Disclaimer in Chapter One

AN: Thank you guys so much for all the reviews, favourites, and alerts! You guys are seriously phenomenal, and you just make my day. Special thanks to Korderoo and SharpestKnifeInTheDrawer who helped talk me through this chapter. I really appreciate it :). Here's the final chapter of Static, and I really hope you like it! There's a lot more action in this one, but our two favourite ladies finally interact. Thanks so much for all your support!

"Emma?"

"Regina?"

Emma held her breath wondering if in the midst of her panic she had misheard. She eyed the device in her hands, waiting for another breath of life.

"Where's Henry?"

Emma's eyes widened as she clutched the walkie talkie tighter and brought it up to her lips. "Where the hell have you been? I've-"

A mist of purple smoke appeared in her room, and soon, she was face to face with the woman she had been inadvertently spilling all her secrets to. For a moment, neither of them moved. Regina was clutching the radio firmly against her chest, while the blonde simply stared at her dumbstruck.

It didn't pass the Sheriff's inspection of the older woman that Regina looked considerably paler, her skin having lost its usually tanned glow and her eyes dark and dim. Despite fighting with this woman for nearly a year, the months where she was missing made its presence known in Emma's mind. The larger than life personality of the brunette before her was suddenly gone, replaced with the task of being Emma's personal diary. Here she was, in the flesh and blood. A woman who knew all of Emma's inner secrets and thoughts. A woman who on repeated occasions tried to kill her and her family. A woman who now possessed so much on the blonde Saviour, standing before her looking frightened, disheveled, and panicking.

"Where's Henry?" Regina repeated, more insistent this time. She tucked the radio into her jacket pocket when Emma continued to gawk at her.

"Tamara and Greg."

"You said that," Regina replied annoyed. "Why do they have my son?"

Emma shook her was sadly and ashamed. "I don't know."

Regina ran a hand through her hair, tugging it slightly to attempt to ease the panic settling deep within her. She needed to think clearly.

"All I know," Emma began, "is that they found the bean fields. They burned it. We think they might have kept a few for themselves."

Regina nodded. The unspoken agreement that Regina didn't need to be filled in on the happenings of the town hung in the air as the brunette turned to march out of the room. "Let's go."

Emma and Regina ran quickly out of the apartment. As soon as they hit the pavement, they nearly collided into Snow and Charming.

"Regina!" Snow gasped both transfixed on the woman before her while clearly struggling to avert her gaze.

The brunette's hand twitched.

"We can't find him anywhere," David said to Emma, glancing at Regina out of the corner of his eye.

"Where could they be?" Emma clutched a hand to her forehead before dropping it to her side. The moment of vulnerability passed just as soon as it came, and soon the blonde looked sternly to her parents. "We're going to go find him and bring him back. You stay here just in case Tamara and Greg do anything else."

Snow's lips parted in protest when she threw a glance at Regina, but the older brunette simply snarled, turning when she felt Emma tug her and immediately ran to keep up with the blonde.

"Do you plan on locating him simply by running around, Sheriff?" Regina asked snippily.

"Would you rather we hide and hope it all blows over, your Majesty?" Emma replied smartly turning off of her street.

They ran past downtown, ignoring the shocked gasps of citizens as they pointed at the reemergence of the Evil Queen, though some were shocked at the fact that said Queen was running alongside their Saviour.

Regina rolled her eyes at Emma's words and was loathed to find herself following the blonde as she weaved through the streets finally reaching the harbour.

"I found sand in Neal's closet," Emma explained.

"The last thing I want to hear is about your lover's spat!" Regina yelled. "We need to find Henry!"

"You asked and I answered!" The blonde yelled back. "Just shut up and listen for five minutes."

"What do you think I've been doing for the last two months?" Regina glared.

Emma paused to stare at the woman.

There it was. Regina had brought into the open everything that could destroy Emma.

For a moment, Emma looked frightened, but there was a sense of relief in her eyes that confused the brunette. Regina held her gaze, mentally scorning herself. She was hoping they could forget about all that she had heard.

A ruckus caught their attention when up ahead, they noticed Tamara on Hook's ship, all ready to set sail, the captain unconscious on the pier, and Greg carrying a struggling bulk over his shoulder.

Henry.

The two mothers caught each other's eye just before they sprinted towards the Jolly Roger.

The ship was pulling out of the dock, and even from their distance they could see the triumphant smirk on Greg's face as he unceremoniously dropped the squirming eleven-year old and began tying him up.

