Jafar Part 3

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Swallowing down her nerves thickly, she stares at the farmhouse, dark and quiet from where she and Robin stand, yet just looking at the place makes her stomach roll, cold sweat beading on the back of her neck. She hates this farmhouse - always has.

It's Gold's - but she knows her sister had taken up residence here for a while before the town knew who she was, and the damage she would inflict. Regina's heart clenches painfully for a moment, her eyes flicking just to her right where Robin stands, rigid with a deep set frown. This must be so god awful for him too. Walking into the home where the woman who cost him so much, who'd nearly stripped away everything he loves, once lived.

She can feel it, how the fury and anguish roll off his body, a puff of warm breath ghosting out in front of him as she reaches over to squeeze his hand, a simple gesture that she hopes holds so much more. She doesn't miss her sister, not anymore, is unsure if she ever actually did, has internally settled that the deep rooted... something...in her soul, she doesn't miss the wicked witch of the west, but rather misses the opportunity at having a sister.

Robin is a different story though. His heart only pulses in anger towards the lost red-head. He has no sadness to give at her departure, not after everything she had put he and Regina through. What does ail him though, is the look on Regina's face on nights where she has crept out from their bed and sat herself in a corner to sip on a cold glass of whiskey.

He knows she wonders, what if, what if, what if.

They see Emma waving from the porch, beckoning them to come inside, oblivious to the swirling turmoil of the couple who stand still a few meters back, holding hands tightly, desperately using the other to lean on, too draw strength from even if no words are being said.

Robin moves first, resigned to the fact they have to go inside, they need to figure out what happened, fix it, and get the hell out of here and back to the safety of their home. Tugging Regina behind him slowly, the grass crunches underneath his boots, his other hand securely on his bow. He doesn't care what is inside or who for that matter, nothing will be touching Regina, come hell or high water.

It's with each step towards the farmhouse, up the three creaky wooden porch steps that the thickness of dark magic builds, a dense suffocating cloud that burns Regina's lungs, starving out the oxygen and light.

She knows the exact scent of this magic, the only person the bitter sweet apple brand could be linked to. A high pitched cackle rings through her head, ricocheting around in torment as Robin pushes the door open, a pair of piercing blue eyes glare maliciously in her mind, baiting Regina to take another step forward, to dare enter where the darkness is palpable, tangible.

She wonders if Robin can hear her too, can sense the darkness that is engulfing them.

Apparently not as his footsteps never falter, but Emma's face tells an entirely different story as they turn to find the blonde, face scrunched up tight, one hand over her nose and mouth, green eyes watering slightly.

It's cloyingly sweet, to the point she swears she can taste the bile in her throat, her jaws tensing, teeth clenching tightly together, and she has to stop, has to take a moment to figure out how to breathe in this place without passing out. Her own hand shooting up to block the putrid invasion.

Robin does notice now, well maybe not the magic, but the twinned expression on both Regina and Emma's faces - something is wrong. Tensing, he feels Regina push against the crook of his shoulder, turning his body towards her, and he is fuming at the trembling sickly state she is in, a tinge of grey on her olive skin, pink in her cheeks nearly imperceptible, whiskey brown in her eyes glassing over, rimming red as stinging tears build.

They are leaving, now. There is no point in subjecting her to this..whatever this is...but he doesn't like it, refuses to have her stand here for another moment whilst something invisible attacks her. Robin reaches to grab her hand once more, guide her out back to safety, but she moves into his arms too quick, burrowing herself into the nook of his neck, fingers gripping onto the dark green coat. The tension in her body has him rooted to the spot, his hands wrapping around her shoulders on instant, a twinge of fear mixing with the clouding of confused uncertainty as to what is happening.

He feels the hot air of her exhale on his skin, followed by a greedy intake of air, repeated over and over as they stand locked together, one of his hands moved to card through her hair, stroking smoothly through her long chocolate locks.

"Regina, love? What's wrong?". He questions quietly, but she just shakes her head, tucking in tighter for the next breath that seems almost painful in size.

