Once Upon A Time

An Evil Sense of Fashion Part 1

Regina Mills sighed, sitting in her darkened study as she contemplated the (rather excellent) brandy she was drinking, taking in its dark richness as it swirled round and round the brandy balloon, staring into the fireplace, seeing the flames there flicker and dance dimly. Tonight wasn't the time for her usual apple cider; instead something darker and moodier with a decent bite was required.

Her expression was dour, her mood foul, the Mayor of Storybrook was in a snit, all because of one damned woman; Emma Swan.

The thrice damned Sheriff had gone and gotten herself turned into the Dark One, intercepting it as it moved to claim Regina; determined to ensure Regina got her happy ending, she'd sacrificed herself to keep the curse of the Dark One from her. They'd shared a single, anguished look, then she'd disappeared, leaving only the Dark One's dagger behind, her name worked into the blade, the same dagger that now lay on the table next to where Regina sat, stewing quietly.

She'd been the one who'd been left to explain what had happened to Emma to their son, the one to explain that his other mother was now host to the greatest evil that had ever existed. That had been one of the most harrowing experiences of her life, in itself no mean feat, given the life she'd led; as the Evil Queen she'd faced down every kind of threat, every challenge, but that had been perhaps one of the hardest.

Faced with Henry's heartbroken anguish and impassioned begging to save her, Regina had found herself promising to do everything in her power to free Emma, not resting till the blonde was returned to them safe and well, a promise Regina worriedly, if privately, admitted to herself that she was doubtful she could keep.

She wasn't particularly looking forward to having to explain that failure to her son either.

That was strike one.

Then her 'soul mate', Robin of Locksley, more informally known as Robin Hood, had decided that he should take Regina home and 'get her to bed'. He hadn't given a damn about Emma; she was someone else's problem he stated blandly. After the night Regina had gone through he insisted on 'looking after' her. Regina snorted; looking after his own libido more like it. Robin was like most men, always interested in sex, regrettably, also like most men, he wasn't all that good at it. Robin truly was a product of the Enchanted Forest, where men were men and women knew their place; Regina sneered at that thought. Supposedly that place was on their backs under men, legs spread, faking their pleasure because most of the men there couldn't find a woman's clitoris with a map and a locator spell.

Robin was virile enough she supposed, handsome too, certainly fit, even if she did need to force him to bath before she'd even consider letting him anywhere near her bed, but all too often he (all too quickly) came then rolled off her, rapidly falling asleep, leaving a frustrated Regina to have to take care of herself, accompanied by Robin's snores.

Tonight had been the last straw though: Emma had sacrificed herself to make sure Regina got her happy ending; something Robin had metaphorically shrugged his shoulders at, blithely remarking that the Dark One (stated as if she was no longer Emma) would turn up eventually and they'd 'deal with her good and proper then', before not so subtly suggesting that after Regina's big night, they should get her to bed.

Regina had already been tiring of the oaf, but that little comment, combined with the barely-covered lecherous look he'd turned on her, had pushed her too far. They'd had a short, sharp conversation which had ended with Regina sending the man back to his forest camp with a disdainful wave of her hand; 'poofing' him out of her sight.

Regina frowned, wondering when she'd starting referring to teleportation as 'poofing', then sighed, giving her brandy an extra swirl. She knew exactly when; it had started when she had begun teaching Emma magic; honestly the woman didn't have the temperament for it despite the massive potential locked up inside her. She couldn't even get the terminology right; she'd defiantly continued to refer to it as 'poofing' and the term had stuck.

Regina shrugged, let Robin sit around the campfire with his 'Merry Men'; they could have jerk-off contests all night as far as she was concerned. She frowned a bit harder at that rather distasteful, indeed vulgar image, wondering where that had come from, before she recalled Emma speculating about that very thing sitting across from Regina in this very room as they shared some quality cider one night. As she recalled, a little ruefully, they'd both laughed themselves silly, even as Emma had wondered if that was why they were so 'merry'.

