Totally didn't expect that big WB but I really appreciated it, so thank you for that. I am back for good and do plan on finishing this story fairly soon, and who knows, I might put up something else after. Not relating to this universe but something different, I've been wanting to try my hand at Male Emma, not enough of those...and so. Who knows.

But before I stop rambling, I would really like to gift this chapter, and future chapters to VanessaIvesIsQueen - I can't even say thank you enough without being a sap, but for the umpteenth time. Thank you so very much, you are the #1 sweetest in my books.

Enjoy!

SQ :: SWAN QUEEN :: SQ

SQ :: SWAN QUEEN :: SQ

Emma couldn't sleep, it was almost physically impossible for her right now. Today was the day that they would be saying goodbye to Storybrooke for three weeks, leaving behind their twins and the half of their family to go down to Hades in order to honor a treaty they created with the Fairy Queen and her simple minded followers.

Emma sat up slowly, not wanting to wake up Regina who needed more rest than she did. And one of them deserved a peaceful nights rest, Emma's insomnia would pass. It always did, but she couldn't lay there for another second staring up at the ceiling as if it were the most interesting thing in the world and held all of the answers.

The Empress carefully eased her way out of her and Regina's shared bed, and threw on a t-shirt over her bare torso and pulled on a pair of black boxer briefs. Emma quietly exited their master bedroom and made her rounds checking up on her family. She quietly made her way further into her daughters room and gently picked up the nine year old's iPhone off of the floor and put it on the charger before fixing Madeline's position and tucking her in.

When they returned from Hades, she and Regina were definitely going to have a talk about keeping all the phones (well hers and Max's) downstairs in the kitchen overnight to charge because they didn't need tired and grumpy pre-teens with bags under their eyes that were glued to their phones day and night.

Next she went to Max's room, and thankfully he was literally buried under his comforter set and happily snoring away, indicating that he was breathing just fine but Emma still threw a couple of his pillows onto the floor and pulled back the thick blanket just in case. When the Empress stepped back into the hallway, Rajah was there sitting near the top of the stairs. The majestic beast growled softly in greeting when Emma walked past her with a gentle tap on a pink nose. Emma and Rajah quietly did their rounds on the first floor of the Mills manor.

Momentarily, Emma looked around for Ruby before remembering that the wolf was out running around the new forest that surrounded Storybrooke with Gastine or Vin as she was known around town. A Dark Kingdom blacksmith back in the Enchanted Forest—Emma was just glad that Ruby was able to have a distraction from Belle and Pocahontas. And that was a drama she wasn't going to touch with a twenty foot pole. She cherished her friends, truly, and saw them all as family—but they had more personal drama than Cora's damn soap operas.

Emma was in the kitchen when she sensed it's presence just outside of the gates of the front side of the house. It wasn't dangerous, depending on who was asked, and the Empress quickly conjured up some appropriate clothing before stepping outside and quietly closing the door behind her. The two muscular and fair skinned red haired twins stopped when they saw the fully grown tiger trailing behind the Empress, and Brock Stabbington raised his hands slightly while his brother just grunted and tossed a small backpack towards Emma who caught it easily. The magic coming from the backpack was strong, it wasn't dark nor was it light. It was a balance of both and had no business being in an eight year old's possession.

Emma looked at the two brothers curiously as she shouldered the book, "And what of the boy? Adam?"

Braedon shrugged nonchalantly, "Alive...can't say the same for his old man though."

Emma hummed, nodding, "I'm sure no one will miss him very much. Alright, you kept your end of the deal—time for me to keep mine. How do you two feel about going to Hades?"

Brock and Braedon Stabbington looked at each other then back to Emma, "What's the pay like, Empress?"

Emma smirked at him, and Rajah sat directly in front of Emma, looking as deadly as she possibly could without being obvious about it, "Depends...what is that you boys want? Name it and it's yours. You want money? Have it. Land? Plenty we have to give. A list of names and addresses? All that I ask is that you do it off the books and out of town. I imagine that you've heard all of this particular monologue before, but I can assure you that...the Evil Queen and I can deliver and then some."

Braedon returned her smirk, the scar beneath his eye patch stretching slightly and Emma wasn't sure if she liked him smiling or not—it was creepy, even for her, "What 'bout all three?"

Emma's smirk turned into a wicked grin, one that could never be trusted, "Well, I can't answer question that until you answer mine."

Brock nudged his brother, it was too good of an offer to pass up; good work for room and board and pay? It was more than they got back in the other world, and the Evil Queen and the Empress was a good way to get yourself killed but the benefits were more than worth it.

