Work Text:
"I'm gonna kill Snow"
Emma walked into the massive ballroom dressed in an outfit befitting of her father prince charming, her mothers recent Disney movie marathon to see how the enchanted forest was portrayed has now resulted in her so enthusiastically wanting to throw a ball after watching for the 100th time that week the film Enchanted, which she has deemed as her absolute favourite.
Emma looks around the room only to wish she hadn't, her eyes land on a certain beautiful mayor dancing and laughing with her 'soul mate' Robin Hood, she wishes she could hate him but damn him for being perfect for Regina in every single way, and she knows she should look away but Regina is looking breathtakingly beautiful in a pink dress with her hair tied back showing all of her features which Emma has fallen deeply in love with, especially the little scar on her lip which she remembers tenderly kissing on the one night they gave into each other, only to both agree the next morning it had to be a one time thing and to never be spoken of again, but Emma went and fell even harder for the beautiful Queen, but here she stands, not being the one to get to dance with the one she loves so she reluctantly turns away to find her 'date' in Ruby who seems to have found the liquor table which causes Emma to laugh as she walks over to her best friend.
"Can you be sober for at least one dance with me Ruby? I don't want to be dragging you around the floor"
"Yes yes, the plan to make your Queen jealous will be happening don't you worry" Ruby says as she downs a shot of tequila before taking Emma's offered hand to the dance floor.
"What plan? She is happy, I'm not going to ruin that"
"Wake up and fight for your woman, jeez you two are so dense"
Emma just shakes her head before she starts to dance with Ruby, trying very hard to keep her eyes on Ruby because she knows if looks at Regina once she won't stop.
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Regina didn't want to notice Emma dancing with Ruby, she didn't want to see them smiling and having a good time, but she did and she hated it, to see Emma holding Ruby was killing her but she had to push through, they agreed they wouldn't talk of that night, but she hasn't stopped thinking about it since, the way Emma made her feel, the way she touched her with so much tenderness and love, Robin was very much like Emma but it wasn't the same, no one compared to Emma, she has been in love with the saviour for so long but time was never on there side, fear over ruled there hearts so chances were never taken, and when the one chance that was taken one night, they both stupidly agreed it was a one time thing, so here she is dancing with a man she loves as a best friend and nothing more, watching the woman she loves dance with another, even though she knew her and Ruby were only friends, she knew there would be a day where she would have to see Emma love another and she knew as much as it would kill her, she would have to learn to live with it.
Snow quickly called out to the crowd grabbing everyone's attention.
"Me and David are so glad to have you all here for this ball, now as per tradition we ask that the gentlemen or lady..." she looks towards Emma who just smiles and is grateful her parents accepted her for who she was..." invite another lady who they did not accompany this evening to dance the Enchanted forest waltz.
Both Emma and Regina gape before Ruby seizes the perfect opportunity to walk over to Robin who graciously bows before her and taking her to dance leaving Emma and Regina looking around to see everyone pairing up, they then stare at each other intently, feeling there hearts beat inside there chests.
Emma decides to take the first step towards Regina even though she knows this will kill her, she knows her mother would kill her for not participating and she would rather not hear the lecture later, so she takes Reginas hand in her hers before bowing.
"May I have the honour of this dance your majesty"
Regina smiles because only Emma knows how to make her heart swell but she remembers who is looking and quickly retains her mask.
"You may"
Everyone is paired up waiting for the music to start when a certain damn song plays through the speakers and Emma curses her mother under her breath because its from that film she has seen 100 times this week and its that song which she loves but hates at the same time because she feels every word.
You're in my arms
And all the world is calm
The music playing on for only two
So close together
And when I'm with you
So close to feeling alive
They start off slow trying to save face, but soon forget everyone else around them and all they see is each other.
A life goes by
Romantic dreams must die
So I bid mine goodbye
And never knew
So close, was waiting
Waiting here with you
And now, forever, I know
All that I wanted
To hold you so close
Emma pulls Regina in closer as the next lyrics play and forgets herself for just a moment to sing each word in Reginas ear causing the brunette to catch her breath and hold back the tears fighting to fall.
So close to reaching
That famous happy ending
Almost believing
This one's not pretend
And now you're beside me
And look how far we've come
So far we are, so close
They spin around the dancefloor like they have been doing this for years as the instrumental starts, there smiles radiating from each other as they time each step to perfection, they feel the intensity of each others skin touching that they forget where they are and dance like a couple in love.