"It's pulling away," Regina gasped, bypassing a fallen Hook, as the distance between ship and dock increased.

"Jump."

Regina turned her head to make sure she had heard right. "What?"

"Jump." Emma grabbed her arm, their speed increasing as she ran towards the edge of the dock and jumped, the brunette forced to follow suit.

They glided through the air, Emma's hand clutched firmly around Regina's forearm as Regina held onto Emma's wrist for dear life. They were just able to grab onto the edge of a life boat strapped firmly halfway down the ship's side.

Emma glanced upwards, holding her breath to see if they had been spotted but breathed out relieved when no one peered over the edge. She whipped her head to the side to see Regina struggle to hold onto the edge. Pulling herself up and into the life boat, Emma leaned over and yanked the brunette up under the arms and tugged her haphazardly in. Her hand covered the brunette's mouth when Emma was sure Regina was going to snap at her for the manhandling, but they weren't in a position to be caught right now. Receiving a bony elbow to the ribs, Emma released her.

"What the hell was that?" Regina hissed, putting distance between them from when they toppled over.

"They don't know we're here," Emma stated obviously. "We've got the advantage. We find out what their plan is and we get Henry."

"Your priority may not be Henry, but mine is." the brunette held her chin up high.

"Yeah, abandoning the kid for almost two months really gets you the parent of the year award, Regina," the blonde snorted as she eyed the ropes that would allow them to pull the boat up to deck level.

"Coming from the woman who abandoned their baby for ten years."

"Parenting advice from the Evil Queen? I think I'll pass."

There was a moment of hostile silence between the two women. Whatever had transpired the last two months was thrown out the window as soon as their frustration settled in. Both were visibly tense, annoyed, and worried. Both had their child ripped away from them, and judging by their hot-heated and stubbornness, it was a deadly combination.

Emma sighed trying to calm down.

After three deep breaths and assessing the way Regina wrapped her arms around her chest defensively, Emma spoke. "Look I'm-"

"What do you want with me?" Henry's frightened voice sounded above them and both women craned their necks to hear.

"We're not going to hurt you," Greg said. "You don't have to grow up with people like that anymore."

"Those people will never hurt you again." This time Tamara spoke.

"No, you tied me up. I don't want to go with you."

"It's just for the ride," Greg said. "As soon as we're away from the harbour it's going to get very, very bumpy."

Regina gasped as the ship sailed by the last of the fishing boats venturing into clear waters. "They have a bean."

Emma's eyes widened at the realization, and before she knew it, she wrapped her hand around the rope and pulled herself up.

"What are you doing?" Regina asked watching the blonde climb a few paces.

"Getting Henry back."

That was all the incentive Regina needed to begin climbing up the other rope holding up the life boat. More than once did the brunette slip on the damp wood, but she ground her heeled boot and kept her trajectory upwards.

It took nearly ten minutes for either woman to reach the deck of the ship, and by then the ship was firmly in the middle of the ocean. Regina and Emma kept their bodies pressed to the side until the self-righteous tone of Tamara asking Greg if he was ready made Regina lose all semblance of being stealthy and lifted herself over onto the ship.

With grace, she stood tall, glaring at her son's captors as they gaped at her wondering where the hell she had come from. Emma, shocked to be left behind, followed suit, standing just behind the brunette with a similar hatred etched on her face.

"Mom!" Henry yelled towards the two women, a rope tied around his waist with the rest of the line tied firmly to the ship's mast.

Tamara tilted her head, her lip twitching upwards. "Looks like we have stowaways." She pointed her head towards Regina. "We've been looking for you, your Highness."

Emma's eyes flashed to Regina, catching the older woman's stoic profile.

"Save it," the brunette snarled.

"Don't you want to know why?" Greg grinned, his eyes glinting with wickedness.

"I'd much rather have my son."

The man chuckled. "See, you took my father, and now, I'm taking your son, and with this," he paused to point to a bag of magic beans Tamara was carrying, "we'll rid the entire universe of people like you."

"Yeah, I'd like to see you try." During his speech with his gaze solely centred on Regina, neither Greg nor Tamara noticed Emma inching away towards the nearly empty barrels of ale Hook kept on the ship. It was only when the blonde spoke, a barrel held over her head before it hurtled towards them did they register their mistake.

"Get Henry and turn this ship around!" Emma ordered Regina who immediately went to their son, fingers working frantically to undo the knot at his waist.

