I wasn't sure how to end this chapter and I hope you won't be disappointed.

I'm pretty sure the Warehouse has an infirmary or some kind of a mini clinic somewhere, that's where Emma is taken.

The title is a verse from the song "Breaking up the girl" by Garbage.

A huge thank you to T-rahz, my Beta! ;)

As always comments are appreciated!

Chapter 12: I am afraid that there's much to be afraid of

Emma Swan opened her eyes slowly and groaned loudly. Her head was throbbing painfully and her wrists were hurting like a bitch. She was feeling dizzy and dehydrated. Emma hated that she couldn't move from her position. The room, she noticed, was darker than before and the only sounds she could hear were her own frantic heartbeat and her ragged breathing. She was mad at Gold for doing this to her, but most of all she was mad at herself, for what she'd done to Henry and Regina. She didn't deserve them. She didn't deserve their love. Angry tears fell from her eyes. She'd experienced what it felt to read fairy tales to Henry and laugh together. She'd felt the warm touch of Regina's hand in hers. She'd felt the surprised smile on Henry's face and the teasing tone in Regina's voice when she'd told them she'd never read to anyone in her life. Not even to a step-brother or sister.

And now Emma prayed and hoped. She hoped that Myka and the others would find her. The feeling of being a part of a family was becoming stronger than her self hatred.

She couldn't even wipe away the tears that were now falling profusely from her eyes. Emma sniffed and cried out in frustration. She'd fallen into Gold's trap like a fool.

Suddenly, someone switched the lights on and Emma groaned. They were too bright. She waited for her eyes to adjust to the light and then looked around her.

"Welcome back, Ms. Swan."

Mr. Gold smirked down at her.

"You don't know what you got yourself into, old man." Emma spat out, "My friends are Secret Service. They're gonna kick your ass big time."

Gold bursted into laughter and came to stand closer to Emma. He smiled down at her and nodded knowingly. He slapped her on her right cheek, cutting Emma's skin with his ring.

Emma gasped but tried to not scream from the pain. She didn't want Gold to know how much she was hurting and how humiliated she was feeling. It had been a long time since she'd felt that way. It made her think of her time in jail.

"Hit me all you want, bastard." Emma said, "You will never find your peace with violence."

Gold shrugged, "I don't want peace. I want to avenge my son's sacrifice."

Emma furrowed her brow, "James killed..." Emma whispered, "I'm sure he didn't do it on purpose but only because he was a fucking criminal!" She added.

"You don't know him." Gold spat, pulling Emma's face to his by her collar. He looked at her creamy neck and noticed a necklace. His eyes widened. Gold had seen one similar to this before.

"I'm sure he wouldn't want his father to go around killing people!" Emma said.

"Who gave you this?" Gold asked.

Emma looked down and felt the blood dripping slowly down her neck, "Someone gave it to me a long time ago." Emma said, looking Gold in the eye, "Henry's father."

Gold let Emma go and shook his head. It couldn't be. There were hundreds of necklaces like that one. This didn't feel right.

"What happened to him?" Gold asked.

"I don't know." Emma said, honestly, "He betrayed me and sent me to jail."

Gold sighed, looking at Emma with worried eyes. "What was his name?"

Emma's eyebrows raised, "Why all these questions? Can't you just kill me or something?! My head hurts."

"Stupid, stupid Swan." Gold growled, he hit her once again. "Tell me his name!" He yelled. Emma cried out in pain.

She looked down, "His name's Neal. Neal Cassidy. But I swear to you I don't know where he is. I would offer my help in finding him but I can't risk having him back in my life. Not now that Henry is…"

But Gold wasn't listening to her. He'd remained still, with his mouth half open. He shook his head.

"Neal…" Gold whispered, "It was you…"

"What the hell are you talking about?!" Emma asked, "Do you know him?"

Gold nodded, "He was my son. And now he's dead." He whispered, "He's dead because of you! Because of your father!"

