They both knew what she was talking about.

"There is no need." Stopping for a moment, he leaned onto the cane and looked into the woman's face. "I am sure Miss Swan would have splattered the walls of the halls with my entrails had I refused or botched the potion." As he was speaking, a respectful quirk appeared on his lips. "Quite a spitfire, that one," he added softly for his benefit, but he was pleased to see Regina smile at his wit. "However, I am serious. I have no doubt that our esteemed Savior would destroy me in a second had I said anything resembling the word 'NO'. She was so focused on helping you that she did not react when Henry rushed into the Hall, intent on making me help you." He continued on walking, with desire to step out of the village where everyone was watching the woman with him with sometimes unhidden hate and fear.

"Did you want to help me?"

It was unexpected question, not one he thought Regina would ask, but rather it had all the markings of the Savior. It was only one of the signs of their connection, Regina and Emma's, making him shake his head. But, before Regina could construe that as his answer he pressed on. "I did." His glance showed him the question in her dark eyes. Why? Focusing on the eyes so similar to his own and Cora's, he noticed the one quality both Rumplestiltskin and the Queen of Hearts had not had. The chocolate browns were warm and kind, even now as they were piercing him with inquisitive gaze, they lacked the coldness and hatred. "You have suffered enough, and most of it by my own hand." He looked away and nodded to the guard who had opened the gate for them. "It would have been too cruel to let you die only days after finding your True Love." Not wanting to hear her impending scoff, he hurried ahead, leaving her stunned by the village gate.

"Your Majesty?" the guard asked the frozen woman, wary of approaching the famous Evil Queen. However, the woman in front of him did not look evil at all. As she did not respond to him, he came closer and repeated his words, hoping that she would not curse him. The second time yielded more results as she turned toward him and blinked in surprise.

As Regina glanced around the gate, she looked toward the guard with understanding. She was standing right in the middle of the passage, blocking the gate. "Ah, thank you…" she spoke softly, her look inquiring for his name.

"Gareth, Your Majesty."

"Thank you, Gareth. I'll be on my way." She inclined her head in greeting and went on forward with grace and purpose in her steps. The guard watched after her, smiling. She certainly did not seem evil, but the queen part was obvious in her every move. And, the clothes she was wearing only made her body more attractive. With a quick glance around, he looked if anyone had seen him lose focus, and rushed to close the gate.

Regina quickened her step, reaching Rumplestiltskin just as he came upon a beach. After several moments of walking side by side, Regina looked into the old man's face. "If I have not found Emma, you would have let me die?" Even though her tone was quiet, Rumplestiltskin could hear the edge of irritation in the voice.

"No. No matter what, I would have tried to save you." The old man walked onto the sandy beach and leaned against the driftwood log tall enough to let him sit on it without much bending of his knees. "You have to understand, I have no desire to see you suffer. Not anymore."

"Why the sudden change of heart?" The disbelief was so evident in her tone that he had to chuckle. If he hadn't lived through it he wouldn't have believed it either.

"Despite what you might think, it is not so sudden. You are the mother of my grandson, and my daughter. I had been angry with you for the whole Asylum and Lacy debacles but you have settled those scores many times over. You did heal my son, and save the town from the trigger." Rumplestiltskin looked into his daughter's face with something similar to chagrin. "And, you did have a certain flair for one-upmanship." After seeing her eyes flash with shame, he placed his hand on top of one of hers. "I have forgiven you everything you have done to me and Belle. And, I doubt it would ever come close to what I have done to you." Releasing her hand before it became uncomfortable for both of them, he looked in front of him at the waves pounding upon the shore. "In the later years, I grew to respect your cunning mind. But, also I had been afraid what would become of us if you ever managed to unlock the power that was in you all this time."

"You have known?"

"Of course I have. That is the only reason I tried to stop Miss Swan from getting too close to you on the ship. She would have been able to see it and help you reach it, letting you become very powerful and if guided with your vengeance and anger, very deadly person."

Regina nodded, finally understanding his side of the encounter on the ship, when Emma had managed to block his powers completely. She continued to listen to him tell her his side of the story and his constant fear that she would discover her true power. He even talked about the conversation he had had with Snow. Then they talked about the potion and Emma's magical abilities. Rumplestiltskin was patient as he explained all the aspects of True Love that he had known. Then she asked him a very pointed question. "If all members of the True Love couples are equals, how come Belle is not a magical entity?"

"Am I?" Rumplestiltskin offered instead of the answer. When Regina looked at him, she realized that Belle was meant for him after the Dark One had been destroyed. Then he told her how Belle was always bringing his human side in him, and only now he was able to appreciate it.

But, it had not been the end to the strange conversations of the day. Later, when he had returned to the village with Regina by his side, Belle and Snow, followed with all the children, had pulled his flabbergasted daughter away, leaving him with the Savior who had walked to him with intent in her stride. With a firm grip upon his arm, she'd pulled him away from the prying eyes, going into a small cottage at the edge of the village. Guiding the man to a seat, she'd started pacing the small space, Rumplestiltskin watching her every move. The nervous energy the blonde had been giving off was palpable in the small space, and the woman herself had looked somewhat haggard, and dangerously close to the edge.

"We need to talk," Emma spoke with purpose, showing him to take a seat. As soon as he took his seat, Emma pierced him with her green eyes. "What do you know about portals?"

He looked into her sharp eyes and leaned back, gathering his thoughts. "They are often tied to objects of immense power, used to transcend the boundaries of the Realms." But, as she frowned at his answer, he continued on. "Usually, they are created with powerful magic, and in such cases the expenditure for making such objects is beyond reason to make them. However, they can sometimes be found in the nature, and no one is sure why they are created."

"When you wanted to cross Realms you made a curse. Why not a portal?" Emma asked further, wringing her hands, still pacing around, obviously thinking about something, while she talked to him.

"The only portals that I know capable of crossing into the Realm without magic were the Hat and the beans. However, Jefferson ensured me that without location of the desired Realm the Hat would be worthless. And, he has been proved right in time. And, as much as I searched, I could not find even one bean." Rumplestiltskin watched Emma while she was considering his words, and he slowly started to understand where she was going with this interrogation. "Later, I was told that I would create a curse to cross, therefore I spent all my efforts on making such curse. It took me centuries to finish it, and all I needed was the final ingredient."

"Regina," Emma said, knowingly, not challenging him for his callousness. He had paid the price with his power and bigger part of his identity. There was no need to punish him further, not by her hands anyway.

"No, Miss Swan." Rumplestiltskin's interruption made Emma lean her head to a side a bit in askance. She had been so sure that it was Regina. Understanding her confusion, the old man intertwined his fingers, leaning them against the hand hold of his cane. "Indeed, the Evil Queen was the most important element for the curse, as its caster; however it was not her that I needed at that moment, for finishing the curse." At Emma's raised eyebrow, the green eyes narrowed, he gulped softly. "Your parents." Rumplestiltskin sighed heavily and waved with his hand in front of him while continuing on. "Or, more to the point, their True Love."

Deciding to ignore that line of questioning for the moment, or ever, Emma nodded and brought back their previous subject to the front. "But, Storybrooke now has magic. Wouldn't it make easier for creation of a portal?"

"Yes, but you still need too many magical ingredients, powerful spells and something to guide you to Maine. And, such endeavor is most definitely perilous." Then, the old man looked around the cottage and frowned. "You do know that my daughter would be on a war path if something happens to you?"

"We are just talking." Emma walked around the table and took a seat, placing her elbows on the rough wooden surface, her face suddenly portraying the uneasiness she had felt since the beginning of this conversation.

"About making portals!" He was surprised by the strength of his anger. But, when she smirked from across table he huffed in defiance. "You are a fool, Miss Swan," he spoke, after calming himself down.

"So I am often told." Emma smirked and leaned on her elbows. In that moment, a sentimental grin passed her face, making him blink in surprise. The crass and instinctively powerful woman was in love with his daughter. Yes, they were each other's True Love, but the Savior was in love with the former Evil Queen, and she probably had been all this time. And, he had not seen it…

"Does Regina approve of this?" Rumplestiltskin asked suspiciously, and when Emma avoided his look, fiddling with a cuff of her shirt, he narrowed his eyes. "Does she even know of this?"

The Savior lifted her head and directed such a cold look at his direction that it froze him in place. The anger, the edginess, and the pain she had been wrestling with the whole afternoon were funneled into the vicious gaze that made it clear that she was not to be questioned. Keeping him locked in her gaze, she narrowed her eyes, and he felt the tiny droplets of his sweat appear on his forehead and his temples. Suddenly, she released him from the look and glancing down at her hands, she spoke. "Is there a way to make sure that the portal can be activated from either side? Is it even possible to make it a two way portal?"