Emma charged at the fallen captors, kicking the gun out of Tamara's hand watching it hit the deck and go off, the bullet embedding itself into a barrel of rum as the alcohol spilled out onto the deck.

"Be careful!" Regina yelled at her, finally getting Henry free and using her body as a shield around him.

Emma mentally rolled her eyes as she scrapped with Tamara on the ground, elbows colliding with ribs, knees connecting with stomachs and nails scratching down faces as she fought furiously to rid the other woman of the beans. "Next time I'll set the gun down gently!" Emma ground out narrowly missing a punch to the face.

By the mast, Regina shielded Henry from the chaos, running to get him over to the helm when a hand grabbed her shoulder and pulled her to the ground. Greg stood over her, anger and hatred in his eyes as he reached into his pocket. Regina had no doubt there was a gun located there and without a moment's hesitation, she screamed at Henry to run.

The boy didn't listen. He kicked Greg from behind causing the man to double over clutching his crotch in agony.

Henry, though still quite shaken, smirked to himself. "Emma taught me that."

Regina scrambled up and held Henry close to her as they ran. "At least your mother was able to pass on something useful."

On the main deck, Emma grabbed the darker woman to send her careening into a pile of crates. She could see a limping and groaning Greg run after Regina and Henry. She paused in her attack as she watched the man point his gun directly at the older woman's back.

"Regina-" Her yell was cut off when she toppled onto Tamara, Regina having given the wheel a full hundred and eighty degree spin causing the ship to turn abruptly.

Emma breathed out relieved when she looked up to see that the older brunette had a firm grasp onto Henry and a hand on the wheel with Greg collapsed on the lower level deck at the base of the helm. Just as the man groaned and moved to get up, Regina grabbed a sword from Hook's collection on the side of the wheel and hacked at a key rope. The lowest pole from the mizzenmast came hurtling down on top of Greg keeping the man pinned and knocked unconscious.

Emma dropped her head, relieved Regina and Henry were safe for the time being to look down at the other unconscious body that provided her with a soft landing. She stood catching Regina's eye and nodded the unanswered question.

Everyone was all right.

Retrieving the bag of beans, it was easy enough to collect the dead weight of Tamara and Greg from the wreckage and strap them to the base of the main mast. When she looked back up, she saw Regina smile warmly down at Henry who was now in control of the wheel before the older woman stepped back, leaning against the rails to habitually give him space while keeping an eye on him.

Emma nudged at the unconscious bodies with her foot for good measure before jogging up to the helm and hugging Henry tightly.

"You found my mom," Henry said with the hint of a smile.

Emma just returned the gesture before providing her own kiss to his head and walking towards the older woman whose eyes were glued onto Henry's back. The blonde said nothing as she leaned back against the rail beside Regina, both refusing to take an eye off of their son.

For a long moment, nothing was said between the two. The only sound in the background was that of the lapping of the waves and the caw of seagulls. It'd be a while yet before they reached the coastline, and Emma knew they needed to talk.

Keeping her eyes trained on Henry, Emma whispered low enough for only the brunette to hear. "All those things I said, were you listening?"

She watched the deep rise and fall of Regina's chest from the corner of her eye. She wondered if Regina had even heard her but she got her answer in the form of a reply. "It's about time someone did, isn't it?"

Neither reacted though Emma's pulse quickened at Regina's admission.

"I was just-"

"Thank you," Regina insisted, cutting off Emma. She didn't have to look at the blonde to know she was confused. "For keeping me updated on Henry."

Emma nodded her understanding.

"And apologizing," Regina whispered, her eyes downcast briefly before bringing them up to Henry again.

"I didn't want to make the same mistake twice."

"Perhaps I could take a lesson in that," the brunette admitted dryly.

Emma smirked before grimacing again. "Your mom-"

"It's fine." Regina noticeably tensed.

"It's not," Emma insisted.

The brunette turned her head to the side, her fingers brushing quickly under her eyes before returning a now steely gaze at Henry. The tension remained thick around them, Emma unsure how to proceed and Regina just wanting to forget.

"It's not easy, is it?" The brunette whispered.

This time it was Emma whose gaze turned cold and detached. "No." She took a breath before continuing. "It's like they watch your every move-"

"And before you've even made it they already have their opinion of you."

"And if you don't meet it they get disappointed," the blonde added.

"Or brush you off," Regina said quietly.

