Hearts: Something Broken can Indeed be Fixed

So I was catching up on my OUAT and I got the sudden urge to write a swan queen fic. This isn't my first, but I'm a tad rusty, so do forgive me if I'm a tad off.

This is post-curse, and occurs right after Emma and Mary Margaret return from the other world. The assumed relationship is one of I-don't-hate-you-but-I'm-not-quite-ready-to-be-civ il-yet between Emma and Regina. Let's see if we can make some magic happen, shall we?

Emma sighed with relief when she saw that Regina had been unharmed. She realized that after a blast like that, any other person would have been dead in an instant. Emma didn't know why, but Regina was beginning to grow on her. Perhaps maybe they could be civil, at least.

Emma's smile was wider than it should have been when she saw Regina walk into Granny's holding lasagna. She was highly elated to see the woman, and her little "Sorry I'm late" was just too adorable to go unmentioned in her thoughts.

As the night progressed, Emma kept getting pulled away by different people, when really the only person she actually wanted to speak to aside from Henry was Regina. She wanted to thank her for everything she had done; she wanted to thank her for changing for Henry, and most of all, she wanted to…well she wouldn't go too far as to saying that.

When Regina got up to leave, Emma happened to see it out of the corner of her eye, and paused her conversation with Dr. Hopper. "Give me just a moment, sir" came her quick reply as she chased after Regina in a brisk jog.

Their conversation proceeded as it normally would have; civil, rude…rude…civil. Just before she turned to leave though, Regina made a proposition to Emma she only hoped Emma would accept. "Have a drink at my house with me after this…this gathering, tonight?"

Emma suddenly felt a slight flush, and assumed it was only the night's chill setting in, and nodded her head with a brief "sure" before heading back inside. She smiled at Regina once more, who then said, "I'll see you then" and turned to leave.

Emma went back inside, but before she did, she turned to see Regina's hips sway just a tad more than usual as she turned the corner to go home.

The night then passed by much more slowly for Emma, at least more slowly than she liked.

Regina however, was a different story.

Cora and Hook stood atop the building watching Regina head home to her mansion, and decided to lay low for at least a short while until they could make some useful damage happen.

Regina put her key into the lock and opened the door to her home with ease, and as soon as she dropped her purse on the floor beside the chair in the foyer, Regina slumped her shoulders in both relief and fatigue. Who knew all of this could make me so tired? Regina thought to herself, removing her jacket and shoes simultaneously.

Once she felt more comfortable walking around the house, Regina poured herself a drink and sat down in the living room by the fireplace so she could think.

Why was Emma all of a sudden so interested in her well-being? Was it because of Henry, or was it because of…why the hell was she all of a sudden concerning herself with the well-being of Emma?! Regina thought it was silly, but deep down, Regina knew she had a bit of a crush on Emma. Was that why she'd invited Emma over for drinks?

Shit! She thought, cursing herself for possibly leading Emma on. Did Emma think I wanted something more than friendship? Does she think I think she's my knight in shining armor who's come to save me too? Ah, who am I kidding… She probably only thinks I want to be civil so that I can show I've changed more for Henry.

Regina finished her drink in a single sip and decided to shower and change before Emma got there so she didn't still smell like death and Granny's in her own home.

Emma said her good-byes to the few patrons left at Granny's that evening, and made her way outside into the cooling night air. She was glad most everyone had left earlier in the evening, but she really wished she could have made it out sooner than she did. Emma called Regina's house phone when she got to her car, and sighed when it went straight to the answering machine. Emma left a brief message to say she was on her way, and she drove off towards the mayor's mansion.

Regina had just gotten out of the bathtub whenever Emma called, and she stood in nothing but a towel as she listened to Emma's message on the answering machine. Regina let out a quick expletive and went to get dressed in a hurry. When Emma arrived, Regina came to the door still drying her wet hair with a towel, but fully dressed.

Emma walked into the mansion, and although she had been in there several times before, she continually admired the designs, décor, and cleanliness the house maintained. She followed Regina into the study and accepted the tumbler of amber liquid when Regina handed it to her.

"I can't thank you enough for this, Regina" Emma said, taking a sip of the strong liquid. It tasted like apples and cinnamon.

"Well I imagine after an ordeal such as the one you had today, a strong drink would be in order." Regina smiled as Emma took another sip of the beverage and winced slightly. "It's an old recipe. I call it Apple Pie Delight." Regina took a sip from her own tumbler and reveled in the feel of the liquor mixing with the flavor of the apples and cinnamon.

"It's definitely interesting, Regina. How did you make it so smooth?" Emma felt her face begin to flush slightly again. Was the drink really that strong right now, or was Regina's closeness having an effect on her? Emma realized it was the latter when her knees began to lightly buckle at Regina's toothy grin.

"Well it's just me here now, and I don't drink all that often, so it gets to sit for a while. The recipe even calls for it to sit for at least 24 hours after making it. I take it you like it?" Regina's hands were shaking, and she could only hope the alcohol would minimize it before Emma noticed. What was it about her close proximity that caused Regina to get a lump in her throat?

"I do. Would it be too presumptuous to ask for another?" Emma asked, a weak and tired smile creeping across her face. Why wasn't this booze taking any effect?!

Regina responded with a "Help yourself!" and watched Emma's backside as she poured herself some more of the lovely concoction.

As Emma poured her drink, Regina felt her glass slip out of her hands, and before she could catch it, it had fallen on the carpet and cracked. "Dammit" Regina said, blushing as she picked up the cracked tumbler. She saw that Emma had turned around when she heard the thud of the tumbler, and she felt ever so slightly embarrassed at her mishap.

