As you know this year has been hectic for everyone. I was labeled essential personnel, plus my work was short of staff at the start of all this. I found myself too tired to write, and could only get bits of chapters done in small bursts. I had two or three finished chapters for a while now, but if you know me, I like to do a big update with all my stories, and today I finally managed to finish Shattered, which was one of the two taking the longest as it requires a lot of my attention to getting the feel just right. Happy reading Enjoy!
Only a minor instance of violence, and mention of rape, but this is a pretty light chapter in comparison to the others.
Chapter Fourteen
"Thanks again Ashley for looking after him," Regina told her. She had appeared in her living room after Ashley had agreed to it. She really didn't want to be caught outside. Leopold had stood outside her home until Ruby had appeared and chased him off. He brought back a mob to go after her, but she had safely returned to Kathryn's place and no one could get on Regina's property. Didn't stop the dwarves from trying to throw rocks again, but another spell had them bouncing off until her front yard was littered, the front of her house showing scrapes from the stones or bricks that hit. They threw trash as well and she just ignored it all if the barriers were all holding.
"No problem, I'll hand the little guy back to David after the meeting or if it gets too much, I'll bring him back here. Once we know what Snow will be up too, I'll let you know it's safe to pick him up." Regina nodded. "I'm glad he has you and Emma, Neal has been so much better off even before Leopold's return." Regina nodded.
"I know, I'm glad I can give him something better. I had better go, Henry gets worried when I'm out too long alone especially after days like today." Ashley nodded. By now it was common knowledge of what happened in the diner that day or rather the many versions were common knowledge. Regina hoped it worked against him, but she doubted it with some citizens. She disappeared and reappeared where Henry had practically ripped his t-shirt in worry.
"It was safe honey, he's gone to prepare for the election with Snow," Regina reminded him. He nodded.
"I know, but I'm scared," He whispered. She bent down and pulled him into a close hug.
"You know what I'm scared too, my little prince."
"You are?" Henry asked. Regina nodded.
"But we're going to support each other and get through this, but first we need to support Emma. She needs us just as much as we need her, understand?" He nodded. "So, for Emma, we're going to be brave and sit in the back with Ruby and Granny, okay." He nodded.
"Okay Mom," he said taking several deep breaths. Regina kissed his forehead and took him for a new shirt as he had ripped his shirt in worry after all. They disappeared to Kathryn's together where Ruby and Kathryn were waiting. They went to the townhall together with Granny joining them with her crossbow, they put the cuff on Regina, but Ruby was always in easy reach of removing it. The hall filled up quickly, and Regina saw that Ashley was already deliberately closer. Snow barely took note of Neal as she walked past with Leopold. Regina shuddered at the sight of him, but Henry slipped his little hand in his and she gave him a small smile. Emma stood on the other side of the stage looking at them angrily, but when she looked for Henry and her in the crowd, her face softened, and a small smile appeared.
"Hush people, we're here to determine David as the now acting Sheriff!" Snow announced.
"No, we're here to take a proper vote, as many of you know, Snow has illegally taken over our small town of democracy and has continued to ignore the rules of democracy. If you let her force me out without using proper channels such as waiting for my term to officially end. Instead, she brings me up on trumped-up charges and continues to release her father from jail after he has been witnessed more than once attacking or harassing your real mayor. A mayor I remind you, you officially voted in, just last year."
"Emma is a danger to us all as Sheriff, and David is much more levelheaded and better suited for the position," Snow told them. "This shouldn't even need to be up for debate, but we'll humor you Emma especially since I am the rightful mayor of this town. I was the one that had to recast the curse remember."
"And you put up being mayor as a vote, in which Regina won after you failed to govern effectively," Emma reminded. "Look although it should be this is not about Snow. This is about the office of Sheriff. You know me, and you know my work. You know that I will never stop fighting tirelessly to protect this community from any threat, magical or otherwise."
"David do you have anything to say?" Snow asked.
"No," He said, and that was his answer to everything when they brought up this issue or that. Emma was voted into office for the majority, all her hard work had paid off in the end.
"Great as my first act upon reinstation, I am going to arrest Leopold Blanchard for Domestic abuse, Snow for attempting to overthrow a local government, and the dwarves as accomplices." They were outraged, but then David's handcuffs were out too.
"Guards!" Leopold yelled. They surrounded him but immediately turned to look at Leopold with their backs to David and Emma.
"I just wanted to look you in the eye and say after you caused the death of my wife…"
"George what are you talking about Lia is alive."