"We're in, Empress."

"Good choice." Emma held out her hand that had been previously empty but now held a black card, and Braedon took the offered card warily, "Be here at midnight. I'll have your money when you arrive...until then boys, shop around town."

"How are we supposed to do that with no money."

"There are some shops around Storybrooke with the Dark Kingdom's insignia posted...show them that card and you'll be fine. Now get off of my property, you're dismissed."

Braedon nodded and turned to go with his twin brother Brock following after him, both brothers silently agreeing that their stay in Storybrooke was going to be lucrative after all. Emma watched the brothers disappear into the night before she turned and went back inside but there was something on her mind now that wouldn't rest. They had been set to sail early in the morning and not at midnight, but Emma felt that there was something more pressing that needed to be addressed first.

"C'mon Rajah, looks like I need to put on some coffee...and get you a snack, preferably one you can chase around the backyard, huh?"

Rajah growled, tail swishing and through her magical connection to the tiger—Emma knew she liked that idea very much.

SQ :: SWAN QUEEN :: SQ

That's how Regina found Emma later that morning, in her study downstairs hunched over a ton of papers and the Queen stepped over a few balled up ones that were on the floor, that have somehow missed the trash bin. She observed the empty coffee cup sitting near the edge of the desk, and the half eaten sandwich sitting next to it on a plate. And then there was Rajah—Rajah laying on her sofa, hugging a pillow between her massive paws and her jaw with the look of content Regina has seen on any animal.

Either way, Regina snapped her fingers and the fire place roared to life and Rajah's sleeping and undisturbed form was laying in front of it a safe distance away, and still clutching the pillow. Regina didn't want it back. Ever.

Emma yawned loudly and pushed her chair further back from the desk to give Regina room to sit down in her lap, wrapping her arms around the brunette's waist, "We leave in two hours, Emma, what are you doing down here? How long have you been awake?"

Emma bit back another yawn, a tear or two escaping, "I've been awake since midnight..."

"Midnight?" Regina looked down at the...at the various amounts of drawings, all colored and marked with notes in the old Elvin language, "Emma, is this a map of Storybrooke? What is all of this?"

"Last night I was thinking...we should our loose ends with our people before we leave for Hades. To establish who's in charge from the start, so we don't have to do a take over when we come back so I've been making a to do list for Cora and Ruby, this..." Emma leaned forward into her wife to pick up a drawing, "Is the official map of Storybrooke. I'll be explaining this to Cora and Ruby later, but the light green land is going to be the light sides problem. The rest of it is ours."

"Hmm," it was so detailed—Regina never knew Emma could draw so well. She figured that's where Max got his skill from, "You named most of these places after our favorite places from the Enchanted Forest, didn't you?"

"Yeah," Emma kissed Regina's robe covered shoulder, "I figured if we couldn't go back home...why not bring a little bit of it here."

"While I appreciate the sentiment, dear, did you have to but Crooksville so damn close to Storybrooke?"

"Well, it was either that or DuFrost...I know you love the place but not the people, so...I put them further East."

"Yes please." Regina sighed, combing her fingers through her medium length hair, "With Storybrooke becoming more overpopulated by the day...they're gonna start venturing out if they haven't already. We need to keep track of the who and the what's that are running around."

"Take care of our people before they have to take care of themselves." Emma finished tiredly, wanting nothing more than to go to sleep but she knew she would be able to sleep better when they finished all of this for good. "We're leaving tonight at midnight...I've already told the Fairy Queen. We have a meeting with her later..."

"Why, pray tell, would we have to meet with that insipid woman?"

"Better to keep our allies close, but our enemies closer."

"Alright, Swan, enough with the mysteries." Regina rose from Emma's lap, and sat on the edge of the desk, "Pitch me your plan, darling." Emma yawned again, settling her hands on top of Regina's bare legs before she started explaining, starting with her side mission involving the Stabbington brothers retrieving the magical book.

SQ :: SWAN QUEEN :: SQ

Later on that day at city hall...

Four of the most powerful women in Storybrooke were sitting in the Mayor's office, it was magically sealed off from outside interference. Emma and Regina sat on one side, while Mayah Faye and Ingrid sat on the other, and Elsa leaned on the wall next to the door—she was supposedly there for Ingrid's 'protection' but Emma thought they were both a joke. If that so called 'savior' got in her way, she'd do to her what she did to Mulan all of those years ago. Times ten.

