A Queen Without Power (Once Upon a Time; Regina/Emma)
TITLE: A Queen Without Power
CHAPTER 12: Conduit
FANDOM: Once Upon a Time
PAIRING: Swan Queen (Regina/Emma)
SPOILERS: Season one (in its entirety)
RATING: PG (for now)
SUMMARY: Regina laced their fingers together and pressed their palms tight against one another. Emma thought she saw a white light illuminate the queen’s eyes and blank out her own for a moment before the images started.
*****
The two women made a mad dash back into the house, wearing twin expressions of alarm. “What do we do?” Emma asked breathlessly.
Regina paced back and forth almost manically, one hand on her hip and the other stroking her collarbone in a mindless gesture. “I don’t... I’m not...”
“Regina, what do we do?”
“I don’t know! Okay?!” She spat, whirling around with her hands up. In a matter of seconds, she seemed to realize her outburst. And surprisingly, she ducked her head and muttered, “I’m sorry,” before planting both hands on her hips and resuming her pacing.
Emma’s eyes frantically searched the air in front of her for an answer. “Wait...” And she grabbed Regina’s hand
“What are you doing?” Regina asked, but didn’t struggle against her grip, rather squeezed her hand as Emma led her down into the basement.
She grabbed the chain, turning on the single bulb that illuminated the small, cavernous room. The same room they were in just days before, when Regina was preparing to cast the protection spell. She nodded to the stack of cobweb-covered books. “There.”
“There what?” Regina crooked an eyebrow.
“Grab a book, we need a new spell!”
Regina sighed, tilting her head. “Emma...”
“No, all we need is something... a little bigger, maybe? And-and we can make sure that Henry will always be safe--”
Regina closed her eyes briefly, glancing down. “Emma...”
“I’ll grab the ingredients, whatever you need, and then we can just--”
“Emma!”
She startled when Regina grabbed her by the shoulders and gave her a hard shake, forcing her to focus. When she did, she exhaled sharply, almost surprised by the madness that had taken her over for a moment. She caught her breath, trying to ignore the feeling of Regina’s thumbs rubbing her shoulders in a comforting gesture.
Quietly, the queen told her, “I don’t think another spell is going to help us, dear. At least, not one I can conjure with any ingredients I have.”
Emma shook her head, breathing returning to normal. “So... now what?”
This time, it appeared it was Regina’s turn to be the calm, rational one. Her hands slid from her shoulders down her arms as she stepped away, fingers catching only momentarily before she turned away. “First things first.”
“I like when you say that,” Emma sighed, shoulders slumping with relief. “It means there might be alcohol involved.”
At that, Regina chuckled. “‘Fraid not this time.” She started back up the stairs, turning over her shoulder as she went, “First you’ll need to call Snow and James. Ask them if they’d be willing to keep Henry there overnight.”
Emma followed her out of the basement, quirking an eyebrow curiously. “And if they ask why?”
Regina shrugged, turning to her once they’d reached the foyer once again. “Tell them you thought it’d be a great opportunity for them to get to know their grandson.”
She nodded. “Got it. What will you be doing?”
Regina cut her eyes to the side in thought. “I... have something I need to look into before we go any further.” Off her look, she replied, “I’ll explain when you’re off the phone.”
**
Emma was lucky to get James on the line when she called; as she dialed, she had been completely unsure how she would mask her nervousness with her mother. Even before the curse broke, ‘Mary-Margaret’ still had an uncanny knack for being able to see through her.
The prince was rightfully concerned, and Emma felt obliged to fill him in, but under the condition that he would not reveal to Snow that Regina was still in Storybrooke. He agreed, concerned only for her safety and Henry’s, and pledged to keep an eye on the boy until morning.
So they’d hung up, and she went to find Regina in the study. A few books were still askew from their earlier showdown, and Henry’s book remained in the middle of the floor. Regina sat on the couch, a completely different leather bound tome in her lap.
“What’s that?” Emma asked, going to sit beside her.
“Research,” she replied, turning a page. Pausing her reading momentarily, she leaned a forearm on the open book and looked up at her. “I lied to you, Emma.”
She quirked an eyebrow, her tone dry. “Got a specific example in mind, or did you wanna run through the whole list?”
Regina rolled her eyes. “When we were doing the protection spell. When we touched hands. I felt something and I told you I didn’t.”
Emma nodded. “Yeah, I figured you weren’t being honest.”
“Yes. Partly, it was because you and I were still... at odds, somewhat.” she tilted her head, angling her body toward Emma and propping one elbow on the back of the couch. “And now we’re... not.” She raised her eyebrows. “Right?”
Emma allowed a smile. “I’d like to think we’re not.”
“Very well. And, the other reason was because, quite honestly...” She shook her head, leveling her with a stare. “I’ve never felt anything like that before.”