"No, Lia was alive until this morning when you refused to unlock precious medications that would have saved her life. But no, you were too worried that the Queen was somehow faking her miscarriage or had tricked you to get an abortion later."
"She could purposely start labor early!" Snow cried.
"Well, we needed to purposely start labor early if we had the baby and Lia would be alive just like before. Our baby girl was born here at the start of the curse, and we were finally feeling comfortable again to try again knowing that medical interventions here were possible. But no, you changed all that."
"Well, I'm sure I had no idea it was really Lia they were requesting it for."
"You spoke to me!" George yelled. He took several deep breaths before he looked at Leopold again. "Long live the Evil Queen, even if I think it should really be Evil King." He spat out the last bit before turning on his heel and going back to his seat with the guards following.
"Wow, you two are just pieces of work," Emma said. She started to grab Snow, and Blue blasted her back. Regina's magic caught Emma and she launched a fireball at Blue.
"You don't get to touch her."
"And you don't get a say, this has simply gone on long enough," Blue said. "The Queen will return to her husband, and Emma Swan is clearly no longer our savior, we'll put her over the town line and take George's daughter into the orphanage, he clearly isn't capable of caring for her without a wife."
"Over my dead body gnat," Regina said. "Leopold is not my husband anymore."
"The bond is forever," Blue told her.
"There was never a bond," Regina told her as she helped Emma up who was going to arrest them, but now she was ready for Blue, and her magic was flaring up around her. The guards stood up again, this time being joined by former black knights, not that they knew they were black knights. Regina wanted them to live in peace, but instinctually they stood up to protect her. She had chosen them all particularly because of their innate ability to protect her. All of them had once been fired by Leopold or relegated to lesser duties. Another part of the room seemed to surge with dwarves naturally and others loyal to Snow and Leopold.
"Arrest him, Savior!" A woman yelled. The room had all been focused to the front with multiple people looking highly unsure of whose side to take if this came to blows. Regina noted though that Robin was on her side with a nod to her and Ruby right next to them. This was not going to an even fight for some of them. Now they turned to a woman who no one knew as a noble, so she might have been a peasant woman. She wasn't remarkable, but those of import turned to hear her, why did she side with the Savior who sided with the Evil Queen.
"This monster raped my daughter!" She yelled. "She hasn't left her room since before the Queen's house burned down!"
"Do not blame my father for your daughter being a whore, everyone wants to be with the King," Snow told her.
"She's six years old!" The woman screamed. "You are just as guilty; you told the school they were going to see how the monarchy worked. Instead, you hurt my baby!"
"What the fuck you couldn't rape Regina, so you raped a six-year-old girl!" Emma screamed in outrage. Magic went flying out at Leopold and sent him into the wall to their surprise and relief. So, it was only Regina's magic that didn't affect him after all, but he could be hurt by Emma's. All of Emma's outrage must have been in the magic as he looked like he'd received third-degree burns on parts of his face and hand. A few fairies went to his side at Blue's look although Regina didn't take it personally that they feared Blue more than her. Besides, given the chance to undermine her in safety they would. Regina also blushed, Henry and most of the town didn't really know, but now it had been confirmed and now Henry knew of her shame. She felt so ashamed, but she tried to hold her head up still in the face of Blue. She had to protect Emma.
"You can't rape your wife, Emma," Snow told her. David looked at Snow with disgust that she'd allowed her father to harm a child.
"You raped my mom?" Henry asked. He was looking towards Leopold in shock.
"Henry," Regina said looking ashamed. He had tears in his eyes.
"She was right to kill you," He said to their surprise, and it broke Regina's heart to hear him say it, to know Leopold had changed her baby boy like that to make him justify murder. Henry hurried to her and hugged her close. The mood of the room seemed to change.
"He raped me too back then as a child," a girl said she was a young teen.
"And me," voices chorused over the town hall.
"You were lucky to be bedded by his majesty," some supporter said. "Just as the Queen was lucky." That seemed to do it as the room surged together as the woman who had called out Leopold as a pedophile led the charge in her daughter's name. The girls who had been hurt went clawing after Leopold, but before anyone Emma included could reach him, the fairies disappeared with him. David went for Snow, but she'd already gone with Blue. There were screams of outrage at his disappearance. Regina disappeared with Henry outside.
"I thought you might come here," Leopold said ignoring his injuries. He moved forward and immediately grabbed Regina by the hair.
"Leave my mom alone!" Henry yelled and he kicked hard aiming for Leopold's groin. He went down but dragged Regina with him until she drove the heel of her hand up into his nose.
