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Regina's hands clutched desperately at her 1,000 count Egyptian cotton sheets. Her chest heaved with gasping breaths. The brunette's normally stoic face contorted in pain and fear. A single tear rolled down her cheek. The comforter was crumpled on the floor. Legs became twisted within the blankets while trying to escape the nightmare playing behind closed eyelids.

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She was trapped. Pinned beneath the stinking, grunting, pig that was now her husband. Just hours ago she walked what felt like her death march down the royal aisle. The aging King stood waiting for her, stooped slightly under the weight of his years. The weight of his crown sat heavily on his balding head. It was said that King Leopold ruled his kingdom with an iron fist, and it soon became apparent that he planned on ruling his wife with the same violence.

She was waiting for him in the royal bed chamber, wringing her hands uselessly as a servant prepared the bed. A new, clean, white sheet was laid out for her. She was told to lie on the bed and wait for the King. He entered the room carrying with him the smell of ale and stale sweat. His face cracked into a gruesome imitation of a smile. Without ceremony he divested himself of his pants and clambered onto the bed. He roughly shoved her knees apart with and settled between her legs. A second later he thrust into her, sheathing himself entirely. She screamed out in pain, feeling as if she was being split in half by his length. Without giving her time to adjust to his intrusion he began thrusting into her roughly at a punishing pace. She continued to scream and tried to scratch him in the face. This was met with further violence; the King stopped his thrusting momentarily to backhand her across the face, splitting her lip and bruising her jaw. He immediately began pounding into her again. The only sounds in the royal bed chamber that night were Regina's screams and the King's grunting. He finished abruptly inside of her, groaning and shuddering. He rolled off of her now limp body, and wiped his member of her virginal blood with the sheet.

A servant appeared out of nowhere and removed Regina from the royal bed chamber. She was shown to a small room separate from the King's, it would become her prison. The young Queen did not sleep that night, and as the suns rays began to filter through her solitary window she heard cheering from the courtyard. She limped to the window, curiosity getting the better of her. The blood soaked sheet from her marital bed was being held on display as proof of the royal consummation. Seeing so much of her own blood caused the brunette to double over and vomit up the meager contents of her stomach.

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Across town in the small bedroom above her parents, Emma Swan tossed and turned violently. The blankets had already been kicked to the foot of the bed, and the pillows were being batted onto the floor. She was fighting an invisible opponent, scratching and clawing at her own skin unknowingly.

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This was her 4th foster home this year alone. She sat on the sagging mattress with a sigh, carelessly throwing the duffel bag containing all of her worldly possessions to the floor. She bent over and began untying her worn tennis shoes. Blond curls obstructed her view of the door, and she wasn't aware that it had opened until a floor board creaked under added weight.

"I'm here to welcome you to our home Emma. I just want to give you some rules. As long as you follow them, we'll get along just fine."

Emma quickly looked up at the intruder. This man looked dead inside. There was no light behind his blue eyes at all. The cruel smirk he wore only added to his nearly demonic presence. "

Rule number one, you will call me Daddy. Rule number two, you will do what I ask without question or complaint. Rule number three you will tell no one of what goes on in this house. If you break any of the rules, you won't like the consequences." He sat down next to her on the bed and patted his knee, "Why don't you come and sit on Daddy's lap?"

"Look mister, you're not my daddy and I ain't gonna sit in your lap!" Emma exclaimed leaping off of the bed. Before she could get more than 2 steps his hand had encircled her skinny bicep in an iron grip. He yanked hard, and threw her back onto the bed. "

I told you all you had to do was follow the rules… but no, you think you're too good to sit with Daddy. I'll just have to teach you that you're not." He ground out through clenched teeth.

Emma cowered on the bed, knees pulled up to her chin. He unbuckled his belt and drew it through the belt loops agonizingly slowly. With a crack, the belt came down on her legs. She screamed, and not for the last time that night. He hit, and hit and hit. Sweat began to accumulate on his brow as Emma's pale skin became a field of red and purple welts. He dropped the belt to the ground and sat back on the bed.

"Now, why don't you come and sit on Daddy's lap like a good girl?" he asked. Emma crawled over to him, and did as he asked. She sat on his lap, feeling a hard bulge pressed against her rear through his jeans and the thin fabric of her skirt. Terror gripped her heart. His hand slowly crept us her bruised thigh and under her skirt.

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Simultaneously, Regina Mills and Emma Swan cried out in their sleep and bolted upright in their respective beds. Their faces were swollen, and streaked with tears and sweat. Blonde and brunette panted hard, trying to breathe through the panic. Almost as one, they got up from bed and made their way to the bathroom.

The blonde squeezed herself into the small shower stall and turned the water on scorching hot. She began scrubbing herself vigorously, trying to finally wash him off, not that she ever could. As her skin turned pink from the heat, she fumbled above her head along the ledge of the stall. Her fingers found what they sought and she pulled down her razor blade from its hiding place. Working quickly and furiously Emma cut her thighs over and over until her hand was cramped painfully around the razor. She let it drop to the floor and tuned around to face the faucet. The water had run cold in the time she took to absolve herself. She shivered under the frigid spray until her legs stopped bleeding and all the evidence had been washed away.

The brunette stepped into her spacious multi-head shower and turned the water on full blast. The water was freezing cold, and she left it that way. She picked up one of the only things she had brought to Storybrooke with her, an antique straight razor. Regina flipped the blade open and pressed it into the flesh of her thigh. She slowly pulled the blade over her skin with enough pressure that it parted like the red sea. Blood poured down her leg, pooling on the floor. She watched as the icy water began to wash it down the drain. She felt like she was bleeding out a little part of her nightmare, cleansing her body of someone else's sin.

Chapter Text

Emma Swan was slumped over her signature cup of hot chocolate with whipped cream and cinnamon when Regina Mills charged into Granny's Diner. It was early, too early for real human interaction so Emma had been doing her best to avoid eye contact. She felt a tingling sensation in the base of her skull, causing her to turn around and look straight into rich chocolate brown eyes. She gifted the mayor with a small but sincere smile. Since their experience in Neverland, the women had come to secretly consider each other friends.

Regina made her way over to the counter where Emma had been saving her a seat on the sly. She casually draped her coat over the chair and placed her briefcase on the counter. "Good morning Sherriff Swan."

"I guess you could call it that" Emma said wryly. She brought the steaming mug to her mouth, darting her pink tongue out to get a taste of the whipped cream.

Regina found herself reluctantly transfixed by the glistening muscle coated in cream. Thankfully she was interrupted by Ruby coming to take her order. "What can I get you Madam Mayor?"

"Just the usual Ruby, but add a shot of espresso to my coffee please." The waitress had been pleasantly surprised by Regina's decreasing hostility since her return from Neverland. She couldn't help but suspect it had something to do with the blonde sheriff and they're increasingly obvious friendship. Ruby darted out back to fill the mayor's order.

"Rough night your highness?" Emma asked. The brunette huffed, and tried her best to look annoyed with her blunt companion. "If you must know princess" emphasis was put on the title knowing how much the blonde resented it, "I didn't sleep very well."

"Hmmm" Emma sighed, "me either. Couldn't get my brain to shut up."

"There a brain in that thick skull of yours?" Regina deadpanned.

The blonde snatched a lock of the dark queen's hair and tugged less than gently. "Hey! I've got plenty of brains. Your son inherited a good portion of them after all. It's not like he got his smarts from daddy dearest."

Regina couldn't help but snort in response. It was true that Henry's father was lacking a little in the intelligence department. At least he was handsome, in a scruffy sort of way, which he had managed to pass on to her son. However, one could very well give credit for Henry's good looks to his mother. Emma was a striking woman after all. Beautiful even, especially when she would let down her walls enough to truly smile.

Completely sidetracked by thoughts of the sheriffs beauty Regina was once again startled from her thoughts by their waitress. "Here you go Madam Mayor, veggie omelet with a large coffee and extra shot of espresso."

"Thank you dear. Good day Miss Swan. Try not to over tax that busy brain of yours today." Regina shot out over her shoulder as she left the diner. Emma swiveled in her chair to watch the brunette's departure. "Sad she had to leave, but love to watch her go," Ruby whispered in the blonde's ear. She nearly choked on her hot cocoa, "Ruby! I don't… I mean… UGH! You're so infuriating!"

"Only stating the obvious" the werewolf sing-songed. "Don't forget, wolfy senses here. I can see both of your eyes dilate and hear your increased heart rates around each other. I used to think it was fueled by hatred, but now I'm beginning to think the exact opposite." With that bomb dropped, Ruby picked up her coffee pot and went to give some much needed refills.

Emma sat at the counter drinking her lukewarm hot cocoa and staring at the door through which Regina had so recently passed.

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Emma sighed deeply as she once again looked up at the clock. This day was seriously dragging. Since leaving Granny's this morning she had been buried up to her elbows in paperwork, only getting a brief reprieve to literally get a cat out of a tree. A torn pair of skinny jeans and some scratches to her hands later she was back to her seemingly endless sentence of unrelenting boredom. If she didn't know any better she would think that Regina purposely created this many forms in need of her signature.

Thoughts of the dark woman seemed to constantly invade her thoughts these days. Since returning from Neverland they had fallen into the comfortable routine of raising their son together. Henry was no longer a child torn between two mothers; he belonged to them both equally. Emma found that she actually enjoyed co-parenting with Regina. The other woman was fiercely protective of and stern with Henry, but the flip side was that she loved Henry deeply and unconditionally. That's how the sheriff would have wanted to feel as a child, if she had been given any choice in the matter.

Instead Emma had been passed from one crappy foster home to another until finally setting off on her own. And we all know how well that had gone. She had been charmed, impregnated, conned and imprisoned before finally learning to stand on her own two feet. And that's how she spent her life, until Henry showed up on her door step, completely and utterly alone. With another long suffering sigh Emma check the clock. Time was finally on her side, it was five o'clock and she could put her pen down for the day.

She quickly donned her red leather jacket, shut off the lights and locked up the station as she left. It was Friday, and that meant family dinner night. Emma had never had a family dinner night before, let alone a family dinner, and it was something she treasured beyond measure. It was one night a week where she had a home cooked meal, prepared by the mother of her son no less. She got to unwind from a busy week with Henry and Regina, catch up on all the best gossip from Storybrook Middle School and listen to the dark queen's sarcastic commentary.
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Regina was just pulling the lasagna from the oven when she heard the tell-tale thundering of Henry's feet on the floor above her head indicating that he had seen his blonde mother walking up the drive. "Henry! Slow down before you trip over your own feet. Miss Swan can wait a few moments to have you open the door in one piece!" The footsteps slowed to a more reasonable pace as her son descended the stairs.

As she placed the hot pan on the table Emma entered the room, one arm slung over Henry's shoulders companionably while the other was gesticulating wildly as she told the boy about her day. It was then that Regina noted the torn jeans and scratched hands. "Sheriff Swan, why is it that you look as if you've fallen out of a tree?" Regina asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"Well, Madam Mayor, you're not far from the truth. Your office can expect a bill for these jeans, they were my favorite, and were ruined in the line of duty. Not to mention the cost of Band-Aids and antibiotic cream."

"Oh, I can't wait to hear this one. Henry hurry up and set the table so that you mother can tell us about her most recent misadventure."

The boy scampered from the room to fulfill his mother's request. He was so happy to not only have both of his mom's in one room, but to have them getting along. Being rescued from Pan by their combined effort had made him realize the extent of their love for him. He would do anything in his power to keep his little family together. When he returned to the dining room he was happy to see the women in their usual seats. The lasagna smelled delicious, he had a whole weekend to look forward to, and his family was actually acting like a family!

Regina couldn't stop herself from admiring the sparkle in Emma's green eyes as she told them about her heroic effort to save the cat. After finishing her slightly embellished tale, she made sure to ask Henry about his day paying rapt attention to every detail. The mayor had to admit that she appreciated the woman's dedication to her son's… no their son's… happiness. Her determination to be involved in Henry's life, no matter how difficult Regina had made it, was remarkable. She could only wish that her own mother had been so concerned with her wellbeing and happiness. In fact, she thought that her life may have been remarkably less difficult if her mother had been just a little bit more like Emma Swan.

She was drawn from her musing by Emma getting up to clear the table. "Alright Henry, go ahead a take a shower would ya. You kind of stink buddy!" She ruffled his hair affectionately while walking past his seat with a pile of dishes. Henry got up, kissed Regina on the cheek, and went to bathe. That left the ladies to continue in their routine of washing and drying.
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Later that evening after Henry had been tucked safely in bed; Regina had poured herself a glass of cider while opening a beer, which she had started keeping on hand, for Emma. They sat on opposite ends of the couch, feet up on the coffee table, watching late night reruns of Judge Judy. Both women caught themselves staring, and being stared at throughout the evening. Over the course of several episodes, and several drinks, the women had unconsciously moved closer together. Like magnets they had been drawn across the couch by an unseen force and were now sitting shoulder to shoulder, bodies touching from hip to foot.

Neither knew who started it, and neither cared, suddenly they were crashing against each other like waves upon the shore. Fingers wound their way into hair, nails scratched at the nape of necks, teeth nibbled on full bottom lips. One mouth gasped into another and tongues met for the first time in a dance as old as time. They pulled apart, gasping breathlessly and looked into each other's eyes.

As Regina met Emma's lust laden gaze a knot, that she didn't even know was there, loosened in her chest. For Emma, something that had always been missing from her life clicked into place as she stared in chocolate pools of unimaginable depth. With a click of her fingers Regina engulfed the pair in purple smoke and transported them into her bedroom.

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The women appeared in a cloud of swirling purple smoke on top of Regina's luxurious four poster bed. Emma was momentarily disoriented by their sudden transition, and Regina took full advantage. She began kissing a trail from the blonde's jaw to her collar bone, tongue peeking out and flicking over her pulse point before nipping at it playfully.