Giving up reasoning with the Savior, he decided to give her any and every information he had, and later he would inform Regina of her foolish investigation. "Yes, you can make it bi-directional but, it would take double the energy to create such portal, and it would be needed to be made from the Realms it would connect. So, specifically speaking, you would need someone here and in Storybrooke at the same time, making identical portals."

"So, it is possible?"

"Yes, of course it is possible, but the question is – Is it plausible? And, is it worth the magic, as there would be more beans grown for those who want to visit." He spoke with exasperation, wanting to make Emma understand that such amount of magic may well prove to be lethal to the Savior.

"Beans are too easily destroyed, as Regina has proven before. I want a more permanent solution."

"Miss Swan." Unpleased with the distance his words created, he considered another way of entreating the blonde Savior. "Emma, there are few magical objects left in the worlds. And you need plenty. And even if you managed to gather enough material for the two portals, you need very powerful magic to activate them."

"The True Love potion brought magic to Storybrooke. Imagine what you can do with four…" Emma remarked, having steepled her fingers in front of him, her hands representation of the four True Love couples. The causal mention of the potion he had extorted from them under the threat of Henry dying made him take a pause. There were four couples of True Love around, and one of them was comprised of most powerful magical beings to walk this Realm. He hadn't even considered it, and now with her reminder, it suddenly seemed very possible. With a change in his attitude he considered the additional needs for such attempt.

"Don't you mean six?" Rumplestiltskin asked, suddenly remembering the so proclaimed True Loves in Storybrooke. Ella, Thomas, Princess Abigail and Frederick also fitted the bill.

"No, Ashley and the others did not break any curses. I would rather not risk it."

"Belle and I…"

"She once almost turned you human. That counts in my book." The firm tone of the Savior's voice made it clear to him that the subject was closed. There four True Love couples that she would use. Scowling at her brash tone, he nodded and considered something else.

"You will need objects with powerful magic in them."

"The Dragon Caves." Emma replied shortly, her words the answer enough. Of course, the stone bathed in the blood of the dragons. "We can also use the beans for the mortar, it would add the kick." Emma looked down at the rough patch on the table and started fiddling with it. "Along with the True Love potions, and something to guide the portals, I think it could really work." Emma lifted her gaze from the slivering wood and saw Rumplestiltskin regarding her with a tender but proud smile. "What?"

"You have really thought about this. Why?"

"Many people want to stay here, or at least be able to visit. I think it is the only viable solution." Emma might have had others in her mind, but there were only four people in her heart. Snow and David yearned for their home, but they were loath to say goodbye to their daughter. Henry wanted to stay here longer, but he would go where his mothers were. And Regina had once loved this place, and in time she might grow to love it again, and Emma wanted to give her the ability to come here whenever she wanted.

Rumplestiltskin smiled in understanding and rose from his chair. "I need to think about the guides. And, I think that our disappearance will be noticed soon."

"One more thing," Emma spoke, still seated. "I have thought that your power was bound to the dagger." Even though she did not ask him directly, he knew what she wanted to know. With slow steps he walked to her side of the table and leaned onto it at her side. Opening his jacket, he pulled out the very familiar hilt out of some hidden pocket. But the blade itself was broken off, leaving only the jagged part, an inch long, behind.

"When the Lost Boys captured me, the blade nicked me. When you used your power to unchain me, the magic you used was so powerful that it managed to unbind the power of the dagger and it seeped into me through the wound I had suffered from my own dagger, making it useless." He offered the hilt to the Savior, showing her the jagged blade piece. "Look at it, it is cracked. If you hit something with it, no doubt it would split into pieces." While Emma scrutinized the dagger, Rumplestiltskin continued on with his explanation. "With the whole power of the Dark One in me, I was able to help you with Peter. I was prepared to die. And, I honestly did not expect you to save me."

"It is what I do, I have been told," Emma spoke, offering the hilt back. "You were willing to die for us. That is why I saved you." At her blunt statement he only nodded.

"May I ask you something, Miss Swan?" Rumplestiltskin spoke gently, still standing beside her, after he had returned the dagger into its hiding place.

"Sure," Emma shrugged.

"You don't look so well. Is there anything I can do?"

Emma only smiled at his offer and reached out to his hands on the cane. As if she deliberated if she was allowed to touch him, she reluctantly placed her palm over his. "I am in good hands."

In that moment the door to the cottage opened and a young woman entered, carrying a wineskin in her hand. But, when she saw Rumplestiltskin watching her with curious eyes, she stopped and glanced between him and Emma, not sure what to do.

"Ah, Miss Lucas, please do come in. I do believe the Savior and I are finished." With a nod he greeted the still seated blonde, and he pushed away from the table, walking out, his cane thumping rhythmically in his wake. "Have a good afternoon, Miss Swan. Miss Lucas." He closed the door behind him, and left, his mind already swirling with all the possible ideas for the things necessary for the portals Miss Swan wanted to create.

And, now he was with Belle, listening to her adventure with the Savior.

It was a quiet evening, as she sat next to the love of her life, drinking tea he had prepared while she had talked about her day. It was a ritual they had established in the Dark Castle, and the ease they had returned to it only suggested the comfort they felt around each other. She smiled at him and her heart fluttered as she saw his replying smirk. Leaning onto his shoulder, she looked into the fire, thinking about her day.

The Savior grabbed her arm, pulling her away, guiding her with gentle but insistent grip. "They need to talk," Emma whispered into her ear, and with huge grin turned to surprised brunette that watched her with suspicion. "Belle and I need to talk about Ruby's birthday party, so we'll leave you for a bit." Taking them to a next corner and ducking under the roof of a supposed porch, Emma glanced around the wall and watched the old man and his daughter walk toward the sea, passing the village gate.

"You know, you didn't have to pull me so hard," Belle told Emma with slight reproach in her tone. But, before the edgy blonde could apologize, the young woman waved her off, and sat on one of two chairs on the porch. "Do you think they can work it out?"

Emma grimaced when she saw the remaining chair and not trusting it to hold her weight she leaned against the wall. Then she turned to the famous beauty of the fairy tales. "If you are asking me if they could establish a loving father-daughter relationship, then my answer is firm no." At the sad nod from the other woman, the blonde understood that was Belle's conclusion as well. "But, I believe they can be civil, and even friendly toward each other, and perhaps in time…"

"It would grow to be something more," Belle finished for Emma. "I sure hope so." When the Savior only hummed in agreement, Belle looked up at the woman, and with interest she scrutinized her, really seeing her for the first time since they had come back from New York. With all that had been going on, and all the running around, she hadn't had the opportunity to talk with the blonde. So, there was her chance. Rising up from her chair, she walked carefully to where Emma was standing, watching her curiously, obviously waiting for her to come closer. But, before she could ask her questions a scream pierced the air, soon followed by bellows. Emma straightened and rushed toward the source of the noise, keeping her pace light for Belle to be able to keep up.

"What happened here?" Emma asked with authority, looking at the gathered people, as Belle had seen her do in Storybrooke as the Sheriff.

"Your Highness, two boys went in there," one of the people spoke, showing a cave, almost hidden in the shrubbery. "A fissure opened in a wall and they fell in. We can't see them, and they are not answering back." While he was talking, Emma gestured to him to show her the crack. She glanced down and seeing only darkness she shook her head, placing one hand on her neck, trying to thinking of a solution.

"Where does this cave lead?" she asked, while she waved Belle over.

"It goes into the Pit, Your Highness."

The Pit being the prison she had meet Cora in. And, as she remembered, the Pit had another entrance. "Go, fetch me a torch or something, and rope." Pleased to see that the men dispersed immediately, all willing to help, she turned to one of the women still standing around. "What are the children's names?"

The woman shrugged, and curtsied when she realized that she might have disrespected a Royal. "They were with your party, Your Highness. The ten and eight year olds, I would guess, Your Highness." Ah, Elias and Bobby, the memory supplied.

"Thank you." Then, Emma turned to Belle. "I need you to find Snow and Ruby, and anyone else. Tell Ruby I want her to go into the Pit and to try to sniff them out. I am going in this way." In that moment she was given a long rope, she immediately started tying around herself. It was obvious why not one of the men tried to go in. The fissure in the wall of the cave was too small to let them through. Even for Emma it would be a tight fit, even after going down on all fours. "Oh, and Belle? Try not to alert them." Emma spoke to the younger woman, meaning Regina.

