Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Damn it.” Emma looked in the rearview mirror. Bright lights were flashing behind her. She sighed and pulled to the side of the road. She pulled her insurance out of the glove box and her license out of her wallet.

I wasn’t even going very fast. Why am I getting pulled over?

The cop got out of their car and strode towards Emma’s window. Emma moved to lower her window. A hand grabbed her arm and pulled it back.

Emma squeaked before a forceful “drive away” came from the back seat. Emma turned to look in the back seat. The voice hissed, “don’t look back here, just drive.”

Emma swallowed and shifted her car into drive. Her heart was racing as she drove away. She glanced at the cop in the rearview mirror. The cop yelled, waving their hands at her before rushing back to their car.

Emma turned and peered into the back seat. The notorious Evil Queen was lying on the back seat of Emma’s car, holding her side, red seeping between her fingers.

“How did you….”

“Pay attention to the road,” the bleeding woman snarled at her.

Emma jumped and turned to look out the windshield. Her nervous fingers drummed the steering wheel as she tried to determine her next move.

The woman in the back seat spoke more gently when she said, “you need to be more careful. You left your car unlocked, and I was on the run. I needed somewhere to hide.”

Emma nodded slowly, not exactly sure what she was supposed to say to that.

“Also, be careful who pulls you over. That wasn’t a cop; that was my mother. She’s looking for me, but don’t think for a second she wouldn’t kill you for helping me. No questions asked.”

Emma nodded and looked in the rearview mirror. “Um, what do we do if your mother is right behind us? Hypothetically speaking, of course.

“You drive faster.”

***

Regina breathed in through her nose, her eyes closed, trying to get through the pain. The frightened woman in the front seat was going to get them both killed if she didn’t guide them through this.

She opened her eyes and was startled to find she couldn’t see the car or the driver. She was flying through the air with nothing surrounding her. Though she could clearly still feel the car seat under her. She looked behind her and saw the cop car still racing after them.

Realizing she was still visible, she reached forward until she felt the woman in the front seat, slipped one hand under her shirt and rested it on the bare skin of her side. She noted the soft, warm skin under her hand before she felt the woman’s power rushing through her, and she went invisible.

The woman in the front seat jumped at the first touch of her hand. “Wha…what the hell?”

“Quiet, keep driving.” Regina glanced behind her and saw the cop car slowing. “We’re losing her. But we won’t if you don’t keep going.”

The pain and blood loss was starting to get to her. She could feel herself getting dizzy. She was going to pass out soon.

“Where are we going exactly? My gas tank won’t last forever.”

Regina blew out a breath. Her safe haven was likely compromised if her mother got that close to her. “Do you have a place? Not your house, but somewhere else? Preferably not in your name or your family’s name?”

The woman in the front seat blew out a breath. She seemed to know a place but was debating if she actually wanted to go there. Finally, she hummed in agreement.

Regina could feel her dizziness getting worse. She was going to pass out any minute. She gave one final warning. “You are now in as much danger as I am. Do not go to any public location, including the hospital.”

She had wanted to say more, maybe apologize for the position she had put the woman in, but her body finally gave up.

***

Emma felt the hand of the woman in the back seat go slack against her side. She glanced back but saw nothing. She hadn’t realized she and the car had gone invisible until she felt that soft cold hand against her side. She assumed the woman needed to be in contact with her to turn her invisible. She was glad it was still working, even as the woman was seemingly asleep. At least, Emma assumed she was.

Emma drove through the night, pointing her car towards her friend’s tiny cabin in the woods. They wouldn’t be happy with her, knowing she took the Evil Queen there, but Emma had little choice. It was early enough in the year that Ruby and Belle wouldn’t have opened the cabin for vacations for themselves or guests yet. There wouldn’t be much there. Some staples that wouldn’t go bad over the winter, but it would have to be enough for now.

It took several more hours and a very anxious stop at a gas station before she reached the cabin deep in the foothills. The cabin was surrounded by trees, as was the turn-off to get there. Emma had never been there alone but luckily was able to find the turn-off. She parked her bright yellow bug behind the cabin, hoping that would be enough to ensure no one saw the rather obvious vehicle.

Emma left the Evil Queen in the car as she went to the cabin and located the emergency key. She had never opened the cabin with Ruby and Belle. They usually came up for a week by themselves to open the cabin and air it out for the summer vacationers they rented to.

The cabin was dark inside, and there was no power. Emma carefully made her way to the breaker in the back and found a couple of switches flipped off. The only one left on seemed to be for the heater, probably to keep the pipes from freezing.

Emma sent a whispered thank you into the world that the girls left the heat on rather than winterizing the pipes and turning off the water. She flipped the necessary switches and turned on the lights.

The cabin was only one large room consisting of a small kitchen along one wall, a living room in the middle, and a bed with bedside tables and a dresser at the foot on the side opposite the kitchen. The bathroom was tucked next to the kitchen in its own room.

Emma went around the room, pulling sheets off all of the furniture. She realized with the car off, it was going to get cold quickly, and she needed to get the sleeping queen in the cabin before she froze. Emma made her way out the back door and peered in the back of the car. The brunette was still asleep, blood still seeping from her side.

The blonde pulled the door open and gently shook the brunette’s shoulder, hoping to wake her. The woman groaned in pain but, other than that, didn’t stir. Emma blew out a breath. “Hopefully, all those squats can do something for me today.” She bent over and pulled the brunette from the car and into her arms as gently as possible. She was much smaller and lighter than Emma had anticipated. Emma carefully entered the cabin and laid her on the bed before going to find all the supplies she would need to try to dress that wound in her side.

Emma sat all of her supplies on the edge of the bed and pulled the woman onto her side. She took her coat off the injured side and lifted her shirt above the wound. The sight of the cut along her side and all the blood brought Emma up short. What was she doing? How did she get here? Adrenaline had been driving her up to this point, but her brain was finally kicking in, making her realize the situation she found herself in.

She shook her head and immediately began cleaning the wound. Regardless of the situation, this woman would die without some form of care, and Emma couldn’t have that on her conscious.

***

Regina woke with a searing pain in her side. She could feel someone touching the wound and attempted to pull away, but gentle hands steadied her and held her in place. She was still so tired and dizzy, but she forced her eyes open. She startled at the bright green eyes set into a beautiful round face, surrounded by the blonde curls she had seen in the car. She realized this was the first time she had seen the woman’s face.

“You need to hold still. This wound needs stitches, but I don’t have anything to stitch you up here.” The woman sighed, looking over the work she had done so far. “Even if I did, I wouldn’t know how to do it properly anyway.”

Looking for a way to distract herself from the searing pain in her side Regina questioned, “you can turn invisible?”

She already knew she could, but she hoped getting the woman talking would distract her.

“You are the one who turned us invisible in the car.” Emma glanced at her, confusion written on her face.

Regina shook her head. “I’m a mimic. I don’t have any real power of my own. What I use, I get from others. When I realized you and the car were invisible, I touched you to use your power to make myself invisible.”

The blonde just shook her head, looking back over Regina’s side. The woman returned to work, placing gauze and tape, trying to close the wound as much as possible without the proper tools. Regina clenched her jaw, trying to get through the pain of the dressing with as little movement and sound as she could. Before the woman could finish, darkness overtook her once again.

***

Emma looked over her work on the sleeping brunette’s side. It wasn’t anywhere near what the woman needed, but the blood flow had slowed quite a bit, and that would have to be good enough. She immediately began cleaning up and scrubbing the blood from her hands and the linens she had used to clean the woman.

After everything was as clean as it was going to get, for now, Emma began looking through the cabin for any resources she could find to help them. She found a flat of water bottles and picked it up, placing it near where Regina was lying in bed. With the blood loss, she would have to get the woman as hydrated as possible.

She pulled out her phone to search for what else she could do for blood loss when a hand grabbed her wrist. Those dark mahogany eyes were on her again. “No phones. We can be tracked. You need to turn it off.”

“If we can be tracked by my phone, it's already too late.” Emma shut her phone off anyway before shoving it into her pocket.

When she looked back up, she saw tears in the woman’s eyes. This Evil Queen she had seen splashed across newspaper stands, and the news stations on TV looked so small and scared lying in bed with her side bandaged.

Emma sat on the small space at the edge of the bed next to the woman and sighed in defeat. “So, what do we do, then?”

So quietly, she barely heard it, the queen whispered, “I don’t know.”

Emma hung her head. The woman was likely too tired and too drained to come up with anything. This was on Emma now. After a successful evening of bagging her bail jumper, she had just wanted to go home, order something wholly unhealthy to eat, and play some video games.

Now she was forced on the run with a woman who was a known criminal. Her most well-known crimes were down to the thievery of expensive artwork and jewels, but she had been tied to several deaths and blackmail schemes involving politicians. Emma had half a mind to take her and drop her at the closest police station, but the threat of being killed for being forced to help her brought her up short.

Emma squeezed her eyes shut. The unfairness of the situation didn’t change the situation, and she had to focus. If Emma’s phone had already given them away, they needed a new location, and Emma was fresh out of ideas. She had one emergency option, but it might be better to take her chances with death rather than put anyone else in danger.

“What is your name?”

Emma glanced up into deep brown pools looking at her with compassion. “Emma. Emma Swan.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Emma Swan. I am Regina Mills.”