Emma’s heart skipped at the phrasing, but she pushed the feeling aside as she told her, “That was a first for me too.”
The queen absorbed her response silently, taking a breath and tilting her head. “So, while you were on the phone I started to page through this book to find out what it could be.”
“And?”
“Here.” Keeping the book open, Regina turned it around to face Emma, setting it in her lap.
Emma glimpsed at her surreptitiously through her lashes before turning her attention to the book and skimming the page. “A magical conduit?” she questioned, lifting her head.
Regina nodded, tucking her legs up beside her on the couch. “It appears that everyone of magical ability has a conduit -- someone through whom they can pass and receive magic, not to mention transmit thoughts, memories or feelings. And,” she tilted her head, meeting Emma’s gaze, “It would appear that... you are mine.”
Emma’s heart thudded in her chest, again at simple phrasing, and she tried to ignore it. “I’m yours.”
“That was why you were able to see everything that you saw.”
She shook her head, not understanding. “But... we’ve touched other times, and haven’t had that same result.” She reached out and grasped her hand. “Like that. See? Why can’t I see anything now?”
Regina squeezed her hand briefly before releasing it, leaving Emma a split-second to wonder why, before she pointed to the book. “Because I’m not using magic now.”
Emma glanced down at the page. “‘Magical energy must be present,’” she read.
Regina nodded. “Exactly. Watch.”
They met eyes, and Regina held her gaze as she leaned forward. Emma sucked in a breath, pressing her lips together tightly as she watched Regina reach for the book off her lap, folding it closed and setting it aside. She let out her breath, and could have sworn she saw a bit of a smirk plucking at the queen’s full lips, before she turned to face her again.
Regina held up a hand, palm-up, and pulsed her fingers twice. Each time she pulsed, small bolts of lightning emerged, surrounded by a purple glow. She smiled, reaching out her other hand. Her voice was low, a smooth as velvet alto as she instructed, “Now, take my hand. Tell me what you see.”
Emma did so without question, though she threw a furtive glance at the queen. As soon as their hands touched, her neck snapped back again and she gasped, assailed once more with vivid images and sounds, rippling across her mind’s eye:
Mr. Gold in one of his trademark suits, handing over a small blue bundle. ”I believe I’ve found the perfect one for you, Ms. Mills.”
And then Regina, receiving the blue bundle with a bright smile on her face. ”Where did you find him?”
”I have my sources.”
Then, an image of Regina holding the blue bundle to her chest waved past, her fingers drawing down the blanket enough to see the baby’s face. Over that was the voice of Mr. Gold, ”What will you call him?” followed by Regina’s smile...
”Henry.”
Emma gasped as she came to again, finding herself on the floor. She pushed herself up and instinctively reached for Regina, who had also wound up on the floor. They grabbed each other’s elbows as a brace as they got up, meeting one another’s eyes.
“Henry?”
Regina nodded. “My first day with him.”
“So it’s true,” Emma breathed, the two of them resuming their positions on opposite ends of the couch. “I’m your conduit.”
“It would appear that way, yes.”
“So how does that help us right now? And,” she made a face, “Why do we keep getting thrown around the room when it happens?”
Regina shrugged. “According to the book, it’s only a very powerful connection that can create a blast.”
“Oh.” Emma watched her, wondering how to take that remark. A powerful connection, in what sense? Did either of them even really want to know?
“As for how it helps us... it means I can give you the ability to use magic.”
Her expression grew wary. She shook her head. “Oh no, no way. I don’t think that’s--”
“It could help protect Henry,” Regina reasoned.
“How?”
“Well...” She tilted her head, pushing herself to her feet. “Should I become... incapacitated or captured, perhaps worse... you will be able to defend yourself, and Henry, to an extent.”
Emma watched her make her way out into the foyer, following on instinct. “What do you mean if you become ‘incapacitated or worse?’”
Regina stopped and turned to face her, the two of them standing just a foot apart. She chuckled, but it was a mirthless sound. “Let’s face it, the only way out of this war I started is through death.”
The words stuck in Emma’s head for some reason, her voice catching on unsaid words. What those words were, she didn’t yet know. “You don’t believe that,” she murmured lowly. Off Regina’s look, she took a step forward. “The Regina I’ve come to know doesn’t take things lying down. She puts up a fight.”
“Oh, there will be a fight,” she was assured with a smirk. After a moment, the smirk faded. “But over the last few days I’ve come to accept the fact that that fight will end with my inevitable loss.” She sighed. “And, when that time comes, it is of the utmost importance to me that Henry escapes all this unscathed. That’s why I want to imbibe you with magical ability.” She headed for the basement again, beckoning over her shoulder, “Follow me.”
Emma stayed rooted to the spot. “You know I won’t let that happen, right?”
Regina paused, turning to face her. “You won’t allow me to give you magic?”
“No, not that.” She took a step forward. “You know I’m not gonna let you get killed, right?”