This jolted Emma back to reality, and not one to sit idly by she began her own exploration of the brunette's body with her very talented hands. She began unbuttoning Regina's shirt, paying attention to each inch of skin revealed. Meanwhile Regina had not let up and had pulled off Emma's button down, leaving her in a skimpy tank top and lacy bra. Emma finished divesting Regina of her blouse and quickly ripped off her own top.

Both women leaned back and took a moment to appreciate the other's exposed torso. While Regina's tanned and toned abdomen was unblemished, Emma's pale skin had several even paler scars. This did not detract from Regina's attraction to the blond at all, and she made a mental note to ask about them later.

Emma's breath caught in her throat as she watched Regina remove her bra. She tossed it aside casually, looking up at the blonde with her signature smirk. Emma didn't hesitate for a moment, and dove forward capturing an already stiffened nipple in her warm mouth. She licked and sucked the bud into a hard peak, biting down less than gently before moving to the other breast.

Regina had begun panting, and couldn't help but weave her fingers into blonde tresses encouraging Emma to stay right where she was. Emma stopped momentarily, ripping a groan of displeasure for the dark queen's throat. She couldn't help but grin at the effect she was already having on the brunette. She reached back and unclasped her own bra before throwing it to the floor.

Regina was in awe of at the expanse of smooth milky flesh begging for her attention. She reached out and grasped one breast in each hand, rolling the pink nipples between experienced fingers and causing Emma to cry out. "Fuck, Regina!"

Not one to be outdone, the blonde used her superior strength to flip her dark counterpart onto her back. She slowly pressed her weight onto Regina's torso, unable to hold her hips still once she felt their nipples pressed together. Regina moaned loudly as Emma's hips rolled into hers. The sheriff crashed her lips into the mayor's. She continued grinding her pelvis in time with the squeezing of the brunette's hands on her hips.

Both women were becoming oxygen deprived, and separated for some much needed air. Emma leaned her forehead against Regina's and looked down into her dark brown eyes. All she could see was undiluted passion, attraction and lust. She smiled and began trailing her hand down to the button of Regina's slacks. Never stopping the eye contact she popped the button and started on the fly.

Regina froze. The last person to see her naked had been Graham and she had simply glamoured over her scars. She and Emma had become close since Neverland, and she felt that glamouring the scars was like lying to the sheriff. She was torn from her inner turmoil by the blonde gently kissing her temple and whispering in her ear "It's ok, we don't need to do anything you're not ready for." That single sentence made up Regina's mind. "No, Emma I want this. So very much."

Emma graced her with a genuine smile and Regina left out a breath she didn't know she was holding. Emma tugged on the zipper and sat back on her knees. She grasped the waist of Regina's slacks and gently pulled them down her legs, never breaking eye contact. She tossed the pants somewhere off the bed and began trailing her finger tips up Regina's shaking legs. When her fingers touched the first ridge of scar tissue, she couldn't help but look down.

The formerly evil queen's thighs were decorated with a collage of long deep scars, and some newly healing cuts. Emma took a deep shuddering breath and began tracing them lovingly with her fingers. She bent over and kissed each leg, "you're so beautiful Regina" she said as tears trailed their way down her cheeks and landed on olive skin.

Emma crawled up Regina's body, and gently turned her beautiful tear streaked face to meet her own. She leaned in and kissed the queen, gently and lovingly. While doing so she began pulling off her jeans, kicking them down and off of her long legs. Pulling away, she looked into her lovers terrified and vulnerable eyes. Emma sat up, and leaned back. She grasped the brunette's hand and placed it over some of her own scars.

Regina gasped and looked down at the blonde's thighs. Much like her own, they were covered in a complicated web of old scars, healing cuts and fresh wounds. "Oh Emma," she sighed "if only we had realized sooner just how alike we really are." With speed and strength that was surprising given her small frame, Regina flipped Emma on her back and pressed herself on top of her, leaving no space at all between them. She began placing small kisses across Emma's face, down her neck and onto her stomach. She paid special attention to the scars on the pale stomach in front of her, having a new understanding of how they may have gotten there.

Once she reached her legs, she gave Emma's self-inflicted wounds the same loving attention that hers had received a few moments earlier. Once she was satisfied that she had kissed every one, she returned to her position on top of the blonde. While kissing Emma deeply, Regina gently parted her drenched folds, easily finding her engorged clit. She circled the little bud causing Emma to gasp and curse, "God. Fuck! Regina… need more."

Regina moved her slender fingers to Emma's entrance and inserted two of them agonizingly slowly to the hilt. "Yes!" Emma cried. After giving the blond a moment to become acclimated to her intrusion, the brunette began to thrust slow and deep into Emma's tight wet pussy. Sitting up briefly, she grabbed Emma's hand and moved it to cup her now flooded core. "I need to feel you too, beautiful" she groaned. Emma didn't waste a second, after circling Regina's clit several times, she slid two fingers deep into the queen. They both stilled and gazed into each other's eyes, knowing that what they were doing tonight would change everything.

Emma leaned up to capture Regina's lips with her own, and began thrusting in earnest. It only took a few minutes for them to begin feeling the tell tale tightening of quivering walls around their fingers. This only intensified their already frantic pace. The dark queen and the light princess came screaming at the same time.

Regina rolled off of Emma, and lay at her side. "I guess we should talk," she said. "Oh, no way. That was way too amazing for talking. Sleep now, talk tomorrow" Emma replied.

Regina laid her head on Emma's chest and sighed contentedly. Emma squeezed Regina tightly, and then began tracing soothing patterns against her warm skin. The pair fell asleep in each other's arms and both slept through the night for the first time they could remember.

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Regina woke as the sun's rays filtered in through gauzy curtains, warming her exposed skin. She stretched languidly, feeling well rested for the first time in a long time. Her muscles were deliciously sore in all the right places. She smiled to herself, images of last night flitting through her mind.

She looked to her left and found the long curve of Emma's back, the roundness of her firm ass disappearing under the sheet. Last night Regina had familiarized herself with the front of her lover. In the light of day she had a chance to explore the rest of her. The blonde's back was littered with scars. Some were just small white dots while some were long, raised, pink scars and there were several obvious cigarette burns.

Regina couldn't help but growl lowly, enraged that someone had dared touch what was hers in such a way. Emma, ever the soft sleeper chose that moment to roll over and look up into the brunette's face.

Emma looked up into face of the woman she had been waiting her entire life for. Regina was gorgeous, made even more so by mixture of emotions written across her unguarded face. Normally so stoic, it was stunning to see the brunette as she truly was. "What is it babe?" She asked while reaching her hand to cup the mayor's sculpted cheek. "Your back, Emma, what… who, did that to you?" Regina asked hesitantly.

Emma pulled her knees into her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs in a familiar protective gesture. She looked down at the bed and took a deep breath. "Gina, my life, it was pretty far from a fairy tale. I had a few bad foster homes before I finally ran." She finally looked up into her lover's blazing eyes, not understanding what she discovered while searching the scorching gaze.

"Oh, Emma, I am so sorry!" Regina cried. "I will never forgive myself for what happened to you." She made to get up from the bed, but Emma stilled her movements by firmly grasping the brunette's hand in hers. "Regina, what happened in my past is not your fault. The people who were supposed to protect me, love me, they're the ones to blame."

"But, if I hadn't been so hell bent on revenge the curse wouldn't have been cast. You would never have ended up in this horrible world." Tears began to stream down the queen's face, flowing faster than Emma could wipe them away.

Regina was devastated. She couldn't believe how selfish she had been. The evil queen had had no regard for any one's pain but her own. Once again, she was pulled from her thoughts by the feel of warm skin against her own. Emma had unfurled from the fetal position to throw her arms around the brunette in a fierce hug. The blonde pulled away and looked at Regina with fury, daring the mayor to defy her.

"Listen to me Regina Mills, and listen well. I've had my entire life to think about this. The only people to blame for my childhood are my charming parents. My mother put me in a fucking magical tree and sent me away. She had no idea what my fate would be, but she made the choice to entrust magic, the very thing she despised, with an infant. I would have been so much better off being cursed. Storybrook is pretty much heaven after what I lived through." She took a deep breath, during which Regina opened her mouth to speak. She was cut off by a long slender finger pressed against her lips.

"I'm not done yet. I know you Gina. When I look into your eyes, I see myself. Whatever your reasoning was for casting the curse, I know it was so that you could escape. But you couldn't really. Your thighs are proof of that. And somehow, all of this comes back to Snow."

Emma ran her fingers through her hair, both trying to tame her sex hair and giving herself a moment to form the right words. "Yeah, my life kind of sucked. It was pretty fucking terrible actually. But if you hadn't cast the curse we wouldn't have Henry. And I would never have met you. I would have been locked in some enchanted tower, being guarded against the one person who could ever really love me."

Emma couldn't believe she had just dropped the "L" bomb, but desperate times called for desperate measures. She knew in her heart, deep down in her soul, that she had been made love to for the first time last night. And, it had been worth the wait. She just had to get Regina through the guilt phase and into the fucking like bunnies phase.

Regina was completely taken aback by Emma's use of the word love. She hadn't meant to leave herself so exposed last night. But it was true, she had fallen for the princess. The sheriff had slowly wormed her way into her dark heart, and was now embedded so deep that there was no turning back.

"I guess it's time that I told you my story Emma" The queen started. "Snow was certainly the catalyst for the curse. However, my own mother set things in motion long before she was a twinkle in Leopold's eye."

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"My childhood was picture perfect, from the outside at least. Two doting parents, beautiful dresses, social engagements, lessons in all things befitting a lady of stature in the enchanted forest. From the inside however, life was a routine of cruelty and torture. My mother was ambitious, to say the least. She increased her own status through marriage, and was determined to further increase it through her children. I was the only child she was ever given to work with. It wasn't until adulthood that I realized she had let her ambition drive her to heartlessness, literally."

Regina was startled when Emma reached over and gently placed a hand on her knee, letting her know that she wasn't alone. The brunette took a deep breath and gave her princess a shaky smile.

"My father was a kind man. He loved me, and when mother wasn't looking he spoiled me the best he could. My father was also weak, and selfish. He refused to stand up to mother and remove my suffering at the cost of his marriage. In this way, he's just as responsible as her.

My mother tried to beat me into being the perfect daughter. She wanted to turn me into a queen carved in her own image. She magically removed any blemishes caused by her abuse. She only ever left me with one physical reminder of her torment." Regina traced a trembling finger along the length of the scar maring her otherwise perfect face.

Emma took Regina's hand in her own, and slowly leaned over kissing the scar tenderly. "This scar only makes you more beautiful Gina. A testament to the strength it took to live through your abuse." Looking into Emma's sincere green eyes, Regina found the strength to continue with her story.

"I know that by now you've heard the story of Daniel, and his death by my mother's hand spurred on by Snow's betrayal. What no one knows is that mother didn't think the death of my true love was punishment enough for the sin of trying to leave her.

Later that night, in the privacy of her chamber, mother magically held me down and carved up my face with my father's straight razor. The pain was agonizing, it felt as if she was peeling my face from my skull. I screamed until I had no breath, no voice, but it fell on deaf ears, including those of my father. I could feel my hot, sticky blood rolling down my face and neck. The coppery smell filled my nostrils to the point of nausea. I vomited on myself, and mothers dress. It was at that point she cut out my tongue. I promptly passed out.

When I woke up, the pain was gone but I was still covered in rivers of dried blood and vomit. The magic had been released while I was out, and I was able to get up. Dread filled my gut as I approached the mirror. What I found was both delightful and horrifying. Mother had removed all signs of the blade, except for this one scar. She left it as a reminder that she could do it again, anytime she wanted."

Regina had run out of steam, tears were streaming down her face and her whole body was shaking. Emma chose that moment to pull the brunette into her lap rubbing soothing circles on her back and whispering sweet nothing's into her ear. Eventually the queen's tears slowed and her shaking stopped. She sat up and took a deep breath, ready to continue. Emma cut her off before she could begin, "Gina, you don't have to tell me any more today. You don't have to tell me any more ever. I know beyond doubt that you had your reasons for the curse, and I have never blamed you for the way my life turned out."

"No Emma, I have to finish. You are the only person who deserves to hear the whole story, and I want to tell you before we get more… involved.

Soon after that night I was married to the king, your grandfather. He was loved by his people, worshiped by his daughter, and inspired loyalty in his soldiers and staff. He was a rapist. It started the night of our wedding, and continued almost daily for the extent of our marriage. I was never once a willing participant in our coupling, although there did come a point where I just shut down and took his punishment. It was always worse when I fought him.

Almost two years into our marriage, I fell pregnant. I was so relieved, thinking that my condition would stop his physical attention, at least for a little while. When I told Leopold the news, he was ecstatic. He immediately announced it to the kingdom, and a celebration was held in honor of the unborn child. Several months passed in relative peace. Snow and I worked side by side on knitting baby blankets and clothes. The king left me alone, except to occasionally run his hand over my belly, which was beginning to swell.

Then one night I was startled awake by his entrance into my personal chamber. I sat up quickly in bed, trying to cover myself with the sheets. As he approached I could smell the alcohol coming off him in waves. He was always especially violent when drunk. He ripped the sheets from my body, grabbed me by the ankles and pulled me flat on my back. I tried to argue with him, for the sake of the child, but it was of no use.

He pried my legs apart and proceeded to rape me. It went on for hours, just when I thought he was finished he would turn me over and take me from a different position. It felt as if he were impaling me on an iron rod. I began to feel something trickling onto my thighs. It was quickly followed by the smell of blood, and I knew that something was wrong. I begged him to stop, to get a doctor, to think of his child. My words fell on deaf ears. He eventually finished with me, pulled up his pants and left the room. By the time the sun was rising I had lost my child."

Regina paused, and dared to look up at Emma's face. Instead of the hatred and disgust she expected to see, all she found was empathy and love. "Oh my god, Regina, I don't have words for how sorry I am. You should never have had to go through that hell. The thought that it was my own flesh and blood who caused you such pain is sickening."