Belle stood flabbergasted as the Sheriff, or better yet, the Savior jumped into the action. As soon as Emma grabbed a lit gas lantern and started squeezing through the hole, Belle went in search of the people she needed.

She found Snow quickly, and she explained what had happened. It was amazing that Ruby and Snow understood Emma's plan perfectly after only three words in. With a rush, they organized a rescue party and not an hour passed when the children were found, safe and sound with the Savior as their protector in the dark caves.

She had seen Emma leave the Pit followed closely by Snow and Ruby. The haunted look in the Savior's darkened and burning eyes had shaken her to the core, and when the blonde had passed beside her, Belle had felt the terror radiating of her. Asking Ruby what had happened, she only had gotten confused shake of the head.

Sometime later, Belle had been joined with Snow who had taken the duty of a baby sitter for the children of their company. They had shared a light conversation, until Regina and Rumplestiltskin had returned from their talk. Immediately, Henry had rushed to his mother, giving her the smallest child with a pleased smile. Then, he had pulled her away from his grandfather, soon followed with Belle and Snow.

It had been a perfect afternoon with the children, where Belle had gotten an opportunity to see another Regina, as she had played with her son and the newest member of her family. Sitting beside Snow, she had heard the pixie haired woman sigh with contentment as they'd watched the children. It had been only at the end of their evening that she had learned that something had been wrong.

Regina walked to them with Kyle in her arms. With ease, she gracefully lowered herself on a free chair beside Snow, and joined them in the children watching.

"Regina, is everything all right with my daughter?" Snow asked after a while. At the inquisitive look of the former Queen, Snow explained the situation from before. The Pit and the children rescuing, helped with Belle who provided the beginning for the story. "Only, when we found her, she was very jumpy and her hands glowed in dark. Elias told me later that she was almost wild when she found them."

"How dark was it in there?" Regina asked, worry evident on her face.

"Very. If not for the torches and her magic we wouldn't be able to see if our eyes were open or not." Snow watched her former stepmother for a reaction, but when Regina looked at her she was surprised with the sadness shown in the former Queen's features. "Regina, what is wrong?"

"Emma is very emotionally fragile now, and these nightmares and excursions are not helping," Regina spoke softly. "And, she was not supposed to use magic. Not until she was healed." She rose slowly and gave the baby to Snow. "Can you watch them tonight?" When the younger woman only nodded, Regina walked away.

"So, are you going to tell me what happened, Ems?" Ruby asked, after several minutes spent in silence. They had been drinking from the wineskin, but Emma was quiet and almost brooding.

She could feel the darkness suffocating her, but she had to try. Squeezing in the hole, she grunted when the rock wall stopped her from breathing in. The seconds ticked away, every one longer than the previous, while she pressed on, moving inch by inch deeper into the darkness. Emma closed her eyes against the panic that had gripped her, actually that had been present since her earlier dream, and already on edge, she fought with herself and pushed on, thinking of the boys. After a while, she felt the narrow passage widen and she breathed in with relief, taking deep breaths in order to stave off the full blown panic attack. She tugged on the rope three times, and almost in no time a gas lantern came to her, attached to the rope. Along with it came a small satchel filled with coal. Emma grimly hummed as she understood their purpose. Tying the satchel onto her hip, she pulled the rope and nodding in appreciation, she reached for the coil that had come from the fissure. Placing it over her shoulder, she grabbed the lantern and with a coal piece in her hand she marked the wall, placing arrows on every few steps as she travelled deeper into the cave. From time to time she would shout out the names of the boys, but she was greeted only with the reverberations of her own voice.

She followed the tracks on the rough stone floor. The new scuffmarks, and darkened palm prints told her that one of the boys had hurt his palm bad enough to make it bleed enough to leave blood marks. Careful not to miss anything, Emma almost crawled over the cave floor, following the direction of the boys, marking her progress after every four meters. For some reason, it seemed like a good and appropriate distance. For past quarter of an hour she was going steadily up, she was sure of it, as she went on.

Suddenly, Emma heard a rumble from beneath her feet, and small tremors shook the ground she was standing on. Before her mind could comprehend what was happening, the floor opened and she fell through, a yelp of surprise leaving her lips. Oh, you've got to be fucking kidding me - went through her mind before she was dropped onto another floor, the impact jostling her bones painfully, followed by the sound of glass breaking close to her.

She opened her eyes and saw nothing. When she tried to move her arm to place her hand in front of her eyes, Emma realized that she could not move, her body still in shock from the fall, sending her fully into the so far barely contained panic. She started panting, trying to move, her mind screaming at the unfairness. "Shit!" she spit out, feeling the pain in her abused body.

"No, no, no," she repeated to herself, all the while the pictures of the curse and the nightmares danced in front of her eyes. Then, she moved. She felt her hand move and as if whatever that had held her immobile vanished, her whole body could move. Rising to her feet, she lifted her hands in front of her and started seeking for another wall, for anything really. But, there was nothing but the oppressive darkness and it was getting harder to breathe with each passing gasp.

Emma froze in her panic. She could not move again, she could not see and soon she wouldn't be able to breathe. She was going to die, and this time it was much worse because she knew with her whole heart that it was real. She was really in a cave, in darkness.

Panting at the empty air, she tried to see something in the blackness, anything that might help her. And, it came to her. This was reality. She had magic. "Fuck it, Regina is not going to like this," she said with an unhappy sigh, listening to her own echo and she let the magic flow through her, focusing in on her palms, making them glow in dark, giving just enough light for Emma to see where the walls were. But, along with the magic came the pain, making Emma grit her teeth to stop herself from whimpering. She moved, following the cave and after she had passed about twenty yards, she called the boys by their names. After several times of calling out she heard a faint reply, almost lost in the echoes. She narrowed her eyes in focus, and moved toward the new sound. She called again, and this time she was absolutely sure that there was the reply and now she could see a hand in the faint light moving over a small hillock of rocks.

She rushed toward the boys, jumping over the loose rocks and slippery gravel. Knowing that she would need her hands, she spelled the light into several flying orbs that floated over her head as she lowered herself down beside the boys. The older one was kneeling, leaning on the rocks, covered in grit, and his forehead bleeding profusely.

But the other one, Bobby, was in far worse shape. His leg bent in unnatural position, with bone sticking out, tearing the muscle and flesh around the wound, bled in the very slow rhythm, and Emma assumed that the artery was damaged, or completely severed. The boy was unconscious, but the blonde could see the tear tracks on his dirty face. Quickly, she placed her hands on his neck, checking his pulse and at the same time assessing him magically.

"When did Bobby fell asleep?" Emma asked, needing to focus on something else than the burning pain in her tendons. And to something to keep her mind and eyes wandering back to the all-encompassing darkness that pressed on them. She glanced at the other boy, seeing in the dim light of her magic that he was more or less fine, except for the cut on his forehead and bloody hands.

Elias lifted his eyes from the lying boy, and shrugged. "Don't know, Your Majesty. But, it wasn't long." Emma looked at him and nodded, touching his shoulder in comfort. With rush, she placed Bobby completely on the floor, carefully arranging his limbs into the proper position, using magic to heal him as she went along. The burning sensation increased and spread to her bones, muscles, making her shake and breathe in gasps, unable to fight against the punishment of using magic, the stabbing and piercing throb spreading through her body, making her feel like her own blood was made of jagged razor sharp rocks, pushing through her vessels. Additionally, the injuries from the fall itself were compounding to the pain, making her vision turn hazy, filled with dancing black spots. Her forehead was clammy from abuse

When she was finished with Robert, she turned to Elias and in one swipe of her hand, she healed his head. "Can you stand?" she asked him, while she turned to Bobby and gently lifted him up, cradling him in her arms. At Elias's nod, she gestured him to move on forward, as she pulled the light orbs into herself, letting her palms light up. The move made her pain a bit easier, because it lowered the amount of used power. But, the palm – light was not enough to prevent her newly discovered fear of dark from appearing. And, holding the boy in her arms with palms placed to the front was awkward experience. Strangely, Elias's company and the pain in her body were keeping her focused enough not to lose it completely. And, several minutes later, it was how they were found by the others.

"Emma!" Snow shouted, rushing toward them, followed by David, Ruby and several other villagers. As soon as they reached the Savior and the children, David took the still unconscious boy into his hands and moved away, motioning to Elias to follow him out. Snow took one of Emma's hands, her other occupied by the fiery torch. Emma sighed at the warmth of the flame in front of her face and the soft color of the fire. "Emma?" Snow spoke again, this time quieter, worried about her daughter who seemed entranced by the blaze. Her hands were ice cold and her look was the look of a tortured and haunted soul.