She watched as an almost touched smile flitted across Regina’s features for a moment, before she schooled them and gave an almost rueful frown. “You may not have a choice in the matter, I’m afraid.” Then she continued on her way into the basement.
And Emma followed after her, trying to figure out why the thought of Regina getting killed bothered her so much.
“Stand here, facing me,” Regina told her, pointing to a spot on the ground.
Emma did as she was told, pushing away the vestiges of worry over the queen’s fate. “Do we have to do some kind of... ritual?”
“Of sorts, yes.” Regina stepped up in front of her, the two of them separated by less than a foot. “We’ll need to share blood.”
She raised her eyebrows. “We need to what-now?”
“Share blood. With a conduit, I can transfer magical ability only temporarily by touch. The way to make it stick is to have it in your bloodstream.”
“That sounds... dangerous,” Emma frowned.
“It’s no different than the act of two children deciding to become ‘blood brothers’ by pressing open wounds together.” She stepped forward, reaching for her wrist. “Now. Give me your hand.”
Emma searched her eyes but allowed Regina to take her hand, turning it palm-up. “Will it hurt?” she couldn’t help but ask.
“I will do my best to make sure it doesn’t,” Regina promised, and held out her own hand palm-up.
Within an instant, a gash appeared on each of their palms. Emma flinched at the sight, but surprisingly felt no pain. “Whoa.”
“Hold up your hand,” Regina told her and Emma obeyed, blood starting to trickle down her palm.
Regina laced their fingers together and pressed their palms tight against one another. Emma thought she saw a white light illuminate the queen’s eyes and blank out her own for a moment before the images started.
But these didn’t appear to be Regina’s memories. She wasn’t sure what they were.
One was she and Regina, clinging to each other with an arm each and hanging on to a cable with the other, staring wide-eyed at each other from millimeters away, seemingly dangling in mid-air. ”I’ve got you,” she heard Regina whisper in her head.
The next was of the two of them, deep underground, helping to shield each other from a blast of ash and flame that had risen up from somewhere beneath them, the image of a melting sword filling her vision.
The last was the most shocking -- she and Regina in the dark, lips and limbs tangled together -- seemingly in Regina’s bedroom... in her bed. Emma watched her hand slide up Regina’s forearm, which rested on the pillow, until their fingers entwined.
It was that final image that pulled Emma out of it; she opened her eyes to find herself on the ground, breathing heavily just as she did every other time it happened.
Regina was on the other side of the room, her wide eyes cemented on Emma as she pushed herself up. “What the hell was that?”
“I don’t know,” Emma breathed, glad that Regina seemed to be as distraught over the images as she was. She scrambled to her feet as they eyed one another awkwardly. “So... so you saw--”
“Yes.” Regina averted her eyes, cheeks pinking. “We-we were--”
“Yeah.”
The queen scoffed. “It’s ridiculous.”
“Totally,” Emma agreed, perhaps a bit too quickly for her liking.
They looked at each other awkwardly another moment more, before Regina straightened up and gave a tug on her suit jacket. “Well, you have magic now,” she concluded, her tone all-business.
“Right.” She’d almost forgotten; she was still trying to clear those last images out of her head. “How do I use it?”
“It’s in your blood now. It will be instinctual.”
She nodded slowly. “So now what?”
“There’s not much else to do for the night.”
“Rumplestiltskin’s not going to bust down the door and come after us?”
Regina shook her head. “It’s not his style. He sent his message, so now he’s going to lie in wait. See if we try to seek him out.” She cleared her throat. “I’m going to try to get some sleep.”
“Right. Me too.”
The tension remained as they went upstairs, Emma staying behind briefly to turn out all the lights. When she reached the master bedroom, Regina had emerged from the walk-in closet in a long silk nightgown. She stopped short when she noticed her presence and again they exchanged awkward glances.
Emma glanced down at her clothes. “Umm... uh, do you have any spare pajamas I could borrow? I think I’ve worn out most of my tank tops.”
Regina nodded, avoiding eye contact while she fluffed her pillows. “Closet,” she told her simply. “Chest of drawers on the left.”
Emma nodded and headed for the walk-in closet. The chest of drawers Regina had indicated was just inside the doorway. She pulled open the top drawer and wrinkled her nose at her findings: nothing but silk nightgowns of varying length. Not at all her type of bedtime attire.
She checked the next drawer and found only socks, while the next one down yielded different shades of pantyhose. When the bottom drawer showed her nothing but workout clothes, she sighed and resigned herself to the contents of the top drawer, pulling out an ice blue silk nightie.
She undressed quickly, not thinking twice about tossing her clothes in the hamper along with Regina’s things. Then, she shut off the light in the closet and made her way out. “I feel weird in this.”