Encouraged, the queen continued. "It was that week the genie, Mr. Glass, came into my life. And using my pretty face, just like mother taught me, I was able to strike a deal. Leopold was killed, and I was left to rule in his stead. I think you know how the rest of the story goes."

Before Emma could formulate a response the women were interrupted by knocking on the door. "Mom! Is Emma in there with you? Her bug is outside, but I can't find her. I want to show her how to make pancakes!" Henry's enthusiasm brought small but real smiles to both of their faces.

"Yes dear, Emma is in here with me. Why don't you get the ingredients together and we'll be right down to make breakfast." The only response they received was the sound of their son's feet running down the hallway.

"Well my queen, it looks like we have to pause this for a while. But I want you to know that hearing the truth has done nothing to diminish my feelings for you. If anything, I admire you even more than I did last night." The blonde stood up and reached her hand out to Regina. The brunette clasped it, and allowed herself to be pulled up from the bed. "It looks like I'm the one who owes you a story now."

Regina smiled at Emma, keeping their hands together, "You don't owe me anything Emma. You never will. But when you're ready to tell me, I'll be here to listen." She opened the door, and led the blonde down the hallway towards their son.

Chapter Text

After a very messy lesson in the fine art of pancake making, Emma and Regina were cleaning up. They were watching Henry play in the back yard through the window over the sink. The brunette washed and the blonde dried. Their hands keep unconsciously brushing as they passed the utensils back and forth. As the sheriff pressed the side of her body, from shoulder to hip, into the mayor she let out a content sigh.

"What are you thinking dear?" asked Regina.

"That this is exactly what I hoped Henry would have. He's loved unconditionally. I mean, let's face it he was pretty terrible to you during his whole 'my mom is the evil queen' phase. He has a roof over his head. He eats home cooked meals every single day. He has never wanted for anything. Henry has no idea how lucky he is. And I am so happy about that." she took a deep breath, "'cuz I do know how lucky he is, and I wouldn't wish that one anyone. Thank you Regina, for loving my son, for caring for him even when he was a brat. You are exactly what I asked for when I made the decision to give him up for adoption."

Tears silently made their way down the queens regal face. "Emma, no words have ever made me happier. The last time Leopold touched me, and stole my child, he also took my ability to bear any future children. Henry was my only shot at being a mother, and I did everything in my power to do it right. I just wish someone had done right by you as well."

"The funny thing is Gina, you are the only person to do right by me. You've never lied to me. You've never used me. You've never abandoned or given up on me. You and Henry, you're all the family I've ever had. All the family I'll ever need." She gave the brunette's hand a gentle squeeze. "Now, let's go play with our son."

After several failed attempts at getting Regina to climb her apple tree with them, Emma and Henry decided they would catch a movie and eat dinner at Granny's instead. The sight of the trio together in public no longer garnered incredulous stares from the towns people. They made it though their movie and ordering their dinners peacefully. It was only as Ruby walked away from their booth, smiling like the cat that ate the canary, that the peace was disrupted by the appearance of the Charming's.

Their arrival was brought to Regina's attention by the twin tensing of mother and son. Since the announcement of Snow's pregnancy Henry had seen how hurt his blonde mother was. He also saw how his grandparents didn't see it. His feelings towards the couple had cooled considerably. It was his hand that found Emma's. "Do you want to get dinner to go Ma? We can go home and make Mom watch more movies!"

Emma's answer was interrupted by the appearance of the royal's at their booth. "Hi guys! Good to see you, it's been a while. Snow was having a craving for Granny's french fries." Charming said as he gently cupped Snow's baby bump.

"Hey Grandpa. We're actually getting our food to go. Having a family night in." Henry said, while pulling Emma from the booth and shooting Regina a look that clearly said "play along".

"That's right farmer boy, we were just leaving," Regina snarked at him as she gathered their things. Snow and Charming could only look on in disbelief as their family was led from the restaurant by their not so former nemesis.

Once they had cleared the building some of the color returned to Emma's face, and the tenseness began to leak from her body. "So, what movie do you want to watch Gina? It's only fair you should pick since Henry and I made you sit through Transformers."

Regina smiled at her lover, who was still clutching the hand of their growing son. "How about The Princess Bride?"

"Yes! I totally love that movie. I got to watch it a few times in one of my foster homes since they had it on tape. It was a good escape."

Regina couldn't help but be surprised at how easily Emma spoke about her childhood, even if it was over something as trivial as a movie. She could see her feelings reflected in the look on Henry's face. She knew he wanted to get to know his other mother better, and it warmed her heart to see that beginning to happen.

Later that evening, several bags of popcorn into their movie night Henry had fallen asleep with his head on Emma's shoulder and his feet in Regina's lap. Emma knew she had to get going soon, and began to quietly dislodge the sleeping teenager. "Ma, can you sleep here again tonight? I really like getting to wake up with both of you." She locked onto Regina's chocolate gaze in search of the right answer. "Yeah Emma, can we have another sleep over?" the smirking brunette asked.

"Well, since you both want me here I guess I don't have any choice but to stay. However, it's way past your bed time young man. Get some sleep so that you have energy for pancake lessons round two in the morning!"

Henry clambered to his feet and began to make his way upstairs. He looked back over his shoulder to see his mothers sliding closer to each other on the couch. He shook his head and smiled. "It's about time," he mumbled under his breath.

Regina was leaning against Emma's side. She had slipped her slender hand under her shirt and was drawing lazy patterns on the smooth skin of the blonde's toned stomach. Emma leaned over and began placing gentle kisses in Regina's hair, inhaling deeply to pull the brunette's delectable scent deep within her nostrils. As Regina's hand wandered she found one of the relatively few scars on Emma's front. Her fingers stopped their traveling, to gently trace the roughened skin.

The sheriff took a shuddering breath. "I only lived with that family for a few months. They weren't terrible at first, but the woman had a drinking problem. As she spiraled out of control I became her punching bag, and her ash tray. One of the burns became infected and a teacher noticed the pus leaking through my shirt. I was pulled from the home and given medical treatment. Within a few weeks I was sent to a different foster family. I wish they had left me with the drunk."

Regina looked into Emma's green eyes as she slowly lifted the shirt. She only broke eye contact to look at the scar briefly, then she bent down and placed a chaste kiss over the puckered skin. "When Henry was little I would kiss all of his injuries better, much like this. I wish someone had been there to kiss yours Em."

"Well, it's pretty nice to have you here kissing them now." Emma waggled her eyebrows at the queen to try and break some of the tension that had filled the room with her admission. Regina couldn't help but laugh and playfully slap the blonde on her arm. She quickly leaned in, erasing any space that had been between them, and connected their lips.

Chapter Text

Emma felt like she could kiss Regina forever, and never get tired of the feeling. The mayor's luscious lips captured her own, sucking the bottom one and nibbling it gently. The blonde moaned, opening her mouth to her dark lover. Regina jumped at the chance to progress their kiss and thrust her tongue into Emma's mouth commandingly.

While their tongues wrestled for dominance of the kiss, Emma's nimble fingers began unbuttoning Regina's blouse. She lightly scratched her nails down each inch of creamy skin she exposed. Suddenly inpatient the sheriff pulled away from their kiss and ripped the remaining buttons off of the blouse, tearing it from strong shoulders, leaving the queen in a skimpy black bra.

"I liked that blouse Miss Swan!"

"Well, I like you out of it better," Emma chuckled before leaning down and licking a long line from the center of Regina's sternum up her throat to her jaw. She brought their lips back together in a crushing kiss as she made quick work of the bra. She began rolling already hardened nipples between her thumb and forefinger eliciting a gasp from the brunette.

Emma lowered her mouth to Regina's breasts, peppering them both with kisses before taking a straining nipple into he mouth sucking and nipping at it with fervor. The brunette threw her head back and moaned. "Two can play at this game Em..." she snapped her fingers and before the blonde could blink they were once again on top of the bed, this time sans clothing.

"Is this going to be a common occurrence, cuz if so a girl could use a little warning before you poof her into a different room while taking all of her clothes." Emma questioned her queen.

"Well darling, as much as I would have enjoyed taking you on the couch I didn't want our son to be permanently scarred by walking in on us. That and I don't have the patience to strip you by hand when I've been waiting so long to taste you." Regina smirked before throwing Emma onto the mattress and spreading her long, lean legs.

After seeing the growing wetness pouring from the blonde's pussy Regina didn't hesitate to dive in. She gripped Emma's thighs in her strong hands while firmly licking the length of her slit. "Fuck! Gina..." Emma groaned. The brunette continued her assault on her lovers core, making quick circles over Emma's clit before moving lower and thrusting her long tongue deep into the blonde. Emma wove her fingers into Regina's silky hair, tugging on the strands and pressing her face closer at the same time.

Regina grinned against Emma's sensitive flesh, knowing that Emma was close. She dug her nails into Emma's quivering thighs with one hand, while sliding two fingers from her other hand into Emma. As she began thrusting slowly in and out of the blonde's clenching flesh she brought her kiss swollen lips to her pearl and began sucking. "Holy fuck... shit... god..." Emma cried as she came hard. She soaked Regina's chin and hand before relaxing enough for the queen to withdraw.

Regina sat up and shook out her mane, making eye contact with Emma before slowly licking her fingers clean. "Your mouth is fucking deadly babe. It should be illegal." The brunette only smiled and crawled up the blonde's body like a lioness stalking it's prey. She mounted Emma's face, putting one strong leg on either side of her head. "And now it's time to put your mouth to good use dear," Regina growled while lowering her pussy onto the blonde's lips.

Emma wasted no time in grabbing Regina's firm ass and pulling her core onto her waiting tongue. She began thrusting her tongue in and out of the tight channel while nudging the mayor's hardened clit with her nose. Regina's hips began moving to their own rhythm, riding Emma's face and smearing her juices from her forehead to her chin.

Emma laid back to enjoy the ride, using her hands to massage Regina's ass and scratch her nails down her sculpted back. The queen's thighs began trembling and the princess could tell she was near the edge. She opened her mouth, allowing her teeth to gently scrape against the sensitized flesh of Regina's pussy while scratching her nails down Regina's thighs breaking skin. "EMMMMMAAA!" Regina screamed and she came violently on the blonde's face.

She collapsed to the side and Emma was quick to pull their bodies together, not ready to loose contact with Regina yet. The queen hummed contentedly, "It's safe to say that your mouth has it's own merits dear." They both giggled softly, coming together in a loving kiss.

Regina was laying on her back, Emma had her head on her chest and their legs were tangled together under the sheets. The brunette was alternating between running her fingers through long blonde hair and tracing the network of scars on the sheriffs back.

Emma could feel the delicate touches against her ruined flesh, and through that touch could feel the unasked questions as well. "I've never felt this safe before. Not with anyone. Not even with my parents once I met them. Thank you for that Gina." She took a deep breath before continuing.

"After I was removed from the home where I got the cigarette burns, I was sent to live with a new family. The woman worked nights and slept her days away. The man didn't work at all. He sat at home drinking beer and watching all the children. I was one of five foster children in that home. There were two boys who were so little that they could be propped up on the couch and not move between feedings and diaper changes, which were too far apart in frequency. Then there were the other girls, both of them were around my age. All of us were blonde, and we each had our own rooms.

The first time he touched me was my first night in that hell hole. Every third night he came to my room. Each time he demanded that I call him daddy, each time he violated me in a new way. He beat me regularly, even on the nights he didn't come in to my room. Eventually he began raping me. Each time tore me open because I was so young. I think that's why he had three of us, so that he could give us time to heal between sessions.

I refused to call him daddy, and for each refusal he gave me a cut with his big hunting knife. Those scars you're running your fingers over are all testimony of my refusal to give in. I don't know how I made it for so long, but it was the only thing I ever had control of. Eventually one of the girls got pregnant. I don't know why he was surprised, since he always finished inside. When CPS came for inspection and found a pregnant 12 year old, they were finally forced to do something.

After that they kept me in group homes. I was too withdrawn to be adopted. To angry to make friends. And god forbid someone tried to touch me in comfort, I was too violent to accept it. I was mostly left to my own devices from then on. Eventually I had had enough of the system and ran away. I lived on my own, on the streets. I did things I'm not proud of to survive. I was stealing his car when Neal found me. Somehow he got me to trust him, which as you can imagine wasn't easy. He conned me, impregnated me, allowed me to take the fall for him and then left my life without a trace. You know the rest. If Henry hadn't come to find me, I would still be alone. Conning others and making a living off of the bounty I collected from their capture."

Sometime during her narrative Emma had sat up and pulled her knees to her chin in that familiar gesture of self preservation. She was gently rocking herself as she finished her story. Regina crawled behind her on the bed and wrapped her arms around her. The brunette's tears fell onto the princess's shoulders, dripping onto her chest and mixing with the blonde's own.

She held Emma until the tears stopped for them both. Regina crawled over the bed, situating herself in front of Emma so that she could make eye contact. "Look at me Em." she pleaded with the despondent blonde. "Please, I need you to look at me."

Hearing her lover ask for something in such a strained voice, Emma couldn't help but obey. She looked up into Regina's eyes and gasped at what she saw. "Emma Swan, I love you. I've loved you so much, for so long I thought it couldn't get any stronger. I was wrong. You are the strongest, most amazing woman I've ever met. Every scar on your body is a testament to that fact."

"I love you too Regina Mills. I've loved you since the day I met you. I waited my whole life for you. And you were worth the wait."

Both women were crying again. This time they were tears of joy. They snuggled into each other, fingers tangling in hair, legs entwining. It wasn't long before they fell asleep. Once again, neither suffered any nightmares safe in each others arms.

Chapter Text

This time Emma woke before her lover. She looked down to find Regina's head resting on her shoulder, a leg flung carelessly over her hips. She gently kissed the top of her lover's head and slowly extracted herself from the queen's grip. She stood from bed and stretched before heading to the in suite bathroom.