Emma had the image of Storybrooke hovering above the coffee table and rotating accordingly so that they could all see what she and Regina were talking about.

"I don't trust either of you," Ingrid said when Regina was finished speaking and Emma rolled her eyes in annoyance, but Regina squeezed her wife's hand, silently telling her to be patient.

"You don't have to trust us," Regina sneered in the older Queen's direction, lips curling into a smirk, "But the fact remains that we, as always, have done your jobs for you. We've already claimed our lands and we will be developing on them before we leave for Hades so that Storybrooke will not be a chaotic mess upon our return."

Ingrid looked at them both with contempt, "Of course you will, and you just so happen to be kind enough to pick our land for us too?"

Regina bristled under the Ice Queen's tone, "Unless you want to wrangle the dragons, chimera's, and the various amounts of criminals and poisonous deities. Please, be our guest. Your job is easy, as always. All you people have to do is keep the birds and deer in line."

"Save it," Mayah snapped at them both, desperately trying to keep the peace, "The lands are even divided as we've already discussed on the sacred grounds. How are these road stops going to work?"

Emma conjured up something else and tossed it across the table, and it would've landed on the floor had Mayah not caught it just as it slid to the edge, and Elsa glared at the Empress, "This...looks like a drivers license?"

"It is," Emma confirmed dryly, "Congratulations. But it also acts as a passport, and general identification card for species and affiliation, and what region they reside in. They can't be faked, everyone has to register here in Storybrooke. Cora will take care of our people and you can appoint whoever for your own, um, commoners."

"And what if we wish to leave Storybrooke?" Mayah asked, truly curious—she was still wary of the two women sitting across from her but it seemed as if they were trying to do some good. They had a family of their own, and Mayah may not trust them but she could trust that they'd never cause harm to the family they worked so hard to obtain.

"As of right now, leaving is not an option. Not until we get back." Emma's tone bargained no room for argument and though Mayah was tempted to push the issue, they were running on a time frame.

"Yes, and while we are on the topic of that. Let me bring up revenue." Regina stood from the sofa and went over to her desk to pick up a manila folder and brought it back to the Fairy Queen, "Storybrooke has expanded, and so will the bills. We will not use magic to keep this place running. Jobs will be needed."

"And I suppose you thought of that as well?" Ingrid drawled condescendingly, and crossed her legs at the knee as she tossed the I.D card back onto the coffee table carelessly.

"We have," Emma confirmed smugly, "For us. Unless...you want us to, your highness? Thinking for other people isn't anything new. You could ask Snow White how that turned out for her, but you already know don't you?"

Elsa pushed off of the wall, but Emma remained seated and very much smug with her arm around Regina's shoulders as she eyed the Savior as if she were a just a child playing dress up, "Sit down before you hurt yourself, Savior."

"Better I hurt you, again, what's the matter Dark Knight. Scared?"

"Elsa, that's enough." Ingrid stood and pushed the younger back gently, and addressed the Fairy Queen, "I believe it's time that Elsa and I take our leave. Will you be alright?"

Mayah nodded, "Of course, I will be fine. I can handle myself."

Regina picked up the scrolls from the table and rolled them back up slowly, "Yes, don't worry—she is perfectly safe." there was something in Regina's tone that suggested otherwise but Mayah nodded for the Ice Queen and Savior to go ahead without her, she knew she wouldn't have quarrel with these two. Today. For now, they were all working towards the same goal—but she knew, she just knew deep in her gut, that once that goal was acquired. The consequences of everyone's past decisions will come to light and brought through various trials.

"And then there were three," Emma commented quietly, rubbing her tired eyes, "Was there something you'd like to add, Fairy?"

"Yes...just one question. Why are you two doing this? The whole Hades trip...I know it's not to just help Snow?"

"We're honoring our word with the Ice Queen." Regina responded politically, the perfect image of calm and collected with nothing to hide—a far cry from the truth. "We're not complete savages."

"But you have a another agenda. Don't you?" Regina and Emma shared a look that spoke volumes and created more suspicious questions than answers for the Fairy Queen. The Queen to two scrolls on the table and stood to take her leave, no longer feeling comfortable in the presence of the Evil Queen and her lover, "I will make good use of these, your consideration is much appreciated."

Regina regarded the older woman carefully, keeping her true thoughts hidden, "Do not mistake our generosity for kindness, Fairy. We are not friends, nor will we ever be."