Emma shook her head, bringing herself in the present and looked at her mother. "I am fine," she said softly and moved away, going out of the cursed Pit and the surrounding caves.

Sometime later she had found Henry and she had asked him to keep his mother busy, as she had to investigate something.

"Is it about the portals?" Henry asked, his eyes glinting with barely hidden hope.

She passed her hand through his hair and nodded. "Yes, it is, but no one a word." She placed her finger onto his nose and smiled when he nodded vigorously.

"I knew it that it was possible!" he spoke in excited whisper. "How are we going to call it? Operation…" Henry started talking, and Emma had to chuckle at his enthusiasm.

"Hey, I don't know if it is possible, but I am going find out. But, you cannot go around and jump with excitement. Everyone will know something is up." When he grinned with embarrassment, she shook her head at him, holding him close by her arm over his shoulder.

"Operation Gate!" Henry said suddenly. At Emma's confused look, he rushed to explain. "You know, like Stargate…" Emma narrowed her eyes at him. How was it possible for him to know what she had in mind?

"All right." She said with gentle smirk on her lips. "Gate it is."

"Oh, and Emma?" Henry said, pushing away from his birth mother. With teasing grin he answered her inquisitive head nod. "You kinda stink," he said, scrunching his nose.

"Why, you son of…" she cut off herself, as she started for him, making him rush off in glee. It was true, though. She did stink. The sweat and the scent of fear, along with the dust of the caves clang to her. Looking around she used a small bit of magic to turn her clothes and herself into the previous state of cleanliness. She had a date with the former Dark One and she had to be her best, for she still did not trust the man.

"No," Emma said and drank deeply from the skin. Then she turned to Ruby and gave it back. She rose from the chair and moved to the wall with the window, looking out. It was almost dark out. And, she had made her decision after Rumplestiltskin had mentioned Regina going off the edge if something happened to her. Tonight, she was going to tell Regina everything. She would not even consider attempting to sneak out during the portal jump, as she had imagined before. Snow's comment at lunch and her adventure at the caves changed her mind, bringing her to her senses. And, the idea of leaving Regina, even if it was only for several months was making her insides clench painfully, making it hard for her to breathe. Not only that she would not be able to bear the distance from her beloved, her sneaking off the ship would be such breaking of Regina's trust. And, she did not want to join to the countless people in the past that had hurt the brunette. Her chosen deserved better, and more than better from her. She was a fool. But, she hoped she was not too big of the fool.

"Ems, you look like hell. What is going on?" Ruby stepped up to her, placing her hand onto Emma's shoulder. In Storybrooke they were friends, but since the curse had been broken, and Snow and Emma's accidental journey to the Enchanted Forest, they did not spend much time together, almost acting as only acquaintances. And it hurt, the werewolf thought to herself.

Ruby felt the tension of Emma's body, and her augmented senses could tell her that the woman in front of her was agitated and the scent of fear clung to her. But, she had also seen the Savior in the cave, her eyes darting around as if she had been waiting for something to jump out of the shadows. She remembered something that the former sheriff had told her about the overtaxed soldiers. Graham had told her that sometimes they suffered from PTSD. And all the symptoms he had told her fitted Emma perfectly. And because she did not know how to deal with it, she let it go. It was for Regina or Snow…

"So, you and Regina?" the young werewolf changed the subject. "I feel the need to tell you: I told you so!" Ruby said, patting Emma's shoulder gently.

The Savior turned to her friend and grinned at the ribbing. "Go ahead." With a flourish, Emma gestured the younger woman to continue.

"How does it feel?" Ruby leaned against the wall and looked into the smiling face of her friend. "After all those scathing arguments and sizzling energy, how does it feel to finally use it in the proper setting?" At Emma's snigger, she went on. "She must be a wildcat."

The blonde laughed at the implications, and she shook her head.

"Oh, come on, tell me the deets! You used to share before…"

Emma gently smiled at her friend and nodded. "Before wasn't really important to me." Then she pushed of the wall and grabbed the wineskin and uncorked it, still looking at Ruby. "And, it's not like we have done anything yet." Pulling a long chug out, she sighed in pleasure when the spicy wine warmed her stomach. Deciding to share something with her friend, she sat down, throwing the skin toward the werewolf. "Every time we touch, the magic I and she have reacts and with more intense contact it gets stronger and stronger. And, now, I don't think I will be able to withstand the power generated with something more than a few heated kisses. So, in a way, she is getting me used to the magic before…" Then, she pierced Ruby with her look. "And, that doesn't mean I will tell you anything when it happens."

"Oh, you are mean!"

"Think of it this way. If Regina ever finds out you know something, there will be a werewolf less running through the woods." Emma smiled when Ruby blanched at the implication, and she rose, aware of the time.

"Emma?" Ruby asked after her timidly, also rising from the chair. When Emma turned to her, the younger woman hugged her firmly. "I am happy for you," Ruby murmured into the blonde's neck. Emma returned the hug, pleased with the blessing she had gotten from her friend. Ruby had been there for her, listening to her stories, and sometimes getting her home after a really long day, and the evening filled with stiff drinks and morose talks about Henry and Regina. Emma kissed Ruby's cheek in gratitude, and with a smirk she nodded in salute, walking out of the cottage.

She went to the village hall, thinking that the most of her family would be there anyways, and it would be a perfect spot to spend her time until she found Regina. Aware that she was stalling and avoiding the conversation she needed to have with the brunette, she sighed at her own cowardice and opened the door of the Hall. And she had been right, for as soon as she walked through the door, she was greeted with Henry and Kyle, her mother watching her carefully, inspecting her face for any trace of the previous look, she had encountered in the caves.

"Hey, Emma," Henry spoke, holding out Kyle for her, his face almost split in two with the unrestrained grin he sported. When she took him into her hands, Henry hugged her middle, and led her to the others, pulling her slightly to the fireplace.

Emma looked around, but before she could ask, Snow spoke up. "She is upstairs." Emma nodded and sat beside her mother, smiling when David placed his hand on her shoulder in greeting. She spent several minutes in small talk with her parents and Henry joined in with an observation or a question, while she held the toddler in her arms. It wasn't the first baby she held in her hands, but it was the first one she had held for more than just a few times. She hadn't even held Alexandra more than once or twice. Looking into the deep blue eyes of the child, she smiled at him trying to reach for her blonde hair.

"Miss Swan!" Regina's voice pierced the easy atmosphere, and everyone flinched at the tone. It was a perfect mixture of the voices of Madam Mayor and the Evil Queen. Emma looked up and saw Regina looking at them, with her hands on her hips, the scowl on her face visible even from the distance.

"Oh, it seems you are in trouble," Henry remarked with interest, glancing between his adoptive mother and his birth one.

"When am I not?" Emma asked with resignation, transferring Kyle to Snow, who had reached for him. At the worried glances of her parents, she just waved them off, kissing Snow in good night, and nodding to her father. As she moved to the stairs, where Regina was standing, her imperious and angry look directed at Emma.

"Is this about the Gate?" Henry spoke softly, going with Emma to the stairs, not willing to let his birth mother go to his other mother alone.

Emma looked down at him and shrugged. "Probably." Placing her arm around the boy's shoulders, she patted him in comfort, aware that he was prone to blaming himself for the angry tone his adoptive mother had. "And, I did something I shouldn't have, so it's probably that, as well," Emma whispered to Henry, absolving him of any wrongdoings he might have perceived to have done.

"Henry, I am sorry but I need to talk to Emma in private and it will take time." Regina spoke gently to her boy, kissing his forehead, when they had reached her. "Good night, my boy," she whispered to him before she turned to Emma, her face suddenly devoid of emotions.

Emma ruffled Henry and sent him away, as she followed Regina upstairs and later into their room without a word. When they entered the room, Emma stopped in surprise, as every flat surface except floor and the bed was covered in lit candles, their soft light strong enough to mistake it for a daylight, and their warmth enough to heat up the air in the room.

"Oh, Regina," Emma spoke with dismay at her own assumption that Regina had brought her there to be out of sight when she murdered her. Shaking head at her own conscience and her own thoughts making her edgy, she looked at the brunette and smiled in appreciation, shuffling in place, not knowing what to do with herself.