Emma shook her head, "You're Neal's father?" she asked, shocked, "I-I was adopted I don't have a father!"

"Oh but you're wrong. He never wanted to tell you, but James Kook was your biological father, deary." Gold confessed. "And my relationship with your father was really troubled."

Emma was too shocked to understand. James was her father?

"W-why? Why didn't he…?" Emma whispered, letting the tears fall. If James was her real father, why didn't he say something? Why did he give her up.

Gold chuckled, "Your dear father was a coward, Ms. Swan." He said, "I'm sorry to tell you all of this right now, deary but someone has to do it. Your biological mother was in the forces as well."

Emma couldn't believe her ears. "A-Aunt Mary is my mother?"

Gold nodded, "Yes. I believe you two never met, am I right? She died when you were still a baby, Emma. Your father didn't know how to take care of you and preferred his career over you... So he gave you up for adoption."

Emma closed her eyes in pain. "James…" She sobbed.

"Of course the guilt never let him go. When you were ten he came to find you and convinced John and Linda to adopt you. Now you understand why he always took good care of you, didn't he?" Gold said.

"Shut up." Emma ordered.

Gold chuckled, "Dear dear James, always so brave in his job but a failure as a father figure."

Emma's breath was ragged.

"He let you serve your time in jail, didn't he?" Gold asked, "He did nothing to free you."

"I had to pay. And your son sent me to jail, not James." Emma spat, "D-Did he kill Neal?" The blonde added, in a whisper. She remembered Claudia informing her and the warehouse team that Gold wanted to avenge his son's death, "Is he…?"

"Your stupid father killed Neal! He killed my son!" Gold exploded. "And the worst of it is that he did it because he was my son. Killed him in cold blood."

Emma was crying silently. Her life was already so messed up. She surely didn't need this new knowledge of the true identity of her own father and that he had killed her ex boyfriend, Henry's father.

"And now you have to die, Ms. Swan." Gold said, in a desperate voice, "You need to die because it's the only thing that will stop the pain!"

Emma looked at Gold and closed her eyes. She knew what it meant to lose someone. Who was she to stop him? She was sick and tired of the pain in her life, maybe this was the right way to let it all go. She inhaled softly, and for the first time in her life, accepted her fate. She was going to die.

Myka was frantic. Pete and she had searched the house but found no one.

Even though Emma had dropped her phone in front of it, there was no sign of her.

"Pete, there's no one here. It was a trap." Myka said, coming down from the second floor. "This is all wrong." She sighed, loudly.

"Calm down, Mykes." Pete reassured her, closing the kitchen's door, "We will find Emma."

Myka sighed, "I hope so."

Suddenly a car revved up in front of the house. "What was that?" Myka asked.

"What's going on?" Pete echoed.

The two agents exited the house through the front door and saw Helena in the driver's seat of Claudia's car.

"Helena?" Myka asked, dumbfounded. The two agents gasped when they noticed the Mayor in the passenger's seat, waving frantically at them.

"Regina?" Pete asked.

"Yes, Agents. Get in! We have a Sheriff to save!" Regina said.

Pete and Myka shared a look. "Let Pete drive, Helena. We don't want to die before we can save Emma." Myka smirked at the Brit.

Helena pouted but let Pete drive and she entered the back seat, sitting beside Myka.

"Where are we going?" Myka asked.

Regina pointed at the satellite navigator, "Jamie spilled the beans."

Helena smirked, "Between Regina and me, she didn't have a lot of choices, did she?"

Regina nodded. Myka smiled, "I bet. Who called you, Regina?"

"Deputy Booth gave me a call and I was too worried to stay in my office and do nothing." Regina said.

"Is Henry safe?" Pete asked.

"Yes, he's with Abigail at the B&B." Regina replied. She closed her eyes and hoped with everything she had that Emma was still alive. She had to be. It wasn't fair how she'd just walked out of the room, earlier that morning. Idiot, Regina thought.

