The thing you love most… The thought had been plaguing Regina all night. She had seen her father, he had offered her wine, then food, then a friendly ear… She had looked into his deep, loving eyes, and she had known. She couldn't do it. The most horrible thing was, she hadn't known for sure. She had been tempted, so wickedly, tantalisingly tempted, to rip out his heart. After all, he offered her help now but when she had needed it, when Cora had been at her most cruel, he had hidden in the shadows. He had done nothing. He had let her suffer- Regina threw her glass at the mirror she had been staring into. No. She would not do this. She would not blame him. The days of torture were long past.

A fragment of glass remained in the gilded frame; Regina watched as a whirl of dark smoke appeared in it, dissipating to reveal Rumpelstiltskin.

"I thought you were imprisoned," Regina said darkly.

"Oh, I am, dearie. Better to let them think so, at any rate."

"And the reason for your visit?"

"Just a little thing, really. I cannot help but wonder why we are still here."

Regina sighed. She maintained her regal facade, but her heart just wasn't in it any more.

"I can't do it," she said. "I will not kill my father."

Rumple narrowed his eyes. "You know, I thought you were something special-"

"Save it, Imp. I am tired. And I will not be part of your plan any longer. I will get my revenge some other way."

Rumple cackled. "You will not. I will make sure of it. You will suffer." He flicked his wrist. "And now you will not even age. I curse you to suffer eternally. Until true love's kiss sets you free. Pity he's dead…"

The imp only laughed harder as Regina's hands found his throat.

"Cheer up, dearie. You'll find a way to survive. I am sure of it."

"And what will you do?" Regina demanded, trying to sound vicious rather than curious and desperate.

"I'm going on a trip," Rumple said happily. "A vacation, if you will. To find something I lost long ago."

And with that somewhat dreamy declaration, he disappeared, leaving Regina to miserably ponder the effects of his curse.

22 YEARS LATER

Only one remaining candle still flickered in the tavern. Regina used its light to examine her warped reflection, still not a day older than when she had been cursed. In a way she liked it. She also knew that she could not die - perhaps drinking the poison had been a step too far, but she told herself firmly she had been well aware that the curse would keep her alive. 28 for all eternity. Damn the monstrous little creature. At least she had her own realm now. A small but wealthy portion of the forest, providing for as much hard liquor as she could consume. Her people liked her. They were mostly exiles from the White kingdom, but Regina, or Regina's minions, really, treated them fairly. The Evil Queen was sick of killing. She was even sick of torturing Snow White. There was a rumour that Snow White had brought about her own punishment anyway. Something about the death of her princess daughter… But that had been years ago.

"Hey, Your Majesty?"

The cheerful voice addressing her did not sound at all reverent. Regina raised her head, trying to seem less drunk than she felt.

"What?" she demanded, deciding a one word answer would be easier not to slur.

A tall blonde in a very becoming red dress sat down opposite her and batted her eyelashes.

"You need a ride home?" the girl asked. Regina gave her a quick once over. She'd know a dress like that anywhere.

"You're a prostitute," she stated. The girl nodded, her long, curly hair bouncing in time with the glittering of her green-blue eyes.

"I am. And you're rich. And totally wasted. Seriously, you're pretty far from your palace and this place is about to close. How are you planning on getting home?"

Regina gulped down the last of her whiskey.

"Why do you care?" she asked. The whore had the audacity to grin at her.

"Because I think you came by magic, but you're in no state to use it for your return."

"'S'my magic, I'll use it how I want," Regina managed.

"Sure you will. Here, drink this."

The girl produced a large glass of water. She waved her hand over it; it began to shimmer. Regina sighed, then gulped down the drink. She would have far more fun with this girl sober, anyway.

"You're lucky that wasn't poisoned," Regina said after a moment, feeling much more herself. The girl laughed.

"Aren't you the lucky one?"

Regina's mouth twitched into something almost like a smile. "Sadly, no. Poison doesn't work on me. Thank you, though. And now, I should be going."

The whore nodded. Regina groaned inwardly. Why was she so interested in a common prostitute? Yes, she was beautiful, but weren't they all? She sighed. It had been a while.