Regina glanced up with a toss of her hair, smirking briefly. “It’s not your usual nighttime fare, I’ve noticed.” Then as if catching herself, she seemed to blush and look down, still fiddling with her pillows. Had they not been fluffed enough already, or was she nervous about something? “Not that I’ve noticed anything really.”
“Right.”
Another awkward stare passed. Emma almost wished she could pass out right where she was standing if it would let her escape all the tension. “Well, goodnight!” She feigned a smile.
“Yes, goodnight.”
Then the two women climbed in quickly, turned out the lights, and slid as close to their respective edges as they possibly could.
*****
Emma stirred early that next morning, content beneath the sheets. There was a general warmth and comfort in the room, one that made her want to stay sleeping. So she sighed and snuggled further against the mattress on her belly, rubbing her face against the sheet.
As she did so, the tip of her nose came in contact with something distinctly non-sheet-like, a puff of breath hitting her lips a moment later. Disoriented, she furrowed her brows and let her eyes flutter open.
When they did, she found herself nose-to-nose with Regina, her arm thrown across the queen’s stomach. Regina laid on her back, one hand covering Emma’s arm while she slept contentedly. Emma’s eyes widened. “Oh, crap,” she muttered, and it was that sound that woke the sleeping queen.
Her brown eyes popped open and she gasped sharply, the two of them jumping away from one another and clutching at the sheets. Regina held them to her collarbone. “What the hell are you doing?”
“What am I doing? What are you doing?!”
“Why are you on my side of the bed?”
“Uhh...” Emma glanced around Regina’s form. “You’re actually on my side.”
The queen tossed her hair, looking over her shoulder at all the extra room on her side of the bed. “Oh.”
“Yeah.”
The pair sat in silence for a moment, Regina still trying to cover herself with the sheet; though why, Emma didn’t know. It wasn’t as if either of them were naked.
She pressed her lips together and looked down at the pattern on the duvet. “I’m gonna go take a shower,” she said, then quickly scrambled out of bed.
“Right.” Regina got up as well. “Good idea.”
Emma gave her a look, raising her eyebrows pointedly. “Don’t follow me.”
And Regina glared, snipping, “Don’t flatter yourself,” as she pulled on her robe.
**
After they ate breakfast in silence, Emma received a call from her father that he would be dropping Henry off shortly. So Regina made herself scarce, while Emma went outside to wait for them.
‘David Nolan’s’ old pickup truck rolled to a stop and out jumped Henry, running straight for her and nearly knocking the wind out of her with his hug. “Are you okay?” he asked.
“Just fine, kid,” she smiled, ruffling his hair.
When she looked up, her smile had faded. “Oh. Hi.” Snow White had come along with him, which she had been trying to avoid.
“Emma dear, are you alright? I had been worried when you asked your father to keep Henry for the night.”
She plastered on a smile. “Everything’s fine. I just thought you guys might have some fun getting to know him a little better.”
“We certainly did,” James smiled, then sent her an apologetic glance when Snow wasn’t looking. “Your, uh, mother wanted to see you, though, to be sure.”
Snow glanced between them. “Is something wrong? I’m getting a strange feeling one of you isn’t telling me something.”
James played off her comment with a smile while Emma did the same, and Henry watched them both for a reaction.
The princess furrowed her brows, eyes narrowed in skepticism before she gave up. “Alright. Well, we were glad to take Henry for the night. We had a lot of fun.”
“Good,” Emma smiled, heart thudding in her ears as she hoped they would leave soon.
“Why don’t we chat for a bit!” Snow suggested then, turning around with a bright smile. “We haven’t seen much of each other, after all. Mind if we come in?”
Henry looked up at his mother, whispering, “The bubble...”
Emma cursed under her breath as Snow and James started toward them. “No... wait!”
But it was too late. Snow White had walked straight into the protection bubble and it shot her back, a loud crack shattering the quiet of the neighborhood. James caught her and they fell against the truck, both of them staring in shock at what had just happened.
“What was that?” asked the prince.
“Magic,” Snow murmured, looking at Emma through her lashes while she straightened up.
Henry leaned against his mother and looked up at her, and Emma gave him an apologetic frown as her hands fell to his shoulders.
Snow kept her gaze leveled on her daughter. “Emma, where did you get magic?”
She exchanged a glance with her father, whose expression seemed to be that of warning or caution, as she opened her mouth to reply. But before she could, the front door of the estate flew open.
“Henry? Emma? I heard something hit the bubble, are you okay?”
Regina was halfway down the front walk when she ground to a halt, locking eyes with her former stepdaughter.
Snow White’s shocked gaze turned murderous. “Regina...” she ground out.
“Snow.”
And Henry glanced up at Emma, cringing a bit as he asked her, “Which one of us is in trouble?”
“I think all of us are, kid,” Emma answered, rubbing his shoulders as she looked from Snow to Regina, awaiting the explosion.