Emma felt anger well up in her. She didn’t want to know this woman; she didn’t want to be in this position. She had worked hard to get the life she had now, and in one moment, this woman crawled into her car uninvited and snatched it all away from her.

She stood from the bed and snatched a water bottle out of the flat, shoving it at the queen. “You need to drink this. You’ve lost a lot of blood. I’ll make you food.”

Emma walked away without looking at her again. She was pulling a can of soup she had found earlier out of the cupboard when she heard the woman shifting on the bed, letting out quiet groans and hisses. Emma sighed, slumping against the counter when she realized if she didn’t help, all the work she had done would have to be redone.

Emma still said nothing as she walked back over and gently helped the woman roll onto her back and prop herself against the bed's headboard. She also assisted her in removing her coat. Without a word or even looking the woman in the eyes, she pulled up her shirt to check her work on the wound.

“Ms. Swan!” Her wrist was grabbed, stopping her from looking at the wound.

Emma ground her teeth together. “I need to check your wound. One wrong move, and you’ll be bleeding out again.” She still refused to look into those deep brown pools, which already had the power to pull her in, even in the short moments she had looked into them.

The strong hand on her wrist let go after another moment and instead pulled up her own shirt. Emma readjusted some of the tape to be more secure, but she would have to redo the whole lot before she laid down for the night.

“Don’t move without help. I’m making soup.”

Emma went back to work, pulling together everything she needed. She also filled up the empty ice trays she found in the freezer. The freezer wasn’t cold enough yet, but they would be there to help stop the bleeding if necessary.

As the soup warmed, she gave it her total concentration, still unable to look at the woman in the bed. Half of her wanted to walk out the door and leave her to her own devices, but she couldn’t bring herself to do so.

***

Regina watched Emma’s back as she slowly stirred the soup. The pain in her side was bad enough to keep her awake, even in her exhausted state, but not so great as to knock her out. She kind of wished she could just black out. The movement to get her to a reclined position against the headboard had set her side on fire.

She bit her lip, feeling terrible for the position she had put Ms. Swan in. It would be foolish to think that Emma didn’t believe all of the news stories that circulated about her. The robberies, the blackmail, the corruption, the murder. The fact that none of it was true…well, none of it was her, anyway, would be a hard sell.

She breathed through the pain and shifted slightly into a more comfortable position. She could feel the tape pulling and knew this would be a long road of recovery. She continued to sip at the water that Emma had given her as she contemplated what to do about the blonde woman. A woman who was probably contemplating the best way to get rid of her without getting killed.

Emma came over with two bowls. Without looking at Regina, she handed her one bowl and took her own over to the couch to eat. Regina struggled, but in the end, she was able to eat all the soup, though now her energy was even more sapped. The pain in her side just wouldn’t let her disappear into sleep.

Regina realized neither of them were going to make it out of this mess alive if they didn’t start working together. To do that, she had to get Emma to talk to her, but right now, Emma wouldn’t even look at her, let alone talk to her.

She cleared her throat, preparing for what was going to be a difficult conversation if they were able to have one at all. “Emma.”

Emma had plopped back down on the couch after taking their bowls and cleaning them, ready to turn on the TV. She had stiffened as soon as Regina had said her name.

“Please, Emma. We have to talk.”

“So, talk.” Emma never even looked at her, just continued to stare at the black television screen in front of her face.

“I’m not who you think I am.”

Emma suddenly stood to her feet. She looked into her eyes for the first time since Emma was bandaging her. “You’re not who I think you are?” It came out low and dangerous. This was not how Regina wanted this to go.

Emma began pacing, her arms waving in agitation as she spoke. “So, you aren’t the Evil Queen then? You haven’t been robbing people, blackmailing, and bribing politicians?” Emma whirled on her then, eyes boring into hers. “You aren’t a murderer?”

Regina opened her mouth to respond, but Emma was too quick. “I know exactly who and what you are. As soon as I can figure a way out of this, I’m gone.”

Emma turned, appearing as if she was about to do just that, when Regina cried out, “I’m not any of those things.” Emma kept her back to the woman but didn’t move. The tears began falling, and she knew Emma could hear them in her voice. “I know this is hard to believe, but the Evil Queen is not me. She is my mother.”

Emma’s fists clenched before she spun back around, pinning Regina with a glare. “Don’t watch the news much, do you?” Emma shouted. She jabbed her finger in Regina’s direction. “Your face is plastered over every newsstand in Boston, every TV station, and website. So, tell me again how it's someone else.”

“She’s a Mirror. She can take on the face of anyone she knows, including me.” Regina was pleading for understanding. She needed Emma to believe her, or else neither one of them was going to make it out of this alive.

***

Emma was exhausted. She didn’t know what to believe. What Regina said felt like the truth, but how could she trust that? How could she trust her? She was too angry, scared, frustrated, and tired to figure any of this out tonight.

She rubbed her hand across her face. “Listen, I’m too tired to have this conversation. I’m gonna change your bandages, and we are going to sleep. We can talk more tomorrow.”

Emma turned to look at the woman on the bed, who just gave her a slight, dejected nod. There was nothing Emma could do. She was too tired to try to decipher if she was being handed a load of bull or not.

She helped Regina back into a laying position before quietly changing the bandages on her side. The bleeding had thankfully stopped for the most part. There was some minor bleeding due to the bandage change, but Emma was hopeful that it would stop quickly.

“We’re gonna need to talk about our limited supplies tomorrow. The food and bandages aren’t going to last more than a day or two, and we have no pain meds.” Emma glanced at Regina to see her reaction, but her eyes were squeezed shut, and she was breathing deeply. Likely in too much pain to talk.

Emma moved to the foot of the bed. She removed the queen’s shoes before gathering the linens from a chest in the living room. She covered the brunette with a blanket rather than trying to maneuver her under the blankets on the bed. She laid out another bottle of water on the bedside table before moving over to the couch to make her own bed.

After stripping out of her boots and jeans, she turned out the lights and laid down on her makeshift bed.

“Emma?”

“Yeah?” Emma sighed.

“I truly am sorry for putting you in this position.”

Emma squeezed her eyes shut and breathed through the emotions running rampant inside her. “Just sleep. I’ll still be here in the morning.” Emma heard nothing more from the bed.

***

Regina had a horrible night’s sleep. She hated sleeping on her back, and her left side had throbbed throughout the night. If anything, she felt more tired today than she had last night. Emma was right. They needed to figure out how to get more supplies. Regina knew with Emma’s ability to turn not only herself invisible but also whatever she was touching, it would be easy. The problem was Emma seemed to be entirely in the dark about her own power.

Emma had been up with the sun; Regina had heard her toss and turn on the couch all night. At that moment, she was silently preparing breakfast. What she was making was a mystery, but Regina knew she needed to eat to regain any kind of strength and deal with the blood loss.

Regina had trouble keeping her eyes open, but they had to talk. She forced her eyes to stay open through a silent breakfast of more soup and a painful bandage change.

As Emma gathered the supplies to clean up after a bandage change. Regina decided it was now or never. “Emma, I know the situation I have put you in is terrible, but I promise I am not who you think I am.”

She heard the sigh of the woman still sitting on the bed next to her but waited silently for the decision. “Fine,” was growled out through clenched teeth. “Talk.”

Regina took a deep breath but felt too vulnerable, laying on her side with her other side exposed. “Will you help me sit up?” Emma tensed next to her; it had been obvious all morning that Emma’s anger had only gotten worse overnight. “Please?”

Without a word, Emma gently re-covered Regina’s side. She assisted her into a sitting position against the headboard, cushioned by some pillows. Emma then went around the other side of the bed and propped herself up next to Regina.

Regina looked at the tense set of Emma’s jaw, unsure if the woman would be able to hear through her own anger, but it was now or never.

Regina folded her hands in her lap and looked into the room instead of at Emma. “I was five when my power first manifested. I was being punished by mother for something that escapes me now, but I suddenly turned into her. She was so proud.” Regina huffed a mirthless chuckle and shook her head. “One of the very few times she has ever been proud of me.

“She thought I had the same power as her; however, it became clear quickly that I did not. My mother surrounded herself with powerful people, and at every touch, I was able to mimic their powers to some extent. Eventually, she removed me from school and brought in tutors. She said school contained too much wasted time. When I wasn’t being taught by tutors, I was training my power.”

Regina didn’t know if Emma was listening, but she hadn’t moved and hadn’t said anything, so Regina kept going. “By the time I was 18, I could hold people’s power within me for around 48 hours. I could also hold multiple powers at a time. I don’t know how many. We never reached my limit.

“It was never enough. Never enough power, never held for long enough. I was such a disappointment to my mother. Eventually, no trainer would come anywhere near me. I either knew too much, and there was nothing more they could give me, or they knew that trainers tended to disappear and never be heard from again around my mother.

“She forced me to become part of her organization. At that point, she was using another face, not mine.” Regina glanced at Emma now. “Have you heard of the Dragon?”

Emma went rigid next to her and stayed unmoving. Regina wasn’t sure what that meant, but when it became apparent that Emma was not going to answer, she continued.

“Mother used her likeness first. She couldn’t possibly use her own face. The Dragon worked behind the scenes. Since mother used her face, she couldn’t ever be seen. I was placed with her, and we were in charge of logistics and the technical pieces of whatever crime my mother wanted to commit. There were many more crimes than people are even aware of or suspect.