"So…" Helena whispered in Myka's ear, "Just like old times."

Myka shivered and turned to the beautiful author. She nodded, "Looks like it." She took Helena's hand in hers, "I just hope Emma is all right."

Helena placed her other hand on top of Myka's and brought it to her lips, "She will be."

Myka closed her eyes and nodded. She needed to focus. Emma's life depended on them.

Pete stopped the car in front of a brick house. They got out of the car. Myka was in the front, Helena right behind her, then Pete and Regina.

"Stay behind us, Madame Mayor." Pete ordered, "If you hear gunshots, get down on the ground, understood?"

Regina nodded and followed the warehouse agents inside.

Suddenly, they heard a scream.

"Emma…" Regina whispered, worriedly. Myka and Pete nodded at each other. Helena pulled out her Tesla and switched place with Pete. She went to stand in front of Regina.

"Regina, we might need to call an ambulance. Be ready." Myka said. "Helena, guard our backs!"

"I will." the Brit said.

They heard another scream. Pete winced. Myka ran towards the sound.

"They are behind this door."

Pete nodded, "3..."

"2"

"1"

Pete kicked the door open and Myka bursted in.

She didn't even let Gold turn around, she tesla-ed him right away. He fell unconscious to the ground.

"Emma!" Regina ran to the blonde Sheriff, "oh, God..." Regina sobbed.

The three warehouse agents ran towards Emma. Myka gasped. Emma's face was swollen and full of livids.

Pete stopped Regina just before she could touch the blonde. "Let me go!" the Mayor cried out.

"That's..." Myka trailed off.

"An artifact." Helena ended for her in a serious tone.

Emma was in some kind of trance. Her eyes were closed and she was bleeding a lot.

"What's going on?" Regina asked, "Why isn't she responding? EMMA!"

Helena took the woman by the shoulders, "please, Regina. You need to stay calm. We're going to find the artifact and bag it."

Regina began to cry silently. She was so angry. She couldn't even touch the blonde.

"It has to be here..." Myka was looking at her friend closely. Surely Gold had used some kind of artifact to torture Emma so that he could kill her in the end. But which artifact?

"Let's move the bastard." Pete said.

"Shouldn't we move her, instead?" Regina asked, running a hand through her dark locks.

"No, It's too dangerous." Myka said, looking at Regina.

Pete and Helena checked Gold and found a little globe in his hands.

"Bag it, H.G." Pete ordered.

Helena wore her gloves and took a bag from Myka. She took the globe from Gold's hand and bagged it.

There was a flash of light in the room and Emma opened her eyes and mumbled something before she blacked out. Regina ran to Emma's side and freed her hands and feet.

"We need to take her to the Warehouse." Myka said, "That globe is an unknown artifact. It might be dangerous."

"Myka is right." Helena said, "It looks like the globe has been hurting Emma." She pointed at the blonde's face.

"But am I the only one who think this was too easy?" Pete commented.

Helena helped Regina to carry Emma out. Pete and Myka took Gold.

"Let's go." Pete said.

The others nodded and managed to put Gold in the truck while Emma went to the back seat with Regina and Helena.

Pete got behind the wheel and started the car, driving towards the Warehouse headquarters.

Later that night, the Warehouse headquarters.

Henry Mills was sitting beside the bed, currently occupied by Emma. They were in a room at the Warehouse's clinic. The young boy was observing the blonde, a book of fantasy stories in his lap. He'd come inside to read to Emma before going back home. But, instead of reading, he'd found himself looking down at his other mother - he still found it strange to call the Sheriff like that. Emma had bandages partially covering her face. She was in bad shape.

His dark haired mother, Regina, was outside, waiting for him. Henry thought that he had never seen Regina look so worried. Well, apart from that time, when at the age of four, he had fallen from his bike the first time he'd tried to ride.

Emma moaned in her sleep and Henry placed his small hand on hers.