"Don't touch me!" Regina yelled as she magically pulled Emma, Ruby, and David outside. They were startled but immediately went after him.
"Now you're going to pay," Emma said going after him. He threw gravel into her eyes and scrambled away, but we met by Ruby.
"I've been eager to bite off another body part," Ruby told him as she changed in front of him into a large wolf. He gave a cry of fright.
"Blue Fairy!" He cried and he disappeared just as David landed on top of him and was pinning him. David hit the ground with his fist.
"I say we storm the convent now!" A mob would have headed for the convent had the brawl from inside townhall not continued outside. Regina pulled Henry away from the fighting and was pulled behind a car by Thomas.
"Stay," he said before joining Emma, Ruby, and David.
"Thomas just got us out," Ashley said indicating herself, Neal, Alex, and several other children they had just grabbed along the way. Regina realized these weren't the only frightened children in attendance. She spotted George's daughter scared by the door into the town hall even as people still rushed out. She pulled her towards her with magic and once the three-year-old was safely in her arms. She began safely pulling all the children in the townhall towards her. Some were raging teenage girls who had been scarred just as badly as she had in the Enchanted Forest. She imagined the curse was the best thirty years of their life not remembering such torture. She'd been extremely specific that absolutely no one would suffer the memory of rape for nearly thirty years. That was the worse kind of torture. She took them all to her home. She tended to crying children all night it seemed, and it was better than being locked away in her own nightmares at night. Ashley stayed to help as well until eventually, Emma called frantic that now calm parents were realizing they'd left their child unattended in the heat of things.
"It's all right, they're all here with me," Regina said looking around at the mess of tiny bodies occupying every possible space including her lap and sides.
"Oh, thank God, I'm releasing people as they calm down, calling the brawl even as no one's left without injury enough."
"If you think that's the right thing," Regina agreed. Slowly people trickled up to her barrier as she was feeding an army of children pancakes and eggs. They were all slowly released into the care of their parents. Some cursed her and told her she needed to return to her King and stop all this nonsense with Emma. Others were extremely grateful to her that their teenage daughters had gotten a short reprieve from the nightmares. Regina knew how brutal he could be to those he felt were objects. She didn't think she alone experienced his brutality, although she alone had to bear it twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and three hundred and sixty-five days of the year. Most of the teens that thanked her themselves had said they were grateful it had only been one horrid night but felt sorry she had endured a lifetime. Once all the children had gone, she was finally left alone again with Henry.
"Oh, my love, I'm sorry I couldn't give you any individual attention sooner." He lifted his arms and she lifted him up. They sat down on the couch and just hugged one another closely.
"Was it okay I kicked him in his penis?" Henry asked after a while. "I know you said I shouldn't kick there because I could hurt another boy, but…"
"I know, but you were saving me, and it was the most effective move you could make," Regina said. "Sometimes when we fight, we can't do so as honorably as we would like." He nodded.
"Is that why you had to kill him?" Henry asked. Regina nodded.
"Partially, he hurt me a lot and I was already hurting before that. I tried so many times to leave without having to kill him, but as you know now about the border spell, I couldn't leave the Kingdom without him. And when I tried to just live on the border away, he wouldn't let me go, he dragged me back every single time. I tried to kill myself once even too, but it didn't work so finally I had to settle for him."
"He's a really bad man, I'm sorry I called you the Evil Queen," Henry said.
"Just because I was justified in that does not mean I was justified in the things I did after when I was hurt," Regina told him. He nodded.
"Still, I'm sorry because that's the act I most based it on," Henry replied. She hugged him a little tighter and him her. "We'll catch him, right?"
"Of course," Regina said but her voice cracked with doubt and that made Henry furrow his brow and hug her longer and harder. He wasn't used to Regina having doubt, not being sure of the results that she wanted to play out. They were still like that when Emma came in looking as exhausted as they felt. Henry hadn't slept much himself needing the comfort of his moms.
"I'm guessing today is asleep in kind of day?" Emma grinned seeing their tired faces. They managed a smile for her before they both went and enveloped her in the needed hugs. Eventually, when they managed to pull apart, she and Emma at least as Henry needed some cuddles from Emma as well. She made fresh pancakes for Emma.