They were quiet again. Neither had looked to the other since Emma came to stand beside the brunette. Finally the blonde chuckled, bringing out the bag of beans. "Imagine a world where no one knew us."

"That's what Storybrooke was for me," Regina said chancing a glance at the beans in Emma's hand.

"Until I came," the blonde said as an observation, malice long gone from her tone.

"You are quite stubborn," the older woman commented, her tone almost teasing.

"As stubborn as you are vindictive," Emma retorted mimicking her tone.

"And the labels are back on." This time Regina turned to finally look at Emma, the younger woman moving to lock their eyes.

Over the course of the year, they were eager participants in this staring contest they so frequently had with one another, but this time it was different. The fire in both brown and jade eyes were gone replaced with something softer, lighter and far more vulnerable than either of the women were willing to admit. In this moment, standing on a ship bound for Storybrooke, a town filled with angry fairy tale characters, with two psychotic kidnappers unconscious on the deck, and their son steering the ship, they were no longer the Evil Queen or the Saviour. They weren't even Mayor Mills or Sheriff Swan.

For now, they were simply Regina and Emma, teamed together for the love of their son, and for once, not arguing, but seeing the other for who she truly was.

A particularly harsh wave jarred them from their locked gazes, and Emma turned to look as they were approaching Storybrooke's harbour. She offered a shy smile before pushing off the railing to go check on Henry.

"Emma," Regina called out, her hand outstretched ready to tug the blonde but finding it useless when she already turned. "Why?"

Emma furrowed her brow in confusion.

"Why did you care whether I was okay or not?" The older woman asked determined.

"About time someone did, isn't it?" The younger woman reiterated Regina's words before she gave a weak smile and then made her way to Henry.

Regina watched Emma drape an arm around Henry. She grinned softly when the boy turned his head to look behind him, smiling back at her before facing forward once more.

No one near the helm was aware that Tamara had gained consciousness and had managed to weave an arm free from her restraints making it loose enough to escape but stayed still not to draw attention to herself. No one knew that Storybrooke's latest stranger had kept a single bean in her jacket pocket for an emergency just like this one. No one knew until she managed to toss the bean overboard and a portal opened up by the ship's port.

Emma could see the minuscule outlines of Snow and Charming on the edge of the dock as they approached. She waved with Henry, but she was suddenly thrust to the side when the ship jerked suddenly. "Easy on the driving, kid."

"I didn't do anything," Henry looked at the wheel confused.

Emma turned to look at Regina to see if the older woman had an answer, but when she caught the brunette staring wide-eyed at the ocean, she rushed to see what had made her mute. She didn't have to go very far to see the all-too familiar circle of purple and blue spring from waves as it crackled with magic growing bigger and bigger by the second, sucking in a poor canoe wading in the bay.

"How-"

Before Emma could finish her question, the ship lurched sideways towards the vortex, the rudder and mast no use against the power of the portal. The blonde fell onto Regina as they scrambled near the railing nearly knocking them into the icy water. She looked up to see Henry on his knees, holding onto the wheel for dear life.

The ship continued to rock and sway towards the portal, and with a great deal of effort, Emma managed to pull herself into a standing position, taking hold of any stationary object to keep her upright. It was then she noticed Tamara escaping her hold and cutting at the ropes to free a disoriented Greg.

"I'm gonna kill them," Emma growled grabbing the sword Regina had used. She was set on running towards the two people who had caused her nothing but trouble since their arrival. Saviour or not, these people were done for.

Regina grabbed Emma's arm and thrust her towards Henry. "Leave them. Keep yourself and Henry tied down and hold on." There was conflict in green eyes, but Regina sent her a glare. "They're not worth it."

With some difficulty, Emma dropped the sword to the ground with force and scrambled towards Henry.

The waves crashed ferociously against the sides of the ship, and soon the portal's strength became too overwhelming. Emma managed to hold Henry against her, finding wayward rope to tie it around his waist and tied the end through the loops of the wheel. She only managed to tie another rope through the wheel when another harsh wave and pull of the portal had her losing her grip. Frantically she managed to secure herself to the ship and held tightly onto Henry.

Regina stood tall near the stern and opened her palms against the fierce winds. She nodded to herself when she saw that the Sheriff was following orders for once and directed her attention to the masts, summoning her magic to pull them out of the portal's path. She was vaguely aware of Tamara and Greg jumping off the ship and disappearing into the portal, but all be damned if her son wound up in a realm that was not this one.