TBC
{x-posted to onceupon_fanfic and regina_emma}
CHAPTER 12: Conduit
FANDOM: Once Upon a Time
PAIRING: Swan Queen (Regina/Emma)
SPOILERS: Season one (in its entirety)
RATING: PG (for now)
SUMMARY: Regina laced their fingers together and pressed their palms tight against one another. Emma thought she saw a white light illuminate the queen’s eyes and blank out her own for a moment before the images started.
*****
The two women made a mad dash back into the house, wearing twin expressions of alarm. “What do we do?” Emma asked breathlessly.
Regina paced back and forth almost manically, one hand on her hip and the other stroking her collarbone in a mindless gesture. “I don’t... I’m not...”
“Regina, what do we do?”
“I don’t know! Okay?!” She spat, whirling around with her hands up. In a matter of seconds, she seemed to realize her outburst. And surprisingly, she ducked her head and muttered, “I’m sorry,” before planting both hands on her hips and resuming her pacing.
Emma’s eyes frantically searched the air in front of her for an answer. “Wait...” And she grabbed Regina’s hand
“What are you doing?” Regina asked, but didn’t struggle against her grip, rather squeezed her hand as Emma led her down into the basement.
She grabbed the chain, turning on the single bulb that illuminated the small, cavernous room. The same room they were in just days before, when Regina was preparing to cast the protection spell. She nodded to the stack of cobweb-covered books. “There.”
“There what?” Regina crooked an eyebrow.
“Grab a book, we need a new spell!”
Regina sighed, tilting her head. “Emma...”
“No, all we need is something... a little bigger, maybe? And-and we can make sure that Henry will always be safe--”
Regina closed her eyes briefly, glancing down. “Emma...”
“I’ll grab the ingredients, whatever you need, and then we can just--”
“Emma!”
She startled when Regina grabbed her by the shoulders and gave her a hard shake, forcing her to focus. When she did, she exhaled sharply, almost surprised by the madness that had taken her over for a moment. She caught her breath, trying to ignore the feeling of Regina’s thumbs rubbing her shoulders in a comforting gesture.
Quietly, the queen told her, “I don’t think another spell is going to help us, dear. At least, not one I can conjure with any ingredients I have.”
Emma shook her head, breathing returning to normal. “So... now what?”
This time, it appeared it was Regina’s turn to be the calm, rational one. Her hands slid from her shoulders down her arms as she stepped away, fingers catching only momentarily before she turned away. “First things first.”
“I like when you say that,” Emma sighed, shoulders slumping with relief. “It means there might be alcohol involved.”
At that, Regina chuckled. “‘Fraid not this time.” She started back up the stairs, turning over her shoulder as she went, “First you’ll need to call Snow and James. Ask them if they’d be willing to keep Henry there overnight.”
Emma followed her out of the basement, quirking an eyebrow curiously. “And if they ask why?”
Regina shrugged, turning to her once they’d reached the foyer once again. “Tell them you thought it’d be a great opportunity for them to get to know their grandson.”
She nodded. “Got it. What will you be doing?”
Regina cut her eyes to the side in thought. “I... have something I need to look into before we go any further.” Off her look, she replied, “I’ll explain when you’re off the phone.”
**
Emma was lucky to get James on the line when she called; as she dialed, she had been completely unsure how she would mask her nervousness with her mother. Even before the curse broke, ‘Mary-Margaret’ still had an uncanny knack for being able to see through her.
The prince was rightfully concerned, and Emma felt obliged to fill him in, but under the condition that he would not reveal to Snow that Regina was still in Storybrooke. He agreed, concerned only for her safety and Henry’s, and pledged to keep an eye on the boy until morning.
So they’d hung up, and she went to find Regina in the study. A few books were still askew from their earlier showdown, and Henry’s book remained in the middle of the floor. Regina sat on the couch, a completely different leather bound tome in her lap.
“What’s that?” Emma asked, going to sit beside her.
“Research,” she replied, turning a page. Pausing her reading momentarily, she leaned a forearm on the open book and looked up at her. “I lied to you, Emma.”
She quirked an eyebrow, her tone dry. “Got a specific example in mind, or did you wanna run through the whole list?”
Regina rolled her eyes. “When we were doing the protection spell. When we touched hands. I felt something and I told you I didn’t.”
Emma nodded. “Yeah, I figured you weren’t being honest.”
“Yes. Partly, it was because you and I were still... at odds, somewhat.” she tilted her head, angling her body toward Emma and propping one elbow on the back of the couch. “And now we’re... not.” She raised her eyebrows. “Right?”
Emma allowed a smile. “I’d like to think we’re not.”
“Very well. And, the other reason was because, quite honestly...” She shook her head, leveling her with a stare. “I’ve never felt anything like that before.”
Emma’s heart skipped at the phrasing, but she pushed the feeling aside as she told her, “That was a first for me too.”