He looked at the clock and saw that it was almost time to leave. He sighed.

"I'll be back tomorrow, Emma." Henry said, "Sleep tight." He stood and placed a soft kiss on Emma's forehead. The blonde sighed in her sleep and Henry smiled a bit.

Regina opened the door slowly and entered.

"How is she?" The Mayor whispered, taking Henry's seat.

Henry shrugged, "She's asleep."

They remained in silence and observed the blonde woman, sleeping peacefully.

"Is she going to be okay, mom?" Henry whispered, turning towards Regina and sitting on her lap. Regina placed her hands on Henry's hips and pulled her son to her, resting her chin on his shoulder.

"I hope so." Regina said.

"Mom?" Henry asked, squeezing his mother's right hand.

"What is it, Henry?" The Mayor asked.

"It's okay if you are sad, you know?" the boy said slowly, "you don't have to be always so strong."

Regina felt tears in her eyes and a tug in her chest at Henry's words. "Oh, Henry..."

The boy turned in his mother's arms and hugged the dark haired woman.

"Can we come back tomorrow?" Henry asked.

She nodded, wiping away her years, "Of course we can, after school." Regina replied.

A soft whimper coming from the bed, broke their moment.

"Hey…" Emma whispered, "...I-I…" The blonde felt her heart skip a beat as she noticed Henry and Regina there, with her.

The two Mills walked up to the bed, "Don't push yourself too hard, Ms. Swan."

Henry nodded and took Emma's hand in his.

"Henry," Emma grimaced, trying to smile, "Ouch." She moaned, "It hurts… I can't even smile..."

Regina felt badly for the blonde, "Henry, why don't you go and call Dr. Calder?"

Henry nodded and left the room.

Emma looked down.

"Emma…" Regina began, "You scared me to death. Why did-"

Emma looked up into the Mayor's dark eyes. She saw worry and apprehension there.

"I'm sorry, Regina." Emma said, "I fucked up. I… I shouldn't have left without saying anything."

Regina sighed and handed Emma a glass of water with a straw, "I wish I could hate you." She confessed, observing the blonde take a tentative sip, "You left us, you left me and risked your life today. Do you know how frightened Henry was?" How frightened I was? Regina added internally.

Emma nodded and closed her eyes, "I shouldn't have done that." She said and she placed the glass on the bedside table.

Regina sat down on the bed and grazed at Emma's cheek with her thumb, "What's done is done. Just… Don't do that again. Henry is strong but I know he couldn't bear losing you, not now that he's just found you…" Regina trailed off. "I…"

"He doesn't deserve me." Emma whispered, frustrated, "And you don't either."

A few tears fell from Regina's eyes, "You don't really mean it, Emma."

Emma shook her head and pushed aside Regina's hand, "I'm telling you, Regina. You don't want this thing between us… I'm not good enough. I'll screw you two up."

Regina looked hurt, "You don't know what is good enough for me and my son!"

Emma began to cry, "Just… Just go, Regina. Leave me alone…" She shifted on the bed and turned to her side. It hurt like hell but she didn't want to deal with Regina right now. She needed to be alone.

Regina shook her head and stood up. "What happened in there? What did he say to you?!"

Emma remained in silence.

"You're wrong, Emma." Regina said to the blonde's back, "The other night, when we read to Henry together. It felt… It felt right." The Mayor confessed, her voice quivering, "And you know that too... But you're just too stubborn to let us in."

Silent tears made their way down Emma's cheeks. She sniffled in silence.

"Deputy Booth will cover for you. You're on a leave till you get better, Sheriff Swan." Regina said, coldly.

On her way out Regina nodded to Dr. Calder and walked to her son. She took Henry's hand and they went back to the Warehouse's main office. Myka, Pete, Helena and Claudia were still discussing the day's events.

"Hey," Myka stood up, "is she still asleep?" Her green eyes locking with Regina's.