Regina came to the blonde and sighed when she caught a scent of mulled wine. She had seen that werewolf girl leave the kitchens with a full skin of it earlier, but she thought nothing of it till now. "You've been drinking," she said softly, the reproach barely evident in her tone. However it stemmed from worry not from disapproval. People tended to get lost in the haze of alcohol, escaping the pain of every day. It was a coping mechanism many broken souls chose, and she didn't want Emma to fall down that rabbit hole.

"I needed to take the edge off. To dull this pain a bit, until I got to you…"

"Emma..." Regina started reaching for the other woman, but Emma just raised her hands in a sudden motion, slapping the soothing arms away. With a growl directed more at herself, the Savior reached for her own hair and gripped hard, feeling the tingling pain on her scalp.

"Fuck it, Regina, I don't know what the shitting hell I am doing anymore!" Emma exclaimed, turning away from Regina, sounding broken and angry at the same time. "Shit!" she said, in one shuddering motion, when she realized what she had said in her outburst.

Regina stood there, a bit startled with the profanity leaving Emma's mouth, before a smirk quirked her lips. Emma had been careful around her, watching her language and honestly, the brunette had missed the crass behavior of the woman in front of her. Closing her eyes, Emma turned her head away from Regina's raised eyebrow in challenge, and opened them again, staring at the candlelit wall, letting a deep breath escape her lips.

The blonde felt Regina's hands on her shoulders and as they slid down her front, taking off her light coat, and returned up to her chest, she shook off her surprise and turned around, keeping the tender arms around her. "You are not angry?" Emma whispered, looking into the face of her beloved.

Regina placed her palms on Emma's chest and started undoing the first button so gently, that the Savior almost could not feel the hands on her chest. "Oh, I am beyond angry," Regina spoke, her voice soft and gentle, but still with a hard edge Emma learned to recognize as frustrating irritation. One more button was open. "I am furious." The next one popped open. "So furious, in fact, I wanted to walk up to you and whip you till you bleed in punishment." Most of the buttons were undone, and Regina finished them quickly, still not looking at the Savior's face. If she had, she would have seen the light blush covering Emma's cheeks. "But, I know you had a very rough day," the brunette spoke gently as she opened Emma's shirt cuffs. With her tender hands she took Emma's shirt off, leaving her in her t-shirt. Then, Regina waved her hand and a purple smoke appeared at the blonde's feet, taking care of her boots.

"So, you know?" Emma said softly, closing her eyes, when Regina's hands traveled to her neck. The soft ministrations of the woman in front of her caused the sharp pang of arousal to course through her, but it was more than tempered with the aching weariness and all-encompassing love she felt for the woman, along with her tempestuous feelings of guilt and heavy burden. "About the caves?" The hands on her neck fluttered a bit, and an errant thought about Regina choking her to death passed through her head, but what was amazing and not that surprising was that Emma felt no fear. She trusted Regina with her heart, her life and their son. The brunette could even plunge her hand into her chest for her heart, and Emma would not say a word, offering it to her willingly.

"I do," came the terse reply. "And I know about you telling Henry to keep me busy. About the quest for a portal…" Regina said, forcing Emma to look at her. "And, I understand those things. I understand you, Emma and your need to find the best possible solution for everyone." Then, immensely sad look settled in Regina's eyes, making them darker. "What I don't understand is for what particular reason is Snow's dream making you edgy? Is it going to come to pass?"

When Emma glanced away only for a second, unable to endure the intensity of the gaze, Regina felt her heart seize painfully. She moved away, fighting tears that were threatening, placing her arms around herself, as if protecting herself from the blow. There it was, the secret Emma had been wrestling with. After all the things they, she, had been through, Emma was considering leaving her. Her insecurities and wounds flared up, taking away her ability to breathe, to think, as the hurt enveloped her.

"The idea did cross my mind," Emma spoke, her heart breaking at the image before her eyes. This was exactly what she had hoped to avoid. Then she came to the woman and held her from behind, even though Regina struggled against her hold. "I was coming here tonight to tell you all about it." She leaned her head onto Regina's shoulder and sighed. "As you said, I had a bad day and it threw me off." Emma felt Regina turn around in her arms so she moved slightly away, to give her enough place, expecting a retaliation - a well-deserved one, in her opinion. It seemed all she managed to do today was make a bad choice, one after another, their impact compounding into the mess she had created with her own impulsiveness. And, now Regina was in pain because of it. With an exhausted move, Emma placed her hands onto her face, rubbing her eyes as she felt her barriers lower. She had raised her shields and protective walls up during the day, reverting to her old self, so she could pretend to be invincible and indestructible, in her desperation to avoid the pain and the nervous breakdown from the dreams. But, in doing so, she reverted into a person who considered no one but herself, forgetting that she could share her troubles with her family, and the woman she loved. Now, she was feeling safe, and for the first time since their impromptu family picnic without the food, she let all her emotions and pain show, knowing that there was no longer need to pretend to be well, or even OK.

"Oh, Emma," Regina gasped when she saw the Savior slump her shoulders, shaking with the exhaustion, looking at her with such desolation in her eyes. Quickly, she pulled the woman into her arms, and it seemed it was just in time, as the blonde sagged against her. With magic she placed both of them onto the bed, not willing to move away from the shaking Savior just yet, careful not to dislodge the platter filled with food she had placed there earlier.

Regina slightly moved away after a bit, stepping of the bed, leaving the Savior on it. Emma was awake, as tears glided from her opened eyes, and her breathing interrupted with shudders and painful sobs. Her green eyes were so dark and troubled, staring at the ceiling, lost in the haze of her agony, finally letting the tightly wound control over it snap. Giving herself a permission to let go, Emma felt everything that she had forced away during the day.

"Emma, can you hear me?" Regina asked, leaning over the damaged Savior, her knuckles tenderly caressing the wet cheek. As she received no answer, Regina decided to do something drastic, and it needed time. So, she moved away and after some searching in her pack, she found a leaf of paper and a pen. Writing in her concise handwriting, she implored Snow to delay the return to Maine, as Emma was ill and she would need time and rest to recover. She would prefer to do it in person, but she was loath to leave the blonde alone. Sending the paper with the magic, she came back to the Savior and started undressing the woman, her gentle hands barely touching her skin, leaving her in her underwear, exposing her wounds and bruises to the concerned eyes and kind hands.

Not a minute later, the door to their room was opened and Snow sneaked in, glancing between Regina and Emma, trying to gouge out the situation. She had thought it had been a ploy for the new lovers to have more time with each other before returning to the hustle of the town. But, when she saw her daughter in near catatonic state, staring at the ceiling, not aware of her presence, Snow cringed and brought her hand to her mouth in sorrow.

"What the hell happened?" Snow whispered harshly, walking toward Regina. "She was fine five minutes ago."

"No, she has not been fine for a while," Regina whispered back, her eyes filling with tears again. But, she shook herself and wiped her eyes and with a look she directed Snow toward the farthest corner. Choosing a shortest way to explain the situation to the concerned mother, Regina directed her eyes to her former nemesis. "Do you remember when you were young, that I used to have headaches and various ailments from time to time?" She asked the woman, knowing that Snow did in fact remember those instances.

"Yes," Snow replied quickly, careful not to raise her voice, glancing toward Emma with distress permeating her features. "I remember - the physicians didn't know what was wrong with you."

"It was magical exhaustion. Whenever I would do a bit too much in my exercise, I would suffer." She glanced toward Snow and found her nodding in understanding. "Now, comprise all the times you know of into one short instant."

Snow shuddered at the implication. Emma had not used her magic for twenty eight years, and then she started using it almost every day, and every day she would do things most people were incapable of. She had stopped the magically created storm, she had fought Peter Pan, she had slayed the manticore, healed Regina and many other things Snow probably did not know about. She knew what Regina was trying to tell her. Emma was suffering because she was the Savior.

"And, her nightmares are not making it easier. In fact, her suffering is now twofold."

"Can you help her?" Snow asked, grabbing Regina's hand. She pulled her former step mother and placed her other hand on her shoulder. "Can you do something?"

The desperate plea of Emma's mother, of the child she once loved like her own, pierced through her heart. She placed her hand over Snow's gently, and nodded. "I can help her with magic, but I don't know if I could help with her fears. I can try."