It's working - breathing him in instead, loading her lungs with his spiced pine scent to block out the dark bitterness of apple, her mind focusing solely on the fact he smells like forest, he smells like safety, smells like home.

It's a sequence she plays over and over, breathe him in, exhale Zelena out. He is warm, his pulse is steady under her palm, he is safe, she is safe with him.

The erratic beating of her heart slows, thudding in normal pattern once more, the wave of nausea seeming to abate for now - no doubt in thanks to the roaming of his warm palms along her back, the whispered timber of his voice in her ear asking if she is alright, what can he do, what does she need.

"It's Zelena's magic - it's suffocating - just the smell of it"

Robin turns to Emma, who seems to be having an easier time standing in the house, though her words are still muffled behind her palm.

Magic has smell? Has a scent linked to it? That is something he had never heard of, Regina had never mentioned before, and for a moment he wonders what her scent is, what rich royal perfume is associated with his Queen. A pang of envy courses through him at the thought, he will ask her later, get a full description, create it in his own mind just so he knows one more thing about her, another note in the the endless novel of Regina Mills.

Puzzled he glances back down at Regina, pressing a light kiss into her temple, he can't exactly fight magical scent with his bow and arrow…but something is calming his wife's nerves, something about him and the way she is inhaling hard into his skin.

Grinning, Robin realizes exactly what she is doing - has to tamp down the urge to poke fun at her for using his "forest" smell as her anchor, when for months she had scoffed at him for it - later, definitely later he will goad her over it.

"Regina? Use my scarf"

She stills underneath him for a second, no doubt perplexed as to what he means; but his hands are gently easing her back, enough that the sour stench of her sister is pooling around her once more, has her immediately leaning back into Robin's shoulder, greedily pulling in as much air as she can.

Holding her to his chest with one arm, he unwraps his burgundy scarf quickly with the other - the faster they can find Sidney and get out of here the better.

"Use this, cover your nose with it" - he hands her the material, stuffs it into her hands in truth, a bunched ball that she immediately pulls up to her face, eyes closed as she sucks in another breath, her eyes closing gratefully at his thinking.

This will work, this can work.

She nods, smiling a thank-you from her eyes at Robin before turning back to Emma, arching a high dark eyebrow in silence, a demanding question as to what the plan is now.

Thankfully Emma seems to catch on, "he's downstairs with Ruby".

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Just like that Regina is following Robin down a set of metal stairs, her skin prickling in goosebumps at the frozen chill in the air, it's damp, and cold, and so bloody dark she can barely see a damn thing. Why Emma hasn't bothered to turn on a light, or just illuminate the room is beyond Regina.

For all the power that Emma may have as the saviour, she is really idiotic with it's use sometimes, she internally growls, waving her hand irritated, lighting up the entire basement, bringing the concrete walls and floor into plain sight.

"Uh thanks, I didn't think of that"

Clearly she snorts, smiling into Robin's scarf as he lets out a muffled chuckle of his own.

Ruby's red jacket comes into view first, around the corner, where she is leaning against a wall, arms crossed, nose scrunched up in a scowl - but her eyes are dead set on the ground, unmoving and Regina's heart hammers heavy against her ribs as she follows Ruby's gaze.

Half of her had hoped it wasn't true, that her once Magic Mirror wasn't dead and gone...but she see's the brown leather of his shoes, tweed grey pants damp and dirty, legs sprawled out at an awkward angle. She grimaces at the mustard yellow of his shirt - the man had awful, awful taste - a brown checkered tie strew about his thin torso, a hand extended open in rigidity, the other on top of his chest.

Death is nothing new for the Queen, she has seen it a hundred times over and over, and yet the glassy vacant eyes in those of the deceased, will forever have her stomach turning in knots. It's impossible to not look, too not stare at the empty hollowness of his dark brown eyes, they seem locked onto her, two burning holes of rage, desolate, yet filled with accusations. The lump in her throat doubles in size, seemingly blocking off her ability to breath. He is looking at her, she could swear a small pull of his upper lip flinches, for a fraction of a second, a tiny smirk on his pallid face. He is dead though, he has to be...that's why they are here, this is his body...he is dead.