Now though she was definitely single, having made it very, very clear to Robin that he was no longer welcome in her bed or her life. He could spend his time with Zelena and their soon to be born brat and stay the hell away from both Henry and her, if he knew exactly what was good for him and his continued good health.

That was strike two.

Then there was Emma herself. Ever since the blonde woman had turned up in town as part of Gold's plan to break her curse she'd been nothing but trouble. She'd confronted and tested Regina from the moment they'd met; she'd been a challenge to the natural order of things, giving as good as she got, they'd traded blows, both verbal and occasionally physical, ever since.

It seems the only time they didn't challenge each other was when they had an outside threat to focus on. Then they were unbeatable together, the Savior; imbued with unparalleled optimism and white magic in equal measure and the Evil Queen, wielder of vast dark magic and equally vast experience, together they were an unstoppable team, what they couldn't crush with brute mystic strength they'd overcome with their wits, their skills and their ability to bring out the best in each other.

Together they'd managed to defeat every challenge while coming to an understanding. Like everything it revolved around Henry, their son was the truest believer and the only thing they'd had in common at first. Both women would sacrifice anything for him, even their disdain for each other. So it had passed that they had grown closer, from distant adversaries to uncertain neutrality to tentative friends to close allies, all because of Henry. Now it was clear to all that a challenge to one was a challenge to them both; 'Team Mom's' as Henry had dubbed them one night as they had sat watching some silly movie.

Both had rolled their eyes at the term, but neither had said no, instead they'd glanced at each other, swallowed any objections they might have had, smiled and nodded agreeably. Since then they had spent more and more time together, growing closer, exchanging their mutual distaste for the men in their life, Emma recounting some of Hook's less attractive traits, including his clinginess, his frequent alcohol-soaked episodes and his sense of entitlement to Emma's bed.

In turn Regina had shared her own frustrations over Robin one night over drinks and they'd agreed that the men of the Enchanted Forest were nothing to write home about, unfortunately with the selection of available, attractive men so limited, neither of them was in a position to be all that picky, it seemed their available choices were Hook and Robin or go without.

Over time they had become friends, so much so that they found it strange if they didn't take time out each day to catch up, over breakfast or lunch at Granny's or the frequent family dinners at Regina's. Otherwise it was normal for the Mayor to seek out the Sheriff to discuss some quite frankly trivial matter, or for Emma to drop in on the Mayor's office to get her opinion on something that really didn't warrant her time, not that either minded.

They had grown closer and closer, to the point that both had grown not just accustomed, but pleased to be in each other's company, Regina didn't know exactly what was happening, but she wasn't complaining, spending time with Emma had become a bright spot in each day, the blonde had an endearing way of making the world seem a brighter, happier, funnier place, simply by sharing it with her and Emma seemed to find the same pleasure in her company.

Regina's lip curled sardonically. The woman, who had tested her, frustrated her, infuriated her and challenged her since they had first met, was also the woman who made her life so much more tolerable. Not just bearable, but fun. Since they had grown closer, Regina had learned that life was not just to be endured, but enjoyed, not suffered, but instead savoured, all because she had the love of her...their…son, and the friendship of the one person she respected more than any.

Now she was gone and Regina was discovering just how large that Emma-shaped hole in her life was. Her friend was gone, replaced by the Dark One, the malevolent entity that was just about the polar opposite of Emma. Regina was more than familiar with the Dark One and it's machinations, God knows she'd been a puppet to the Dark One more than once when it had inhabited Rumpelstiltskin, she was damned if she would do that again.

On the other hand, Emma was nothing like the imp had been when the Dark One had taken residence within him. She was brave where he was a coward, generous where he was miserly, cheerful rather than disdainful and the product of True Love, a concept Rumpelstiltskin couldn't truly understand even if it manifested right in front of him and delivered him a swift kick in the teeth.