Snow nodded and smiled tremblingly in encouragement. Then, she placed her palm on Regina's cheek, her eyes glinting with a strange light. "I trust you, Regina." And then she placed a kiss on Regina's forehead, pulling the older woman's head down gently. The kiss was reminiscent of a motherly kiss to a child, but it also was a pardon granted by the Royals. It was the official gesture of forgiveness and acceptance. Understanding the meaning of such gesture, Regina stood motionless, while her face was still held in the White Queen's hands. "You are indeed good for each other. She is different with you around. And, you. I am so glad to finally see you, Regina. Don't worry about the children, we will take care of them." With a tender caress of the former Evil Queen's cheek, Snow turned to leave. But, before she passed through the door, she glanced at the older woman. "You have all the time you need. And, if you need anything else, just ask, order or whatever… Help her. You are the only one that can. The only one she would let." With those words, Snow left Regina flabbergasted in the room, looking after the closed door.

"She is right, you know," a soft murmur came from the bed. Regina startled and rushed to her love. Emma was still not moving but her eyes followed Regina's advance. "You are the only one I would let," the weary blonde whispered, barely moving her lips. Regina used her magic to lift Emma gently and climbing onto bed, she set Emma down into her arms, leaning the weak body against her own, with the blonde head on her upper arm. The position was somewhat reminiscent of a baby holding for feeding, but it was perfect for what Regina had in mind.

Placing her hand onto Emma's pale cheek, Regina looked into the dark eyes, seeing them go in and out of focus. With magic, she pulled the cover from underneath them and used it to keep Emma warm, covering her completely. "I need you to try and eat something," Regina spoke softly, her tone brooking no other choices. When Emma just blinked slowly in acceptance, the brunette had to blink hard against the tears that again threatened. Seeing the Savior so frail that she could not even nod seemed so wrong. She took the bowl with the clear vegetable soup and slowly, she helped Emma drink it down. Food was not going to solve everything, but it was a step in the right direction. Emma needed energy and one of ways of getting it was from the food. So, she fed the Savior with various bits and pieces slowly, making sure that the blonde would not choke on her dinner.

After she was finished, she placed her hand over Emma's chest, just like she had done in the morning, sending out healing pulses of energy into the abused body. She had seen the bruises on the Savior's body while she had taken off her clothes. Emma's back had been covered in purple and black, her shoulders skinned slightly, with a nasty looking bruise over Emma's ribs in the front, and it had been amazing to consider that Emma had walked up to the room with such pain in her body, with no one the wiser. Regina sent the healing and warming spells into the body in front of her, feeling the improvement right away. Emma wasn't so listless in her arms, and she could feel the energy return to the limbs splayed over her.

"I need to talk to you," Emma whispered, nuzzling into Regina's chest. It didn't bother her that she was naked under the quilt, or that Regina wasn't. "I need you to know," she added, her voice growing weaker. She slowly reached up and placed her hand over Regina's chest, right over her heart. "Link us," she breathed out, losing her battle with sleep.

Shaking her head, the former Queen reached for the hand and held it to her chest tenderly. "Let yourself sleep, Emma," Regina whispered, kissing the blonde's temple, as she held her close. At the mention of rest, Emma tensed, her muscles flexing, still too weak to move too much, but just enough to give Regina an idea how terrifying that was for the Savior.

"No," Emma spoke, trying to infuse some of her authority in her voice, but utterly failing. "Dreams…"

"I am here, and I will be here the whole time. I'll wake you at the first sign of trouble. But, you need to rest." She was more than willing to watch over the wounded Sheriff in her arms. Yes, it was part of her True Love for the Savior that was making her do it, but it wasn't just that. She had felt respect and envy for the blonde woman ever since she had driven into her town, no matter how much she had hated her then. It had often surprised her how similar they had been, and as Emma had kept saving her life, a gentle pride and affection had grown for the Savior, still hidden underneath annoyance and vitriol. However, Regina had been surprised to learn that she had not hated the blonde hero anymore. And, in time she had started to depend on the Sheriff's belief in her, not only Henry's but Emma's. And, in some ways, Emma's trust and belief had been more important to her, than Henry's do-good attitude. It had been very painful when Emma had not believed her that she hadn't killed the bug. But, as she had learned what her mother had done, she couldn't blame the Savior. Not with the overwhelming evidence against her. However, it hurt.

When they had joined their memories, she had seen Emma's feelings on the subject, the confusion, disbelief, crushed hope… She had felt the pain Emma had felt that day, the pain that had made her lash out and speak those hurtful words. But, she also had felt that Emma hadn't meant them, not then, not ever. It had been such an irony - the one person who had been to destroy her had acted as her defender almost every step of the way.

"You need sleep, too," Emma replied weakly, bringing Regina to present. The blonde's fingers gripped her lapel to emphasize the point. Ever the White Knight, Regina smiled at the gallant gesture.

"You stood guard over me, my Knight. Let me do this for you." But, before Emma could gather her strength to complain or remark that it wasn't necessary, Regina kissed her deeply, shutting her up. "You would dare defy your Queen?" Startled with the sharp tone, reminiscent of the times Regina had been the Evil Queen, or even the Mayor, Emma opened her eyes. Then, Regina saw the woman move her head in answer, and kissed her in reward. As the kiss dazed the blonde, Regina felt Emma relax against her and tumble into much needed sleep.

The brunette leaned against the headboard of the bed, and exhaled. She had planned this evening to go quite differently but she had not expected the Savior to be that overwrought. Emma was a master in hiding pain, and using misdirection to hide her exhaustion. Regina knew it was a skill that Emma had learned her whole life, as exposing one's weaknesses had been a sure way to get hurt in the world the blonde had grown up in. And it was an amazing and overwhelming experience to see that Emma had shown her the full extent of the pain she had been in, the full extent of the weakness she had been feeling. With no barriers and masks, Emma had let go of her defenses, knowing that she was safe with the brunette. Being shown that trust and faith made Regina's heart flutter with warm loving affection toward the Savior, and that feeling fueled her need to be there, to be the safe haven Emma needed to recover, to be the strength to her weakness, hope to Emma's despair, clarity to her confusion. Just as Emma had been strong for her, only several days before, when Regina needed to be shown a way to her happiness. Just as Emma had been the healing force for her in the previous days. Not only from the manticore attack but for every wrong that had been ever done to her in the past. The Savior was like a balm to the ravaged clefts in Regina's heart, not able to return it to its previous condition for too much had happened, but mending the open wounds turning them into healed scars, no longer causing pain.

Regina looked down at the sleep relaxed face resting on her chest. Even now, there was a tense energy about the woman, barely noticeable but still there. Ever prepared, Regina thought about the woman. With everything that had happened, it seemed perfectly normal that Emma would develop such defense mechanism, but Regina was aware that as long as Emma was subconsciously expecting an attack, she would not get the needed rest. So with her palm she gently caressed Emma's back, her warm hand passing over the prominent spine and ribs, knowing that the motion would only serve to soothe Emma further, allowing her to relax even more.

Her fingertips would pass over marks and instantly she would 'remember' the origin of each one, their stories brought forward with specific interest. Although she had Emma's memories, it did not mean that she remembered everything all the time. It only meant that the memories were available to be called forward if something triggered them. Just like Emma had remembered the previous state of her castle, she now could see the events related to the scars on the blonde's back. There were only two scars that drew Regina's concern, as they were the most prominent ones. One from a broken window on her shoulder blade, and the other earned in a scuff with a runaway criminal just over her right kidney. Her otherwise somewhat pristine back were a testament to the blonde's ability to protect herself.

Lost in the blonde's memories and her own ruminations, Regina was drawing an unconscious pattern on Emma's hip, while her other hand was on the neck, softly scratching Emma's back of the head in the soothing manner.

The first sign of a nightmare manifested as a firm grip of Regina's lapel Emma had been holding while she had slept. The brunette felt a gentle tug and instantly was brought out of her contemplations, moving her hand from Emma's neck to her cheek. "You are safe," Regina spoke louder than the whisper, but not loud enough to startle the blonde awake. "I am here, love." The gentle tone slowly brought Emma out of her sleep, her body not even registering the nightmare. Regina had noted that Emma's heartbeat was only slightly elevated, signaling that she had reacted in good time. Then, as she looked into the sleepy eyes of her partner, she smiled because the hazy look Emma gave her was so much like their son's. "Hey…" Regina breathed as Emma smiled back. Snuggling into the warmth of Regina's neck, Emma kissed the exposed skin in appreciation.

But, then Emma started untying the laces of the leather vest, clumsily fumbling with the knots. At Regina's smirking and raised eyebrow Emma frowned and making Regina take the vest off by pushing it off her, she commented. "That thing chafes." As Regina chuckled in the answer, Emma pouted at her. "And it's not fair that you are completely dressed."

"You may have a point," the brunette spoke, agreeing with the sulking Savior, her heart warmed by the blonde's lightheartedness. In one flick of her wrist, she was left with only her shirt on, letting Emma settle over her more comfortably. "Go back to sleep."