Looking in the mirror the blonde couldn't help but smile. She loved Regina Mills, and was loved in return. Already nude, as they hadn't bothered to put on any clothes prior to passing out last night, Emma stepped into the large shower stall and turned on the water. She let it's warmth cascade over her hair and skin. Blindly reaching for the shampoo her fingers found a cold metal cylinder instead. Opening her eyes, the blonde realized she was holding a very old looking straight razor.

"That was my father's." Regina's voice startled her, causing Emma to let the razor clatter to the floor. The brunette stepped into the shower, wrapping her toned arms around Emma's waist while stepping onto her tip toes to place a soft kiss on slightly parted lips. The blonde wasted no time in reciprocating, running her hands from the nape of the mayor's neck down to her tight ass.

Pulling back slightly, Emma looked into Regina's soft eyes before kissing the scar above her lip. Gently tracing it with her finger she asked, "Is it the same one your mother used?"

"Yes." was her only reply.

"I love you Gina." Emma sighed before swooping down for another kiss.

"I love you too Em." the once dark queen replied before spinning Emma around and beginning to wash her long golden locks.

Showered and dressed for the day they left their love nest, not surprised that they were greeted by the sounds of the TV from downstairs.

"Morning Mom, Ma." Henry smiled around a mouth full of Lucky Charms. He had never been allowed to eat such sugary cereal before his biological mother had come into his life. It was one of the thousand trivial reasons he was grateful for her presence. At the moment he was most grateful because of the easy smile on his adopted mother's face and the relaxed set of her shoulders.

Swallowing roughly he asked, "What are we doing today?"

"Well young man, we were going to take you to Granny's for some hot cocoa and french toast but it seems you beat us to breakfast."

"Oh! Let me get dressed, I always have room for Granny's!" Henry put his empty bowl down on the coffee table and practically flew up the stairs.

"Having you here has been so good for him. He hasn't been this enthusiastic about being seen with me in public since before he found out about the Enchanted Forest."

"I'm just as enthused to be seen with you babe." Emma grinned. "Ruby has got to be dying for some details by now" she chuckled.

Just then Henry came racing down the stairs, "Let's not keep your adoring fans waiting then dear."

The trio hopped into Emma's trusty yellow beetle, much to Regina's feigned distaste, and made their way downtown. As they walked into Granny's hand and hand, the diner was filled with silence except for a loud squeal from Red, who ran over and practically tacked Emma with a hug. "I knew it!" she yelled.

Regina stood back and smirked as her girlfriend disentangled herself from the exited wolf. "Yeah, yeah you're psychic on top of the fur and super senses now, huh?" Emma asked sarcastically. Ruby playfully slapped her on the arm before turning to Regina and smiling.

"Got to hand it to you Madam Mayor, you really bagged yourself a hot little number here."

"Don't I know it Red, don't I know it."

While they were talking the diner settled back into it's usual chaos, the citizens of Storybrook had seen stranger things after all. The waitress led them over to their usual booth and flitted off behind the counter after taking their orders. The three of them chatted away happily, the rest of the world fading into the back ground. As they were finishing their brunch the little bubble they had cast around their table was burst by a clearing throat.

"You all seem to be spending a lot of time together these days. We really miss you Emma, Henry. You are family after all."

Emma looked up at her parents, glowing with the superiority of their goodness and royalty. As usual, Mary Margaret was dressed like a school marm and Charming had his meaty hand resting over her swollen abdomen in a gesture that was more reminiscent of claiming than protection. "Well, we are going to be spending a lot more time together in the future." she said, while reaching her hand across the table and grasping Regina's smaller one.

Charming opened and closed his mouth repeatedly, looking like a fish. "You can not possibly be serious Emma. This is the Evil Queen we're talking about. She cursed us all, which is the only reason we lost you in the first place! She must have cast a spell on you." Snow reached out and grasped her daughter by the upper arm and tried to pull her from the booth. "You're coming with us to see Blue. She'll be able to fix you."

Emma wrenched her arm from her mother's grasp and stood up. "I don't need fixing! Regina may have cast the curse, but you made the terrible choice to entrust me to a magical fucking tree!" Emma pushed her way past her stunned parents and fled the diner.

"Go wait in the car with your mother Henry. I need to have a little chat with your grandmother."

She held up a stern hand when Snow went to say something. Waiting until Henry was out of sight, she rounded on the royal couple enraged. "How dare you come in here and question my relationship with Emma, in front of our son!"

"She is my daughter Regina, and the only reason I'm not close enough to her to have prevented your despicable relationship is because of you!"

"Wrong Snow! The only reason your child didn't tell you about finding her own true love is you. You idiots made the choice to abandon her to an unknown world by putting her in that tree. Have you even asked her about her child hood? Really tried to get to know Emma instead of forcing her into the role of you perfect princess?"

"You have no idea what you're talking about Regina! You aren't a real parent, you can't understand the choices we were forced to make!"

"I've been a better parent to Henry than you ever could have been to Emma. I may have cursed you, but you're the ones who threw your child away."Regina twirled on her heel and stormed out of the diner, the door slamming in her wake.

Snow turned to Red, looking to her old friend from support. All she received was a frown and the cold shoulder as the wolf turned her back on Snow White. Her husband stood next to her, hand still on her baby bump, completely useless. A single tear made its way down her perfectly round cheek. She grabbed Charming by the hand and pulled him out of the diner running from their shared shame.

Chapter Text

Regina quickly approached the yellow bug, seeing that her lover and son were sitting in the back seat together. Henry had his arm around Emma's shoulders protectively, and her head was resting on top of his. A loving smile appeared on the mayor's face as she opened the driver side door, reaching into the back seat to take the blonde's hand in hers. She gave it a gentle squeeze before turning the key that was already in the ignition. She pulled away from the curb and began heading back to the mansion.

"Wait, Regina can you please drive me to Mary Margret's apartment?"

"I don't think that's such a good idea Emma..."

"I just want to collect some of my stuff. Then we can go back home."

"Okay dear." Regina was secretly thrilled that Emma had referred to the mansion as "home".

She pulled up outside the apartment building, pleased to note that David's beat up pick up wasn't in its usual spot. "I'll be right back guys, don't bother coming in this will be quick."

Entering the apartment Emma practically ran up into her room and began packing a bag. She grabbed her lap top, her music, a few books and most of her clothes. She then grabbed a tattered box from the back of her closet and decided she could call everything else a wash.

She ran into the bathroom to grab her toiletries, pausing for a moment before reaching up and grabbing her blade from it's hiding spot on top of the shower stall. She left the apartment she had briefly shared with her parents with barely a glance behind her. Anything she was leaving behind she no longer needed in her life.

Once back home it became clear to Regina that Henry was sad and confused after seeing the way the grandparents had hurt his mother. It was also clear that Emma wasn't ready to talk about it. She told Henry he could watch a movie while she and Emma prepared lunch. Once she heard the opening theme of Harry Potter, Regina knew they'd have some time to decompress before being inundated with questions from their overly curious child.

She watched as Emma slouched over the table while she began preparing sandwiches for lunch. She decided to give the blonde a few minutes with her thoughts and didn't try to talk to her until after had an appetizing platter of finger foods prepared for the three of them. Regina approached the table and placed her hands gently on the sheriffs stooped shoulders. Emma immediately stiffened under her touch, but Regina didn't move her hands. After a moment the blonde sighed and relaxed, leaning back so her head was resting on the brunette's chest.

"I love you, " Regina said before placing a gentle kiss on top of Emma's head. "Now let's join our son for some food and couch snuggles." Without waiting for a response she grabbed the tray of food and headed into the living room.

After several minutes the sheriff joined her lover and son on the couch. They made an Emma sandwich and put the plate of food on her lap practically forcing her to eat something. Although the blonde did her best to look engaged, it wasn't hard for Regina to see through her fake smiles and laughter. Once the food was finished she brought the platter into the kitchen and made a discrete phone call. As the credits were rolling and Emma was still visibly uncomfortable she decided to put the poor woman out of her misery.

"Henry, how would you like to spend the night with your father and Hook on board his ship?"

"Really?!" Henry yelled.

"Yes, really darling." His response was to run upstairs and begin packing his over night bag.

The queen reached out and placed her hand on Emma's tense thigh, "I'm going to bring Henry over to the docks. Why don't you unpack your things? I'll be back in a little while."

"Thanks Gina" Emma murmured. She unfolded her long limbs from the couch and followed her son up the stairs.

As Emma closed the bedroom door behind her set left out a sigh of relief. It was so amazing to have Henry and Regina to support her, but she had always gone through things like this on her own. She had no idea what to do with the love they were offering her. She set about unpacking her clothes into the drawers Regina had already cleaned out, hanging her collection of leather jackets in the closet next to Regina's business suits.

She pulled out and plugged in her lap top and iPod, putting on her go to play list. She put her toiletry bag on top of the dresser and reached into her bag for the last item. Carefully lifting the lid of the tattered box Emma began removing each item reverently.

There were a few pictures of Emma at various stages of her childhood. In each she was wearing clothes that were a little too big or a little too small. Her hair fell in tangled curtains around her face. Her eyes were slightly sunken from lack of proper nutrition and her skin was slightly too pale from lack of sunlight. Next were several letters she had received from a few of her foster siblings over the years. She couldn't bring herself to read them. Then there were a few snap shots of her and Neil, before he had abandoned her. There was one picture of her holding baby Henry, and she ran her fingers gently over his tiny face before placing it on her new night stand.

Last there was her baby blanket. The only piece of her parents that she had for so long. Her name had been carefully stitched unto the fabric, beautiful ribbon had been woven into the edges. It had taken a lot of time and care to make that blanket. To her it had symbolized hope. It had shown that someone loved her at some point, even if it was only briefly. Now that blanket seemed full of lies. As she clutched it in trembling fingers a sob was wrenched from her throat. She threw the blanket on the ground, grabbed her toiletry bag and ran into the bathroom.

Regina came home to the sound of the shower running upstairs. She figured she had a few minutes until Emma was done, so she poured herself a glass of cider and began preparing dinner. She had prepared root vegetables and stuffed chicken breasts to roast. After putting the food in the oven, Regina was surprised to hear that the shower was still running. She gulped down the rest of her cider, turned off the oven and headed upstairs, a knot of dread forming in her gut.

The brunette found the discarded pile of memories on the bed, and tripped on the blanket strewn on the floor. She picked it up, and gaped at the embroidery. Knowing the pain this particular memory must hold for Emma she went straight for the in suite bathroom, not surprised to find the door locked. With a flick of her wrist the door was unlocked and open. She was met with a face full of steam. Under the humidity she could pick up the faint scent of copper. Taking a deep steadying breath she quickly stripped off her clothing and made it to the large shower stall in a few long strides.

Regina steeled herself and wrenched the door open. She found her lover curled up on the floor, her knees drawn up to her chin. The water fell against her inert body. Blood was trickling down the drain and pooling thickly under Emma's prone form. The queen threw herself into the spray, belatedly realizing how hot the water was. She again flicked her wrist, adjusting it to a more tolerable temperature.

She knelt down and scooped Emma into her arms in an uncharacteristic display of brute strength. Placing Emma in her lap Regina took a seat on the tile, leaning her back against the marble wall. From this position she could see how much damage was actually done. A discarded razor blade lay in a puddle of blood. Emma's entire body trembled and was warm to the touch from spending so long under the overly hot water. She was pink, but not burned for which Regina was grateful.

Looking down at the blonde's thighs Regina was surprised at how much Emma's injuries upset her. She knew the blonde was a cutter. She herself was a cutter, and had often done similar damage. She was unprepared for how overwhelmed she was seeing the actively bleeding lacerations on someone else. For a moment she considered using magic to heal Emma, but ultimately decided against it. She knew how livid if the roles were reversed and Emma somehow stripped her of her own injuries. These cuts were the only things Emma felt in control of, and Regina would never take that control from the woman she loved.

After several long minutes of being silently rocked in Regina's lap Emma began to come back to herself. She slowly uncurled her legs, looking down to see blood still running off her thighs and mingling with the water around them. She had a moment of panic looking at her blood all over Regina but was stopped in her tracks by a firm hand under her chin. She was forced to the make the eye contact she had been avoiding and was instantly relieved. All she found looking back at her was love and understanding.

She leaned in a placed a needy kiss on generous lips. Her kiss was returned, but it was obvious that Regina wasn't going to let things escalate. Pulling away Emma looked into dark brown eyes, "I just need to feel something." she said.

"I know you do. But first we have to get ourselves cleaned up a little and then I need to make sure you're taken care of."

They stood in unison and began washing each other. Regina avoided Emma's thighs, focusing on removing the blood from the rest of her body and hair. The cuts were still bleeding, and she knew that they were deep. Once satisfied they were both as clean as they could get, Emma turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. Regina wrapped them both in luxurious towels, and folded down the lid on the toilet. "Sit." she commanded.

Emma sat and watched as Regina gathered supplies from under the sink. "This is going to hurt." she warned as she knelt on the floor in front of Emma and began cleaning the her thighs with antibacterial soap and warm water. The only sign of discomfort the blonde gave was a slight tensing of her muscles. Regina was efficient and soon had the many lacerations pulled together with butterfly stitches and covered in clean gauze. Satisfied that her lover was no longer bleeding or in immediate danger of infection, she scooped her up in strong arms and carried her to their bed.

She placed Emma at the top of the bed, and the blonde could only look on in awe as Regina neatly folded her blanket and put it in the bottom of the old box. She covered the blanket in a layer of photos and letters, only stopping once to trace the contours of Emma's young face. She put the lid on the box and placed it on top of the dresser. She then climbed into bed next to Emma and opened her arms.

Emma didn't hesitate, she threw herself against Regina and took the comfort that was offered. The blonde wasn't even startled when with a snap of her fingers the brunette had them dressed in pajamas and under the covers. The mayor rubbed soothing circles on her back and gently combed her fingers through her slightly damp hair.

