Regina's Most Dreadful Nightmare

Chapter Four

Summary: (Prequel to A Promise Kept) Apparently the only nightmare worse than Emma Swan killing her was the horror of living with her. Swan Queen.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters contained here within. This is meant for entertainment purposes and is not used for profit. I also do not own any of the many references in this story.

Author's Note: This is the prequel to A Promise Kept, and will be written in conjunction with it. Names are used intentionally, like in APK. The tone of this story is lighter, to balance out APK, although there will be a fair deal of serious parts. Many things will eventually crop up in APK and the plot of this story will be integral to the relationships Regina develops in APK and its sequel, most notably hers with Emma. This story takes place during the events of 2.01 'Broken.'

Chapter Note: Thanks for all the reviews, favourites and alerts! They mean so much to me, as is your continued support! I love to read your thoughts. A Promise Kept includes heavy allusions to this story. That being said, welcome to the last chapter. Sadness, so I tossed in some Swan Queen sexy-times. How awful for everyone. I had so much fun with this story and I'm heartened by the dedication shown to it. Please head on over to APK to continue this story. The third part will be released in January or February 2013 by my estimations and that will detail the events leading up to Regina's Most Dreadful Nightmare, including Swan Queen becoming official. If you have any questions, please feel free to PM me on FFN or ask a question on my Tumblr account!

Otherwise, this chapter will answer any lingering questions about how Regina landed in the future and will show you where A Promise Kept got its title.

All my love.

If Emma Swan thought she could canoodle with Regina Mills whenever she pleased, she had another thing coming.

For one, Emma was Regina's, not the other way around. This meant that Regina could use Emma as her own personal teddy if she so desired, which she most certainly did not. This did not give Swan license to fling herself on top of Regina while they slept nor to have clamped her arms around Regina in a most undesirable vice–like grip.

All magic comes with a price.

The price of a decent rest was being forced to deal with Swan's parasitic attachment to Regina's admittedly wonderful body.

Regina hates magic, but more than that, she hates how much she loves it.

Swan's muffled garbles strike uncomfortably against Regina's neck.

"Swan." Regina is stiff as a board.

Another unintelligible response that Swan can actually chalk up to being mostly unconscious.

Still unacceptable.

"Emma," Regina growls but is hesitant to shove Swan off. She would be unable to get a decent handhold on anything, what with the way Swan was draped over her body.

"M' pillow's talkin'….s'trouble…." Swan mumbled and drooled slightly on Regina.

Regina gagged before committing a self–induced seizure. "EMMA!"

Her roar roused Swan to the point of her tilting her head so that her eyelashes began fluttering underneath Regina's jaw, tickling her with their rapid movements.

"I dun wanna go ta werk," Swan blearily huffed and settled for increasing her grip on Regina and made her legs capture Regina's own.

Imprisoned in her own bed, Regina was learning to take each disappointment and nightmare in stride. "How you immediately wakened last night by nothing more than a slight touch of my hand is beyond me. Stop whining and get off me, you have a duty to your people."

Swan grunted and shook her head, causing the waves of her hair to fall across Regina's clavicles, sending a trail of fire in their wake. Regina resigned herself to yet another hardship of her seemingly endless nightmare.

"Princess. Saviour. Sheriff."

Each title caused Emma to bury her nose further into Regina.

Regina was not pleased. Her sternal notch was not created for Emma's nose.

"Rise," Regina commanded in her most regal tone.

Emma stilled and that was the first clue that Regina received that perhaps she should have taken more care in choosing her words. First, Emma's arms slithered off of Regina's body in a most wretched fashion before Emma rolled her hips to position herself above Regina. Regina was distracted from life by being mesmerized by the way the curls of Emma's hair fell off her shoulders.

"There," Emma husked and Regina was stricken with the idea of brushing a fallen strand of hair from Emma's face. So she did. Emma leaned into Regina's hand as if were some safety flotation device, sent to save her from the sea of reality.

Ha, Regina smirked to herself, as if Emma could be the only Saviour.

Then Swan had to go and ruin all of Regina's fun by sending her that look. Emma would flutter her eyelashes several times as if they were the cogs grinding to create that iridescent smile that followed. Her beauty was ineffable when she did this and Regina was incensed that it never ceased to fill her with longing every time it happened.

Perhaps that's why Emma did it.

Basically, Regina told herself, she wasn't to blame for the effect it had on her. That's what made her death–grip on the sheets release and cause her to snake her left hand up Emma's neck, traversing its way into her hair. Emma sighed like Regina had just bestowed upon her the joy of transcendent bliss.