"Did you two already eat?" Emma asked. They nodded. Regina was lying though she hadn't taken one bite. Ashley had tried, but she'd told her once she had settled down with Henry she could eat before the last child was gone, and she'd sent Ashley home. Once Emma had eaten and taken a shower they finally got Henry to relax enough to sleep although Regina helped him along with a little bit of lavender oil rubbed on his chest in a calming matter. She didn't blame him for being so keyed up he hadn't slept last night. He'd kept his face buried into her side when she had finally settled on the couch with George's daughter. She had been the youngest in attendance likely because her mother's death was only hours old.
"I wish I could go back in time again," Emma murmured as they lay in bed facing one another. Regina had already inserted herself into Emma's arms.
"Why?" Regina asked. "You'd only create more paradoxes and contradictions, really you're lucky you got out with as little as you did."
"And yet it wasn't so little in the end," Emma said rubbing her cheek sadly.
"Well bright Ms. Swan, we now know you can somehow get me pregnant, and you promised me the best donor for the Queen's Princess and the best is one related to her big brother too. I expect you to provide the absolute best of your DNA again." Emma chuckled and stroked Regina's cheek some more, she wanted nothing more than to kiss her for trying to lighten Emma's mood. Regina took a deep breath as her eyes fluttered closed and melted suddenly against Emma's body. Emma had closed her eyes, a part of her felt like she was in one of her sweeter dreams where she kissed Regina softly at first and then more deeply.
"Emma, what are you doing?" Regina asked gasping for breath and startling her back to Regina's bedroom.
"What do you mean, I fell asleep," Emma said.
"No, with your magic, we weren't asleep," Regina said. Emma pulled her hand back, but she realized she could still feel Regina's lips on hers even though they were nowhere near close to touching with Regina's face buried in her neck now.
"You were kissing me," Regina said. "In my head." Emma blushed a deep red.
"You saw that?" Emma asked.
"I felt that," Regina replied.
"How…I…." Emma was left speechless as Regina looked into her eyes.
"Let me show you." Regina touched Emma's face this time and they were back in the brightly lit room of her dreams which to her embarrassment was Regina's room in the early mornings.
"I don't understand what I've done exactly," Emma said.
"It's a fantasy made real without our bodies being involved too much, although it is nicer if you are physically touching and not apart," Regina said.
"I'm sorry I kissed you without consent," Emma said.
"Could I consent now?" Regina asked tentatively. She never imagined that Emma could want her, well maybe here in their dreams, but not in real life. She was a mess out there, but here she wasn't damaged goods.
"You aren't damaged goods you are perfect," Emma told her. "And yes, you can consent now." Regina smiled at her even though she didn't believe that she was not used goods. They kissed again this time with longing from both sides. The kiss deepened and hands began to explore in previously off-limit places. Emma pulled back just as the back of Regina's knees hit the edge of the bed.
"Uh I know this is a dream, but do you want this, should I stop," Emma asked. Regina could feel Emma pulling away in their connection.
"Don't stop, I want you," Regina told her. She purposely straddled Emma physically and kissed her for real just as she did in the dream. Emma was startled at first but realized that although they had begun taking their clothes off in their minds, they weren't doing so physically. The only thing that had translated out was their kisses. So, she ravished Regina gently and slowly taking her time to mark every spot with a kiss. The feel of Regina's breath on her skin did nothing to quell any of the desire running rampant through her own body. When Regina was ready, she gently pushed one and then two fingers inside of her before she found the right rhythm.
"Can I taste you?" Emma asked.
"Yes," Regina moaned as she watched Emma dip her head down towards her clit. She got wet at the sight before Emma even made eye contact in the dream. She threw her head back enjoying it because this was the closest, she was going to get to sex for a long time. If Emma had tried to initiate this outside of this dream, she would have said no. She knew that she wasn't there yet.
"Ah, Emma!" She cried out focusing only on what was happening to her now. Pleasure vibrated in her body; she had forgotten this feeling. This feeling of being wet and sexually attracted to the person you were with. It had been so long it felt like since she had wanted anyone sexually even in her dreams. She shivered thinking of Leopold, but he was blasted out of her head just as quickly as he'd arrived, and their surroundings didn't change. She was safe here with Emma, she was always safe with Emma. Before she knew it she was breathing hard, and her nails had dung into Emma's shoulders as her body shuttered over Emma's, her panties were soaked down and she knew Emma felt that wetness on her nightshirt and stomach. Briefly, they were both outside of their heads looking at each other in the morning sun. Regina bent down and when Emma's eyes fluttered closed again she was under Regina who took just as much time with her, but she kept it slow and torturous in her opinion as she slowly pulled out one of the longest orgasms Emma had, had in her life to the point she was sure she had physically female ejaculate. If Regina though she was soaked it was nothing compared to the wet spot Emma left in her bed.