Robin and Ruby spin past the couple and Ruby notices the look in Robins eyes as he watches the saviour and Queen dance, he looks back towards Ruby who has the I know look in her eyes, she can see he is heartbroken but he plasters on a fake smile as he continues to dance with Ruby.
The dance starts to slow, but Emma and Regina don't let go as the final lyrics play out.
Oh how could I face the faceless days
If I should lose you now
We're so close to reaching
That famous happy ending
Almost believing
This one's not pretend
Let's go on dreaming
For we know we are
So close, so close
And still so far
As the dance comes to a close, they hold each other close, and Regina swears she felt a tear run down the side of her face which she knows must be from Emma and she can't pull away yet because she knows she is crying to, but they fight back the tears before eventually pulling away smiling sadly at each other, before they can say anything to each other, Robin makes his way over and stands by Reginas side, prompting Emma to nod and walk away, Regina wants to reach out and pull her back but she stops herself to save face.
"May I have this dance?" Robin asks causing Regina to stutter, she looks to where Emma left before smiling sadly at Robin and taking his hand to dance.
They dance but as much as Regina tries to be present with Robin, she keeps glancing towards where Emma left, Robin notices this, his heart shattering at the sight of the Queen looking sad, his mind wanders back to the dance Regina shared with the saviour, remembering how she looked at her, reminding him of how Marian used to look at him before he lost her, reminding him what true love really looks like and thats when he realises he needs to let her go.
When the dance ends, Robin decides what he must do.
"Regina, care to join me in private for a moment?"
Regina looks at him confused, but she nods and follows him to a more secluded area where no one can listen in.
"Robin is everything alright? Why are we here?"
Robin clears his throat before responding "I think I've known for a while now that your heart belongs to another, and I know that we are destined to be soul mates but you have been told your whole life what to do, where to be, who to marry, isn't it time you started deciding for yourself what you want and not listen to some pre written fate? What is it that you want Regina? Who is it that your heart desires?"
"Robin.. I..." Regina stutters, she doesn't know how to answer his last question, she is to stunned by his speech.
"It's ok Regina, I understand, I wish it was I who made you happy, but its clear that I am not, I am a man of honor, I wont stand in the way of what is clearly true love, so be honest with not only me but yourself Regina when I ask you this next question... what do you want?" Robin asks even though he knows the answer.
"Emma" Regina finally admits in barely a whisper as she looks down and let's a stray tear fall, but Robin lifts her head and smiles sadly at her before responding.
"Go to her, and once you find her don't let her go, true love comes once in a lifetime, cherish it and fight for it, because there is nothing quite like it" Robin says before caressing Reginas cheek one last time before walking away.
Regina looks at Robin as he walks away before looking where Emma went, her eyes fleet back and forth, between Emma and Robin before looking down and taking a breath, and finally decides to listen to her heart, which guides her feet to a certain beautiful blonde saviour.
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Emma catches her breath outside, her hand stretches out the back of her neck, she is hurting, her heart finally breaks under the pressure of the love she feels for Regina, the tears stream down her face freely, she can still smell Reginas perfume on her clothes and it makes her heart ache even more but she finds the strength to compose herself before starting to head home.
"Emma?
Emma turns at the sound of her mothers voice, surprised to find that Snow followed her outside after her dance with Regina.
"Hey mom, whats up?"
Snow looks at her daughter and realises in that moment that she recognises the look in her eyes, that look she saw being directed at her former nemesis when they danced, a look she receives daily from her husband, her daughter is in love and she can't believe its taken her this long to notice.
"Emma, is there something going on between you and Regina?"
"What?!?... no.. no of course not!" Emma splutters out, hoping she isn't looking like a deer caught in headlights.
"You can tell me the truth Emma, its ok"
"Its nothing mom, seriously" Emma says trying to brush off her mother and hope she changes the subject but she isn't that lucky.
"You look at her the way I look at your father Emma" Snow says bluntly because she doesn't know how else to get her daughter to admit the truth.
Emma just looks at her mother, she tries to speak but barely gets a few words out.
"Mom... I..." Emma says before the tears threaten to fall again causing Snow to rush to her daughter and hug her which breaks the dam and Emma is sobbing in her mothers arms, Snow does everything she can to soothe her daughter's aching heart but knows she can only do so much.