"She just woke up." Regina replied, "Vanessa is checking on her."

Helena, Claudia and Pete nodded.

"I wanted to thank you again for what you've all done." Regina said, placing her hands on Henry shoulder and hugging her son from behind. "Univille can finally go back to be a boring little town." She shifted her gaze from the agents and fixed it on Claudia.

Claudia nodded at her.

Henry smiled at the agents. They'd saved Emma's life.

"We should go home, Henry, it's been a long day." Regina said, looking down at Henry.

Pete nodded, "I'll drive you." He ruffled Henry's hair, "We're going back to the B&B, anyways."

"Thank you." Regina smiled, weakly. Helena observed her closely. The Mayor looked like she'd been crying. But she hid it well.

Myka walked up to Regina, "Everything's going to be all right, Regina."

The Mayor smiled, sadly, "I hope so."

She wanted to say more but the Mayor nodded at them and pulling at Henry's hand, left the room, following Pete outside.

"Claud, are you coming back with us?" Myka asked, turning to the young Caretaker.

The Caretaker shook her head and rubbed her sore eyes, "Nope. I have to finish here."

Helena and Myka nodded and wished the young red head goodnight.

"You too!" Claudia said, "Frak! I have to start thinking about a new assistant…" They heard her mumbling to herself.

"Are you okay?" Helena asked as she followed Myka outside.

Myka shrugged, "I'm just tired..."

Helena looked at Myka worriedly but said no more. She suspected that the younger agent was still anxious for her blonde friend.

Once they arrived at the B&B, Myka excused herself and ran upstairs. She locked herself in the bathroom in her room. She sighed and took off her clothes. Myka jumped under the hot spray of the shower and let the warm water massage her sore body.

When she got out of the bathroom and entered her bedroom, clad only in her bathrobe, she spotted an already showered Helena, in her tank top and shorts, on her bed.

Myka smiled, "hey."

"Feeling better?" Helena asked, shifting on Myka's bed.

Myka nodded, "yes, I do. And you?"

Helena nodded, her fingers playing with her necklace. "I hope you don't mind I let myself in..."

The curly haired woman shook her head and sat down next to Helena. "I don't mind."

She placed her hand on Helena's forearm and smiled, "your presence is always wanted..." Myka said, wantonly.

Helena shivered and looked at Myka's face. "That's good to know," she said.

"You are..." Myka began, her expression showing vulnerability, "... Pretty important, you know?"

Helena smiled.

Myka hesitated. "What we... This morning...I mean..." Helena's eyebrows arched in amusement. Myka blushed.

They both chuckled.

"Try again, darling?" Helena brushed some unruly curls from Myka's face, making the younger woman close her eyes and sigh contentedly.

Green orbs re-opened and looked straight into the Brit's eyes. "I think we've lost so much time, Helena. Ironic, isn't it? I shouldn't have let you go after Wisconsin. But..."

"You saw me with them and only did what you thought was right. Even if at the beginning you tried to put some reason into me." Helena chucked.

"Yes, but that wasn't right..." Myka said.

"Did you have feelings for me, back then?" The Brit asked, directly.

Myka smirked, "and what makes you think I have feelings for you now?"

Helena laughed out loud and shrugged, "Collecting evidence was part of my duties, darling." She winked.

Myka grinned. Her smile became melancholic as she thought of that day in Wisconsin.

"I did." Myka confessed.

Helena grabbed her face and caressed her cheeks with her thumbs. "Me too. But I had convinced myself you would be better off without me. I have a lot of baggage…"

"That's an understatement…" Myka commented with a smile.

Helena rolled her eyes, "I... I needed to find some peace for myself. My memories had just been restored... Nobody actually knows what it feels like to have them ripped from you."

Myka nodded, "I know."

Helena smiled, "and that's because you know me better than anyone."

Myka shrugged, "would you have come back if you hadn't heard Hook threatening the warehouse?"