It was that very fact, that Emma was the product of True Love and the vast white magic that powered it, that gave Regina any hope at all for the situation. The Dark One was the ultimate personification of black magic, Emma the embodiment of white magic, Rumpelstiltskin was already evil when the Dark One overtook him, making it easy for the darkness to corrupt his soul, god knows it was already well on its way there already.

Emma on the other hand was a completely different kettle of fish, she was almost white magic personified. Granted her ability to harness that immense power was minuscule due to her lack of aptitude, but as experience had shown time and time again, when the moment of most need was there, that power was freely available and if ever that power was needed, it was now.

Regina found herself hoping that Emma's purity of heart and vast white magic would allow her to hold off the worst excesses of the Dark One, even if she couldn't rid herself of all its traces. Given the Dark One's power that was wishful thinking at best and stupidly delusional at worst, but Regina held out hope that Emma had not lost herself completely to the darkness.

Hope...in the quiet room Regina snorted quietly to herself; there had been precious little of that in her life. It had been a series of 'unfortunate circumstances' that had seen her play a starring role in other people's schemes, her mother, Rumpelstiltskin, Pan, the three evil bitches most recently, all had used, abused and manipulated her to get what they'd wanted, leaving precious little room for something as maudlin and saccharine as hope...but still.

First Henry and now Emma had fanned that tiny ember of hope that still guttered in her heart, with their encouragement they had helped her to learn to hope again, showing her that not everything in her life had to be bleak and miserable and ugly, that even former villains could get a chance at a happy ending, something Emma had been at pains to point out again and again.

Emma had been the one, together with Henry, who had believed in her, in her redemption, her rebirth as a hero, that she could be saved and deserved to find her happy ending; Regina shook her head again, realising that without Emma in it, there would be no happy ending, that she needed her best friend back.

She paused for a moment and thought that through. Best friend? Since when did Regina Mills have, or even need a best friend? Somewhere along the line she'd gone from the feared and unapproachable Evil Queen to someone who enjoyed bantering with the Savior as they watched television with their son, from eating lunch alone in the sterile sanctity of her office to trading light barbs across the table at Granny's, all because Emma Swan wanted to be her friend and wouldn't take no for an answer.

Over time they'd gone from trading blows to standing side by side against every threat, from certainty that the other was a worthy adversary to equal certainty that the other was the one person they could always count on. Now that person was gone and Regina's sense of loss was palpable. She felt that something essential and integral to her sense of self had been ripped from her, leaving her feeling horribly diminished and alone.

Regina paused for a moment, staring into the fire as her hand stilled, the brandy swirling to a halt as she considered that thought. She was the Evil Queen, well not so much anymore, but all her life she had been alone, so why did the absence of Emma Swan hurt so much? How could the absence of one person leave her diminished? The only person who held that power over her was Henry and that was because she loved him and he loved her. Now though she felt an ache inside, a pain that rivaled that she had felt when Henry was kidnapped off to Neverland, or lost for that year in New York, all because of Emma Swan, or more precisely Emma's absence.

Regina's sigh rang loudly in the quiet room, even as she forced herself to face facts; after all she'd never been one to shy away from unpleasant truths before.

The reason she felt like this was simple, she was fond of the blonde, she was light to Regina's shadow, she was outgoing and friendly where Regina was private and distant, Emma was optimistic to her pessimism, or realism as Regina insisted on calling it, they were almost opposites in personality, outlook, even physically, but together they were greater than the whole.

It was obvious that the blonde knew it, she'd said much the same more than once, commenting that while Regina's perspectives were different, they were no less valid, something that had taken Regina a while longer to accept as a truth, but eventually she'd had no choice, the facts were right there in front of her.

Somehow Emma Swan had gone from a thorn in her side to one of two indispensable people in her life; there were only two people in Storybrook that Regina willingly accommodated her life around, Henry and Emma.

