Chapter 3

Sitting at the breakfast island, Emma counted down the minutes until there was a knock at the door. Hearing the knock on cue, Emma couldn't help but smile at how prompt Regina is. "It's open"

Walking inside, Regina looks over at Emma. "Have you got it?"

Emma rolls her eyes at how demanding she is. "Oh hi Emma how are you doing this morning?". Regina nods a little and walks over." I'm sorry hello Emma". Smiling at her, Emma plants a quick kiss on her. "Hi Regina and not yet you will have it by midday"

Standing up, Emma walks over to the door for her jacket." Actually I..said I would..help David this morning.."

Looking at her Regina frowns. "Can you hear that?"

Emma looks back looking like a deer caught in a headlight. "Hear what?"

Regina looks around confused. "like a..thumping"

Emma quickly stands in front of her. "it's next door..they are redecorating"

Regina looks at her raising an eyebrow. "okay...I'll see you back here at midday"

"Yup" Emma nods and opens the door for her giving a smile as she walks out.

Pacing up and down, Emma waits until it's clear before following the thumping noise to the box in the floorboard. Retrieving it, Emma opens it to check then heads outside herself. Setting herself into her bug, Emma drives back to the farm house unaware that a certain mayor watches her drive off. Regina frowns. "that is not the direction of the sheriff's office.." Walking across the road, Regina checks that it is clear before crouching down and placing a hand on the Tarmac making a light appear following the direction of Emma.

Emma looks around the farm house sighing. Placing her hands on her hip she yells. "Enough games zelena! I have what you want!"

Turning back to the car, Emma freezes feeling a sharp pain. Looking to her left she sees a grinning witch squeezing her heart. "Don't leave just yet I heard you now hand it over!"

Closing her eyes a second, Emma grits her teeth. "mine...first"

Zelena chuckles watching her." You think I'm going to fall for that.."

Trying to straighten herself up, Emma shakes her head. "no I don't..think about last time if I get my heart and don't hand Regina's over you'll kill me"

Zelena thinks it over and looks at Emma's heart releasing it. "true..but I'd make her watch and rumple always said to not break a deal..catch!"

Smirking zelena throws the heart in her direction. "now the box"

Emma looks down at the box opening it holding her own heart in her other hand. Hearing footsteps behind Emma looks over wide eyed seeing Regina. Regina glares feeling betrayed and turns her attention to her sister. Zelena smiles at her. "just in time sis"

Regina looks back to a guilty looking Emma."I'm..sorry..Regina I.." Looking down at her hand the box disappears and reappears in zelena's hand surrounded by green smoke. "so that's...brains...courage and now a heart" taking the heart out the box she holds it up for Regina to see and gives it a squeeze. Realising what she is doing Emma shoots a look as Regina frowns at not feeling pain. Looking over at a worried looking Emma, Regina realises and winces causing zelena to laugh and disappear.

Looking at the spot where zelena was, Regina glances over at Emma. "That wasn't my heart..."

Emma looks down." I know..hopefully she won't find that out until whatever she's doing doesn't work...give us time.."

"No"

Emma looks over at a pissed looking Regina. "no?"

Regina glares at her." Not give us time you are not getting involved...no one else is I've had it with the scheming..it's between zelena and I end of" Regina looks at her a moment and turns to walk away. Emma watches mentally cursing herself. "Regina wait.."

Regina looks over waiting not impressed. "what"

Emma looks down at her heart."I..I..don't know how to put it back.." She mutters quietly looking down. Sighing Regina walks back over and takes it. "it will hurt a second"

Lifting the heart up, Regina feels Emma's hand grab her arm to stop her. "keep it"

Regina looks up at her watching the blonde look back. "Keep it until this is all over and were safe...you have my heart anyway" Emma explains metaphorically gaining a small smile from the mayor before she nods. "Okay...I'll keep it safe..because I'm not having a repeat of what happened"

Emma nods resting her head against Regina's a moment before taking her hand. Regina grips her hand slightly going to walk, looking over at the blonde."I'm still mad at you.." Emma nods sadly." And I'm really sorry ill make it up to you I promise"

Hearing her daughters footsteps coming down the steps from the attic, Mary Margaret bites her lip bracing herself. Emma frowns sitting at the table. "morning and why are you looking at me like that?"