Purple sparks emitted from her palms until it stretched and covered the ship in its entirety. Her vein on her forehead bulged from exertion and her brow sweat as she forced herself to continue, to push harder to get them away.

The wood from the masts were snapping at the resistance of her magic combined with the force of the portal's pull. Her concentration broke momentarily causing the ship to suddenly lurch further into the portal's path.

"Regina!" Emma called. "Just get over here!"

The brunette ignored her and continued to push on. With every ounce of strength, the ship was slowly pulling away, the wind gradually dying down. She allowed herself to relax momentarily, a moment that would cost her when a beam snapped clean from its restraints and swung directly at the unsuspecting brunette.

"Mom!"

"Regina!"

Regina looked up, but despite her attempts to move out of the way, the beam nicked her with enough force to send her scrambling backwards, momentum from the beam and the still rocky nature of the ship had her toppling over the ledge.

The only relief Regina felt was that the ship was safely out of the portal's way when she clamoured over the Jolly Roger. The image of the water beneath her was dark and murky and it'd be fitting that she be taken into another realm. Perhaps there she wouldn't be able to hurt anyone, save for Tamara and Greg who were sure to turn up on the other side. She descended lower, accepting fate when a body collided into her.

The impact made them crash against the side of the boat where they hung limply from a mere rope.

"Emma?" Regina realized feeling the blonde struggle to keep a firm grasp around her and the rope that kept them attached to the ship.

The Sheriff couldn't answer, instead silently thanked the fact that the portal closed and called up to Henry from above. "Pull us up, kid!"

Regina and Emma toppled over the side of the ledge, their bodies collapsing on the deck as they panted from yet another climb up the ship. They remained on the floor, and when they finally made eye contact, the situation, surreal and absurd, made them smile before the ship suddenly stopped.

"Emma! Henry!"

Snow and Charming's voice sounded and soon they were on board the ship, engulfing Henry in a tight hug.

"We thought we lost you," Snow sobbed.

"Come on," David said helping Henry and Snow off the ship and patting Emma's shoulder as she stood. "Let's celebrate Henry's return at Granny's."

Regina stared up at the daunting mansion, the place she hadn't called home for months. Like with Snow and Emma's return from the Enchanted Forest, a procession of the Charmings and their followers made their way to Granny's, and just like last time, Regina had been left alone.

She sighed, opening up the door to the house and stepping into the empty mansion. Resignedly, she climbed up the steps, prepared to lie in her bed, hating herself for waiting for the moment when Henry needed her again, for another turmoil to befall Storybrooke and her magic would be needed.

She shut the door and made her way to the bed, shrugging her jacket off.

"Regina?"

The brunette furrowed her brow, turning around expecting to see Emma standing there. Instead her jacket crackled with static. "Regina?"

She dug through the trench coat to produce the long forgotten walkie talkie she had stowed away in her coat. "Emma?"

The blonde audibly sighed. "I thought you'd disappear on me again."

"Maybe I'm learning my lessons after all," Regina replied with a smirk.

"You didn't follow," Emma said through the device.

"I don't think we've quite hit the point where my past is water under the bridge."

"If I have to suffer through this dinner, then so do you," Emma plainly stated.

"Why is that?"

There was a knock on her bedroom door. Regina turned and opened it, gaping at the blonde on the other side.

Emma dropped the radio down to her side before speaking, cutting off Regina's inquisition. "So I can tell the town that you used your magic for good, and despite their perfect Saviour's sudden need for bloodlust, you stopped me."

"You're inviting me to dinner again?" Regina asked tentatively.

"It won't be like last time," the blonde promised.

"I don't know-"

"No more labels," Emma said stepping into the room and extending her hand. "I'm Emma. Emma Swan."

Regina raised an eyebrow at the proffered hand.

"I'm Henry's birth mother. I see you have cider, but would you like to come get something to eat?" The blonde tried again.

Regina internally smirked at the gesture though her eyes were still clouded with uncertainty. They couldn't erase the past. They couldn't erase their sins or who their parents were or the animosity between their two families.

But they could try.

It was a long shot that the Charmings would ever allow Regina into their ever-elite band of followers, or would they ever see their daughter as anything less than perfect. The promise that at least one person in this world saw their true nature was motivation enough to put aside their differences.

Mentally kicking herself at Emma's less than tactful way of starting over, Regina shook Emma's hand, catching the younger woman's eye with intent and sincerity. "Regina Mills."

THE END