“I hated every minute of it, but I didn’t know how to escape my mother’s claws. I felt so trapped. My mother demanded I go out into the field less than a year after starting. My ability to hold multiple powers and wield them simultaneously was useful to her.

“When we got to where I was supposed to lead the group in stealing some expensive jewels, I froze. I couldn’t move. Mother changed into me and led the charge in my place, but she was angry. Many people died that night. I was almost one of them.”

Regina’s voice became shaky and watery as she spoke, but this was the most important part. “She would usually have me take out any surveillance cameras, but she hadn’t. I assumed, at the time, that she had the Dragon do it, but she didn’t. She wanted them to see me. She wanted me to be the face of her organization. That night, I became the face of her organization whether I wanted to or not.

“She was so angry that when we returned to headquarters, she pulled me into a private room and beat me harshly. I almost died that night. She already had my face; she didn’t need me anymore. For days she refused to allow anyone with any healing power anywhere near me.”

Regina raised her hand and traced the scar on her lip that she had traced so many other times in her life. “I truly believe she wanted me to die from my injuries. Anyone caught trying to help me was killed.”

Regina sucked in a deep, shaky breath and continued. “Several nights later, the Dragon snuck into my room and brought her daughter. She wasn’t much younger than me and could heal herself, though no one else. However, by staying in contact with her, I was finally able to heal myself. Still, the length of time between the beating and the healing had already left its scars.

“They were going to escape and wanted to take me with them. We traveled together for almost a year before it became apparent that the three of us together were more likely to be caught. The Dragon gave me some money. She told me my father had left it to her to get me out of there before Mother killed him, and we split up. That was almost ten years ago. I have been living underground ever since then. I do legitimate work but under an alias.

“Last night, I was walking home from the grocery store when I was jumped by mother’s goons. I have no idea how she found me. She was hell-bent on killing me; as you have seen, she got a good try in. But one of the thugs had a speed ability and had made the mistake of touching me. I was able to get as far as your car, a few miles from where she found me before I lost the power due to the weakness caused by the injury. I’m assuming the thug followed me, which is how mother knew where I was and how she knew to follow your car.”

Regina stopped talking and awaited her verdict. Her heart was pumping in her chest. If Emma didn’t believe her, this would be the end of the line for them. Regina, at the very least, wouldn’t get out of this alive. She might be able to get Emma out alive, but even that chance was very slim.

Emma remained silent next to her. The tension that entered her throughout the story, especially when she had brought up the Dragon, had not left the blonde.

***

Emma’s thoughts were churning. For the first time since this whole debacle began the night before, she thought the brunette woman next to her might actually not be who she believed her to be. Emma knew nothing of Regina’s mother but the Dragon? Emma knew something of her. Enough to know Regina’s story could be true.

How to confirm? She could call…no! No one was getting involved until Emma knew Regina wasn’t playing with her. How else could she confirm this? She couldn’t really. What was she supposed to do with this information now? How was she supposed to use this to get them out of anything?

Emma blew out a harsh, frustrated breath, stood from the bed, and began pacing. The woman she had left behind remained quiet, which she greatly appreciated. Emma stopped and stared at the woman in the bed. Her eyes bored into wide-open brown eyes, trying to determine the truthfulness of her story.

Those mahogany eyes were sucking her in, leaving her brain a swirling mess of emotions and thoughts. “Let’s say I believe you. What now?”

A light of hope entered the big brown eyes, and Regina whispered, “you believe me?”

Emma sighed and sat down on the corner of the bed. “I don’t not believe you. That is going to have to be good enough right now.”

Regina only nodded, lowering her eyes to her lap. Emma saw the hurt in them before she lowered her gaze, but this situation was too much, and Emma couldn’t bring herself to feel bad about it.

“We need a plan, both of our lives are in danger, but you are in no condition to travel. Attempting to travel with you is likely a death sentence. You come from the criminal mastermind family. What do we do?”

Emma could see that her comment had only caused further hurt when Regina had flinched at her words. Still, she didn’t have the time or energy to be any gentler at this moment.

Regina took a deep breath and looked around the cabin before her eyes settled on Emma. A look of solid resolve in them. “Right now, we need resources. Food and medical supplies, I could also use some clothing, I’m sure you could too. You are our best option for that. I can’t hold your power while I am this weak, and even if I could, I can’t walk through a store with my injury.”

Emma carded her fingers through scraggly blonde hair in desperate need of brushing. “I know you think I can turn invisible, but before last night, that had never happened to me before. Maybe you touched someone with invisibility?”

Regina shook her head. “No, it came from you. You turned yourself and the car invisible. I had to touch you to have the same power. I promise you; you have the power of invisibility.”

Emma huffed and stood up from the bed and faced the prone woman. “Well then, how do I make it work?”

Regina readjusted herself on the bed slowly and began explaining where Emma’s power came from. It took several excruciating hours, one silent lunch break, and more than one shouting match, but eventually, Emma could turn herself invisible on command and hold it. After that, they tested several different scenarios in order to determine how Emma would be able to go about stealing what they needed.

They came to the determination that Emma couldn’t turn people invisible, but she could turn inanimate objects invisible, including large structures like the cabin. They also determined that the contents of any invisible item would also be invisible unless it was part of another person. This was determined when Regina stuck her hand into Emma’s invisible backpack. Emma could see the things she turned invisible, but barely, so she would need to be cautious. She could also be heard and felt by those around her.

Emma found a backpack and duffle in her car, which she emptied out. These would be what she would fill with the things they needed. After they came up with a list and plan, Emma headed out to her car, her nerves jangling the whole way.

***

After the door shut behind Emma, Regina let out a shaky breath. She was more than a little concerned that Emma wouldn’t return, but at this point, all she could do was trust her. Regina decided a trip alone to the restroom to clean up a little would do her a world of good. So far, Emma had had to help her with everything, which had been more than a little humiliating.

She was able to get her legs over the side of the bed, only crying out in pain once, but now came the worst part, standing up. She no longer had Emma’s strong arms pulling her close…

Get your head on straight, Regina. She hates you and will leave as soon as she can get out safely. Stay focused. Regina took several deep breaths before using the nightstand to help pull her to her feet. She let out a cry of pain as she stood, but once she was on her feet, she took it as a victory. Admittedly, she was still bent over, holding herself up on the nightstand, but the wall was close enough she was able to shuffle over and use it to help her stand straight up.

Once she was upright, she cringed at the fact that the bathroom was on the opposite side of the cabin, but she could do this. She didn’t know how long it took, but she was guessing a ridiculously long time based on how tired she was. Regina was able to do what she needed to and head back out with minimal additional pain, but the trek alone was even more tiring than when Emma helped her, and she was only able to make it back to the couch before she felt too dizzy to continue on. She eased herself onto her side on the couch as gently as she could, but the pain and dizziness were getting worse with each passing moment. She had only a moment to think of Emma and hoped she would return soon before her world went black.

***

Regina was lying on a soft, warm bed. She couldn’t see the room around her, but she could feel the sunlight on her skin. She felt so warm and comfortable that she never wanted to get up.

“Regina.” It was the soft murmur of her name that made her realize she had her eyes closed. Her eyes popped open, and at the end of the bed was Emma. Emma’s hair hung in golden waves around her shoulders, giving her an otherworldly appearance in the sunlight.

She stood in a white button-down that was completely unbuttoned, showing off the center of the chest and stomach and giving a tantalizing peek at the inner curve of each breast. Emma was also wearing a pair of dainty lacey white panties that Regina wanted to rip from her body. Emma had a soft, seductive smile on her face that instantly made Regina’s body sing with want. It was at that moment that Regina realized she couldn’t move, laid out on her back, her head and shoulders propped up slightly by fluffy pillows.

Emma placed one knee gently on the bed before dropping her hands to the plush bedding and crawling toward Regina. Much to Regina’s disappointment, Emma’s shirt did not part further, and she was unable to see more of the tantalizing flesh that Emma was teasing her with. Emma slowly slinked her way up the bed until she was hovering over Regina and gazing down at her with deep emerald eyes and a mischievous smile on her lips.

“See something you like, Regina?”

“Regina?”

“Regina!”

Regina inhaled sharply and opened her eyes to see the emerald eyes still sparkling down at her. Still half asleep, she smiled and whispered, “Emma,” before lacing one hand behind Emma’s neck and bringing her down into a slow sweet kiss. It wasn’t until Emma pulled away with a confused look on her face that Regina realized what had happened.

“Um…what…why?”

“Emma. I…sorry, I think I was still asleep. I…I don’t….”

Emma shook her head and backed away from the couch she had found the brunette on. “It’s…it’s fine. Just an accident.” Emma looked around for anything else to talk about. “Why…why are you on the couch?”

Regina could feel herself flushing and couldn’t shake the feeling of Emma’s soft pink lips on hers. She knew this wasn’t the time for this, but not even the pain she found herself in upon waking could stop the aching in her chest and the heat in her belly.

“I um…I needed to use the restroom. I couldn’t make it all the way back to the bed.” Regina looked away from Emma, flushing at being caught in such a vulnerable predicament.

Emma nodded and seemed relieved to have something else to focus on. “Let me check your wound, then I’ll help you back into bed.”

Regina raised the hem of her shirt, allowing Emma to check the bandages, which showed that there had been a little bleeding but had likely stopped while Regina slept. “I got some better stuff to bandage you with and some painkillers. I’ll make dinner, then we can get you back to bed and change your bandages. The pain killers work better with food.”