"Maybe you should cut back a bit on it, Madame Mayor?" Emma said with a crooked smile as Regina set the glass on a table by a large bookshelf. Regina felt herself blush even harder at the comment, and decided to change the subject to something more appropriate, such as Henry.

"Tell me Miss Swan, how is Henry? He seems to be quite happy now that you're back."

Emma almost choked on her drink after hearing Henry's name, and let out a slight cough before giving her answer. "He's doing great, really. And he was so happy to see you tonight. I cannot tell you how much it meant to m—him. How much it meant to him."

Regina barely caught the almost Freudian slip, but she managed to catch it, and when she did, Regina realized that Emma too had been feeling something slightly more than friendship for her, and Regina had a feeling that it wasn't because of the alcohol either.

"Miss Swan, I want to tell you something. It may be why I invited you here tonight, I'm not really sure, but I did want to ask you a question."

"And what's that, Madame Mayor?" Emma asked, setting her glass down.

Just as Emma set down the tumbler, the front door to the mansion burst open, and both Cora and Hook strode in, wisps of purple smoke billowing at the hem of Cora's dress.

"Alas, we meet again." Hook said, eyeing both Emma and then Regina.

The two women had no idea what to do, and they looked at each other for help.

"Mother, what are you doing here? How did you even get to Storybrooke?" Regina asked, tears beginning to fill in her eyes.

"I've come to get what I want," Cora said with an evil grin. "And you are going to be the one person who gives me what I want."

"And what are you doing here, Hook?" Emma asked, keeping a sharp eye on the formerly handsy pirate.

"You could say I was just along for the ride," Hook said with an evil grin and a wink.

"Mother, get out. Get out right now. You cannot be here!" Regina stated, her voice continually getting louder as she uttered each syllable. "You have no place here in Storybrooke; none at all!" By now Regina was close to shouting, and she could feel the hate beginning to boil inside her.

What Regina didn't know was that it wasn't hate…it was magic.

Cora being…well Cora, decided to make quick work of her trip, and stood facing Regina and drove her hand inside Regina's chest in one swift motion to remove her heart. Regina felt a tear fall down her cheek when she realized that there was no heart for Cora to take, but in the same instant, Regina smiled, and pushed Cora back to the far wall of the Study.

"You took EVERYTHING I had, Mother. You took Daniel, you made me evil. Now I think it's time I return the favor." Regina was shouting behind tears, and she watched as she used her hand to keep Cora against the wall and she began to choke her as hard as she could.

Just then, Hook came up behind Regina and placed his hook at the base of her neck. Regina paused her actions for a moment, but kept Cora pinned firmly.

"You may want to rethink your actions there, your majesty." Hook said, the tip of his hook just barely digging into her flesh.

Just then Regina heard something crash and break up against Hook's head, and before she knew it, he was knocked out cold. Regina looked and saw that Emma had used the cracked tumbler to hit him across the head, and she could have easily kissed Emma then and there, but she had some more important matters to take care of first.

Regina looked back at Cora, who stayed there pinned against the wall, completely motionless and in tears. Regina smiled once more, and while keeping her eye on Cora, motioned for Emma, stating, "Miss Swan please look in the pocket of my pea coat. I have something that will take care of this…this woman in an instant."

Emma came back with the spinning needle that had been poisoned with the sleeping curse on it, and she handed it to Regina. "Any last words, mother?" Regina said, getting a good feel on the needle.

Cora realized she couldn't speak even if she wanted to, and realized the true power Regina had over her. Regina then threw the needle directly into Cora's chest, sending the point directly through Cora's heart. As Cora's body fell to the floor, a wisp of purple smoke came over her, and she disappeared.

As Regina turned to look at Emma, she noticed that Emma looked a little strange, and moved fast enough just in time to catch Emma as she fell to the floor as well.

"NO! What happened?! Emma! What?! This isn't possible! You didn't even prick your finger! Oh my god! This CANNOT be happening!" Regina shouted at the top of her lungs. She had already lost so much. She didn't want to lose Emma now.

"No, Emma. I can't lose you! I-" Regina paused for a moment and felt something warm in her chest. For the first time in 28 years, she felt a heartbeat. It was love. Regina had found true love once more.

"Emma, you can't do this. You can't. I—I love you."

As Regina whispered the last three words through her tears, she bent down and kissed Emma on the lips with all of her strength.

First, there was a wave that passed over Emma and Regina that Regina couldn't see, and for a moment, Regina thought it hadn't worked. She began to cry more as she held Emma's body in her arms. Emma opened her eyes and took in a sharp breath, and realized who had brought her back. Regina looked into Emma's eyes with her tear-stained one, and in shock, questioned if it really was her. "Emma?" Regina barely scratched out.

Emma smiled her crooked little smile, and looked at her index finger. "Damn I hate paper cuts" she said as she showed Regina the small bead of dried blood on her finger tip.

Regina thought she would cry some more, but instead she just smiled at Emma's wit, and kissed her once again, hoping the blonde would get the idea and reciprocate.

Emma got the hint, and reciprocated the fierce kiss with a passion that blazed all throughout her body.

When they parted, Emma looked at Regina, and asked dumbfounded, "so, you do mean it? You really do love me?"

Regina looked at Emma with a twinkle in her eye and a smile on her lips and said, "My dear Miss Swan, it is only True Love's Kiss that can break any spell."

End.

Don't worry, I'm continuing. But please do send me a review. It will help speed up the process.