The queen absorbed her response silently, taking a breath and tilting her head. “So, while you were on the phone I started to page through this book to find out what it could be.”
“And?”
“Here.” Keeping the book open, Regina turned it around to face Emma, setting it in her lap.
Emma glimpsed at her surreptitiously through her lashes before turning her attention to the book and skimming the page. “A magical conduit?” she questioned, lifting her head.
Regina nodded, tucking her legs up beside her on the couch. “It appears that everyone of magical ability has a conduit -- someone through whom they can pass and receive magic, not to mention transmit thoughts, memories or feelings. And,” she tilted her head, meeting Emma’s gaze, “It would appear that... you are mine.”
Emma’s heart thudded in her chest, again at simple phrasing, and she tried to ignore it. “I’m yours.”
“That was why you were able to see everything that you saw.”
She shook her head, not understanding. “But... we’ve touched other times, and haven’t had that same result.” She reached out and grasped her hand. “Like that. See? Why can’t I see anything now?”
Regina squeezed her hand briefly before releasing it, leaving Emma a split-second to wonder why, before she pointed to the book. “Because I’m not using magic now.”
Emma glanced down at the page. “‘Magical energy must be present,’” she read.
Regina nodded. “Exactly. Watch.”
They met eyes, and Regina held her gaze as she leaned forward. Emma sucked in a breath, pressing her lips together tightly as she watched Regina reach for the book off her lap, folding it closed and setting it aside. She let out her breath, and could have sworn she saw a bit of a smirk plucking at the queen’s full lips, before she turned to face her again.
Regina held up a hand, palm-up, and pulsed her fingers twice. Each time she pulsed, small bolts of lightning emerged, surrounded by a purple glow. She smiled, reaching out her other hand. Her voice was low, a smooth as velvet alto as she instructed, “Now, take my hand. Tell me what you see.”
Emma did so without question, though she threw a furtive glance at the queen. As soon as their hands touched, her neck snapped back again and she gasped, assailed once more with vivid images and sounds, rippling across her mind’s eye:
Mr. Gold in one of his trademark suits, handing over a small blue bundle. ”I believe I’ve found the perfect one for you, Ms. Mills.”
And then Regina, receiving the blue bundle with a bright smile on her face. ”Where did you find him?”
”I have my sources.”
Then, an image of Regina holding the blue bundle to her chest waved past, her fingers drawing down the blanket enough to see the baby’s face. Over that was the voice of Mr. Gold, ”What will you call him?” followed by Regina’s smile...
”Henry.”
Emma gasped as she came to again, finding herself on the floor. She pushed herself up and instinctively reached for Regina, who had also wound up on the floor. They grabbed each other’s elbows as a brace as they got up, meeting one another’s eyes.
“Henry?”
Regina nodded. “My first day with him.”
“So it’s true,” Emma breathed, the two of them resuming their positions on opposite ends of the couch. “I’m your conduit.”
“It would appear that way, yes.”
“So how does that help us right now? And,” she made a face, “Why do we keep getting thrown around the room when it happens?”
Regina shrugged. “According to the book, it’s only a very powerful connection that can create a blast.”
“Oh.” Emma watched her, wondering how to take that remark. A powerful connection, in what sense? Did either of them even really want to know?
“As for how it helps us... it means I can give you the ability to use magic.”
Her expression grew wary. She shook her head. “Oh no, no way. I don’t think that’s--”
“It could help protect Henry,” Regina reasoned.
“How?”
“Well...” She tilted her head, pushing herself to her feet. “Should I become... incapacitated or captured, perhaps worse... you will be able to defend yourself, and Henry, to an extent.”
Emma watched her make her way out into the foyer, following on instinct. “What do you mean if you become ‘incapacitated or worse?’”
Regina stopped and turned to face her, the two of them standing just a foot apart. She chuckled, but it was a mirthless sound. “Let’s face it, the only way out of this war I started is through death.”
The words stuck in Emma’s head for some reason, her voice catching on unsaid words. What those words were, she didn’t yet know. “You don’t believe that,” she murmured lowly. Off Regina’s look, she took a step forward. “The Regina I’ve come to know doesn’t take things lying down. She puts up a fight.”
“Oh, there will be a fight,” she was assured with a smirk. After a moment, the smirk faded. “But over the last few days I’ve come to accept the fact that that fight will end with my inevitable loss.” She sighed. “And, when that time comes, it is of the utmost importance to me that Henry escapes all this unscathed. That’s why I want to imbibe you with magical ability.” She headed for the basement again, beckoning over her shoulder, “Follow me.”
Emma stayed rooted to the spot. “You know I won’t let that happen, right?”
Regina paused, turning to face her. “You won’t allow me to give you magic?”
“No, not that.” She took a step forward. “You know I’m not gonna let you get killed, right?”