For all Swan knew, Regina very well could have. She was talented like that.

Taking her sweet time, Emma leaned down and spoke against Regina's lips, each word a tantalizing torture in their sick mockery of a kiss. "I can't get enough of your scar," she purrs, the words vibrating against Regina's lips. She had the audacity to accentuate her factual statement by running the tip of her tongue along the length of the scar.

How dare she pull out such a seductive move, Regina inwardly seethed while her traitorous body overcompensated for her desires by propelling itself toward Emma. Regina shut that down and forced an apathetic posture.

Seduction was Regina's forte. Clearly, she would have to amplify her efforts. She would not desist until the expression on Emma's face was of one who was thoroughly had.

The first step would be to reflect Swan's brazen tactics.

"I never tire of hearing accolades for this facial bane," Regina allowed her bottom lip to drop slightly more than needed, causing it to stick momentarily against Emma's before returning to its proper smirk. Emma seemed so troubled by the maneuver that her whole body trembled.

As if she could resist the true master of seduction. Regina's smirk was not in the least conceited.

Swan's retaliation for Regina's checkmate was to rear back and yank Regina's wrists forward and slam them back against the bed, effectively pinning Regina down.

Regina had to remind herself not to desire a pat–down.

"Why am I not surprised that you love to hear about yourself?"

"Only praises, dear," Regina corrected and allowed her satisfaction to grow at Swan's impatience. Apparently Swan was used to Regina melting under her scorching gaze or some such nonsense. Swan would have to work for whatever she got because Regina wasn't into the whole charity business.

Swan renewed her passionate glare–gaze like it was some sort of winning combo. Regina made an ostensive move by licking her lower lip and scored yet another point.

Then the doorbell rang and Emma dropped her head to Regina's shoulder and openly wept. "Why does this always happen to me?" Swan lamented and she lifted her head to meet Regina's gaze.

Swan looked so stupidly hurt that Regina was compelled to console her. "There, there, dear. The only thing wounded was your libido."

"I'm quite fond of that," Swan grumbled and dug the heel of her hand into her eyes. Regina was filled with such exquisite agony at Emma's distress it broke her face into a smile. "Oh, crap."

"What has crapped on your parade?" Regina busied herself by running her hand through Emma's hair to de-tangle it. Her other hand went rogue.

"Today's the stupid fair," Emma dropped her head to murmur her words against Regina's neck. Regina refused to stroke Emma's ego by reacting.

"Fair for what? Saviour Day?" Regina choked back a giggle when Emma's fingers began to tickle her ribs. She committed a most grievous error by gripping Emma tighter to her body instead of shoving Emma off. Regina was losing sight of her true objective.

Regina slackened her grip on Emma. What was her objective? Her hands continued to ghost over Emma's body of their own accord, Emma's giggles searing themselves into the thin skin above Regina's sternum. She was becoming distracted by Emma, that's what was happening. Regina wasn't supposed to be here, in bed, in the future, with Emma Swan, flirting as if it made her happy.

"No, it's the 'Showcase Your Hidden Talents and Try and Pawn it Off' fair," Emma finally answered and relented her assault on Regina, drawing back to rest herself on her legs.

Strange, Regina thought. Emma was sitting on her but there was hardly any pressure. It was almost as if Emma was taking extra care not to hurt her, to make sure Regina was safe.

The memory of the events of the previous night caused Regina to draw in a short breath which she covered up quickly by engaging Emma in conversation. "Talent is such a strong word," Regina drawled and it elicited a laugh from Emma.

"Yeah, well, my mom is probably here to pick you up. You two coordinate it every year," Emma explained further but made no move to get off Regina.

This pleased Regina little. Trapped under Swan, only to be released to be trapped with Snow while dealing with the common folk. Regina would probably have to pretend they were skilled and be forced to dish out platitudes.

"Regina? You look like you're going to lose consciousness again," Swan started fanning Regina's face. Regina would have none of that and swatted Swan's hands away, the latter presuming it to be some sort of childish foreplay and began batting hands with Regina.

"Hmph, I care so little I almost passed out," Regina mumbled. She could hear Snow's cheerful chattering floating up the steps and resigned herself to another day of birds, puppies and rainbows. For Henry.

"Hey, maybe if you feign illness I can stay home with you," Swan waggled her eyebrows and Regina was mildly impressed that she picked up advanced vocabulary skills. Obviously they must have transferred from Regina's tongue.