Her heart pounds furiously, a touch of light headedness blooms inside though she holds steady against Robin. She had seen his eyes in her coffee...his face in her bathroom mirror...she is looking at his lifeless body, not 10 feet away from her...but she can't shake the feeling that something is off. The Genie may be lying ashen on the concrete floor, but her heart twists, clenches and spikes, an unsettling thought that maybe he is not as he seems.

"Any idea why he would be here?"

She shakes her head, unable to break her eyes from the his. "I have no idea. I didn't think he even knew of Zelena"

"When was the last time you saw him Regina?" Ruby speaks out finally.

"When the Ice Queen was here"

"So after we thought Zelena was dead then?"

Regina nods, at the tightness of the basement grows, the walls seeming to enclose upon them, gradually sucking the air out. "I cast him back into my mirror…" she confesses lowly "...after Zelena came back as Marian…" Robin's hand squeezes tight on her shoulders - she hasn't ever told Robin why Sidney was back in the mirror...given the fact she had wanted to use the Genie to help her…. remove…. Marian from the equation, hoping that with the other woman gone, it would have given her and Robin a chance to be together again.

Her heart turns over as she feels Robin's lips press into her hairline, a bubble of guilt at the memory, though she never went through with it. She'd thought about it...had wanted to...put a plan into action only to back out...the Evil Queen wouldn't have given a second thought about taking back what she felt was rightfully hers…

"Regina?"

"Sorry" she swallows, avoiding the curious confused looks of the others "I - uh - I cast him back into the mirror to help me with something, and he turned on me. The last time I saw him, was with Emma on the ice bridge"

To that, Emma nods.

"That still doesn't answer why he is in Zelena's house"

Silence surrounds them.

"When was Zelena here?" Ruby asks. "When did she live here?".

"When she first arrived in Storybrooke"

"Has anyone else been here since?"

"I have no idea, though I doubt Gold would be renting this place out exactly".

Emma frowns, staring down at Sidney, "Regina...if Zelena was using this place, maybe she also was using it after New York City….after she escaped from the hospital I mean"

"Still doesn't explain why he is here"

"What if they were working together?"

"Sidney and Zelena? For what?"

"Revenge"

Regina stills at the word, a word that has followed her around her entire life like a dark cloud…

"If Zelena was using this place after she escaped from the hospital that also means she could have been holding Robin's heart here" Emma grimaces, looking at the pair who are ashen faced at her comment. It could be entirely plausible, it more than likely true...maybe Sidney was being her keeper. Regina's heart thunders as Robin's hand clenches tight against her fingers, the cold clammy sweat pooling in between their palms.

"Do you think she would have taken Sidney's heart too? Like some sort of insurance to hold his loyalty?"

There is no air in this basement, her lips are beyond dry, throat scratching as she swallows deep, nodding at Emma. There is only one way to find out. Stepping slowly, her hand separates from Robin's, the absence harsh as she moves towards Sidney's body. She is shaking, though she tries to steal her nerves, it's not working, not when she bends down, crouching in front of the man, whose eyes still have not left hers, eyes that are silently egging her on. Irritation bubbles as she raises her palm, seeing how bad her fingers are quivering. Huffing out a hard breath, her hand pummels into his chest, and she freezes.

She's going to be sick. Or faint. Either seem like plausible options right now as her mind swirls into a fog, knees buckling under the sudden dizziness, Robin's arms are quick to wrap around her side, as she lolls into him.

"I take it we were right?" Emma runs a hand through her hair. This is not good.

He's holding Regina tight, letting her lean into his chest. They need to get out of here. They found Sidney, he is dead, his heart is missing. That is a problem they can deal with later.

"We should go"

"What about him?" Ruby's eyes cock back down to the lifeless body.

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"I'll take him"

A plume of red smoke bursts through the basement, as a dark timbered voice echoes against the concrete walls. Regina is standing tall in an instant, refusing to show this man any weakness, any vulnerability. His black cloak waves about his feet as the smoke settles, his eyes locked onto Sidney's with a maddening scowl, "well this is not the reunion I was anticipating with my brother. Pray tell, which one of you did this?" The question is menacing, solely directed at Regina who matches his glare, hard and heated. "Let me guess, Your Majesty...this does reek of your doing"

"I'd like to take ownership, but no it wasn't me" she smiles, forcing the pulsating nerves to the side, allowing the mask of her former self to come out to play.