Emma laid her head back onto Regina's neck, sighing in content as the woman underneath her hugged her close. The scent that was purely Regina did wonders to relax her and not a minute later she was back in the land of dreaming, enjoying her new pillow. Even though Emma seemed well enough to play and complain, she wasn't much recovered, Regina thought, for it was a sure sign that something was still very wrong if Emma did not comment their position in some lewd manner.

As Emma slept Regina was going through her blonde locks, enjoying the soft hair over her fingers. Looking around the room, the brunette noted that the candles were half in size, suggesting that they had been lit for more than the half of the night. Oddly, she did not feel tired, or even bored. The soft breath caressing skin on her collarbone kept her very much awake, but instead of feeling the sharp edges of her arousal, she felt the tender adoration toward the woman in her arms, enjoying in the soothing rhythm of Emma's inhalation. She basked in the obvious trust the Savior had placed in her, and in the possessive hold the blonde had on her. Never before had she been held with such reverence and greed at the same time. Not one of the people she had taken into bed had been so willingly devoted to her. Looking down at her Savior, she let herself immerse in the love she had for the blonde, and then she pulled the memories of their connection, remembering the feel of Emma's overwhelming love for her, letting the warmth of the joined feelings keep her company through the night, while she stood watch over the ailing hero.

Several more times Emma had been disturbed in her sleep, with Regina having managed to wake her up every time before it got too bad. And, in the morning, Emma woke by herself, snuggling into Regina's warm arms. Appreciating the simple contact and connection, Emma lifted herself of Regina's chest and looked into the gentle brown eyes, smiling in the greeting. However, her own body reminded her of its needs, interrupting her pleasurable morning. Moving gingerly, the blonde rose from the bed, her legs still barely able to hold her, and looked around the room for her clothes. Just as she was about to falter, Regina's hands came on her hips, holding her upright.

"I need to go," Emma whispered, tucking her head down. Not wanting to explain where she needed to go, she so hoped that Regina was good at reading her mind. And, when she felt the brunette nod from behind her, she sighed in relief.

"Are you able to go down the stairs, to the outhouse and back up?" The tender voice served only help Emma accept help, as she knew that Regina would not judge her. So, she shook her head in the negative. "Well, then, come on, I'll help you," Regina spoke, and transported them out of the room.

Several minutes later they returned, Emma having finished her ablutions. "Some hero, huh?" Emma said, while she was helped back into bed, her self-disgust apparent in the sarcastic tone she had spoken with.

Regina clasped her hand soothingly and grabbed Emma's face with the other, forcing the downed woman to look at her. "You are amazing!" the gentle but firm tone tried to pierce through Emma's downtrodden countenance. "You have been battered from all sides. Not only did you have to deal with the Savior business and the Evil Queen' curse being real, with all the saving you have been doing, the super intensive course in magic, all the new situations, but you had to deal with me, as well. Your mother's nemesis. Your enemy. It is not easy to adjust to one of these situations, let alone all at once. If I were you, I would be curled up and screaming my head off the moment Rumplestiltskin told us that there is Peter Pan and that he is the worst enemy I have ever faced." Regina kissed Emma deeply. "So, yes, you are amazing."

"Well, you're biased." Emma pursed her lips in disbelief.

"It doesn't mean I am not right." When Emma chose to accept her defeat, Regina smirked in victory, tickling the blonde Savior a bit with her gentle fingers on the ribs. At the chortled squeak the woman managed to produce, trying to evade insistent fingers, both Regina and Emma started laughing heartily. As Emma was reclined onto the bed in her jeans and t-shirt, which Regina had magically summoned onto her just before they had left the room, the brunette traced the revealed muscular arm closest to her with her soft pads of the fingers. Although they both knew that any touch between them was more than exciting both of them, the situation firmly locked down their passion. However, it did not prevent it from flashing through their eyes from time to time, just like now when Regina was looking into Emma's face, her eyes turned into molten chocolate, simmering with heat – promising indescribable pleasure. Emma blushed under the intense look, smiling almost demurely at the other woman, enjoying being subjected to such passion and want.

Emma reached for Regina's face, enclosing it gently into her palms and pulling it toward herself. Without hesitation or a thought about her magical ailment, she leaned in and kissed the enticing lips in front of her, allowing her own craving desire manifest into the furious lip locking that she started, letting herself get awash with the feelings toward the brunette. She felt the magic rise in her, potent and unstoppable, rushing out to meet its opposite. Along with magic, the heat permeated her every cell, lust flooding her in the ways she had never experienced before. Her hands gripped Regina's head, holding her close, while she devoured her mouth, pleased that she was not alone in this, as slippery tongue joined her own, exploring her own orifice.

She felt a movement, but she did not want to stop what she was doing. It was all so intoxicating, enchanting, that she wanted to continue kissing Regina into the eternity. But when insistent burning in her chest forced her to lift her head a bit, in order to draw a breath into her starved lungs, she noticed that Regina had straddled her during the kiss, her hands intertwined in the blonde tresses. Panting, she leaned her forehead against Regina's, her hands falling down onto the brunette's hips, helping her focus back into the present.

Gently, Regina pulled one of her hands out of Emma's hair and placed it on the Savior's face, her thumb caressing fondly the raised plane of the cheekbone. Her eyes were glowing with purplish pink light, as she focused her gaze onto Emma, while she inhaled heavily, trying to calm her frantic heart. The sentiment in her look, the unspoken truth and exclamation, pierced through Emma, setting her blood afire again, making her breath catch under the intensity. The passion, the need, interwoven with overshadowing love, enveloped Emma into a warm feeling that she had never felt before. Love, with all its aspects and facets. She felt her own body thrumming in accord, agreeing with Regina's silent statement, and replying in kind. The gentle loving smile appearing on Regina's kiss swollen lips told her that she was successful in her answer.

They were lost in each other, loath to move or speak. But their insulated bubble in time popped when a knock sounded from the door. "It's me, with breakfast and children." The voice of Emma's mother came from the other side. Regina leaned in and placed a chaste kiss onto Emma's lips, before she graciously moved of her and bed, and opened the door, letting the guests in. Firstly, Henry rushed in, carrying Kyle in his arms, followed by Snow who held a tray filled with food, lifting it up a bit as a peace offering for interrupting them.

When Snow entered the room she saw that her daughter looked better already, her anguished look all but disappeared. However, the slight gauntness and the weary shadows remained, reminding the pixie haired woman that the recovery would be a lasting process. With gratitude, she turned to Regina and felt her own face shape into a smile when she saw the slightly embarrassed woman in front of her. She had no doubt that her arrival had interrupted them in something she chose not to dwell on. Lowering the tray onto the bedside table, Snow watched Emma talk to Henry as Regina had taken the baby out of his hands.

"She looks better," Snow commented, standing close to Regina, using Kyle as a cover from Emma. As Regina was nuzzling the youngest one, she only hummed in agreement. "Do you need anything else?" the pixie haired woman asked, ready to fulfill any request Regina might have had. But when the other woman shook her head in the negative, Snow brought her palms together and walked to her daughter. She sat down onto the bed, kissing Emma's forehead in purely motherly fashion, knowing it would embarrass the Savior who was not used to such expressions. And, Emma decided not to disappoint, moving slightly away from the still unexpected tender gesture that still made her uncomfortable. She looked into the gentle green eyes of her mother and shrugged her shoulders at the obvious question in them.

It was strange for Emma to see the same expression in two similar sets of eyes, one from each side of her. As her look furtively moved from her mother to her son, and back, she tried to ease their concern by letting a smile cover her face. But, she knew instantly that she did not fool anyone. Her son watched her carefully, his gaze reminiscent of Regina's scrutinizing and intimidating look that he had copied perfectly. Unable to stand it anymore, she reached for the boy, pulling him into her exaggerated hug, despite his halfhearted protests. She did not want to burden him with her own failures, he had been through too much already. So, hiding his head into her shoulder, she turned her head towards Snow, looking into the eyes that she had inherited, letting her insecurities and pain regarding the situation become visible on her face for several moments, just enough so her mother would see. And, luckily, Snow knew her daughter well enough to understand the need for the silence on such matters. When the pixie haired woman nodded in compliance and with understanding, Emma sighed, easing her grip around Henry.