Emma immediately walked away from her, and Regina could feel nothing but humiliation bubbling inside of her. What was that dream? Why did she have to kiss Emma? While on the run, she had had a fling with the Dragon, just wanting to feel wanted, to feel good enough for a few moments, but being on the run and underground had left her with few options except a couple of one-night stands when the itch became too big to scratch by herself.

She knew she was attracted to Emma. Emma was exactly her type. Loyal, caring, strong, generous, and gorgeous. But her life wasn’t conducive to relationships, and her current injuries and situation weren’t conducive to a one-night stand. She didn’t even know if Emma would be interested in such a thing. Emma seemed to actively hate her, not that she could blame her. But their current amicability seemed to be only for survival, again, not that she could blame her.

Regina watched Emma unpack her bags and putter around the cabin putting things away while her mind whirled away over what had happened and what they were going to do moving forward.

***

Emma was on edge even more than usual. What was that kiss? She could pretend that Regina didn’t even realize it was her if she hadn’t said her name right before. The soft look in her eyes, her name whispered so gently by pillow-soft lips that Emma could still feel against her own.

Best not to think about it and just move on. To just ignore what had happened. Emma didn’t have the time or the space to add another complication to an already complicated situation. After putting away everything from her bags, she began making simple sandwiches and cut up some fruit on the side. It wasn’t the most amazing dinner anyone had ever had, but at this point, it was better than soup.

Before serving the food, she helped Regina into a more reclined position on the couch and sat with her while they ate. They ate in silence, not looking at each other. It was…awkward. After dinner, Emma got Regina some pain meds and sleeping pills and put them on the nightstand next to the bed for easy access.

They both awkwardly agreed that Regina needed to get clean and change clothes. Emma had to gather everything she needed, but eventually, Regina was able to give herself a simple sponge bath and dress without additional assistance. Emma led Regina back to the bed where the necessary medications were taken, and the brunette could walk her through the new bandage-changing procedure. Eventually, the medication started kicking in, and the prone woman relaxed into the bed and drifted off.

While Emma had gotten very little sleep the night before and was admittedly rather tired, she was on edge and knew she wasn’t going to be able to sleep. She tried reading through a book she had found wedged in the couch cushions the night before, but it wasn’t holding her interest.

Instead, her mind focused on waking Regina earlier in the afternoon. The gentle smile that had lit up her face. Her face had softened considerably, making her look far younger. Her eyes had shown brightly at Emma as she had whispered her name reverently. No one had ever said her name so softly in her life. Then that warm had slipped behind her neck, pulling her into the softest…

No. She couldn’t think about that. She decided a shower and changing into something more comfortable was in order now that she had some additional clothing. Her trip to the store, while incredibly scary, had been very fruitful, leaving her with several new articles of clothing for the both of them, additional food, supplies for Regina’s injury, and even a few hygiene products.

After her shower, she sat back on the couch and searched for something else to keep her occupied. She reached for the television remote and turned it on, turning the volume down as low as she could so she could still hear. She glanced over to the sleeping woman on the bed, but she hadn’t stirred at all. Focusing back on the television, Emma was shocked to see Regina’s face there. Something was off about it, though.

Emma leaned forward to get closer and hear better. “…millions in jewels. It was one of the biggest robberies the Evil Queen has made to date. The footage you are about to see is from inside the vault and was taken less than an hour ago.”

Emma watched as the Evil Queen strutted into a vault and ordered around several people who began filling bags as quickly as they could. Something wasn’t right about the woman. Emma peered back over the bed and saw Regina asleep.

Less than an hour ago. Regina had been asleep for the last two hours at least.

Emma pulled her phone out and turned it on. She dialed the number she knew by heart. “Hey, it's me. I’m in trouble. I need your help.”

***

The next morning Emma had been fidgety and jumped at every noise. Regina wasn’t sure what the cause was but tried to remain calm in the face of Emma’s obvious nerves, but Emma’s nerves were making her nervous as well. So, when a clattering came from outside the cabin just as Emma was lifting her shirt to change her bandage, Regina jumped and grasped Emma’s hand in fear.

“Don’t move.” Emma got up from the bed and pulled back the curtain just enough to see out the front of the building. Regina watched as Emma’s body visibly relaxed, but Regina’s went even stiffer as voices were heard, and Emma went for the front door.

“Emma, wait,” but it was too late. Emma had swung open the door with a smile on her face and was instantly engulfed in a hug by an older blonde woman Regina hadn’t seen in ten years. Her eyes went wide as Mal, a.k.a. the Dragon, began scolding Emma like a mother would for getting herself caught up in some form of trouble.

Just then, three additional women pushed their way through the door. All hell-bent on checking on Emma and the trouble she had found herself in. It wasn’t until a brunette turned to her; that anyone knew she was there. Brown eyes locked on her own before they went wide.

“Regina?”

Regina gave a hesitant smile. “Lily, it's me.”

Mal immediately turned to her, and her crystal blue eyes went wide. She turned back to Emma before turning again to Regina and rushing over. She took both of Regina’s hands before sitting on the bed next to her.

As soon as Regina felt the Dragon’s power flow through her, she broke down crying. It was her. The woman who had saved her in so many ways was here before her. Mal gathered her up in her arms. She could hear the other women whispering questions at Emma, trying to ascertain what was going on, but the last two days had been hell, and she had had no hope. Now there was Mal. There was hope.

Once she was able to calm herself, Mal made each new woman touch her hand and introduced her. Ruby, a tall, athletic woman with brown hair and dark blue eyes, was a wolf. Belle, another brown-haired, blue-eyed woman, was much shorter and was a fire starter. She could create a flame at will anywhere she wished.

Lily was the last and sat on the side of the bed opposite her mother before grasping Regina’s hand. “Heal yourself. Emma says you have a nasty cut on your side.”

Regina clung to Lily’s hand as she sent pulses of healing power to her side and all the other bruises and small cuts she had received fighting for her life only two nights before. When she finally felt the pain subside, she sighed and leaned back against the headboard. “Thank you.”

Ruby suddenly piped up. “Someone want to explain what in the hell is going on here?” The tall woman turned towards her then. “No offense, but didn’t you just knock over a jeweler in Boston last night?”

Mal shook her head and stood, holding her hands out in a placating manner. “That wasn’t her. We can hear the explanation of how this came to be later. Right now, we need to get out of here.” The older blonde woman turned towards Emma. “They know you are somewhere in these woods; it won’t be long until you are found. Pack up everything you brought with you. We need to go now.”

She glanced at Regina before looking back to Emma and touching her arm gently. “Your car will have to stay. I’ve heard chatter of an old-fashioned yellow VW. It's not safe on the road.”

Emma looked stricken at the words but merely nodded before moving to fill her backpack and duffle. Regina tried to stand to help, but Lily pulled her back. “You know healing doesn’t work like that. You still need to regain your strength. Have you eaten yet?”

Regina only nodded as she watched Emma pack away their meager belongings. The look of devastation on her face told Regina that the car meant more than just a means of transportation. “Emma can turn the car invisible if she’s in it. She’ll just have to take back roads, so she doesn’t get caught in traffic.”

Five sets of eyes landed on her. Four in complete shock.

“Wait, what…”

“Ems, you never told us….”

“Were you hiding this…”

All chatter stopped, though, when Mal smiled brightly at Emma and said, “you finally found it, did you?”

Emma, who had just finished packing, picked up the bags with a sheepish look on her face before mumbling, “you were right.”

Regina watched a haughty smirk slide its way onto Mal’s face. “Come again? I don’t believe I heard that.”

Emma huffed a laugh and shouted, “you were right!” Emma smiled such a beautiful smile then. “I do have a power.” Suddenly Emma and the two bags disappeared before reappearing again. Mal clapped in delight before scooping the other blonde into a bone-crushing hug.

Lily helped Regina into Mal’s car after it was decided that even touching Emma, Regina would be using too much energy to keep herself invisible. Ruby and Belle went over the cabin, trying to make it look as if no one had been there. Even after turning off the power and Belle holding a small flame in the refrigerator and freezer, they were still cold, but it was the best they could do. They jumped in the back of Mal’s car with Lily while Mal gave Emma last-minute instructions to ensure she didn’t get caught up.

***

They were off quickly, keeping to the back roads so there was little chance Emma could be hit. Emma had called Mal, and they left the line open as Regina explained everything that had happened since the night she was jumped by her mother’s goons.

Mal had visibly angered as Regina described the fight, five to one, with her barely getting away and sneaking into Emma’s car. She described the day before, including Emma’s foray out to get supplies, at which point Emma took over and told them about her harrowing journey through the store. Both women skipped over the kiss on the couch and subsequent awkwardness.

Emma finally explained the news she had seen after Regina was asleep, leading her to believe that Regina was most likely at least partially telling the truth, and Emma calling Mal to request help. Regina recounted what she had told Emma, and Mal corroborated her story with some additional details about just how awful Regina’s mother, Cora, actually was.

Some of it even Regina hadn’t known. Like the fact that Cora was holding Lily and Mal hostage and threatened Lily’s life every time Mal attempted to fight back against what she was being required to do.