"How much?" she asked. The girl grinned, shaking out her hair.

"10 gold crowns."

"For one night?"

"For the drink! The night… You wouldn't pay it," she said with a smirk.

Regina had never been one to turn down a challenge. She conjured the gold and put it on the table, then stood as if to leave.

"Try me," she said seductively. The girl succeeded in hiding her surprise that the Evil Queen was at all interested in her. She might have been exiled, but she was still the most formidable woman in the realm. Possibly in any realm..

"A… another ten," she said, feigning confidence. "Per hour."

Regina had to smile this time. "And you succeed in earning this? With… clients from this tavern?"

The girl shrugged. "I'm good at reading people. I know you have more money than you know what to do with. I might as well ask a lot - if you want me you'll say yes, no matter what the price."

"You are smarter than you look. Okay. I'll bite. 10 gold crowns it is. Per hour."

The girl grinned. "For real?"

Regina laughed. It felt wonderful. She took the girl's hand.

"I never do this," she mused as she poofed them into her bedroom.

"Slow down!" she added as the girl immediately began to unfasten her dress. "What's your name? You know mine, after all."

"Emma," the girl told her. Emma slipped her shoulder back into her dress and looked around the elaborate bedchamber.

"Emma… That's nice."

Emma bit her lip, watching as Regina perched awkwardly on the edge of the bed.

"You really haven't done this before, have you?" she commented. Regina suddenly seemed to find her knees incredibly interesting.

"I… I was in an unusual situation."

"You were drunk," Emma corrected. "Can I ask why?"

"Whiskey."

"Witty. Why the whiskey?"

Regina flopped back onto her bed, shocking herself with the familiarity she was allowing.

"Because today is the 22nd anniversary of me giving up… Me giving up everything I had fought for."

Emma forced herself to hold in the admission that had been on the tip of her tongue. Why would the Evil Queen care that it was her birthday, anyway?

"What were you fighting for?"

"Revenge."

"Sounds healthy. Why'd you give up?"

Regina groaned. "Love. Idiotic thing that it is. He was dead within the year anyway. Heart attack, if you'd believe it!"

Emma listened, not understanding, but fascinated nonetheless.

"This place have food?" she asked after a small silence. Regina sat up.

"Sorry, I should have- I mean, yes." She snapped her fingers and a large tray of pastries, fruit, chocolate, and champagne appeared. Emma gasped, then grabbed a chocolate coated dessert.

"I'm starving," she said with her mouth full. "I was late on rent, couldn't get any food…"

Regina watched Emma eat with interest. After her initial desperation, the girl slowed down and became more dainty. It wasn't long before she stopped altogether.

Emma took a final gulp of champagne, then caught Regina's eye. They were both on the edge of the bed now, but several feet apart. Emma fiddled with the fabric of her dress.

"You know you're paying me to be here, right?" she asked. Regina nodded.

"Yes, I am well aware."

"Okay… Well, you're the boss, you know?"

Regina sighed. "I am aware of that, too. It… It has been nice to just… to talk."

Emma laughed. "You know you can talk to people for a lot less than 10 crowns an hour."

Regina narrowed her eyes. "I can fuck people for a lot less than 10 crowns an hour, too."

Emma blushed. Regina almost felt guilty.

"But you don't," Emma pointed out.

"No," Regina confirmed. "I don't."

"You're lonely."

"You imply that I mind being alone."

"I think you do," Emma said softly, slowly edging closer. "I think you crave contact, you crave touch."

Regina shuddered as Emma gently tugged on the first string of her corset.

"Now," Emma murmured, her warm breath on Regina's neck as she spoke into her ear. "What do you want me to do?"

"I…" Regina breathed, wondering if she was dreaming. "Whatever you like."

Emma gently kissed her neck. "Okay. But I don't kiss on the mouth."

Regina nodded to show she understood, then a wicked gleam came into her eyes as she flicked her wrist to divest them of their clothing. Emma gasped.

"That's a first," she said, her surprise turning into a grin as she pressed Regina back on the bed and began a delicious assault on every inch - almost every inch - of Regina's skin.