Mayah smiled but it came out more as a grimace, but she wisely chose not to say anything and took her leave from the office and the moment the door closed Regina sealed the entire room shut, "That was exhausting."

"Yeah, I can't wait for this to all be over with."

"Were you able to get in contact with him?"

"Mmm..." Emma shifted slightly, slouching further into the comfortable sofa with her eyes closed, "He was pissed until I told him the plan. He's all for it now. It'll be ready in time, babe, don't worry—we'll win this time."

"What we're about to do will be more than worth it. Now that we have control of the book...they won't see it coming." Regina leaned into her wife's embrace, feeling Emma's magic thrumming through her body so fast that she was practically vibrating rhythmically to her heart beat, "When was the last time you had a good nights rest, Emma?" Regina was aware that Emma was using an alarming amount of her magic lately, but she didn't think the Empress would be able to tax herself out so quickly but now that Regina's thought about it—Emma had been going non stop since the fire and the second curse.

"I'm fine, baby, I just need a little nap..."

Regina patted Emma's stomach through her silk work out shirt and as much as she wanted to let Emma stay and indulge herself in a nap, they still had things to do still and she vowed to make it up to Emma later when they were alone. The Evil Queen sighed heavily, and hauled her wife to her feet gently with ease, "We can't Emma, we still have things to do, but I promise we can sleep later."

Emma sighed heavily, trying to will away the throbbing headache that was beginning to pester at her nerves, but Regina was right—their plans needed their full attention. They had everything riding on this, however, before Regina could open the door, Emma stopped her and pulled the brunette into a tight hug that was immediately returned, just as tight if not tighter.

"I love you, Gina, so much and this is going to work, alright? It is."

"I love you, Swan," Regina mumbled into Emma's shirt at her neck, hands traveling up Emma's strong beneath her shit and holding the blonde close.

SQ :: SWAN QUEEN :: SQ

Back at the Mills manor...

Cora was downstairs watching TV in the living with Ruby, because somehow, she managed to rope the wolf into her daytime TV shows and Maddi and Max were in the game room looking through the magical book they found in the study downstairs. They had been looking for their mothers this morning only to find that they had gone into town and Ruby and Cora were there to keep them company and out of trouble.

"This book has so much," Max marveled with wide eyes, turning the pages as fast as he dared without missing anything.

Maddi frowned, looking up from her phone, "I thought you seen this book before?"

"I have, but...it grew! Holy crap..." he whispered, finding something particular, "Holy...Maddi, look. Look!"

Maddi rolled her eyes at him and took the book from her twin to see what had him so excited and once she was finished reading the paragraph, the nine year old girl slammed the book shut and held it close to her chest, her cellphone and best friend forgotten for the time being, "They can do that?"

"They can do anything. And Adam is gonna be looking for this soon, we can't let him have this back. He'll warn Snow White."

"And Snow White already wants them dead," Maddi frowned, not liking the thought of being with her mom, or Regina—especially after she just found her and was getting used to having her around twenty four-seven.

"Mop head won't get near this book. No if we can help it, so we gotta hide it. But where?"

"Um," Max shrugged, then he smiled, perking up, "Moms car?"

"What?"

"Moms car! It's guarded by her magic and—" Maddi rolled her eyes at him, and stood still holding onto the book, "Hey! Where are you going?!"

"To hide the book, stupid."

"Don't call me stupid, stupid." he said as he scrambled to his feet and followed after his sister, but she didn't go downstairs like he expected her to, instead she went into the game room and closed and locked the door after him, "What are we doing in here?"

Maddi ignored his question, and made a beeline for the popcorn machine and used the key to open the machines cabinet door. "We're gonna put it in here...no one is gonna look in here for it, and if they do, I don't think they'll look here."

"I wouldn't."

"Exactly," Maddi set the book on the floor and began removing the kettle bags and the popcorn bags, and Max got on the floor next to her and helped.

It had taken them a few tries to get it right but by the time Ruby came upstairs to check on them, nothing was amiss and the twins were sitting on the sofa and the chair in the game room playing Call of Duty with their respective headsets on. The wolf took a curious look around the room before leaving them to and going back downstairs, and the twins did an air-five, never taking their eyes off the screen. They may not be able to physically help their parents, but they were going to do what they could. And if it meant keeping that magical book of magical secrets safe—then so be it.

SQ :: SWAN QUEEN :: SQ

SQ :: SWAN QUEEN :: SQ

You guys should know that Regina and Emma don't just do things out of the kindness of their hearts, lmao. See you next time.

All mistakes are my own.