***

The drive was several hours long, but eventually, Mal turned off into a quiet suburban neighborhood on the outskirts of town. There were a few people tending to their yards and some children playing. The type of place Regina had once dreamed of living. All the women except Mal were required to duck out of sight as much as possible. Regina couldn’t see much from her position, but they pulled up to the two-car garage of a large light-yellow home at the end of a dead-end street. Mal pulled into the garage and told everyone to stay down.

Mal hopped out of the car and began fidgeting with something, but Regina had no idea what. Finally, after a few minutes, Mal closed the garage, and everyone could sit up. Regina watched as Emma’s bug came back into view next to Mal’s SUV.

Mal led them inside the large family home. The home looked beautiful from what Regina could see, but they were barely in the kitchen door off the garage when Mal turned to them.

“Emma, you and Regina are obviously exhausted. You both are going to have to stay in the basement. It would look too strange pulling all the curtains. We don’t know if they know where I am, but we have to assume they do. Take her down there, and the two of you can get some sleep. Talk of game plans and decisions can wait. For now, we are safe.”

Regina relaxed slightly. She didn’t remember the last time she was actually safe. She quietly let Emma lead her downstairs. The basement was cut down the middle and contained no windows at all. Before Emma flipped a switch, they had been in absolute darkness beyond the light coming from the stairwell.

One half of the basement contained a combination laundry and storage room. The other side contained a comfortable-looking family room and kitchen. The room had a large couch and a couple chairs facing toward a large entertainment stand with a TV and other devices that appeared to be gaming consoles. Behind the living room was a small kitchen and two-seater dining table along the wall opposite the counters. In the back of the kitchen was a closed door.

Emma glanced back at her and smiled reassuringly. “We’ll likely have to stay down here for a while, but it’s a comfortable space.”

Regina followed Emma toward the kitchen and closed door. Emma opened the door into another dark room with no windows and flipped a light switch. The room looked cosey and shockingly lived in. There was a long closet along one wall with sliding doors. The opposite wall held a comfortable-looking queen-sized bed with bedside tables on each side. Along the wall next to the door they had just entered was a desk with a computer and another door was on the opposite side of the desk.

Emma dropped the bags in a corner and turned to Regina fully. She pointed to the door on the opposite side of the desk, “a bathroom. Feel free to freshen up, then we can pass out.” Emma pulled some clothes out of the closet and gently tossed them to Regina.

Once in the bathroom, Regina pulled up her shirt to take another look at her side. The wound was completely closed, and the bruising was gone. There would always be a scar there now. If she wasn’t able to heal an injury within minutes, it usually left a scar. Almost two days with a large cut made it a guarantee there would be a large one.

She ran her fingers over the wound and was happy to note there was no pain or discomfort, even when applying pressure. She changed her clothes quickly and freshened up before re-entering the bedroom. Emma was changing into clothing to sleep in, and Regina walked in just as Emma whipped off her bra. The brunette froze in the doorway, admiring the porcelain skin and pink-tipped breasts before she heard a throat clear.

Her face burned with embarrassment as she quickly spun to face away from the blonde woman. She twisted her fingers together, unsure how to fix her error. She had been almost completely alone for ten years. Before that, she had been under the thumb of a cruel woman with only her example to go on. Human interactions in stressful situations were a difficult thing for the brunette.

“I’m dressed. You can come to bed.” Regina jumped at the voice but slowly turned around. She watched Emma flip on a bedside light before asking. “Can you grab the lights by the door?”

Regina, thankful Emma wasn’t going to bring up her slip, flipped the light switch before crawling into her side of the bed. Emma switched off the bedside light leaving them in total darkness. Regina clung to her side of the bed, not wanting to get too close, and tried to relax enough to sleep. Her exhaustion and the darkness surrounding them were enough to allow her to slip into a peaceful sleep.

***

Emma woke warm and comfortable with a body plastered to her front. She opened her eyes, forgetting for a moment where she was, and found herself in total darkness. The body plastered to her shifted slightly but then settled, allowing her to take stock.

She was lying on her side with Regina’s face in her neck, her warm breath puffing against her skin. One of Regina’s arms was around her middle, holding her, and the other was tucked up between them. Both of Emma’s arms were around Regina, holding her close, and one of her legs was thrown over Regina’s hip, while Regina’s leg was between her own.

Regina wriggled in her sleep, pulling Emma closer, and Emma felt what might have been a gentle kiss on her neck. The location tingled as the body in her arms relaxed again. Emma could feel herself heating up at the gentle touches of the woman in her arms and knew she needed to get up.

It was difficult talking herself into getting out of bed, but once she realized one of her hands had snaked under Regina’s shirt and was lying on the smooth, soft skin of her back, the blonde found it almost impossible to do anything but snuggle further into this woman.

It was only then that the past two days filtered back in, and the war with the feelings she was suddenly feeling for Regina, along with the fear and anger she had been feeling for the last two days, started. She eased herself gently out of bed and flipped on a night light plugged into the wall so Regina wouldn’t wake in absolute darkness, not knowing where she was.

***

Emma quietly exited the bedroom, grateful she hadn’t woken Regina when she saw Mal at the kitchen counter making sandwiches.

“Emma. Why don’t you come talk to your old Ma?”

Emma smiled and made her way over to the woman and planted a kiss on Mal’s cheek before sliding onto a chair at the kitchen table. Emma had been 17 when she had met Mal almost eight years ago. She had been homeless and living out of the car she had stolen. Emma had attempted to steal from a convenience store, but Mal, who had been in the store, had caught her. She promised not to tell the store clerk if Emma came with her.

That had freaked Emma out, but she knew if the store clerk called the police, she would have to back into a group home. She had been in foster care and group homes her whole life, and she had no intention of ever going back there again.

It turned out that going with Mal changed her life for the better. She was introduced to Mal’s daughter Lily, who was almost the same age as her. Mal had given her a short and more age-appropriate version of her and her daughter’s lives up until that point. Mal’s openness had given Emma the confidence she needed to open up to Mal and Lily about her life and the fact that she was homeless and living out of a stolen car. Mal had offered to let Emma stay with them as long as she wanted, but when Emma looked startled and a little frightened at the offer, Mal told her she could leave any time. They would not try to stop her.

Mal had given her this basement apartment. It had its own door that went out to the solarium at the back of the house. Emma was given a code to the backdoor so she could come and go at her leisure. Emma didn’t know why, but she had chosen to stay, and she never regretted that decision. She had stayed for several years until she had a good job and felt confident she could make a life all on her own. She had remained close with Mal and Lily. She called them her chosen family.

Mal never did tell her what prompted her to bring a teenager she had never met home with her. She would only say, “you remind me of a young lady who didn’t deserve the cards she had been dealt.”

“So,” Mal started. “You and Regina, huh?”

Emma cocked her head in confusion. “What?”

Mal turned her head and smirked at her before turning back to the food she was preparing. “I haven’t seen that look on your face since Elsa. You have feelings for her.”

Emma sat back on the stool, shaking her head. “No. No way. Not happening.”

Mal chuckled lightly. “You said the same thing about Elsa.”

“Mal, this whole situation is fucked up.” Emma put her elbows on the table and her head in her hands before she finally let it all out.

“Two nights ago, I was getting in my car, getting ready to go home, get some take out and relax and all the sudden there is a supervillain, who really isn’t a supervillain, in my backseat telling me if I don’t help her, I’m gonna die. Only, she’s not the one who is going to kill me. Her psycho mother is.

“So, I help her. What the fuck else am I supposed to do? She tells me I have some dumb power and teaches me to use it. All while I have to take care of her completely because she is injured. Then she has the gall to look at me like no one has ever looked at me before, and say my name like no one has ever said it before, and kiss me, and I….”

Emma felt the strong arms of the blonde she had thought of as a mother since she was seventeen wrap around her. She let out a sob. It had been non-stop stress for two days, and she hadn’t had a moment to think. She hadn’t had a moment to stop and take it all in. Mal rocked her gently in her arms, shushing her.

Once she was calm enough, Mal placed a soft kiss on the side of her head and just waited. “Everything for two days has been our lives in danger, and Regina seriously hurt and having to make sure we had everything we needed and taking care of her, and somewhere in all of that, she crawled under my skin, and I don’t know what to do.”

Mal kissed her on the side of the head again before letting go and going back to her food prep. “Take a deep breath. We will figure it out, sweetling.”

Emma felt warmth infuse her heart. She loved it when Mal called her sweetling. It warmed those cold places where so-called mothers were supposed to tuck her in and read to her or sing her lullabies and never did.

***

Regina woke slowly, the darkened room making her awareness come in small pieces. Once she remembered where she was and why she was there, she realized she was alone in bed. As more information filtered in, she also realized she was in the middle of the bed and hoped to god she got there after Emma had left. She took stock of her body and realized she was feeling stronger than she had since the fight. With the damage to her side finally healed, she was able to actually regain the strength she had lost to the blood loss and pain.

She gave herself a few moments in bed, looking over the darkened room. It was a fairly simple room. There were small nicknacks scattered throughout the room. There were a few pieces of artwork scattered on the walls. None of it seemed cohesive, telling Regina this room wasn’t decorated for guests. Someone lived here. Based on Emma’s ease in the room, Regina could only assume this was where she lived.

The brunette had so many questions. Questions about Emma, questions about how she came to be with Mal, questions about what was going to happen now. None of them would be answered lying in this bed. Just then, Regina’s stomach gave off a rumble making her decision for her to go in search of Emma and food.

