To The Man Who Let Her Go

4

Emma showed up at precisely 1 to pick up Henry. But before she could even knock on the door it swung wide open revealing the straight faced mayor and an eager little boy.

"I'll be home by 5 and I expect him to be as well," Regina said glaring at the blonde.

"Home by 5. Got it," Emma said as she high fived Henry.

Regina nodded as she walked away and picked a flower from her garden before she went to her car and drove to the cemetery. She reached her fathers crypt and walked in with the flower she had gotten earlier. She placed the flower atop his casket and then rolled up her sleeves to push it aside and reveal the opening to her vault.

She was awake. Always had been. The Enchanted forest may have been her past but it was not fiction. She just wished she could get Henry to see the opposite. What made him believe so hard? She was able to make everyone else believe that fairytales were fake but her own son. It was all Emma's fault, she brought hope.

She was searching for a specific spell book amongst her many. She knew who Emma was. She's known since she adopted Henry. She knew the day would come when she'd have to face her but she never imagined the savior would be so... breathtaking. When ever Regina pictured meeting the offspring of Snow White she had always envisioned a gnarly creation to make up for the darkness Snow seemed to hide from everybody. Everyone always saw her as a saint but Regina knew the truth. And she would never forget it. Snow was the reason her true love, Daniel, was dead. Yet the Charmings birthed a beyond gorgeous daughter who caught Regina's eye the moment she walked on her property. Her heart felt an attraction for the woman in fact but once she realized who she was it was significantly muffled. But not completely...

Despite how Regina pictured the Charmings child, Emma's appearance was actually quite predictable. She was everything a savior should be. Emma Swan radiated light, from her hair to her soul. But she needed to disappear from Storybrooke. She couldn't kill her tho, if Henry ever found out then he would never forgive her. He always found out everything, and she never understood how. Plus the moment Emma died the curse would be broken, a loophole Rumplestiltskin put in for some reason. She cared more of losing Henry's affection than everyone finding out what she did. It didn't matter, as long as she was alive & gone the curse could never be broken and she'd get to keep her happy ending.

She was flirting with the woman to establish a faux relationship of trust. If Emma trusted her, even the slightest, it'd be easier to get rid of her. It'd be much easier if she could get the blonde to fall in love with her, after all love is weakness.

"Here it is," Regina said with an evil smile.

She wiped the dust off an old book and flipped through its pages. After hours of searching for the solution to her problem she had finally found it. She caressed the book as if it were her last hope. It'd been so long since she touched anything magical. She turned to the page that she needed.

"Show me what I need to get rid of her," she said as she let her fingers trail down the page.

The text glowed revealing a new curse to rid the brunette of the blonde.

"Another one? Really?" She said as she rolled her eyes.

Regina shrugged as she read what she needed for this next curse to send Emma far away. It seemed pretty simple since it was essentially the same curse she used to send everyone to Storybrooke on a much smaller scale. She already had much of the ingredients from the last curse and she didn't even have to kill anyone extra but the one thing that annoyed her was that it was gonna take the trust of the person she wanted cursed and time. Lots of it. It'd take 3 months at the least in a world with magic but in a world without magic it would take at least a year maybe even more.

"Guess I'll just have to keep Miss Swan occupied until then. It'll be further torture for Snow White. Her daughter falling in love with her worst enemy," Regina said with a smirk, "I might enjoy making this curse."

She put the book back where it came from and checked her phone. It read 5:12pm

"Shit," she mumbled to herself as she gathered everything she brought with her and left the vault. She ran to her car and drove back home as fast as she could.

She rushed into her home to be met with her son and Emma laughing at the kitchen island. They were eating ice cream and having a good time. Regina smiled at Henry's happiness but scowled at Emma's. She cleared her throat as she walked in on them causing them to look back at her.

"Madame Mayor," Emma managed to say mid laugh, "What happened to 5?"

"None of your concern Miss Swan," Regina said setting her stuff down, "How was your time with Emma Henry?"

"Good," he said finishing his ice cream, "What happened to you tho?" He said motioning to the disheveled hair and the dirt on her face as well as clothes.

"Oh this is nothing. Had to do some labor work for the city. Why don't you say goodnight to Emma and get ready for bed," she said straightening out her clothes.

He groaned as he involuntarily did as he was told.

"Goodnight mom. See you later," he said giving Emma a hug and running upstairs.

"Night kid. See you later," Emma said hugging him tight.

"Well," Regina started, "Miss Swan."

"Yeah. I know. I'm leaving," Emma said zipping up her jacket and heading for the door.

Regina stepped in front of the door before the blonde could open it, "Actually I was wondering if you'd entertain me and join me for a drink Next Friday evening."

Emma quirked her eyebrow, "Just you?"

"Yes," Regina said fixing her hair.

"Like a date?" Emma questioned.

"If that's what you'd like to call it. Yes. A date," Regina verified.

Emma smirked, "What's the catch? I can't see Henry for a week or something?"

Regina sighed and rolled her eyes, "No catch Miss Swan. It's a yes or no question."

The blonde eyed her suspiciously, "Suuurrreee."

The mayor smiled, "Great. Let's say 7," she said clasping her hands together.

"Sounds good. I'll pick you up at at 6:30," Emma said out of habit of having to be in control.

"Excuse me? Regina Mills doesn't get picked up. She does the picking up," she explained.

Emma smirked as she walked closer to the door, face to face with Regina. They were eye to eye, lips mere centimeters apart as Emma reached for the door knob. She twisted it to open the door and at the same time Regina's breath hitched.

"Guess there's a first time for everything," the blonde said opening the door.

Regina watched the blonde walk to her yellow bug and drive away. Regina shut the door and sat on her sofa in disbelief at Emma's confidence. It was hard for her to hate such an alluring girl. As she stared off in disbelief her phone vibrated. She went to check it and saw a text from Emma.

Emma: Friday at 6:30😎
5:45pm

🙄Goodnight Emma
5:47pm