Regina turned her head, keeping her mouth out of the way as requested, letting out a quiet moan as Emma's skilful mouth explored her jaw and neck, pausing at her pulse point, grazing her with perfect teeth. Regina wondered, fleetingly, what it would be like if someone bit down hard enough to break her skin, right there, on that vein… She wondered if she would bleed out onto satin sheets, or if Rumple's curse would keep her living once again. She suspected the latter, then bit her lip.

"Harder," she commanded. Emma didn't falter, she was used to being instructed. She sucked harder, bit harder, scraped her nails down the Queen's back and sides as she attacked her throat.

Regina felt almost alive when Emma touched her, when Emma's hands found her breasts and pinched her nipples, when her nimble fingers were replaced by her wicked mouth. She arched her back involuntarily as Emma sucked one hardened peak into her mouth, grazing it with her teeth, then caressing it with her tongue. Emma raised her glittering eyes to meet Regina's; the Queen's expression was dark, aroused, but somehow distant.

"Stay with me," Emma whispered, her soft breath on Regina's moistened flesh causing Regina to roll her hips. Emma chuckled. She traced a finger down Regina's rips, stomach, abdomen, sex- Then brought it back up to rest a hand on the Queen's hip.

"Not just there," Emma said. She pushed herself up the bed again so her face was inches from Regina's. She bit her lip, burning their eyes together with a kind of contact Regina didn't know if she had ever experienced. "Here, too," Emma told her. She kissed Regina softly on the forehead.

Regina forced herself not to imagine kissing those exquisite pink lips. That wasn't what this was about. Emma used her hands, the pads of her fingers, tracing tortuous patterns on Regina's skin, digging in her nails, gripping her so tightly she left bright red marks. The harder her touch, the louder Regina's moans. Emma quite enjoyed the chance to be forceful, dominant… But every now and then Regina would grab her hand and move it, or twist her fingers in her hair and move her head to reposition her mouth, and that showed who was really in charge.

Emma nipped the spot at the base of Regina's ribs; Regina gasped, her nails scraping Emma's shoulders as she groaned with pleasure. It had been far too long, Emma's fingers playing at her chest was almost enough to send her over the edge and they had hardly touched. Emma chuckled, feeling Regina's racing heart, hearing her gasping breaths. She sat up, to an angry protest from her employer.

"What are you doing?" Regina demanded, wishing her face was not quite so flushed with arousal. Emma smiled, looking down at what she expected was an almost unique view of the terror of the realm.

"You're so beautiful," she murmured. Regina raised her eyebrows, but Emma had sounded so genuine… She had not been told that, she had not been looked at like that, in a very long time. Before she could comment, Emma changed her expression, winked, and reached down to slip a finger between Regina's folds. Regina gasped, at the sensation, at the joy of it. Emma withdrew her finger, which now glistened with Regina's arousal. Maintaining constant eye contact, Emma put the finger in her mouth, sucking on it, a normally exaggerated moan bubbling up in her throat. Regina stared at her in a kind of shock. She had never been touched like this, never been savoured like this, never been-

But of course she hadn't, she reminded herself briskly. She had never paid to be. She grabbed Emma's arms, stopping the show short and pulling the blonde against her again.

"I'm not paying for a show, Miss-" she realised too late that she did not know the last name of her companion.

"Swan," Emma told her, nibbling her collarbone.

"Miss Swan. It is quite evident that I…" Regina trailed off, unused to speaking commandingly about such things.

"That you what, Your Majesty?" Emma asked innocently.

Regina blushed furiously, but she could not deny her arousal climbed yet higher when she finally forced out, "That I need you."

Emma moved her hands lower, pushing Regina's thighs apart as she trailed her tongue down the truly majestic body before her. Regina cried out loud enough to wake the entire staff of her castle when Emma's tongue slid between her folds; when it dipped inside her Emma had to use her full strength to hold the Queen's hips down, and even then she was unable to control them entirely. She smiled into Regina, enjoying her handiwork.

She slipped one finger inside, thrusting gently, something telling her that Regina's demands for force should not be extended here. She didn't know how she knew, she just… knew. She added another finger, gently increasing pace and pressure as she took Regina's clit into her mouth and sucked, then began to trace patterns on it with the tip of her tongue. She liked to think she was something of an artist - with just a few strokes, her masterpiece would be complete.