"I love you Gina. Thank you." Emma said in a small voice.

"And I love you Em. You don't need to thank me, this is just what you do when you love someone." Regina replied.

Emma grasped her queen by the wrist and placed Regina's hand over her heart. She then mirrored the gesture and placed her own hand on her lovers chest. The princess quickly fell asleep, comforted by the pulse of the strong heart beneath her hand.

Chapter Text

Emma woke from a night of surprisingly dreamless sleep. She rolled onto her back and stretched wincing at the sharp pain in her thighs. The bandage tape pulled on her skin, and the newly formed scabs stretched taught.

Looking at the bed side table she was shocked to see it was already after ten. Beside her alarm clock sat a glass of water and some advil. Smiling at her girlfriend's thoughtfulness Emma quickly swallowed the pain relievers. Groaning she lifted herself from their bed and put on the robe Regina had left out for her.

The blonde made her way down stairs to find her lover sitting at the table, glasses perched on her nose, as she filled out a crossword. Two mugs of steaming coffee sat by a pitcher of cream and a container of sugar. A plate of croissants and butter was waiting for her.

Regina looked up from her crossword, "Good morning love."

"Morning babe," Emma said while sitting down to breakfast. "Where's Henry?"

"Well, I think that you and I could use a few days together. So, much to Henry's delight, I asked Hook and Neil to keep him for a few days. You don't mind, do you?"

"No, I actually think it's good for Henry to spend time with his dad. And Hook isn't as bad of an influence as his appearance would lead you to believe."

"I'm glad we're on the same page then," the brunette said softly while covering Emma's hand with her own.

Emma quickly swallowed down her bite of croissant and cleared her throat. "Regina... thank you. For taking care of me. I've never had someone to do that before." The blonde blushed and looked down.

Regina stood from the table and over to straddle the blonde. "Now you listen here Emma Swan. I will always take care of you. I love you, and I'm not going anywhere," she said with conviction.

Emma leaned forward and connected their lips in a sweet, lingering kiss. She pulled away smiling. "I'm starting to figure that out. You and Henry, you're my world Gina. I love you so much."

"Well, let's finish breakfast. There's somewhere I'd like to take you today."

"Yes ma'am," Emma mock saluted her girlfriend.

Today they traveled in Regina's sleek black Mercedes. The brunette was at the wheel, the windows were down and their hair was whipping around in the wind. It was a beautiful day and it was being spent in beautiful company. Emma turned and looked at Regina in surprise as the car slowed by the cemetery gates.

"Not that the cemetery isn't lovely this time of year, but this isn't the romantic scenario I was envisioning when you said you wanted to show me something," Emma said while raising one perfectly sculpted eyebrow.

Regina laughed out loud. "The romance is for later. Right now I want to share something with you."

After killing the engine the brunette stepped out of the car and began heading for the Mills family mausoleum. The sheriff jumped out of the car and quickly scrambled after her lover. She caught up to Regina and grasped her hand. They walked silently to the crypt, where with a wave of her hand and a murmured incantation the door slid open for the queen.

Emma trailed Regina down the stairs hidden below her mother's coffin. She had been in the vault before, but the circumstances were much different. She paused at the bottom of the stairs and watched as the brunette walked to the far wall and took a seat below a portrait of her parents.

"Come here Emma," Regina commanded, not in an unkind voice.

Emma made her way across the room and sat down next to her lover. She was nervous, not understanding why Regina had brought her down here.

"My parents are dead," Regina started. "Leopold is dead. He and Father have been gone for longer than you've been alive. My mother was reunited with her heart prior to her recent death, and I could see the self loathing in her eyes as I pulled my hand from her chest.

Being with you, Emma, has shown me that it's time for me to move forward and leave the three of them in the past. You and Henry are all that matter now. You're my future."

She stood and pulled her father's razor from her pocket, drawing a low gasp from the blonde. She opened it and looked upon the magically sharp blade for a moment before closing it and putting it in an empty heart chamber, locking it in the wall along with the rest of her darkness.

Emma was dumbfounded. She didn't know what to say, or what the razor had to do with the future. So she remained silent, waiting for Regina to explain further.

"Last night, I realized how much I love you Emma. Seeing you bleeding in my shower, tending to your injuries... I was overwhelmed by sorrow. That you were feeling so much pain. That I couldn't do anything about it. I felt lost. And I never want to make you feel that."

"Regina, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you..." she was cut off by a brutal kiss.

"Emma, it's ok. If you need it, you have my forgiveness. My point is that I'm done punishing myself for the sins of others. I'm leaving Father's razor here with the rest of my past. I'm walking up those stairs with you, my future."

The princess threw herself at her queen, embracing her tightly while her body was wracked by sobs. Strong arms held her for a long time, as long as it took for her to pull herself together.

"Babe, before we throw ourselves at the future I need to be honest with you. I want to be strong for you, I do, but my parents are still here in Story Brook. The people who hurt me are still out there in Boston. I don't know that I can leave my past behind yet."

"Emma, you don't have to leave it behind. You and I are going to face it down together."

Speechless, she grabbed Regina's hand and led her up the stairs.

Chapter Text

As soon as they walked through the front door Emma backed Regina up against the wall. She stripped off her own jacket, then helped the brunette out of hers, before pressing their lips together in a heated kiss. She gripped strong thighs with insistent hands and lifted the tiny brunette, encouraging her to wrap her legs around her waist.

Moaning, Regina ground her center into Emma's taught abdomen. The blonde shuddered, feeling the heat radiating from her girlfriend's center. She could imagine just how wet those silky folds already were for her. Not able to wait any longer to feel her lover writhe beneath her, she snaked a hand between them and tried to work it inside the confines of the mayor's tight slacks. She growled in frustration.

"Babe, care to give me a helping hand?"

The brunette raised her eyebrow and smirked, she removed all of her clothing with a snap of her fingers. Emma smiled wickedly before leaning down to capture an already taught nipple in her mouth. As she thrust two fingers into Regina's tight pussy she bit down on the nipple lightly, causing the regal woman to moan loudly.

The queen grabbed her princess by the hair and pulled her face up to her own. "Fuck me," she commanded.

Emerald eyes widened before turning almost black with dilated pupils. Needing no further incentive she set a rapid pace inside the quivering walls that sheathed her skilled fingers. Regina's head hit the wall with a dull thud as she threw her head back in ecstasy. Emma planted open mouthed kisses from her jaw to her collar bone, where she bit down roughly.

"Yeeeesss! Emma!" the brunette cried. "Harder!"

The blonde carried Regina into the living room, where she placed her on the couch. She pulled her fingers from their home, causing the woman beneath her to whimper. She quickly flipped the brunette onto her belly and bent her over the back of the couch. She scratched her nails down the sculpted back in front of her before grasping dark hair in one hand, wrenching Regina's head to the side and meeting her lips in a bruising kiss.

Reaching down with her free hand Emma slapped her queen on the ass before sliding three fingers back inside her dripping pussy. After allowing Regina to adjust to the new angle and fullness the blonde began slowly pulling out before thrusting deeply, and with force, all the way to the hilt. The brunette pulled her lips from Emma's and howled in pleasure.

"Fuck! So close..." Regina panted.

Emma moved her free hand to her girlfriend's tapered waist, adding extra leverage and strength to her thrusts. Without warning she bit down on Regina's shoulder, hard enough to leave her mark. The brunette screamed and came undone in a flood. The sight, sound and smell of Regina squirting caused Emma to orgasm, and she was still fully clothed.

"Holy shit Gina. You are so fucking hot. I can't control myself around you."

She tenderly turned the brunette to face her and planted loving kisses all over while she recovered from her intense orgasm.

"Em, that was incredible. I've never come like that before. I didn't even know women could come like that," Regina noted shyly. "I love you so much."

"I love you too gorgeous. Now how about your poof us upstairs, cuz I don't think my legs are working right."

Later that night the women finally left the comfort of their home to hunt and gather. Both were starved and there was nothing filling to eat in the house. They drove downtown to Granny's because even Regina needed to carbo load after their work out.

Sitting in their usual booth, neither was surprised to see Snow and Charming sitting across the small diner. Regina had to admit she felt the tiniest bit thrilled to see that they were too nervous to approach them.

The couple chatted with Ruby for a few minutes before ordering cheese burgers, fries and chocolate milk shakes. The waitress looked slightly shocked when Regina placed the same order as Emma. She had to admit that she liked being able to shock the citizens of Storybrook, even if it was with something as trivial as her meal preferences.

Regina was happy to see that the presence of her parents wasn't bothering Emma as much as it had just a few short days ago. She hoped that the love the blonde was receiving from both herself and their son was helping to bolster her confidence.

"Hey Gina?"

"Yes dear?"

"I'd like to go and talk to Mary Margaret and David. Will you come with me?"

Regina was skeptical as to how wise a move this was, but wouldn't leave her lover without back up. "Of course I'll accompany you. Just don't expect me to keep my mouth shut if your parents can't hold their tongues."

"I'd expect nothing less babe," Emma said. She couldn't help but feel stronger with the sharp tongued woman at her side.

They approached the royal couple hand in hand. Snow looked up at them with watery eyes and a weak smile. Charming looked like he had just smelled something particularly foul. It looked like the pregnant woman was about to speak, but she was swiftly cut off by her daughter's raised hand.

"I'm don't want to hear anything you have to say right now. I do however, expect you to listen to me for a minute," the blonde stated roughly.

After receiving nods from both parents she continued, "I feel like a throw away child. I have you in my

life after years of wondering about you, and wishing that you would come and rescue me from the hell that was my childhood. And then you showed up, and you were actual heroes. You were heroes to everyone but me. You chose the people of your kingdom, and your desire to out maneuver the Evil Queen, over your own kid. You abandoned me to a world filled with actual evil, not just the kind in fairy tales. And now you want me to be some perfect princess, and be grateful that I finally have parents – royal ones at that – and just move on like my life before lifting the curse had never happened.

But here's the thing. It did happen. And it mostly sucked. But it also made me who I am. It gave me Henry. It gave me the ability to love the woman next to me, because only someone who has lived through darkness could possibly understand the terror that was forced upon her.

So you need to get over yourselves. You are lucky that I allow you to be a part of my life at all. You are lucky I let you send time with Henry, whose love and hero worship you certainly don't deserve. If you want to continue being a part of our lives, you are going to have to accept Regina with open arms. She is the only person to ever love me unconditionally, and you could really take a page out of her book."

Regina couldn't believe what she was hearing. Emma was well and truly standing up for herself. She was telling the Charming's where to shove it, and it was glorious. Snow's mouth fell open in shock. David's face became red with rage. The entire diner was silent after having heard the damning ass chewing of their King and Queen.

No more needed to be said. Emma turned to Regina and kissed her soundly on the lips before spinning on her heel and leaving the building filled with stunned patrons. The brunette had never been more proud of anyone as she was of Emma in that moment. She had never gotten to tear into her tormenters, but she hoped that if she had it would have been half as effective as this.

Chapter Text

Snow paced the length of their small apartment. She was seething. How dare her flesh and blood not only consort with the Evil Queen, but publicly humiliate her! She restlessly rubbed her swollen abdomen with one hand while gesticulating wildly at her useless husband with the other.

"Can you believe the audacity of our child! How dare she do this to us!"

"Emma isn't doing anything to us darling. You know this is all Regina's doing. No child of ours could find love in someone so dark," Charming tried to rationalize.

"No, don't you see? Emma is the product of true love, her magic should be powerful enough to counter any curse cast her way. And believe me when I say Regina's love is cursed!" Snow huffed.

"Well, what do you suggest we do about it love?" asked the spineless man.

Snow briefly resumed her pacing, worrying her lower lip between her teeth. Her mind was swirling with plots and schemes to get revenge and wipe everyone's mind of her recent ass chewing. She couldn't afford to fall further in public opinion.

"We need magic. It's the one thing you and I don't have at our disposal, and the only thing strong enough to best Regina and Emma. Then our real child," Snow gestured to her baby bump, "can take it's rightful place as the hero of our people."

Charming furrowed his brow in thought, trying to figure out a solution for his distraught wife. He wanted nothing more than to please her, that's all he had ever wanted in this life and in their last.

"Well, I suppose I can summon Rumple. Perhaps he would be willing to strike another deal?"

"We will not consort with the Imp again! He is below the royalty of the White kingdom. I shall cal Blue over here. She and the rest of her fairies must have enough pixie dust stored up to be of use to us for once. Blue does owe us after all. It was her idea to put Emma into the tree," Snow ranted.

She reached for her phone with one hand while supporting her lower back with the other. Motherhood had been nothing but trouble so far, and it wasn't proving to be any different with her current pregnancy. At least Charming gave her attractive children. She wouldn't be able to stand it if on top of being insolent Emma was also less than beautiful.

Blue answered after five rings, two too many in Snow's opinion. After a brief conversation that was so sweet her teeth hurt the fairy was finally on her way. She snapped her fingers in front of Charming's handsome if unintelligent face, stirring him from whatever fantasy he was dreaming up.

"Blue is on her way. Clean up a little would you? Put the kettle on too, you know how that insipid woman is addicted to her chamomile."

She plopped down on the couch, resting her swollen feet on the coffee table. Snow sighed inwardly, she couldn't wait to have this parasite out of her. She decided that hiring a nurse maid was at the top of her priority list, just below taking care of the Evil Queen and her precious Savior. She was disrupted from her thoughts by a knock on the door.

"Charming! Get the door, my feet hurt from carrying you child around all day," the White Queen commanded.

"Yes dear," her prince simpered.

Charming opened the door, greeting Blue and escorting her into their small living room. She took a seat in the chair across from Snow crossing her legs at the ankle and clasping her hands on her lap.

"What can I do for your majesties?" the fairy inquired.

"Well dear Blue, it seems we have a serious problem. No doubt you heard about our altercation with Emma at Granny's earlier today," Snow raised an eyebrow in question.