Jafar glowers at the Queen, his breath curling around the sculpted cheekbones like steam, a long spindled hand gripping on the golden snake staff. Her eyes flicker down for a moment to the gilded reptilian head, a prickle of fear bubbling as it's eyes glow a dark bloody rouge, it's gone almost instantly, a bare spark before disappearing back into onyx black.

"Well, no matter. I found him, that's all I really needed"

"His heart is gone" Emma stammers, clearly not as adept at hiding her unsettlement at the villain. Jafar's thin black eyebrow arches, almost amused as a slight smile cracks his grey gold skin. "Interesting… that is usually your move, is it not?"

"I've already told you I didn't kill him" Regina exasperates, rolling her eyes for added effect.

"Ahh, right" He sneers back "Well then, he is of no use to you anymore is he? Can't be your prisoner, your spy, your pet?" drawling out the last word, chuckling at the sharp intake of breath from Regina.

He's aware of who she is, what she did to her brother. For years he watched them, from thousands of miles away, another realm where the sun burned hot day in and day out. That street rat Aladdin had lost his brothers lamp in the Enchanted Forest, only to be picked up by that oaf of a King. Rage thundered through him as he saw his brother fall helplessly in love with the young Queen, doing her bidding without thought, his lust blinding him to who she really was, what she was using him for. It took him years to find this place, this town hidden by magic but he was here, and was not leaving without his brother in tact, and without leveling the Queen of the Enchanted Forest to the burning bitter ground.

"No"

"No? Forgive me Your Majesty, but he is my - "

"He is your nothing. In all the years he was with me, he never mentioned you once"

Jafar seethes, puffing out his bitter fueled outrage as Regina steps a foot forward, invading into his space just enough that has him seeing red. She wants to play, he will play...she has no idea who she is dealing with.

"You wish to play with fire Your Majesty? Fine"

The clanging on his staff on the concrete ricochets around the stone walls, in the same second a flurry of flames erupts from the mouth of the snake, it's eyes searing red as it's wielder directs it around the basement, lighting the entire room on fire. She hears him cackle, dark and booming as he disappears in the cloud of signature red smoke; as she turns to throw up a shield around Robin, Emma and Ruby. The inferno blazing about them, filling the basement with black thick smoke.

She feels his hand grasp her, tugging her back into his chest, wiping the soot from her cheekbones, he is saying something, she can see his lips move, but the words are drowned out by the erratic coughing of the other two. It's so hot on her back, burning her skin and singeing her hair - the sweat from her brow stinging as it drips into her eyes. Inhaling, it chars her lungs, sending her into a matching cough fit, tears streaming from her eyes as she doubles over, clutching to Robin who is desperately pulling them towards the door.

Whether it's her magic, Emma's or Robin furiously dragging them through the burning farmhouse, the blast of cold fresh air hits her skin, ice cold compared to the smolder she was just breathing in. Stumbling her hands slam into the dirt, gripping the grass underneath her palms, retching soot into the ground, her mind spinning as she rolls onto her back, dragging in heavy heavy breaths. She can hear them coughing around her, sputtering and spitting, slumping into the grass around her, but she can clearly make out all three of them, breathing and alive.

Robin's palm lands on her sternum, fingers stretched out to turn her face to him, his eyes reflecting the orange flames from the near destructed house. "Are you alright?" he breathes, scanning her face for any injury, looking as though he about to pass out if she doesn't respond soon. Nodding slowly, keeping the nausea at bay, she grips his hand on her chest, inhaling hard as he leans down to mumble a shaky Thank God into her hairline as his lips press over and over into her skin. His heart thunders under her palm on his chest as he sinks into the crook of her neck for a moment, breathing in the fact they are both okay, both are here.

"I'm okay, I promise" she coughs slightly into the crook of his shoulder, resting her forehead against the near singed shirt that hangs off his body.