This was most certainly a trap and Regina was the spider, not the fly. Taking advantage of her prey's false sense of security, Regina thrust her hips up and rolled, tossing Swan off the bed. She landed with an ungainly squawk and a flushed face and Regina flipped into survival mode.

"That is so not fair!" Swan pounded the floor in a prelude to a temper tantrum before scrambling toward Regina.

Regina squealed as she bolted out of her room, Swan giving chase. Regina nearly crashed and burned down the spiral staircase but prevailed and earned flying colours while Swan was not so lucky and cursed as she skidded into the railway. Pausing to make sure Swan wasn't crippled, Regina realized she had a smile screwed onto her face that was probably visible from every angle.

"There you two are!" Snow stood at the foot of the stairs, Henry next to her, with her hands on her hips like some sort of matron. Regina stuck her tongue out at Snow out of spite. The little minx had the audacity to reciprocate in kind. "Regina, we're going to be late! And Emma! I hope you don't get any internal bleeding." The snort that left Regina's nose was entirely unintentional.

Snow beamed up at Regina and held two coffee cups in her hands, bouncing on her heels and wiggling her fingers around the cups. Regina sincerely hoped that the one designated for her wouldn't spill over. Or maybe it would be best if it did slosh a little and crisped the fingertips of Snow so that she couldn't feel things for several days. Regina inwardly cackled with dark amusement.

"C'mon, Regina! Neal's already setting up our booth!"

Regina's amusement dwindled alongside her spiral into mental anguish.

Regina wanted to set herself on fire. Not only did she have to endure Swan slobbering on her but then she was forced to sit through an agonizingly long drive to City Hall with Snow and her merry, chipper and obnoxiously endearing babbling. First she talked about the fair and how the townsfolk loved it and what great fun she and Regina had planning it, and oh, of course not, Regina, we didn't braid each other's hair or paint our toenails but we baked cookies, Emma's favourite, you're always so sweet to her, and blah blah blah.

Now Regina had to witness the father of her son and her wife's ex–lover attempt to construct an awning on the booth she and Snow were to occupy for the duration of the day so they could exchange pleasantries with the people passing through. Was there no end to her suffering, Regina internally bemoaned.

"Hey, Snow, Regina!" Neal waved an arm exuberantly and Regina cursed her mind for seeing the similarities to Henry. "I don't know what's up with this cloth, Snow, but it refuses to work for me. Maybe Regina can get it to work?" With that said, Neal unleashed some sort of lusty smile at Regina and he sat down on top of the booth and posed like a pin–up girl.

"Details of your incompetence do not interest me," Regina huffed as she stalked to the booth, Snow latching onto her arm. As if Regina could possibly escape this mad–house maze of shoddy booths that littered her once precious and well–kept lawn in front of City Hall. People were beginning to congregate the area and Regina swallowed the bile in her throat enough to wave back and smile when greetings were sent her way.

"Awww, still not back to your old self? Or is it your future self?" Neal pondered. A futile attempt, Regina thought charitably. Regina held the firm belief that additional head trauma occasionally solved initial defects.

"You've just got it backwards, Neal," Snow unknowingly interceded. Preventing Regina from the pursuit of scientific inquiry, that was certainly a new low, even for her. Regina was sure to remember this.

"Oh, okay, I thought you were going for some neo–hipster style," Neal joked and Snow instantly fell prey to his boyish charms. It was a good thing Regina had immunity. She would not allow herself to be swayed when it looked like he was going to ingratiate himself further into the family. That was Regina's job and she had years of class over his of kiss–ass.

Regina swiftly discarded her empty cup next to Neal and went to the task of fixing the awning. He probably did a poor job on purpose, Regina mulled as she flipped the cloth to its proper side and affixed it securely to the booth. "Excellent. Now the light of day won't burn our flesh."

Neal and Snow laughed at Regina's statement. She was confused; was the truth secretly hilarious?

What was truly hilarious was the way Regina's mind slowly shattered into a million pieces as the morning dragged on. Apparently there were no secrets between her and Snow and their relationship was restored had advanced to some brand–spanking new higher level. This meant that Regina got to enjoy the thrill of girl–talk with Snow while having the joy of on–going commentary from the peanut gallery. Regina had no idea how her future self hadn't gone bonkers if she 'hung out' nearly daily with Snow. Emma was tolerable, if only because Regina could kiss her. Add to that all the townsfolk signing up at their booth and talking amicably with Regina…well, she couldn't fathom the happiness she felt when she sensed Emma had arrived.

