Pages to happy endings (swanqueen)

Chapter 17

Emma rushed to meet the dove. She untied the scroll carefully from its feet, helped the dove back to the sky, and began to read the text written to it:

Emma, 

I'm sorry to inform you, but I do not want to hear from you for now. If the things you wrote in the letter are true I hope that you can prove them to me. I am aware that Regina can speak through her victim's heart but I do not know what to believe right now.  I hope you never try to reach me again

P.S. If I have something to tell you I will contact you. Don't expect a reply if you decide to write to me.

From: Snow White

Emma's heart sank, and tears formed in her eyes. What had she been thinking? Snow didn't even know her that well that she could trust her fully. She probably thought that Emma was on Regina's side all along.  Emma dropped on her keens, she read the letter again and again until she couldn't see anything behind her tears. All hope vanished from her, she would be trapped with Regina until the day she would die.

It was late, Emma was supposed to be asleep by now but she couldn't get herself to get up from the cold floor. She felt like she deserved it. She had rushed to things way too quickly and now no one trusted her and she could trust no one. And for the first time in months, she wanted to get back home. Back to Boston, back to her little apartment.

"Still up I see", a man's voice tensed up Emma's body. "No need to be scared deary", Rumple almost whispered. "What do you want?" Emma asked, her throat sore and eyes red and puffy. "What do you have there?" Rumple asked and snatched the letter from Emma's hands. "No, please don't read it!" Emma cried but it was for nothing. "How sad", Rumple said his voice full of pity as he handed the letter back. "What do you want?" Emma asked again. "I thought that you were the one wanting something. Was it something about your parents?" Rumple teased her but it worked. Emma's eyes widened and she got up from the floor. "What do you want in return?" Emma asked. "Ah, now you're asking the right question", Rumple smiled. "My ask is very simple. Get me a few strands of Regina's hair. That'll be all I need", he continued. "That's it?" Emma asked the last tears still rolling down her cheeks. "Yes, when I get the hair, I will tell you everything I know about your parents", Rumple replied and vanished from Emma's sight once again.

Regina was already waiting for Emma at the breakfast table the next day. "Ready for your next lesson?" Regina asked. "Yes, my Majesty", Emma replied, her stomach felt full even though it had been hours since she last ate. "Good, see me at the courtyard when you are done eating", Regina said. There was something different about her, something happier, Emma could sense it from across the room. 

After forcing the last bit of bread down she teleported to the courtyard. Regina was waiting for her under the apple tree. "I'm ready for the lesson, my Majesty", Emma said. Regina didn't reply, she just flicked her hand. Emma's eyes went blurry like the first couple of times that she had teleported. She looked around confused when her vision returned. She was standing on a bridge that looked like it could collapse if she moved at all. Under it, she could see only thick fog. There was no way of knowing how deep the canyon was. "Now we are going to try something a little bit different", Regina smiled, she wasn't on the bridge but right in front of it. 

The bridge swung around when a strong wind blew on it. Emma had to do all she could to not fall and if she did she would die. "Now we can start with this", Regina moved her hands around in the air and the bridge began to shake. Emma dropped to her knees as a faint purple smoke surrounded the bridge. "What are you doing?" Emma asked a whisp of fear in her voice. "You haven't learned quickly enough. I'm taking matters into my own hands and forcing you to save yourself", Regina replied somewhere behind the smoke. "But I don't know how!" Emma screamed, her heart pounding she held on to the bridge as hard as she could. "Use your instinct!" Regina demanded. 

The bridge shook harder, Emma heard the ropes snapping and felt the air on her face as she fell. "Focus, focus", Emma repeated her voice shivering, she pressed her eyes shut, she didn't want to see anything if this would be her end. Suddenly the heavy airflow stopped. She didn't feel like falling anymore, no, she was going up. Emma opened her eyes slowly to see her hands glowing a white light. "Wha-" she started but seeing Regina's smiling face made her stop. "Don't look at me", Regina said, but Emma couldn't keep her eyes off her. 

Once Emma was safely back on the ground she couldn't do anything but smile. "I knew you could do it", Regina said beside her. "Thank you for believing in me", Emma replied. Regina didn't respond, she flicked her hand once more and they were back in Emma's bedroom. 

"You have earned yourself the rest of the day off but first I want to know what this is", Regina said and took a small scroll from the table like she knew exactly where it was. "It's nothing", Emma lied fully knowing that it was Snow White's letter. "Then you won't mind if I open it", Regina smirked. "No! Gina, please don't open it!" Emma yelled and tried to grab the scroll from her. Regina stopped. "What did you call me?" she asked. Emma wasn't sure if Regina was curious or furious. "Umm, nothing, my Majesty", Emma replied. "No, I clearly heard you call me Gina", Regina replied. Emma didn't know what to do, she wasn't sure if she was supposed to say something. 

Regina dropped the scroll back to the table, she stepped closer to Emma. So close she could feel Regina's breath on her neck. "I haven't been called Gina since I was a teenager", Regina said quietly. A cute smile flashed quickly on her face. "You like me", Regina then said, she laughed and stepped further away. "You actually like me", she laughed again. Emma couldn't deny it, she had started to really enjoy Regina's company. "I suppose so", Emma replied not sure what else she could say. Regina stepped closer once again with a small smile on her face. "Good to know."