"Fuck you are amazing with your tongue," Emma got out. "Or was that just a dream kind of orgasm."
"While anything is possible in a dream, I'm fairly certain I could make you cum like that in the real world." Regina rolled so she was next to her again and laying on her back next to Emma.
"I…I…heard you and I won't try to initiate anything out here, I understand that you aren't ready yet." Regina slipped her hand into Emma's and clasped it tightly. "But like are you…are you even…are you…?"
"Are you trying to ask me if I was with you because you were willing, and you're my savior now of all things, or if I'm actually a lesbian?" Emma nodded at first but realized that Regina couldn't see her even as she turned on Emma's favorite cartoons with her mind.
"Yes," Emma responded her voice low even as she furrowed her lip.
"I'm a lesbian, I always have been, before you ask yes I loved Daniel, he was a one-off though based on my circumstances. I think had I been anyone else I might have felt free to explore women, but Daniel was my best friend, my only friend. He was freedom, he was my everything. And he wasn't scared of Mother, an idiot much like you." Emma chuckled.
"You seem to like idiots."
"Indeed, it would seem so," Regina agreed. "I was stupid enough to think that Mother wouldn't ever kill him at my pleading." Regina shook her head and wiped a few tears away. "Anyway, I had a chance to explore with Maleficent so do not worry, you aren't my first."
"Lame, here I was feeling special," Emma teased lightly. Regina snorted.
"Stop making me laugh, life is miserable," Regina reminded her.
"Fine, I guess we should do more distracting activities, or was that a one-off?" Regina raised an eyebrow with a smirk.
"Still want me, Ms. Swan," Regina said. Emma groaned.
"Yes, especially now that you've hit me with Ms. Swan," Emma said. Regina smirked.
"I knew you liked it," Regina said. Emma pouted even as this time their magics mixed and they closed their eyes again.
"A dick Ms. Swan?" Regina asked when they appeared in her office of all things. She was already perched naked on the desk, and Emma was before her with a functioning penis it seemed. Emma blushed.
"I was curious about what it felt like to fit this way, you can say no." Regina snorted.
"Not this time Ms. Swan," Regina said even as she watched Emma stiffen more with a smirk, but it disappeared.
"That was a mean thing to do before it was gone," Emma pouted.
"Maybe, but this is my office fantasy," Regina said as the scene changed so she was sitting in her leather chair, naked except for a pair of spikey black heels, and Emma was on her knees.
"Yeeeah, but this seems like maybe my sexual fantasy than yours," Regina smirked.
"Then I'm sure you already know what I want," Regina said easily spreading her legs.
"Oh God, yes I do," Emma said crawling forward and immediately burying her face in Regina's sex.
"Jesus," Emma breathed.
"My name's Regina in case you forgot," Regina chuckled.
"Shut up." They lay breathing now in the afternoon light, neither of them had slept at all too engrossed they were in sexual fantasies.
"So is this a thing or am I like a body too?" Regina asked.
"I want this to be a thing if you want this to be a thing, but I understand if you aren't also ready for that."
"Sex for real is off the table, I like that your hands stay to themselves despite what they're doing in my head. I was really afraid it would ruin everything if you did. But knowing that you aren't going anywhere, any time soon well I can't put a price on that I just know that for the first time in a long time, that I want someone who wants me, and who knows me and not just because I'm insanely hot."
"You are insanely hot, but I gotta be honest it was your cooking that caught me by the foot and pulled me hard to you. It has to be a felony, what you do in the kitchen." Regina laughed.
"I like that you can make me laugh," Regina said as she rolled on her side and curled up into Emma. "You seem to be able to do that even when I'm in drowning in the darkest of nights." She yawned.
"Sleep now," Emma said turning as well to plant a kiss on Regina's forehead. "Wait sorry that was cool right." Regina nodded.
"Kissing is okay, but let's keep it to in here for right now." Emma nodded.
"I think I've wanted to kiss you since the first time I saw you," Emma whispered a bit later when her eyes were drooping in sleep.
"Only as the Evil Queen dear," Regina snorted. "Princess Leia." Emma snorted as well.
"All right maybe that's when I really knew that I probably definitely did wanna kiss you."
"Of course, you did dear, I was smoking hot in those outfits," Regina murmured before she was gone. Emma kissed her forehead once more before she too fell asleep and her dream catcher lit up to take away Regina's nightmares and melded them into place together where she could keep Regina safe.
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