She watched as an almost touched smile flitted across Regina’s features for a moment, before she schooled them and gave an almost rueful frown. “You may not have a choice in the matter, I’m afraid.” Then she continued on her way into the basement.
And Emma followed after her, trying to figure out why the thought of Regina getting killed bothered her so much.
“Stand here, facing me,” Regina told her, pointing to a spot on the ground.
Emma did as she was told, pushing away the vestiges of worry over the queen’s fate. “Do we have to do some kind of... ritual?”
“Of sorts, yes.” Regina stepped up in front of her, the two of them separated by less than a foot. “We’ll need to share blood.”
She raised her eyebrows. “We need to what-now?”
“Share blood. With a conduit, I can transfer magical ability only temporarily by touch. The way to make it stick is to have it in your bloodstream.”
“That sounds... dangerous,” Emma frowned.
“It’s no different than the act of two children deciding to become ‘blood brothers’ by pressing open wounds together.” She stepped forward, reaching for her wrist. “Now. Give me your hand.”
Emma searched her eyes but allowed Regina to take her hand, turning it palm-up. “Will it hurt?” she couldn’t help but ask.
“I will do my best to make sure it doesn’t,” Regina promised, and held out her own hand palm-up.
Within an instant, a gash appeared on each of their palms. Emma flinched at the sight, but surprisingly felt no pain. “Whoa.”
“Hold up your hand,” Regina told her and Emma obeyed, blood starting to trickle down her palm.
Regina laced their fingers together and pressed their palms tight against one another. Emma thought she saw a white light illuminate the queen’s eyes and blank out her own for a moment before the images started.
But these didn’t appear to be Regina’s memories. She wasn’t sure what they were.
One was she and Regina, clinging to each other with an arm each and hanging on to a cable with the other, staring wide-eyed at each other from millimeters away, seemingly dangling in mid-air. ”I’ve got you,” she heard Regina whisper in her head.
The next was of the two of them, deep underground, helping to shield each other from a blast of ash and flame that had risen up from somewhere beneath them, the image of a melting sword filling her vision.
The last was the most shocking -- she and Regina in the dark, lips and limbs tangled together -- seemingly in Regina’s bedroom... in her bed. Emma watched her hand slide up Regina’s forearm, which rested on the pillow, until their fingers entwined.
It was that final image that pulled Emma out of it; she opened her eyes to find herself on the ground, breathing heavily just as she did every other time it happened.
Regina was on the other side of the room, her wide eyes cemented on Emma as she pushed herself up. “What the hell was that?”
“I don’t know,” Emma breathed, glad that Regina seemed to be as distraught over the images as she was. She scrambled to her feet as they eyed one another awkwardly. “So... so you saw--”
“Yes.” Regina averted her eyes, cheeks pinking. “We-we were--”
“Yeah.”
The queen scoffed. “It’s ridiculous.”
“Totally,” Emma agreed, perhaps a bit too quickly for her liking.
They looked at each other awkwardly another moment more, before Regina straightened up and gave a tug on her suit jacket. “Well, you have magic now,” she concluded, her tone all-business.
“Right.” She’d almost forgotten; she was still trying to clear those last images out of her head. “How do I use it?”
“It’s in your blood now. It will be instinctual.”
She nodded slowly. “So now what?”
“There’s not much else to do for the night.”
“Rumplestiltskin’s not going to bust down the door and come after us?”
Regina shook her head. “It’s not his style. He sent his message, so now he’s going to lie in wait. See if we try to seek him out.” She cleared her throat. “I’m going to try to get some sleep.”
“Right. Me too.”
The tension remained as they went upstairs, Emma staying behind briefly to turn out all the lights. When she reached the master bedroom, Regina had emerged from the walk-in closet in a long silk nightgown. She stopped short when she noticed her presence and again they exchanged awkward glances.
Emma glanced down at her clothes. “Umm... uh, do you have any spare pajamas I could borrow? I think I’ve worn out most of my tank tops.”
Regina nodded, avoiding eye contact while she fluffed her pillows. “Closet,” she told her simply. “Chest of drawers on the left.”
Emma nodded and headed for the walk-in closet. The chest of drawers Regina had indicated was just inside the doorway. She pulled open the top drawer and wrinkled her nose at her findings: nothing but silk nightgowns of varying length. Not at all her type of bedtime attire.
She checked the next drawer and found only socks, while the next one down yielded different shades of pantyhose. When the bottom drawer showed her nothing but workout clothes, she sighed and resigned herself to the contents of the top drawer, pulling out an ice blue silk nightie.
She undressed quickly, not thinking twice about tossing her clothes in the hamper along with Regina’s things. Then, she shut off the light in the closet and made her way out. “I feel weird in this.”