Regina emerged from the bedroom to see Emma on the couch, watching television. Regina cleared her throat, hoping not to startle the blonde. Emma turned her head and gave Regina a soft smile. “Look who finally decided to join the living. Are you hungry?”

Regina sat on the couch opposite Emma and nodded. “I woke up quite hungry, actually. This is the first time I’ve actually felt hungry since the attack. I’m taking it as a good sign.”

Emma nodded along. “I agree. Mal made some sandwiches. Do you want something to drink with them?”

“Water?”

Emma immediately popped off the couch and went to the fridge, grabbing out a plate of sliced sandwiches and a bottle of water for Regina. She set them on the coffee table in front of the couch before taking her spot back on the couch and resuming her tv watching.

Regina disappeared into her head as she slowly ate. The questions started buzzing again with seemingly no answers. How did Emma and Mal know each other and come to live with one another? How had they met Ruby and Belle, and how were the two completely unknown to her? The most important and most impossible question was, what was she going to do now? Mal may be able to save Emma from harm, but if she was going to do so, Regina needed to get away from them as soon as possible.

Round and round, the questions went in her head. She knew she couldn’t answer the questions without help, but she hated having to rely on others which would only put them in more danger. Finished with her sandwiches, she placed the plate back on the coffee table and turned to look at Emma. Her mind continued to buzz and prod at her with an unending list of questions. The attack happening the way it did left her with literally nothing except the bloody clothes she had had on her back.

She did have her wallet on her. She had to get used to carrying a small wallet that fit in her pocket instead of a purse. Purses held too much information. Her phone had been smashed in the altercation and had to be left behind anyway. She kept it well encrypted, but that didn’t mean her mother wouldn’t have people who could get in. That left her with very little. She was careful about what she kept on her phone, but these days there was very little you could keep off it. Her entire fake identity was tied to her phone. She would need a new one. She needed to access her money quickly, but without her phone, she was without her contacts to get it to a safe account. She blew out a breath realizing she may have to start completely over from scratch.

She only realized then that Emma was fidgeting under her gaze. She hadn’t even realized she had been staring at the blonde. She voiced the only question that would come to her at that point. “What now?”

She had a million other questions, but that seemed the most pressing. Emma shrugged and glanced over at her. “Mal is going to make dinner in a little while, and she and Lily will be down to eat with us. I guess we will have to figure it out then.”

Regina nodded and was taken aback when she realized tears had begun to leak down her face. She didn’t cry. Why on earth was she crying? This didn’t make any sense. She brought a hand up to her face and wiped away a tear, pulling it back to stare at it. She didn’t cry.

The more she tried to fight it, the harder it became until a sob broke free. Emma looked at her in alarm before immediately sliding across the couch and pulling Regina into her arms. That only seemed to make the crying worse, and Regina barely felt it when Emma pulled until she was sitting astride Emma’s lap with her face buried in the blonde’s neck. She clung to the woman for dear life as the feelings of fear, anger, and helplessness overwhelmed her and then were soothed by soft words whispered in her ear and soft strokes up and down her back.

As Emma soothed the overwhelming feelings rushing through her, her sobs quieted, and she was able to catch her breath. It was only then that she heard the soothing words coming from Emma. “It's going to be ok. We are going to figure this out. I’m here. You aren’t alone.” On and on they went as Regina slowly came back to herself.

Eventually, she quieted and just laid there against Emma’s chest, letting herself be soothed. She knew she was getting too attached, and it would only hurt more when they had to part for the blonde’s safety, but she couldn’t bare the thought of moving away just yet. Emma didn’t seem to mind. Now that Regina had quieted, Emma’s soothing words had quieted to soft hums in her ear, but her hands continued their soothing circles on her back.

Eventually, Regina forced herself to pull away from the woman and slumped back on the couch next to her. Emma was looking at her expectantly, wanting her to talk, but when she opened her mouth, the only thing that escaped was, “I don’t want you to get hurt.”

The tears started again but were more manageable this time. Emma simply slipped her arm around Regina’s shoulders and pulled until the brunette’s head rested on her shoulder. They sat like that until Regina could no longer resist the call of sleep on her overtired mind.

***

Emma was sitting on the couch with the TV playing in the background with the sound down low as Regina slept. After the brunette had fallen asleep on her shoulder, Emma repositioned them both until Regina was lying on the couch with her head in her lap. Regina had grumbled a few times but hadn’t woken as Emma jostled her around. Emma carded her fingers through the shoulder-length silky brown locks. Emma watched Regina sleep peacefully in her lap more than she watched the television in front of her.

Emma had been watching the brunette sleep for so long that the knock on the door to the basement and subsequent opening startled the blonde. Mal peeked her head around the door and smiled at the sight of Regina sleeping on Emma’s lap. Lily walked around Mal with a casserole dish and smirked at Emma upon seeing the same.

Emma reached out to Regina’s shoulder and shook it gently as Mal and Lily moved into the kitchen to get set up for dinner. Regina hummed as she came back to awareness. She rolled onto her back and looked up into Emma’s face smiling gently. Emma’s breath caught in her throat. It was that same look from when Regina kissed her. She half hoped Regina would reach up and pull her down again.

A clattering from the kitchen startled the brunette in her lap, and she sat up and moved away from Emma. “Mal and Lily brought dinner. Are you hungry?”

Emma decided the best course of action was to move on from the moment and all that came before it. If they were even going to have those discussions, they would be discussions that occurred in private. The woman next to her on the couch only bobbed her head as a beautiful blush tinged her cheeks.

“Well, good,” came a voice from behind them. “Because I made a delicious casserole, and you need your strength.” Mal rounded the couch and handed them both plates. Lily came behind with two plates in her own hand, handing one to Mal. They both sat in chairs as everyone began to eat.

At first, the conversations were light. Regina didn’t participate much but appeared to Emma to be listening. Eventually, they got on the topic of how Emma came to meet Mal and Lily and move in with them. Regina asked if Emma still lived there, and Emma responded, “no. I moved out a few years ago.” She smiled at Mal before adding. “Mal keeps telling me she is keeping my room for me if I ever want to come back.” Emma pointed her thumb over her shoulder to the bedroom door.

Once dinner was done, and the dishes had been cleaned, Mal sat back in her chair, and a serious look came over her face. “We need to talk next steps. Living here is untenable, even in the short term. Normally we are safe here, but if Cora is hunting, none of us are safe.

“To that end, I have called Sarah. She will be here in a few hours. To those watching, it will appear she is here to pick up Lily; however, you two will be going as well.” Mal turned to Regina, “can you hold power yet, or do you still need to be attached?”

The brunette woman shook her head, “I haven’t checked yet, but I might be able to. It’s been over eight hours since I was healed, and I slept most of that.”

“Well, check, we need you both invisible for this.”

Regina reached out to Emma and tapped her hand. She pulled her hand back and went invisible. Then the coffee table went invisible, but not the plates on it.

Emma looked startled at that. “Shouldn’t the plates be invisible too?”

Regina and the table reappeared. She looked to Mal first. “I can hold it. I can still feel the power available to me. I don’t know how long it will last.” Then she turned to the blonde. “The plates are on the table, not in it. Remember, you can turn invisible, anything you touch can turn invisible, and anything inside that which you turn invisible will be invisible. The only exception is other people.

“Now that I can hold your power, I can parse it out more clearly. I know we tested it before, but you do not have the ability to turn anyone else invisible. But since you can turn objects invisible, you have to be mindful of your hands. Anything your skin touches will be invisible while you are, even if you don’t intend it to be.”

Emma nodded along, taking in the newly confirmed information about her power. She was still in shock that she had a power, to begin with. From beside her, Regina asked, “who is Sarah?

Can you trust her, or will she not know we are along for the ride?”

Mal smiled gently. “Sarah is Lily’s other mother.” Emma already knew this information and the off-again, on-again relationship between Sarah and Mal due to their opposing fields of work. However, Sarah was always there for Mal. Always. “She is the most trustworthy person I know, and as far as I am aware, she is completely under Cora’s radar, which means Lily going with her tonight will not look suspicious. She is aware she will have an additional two, though she will not acknowledge you until you get to the safe house.”

Lily rolled her eyes. “Mom, I’m a 26-year-old still living at home, and I still have visitation with my second parent. I’m fairly certain that makes it suspicious enough.”

Emma guffawed. “Lils, you’ve always been a big mama’s girl.”

Lily growled, “fuck off, Swan.”

Mal whistled to quiet down the two girls. “Lily, language. Emma, be nice. You two should be too old for these conversations, honestly.”

Regina snickered under her hand, and Emma threw her a playful look of betrayal.

The brunette asked, “how did you and Sarah meet?”

Mal smiled softly to herself and sat back in her chair, looking off into her mind. “We met at a bar. I saw her at the bar, drinking and watching people dance, and she caught my attention immediately. I was already working for Cora at the time. Back then, your mother was known as the Queen of Hearts.

“I went up to her, we talked, we danced, we spent the night together. She was gone when I got up, but she left me a note with her number. The rest is fate.” Mal let out a happy sigh before continuing.

“She didn’t know I worked for the Queen of Hearts. I didn’t know she worked for the FBI in its special powers division.”

Regina’s eyebrows shot up at that.

Mal only nodded and continued. “I thought she worked some office job for the IRS. She thought I worked for a tech company. Both of us pretending to be boring and mundane. We found a sperm donor, had Lily, and life was looking pretty good.”