"Its ok honey, let it out, I'm right here"
Emma continues to cry before finding some control, she lifts her head from her mothers shoulder, and Snow is looking at her like she has always done, with love in her eyes, there's no hate, no malice for falling in love with her mothers former enemy, just love and acceptance just like the night she told her she was gay.
"I love her mom" is all Emma can say, and Snow just strokes the hair away from Emma's eyes like the caring mother she is.
"I see that now honey, and she loves you to, so why are we here? Ill always be here to console you when you are hurting, but a mother never wants to see her child hurt, so why aren't you together?"
And finally Snows words makes Emma's heart spill from her lips.
"Because Robin is her soul mate mom, I can't get in between that, she more than anyone deserves to be happy, she deserves fate to smile on her and grant her true love, she has worked to hard to have her happiness destroyed and I wont be the one to destroy that by being selfish, even though I love her with every fibre of my being and I'd give anything to be the reason she smiles, we can't fight fate, no matter how much I wish I could sucker punch it in the throat right now"
Neither woman noticed that Regina had joined them outside, hiding in the shadows as she let mother and daughter have there moment, she came outside to find Emma when she caught them in a hug, and listened to every word since, her heart soared at Emma's declaration of love for her, and laughing quietly at the end because her saviour's personality always shone through.
Emma and Snow stand in silence, neither knowing what else to say when they hear something, they both turn to find Regina walking from her hiding spot.
"Regina?" Is all Emma can manage to say, she is stunned to find Regina there and also wondering whether Regina had heard everything that she just said.
"I'll leave you two alone" Snow says before heading back inside.
"Regina...umm...how long were you standing there for?" Emma stutters, sweat beating down her face.
"Long enough my darling" Regina says lovingly causing Emma to hold her breath at the mention of Regina calling her darling, and oh what she would give to be called that by Regina for the rest of her life.
"Emma...what you said...about loving me...was that all true?"
"Yes" is all she can muster because her fear of rejection is still present, even if certain words gave her hope, she is still that little orphan girl afraid of being turned away.
Regina's smile widens and her heart bursts at the seams with love for her saviour, but she can see the fear in her loves eyes, so she steps closer, and caresses Emma's cheek, causing the blonde to lean into the touch, she lifts Emma's hand and gently kisses bare knuckles, feeling the cold night on her skin, then she looks up at Emma knowing what she needs to say.
"Emma I know we agreed that night was a one time thing and we would never speak of it again but dancing with you tonight made me realise I can't go without the way you look at me, I can't go without the way you touch me, the way you shiver under my own touch, yes I had Robin and yes he is perfect in every other way but he isn't you, he may be my supposed soul mate but shouldn't I get a choice in who I want to be with? I understand you don't want to be selfish but you are the reason I smile, you can't destroy my happiness when you are the main cause of it, alongside Henry of course, I love Robin but only as a friend and it isn't fair on him or myself to deny myself true happiness, I want to wake up each morning in your arms like we did after that beautiful night we shared together, which meant the world to me, I want everything with you my darling, if you will let me?"
Emma can't help but smile at Reginas words and nods wordlessly because she can't say anything else right now.
Regina wipes away at the blondes tears before finally saying the one thing Emma has wished to hear.
"I love you Emma" Regina says and this causes Emma's smile to become even wider, the blonde place's her hands on the queen's waist, pulling her closer to her, there foreheads touching, she revels in the aura that is Regina, before leaning in and gently kissing the woman she loves.
As there lips meet, a wave of light bursts from them, causing them to stop briefly to realise what kiss they just shared.
"True loves kiss, but how?" Emma says confused because she swears they were not under a curse but then she realises that this is another decision made for Regina another decision she feels was taken from her "Fate has decided for you again Regina, I'm sorry"
Regina just looks at Emma like she has grown three heads, oh how she loves her idiot Swan.
"Emma i chose you before we shared true loves kiss"
"But..." Regina places her fingers on top of Emma's lips to quiet the insecurity trying to overwhelm the blondes mind.
"But nothing my beautiful Swan, I choose you, I decided that all for myself."
Emma smiles at her queen, the anxious thoughts silenced by her loves words.
"I love you Regina"
Regina smiles widely, hearing those words spoken to her finally is more than she ever could have wished for, she leans in to kiss her saviour once again.
The end.