Regina glanced up with a toss of her hair, smirking briefly. “It’s not your usual nighttime fare, I’ve noticed.” Then as if catching herself, she seemed to blush and look down, still fiddling with her pillows. Had they not been fluffed enough already, or was she nervous about something? “Not that I’ve noticed anything really.”
“Right.”
Another awkward stare passed. Emma almost wished she could pass out right where she was standing if it would let her escape all the tension. “Well, goodnight!” She feigned a smile.
“Yes, goodnight.”
Then the two women climbed in quickly, turned out the lights, and slid as close to their respective edges as they possibly could.
*****
Emma stirred early that next morning, content beneath the sheets. There was a general warmth and comfort in the room, one that made her want to stay sleeping. So she sighed and snuggled further against the mattress on her belly, rubbing her face against the sheet.
As she did so, the tip of her nose came in contact with something distinctly non-sheet-like, a puff of breath hitting her lips a moment later. Disoriented, she furrowed her brows and let her eyes flutter open.
When they did, she found herself nose-to-nose with Regina, her arm thrown across the queen’s stomach. Regina laid on her back, one hand covering Emma’s arm while she slept contentedly. Emma’s eyes widened. “Oh, crap,” she muttered, and it was that sound that woke the sleeping queen.
Her brown eyes popped open and she gasped sharply, the two of them jumping away from one another and clutching at the sheets. Regina held them to her collarbone. “What the hell are you doing?”
“What am I doing? What are you doing?!”
“Why are you on my side of the bed?”
“Uhh...” Emma glanced around Regina’s form. “You’re actually on my side.”
The queen tossed her hair, looking over her shoulder at all the extra room on her side of the bed. “Oh.”
“Yeah.”
The pair sat in silence for a moment, Regina still trying to cover herself with the sheet; though why, Emma didn’t know. It wasn’t as if either of them were naked.
She pressed her lips together and looked down at the pattern on the duvet. “I’m gonna go take a shower,” she said, then quickly scrambled out of bed.
“Right.” Regina got up as well. “Good idea.”
Emma gave her a look, raising her eyebrows pointedly. “Don’t follow me.”
And Regina glared, snipping, “Don’t flatter yourself,” as she pulled on her robe.
**
After they ate breakfast in silence, Emma received a call from her father that he would be dropping Henry off shortly. So Regina made herself scarce, while Emma went outside to wait for them.
‘David Nolan’s’ old pickup truck rolled to a stop and out jumped Henry, running straight for her and nearly knocking the wind out of her with his hug. “Are you okay?” he asked.
“Just fine, kid,” she smiled, ruffling his hair.
When she looked up, her smile had faded. “Oh. Hi.” Snow White had come along with him, which she had been trying to avoid.
“Emma dear, are you alright? I had been worried when you asked your father to keep Henry for the night.”
She plastered on a smile. “Everything’s fine. I just thought you guys might have some fun getting to know him a little better.”
“We certainly did,” James smiled, then sent her an apologetic glance when Snow wasn’t looking. “Your, uh, mother wanted to see you, though, to be sure.”
Snow glanced between them. “Is something wrong? I’m getting a strange feeling one of you isn’t telling me something.”
James played off her comment with a smile while Emma did the same, and Henry watched them both for a reaction.
The princess furrowed her brows, eyes narrowed in skepticism before she gave up. “Alright. Well, we were glad to take Henry for the night. We had a lot of fun.”
“Good,” Emma smiled, heart thudding in her ears as she hoped they would leave soon.
“Why don’t we chat for a bit!” Snow suggested then, turning around with a bright smile. “We haven’t seen much of each other, after all. Mind if we come in?”
Henry looked up at his mother, whispering, “The bubble...”
Emma cursed under her breath as Snow and James started toward them. “No... wait!”
But it was too late. Snow White had walked straight into the protection bubble and it shot her back, a loud crack shattering the quiet of the neighborhood. James caught her and they fell against the truck, both of them staring in shock at what had just happened.
“What was that?” asked the prince.
“Magic,” Snow murmured, looking at Emma through her lashes while she straightened up.
Henry leaned against his mother and looked up at her, and Emma gave him an apologetic frown as her hands fell to his shoulders.
Snow kept her gaze leveled on her daughter. “Emma, where did you get magic?”
She exchanged a glance with her father, whose expression seemed to be that of warning or caution, as she opened her mouth to reply. But before she could, the front door of the estate flew open.
“Henry? Emma? I heard something hit the bubble, are you okay?”
Regina was halfway down the front walk when she ground to a halt, locking eyes with her former stepdaughter.
Snow White’s shocked gaze turned murderous. “Regina...” she ground out.
“Snow.”
And Henry glanced up at Emma, cringing a bit as he asked her, “Which one of us is in trouble?”
“I think all of us are, kid,” Emma answered, rubbing his shoulders as she looked from Snow to Regina, awaiting the explosion.
TBC
{x-posted to onceupon_fanfic and regina_emma}