"What's that, Regina?" Neal cupped a hand to his ear and leaned toward Regina. "Timmy fell down the well again? Emma's here?"

The boiling point Regina had was usually quite high, her iron–will nearly unbreakable. Neal began scanning the area for Emma eagerly and Regina felt the lid blow off on her self–control. Regina was assured of Emma's devotion but it would seem that Neal needed to be taught a lesson not to interfere with that which was rightfully Regina's. He may have been a crook that desecrated her Emma but he gave her Henry. Regina could not begrudge him of that. She knew Emma was his, once upon a time. She saw how they would look at each other. However, Emma was always to be Regina's to love. If Snow hadn't put her in that infernal wardrobe, Regina would have raised Emma herself. It just so happened to have worked out even better this way. She got to love Emma in a way she never thought possible, plus she got Henry who was the shining star in the travails of her existence.

Snow spoiled Regina's sinister machinations by laying a gently hand on Regina's forearm. "Regina," she warned with a hint of a smile.

Regina patted Snow's hand. "Nothing permanent will befall him."

"Does that include mental scarring?"

"No promises."

Snow laughed.

"Hey, there she is. Looks like she got swindled into helping fix Granny's booth," Neal pointed in the direction Regina already knew Emma to be located in. The foul ring was some sort of homing beacon and Regina had no doubt she could close her eyes and the blasted thing could lead her to Emma every time.

Regina scooted her chair back and scowled as Neal copied her. She began a brisk power walk towards Emma, followed closely by Neal, and by some crazy random happenstance the edge of the nearby booth was positioned just so that Neal obviously experienced an unfortunate case of spatial dissonance. He had no further use of that appendage, anyway.

Snow stepped up to the plate like a pro and sent Regina a thumbs–up as she fawned over Neal. Perfect. She had finally proved her worth. Regina turned her healthy stroll into her trademark strut and took only a second to stare at Swan crouching down at Granny's booth. She had removed her surprisingly tasteful jacket (an item no doubt obtained for her by Regina) so that the view of her tank–top wasn't obscured. How that continued to be alluring and feminine eluded Regina. She ignored Granny's knowing look. Her traitorous mouth began a smile when Swan emitted a victorious grunt and the booth wobbled before settling down again, Granny giving it a shake to test its sturdiness.

"I doubt I shall ever tire of watching you perform manual labour," Regina drawled, feeling her satisfaction increase as Swan straightened up with a sullen glare. Allowing herself a moment to admire the definition before her afforded Regina a crisp mental stamp of the curve of Emma's arms. It would surely tide her over while she was forced to deal with the peasants. "It's strangely alluring," she husked in a tone she knew affected all life–forms.

Swan did not disappoint.

Screw the peasants.

"Having fun with my mom and Neal?" Emma sarcastically asked and shrugged into her jacket. The metal of the zipper glinted in the sunlight and Regina could not be held responsible for where her gaze settled.

"Everything hurts and I'm dying," Regina declared. She glanced at Granny's booth to see an assortment of miniature wooden toys lined up. She squinted at a pair of toys that looked suspiciously like a ludicrous effigy of her. And Swan. That one was not so far–fetched. "Nice detail on the jacket," Regina snickered and Swan cuffed her lightly on the shoulder before she began to drag Regina back towards Snow and Neal. This would not do. Drastic measures were needed.

Regina faked an instance of depth perception failure.

As expected, Swan swooped in to protect Regina's clothes from being tarnished by grass–stains and Regina relaxed into the embrace with a grace all princesses would be envious of. It was child's play to feign a sprained ankle, and a pained moan uttered into the shell of Swan's ear was all that was needed for Emma to scoop Regina into her arms and make haste to her vehicle.

Regina scowled as they drew closer to the wretched thing but felt it lift instantly when she heard Henry call her name. Emma turned them around as Henry raced up to greet them.

"Mom, are you hurt?" Henry looked so concerned that Regina was sorely tempted to admit to the ruse.

"She'll be alright with me," Emma answered with a reassuring squeeze.

"I just need to rest for a bit," Regina assured, knowing that Henry and Emma could tell when she lied. Henry continued to stare at her and Regina felt like her head became a ball of fuzz.

"Okay, Mom, I love you," Henry whispered and he leaned forward to place a kiss against Regina's cheek.