"You both alright?" Emma's rattled voice calls out, pulling Robin up and off Regina as he answers back.

Ruby is sitting just to Emma's left, staring at the blaze -"The guy is a psychopath!".

"So now what?" Emma questions, turning to Regina who has finally managed to stand up, leaning against Robin but is at least on her own two feet. She shrugs, shaking her head in answer "I assume Jafar took Sidney's body, so I honestly don't know. Now we figure out how to actually kill a Genie?"

"Well that shouldn't be to hard" Robin laughs at the ridiculous notion. He knew some of the tales of the magical beings, the main fact was immortality. They in essence cannot be killed. He should have known the second Regina failed to find Sidney's heart. It wouldn't matter, what matters is what tethers them to this world.

"His Lamp"

"What?" Regina barks out, her throat still scalding, as she finds Robin's eyes looking back down at her.

"You're serious? Like the Disney movie?"

The savior huffs out incredulously, green eyes wide and unbelieving, but Robin doesn't retract his statement and Emma whirls on the spot, shaking her head as her fingers grip at the roots. "We have to destroy both Sidney and Jafar's lamps...I'm sure that's easier said than done"

Regina frowns, focusing on the farmhouse that smokes high into the sky. Sidney had a lamp, a gold one, decorated with rubies and emeralds, but where it was she had no idea, had lost count of it when the curse took them all to Storybrooke the first time.

"Can we deal with this tomorrow? I need a shower and a drink" Ruby cracks the silence, hands on her hips, staring at the trio in front.

"I think that is a good idea"

Robin's hand link into Regina's as she nods in agreement, but they are going home, she is tired, has whiskey at home, her own shower, and a big beautiful bed to crawl into. They bid one another good night, deciding to meet tomorrow morning at Granny's to fill in David and Snow, and well everyone else in the town as to what happened and what they are looking for.

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The mansion is quiet, undisturbed as she slowly makes her way up the stairs, exhaustion settling in as her room comes into view, gorgeously cool, breeze filled and soothing. Roland and Henry are still with the Charmings, thankfully so, given that all Regina wants to do right now is soak in a cold tub and clamber into bed. Robin needed a glass of water first, promised to bring one up to her, but whether or not she actually gets it, she really could care less, not when she is stripped from her torched clothes, and the chill of the water hits her skin.

Leaning back against the ceramic backing of the tub, she finally breathes, a real breath, not torched by flames, or hacked by smoke and soot, just fresh and clean, though her lungs ache from the earlier assault. The water climbs, covering her thighs, waving just under her belly button, she hisses as it meets burnt skin, searing momentarily before cooling. She's heal herself after, will make sure Robin is tended to first, she can deal with this stinging pain right now. It laps under her breasts, puckering her nipples as the water slowly rises, up and up till her toes reach to shut the tap off, the surface a fraction below her chin as she slides down, letting her hair swirl and soak.

They need to find Sidney's lamp...need to find Jafar's lamp. The thought makes her stomach churn. It's not going to be easy, she has no doubt that the newest villain in her town most certainly has either hidden his tether somewhere damn near impossible to find, or carries it on him. Either way it's going to be a rough next few weeks till they find them.

For now, at least for tonight she is content to sit in the cold water, letting the smoke pull off her skin, closing her eyes to let the minutes pass by.

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He's slow coming up the steps, his entire body aching, sharp spikes of pain through his lungs, a booming headache flooding his mind. He could have died, had blindly hauled Regina out of the basement, praying to the gods they could find a way out, damn near breaking down into tears when he heard her inhale shaky breaths beside him on the grass, rolling over though his body protested, needing to feel her pulse under his palm. Yes he could have died, but Regina could have died, he could have lost her, is certain had the door he was grasping at not fallen off it's rotting hinges gave way, he would have, all four of them, burned alive in that bloody farmhouse.