"Yes, sadly I did hear that Princess Emma was rather upset with you both. I also came into the knowledge that the Evil Queen is in your dear daughter's bed," the fairy sighed sadly.

Snow was boiling with rage. Her husband brought the tea in from the kitchen, setting out cream and sugar before sitting stiffly by her side. His large hand rested on her knee.

"Someone with such powerful magic as yourself must be able to tell that the princess is under the influence of a powerful curse. Right Blue?" asked the petite brunette in an icy tone.

"Yes. Yes of course! Perhaps I can help you to break the curse?" asked the naive woman.

"We must save the savior Blue! In order to do that, we must protect her mind with your light magic. If she can't remember her connection to Regina, she will no longer be cursed. As for the Evil Queen, I do believe it's time she got a taste of her own medicine. We shall make it so that she is simply Mayor Regina Mills, never remembering her power or her corrupt version of love for our daughter." Snow clasped Charming's hand and looked into Blue's eyes with as much sincerity as she could muster.

"That's brilliant your majesty! You were born to rule us. Once Regina is taken care of, and Princess Emma is back in the fold, their joined power will be forgotten by the citizens of Storybrook. It will be as it was always meant to," sighed Blue dreamily.

The royals and their magical adviser spent the night planning their next move. They would need hair and blood from both Regina and Emma to work magic this powerful. They would need to get the women alone in order to weave separate spells. It wouldn't do if they got mixed up. Snow was looking forward to everyone forgetting the existence of Queen Regina and remembering the White's as a powerful and untied front. Everything was planned down to the letter, nothing could go wrong. The White Queen wouldn't be bested this time.

Chapter Text

Regina met Emma outside the diner and flung her arms around the blonde's neck. She leaned in and kissed her hungrily.

"That was the hottest thing I've ever seen, and I look at myself in the mirror daily!" the brunette exclaimed.

"What? Me telling off the royals get you hot under the collar my queen?" asked the sheriff while lifting one eyebrow in question.

"Mmmm, perhaps. But, you washing the dishes has the ability to get me hot. Something about my princess in yellow dish gloves..." she trailed off while twirling golden locks around her fingers.

"You really know how to sweet talk a girl. How about we go pick up our son, then you can cook some dinner so I have dishes to wash?" Emma asked through a snort of laughter.

Henry smiled contentedly in the back of the yellow bug. He had spent several days with his dad and Hook. It was wildly obvious that they were more than room mates. Why would two grown men be living aboard a sail boat with only one man sized bed? Eventually he had to put them out of their misery and point out that he already had two moms, why not two dads as well? After that the time they spent together had been much more relaxing.

Henry was thrilled to have four happy and loving parents. He remembered how much it sucked to have only two, who were desperately trying to convince the world they hated each other. He would never go back to living like that, or to letting his parents live like that.

During his time aboard the Jolly Roger he had overheard quite a bit of conversation through the thin walls of the ship. He didn't hear much of his mother's pillow talk – thank god for magic! - but he was sure that some of it must sound similar.

Apparently Snow and Charming had spent much of their time with Neal in Neverland trying to convince him that Emma was his true love. He spent much of his time in Neverland pining after Hook. Now that they were all back here in Storybrook the harassment hadn't stopped, and had in fact gotten worse since Emma and Regina had come out as a couple. The men were contemplating coming out themselves to get the White Queen off their backs.

Henry didn't want them forced out of the small town closet before they were ready, and he wouldn't allow anyone to come between his mothers. He hoped that one day he would have the kind of love shared by his two sets of parents, and he would be damned if someone was going to rob the world of actual true love. He was the son of the savior, the reformed evil queen and the grandson of the Dark One – Henry Mills was someone to be reckoned with.

When they got home Regina retreated to the kitchen to begin making dinner. He and Emma piled onto the couch and were munching away on a snack of popcorn when their movie was interrupted by the ringing of the sheriff's cell phone. Sighing deeply after checking the caller ID, Emma squeezed his hand and answered the phone.

"Hello Mary Margaret,"she paused listening to her mother for a moment.

"Yes, we do already have dinner plans."

"Ugh. Fine. I'll see what I can do," she abruptly hung up.

Emma gave Henry a tight lipped smile before getting up and walking into the kitchen. She obviously needed to have a conversation with Regina, which Henry wasn't invited to. So like any curious boy, he paused for a few beats before going into stealth mode and creeping into the doorway of the kitchen.

"Babe, I know I don't trust them either. But they are trying to extend the olive branch... I think."

Regina pinched the bridge of her nose, hugging her abdomen with her free arm. Emma reached over and ran her hands soothingly up and down the brunette's biceps. Henry could see her visibly sag, about to give in to something.

"Fine. They get this one chance. Anything I deem inappropriate for our son to hear passing their lips is all it will take for me to magic us all back home."

Emma smiled, one of her genuine smiles, reserved for himself and now his mother. "If it comes down to protecting Henry, you never need my approval to act. Now, lets drive over there so we have a few minutes to steel ourselves."

They pulled up in front of the apartment building and Henry could feel the tension level rise. He was coming to dread this dinner more than he thought possible. He closed his eyes and tried to wish them all back home, but if he had any innate magic it didn't stir. Sighing, he stepped out of the car and followed his mothers into the building.

The trio was met at the door by a radiantly pregnant Snow and a smiling Charming. They were ushered inside and asked to sit around the breakfast bar where plates were already laid out. He kept a keen eye on his grandfather, who walked behind his mothers and deftly plucked single hairs from each woman's shoulder. Having read his fair share of magic books, alarm bells started ringing in his head.

Over the course of their meal, Henry made sure that either Snow or Charming had tasted something before he would put it in his mouth. He felt badly being so suspicious of his own flesh and blood, but he had a rather dubious lineage. He was barely listening to the platitudes spilling out of his grandparent's mouths. Instead he was listening to the rise in Regina's breathing as she became more frustrated and the grinding of Emma's molars as she clutched her fork too tightly.

After dinner his mom's began to help clear the table. Emma's arms were stacked high with plates when Snow tried to squeeze past her knocking the blonde off balance. The plates went clattering to the floor and bounced off the counter. Shards hit the princess breaking open the skin on her bare fore arms. Drops of her blood hit the ground and Henry watched as Snow smiled. He had seen enough.

"Stop! All of you forget about me. Underestimate me. But I saw through the curse before any of you. I lived through Neverland. And I've been watching you all night!" he yelled.

"Henry, what are you talking about?" asked his bumbling grandfather.

"I'm talking about the hair you collected from my moms, and the blood on that shard of glass you just pocketed! I know the ingredients for a spell when I see them," he roared defiantly.

The air in the room turned icy as Regina stepped in front of Emma and pulled Henry into her side. She conjured a fire ball in her free hand.

"Our son is right, he is often overlooked as the perceptive man he's become. And for tonight I've never been more grateful for your short sightedness." Henry's dark mother managed to praise him and insult the Charming's in one go, he was impressed and leaned in to her side.

"Hand over the glass, and the hairs... NOW!" demanded Emma.

She held out her hand waiting for her parents to turn over their evil contraband. Once it was safely in her fist, she nodded to Regina who released her fire ball. She let the fire consume all of the broken plates, the floor and the counter top until they were reduced to ash. She then magically quenched the flames with a snap of her manicured fingers.

"The ingredients you need for this half assed plan are no longer available to you, and never will be. Stay away from our family," the queen warned.

"As of this moment, you are no longer any family of mine. You are not welcome in our lives. If you get within one hundred feet of any of us, especially Henry, you lives will be mine," Emma spoke regally.

Snow stared at her daughter with incredulity. One hand held on to Charming's sleeve while the other covered her gaping maw.

"Don't look so shocked mother," she spat with venom. "I know the law. You tried to attack the rightful heir to the White kingdom, and as such your lands and titles are forfeit. Leave Storybrook tonight, and don't look back."

Henry took one last look at his disinherited grandparents before Regina flicked her wrist and magicked them back home.

Chapter Text

The trio arrived back home in a cloud of swirling purple smoke. It was only upon their arrival that Emma realized her precious yellow bug was stranded back at Snow and Charming's place. She groaned internally, knowing she would have to retrieve it tomorrow. Hopefully her wayward parents would have left by then.

Regina strode into the kitchen while Emma and Henry collapsed onto the couch. She took a moment to gather herself, and her run away thoughts. It had been a long time since she had felt a legitimate urge to kill someone. Threats against her family brought the Evil Queen roaring back to the surface. Thankfully her family also kept her grounded.

Pulling an apple pie from the fridge and a pint of ice cream from the freezer the brunette gathered up some spoons and joined her family in the living room. Her partner and her son tore in to the proffered desert with gusto. Smiling, Regina wasn't far behind them.

For the first time in a long time both women tucked Henry into bed, sitting with him until he drifted off. Once he was asleep Emma grabbed Regina's hand and gently tugged her up off the bed, leading her by the hand into their bedroom.

The mayor closed the door behind them swiftly pulling the blonde into her arms as soon as the latch clicked. A single breath later, gut wrenching sobs tore through the sheriffs strong form. With a subtle hand gesture behind Emma's back, Regina magicked them onto the bed and under the covers. In this new position she pulled her lover to her chest and hooked a leg over Emma's hips.

As sobs continued to roll through Emma's prone form Regina ran soothing fingers through long blond tresses, gently scratching her nails against the blonde's sensitive scalp. She began humming a simple melody, the same one that Granny had sung to her so many years ago when she was a little girl in the Enchanted Forest.

Slowly the sobbing eased, the blonde's breathing slowed and Emma began to uncoil her tense muscles in Regina's lap. She looked up into the face of her true love, dark orbs filled with compassion and understanding peered down at her. Reaching up she traced her lovers strong jaw with trembling fingers.

"Gina" she began, "I have never felt more grateful for anyone's presence in my life. You make me strong and whole, even when I feel like falling down. I never want to spend a day without you. Marry me?"

"Emma... of course I'll marry you. But, I don't want you to rush into this because of the actions of your imbecile parents."

The blond pulled back, untangling herself from her brunette lover. She stood and strode to the closet reaching in and grabbing something from inside one of her running shoes. Turning around she held a black velvet box in an out stretched palm.

"Babe, this may not have been the super romantic proposal I had been planning, but it's a genuine one."

Opening the box, Emma knelt on the mattress next to her speechless fiance. Taking the ring, a pillow cut diamond tension set in an elegant platinum band, from the box Emma proceeded to slip it onto Regina's left ring finger. Tears streamed down sculpted cheeks while the brunette worried her lower lip between her teeth.

"I love you Emma Swan! With everything that I am, have been and will be." The dark queen sobbed before throwing herself at her princess who easily caught her and pressed their lips together.

Moaning, Emma opened her mouth to the ravenous queen, who quickly plunged her tongue into the welcoming cavern, beginning the only kind of duel that both contestants win. While her mouth was being pillaged, the blonde began running her hands up and down the brunette's strong back causing her to shiver, goose bumps breaking out across olive skin.

Reverently, the women began stripping one another only breaking their heated kiss when shirts had to be lifted over their heads. Emma pushed Regina back into the mattress, covering every inch of naked skin with her own. Pressing their foreheads together the blonde snuck one hand between the press of their bodies, pinching and rolling an already hardened nipple between two fingers.

The brunette groaned, grinding her hips into the sheriff's. She grabbed Emma's ass and pulled the blonde further into her already dripping core.

"Fuck, Gina! You're so wet for me baby." Emma gasped.

She pulled back, looking down at her beautiful fiance and smiled. She traced a line from pouting lips to heaving chest to quivering abdomen. Like a sightless scholar, Emma gently traced the braille road map of scars on her lovers damp thighs, a poem she had already memorized and cherished. As Emma's finger tips tickled each ridge Regina's smile widened.

"They were worth it because they led me to you," she sighed.

With that, Emma's hand finished it's journey and buried itself between her thighs. Arching her back off of the bed Regina cried out for the first time that night. The blonde's nimble fingers were massaging the spongy tissue within her while her thumb circled the hardened nub of her clit. She knew it wouldn't be long before she fell over the edge, and didn't want to fall alone.

Regina wiggled her hand between their now sweat soaked bodies and found Emma's drenched and clenching pussy. Without pause she sunk two fingers into her frantic lover, burying herself to the hilt. Twisting within the blonde's heated core she easily found the spot that would throw Emma from the ledge. With several perfectly timed thrusts both women fell, screaming each others names. A soft golden glow spread through the room, originating from the tangled bodies on the bed.

"Regina! What the hell is that?!" Emma exclaimed.

"That's us. It's a manifestation of our true love magic."

"Damn babe, we're pretty awesome. Yeah?"

"Yes dear, we are indeed awesome."

Emma rested her head on Regina's chest, listening to the steady beat of her lovers heart. She fell asleep with a smile on her face, that didn't fade even as she dreamed.

Chapter Text

As sunlight filtered through the gauzy curtains of their bedroom windows Emma groaned. She rolled off of Regina's still sleeping form and rubbed at her eyes. She grinned, thinking of the activities that led to her being so deliciously sore. She knew she couldn't bask forever though and gently woke her fiance.

"Gina baby?" she asked. "We need to wake up. I have to get the bug from the Charming's place, and we really should make sure that they're going to leave town."

Sighing, Regina sat up in bed. "Yes dear, you're right. But I'm not letting you go alone, and I'm not bringing Henry with us. He's seen enough of his grandparents deceit."

"Uh, you want me to call Neal?"

"No, dear. As much as he loves our son, I want someone who could actually protect him in a fight to stay here. I'll call Granny and Red."

"Okay, whatever you think is best. But one day you're going to explain your connection to those two to me."

It didn't take long for the wolfy women to appear at their house. Emma explained the situation to their friends, eliciting matching growls from Ruby and Granny.

"Snow was my best friend for a long time. I hate to believe that she's capable of this kind of manipulation. But she has changed a lot in this world. And David just follows her like a kicked puppy," Ruby sighed in defeat.