Regina couldn't find the strength to turn her head to hide her tears as Emma drove her home.

Emma insisted on carting Regina into her home like she was some sort of invalid and Regina had to swallow her pride. It was made easier by the way Emma rubbed her thumbs down the side of Regina's face to erase the tracks left by her tears.

"Thank you," Regina curled a little more into Emma.

Emma's arms tightened around Regina and the sensation sent a pleasurable thrill through Regina's body. And then, softly, so that it was a whisper of a whisper, Emma breathed "Anything for you."

The words resound in Regina, and settle somewhere in her heart. They traversed slowly throughout her body and chimed in her head. The ring on her finger throbbed and Regina finally recognized the feeling. She drew back from Emma's neck and Emma slowly helped her to a standing position. Regina focused on the way her heart skipped when Emma used the back of her hand to brush the hair from Regina's face. The action was hypnotic and if Regina didn't know better, she would think that Emma had magic, too.

Love…true love…is magic.

Regina's own words echo throughout her head and the intensity of her feelings began to choke her. She looked up to see a strength in Emma's eyes. Emma remained silent, gnawing at her bottom lip. She smiled slightly and her eyes became warmer with the action. Regina arched forward and pressed her lips against Emma's. Something sparked inside Regina and she closed her eyes tighter when a gust of wind released from her and Emma's bodies.

Regina pulled back quickly and Emma was already smiling at her tremulously. Instead of rearing back to backhand herself, Regina's ring propelled her hand forward to settle above Emma's heart, the rapid beating causing the ring to glow with each thump below it.

This would mean that Daniel's words had been taken to heart by her future self. The body her mind was trapped in had been screwing with Regina's mind so that she now felt things towards Emma. Regina found that she no longer hated Snow or David, and could even tolerate Neal. Her love for Henry had increased beyond her wildest dreams and she discovered that harbored amorous feelings for Emma Swan. The woman had showed Regina how much she understood and accepted Regina, despite her pesky nature and frequently insufferable attitude. Regina realized that she had a family. She dropped to her knees as a wave of pain crashed over her.

Regina felt as though her soul was being ripped from her body, agonizing in its pace, excruciating in her chest as Emma's eyes welled.

Emma knelt and gripped Regina's arms fiercely, anchoring her to this reality. A traitorous wetness pooled behind Regina's eyelids as Emma's hand trailed a gentle caress across her cheek. "Promise me on thing, Regina."

Without her consent, Regina replied "Of course, Miss Swan."

A reluctant crinkle formed at the edges of Emma's eyes at the formality. "Don't forget."

Regina's brow wrinkled, confusion wiping away at the pain coursing through her veins. "I beg your pardon?"

Emma's eyes locked on Regina's. They skittered across Regina's face, her lips, as if committing every minute detail to memory. The action caused Regina's heart to unclench in the most pleasant of ways, waves of it spreading all the way to the tips of her toes.

"Remember me this way," Emma implored and Regina found herself reflecting Emma's probing gaze with a strange sort of desperation.

This time, when Emma kissed her, it was with no trepidation. With each breath ghosting her face, Regina felt a bit of her body drifting away, until Emma pulled back reluctantly, her lips tenderly enfolding Regina's bottom one as her tears dropped between them.

"I promise."

The feel of Emma's hands on her cheeks began to fade away, leaving a dull ache in her heart. Regina could feel her eyelids start to droop and she forgot the exact hue of Emma's eyes. There was a searing pain on her left ring finger that burned hotter than anything Regina could remember feeling. She closed her eyes completely.

Regina eyes opened to take in a blurred form moving rapidly towards her. The cement was far too harsh under her fingers, cold seeping into the spaces between her fingers, a chill from the absence from the warmth of another's.

"Regina!"

Regina tried not to look as susceptible as she felt at Emma's frantic cry, really tried not to lean into a strangely familiar safety that Emma's body exuded when she reached Regina's side.

If Emma noticed, she said nothing, apart from gripping Regina's forearm a bit tighter as she helped Regina up.

The Wraith, Regina recalled. It had been sucking her soul…Regina frowned. The sounds of David, Snow and Emma became muted as she leaned her head against the bars of the cell. She blocked them out as she stared hard at the floor. There was a strange itch on her finger and something unfamiliar was thrumming under her skin. It felt like magic but Regina was unable to get a clear read on it. She just couldn't seem to pin her thoughts down.

It irritated Regina, her thoughts slipping away from her. There was something she was to remember. She was sure of it.