A dark look crossed Mal’s face then. “Sarah found out who I was. We fought, we fought hard. She threatened to take Lily and leave, to turn me in. I convinced her to run away with me. I hated what Cora was doing, but I didn’t know how to get out. She promised to get me out, to save all of us.”

Mal turned away, and her breath hitched. “She failed.” A pause and then, “it wasn’t her fault. You know your mother. She is ruthless. She never found out what Sarah’s job was, as far as I know, but she did find out we were planning to leave. It was my fault, but I’d rather not get into it.”

Mal sat and breathed softly. Emma leaned over and squeezed her hand in comfort. She hadn’t heard most of this, but she did know some of it. “Cora threatened Lily and Sarah’s life. Valid threats she could pull off if I didn’t do as she said, so I did. She demanded I bring Lily with us. She wasn’t just punishing me, but punishing Sarah as well, by taking Lily away.”

It was Lily’s turn to reach out to her mom. “She was only five, barely old enough to make lasting memories with Sarah. It was then Cora started using my face as a further way to trap me, and I believe, as a way to protect you.”

Mal turned to Regina then. “You were so young yourself. If anyone found out you were the daughter of the Queen of Hearts, you would be in danger. We both know it wasn’t entirely unselfish on her part. She put it out that the Dragon had killed the Queen of Hearts and continued to operate using my face.

“I was trapped on her compound, never able to go out because I would be immediately recognized. Your mother found a way to clip my wings, and it took me eleven years to figure out how to break the hold and turn again. What she did to you before we took you, it was the catalyst for me. I couldn’t wait any longer. I had to get us all to safety. Not long after we parted ways, I found Sarah again. It’s been a hard road between us two, but we still love one another. We stay apart for her safety and Lily’s. I’ve made her aware of all that went on, including the fact that you are not with your mother and haven’t been for ten years.”

Mal blew out a long breath. “You and I should never have parted ways. That was my mistake. You should never have been in a situation to have been found. We may not have loved each other like Sarah and I love each other, but I still love you. You are like family, Regina.”

Emma’s eyes went wide at the implications of that last statement, and she swiveled her head towards a blushing brunette. Emma coughed lightly and excused herself to the bathroom.

***

After Emma left through the bedroom door, Regina watched Mal get Lily’s attention and tip her head in the direction of the stairs. Lily rolled her eyes but trudged her way upstairs without a word.

Regina wasn’t sure what was happening, but she needed to nip this in the bud. “Mal, we can’t….”

“I know you have feelings for Emma,” Mal interrupted.

Regina’s eyes went wide. Mal knew? How could Mal know? Mal didn’t know anything. “I’ve never seen you fall in love. I don’t believe you’ve ever had the chance, but I know it when I see it. You are falling for her.”

Regina shook her head back and forth. “It doesn’t matter. None of that matters. I am a danger to her. I am a danger to you and Lily. I have to leave for the safety of….”

“No!” Mal cut her off again. “We will not split up again. You will go with Sarah tonight, but I will join you before you wake in the morning, as well as Ruby and Belle. We cannot allow her to isolate any of us again. We are smarter now. We know more. We know better. You will stay with us. We are not in danger because of you, Regina. We are in danger because of her.”

Regina felt herself tear up again and cursed herself in her head. When had she turned into this weepy mess? “Mal, I can’t hurt her. I can’t get her hurt, please.”

“No, Regina. You don’t want to hurt her? Then don’t leave. You don’t want her to get hurt? Then stay. We fight this one together. We are not splitting up again. I was wrong to suggest it then, and you are wrong to suggest it now. Do not repeat my mistakes.

“I may not have been in love with you, my darling, but I did, and still do love you, as I said. I let my fear get the best of me and let you go, and MADE you go. We are stronger together, Regina. You and Emma will be stronger together. We can win this. We can live free. But to do that, we have to stick together. We have to fight for it together.”

Regina felt warmth enter her after Mal’s impassioned speech. “I love you too, Mal, so much.” Regina looked away again, remembering.

She jumped when she felt Mal sit down next to her. A hand cupped her chin, pulling her face up to meet sad eyes. “I know you were developing deeper feelings for me then. I also know you don’t have them for me now. I am sorry I sent you away. I was afraid of your feelings. I was afraid for you, for Lily, and for me. You were so young, just barely a woman of nineteen when we parted. I was right, it wouldn’t have lasted, but that doesn’t mean I should have pushed you away as I did. We could have still fought together, and we will be doing just that.”

Mal turned towards the kitchen, and Regina realized there was now only one chair at the table. “You can stop eavesdropping now, young lady.”

Emma appeared along with the missing kitchen chair, redness brightening her cheeks and ears. “I wasn’t…uhhh.”

Mal smirked at Regina before resuming her seat in the chair next to the couch. “Let’s go over the plan for when Sarah arrives.”

***

The plan went off without a hitch, and now Regina and Emma were squished together in Sarah’s hatchback while Sarah and Lily chatted in the front seats. They had decided against trying to crawl into the backseat to avoid accidentally turning anything invisible. They were on the road for several hours and were well into a wooded area when Sarah turned off onto what appeared to be a deer trail rather than any sort of road.

Sarah and Lily continued to chat about Lily’s work and life as they drove through the heavily wooded area. Eventually, they came upon a small dark cabin with a detached garage. Sarah drove into the garage and turned off the car but didn’t move again until the garage door was closed.

She looked towards the back of the car, though she couldn’t see anything. “Stay invisible. Stay between Lily and me, and don’t make a sound if you can avoid it. There shouldn’t be anyone anywhere near here, but we take no chances.”

They carefully walked towards the darkened cabin that was no bigger than Ruby and Belle’s cabin. Once they were inside, Sarah flipped on the lights and looked at Lily. “Take them down. I’ll be down shortly. Ruby and Belle will be here momentarily, and I want to wait for them.”

Lily didn’t say a word, just went to a door in the back. She opened the door, flipped a light switch, and stood back. Emma and Regina, who had been keeping in close contact as they determined they couldn’t see each other, moved past Lily, and Emma brushed her arm to let her know they were in. Lily followed them down a set of stairs to a small storage room and pulled a chord, turning on a lightbulb in the middle of the small room.

Emma could feel the nerves coming off Regina in waves. While the need for the safehouse was rare, Emma had been there before, so she knew where they were going, but until they were inside the safehouse, she had no way of reassuring Regina. Instead, she squeezed her hand, trying to convey everything she couldn’t say out loud.

Lily walked to a wall lined with metal shelves and stuck her hand between some boxes. A click was heard, and the shelf moved, swinging out like a door, revealing a dark hallway beyond. She entered first, and Emma pulled Regina along behind her, turning to close the opening before continuing on behind Lily. They went down another flight of stairs in the very dimly lit hallway until another door was opened into what appeared to be an underground military facility. Once Emma and Regina were through the door, Emma appeared, and Regina followed suit.

Lily let out an explosive breath as they entered the area. The floor was polished concrete, and the walls were white-painted concrete brick. The overhead lights were fluorescent and shone brightly in their eyes after the dimly lit basement and hallway. There were several hallways off of the main room, all lit up. The main room contained an open industrial-looking kitchen, and several tables and benches sat near it. There was a sitting area with several couches and chairs with small side tables scattered around. Yet another area had rows of chairs and a large projection screen against the wall.

“Where are we?” Regina asked as she explored the room.

Lily followed her to explain. “Sarah is FBI. She is part of a special team that deals with people like us who do bad things. This is their safe shelter. There isn’t a power in the world that can get you in here without permission. That lock I opened actually took a bit of my blood to do it.” Lily held up her thumb, showing a small puncture wound that was already scabbed over.

“They protect themselves and anyone else who needs it from others with a power. Sarah is in charge of and runs this facility. She isn’t protecting anyone right now except us.” Lily turned towards Emma. “Mom is going to fly in late tonight. Rubes and Belle will be here any minute.” She turned back towards Regina. “Until then, let me give you a tour?”

Regina glanced at Emma first. “I need to prepare for Mal to fly in. Follow Lily. You are safe down here.” Regina reached out and squeezed Emma’s hand before following Lily down one of many hallways.

***

The place was a winding mess Regina knew she was going to get lost in. She had tried to keep a map of it in her mind, but it was far larger than it looked. There was a gym that included a quarter-mile track and a large pool. There were large meeting rooms, some with windows in the hallway, though most were without any hallway windows. There was a large command center she wasn’t allowed into and a computer room where Lily assured her she could get on the internet but to be cautious. Regina had enough know-how to get around the web discretely.

The largest wing contained surprisingly cozy bedrooms. They weren’t overly large, but they were carpeted, and each had its own bed, dresser, closet, bedside tables, and bathroom. Some of the rooms were like dorm suites with a small community space, community bathroom, and multiple bedrooms attached. Lily indicated those were for families that had to stay there.

Down one last hallway, they saw Emma at the end typing into a computer facing a large metal door. “That is where mom will come in. You’ve seen her dragon. She is huge. Emma is setting up the necessary shields to ensure she isn’t seen. Let’s assign you a bedroom.”

Regina was pleased to note that the bedrooms were right off the main hall, making it far easier to find than the rest of the winding facility. Everything was empty, waiting for someone to fill it up when Lily let Regina know that Belle was bringing extra clothes and things for her since they looked to be about the same size.