"Thanks for believing us Rubes. Regina wouldn't leave Henry with anyone else while we go and deal with the fall out from this."

"Don't worry about Henry, Granny is making him breakfast right now. Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?"

"No Tink, Neal and Hook are meeting us there. Plenty of witnesses that way, and since Blue was going to help them with Snow's whole twisted scheme I wanted to make sure we had a fairy on our side."

"Alright, be safe. And come home quickly," said the wolf.

"Don't worry we will. I want the truth about you and Granny's relationship with my fiance when we get home," smiled the savior.

"Fiance?!" exclaimed Ruby.

"Yep," Emma said, pooping her lips on the 'p'.

By the time Regina poofed them to the street outside Snow's apartment, their make shift posse was already waiting for them. The old yellow bug was still parked along the curb. As a single unit, then began the march up to the Charming's small apartment.

When banging on the door garnered no response, Regina blew it off it's hinges. Inside stood Snow, Charming, Blue, and the dwarfs. Apparently they were only able to muster up eight people willing to stand with them against the Evil Queen and the Savior.

"What are you still doing in Storybrook?" demanded Regina.

"This is our home. You have no right to force us in to exile!" screamed Snow.

"Actually, this is my home. My family's home! I created Storybrook when I created the curse. As it's creator it is within my rights to exile anyone from within it's bounds," hissed the witch.

The White Queen's face became alight with rage, she clenched her fists nails digging into her palms until copper could be smelt in the air.

"We are not leaving without recompense! How are we supposed to make out way in the world? Exile is no better than death!" screeched the now fallen queen.

"You sent me into that world that day of my birth, and I survived it. I suspect that you can draw on your lives as Mary Margaret and David to get your through. I was never any one but Emma Swan, orphan.

"It's ironic really, if you hadn't put me in that fucking tree in the Enchanted Forest you wouldn't be sent into exile in this world. I think it's time you were on your way. You can empty your bank accounts, and bring any possessions you wish to keep. I wouldn't want to leave that baby in your belly out on the street like you left me." Emma managed to deliver her speech without breaking down, and was proud of that fact. Taking one last look at her parents she turned and left the apartment.

Regina followed her lover out to the street, jogging to catch up with her. "Emma, darling, wait!"

She saw her savior pause mid step, shoulders tense, waiting for her lover. Regina hurried forward and stood in front of the blonde, wiping tears from her beautiful face.

"Hook, Tink and Neal will make sure that they leave town. The dwarfs and Blue are going with them. Not by choice, but by necessity. You and I are going home. Granny will make us all lunch. The boys are coming by to pick Henry up for a sleep over once they've made sure that everyone has made it across the town line. And then, I'm sure Ruby will delight in telling you about our shared childhood," she hurried to get all the information out.

"Just take us home. And no magic, we have to drive the bug," Emma spoke through her tears.

The mayor held out an open palm, which was quickly filled with the sheriffs keys.

When they arrived home it was to the combined smells of cookies and coffee. It made both women smile. Strolling in to the kitchen, they found Red pouring them steaming mugs of coffe while Granny was pulling cookies from the oven. Henry was sitting on a stool by the kitchen island, happily munching away at a still warm chocolate chip cookie.

"Her ya go, ladies!" smiled Red as she handed coffee mugs, made to the specifications of each woman's usual order at the diner, off to each of them.

"Thank you Ruby," Emma sighed around the lip of her mug.

"Hi Mom, Ma!" squealed their suddenly childish seeming son. "We made cookies for you."

"While I doubt the cookies were really for us, thank you for being so thoughtful Granny." smirked Regina.

"Henry, you need to go upstairs and pack an over night bag. Your father and Hook will be here shortly to pick you up."

"Can I bring some cookies?" he asked innocently.

"Yeah pal, you can bring some cookies," Emma said tenderly.

He took off like a shot, the four women in the kitchen could hear him thundering up the stairs.

"So Rubes, I hear you're going to tell me some tales about you and Regina's shared childhood?"

"Uh... as long as Regina is giving me permission, then yeah I can do that," the wolf smiled at the formerly evil queen.

"Just wait until our son has departed, then both you and Granny may educate Emma as to why I look at you both so fondly," muttered the mayor.

They were interrupted from their thoughts by the sound of the door bell ringing followed by Henry speeding down the steps. Emma and Regina escorted the boy to the door. When they opened it they found Neal holding Hook's hand. Both women raised their eyebrows, but said nothing.

"Um, everything is as it should be at the town line," spoke Neal.

"Thank you Neal. For everything. Please enjoy your time with the kid." Emma said sincerely. "That goes for you too Hook."

With that the men took Henry back to their car, still holding hands.

"Gina, are you seeing what I'm seeing here?" asked the sheriff.

"Yes dear, I do believe I am," laughed the brunette.

They closed the door on the picture of domesticity before them, and returned to the kitchen where Granny was putting the finishing touches on lunch and Ruby was washing the dishes.

"So, how 'bout a story then?" Emma asked.

Chapter Text

Granny ushered the group in to the den, making sure the other women had all settled down with their lunch. She took a seat in a plush leather arm chair before beginning her tale.

"My given name is Eugina. I was born to a family of fierce wolves. From a young age I was taught the art of battle. As we reached maturity, we were encouraged to go out and explore the world, to seek out our mate or find our place as a warrior. I did both. I fell in love, and joined my mate as a warrior in the army of King Xavier."

The elder wolf looked up to see that Emma was staring at her intently, trying to avoid missing a word. Red had settled in to a matching chair, watching the scene unfold with interest. Regina was sitting next to Emma on the love seat, smiling at her lover contentedly.

"Xavier was father to five sons, the least of which was Prince Henry."

At this Emma snuck a peek at Regina, having figured out a key point in the story.

"Eventually, I became pregnant with Ruby's mother. Soon after that her father fell in battle. Not wanting to leave our child an orphan I stepped down from my position in the army and took one as nurse maid to Prince Henry. He and Anitia grew up as siblings. I came to love the boy much like my own.

"As my children grew, they couldn't have been more different. Anitia was rebellious, intent on becoming the wolf rather than living along side it. Henry was gentle, loving, curious about the world around him but tempered by a healthy dose of fear from Xavier.

"Around the time Henry was falling head over heels for Cora and her witchery – I never did like the woman – Anitia left home seeking a pack. It wasn't until several years later when I had moved in with Henry and Cora to help care for Regina, that Anitia left Red on my door step.

"Red and Regina grew side by side, much as Henry and Anitia had...

"Gina?" asked a timid brunette.

"Yes, wolfy?" replied a bold girl of similar coloring.

"Will you be my best friend, forever?" asked five year old Red.

"Of course silly. We're family, and we will always be friends!" replied seven year old Regina.

The young girls linked hands while walking through the Mills family orchard. Singing little songs to each other, occasionally stopping to pick small flowers which they were weaving in to a crown. Neither girl noticed the heavy gaze of Cora Mills, spying on them from her balcony.

"Over the years Regina became my sister and my best friend. She wasn't scared of my wolf, even when I was."

Ruby had taken over the story and was looking at the dark queen with undisguised affection. Regina reached out her hand and laced fingers with the wolf, giving a gentle squeeze and urging the conversation forward.

"Eventually, Cora became concerned that I was going to turn her daughter and bring her with me during my monthly trips into the woods. Granny had long ago given up her wolf, which is likely the only reason we were allowed to be in Regina's life for so long.

"Through Xavier's connections with the White Kingdom we were sent to Leopold's castle...

"No Red! You and Granny can't leave me here with her!" fifteen year old Regina sobbed.

"I don't want to leave Gina! Granny doesn't either. We have no choice. I wish I could stay and continue protecting you, or that you could come with us. But she won't allow it" cried thirteen year old Red.

"When you are old enough, you can leave here and come find us. You will always have a place in our pack Regina. I promise!"the alpha wolf stated resolutely.

"I don't know if I can survive her for that long Red. She hurts me so much..."

Red clasped her sisters chin in tender fingers, forcing eye contact.

"You can, and you will, survive this Regina. And we will be together. When we find each other, I'll turn you and you'll never have to be afraid again" she promised.

Emma was holding one of Regina's hands while tears streamed down her cheeks. Red was holding the other tightly, her own cheeks wet with their remembered grief.

"By the time Regina was forced in to her marriage with Leopold, so much had changed. The White Kingdom didn't tolerate children of the moon. I was forced to wear my cloak at all times, and we were segregated into a small cabin where we were left alone so long as we didn't shift.

"Eva and Leopold doted on Snow, who had a fascination with me and Granny. I think that's one of the reasons we weren't banished from their kingdom all together. She was a sweet kid. After Eva died, she found solace in our cabin in the woods.

"I taught her some simple survival skills, Granny taught her to cook. All those stories about Snow White communing with nature aren't entirely untrue. Those birds did have a thing for the princess."

Red smirked and squeezed Regina's hand before beginning the most painful part of their story.

"When Snow came to us with the tale of Regina saving her, I was so proud of my sister. Once she got to the part about her lecherous father taking the girl's hand in marriage, as payment for his daughters life, it felt as if any icy hand were constricting my very heart.

"They were married on a full moon, and I spent the entire night pacing around the castle grounds, howling along side Regina as she screamed. I tried to force my way in to the castle, but Leopold had most of his army in attendance, ensuring I left grievously injured and that my sister was forced to endure the loss of her innocence via rape."

At this point Ruby had curled in on herself as her body was wracked with sobs. She was aimlessly running her hand over deep scars that littered her arms and shoulders. Regina squeezed Emma's hand once, before leaving the comfort of the couch to crawl in to Ruby's lap. She gently tucked mahogany locks behind the wolf's ears with one hand, while wiping her tears with the other. She gently raised Ruby's face to look at her own.

"I didn't know... You never told me you were there. I didn't know you were hurt trying to save me," she spoke softly.

"Of course I tried to save you!" cried Red. "We are family. I love you. I was there every night Regina. I made myself listen to your screams, smell your blood. If I couldn't save you, at least I could bear witness."

Both women were openly sobbing, clinging on to each other as they released years of pent up sorrow. Eugina decided that it was up to her to finish the story.

"I spent my time waiting for that stubborn pup to crawl back to our cabin after trying to fight her way in to the castle. I patched her up every time. Every time the wounds were worse. Leopold had his soldiers start carrying silver weapons. Sometimes their arrows were tipped with wolfs bane.

"Eventually Leopold called open season on wolves, which forced Red to flee the White Kingdom. She came back to the cabin when she could, but it was never for long.

"Once the bastard king was dead, she returned but Regina refused to see us. The little girl we had loved crawled in to herself, adopting the Evil Queen persona. We were devastated, Red most of all. She eventually took off, running from the torture of seeing her sister hiding behind such a vile mask."

Some time during the story Emma had begun to hold Granny's hand while watching her lover and her best friend comfort each other.

"Wow, I had no idea that story time was going to be so... revealing. It does explain why you were so giddy to see me hook up with Regina," laughed Emma, trying to bring some levity to the situation. "Does this mean that you'll help plan the wedding?"

Regina smiled at her fiance, while Red straightened in the chair wiping her tears away.

"Plan it? I better be the maid of honor!" the wolf exclaimed.

The four of them fell in to excited chatter about the impending wedding. Regina and Red hadn't stopped holding hands, and Emma had no intention of ever allowing their separation again. Granny watched over them, smiling at seeing her girls reunited.

Chapter Text

Emma and Regina spent the remainder of their day discussing their wedding with Granny and Ruby. Once it seemed they had exhausted the topic, Granny and Regina cooked them dinner while Ruby and Emma caught up over some beers.

Regina was beside herself with joy over having her family back together. Once she was free from Leopold, she wanted nothing more than to run to Ruby and Eugina. She was far to ashamed to allow herself the comfort of their familiarity though. So she allowed her rage to swallow her whole.

The reign of the evil queen was long over, and now mayor Mills had her whole future ahead of her. She was pulled from her thoughts by a swat on her rear from Granny.

"Hey!" she squaked indignantly.

"You were day dreaming, and I'd like some help finishing the roast. Had to wake you up some how," defended Eugina.

"Well, I can't help but be a little over taken with my thoughts today. After the curse broke, I thought that I had lost you and Red forever. And now here you are, in my home with my fiance. It just seems a little unreal," sighed Regina.

"Well girl, it is real. There was an awful lot of pain and guilt in our history. It took a lot of years, and a broken curse to bring us back together. And Emma is practically family already. She was there for Red when you weren't ready to be. Now you have both of them."

"I've also got you, Eugina. Which is no less important than my sister and my lover," insisted the brunette.

"Yes, yes. We all have each other. Now let's finish dinner and hope it's enough to soak up all the beer those girls are drinking," laughed Granny.

"Ruby, thank you. For taking care of Regina, and protecting her as best you could from Cora. I think that knowing you were suffering along with her, while Leopold had her, has taken some of the burden off her shoulders," confessed Emma.

"I love her Em. She really is my sister in every way other than blood," sighed Red. "I wish I had been able to be here for her sooner, but I wasn't ready for her to know the whole story. And I wasn't prepared for her to reject me again, which I thought was inevitable. I've wasted so much time."

"Time doesn't matter, since it was frozen for twenty eight years. All that counts is now. You're together again, and a part of our weird little family," smiled Emma.

"Cheers!" exclaimed the wolf while lifting her bottle to clink the neck against Emma's.

The next morning found Henry's mothers at his father's ship. Emma was having a little bit of a hard time wrapping her head about that concept. But at the end of the day she was just happy they were happy. It also took care of any awkwardness between Neal and Regina, her past and her future.

Hook and Neal met them on deck, Henry was still below sleeping late.

"So could you fill us in on what happened with my parents at the town line?" asked the blonde.

Neal rubbed the back of his neck in discomfort while Hook sighed and began polishing his hook with a cloth her pulled from his pocket.

"Well Em, it wasn't pretty," started Neal. "We took them to the bank so they could collect their money, and took Blue and the dwarfs to collect some of their things. Once we were at the town line, Snow started freaking out...