Mary Margaret shakes her head smiling. "nothing are you working with David today?". Emma nods starting to look at a book which causes Mary Margaret to turn back to breakfast. Looking down at the book the blonde frowns. "what the...it's blank..why...". Sighing Emma slams the book shut and heads out leaving Mary Margaret to jump at the door slamming.

Walking straight into the mayor's office, Emma also makes Regina jump as she slams the door making her presence known. Regina looks over from a potion she is making and clearly notices the blonde is not in the best of moods. "what's the matter?" Regina asks going back to the potion peering into the nearby book every known again. Emma steps forward to the table glaring." You tell me".

Regina stops again looking over."I'm sorry I don't quite follow" giving Emma a slight smile knowing full well what the matter is.

"You have put some sort of spell on me so I can't use magic...my spell book was blank..even yours!"lifting the book off the table Emma glares at her.

"Correction dear you can use your magic...your own magic as for spells...potions anything around the subject of research is a no..I told you I am doing this on my own and I knew full well you are not capable of standing back"

"I get it I do that you want to protect everyone to prove that you've redeemed yourself and also so I don't get hurt but you can't do this ..taking away someone's control is what Cora would do"

Hearing Emma's speech, Regina stops and puts the bottle down looking over clearly hurt. Emma looks back and continues.

"And your nothing like her..I thought were suppose to be in this together?"

Regina gives an unbelieving laugh. "in this together? We're you thinking that when you plotted against zelena without my knowing?"

"You were gona give up and give her your heart! At least I gave her different!"

Both women sigh and look at each other a moment before Emma speaks up again."Are we always gona end up fighting?"

Regina shrugs and sighs again before answering.

"It's..what we do best..but we always do it with good intentions even if it is technically wrong"

"Guess were more alike than we thought..not just messed up childhoods"

Regina looks back at the table then Emma.

"Okay..what if we compromise..because whether we like it or not ..bad things are going to keep on coming..there are always going to be obstacles and I know how stubborn you are with wanting to help...from now on..all cards on the table..no sneaking..lies keeping information from one another..we work together. I can't say that ill like it because you could get hurt but-"

"You could get hurt too..and you don't deserve any more pain than what you've been through..like I said what's past is past your Regina.."

Nodding Regina gives a small smile to the blonde and holds her hand out which Emma shakes.

"So what are you working on.."

Emma sits herself on the table and watches Regina go back to the potion.

"Hopefully..a summoning spell.."

"To summon who?"

"Glinda..see if she can help"

Emma nods and thinks. "isn't there a way to get rid of her magic..then she'd be screwed"

Regina looks at her and smiles shaking her head at the use of Emma's language in the sentence. "I have looked into that but it's like ..it's a part of her she has something that is magic.."

"Like a talisman?"

Regina thinks for a moment. "yes...like a talisman..you might be on to something there.."

Emma grins. "see I am useful"

"Never said you weren't dear..okay stand back"

Jumping off the table, Emma follows suit with Regina stepping back as she smashes the potion bottle in front of them revealing an unfamiliar blonde. Emma raises an eyebrow. "Looks like you got glinda"

Regina looks at her frowning." How did you kn...never mind we haven't got long before zelena feels her presence"

Looking back at the smiling witch, Regina starts to explain while Emma stares curiously. "Hold on..how would zelena sense you here?"

The blonde witch looks at her. "We all have the same magic ..we are linked as sisters"

Emma frowns. "Linked?...same magic...talisman..emerald!"

Emma looks at Regina sussing it gaining a confused look from the brunette. " she has the same necklace as glinda but herself is emerald..if we took it off her would she lose her magic?"

Emma looks at glinda again with her question receiving a nod.

"Well yes but I fear that the magic has taken over her too strongly ..she could die"

Regina cuts in."Not a problem she took Emma's heart so we can take hers"

Emma looks over at Regina worried at her cold response.

Author's note: long time sorry! hope you enjoy it seemed to me like a shorter chapter so sorry if it is!