"I'd been thinking about it for months." Helena said, "Hook was just the first excuse I found to come back. Adelaide..."

Myka nodded, smiling. She grabbed Helena's hand and motioned her to lay down.

"I made her my one." Helena confessed as she rested her head on the pillow and laid down on her side. "She made me think about coming back to the Warehouse."

"Wow... And what did she say about your true identity?" Myka asked mimicking the other woman's position. She saw Helena's gaze trail down between her chest. She coughed and covered herself a bit.

Helena smiled, enjoying the blush on Myka's lovely neck.

"She asked for some explanations on my books!" Helena smiled.

Myka chucked, "she's really something!"

Helena ran a hand through her dark hair, "she is."

"And what about Nate?" Myka asked.

Helena sighed, "I never had feelings for him, if that's what you want to know."

Myka nodded.

"I know this may sound selfish. But he was just … He was there, Myka." Helena said, looking up at the ceiling of Myka's room. "He didn't know about who I was and what I had done. He knew me as Emily and never questioned my ways."

Myka hummed. It still hurt her a bit to think about Helena with that guy. Was is stupid to be jealous? I mean, Helena was in her bed, not in Nate's. She was opening up to Myka. Not him.

"And then when I found out he had Adelaide I just thought that maybe…" Helena trailed off, "Maybe I could start over. A new life, free from the warehouse and all the bad memories linked to it. He is a good man and a good father. But nothing more to me."

Myka nodded.

Helena smiled, sadly, "But of course you were right all along."

"I'm so sorry I hurt your feelings, Myka." Helena whispered, locking their eyes.

Myka nodded and entwined their fingers together. "It's not like you need to explain, Hel. I just want you to know that..." Myka shifted closer to Helena and squeezed her hand. The Brit turned to forest green eyes and smiled. "... I'm glad you're here now."

"I'm glad too." Helena smiled as she placed her free hand on Myka's face, drawing her closer to her, "you're everything I've ever wanted and so much more, Myka."

Myka grinned, "so you wouldn't be opposed if I kissed you right now?" She asked, her warm breath on Helena's lips.

The Victorian shivered and gulped as she felt Myka's body once again so close to hers. Only this time she was clad only in a bathrobe.

"I... I would love to ..." Helena gasped as soft lips enveloped hers and moaned. Myka sighed into the kiss and devoured Helena's mouth. She didn't hesitate, her intentions were crystal clear. She moved her body on top of Helena's and, between kisses, placed the palms of her hands on the Brit's breasts. Helena gasped and arched her back, exposing her creamy, smooth neck to Myka's hungry mouth.

Fingers caressed her bathrobe-clad back, pulling at the fabric.

Myka understood the other woman's intentions and placed a soft kiss under Helena's ear, while she continued to Helena's breasts through the fabric of her top, "Are you sure?"massage

She looked into Helena's dark eyes and waited. They were both breathing hard, lips swollen and feeling warm all over.

"Myka..." the Brit whispered.

Myka nodded, "I know," she whispered, placing a soft kiss on Helena's forehead and then locked their eyes, "but I need to be extra sure…"

Helena purred as Myka's hand caressed her smooth hair, "That you want this too." Myka added.

"This feels…" Helena whispered, looking into Myka's forest green eyes.

"... Amazing?" Myka finished with a smirk.

Helena bit her lower lip and grinned, "Yes." she breathed out, "I've been thinking about kissing you all day…" The Brit whispered, hotly, her accent thicker than ever.

Myka blushed and the other woman kissed her again, this time placing her hands on her neck and holding her in place. She moaned and closed her eyes as Helena's tongue caressed hers, first tentatively, then with passion. The younger woman replied eagerly to the kiss and when they broke apart, breaths mingling together, they smiled at each other.

"Please, Myka…" Helena whispered, rubbing the tip of her nose against Myka's.

Myka nodded and kissed the older woman once again, as if her life depended on it.

TBC