"This is absolutely preposterous! We are your king and queen, you have no right to force us out," screamed Snow.

"Actually, you're not. We're not in the enchanted forest any more Mary Margaret. This is a democracy, and Mayor Mills is our elected leader. You don't have any power here," offered Neal.

A sharp crack resounded through the cab of the truck as Snow slapped the father of her only grandchild.

For a moment everyone was too stunned to do anything, but the atmosphere quickly erupted in to chaos. Hook tried to restrain Snow while Neal and David began to wrestle over the keys. Thudding could be heard from the bed of the truck where the dwarfs were banging on the rear window.

After clocking David with a solid right hook, Neal was able to keep his hold on the keys. Snow busied herself with scowling at Neal while spitting at Hook. She was thrashing in his arm, trying desperately to claw at the flesh hidden under his leather duster. Blue cowered in the back seat, covering her ears to down out the sounds of the fight.

"Snow! That's enough," shouted David. "You're going to hurt our baby if you keep fighting!"

The white queen sagged in the pirate's arms, the fight leaving her body at the mention of her unborn child.

"Ok, so here is how this is going to go down. David is going to take my place at the wheel. He is going to drive over the line, and you all will have no choice but to never look back.

"Regina has supplied your subconscious with memories to account for why you're all traveling together. I don't know the details, but I do know that you'll return to your cursed selves once you're over the line.

"As far as I'm concerned, you're all lucky t be getting out of this alive. Emma has changed Regina for the better, and you're reaping the benefit," explained Neal.

He quickly got out of the cab, Hook following him from the passenger side door. For added incentive, Neal pointed a gun at David through the window, causing him to speed away.

"Once over the line, I could see the truck slow down for a moment. But then they got back up to speed and drove away. They're gone for good Emma," said Neal.

Unexpectedly, Emma threw her arms around her ex. He was almost knocked off his feet with the force of the hug. After just a second of hesitation, Neal brought his arms around the blonde in a tight hug. Regina and Hook looked on in affection.

Their moment of comfort was interrupted by the sound of their son clambering up on deck.

"Moms!" he shouted gleefully.

As Regina moved to hug him, he caught a flash of metal on her hand.

"What's on your hand mom?" he asked innocently.

Emma blushed as everyone turned their attention to the ring on Regina's left hand.

"Uh, kid... I meant to ask your permission but things got too crazy. I asked your mom to marry me, and she said yes. Is that ok?" stuttered the blonde.

Regina, Emma, Neal and Hook waited with bated breath for Henry's response.

"Yes!" Henry exclaimed. "We're going to be a real family now. Dad, Hook... are you guys gonna get married now too?"

Emma and Regina could only laugh at the awkwardness their son had brought to the equation.

Chapter Text

Regina woke up screaming. Sweat trickled down her spine while tears tracked down her face. Before she had time to draw another breath she found herself wrapped in a pair of strong arms.

"Shhhh," Emma soothed. "I've got you now. You're safe Gina."

Regina quickly turned over in her lover's embrace. She pressed her face into the crook of Emma's neck and breathed in her calming scent. The blonde's fingers ran through her hair and down her back, tracing a familiar pattern.

"It was him. And Mother," rasped Regina as she shuddered against Emma's sturdy frame.

Emma patiently waited for her fiance to continue.

"Listening to Red and Eugina brought it all back to the surface again. I just want them to be gone. I've felt the sting from both of their hands for too many years now," sobbed the brunette.

"You don't have to carry it alone any more babe. You've got a real family now, and we all want to take part of the burden. I think Ruby proved that in recalling her vigil over you," reasoned Emma.

The blonde continued rubbing soothing circles against Regina's spine.

"I know. Logically..." she sighed. "However, a very large part of me is reticent to allow them back in."

"Take it one step at a time babe. We have a lot of wedding planning to get through. If we all make it through that alive, you should be reasonably assured that they're not going anywhere," the blonde laughed.

Regina leaned away from her fiance only to laugh and playfully slap her on the shoulder.

"Miss Swan, can you not take anything seriously?" the brunette inquired with an arch of her brow.

"I'll have you know madame mayor, I take some things very seriously. Like kissing my fiance for example," Emma smiled.

She leaned in and gently pressed her lips to Regina's. The brunette sighed in to the kiss before wrapping her arms back around Emma's neck.

"Moms!" Henry shouted as he came bounding in to the kitchen. "I'm starving, what's for breakfast?"

"You're always starving, dear." Regina laughed as she flipped the bacon in the pan.

Emma came up next to their son and ruffled his hair affectionately.

"He's a growing boy babe. Besides, he eats less than I did when I was his age," the blonde shrugged.

"Somehow, I don't doubt that." The mayor smiled as she placed bacon on each of their plates.

The room fell in to comfortable silence as the trio devoured their breakfast of bacon, bagels and fruit salad. The fruit was upon Regina's insistence that they had to make up for the bacon somehow.

"So, now that you're getting married does that mean I can have a little brother or sister?" puzzled Henry.

Emma inhaled sharply, coffee shot in to her throat causing her to sputter. Regina arched one eyebrow at her fiance before placing a calming hand on her shoulder and replying to their curious son.

"Henry, Emma and I haven't spoken about growing our little family yet. How would you feel about it?"

Regina felt the blonde take a deep breath and hold it, only exhaling upon Henry's response.

"It would be awesome! I've always wanted to be a big brother. Besides, I think there's plenty to go around Moms," he casually shrugged before digging back in to his breakfast.

"Plenty of what, bud?" asked Emma.

Chewing a last bite of fruit the small brunette looked up at his mother's as if it were obvious, "Of everything."

Emma and Regina's eyes met over his head, tears sparkling in brown and green. The boy didn't realize the emotion he had stirred and hastily finished his food before dashing from the kitchen.

"Gina?" the blonde spoke softly, so as not to break the moment.

"Yes, darling?" the queen replied, lacing her fingers through Emma's shaking ones.

"Would you like to have a baby? With me?" asked the sheriff before gently squeezing the warm hand in hers.

"I would love nothing more than to have a second child with you," signed the brunette as a single tear rolled down her cheek. She broke eye contact and looked down at their joined hands.

"What is it Regina?"

"I've always wanted to carry a child Emma. It's just one more thing that Leopold stole from me," she whispered brokenly.

"I'm so sorry love. But there are lots of ways for us to have a child in this world. And whichever way a child comes in to our lives, it will be perfect." Emma caressed Regina's face before leaning in and placing a chaste but loving kiss on her lips.

Pulling back from the kiss, the blonde rested her forehead against her fiance's and smiled.

"I love you Emma, and of course you're right. Any child of ours will come in to our lives exactly as she's meant to."

"She, huh?" asked the blonde, playfully nudging Regina's hip with her own.

"Or he, I suppose. I just can't imagine loving another little boy as much as I love Henry," admitted the brunette.

"That's true. I love Henry so much it hurts some times. He is the reason you and I are here right now. Without him..." Emma trailed off.

As if on cue the truest believer bounded in to the kitchen once again, interrupting his emotional mothers.

"Moms! We're gonna be late," he cried.

"So we are, dear. We best get a move on, wouldn't want to make you late for..."

Henry cut his mother off in his excitement, "soccer, mom! I'm gonna be late for tryouts I we don't leave right now."

He dashed from the room and could be heard digging around in the front closet.

"Well I guess that's our cue. Time to put the mushy stuff on hold and go cheer our best guy on," Emma smiled.

She paused for a moment and stole one more sweet kiss before dragging her soon to be wife towards the door.

Chapter Text

Several months of harmony, disturbed by only a small amount of wedding drama, passed by quickly in the mayoral mansion. Soon enough Emma found herself waiting for Regina at the end of a seemingly endless aisle. To her left stood Neal, to her right stood Ruby. Eugina stood in the middle, crisp paper clutched in her hands.

Soon the room was filled with the traditional wedding march and all of Storybrook was on their feet. As Regina floated down the aisle, escorted by a beaming Henry, Emma felt her mouth grow dry and tears fall on her cheeks. Regina's expression mirrored her own, one filled with joy and love and just a dash of disbelief.

As the once evil queen took her place across from the savior, the later couldn't help but close the gap between them and brush the tears from the formers face.

Eugina cleared her throat before beginning, "Family and friends, we gather here today to have the honor of witnessing a union born from true love."

She looked first to Emma, then to Regina. "These women, who in their own ways saved us all time and again, found in each other the strength to save themselves. I couldn't be prouder of my daughter, or her chosen.

"They mayor and the sheriff have written their own vows, now we get to see how eloquent they are," she finished gruffly drawing some laughter from the brides and their rather large collection of witnesses.

Emma shuffled from one side to the other for a few moments before clasping Regina's hands in her own. The brunette looked deep in to her eyes conveying all the love she held for the blonde, calming her.

"Regina Mills, you are so many things to me that I don't know where to start except for the beginning. I think I started loving you the day Henry showed up on my doorstep. He was well fed, well dressed and well educated... all things I never had."

Regina gave Emma a reassuring squeeze with her hands, signaling that she understood.

"I gave Henry up to give him his best chance, and he got that with you. You're an amazing mother, my best friend, my other half. In the time we've spent together, as frienimies and now lovers, all the hurt inside of me has been healed. I might be every one elses savior, but you're mine. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life loving you."

Emma looked to Neal, who smiled at her through his tears and presented her with a simple platinum band. The savior slid it home along side Regina's engagement ring. She brought the queen's delicate hand to her lips and kissed the second knuckle of her ring finger.

The brunette smiled brightly at her, tears of joy cascading down her face.

"Emma Swan, what on earth have I done to deserve you? You're stubborn and pig headed. You're somehow charming in spite of your terrible fashion sense. You have the biggest heart I've ever seen, and we all I've held my fair share.

Most importantly, you can see past who I used to be and look at who I truly am. You are mine, as I am yours. Emma, you've given me a son. A second chance at happiness. A family. Thank you for stumbling in to my life, and for staying here by my side."

Regina turned to a tearful Ruby and retrieved a platinum bad woven into an infinity knot which fit perfectly on the blonde's slender finger.

"Without further ado, I now pronounce you wife and... wife. You may now kiss the bride," Eugina quickly finished the ceremony.

As Emma leaned down and pressed her lips to Regina's, a blinding white glow surrounded the couple pulling gasps from the entire audience. Obviously to the light show, the newlyweds briefly deepened the kiss, tongues brushing against each other while the sheriff dipped the mayor low.

Standing up straight, the couple reluctantly parted only to find the citizens of Storybrook gaping at them.

"What did we miss?" asked the blonde.

After a great deal of celebrating Emma and Regina retreated to the privacy of Miffin Street. Henry had gone home with Neal and Hook leaving the ladies to honeymoon in peace.

Once they reached the porch, Emma threw open the front door and scooped Regina up bridal style, causing a burst of giggles to rip from the brunette's chest. After stepping over the threshold, the blonde kicked the door closed behind her. As she leaned down to kiss her wife, she snapped her fingers and they were engulfed in a plume of silver smoke.

As they arrived in the bedroom, Regina looked at her wife with wide eyes. "When did you learn to teleport Mrs. Swan?"

"I've been practicing for tonight, Mrs. Swan" Emma grinned devilishly.

She tossed Regina on to the bed, magicking away both their clothes in the process. The blonde climbed up the length of the bed, coming to rest with her entire body pressed to the brunette's. They groaned simultaneously before crashing their lips together.

As their kiss built in passion Emma began grinding her pelvis in time with their tongues. Regina's hands roamed the well muscled back above her, clenching and scratching pleasurably as she sought purchase. The savior grinned in to their kiss, propping herself up on one arm, she brought her other hand to an already hardened nipple.

As she feathered lightly over the swollen bud, Regina moaned wantonly beneath her arching up into Emma, pressing her breast impossibly closer to skilled hands. After laving first one nipple, then the other, with a talented tongue she allowed her hand to make it's way down the flat planes of Regina's abdomen.

Descending on the brunette's mouth once again, the blonde dipped her fingers into drenched folds. She swiftly circled the pulsating pearl already engorged with lust before dragging her finger through the wetness and filling her wife with two fingers without preamble.

"Emma..." Regina moaned, digging her nails into the blonde's shoulders. This only served to encourage the sheriff. She bottomed out deep within her lover before slowly withdrawing, leaving only the tips of her fingers inside. Looking at the brunette's face twisted in pleasure she smiled as she quickly sheathed herself within the clenching walls of the mayor's pussy.

The savior set a punishing pace as she drove the queen to orgasm. Regina could only moan, and press her thigh into Emma's soaked cunt with each thrust of her fingers. Slick with sweat the blond ground down onto the quivering muscle of the brunette's thigh. As she felt her wife's pussy grasp her fingers bone crushingly tight, she also felt the queen's teeth pierce her flesh at the junction of her neck and shoulder, pushing the savior off the cliff as well.

"I love you Regina," Emma shouted as a bright light once again engulfed the pair.

Two months later...

Emma's brow furrowed as she rolled over to find the other side of the bed empty. Standing up and stretching, she threw on a robe before padding to the en suite bathroom. She wasn't surprised to find her wife kneeling in front of the toilet, white knuckling the rim.

She crouched down behind Regina and rubbed soothing circles between her shoulder blades. Soon the retching ended and the brunette rested her weight back against the blonde's chest.

"Are you alright, love?" Emma asked as she brushed some errant hair from the mayor's forehead.

"Yes dear, I'm fine. Although, it's your baby that's causing all this discomfort. It's only fair that you should make me breakfast in bed and give me a foot rub," smirked Regina.

"Hey, it took two to make that magic!" the blonde replied indignantly. "However, since I'm a doting mommy to be I'll give in to your demands."

"You better get used to it darling, I'm sure once she's born our daughter will be just as demanding.

A wide smile broke out across Emma's face. "Our daughter?" she asked with wonder.

THE END.