Pulling his shirt off, he tosses it in the trash, the material singed beyond repair, it's a shame really, he liked this shirt. Grumbling he drops it, sliding his jeans off, taking a moment to just sit on the bed, exhaling hard and heavy as a hand runs through his hair, feeling the dirt and grime clinging to him. Regina will kill him if he gets the bed dirty, will most certainly banish him to the couch for a good week after they day they have had. Reaching out for the bedside table as an anchor to help his creaking knees regain their stance, his fingers grab onto a stick...a white stick...and his heart skips a beat.

It's positive.

The test.

It's positive.

Regina is pregnant.

They are pregnant

OH god he's going to pass out, stumbling back down to sit on the mattress, his legs giving out as his eyes remain locked on the tiny pink symbol that has his heart pounding, blood rushing into his ear, a bright beaming smile breaking apart on his face.

They are going to have a baby.

He's going to be a father again, with Regina. They made a baby. Tears flood into his eyes, blurring his vision as he clutches the white stick to his chest, his head sagging down into a palm as a wet happy laugh escapes him. Falling back onto the soft blanket, he holds the stick up, unable to do anything but stare at it, lets the reality sink in that there is going to be a child, his child, their child, growing inside his wife. He will have a small wrapped up bundle of baby in his arms again. His tears are relentless as he smiles, just smiles.

They are pregnant.

Regina is pregnant.

Regina...oh!...Regina!

Flying up from the mattress, he near runs to the bathroom, popping the door open, breathing pure fresh life filled air, and she is staring at him, confused as to the grand slamming entrance into her small retreat.

She is pregnant - he can't believe it, she is carrying his child, his baby, their baby!

"You okay?"

Now that is the most ridiculous question he's heard. Is he okay? Of course he is okay, he is …. Fucking fantastic, his heart swelling in size as she sits up, brushing back the dark chocolate wet hair from her face…

Maybe their baby will have brown hair like hers, brown eyes like hers, a smile just like hers.

"Robin?"

He's standing there, smiling, but she has no idea why, no idea what has his dimples beaming, his cheeks flushed, and his eyes...his eyes look like...well he looks like he has just realized he loves her, bright and glistening behind tears. It's unsettling as she steps out from the tub, watching hesitantly as Robin's eyes drop to her stomach, not her breasts like usual, but her stomach, and his damn smile only pulls wider.

"Okay, you need to tell me what's going on" she moves to wrap a towel around her waist, but that would obstruct his view of their baby, their own child safely tucked within her body. His hands grabbed the towel as he sinks to his knees, pulling the fluffy material away, throwing it behind him much to the bewildered huff of his wife in front of him.

His arms wrap around her hips, hugging lower half to his chest, his lips in direct line just under her belly button, exactly where their tiny little miracle is hidden. He feels her hands card through his hair, the light laugh as she asks him once more what the hell is going on, but he can't answer, can't find his voice, not the brain power for words.

It's barely there, a gentle tiny swell his eyes hone in on and by the gods does his heart flip and stutter, deciding that it's easy to just kiss every single damn part of her stomach instead, relishing in the breathy chuckle that echoes from his pregnant wife. She is pregnant. He laughs, half cries as he pulls her in tight, pecking her skin softly, incessantly, unable to stop.

Well this is odd, maybe he is just thankful they got out alive from the farmhouse? It could be possible, there really isn't another reason for him to be clutching at her like this, but he is laughing...and she is pretty sure crying, the later only puzzling her more. Arching back, something hard presses into her skin, something that is clearly not Robin's hands. Reaching around, her fingers grip against plastic, and she tugs it from his hand.

"Oh holy shit" she stares at the mysterious reason for Robin's actions, understanding why he is crying and kissing her, and laughing near uncontrollably.

It's positive. Her test is positive. She's pregnant. There is a baby growing inside her, their baby, hers and Robin's. A baby...with her husband...with her soulmate...it's there.

"I'm pregnant" she smiles through the tears that have flushed her eyes, her hand stilling in Robin's hair as she stares at the test.

"You're pregnant" his breath warm on her skin as he tilts his chin up, the same moment her's tilts down and she meets his eyes.

"We're having a baby" she cries, trembling slightly, her legs turning into jello.

"I'm going to be a papa again"

Her eyes break from his, moving back to white stick and beautiful pink plus sign.

"Holy shit, I'm pregnant"