The boy pushed gently away instantly, settling down more comfortably on the bed, leaving enough space for his other mother to sit, or lie down. He had made a promise to his grandmother that he would not be in the way, and that he would listen to Regina's instructions to the letter, for Emma was ill. Although he had known about Emma's problem before, the amount of worry he had seen in Snow's face and behavior only made him more concerned about his mother. He had seen her the day before, soon after she had saved Elias and Robert, and he had noticed the shadows on her face, but he had not spent much time on them, because he had been too occupied with possibility that Emma had been looking for a way to create a portal. Because he had wanted one.

A hand came onto his shoulder, just as the mattress dipped to one side as Regina lied down, with the small tyke in her arms. She looked into his eyes, her glare chastising and soothing at the same time, her frown indicative enough for Henry to know why he was being reprimanded. She was his mother in the full sense of the word, and as such, she had known his feelings and turmoil even before he experienced it. That had been how she had known he had been acting strangely the day before, making him confess in the matter of minutes, and how she knew now that he was troubled with Emma's sickness.

"She would do it anyways," Regina whispered softly into his ear, covering the move by kissing his temple. "That is just who she is. It's not your fault." The soothing tone of hushed words eased his burden, but when he glanced up into the kind chocolate eyes, she saw his reluctance to believe her. Glancing toward the blonde and her mother on the other side of the bed, she noticed the two women were lost in conversation of their own. Returning her gaze to the boy beside her, she smiled gently, shifting a bit to make herself more comfortable. "Isn't that a hero's duty?" she asked her son, imploring to his black and white sense of right and wrong. "To find a way for everyone to be happy?"

Henry knew she was right. He knew that Emma would have done everything in her power to appease everyone she loved, proving his point that she was a hero through and through. He nodded sadly, glancing toward his other mother. Looking back at Regina, he nodded again, and lowered his head onto pillow, letting Emma's voice wash over him.

Snow enjoyed the easy conversation with her daughter. It reminded her of the time when she was a friend to the blonde, in a shape of Mary Margaret, the town's teacher. The effortlessness of their chatting was something she missed greatly since the curse broke, as every conversation henceforth was filled with uncomfortable silences and expectations from both sides, stilting them in their need to express themselves. But, now, this new happier Emma was much easier to enjoy talking with. However, for the past several moments a comfortable silence fell on them, as Emma was looking to her left, at the woman playing with the youngest one in the room. The tender and affectionate look in expressive green eyes, followed by gentle happy glow on the blonde's face, made Snow smile in response. The obvious adoration her daughter had for the brunette was heartwarming to see. But, the answering kind smirk on Regina's lips and the fierce devotion unhidden in her eyes, when the former Evil Queen glanced toward the Savior, was what stole Snow's heart away. Never had she seen so powerful emotion playing out on Regina's face, not even when she had been gripped in the haze of revenge and hatred. Suddenly, she felt she was intruding on a very private moment, so she slowly rose from the bed, and sneaked out of the room, confident that the women had not noticed her exit, lost in their loving regard.

"Emma?" a soft voices of a nearly forgotten boy startled them, and blinking away at the interruption, the blonde looked down at her son, aware that her cheeks were slightly heated with blush. As she cleared her throat to gain more time, she noticed from the corner of her eye that Snow had left, and that Regina was turning away to bring the food onto the bed.

"Yeah?" she spoke, seeing his smirk playing around his lips. His mischievous look told her that he was well aware of what he had interrupted, and that he wanted their, well her attention.

"If you are going to be all mushy and gross, I can leave." Henry then looked at his other mother, grin splitting his face, hopeful glint showing in his eyes. "Elias wanted me to join them in an excursion." At his earnest try to be an adult and a child at the same time made the blonde Savior chuckle with glee and embarrassment at the same time. There is nothing as humiliating as a child you are in charge of reprimanding you.

"You don't want to spend your time with us?" Emma asked, acting affronted with his blatant choice to leave them alone. In all truth, she did not have her breakfast yet, and she was already feeling her limbs getting heavier with tiredness. She did want to be with Henry, and Kyle, and all the others, but she still felt drained.

"I am with you every day." Henry carefully climbed over Emma and got off the bed, taking one of his blonde's mother's hands. "There are more interesting things out here." He spoke with teasing smirk, his gaze encompassing his both mothers. Then, he came closer to Emma and leaned into her space, looking into her face, tracing her darkened skin under her eyes. "And, I know you still need to rest," he spoke gently, his face turning all serious and worried, in such perfect mixture of Regina's and Snow's mannerisms that Emma was left dumbfounded at his words. "I can take him, if you want," he offered to his other mother, waving at the baby with silly expression on his face.

"Would you?"

"Yeah, Grandma is already calling him a second grandson," Henry spoke without thought, taking the peaceful child into his arms. Then he looked into Regina's startled face and leaned his head to his shoulder, grinning at his adopted mother. "Mom? You know I am OK with it?"

"With what, dear?" Regina spoke automatically, still not seeing what he wanted to say.

"With him being my new brother." With those words he turned, and after a wave that Kyle imitated clumsily he left the room, leaving his mothers alone.

"Did he just say what I think he said?" Emma mumbled watching the closed door, before her eyes darted toward the brunette.

"If you are asking if our son just gave us a blessing for adopting Kyle, then yes, I believe he did."

"Oh, OK then, that is settled." Emma said calmly, picking up a piece of cheese from the plate on Regina's lap.

"What do you mean, it is settled? Emma, we didn't talk about this." Regina looked at her True Love with confusion. Yes, she wanted Kyle in her life, but she was not ready to enter into another bout of motherhood without Emma's full support and presence. It may have been selfish, but she did not want to do it alone ever again. And, she would never force Emma into parenthood. So, in the true fashion of a former, and apparently reinstated, Mayor – she had been going to bring it up for discussion.

"What is there to talk about?" Emma looked at Regina and leaned toward the woman, snatching another bit of cheese. At the incredulous look that crossed the brunette's face, Emma quickly abandoned her reckless approach and took one of Regina's hands into her own. "I have seen you with him, Regina. I had felt your joy with him. I would never stand in the way of any moments of happiness you have, I hope you know that." Her earnest look shook Regina to the core and she was unable to reply. "And, honestly, the little tyke had grown on me." Squeezing the hand in one of hers, Emma came closer to the silent woman and smiled gently into the dark eyes. "It would be great to experience it from the beginning," she whispered wistfully, as she revealed her desire to see a child grow up. Suddenly she straightened up, uncomfortable with the vulnerability she had shown and the envy she had expressed, and turned away from Regina, hiding her eyes from the other woman.

Regina noticed the abrupt change and frowned at it. During their melds, she could feel Emma's jealousy of her for all the memories she had with Henry – his first step, first word, first scrape… Even with the shared memories, the blonde wanted to see it for herself and it was something that Regina could understand. What she could not understand was Emma's sudden sensitivity to the topic. "Emma?" she inquired, sitting up on the bed, pushing the plate away, still having her fingers of one hand intertwined with the blonde's. Leaning her head on Emma's shoulder from behind, she felt the blonde exhale sharply. "I want that too," she whispered softly, letting her breath pass over Emma's skin, smiling with satisfaction as she saw the hairs stand out on their ends. "But, only if you are willing to be there every step of the way." She kissed Emma's shoulder blade just because it was there.

Emma turned her head toward Regina and leaned her lips onto the waiting ones with a soft moan, accepting the unsaid and much appreciated invite into their life together. They had not talked about them yet, not in the practical sense of what they were technically. Here, in the Enchanted Forest, they had been forced to react from situation to situation, but in Maine, they would need to make some definite choices.

"So, I guess I am moving in?" Emma spoke, her lips still on Regina's. When the brunette chuckled in answer, Emma deepened the kiss, enjoying the slow burn it was igniting. Moments turned into minutes, and after a while Regina pulled away, going with her free hand through Emma's hair.

"We need to talk," she spoke seriously, noticing the sudden change in Emma's eyes. Quickly, she reassured the blonde with another tender kiss, cursing herself for the wording of her request. "Not about us, I presume we are pretty clear on where we stand with that particular topic. But, we do need to talk."

"I know," Emma whispered back, her grimace almost painful. Yes, they needed to talk – about what they were to do about the portals, the two months until a fresh batch of beans was ready and many other things that meant a lot of serious chatting, plan devising, and probably many headaches and arguments. "But, not now. Not yet. Let us enjoy this time just a little bit more."

At the pleading quality in Emma's voice, Regina frowned with concern, nodding even before she considered her answer. She could give her blonde Savior one more day, especially when the proclaimed hero was apprehensive about their impending conversation. "Alright," she voiced her agreement, and pulled the blonde down into her previous position and placed the plate with breakfast in between them, signaling that the particular conversation was over.