Regina gritted her teeth, tears prickling in her eyes as Emma teased her to heights she hadn't known existed. Her whole body was on fire, trembling with anticipation. Emma had pushed her to her breaking point, yet she was still pushing, still climbing, stars popping behind her eyes as she twisted her hands in Emma's hair so tightly it had to be hurting her and then just as Regina was convinced she would die regardless of any curses, a well timed flex of Emma's fingers had her body finally releasing control, to be guided through wave after wave of ecstasy…

Emma licked her fingers, discreetly this time, enjoying the taste just for herself, then climbed back up the bed. She brushed a strand of hair behind Regina's ear.

"Money well spent?" she asked, teasing. Regina reddened at the reminder of exactly what this was. Emma noticed and seemed to feel a little guilty.

"I didn't mean… I liked it too."

Regina sighed. "You do not have to say that. It makes no difference, I suppose."

Emma shrugged. "I wouldn't say I liked it if I didn't."

"But you did not even-"

"It wasn't about me. I don't think many people would be interested in paying for the pleasure of getting me off."

Regina blushed again. Emma realised a Queen might not be very used to discussing sex so openly. But then, to Emma's surprise, Regina found her smile.

"I might be… Interested. It is not something I have ever attempted."

Regina was shocked at her own honesty, but something about Emma brought it out in her. Miss Swan, she corrected. She had to keep it impersonal. She had been too deprived, she was at risk of becoming attached. Miss Swan, it had to be Miss Swan. The trouble was, the circumstances under which she had learned the formal address were not exactly… Neutral.

Emma didn't know if she believed what she was hearing. The Queen wanted to- No. It wouldn't be right. Somehow, Emma felt that even charging her for what she'd just done wasn't right. It had been so different from anyone Emma had been with in such a long time… Emma shook of the thought.

"You're about to pass out," she told Regina. Regina could not deny it. Snuggled in the crook of Emma's arm, their limbs tangled, Emma's hands still stroking her skin, she could already feel herself drifting away into a deeper sleep than she could remember having. Emma began to extricate herself from the bed but Regina held on, pulling Emma's arm back around her waist.

"Stay?" she asked, furious at how weak and needy she sounded. "I will pay you, of course," she added a little more strongly.

Emma sighed. It felt wrong, taking money for something she wanted anyway. But the Queen had money, she reasoned. She wouldn't miss it. And Emma could really use it.

"Okay," she murmured. Regina sighed contentedly, then proceeded to fall asleep in Emma's arms.

Emma adjusted herself into a more comfortable position, pulled a blanket over them both, then let herself sink into Regina's wonderfully soft mattress. She could get used to this. She wouldn't. But she could…

Regina woke at sunrise. Her first instinct was to pull away from the arm that still dangled over her. She shuddered, forgetting the reason for the touch, feeling only fear at the idea of someone else in her bed. Only when she was out of it did she remember what had happened. She smiled at the memory. That had been… unexpected. But maybe that wasn't such a bad thing.

Miss Swan was still fast asleep. Regina wondered what kind of bed the girl had at home. Then she stopped herself. Why should she care? She counted out the crisp notes that would pay for the time, hoping notes would be alright. Carrying more than the ten gold coins she had already given Miss Swan would be cumbersome… But perhaps she would prefer to be paid in jewels of equal value? Regina groaned, then conjured the correct amount of coins, too. She wrote a short note to explain, then quickly washed and dressed. She had meetings to attend to. She ruled over a very small portion of the realm these days, but it still required a great deal of instruction. Contrary to, for example, Snow White's opinion, she really did care about the wellbeing of her underlings.

She took one last look at the young blonde woman now sprawled across her bed. She paused, but she could not bring herself to wake her. And, she told herself firmly as she left the room, that was just as well. Another conversation was unnecessary, and would only be problematic.

In a puff of purple smoke, she was in her throne in the main hall, ready to commence the morning's business. She pushed all thoughts of the previous night as far back in her mind as they would go. Somewhat to her discomfort (and somewhat to her pleasure), this was not very far.