Until now she'd avoided examining the reasons too closely but this evening's events had forced her to confront them head on. Regina sighed again then sipped her brandy, appreciating the taste anew, rich and mellow with a hint of bite to it, before setting it swirling again as she reluctantly faced the facts.

She had feelings for Emma Swan, strong feelings.

The blonde was important to her, not just as a friend, but as someone more. It wasn't just the looks, though Emma's beauty was plain to see, Regina had seen enough of the blonde in her usual jeans and shirts, plus rather more from time to time, such as when the two of them had taken Henry swimming together last summer, to appreciate the woman for the beauty she was; Regina had an eye for outstanding physical specimens and Emma Swan was certainly that.

Regina was also aware that Emma appreciated her in the same way, heaven knows she'd caught the woman's green eyes on her often enough, surreptitiously appreciating Regina's figure, and sometimes not so discreetly; Regina hadn't missed how the Savior's jaw had dropped and her eyes widened as Regina had appeared after changing into a modest but stylish one-piece swimsuit, nor how quickly Emma had rolled over onto her stomach to hide her obvious signs of arousal, all too evident to Regina in the woman's barely-PG rated red bikini. No Regina wasn't oblivious to just how much Emma enjoyed appreciating her, nor had Regina been all that discreet at times in eyeing off the blonde's physical assets, to Emma's obvious, if quiet amusement.

They'd been dancing around their obvious mutual attraction for more than long enough; in retrospect it appeared almost inevitable. God knows she'd overheard enough comments from the town gossips about the peculiar tension between the Savior and the Evil Queen, at first the gossips had put it down to women predestined to always oppose each other, little did they know that things were never that black and white in this world. It had been Ruby Lucas who'd been the first to pick up that it might be something else; Regina had overheard the wolfling arguing with Belle French one evening that the energy between the two women owed more to unresolved sexual rather than moral tension. Regina had raised an amused eyebrow at that observation, before quietly turning away, leaving the women none the wiser that she had been there to hear them.

Since then she had found herself enjoying Emma's company more and more, with, or increasingly, without Henry's presence. The blonde challenged her, teased her, laughed with and occasionally at her and was the one person she could count on to have her back no matter what the challenge.

Now she was gone and Regina was missing her, the knowledge sinking in that she'd not see the blonde tomorrow, over breakfast or lunch or dinner, or sit next to her on the lounge as they took cheap shots at whatever movie Henry was watching. He never seemed to mind though; just happy he had both mothers with him, that they were a family again.

Family…Regina smiled a little wistfully at that word. Something she'd never really had before, except with Henry. Now they were a family, a decidedly odd, even weird family, the Evil Queen, the Savior and the Truest Believer but a family they were. Regina's sigh in the silent room was loud. She wanted her family back; she wanted her family whole and complete. That meant that she needed Emma back with her, for Henry's sake and, equally importantly, for her sake as well.

Downing the last of the brandy Regina savored the taste, before letting the liquid slide down her throat, appreciating the gentle bite as she did, carefully setting the glass down on the table beside her.

Emma was gone, she was the Dark One and Regina was damned if that set of circumstances would stand. She hadn't survived everything life had thrown at her by accepting things, it was in her nature to scheme and claw and manipulate and fight for anything worthwhile and nothing right now was more worthwhile than Emma Swan, the woman she…loved.

Regina closed her eyes for a moment as she examined her feelings, that word should have scared her but it didn't, not anymore. Emma had easily slid past all Regina's defences and taken up a place alongside Henry in her heart. The woman could be irritating, infuriating, challenging, childish and ridiculously foolish, but she was also forgiving, caring, generous and loving. Somewhere in all that co-parenting and facing threats side by side Regina had found the one person she couldn't live without, the one who filled her life and heart with joy.

The facts were obvious, even if it had taken the current crisis to make Regina face those facts, Emma Swan was indisputably the woman she loved.

And that right there was strike three.