Lily and Regina sat in the common room catching up when Emma came in and plopped down next to Regina. “Everything is ready. We picked rooms yet? I want to get my duffel out of the middle of the floor.

Lily grabbed her own suitcase, and Emma and Regina followed her into the hall. Lily pointed out Regina’s assigned room and put Emma in the next room down before taking the room across the hall from Regina.

Emma stopped at Regina’s door and looked into her eyes as if waiting for something, but Regina didn’t know what. Emma never said a word, just eventually gave her a small smile and went to the bedroom next door and dropped her duffel inside the door. Noise could be heard from the main room, so they all returned to find Sarah with Ruby and Belle and a few more people.

Sarah introduced them to the two new faces. David Nolan and his partner and wife, Mary Margaret Nolan. They were part of Sarah’s special division. Mal wouldn’t be there until far later in the night, so they decided to just head to bed and have a meeting the next day.

Belle handed over a case to Regina that contained new underclothes and some of Belle’s clothing as well. Regina went through the clothing and packed it away in the small dresser. She found some comfy clothes to sleep in and decided to just go to bed since she didn’t have anything else to keep her entertained.

Regina tossed and turned, unable to get comfortable enough to fall asleep. She could still feel Emma’s power buzzing under her skin. She had decided to see how long she could hold it instead of releasing the power. She had just flopped from one side to the other when she heard a soft knock on her door. She padded to the door and opened it a crack to see Emma on the other side.

“Hey.”

Regina arched an eyebrow in question but responded, “hey.”

Emma looked up and down the hall nervously before swinging her eyes back to Regina. Regina decided to put the blonde out of her misery. “You can’t sleep either?”

The look of relief on Emma’s face as she shook her head no let Regina know she had made the right decision. She opened her door and beckoned Emma inside.

Emma fidgeted at the end of the bed when Regina crawled in. As she settled herself and realized that Emma wasn’t planning on joining her, she flipped the blankets back in silent invitation. Emma quietly got into the bed, and Regina switched the bedside light back off before rolling to face Emma in the darkened room. There was a soft glow from the cracked bathroom door. Regina didn’t like the oppressive darkness that came from these underground spaces and had left the bathroom light on. She was grateful now as Emma turned to face her. She couldn’t see her well, but it was enough.

She reached across the space between them and tucked a strand of blonde hair behind Emma’s ear. Her finger’s skimmed softly over Emma’s cheek and the sensitive soft shell of her ear. Emma moved slightly closer to her before whispering, “what are you doing?”

“I don’t know, honestly, but I can’t seem to stop myself.” Regina looked into Emma’s eyes and saw the confusion there. “Why can’t you sleep?”

Emma bit her lip, trying to decide how to answer that question. It was clear before Emma even opened her mouth that Regina wasn’t going to get a fully truthful answer. “I don’t like to sleep alone.”

Regina simply smiled and accepted the answer. She really couldn’t expect more from a woman she had met only days ago. “You aren’t alone now. I’ll be here beside you all night.”

She watched as emerald eyes fluttered shut before she finally felt herself relax into sleep.

***

Mal arrived overnight without issue. A meeting commenced after breakfast, in which the next steps were discussed. Mary Margaret, David, and Sarah would be going over everything they could with Regina, Mal, and Lily to see if they could glean anything new. Regina would also be using the knowledge she gained from the training she received as a child and teenager to train the others to use their powers to the best of their ability. Part of Regina’s training had been to be able to quickly and easily assess a power she held to understand its strengths and weaknesses.

It was made clear that due to the fact that the special division had not caught Cora and her crew in all these years, the division had been reduced in size over the years and now contained six people total, three of which were sitting in that room. If they wanted to catch Cora, they were going to need everyone in that room. The three additional agents, along with a few other people already in a safe house, would be moving to the current location. This was their final chance to take Cora down.

Sarah turned on the projector in the room and started going through the slides of the people who were coming. Regina’s jaw dropped as she saw faces she knew flash across the screen, as well as faces she wasn’t so aware of. Ursula and Cruella were the greatest shock. They were so loyal to her mother, but they had turned on Cora several years ago and were now in hiding.

Along with those two, they would be getting Mulan Hua, a suggester. One seemingly innocuous conversation with her, and she could convince you to do anything. Regina had never met her but looked forward to understanding her power better. The final member that would be joining was Marian Locksley, a ghost. She could move through most substances, making it easy for her to move through walls.

None of the agents had any powers, as people with powers were not allowed to work for the government. There was Graham Humbert, as well as married couple Mila and Killian Jones. The additional people arrived a few days later with little fanfare, assuring everyone that their movements had not been tracked.

The training started in earnest. Every morning Regina would touch each person individually and work with them to train them to best use the power they had and how to cover any weaknesses. In the afternoon, they would run drills the agents had come up with, working together to take down imaginary assailants.

Each night after dinner, Emma would find Regina, no matter if they had been separated in the hubbub of constant training or not, and they would find a quiet spot to sit and talk. Regina talked in-depth about her childhood, and Emma did the same. Regina talked about the isolation of the last ten years and how she had been living in non-stop fear her whole life. Emma talked about her fear of being left behind, of never being good enough. How that had caused her to leave Mal’s, even if she still wanted to live there, she was too afraid to do so. They both talked about their limited previous romances and why they never seemed to work out for them.

They would hold hands, lean against each other, and provide as much comfort as they could. When it became too much, they would talk about things like favorite movies and books. Eventually, the conversations turned towards the future, the hopes they had after they took down Cora. They never talked about the possibility of losing everything. Only their hopes and dreams for the future. They drew closer and closer every day.

Every night they would crawl into Regina’s bed together to sleep without conversation. At first, they tried to stay on their own sides but woke every morning tangled together. Eventually, they would snuggle up together as soon as they got into bed, giving in to the inevitable.

***

The agents tracked Cora and her minions, and a plan was formed. The evening before the main event, Emma and Regina were sitting on some stacked, padded flooring in one of the training rooms. They were leaning heavily on each other, just breathing each other in. They had been in here for more than an hour, not saying a word. They hadn’t even turned the lights on. Small windows let the lights from the hallway in enough for them to see.

Regina laid her head on Emma’s shoulder and turned into the arm that found its way around her shoulders. “You said once you didn’t not believe my story. What made you decide to believe me?”

Emma blew out a breath and squeezed the shoulder under her hand. “The night I called Mal, your mom robbed a jeweler. It was on the news while you slept. They had pictures and videos. At one point, she looked directly into the camera. It was your face, but it wasn’t.” Emma let out a shaky breath as she gathered her thoughts.

“It was the eyes. They were so cold and dark. Closed off and were almost beady. Yours are warm and rich. If the light hits them just right, they have flecks of gold around the iris. Your eyes are so big, and they hold a softness that can’t be duplicated, no matter what your power.”

Regina was stunned, silent. So many people who didn’t see her when they looked at her, they saw her mother, the criminal, the murderer. Emma saw her. Emma could see her now. She lifted her head from Emma’s shoulder and looked into the shadowed emerald depths in front of her. She realized she hadn’t seen Emma before, not really. She saw her then. She saw the feelings and emotions Emma held for her.

Regina was in awe of the woman who sat there smiling gently at her. Those emotions that had become deeper and more pronounced over the preceding months. The emotions she was sure were one-sided were shining back at her from emerald depths. She reached up her hand and ran her fingers over a softly pronounced cheekbone. Her fingers skimmed over the shell of her ear and down her neck.

She gently grasped around the back of Emma’s neck and pulled her forward into a gentle kiss. Their lips caressed each other slowly and gently, just exploring. Without prompting, Emma deepened the kiss, taking Regina’s lower lip between her own and gently nibbling it before soothing it with her tongue. Regina moaned at the feeling of Emma’s tongue on her and extended her own to meet it, deepening the kiss further.

Regina didn’t even know how long it had been since they started when a hand under her shirt brought her back to herself. She was on her back with Emma on top of her. Her kiss swollen lips peppered the side of the brunette’s neck. A gentle hand was working its way up her side, and Regina really wanted that hand to reach its goal, but she would prefer it somewhere more private.

“Darling?” Her voice was low and full of gravel, and Emma only moaned in acknowledgment of her question. “Perhaps we could move this to the bedroom?”

Emma pushed off Regina just enough to meet her eyes. “Are you sure?”

Regina smiled up at the sweet look of concern in Emma’s eyes. Concern for whether Regina wanted to go further. If they were ready for that. “I am sure, Emma. I love you.”

Emma’s eyes went wide with shock and then wet with overwhelming happiness. She leaned back down to capture the lips that had just whispered those words to her. After almost getting lost once more in the feeling of the woman under her, she pulled back. “I love you too, Regina.”

***

The next morning, they were wrapped around each other in bed, breathing in each other before they had to get up and face the day. Face the choice they made to fight. They may not make it through this day, but they were going to try.

“Tell me we will move into a small house with a white picket fence and a tree in the back yard big enough to put a tree house in.”

Regina nuzzled her nose against Emma’s. “We will. Tell me we will live near a stable where I can keep a horse.”

Emma pecked each of Regina’s eyelids. “We will. Tell me we will have at least one child together.”

Regina pulled Emma impossibly closer and kissed along her brow. “We will. Tell me we will always be like this.”

Emma pulled back and stroked Regina’s cheek, looking deep into her eyes. “Always.”