Chapter IV

The sun shines into Reginas' bedroom and wakes her up. She turns right and looks at the pretty woman lying beside her. She admits to herself that she has just had the most wonderful night in her whole life, and she has spent it with a woman she didn't even like before. Never before has she experienced so much passion, warmth and love from a person. However, Regina is certain: She is happy - and in love.

She bows over the blonde woman lying next to her. "Good morning, honey," she whispers softly in Emmas' ear.

Emma yawns, then slowly opens her eyes and turns to Regina. Suddenly, an expression of fright comes to her face.

"What the hell?" Emma yells and jumps out of the bed, pressing the blanket tight to her body. "Why the hell am I here? In your bedroom? Naked?" Emma almost screams hysterically.

"Honey, what's wrong?" Regina asks while getting out of the bed and slipping into her dressing gown.

Emma is getting more and more angry with every word that Regina says. "Stop calling me 'honey'!" she yells. "And tell me what's going on here. Did you put something in my drink so you could get me into your bed? Are you that desperate for a fuck?"

Regina nods. Slowly, she starts to realize that this must have something to do with the love charm.

"You don't remember anything, do you?" Regina asks. She doesn't know what to say or do. If Emma doesn't remember anything and the charm has lost its power, it would be useless to tell Emma the truth. The un-enchanted Emma doesn't love Regina - on the contrary, she hates her. If Emma knew what has happened and what Regina feels for her now, she'd only make a fool of Regina - and Regina knows that she does not want to lose her face like that.

"Well..." Regina says, trying to find the right words, "This was just a spell. Nothing happened. I can assure you this."

"Really?" Emma asks. "Then why am I in your bed and we're both naked?" Emma shivers at the thought of having seen her greatest enemy naked.

"I was just feeling lonely and longing for some company. The spell must have gone wrong, and this is the result. I am truly sorry, Miss Swan," Regina says, trying not to sound caring and loving like the night before, but rough like usually. "Now, this is more than embarrassing, so would you please take your clothes and leave my house?"

"There's nothing I'd like to do more right now than this," Emma replies while picking up her clothes and rushing towards the bathroom in order to change them.

"If you ever tell anyone about this, I'll be coming to get you!" Emma yells out of the bathroom.

Regina sits on the edge of her bed, touching the sheets where Emma and her have made love last night, a tear running down her cheek.

In the afternoon, Regina decides to go for a walk in the park. She hopes that the fresh air can clear her head a little so she can take her mind off Emma for a while, but nothing helps. Why does life always treat her this unfair? Will she never be lucky and happily in love? Now that she has finally had the courage to fall for someone, why did it have to end like this?

Suddenly she notices Henry and Emma walking right towards her. She wonders what to do. Turning around and walking away would be too obvious, and it would seem strange for Henry and bring up loads of awkward questions, so she decides to walk on.

"Hey, Mommy," Henry says. "How come you're in the park?"

"I just felt like I needed some fresh air, darling," Regina requites. "Will you be home for dinner?"

"Sure," Henry replies. "Emma just picked me up from school and we're going to her place for a cup of tea now. Sorry, I should've asked you before."

"That's alright. Just be home for dinner," Regina says while smiling at Henry. Then her eyes wander to Emma, who really seems to be back to normal - no nice skirt and blouse, but the good old skinny jeans, tight top and that red leather jacket that Regina used to hate so much. Now she wished that she could just touch it and smell it for a brief second.

"Take good care of my son, Miss Swan," Regina said with a trembling voice.

Emma just nods towards Regina. "Come on Henry, we've got to buy a piece of cake at Granny's," she says and takes Henrys hand.

"See you later, mom," Henry says as he walks off with Emma.

Regina can't help but having another tear run down her face. Now she knows what unrequited love feels like. A feeling she never wanted to have.

"Now what's the crying about?" Rumple yells from the other said of the park, stepping over the lawn to reach Regina. "I just wanted to let you know that I found the missing ingredient. It was just the blossom of a red poppy. So, you can be relieved, I casted the counter spell in order to make Miss Swan 'back to normal' again. Your stalker is gone and can't remember anything, isn't that wonderful?" He smirks at the sobbing Regina. "Too bad love charms can only be casted once in a person's life, isn't it? Oh, and like you probably recall - 'all magic comes with a price'. I was figuring how much you shall pay me for both of the times I helped you, but now I am pretty sure that you have already paid the agreeable price. All the best for you, Your Majesty." Rumple grins triumphantly at Regina as he walks away from her.

Regina carries on her way, knowing that there is nothing she can do in order to make Emma come back to her. There is no possibility that she can ever cast a love charm again, and getting Emma to love her without magic simply seems impossible. All she now has is the memory of the most passionate night of her life, and the experience that all magic really comes with a high price.

~ The End ~