The Magic Between Us

Emma sat down on top of a barrel beneath the main deck of the ship. She wrapped her arms around her stomach, it had been close to a week since they had left Storybrooke and they were nowhere closer to finding any land in Neverland. Captain Hook claimed to be a talented pirate yet he was still lost in the waters of this strange land and her body was not liking it. The rough waves made the boat rock from side to side and Emma queasy. She liked her feet firmly on the ground and was actually starting to feel a little claustrophobic being on a ship with nowhere to go. Not to mention her parents were on her last nerve. Ever since she told them that Neal had been shot and then sucked into a portal they have been trying to convince her he was dead and trying to set her up Hook.

"Look, I'm not interested in that slime ball." She remembers telling them only a few short hours ago. Her mother stepped towards her avoiding the bundle of ropes that were all over the floor.

"Look, honey, I know you loved Neal-"

"But," stepped in her father, "When we go back to our land, which we will be going back, you will have to rule one day and you have to get married." Emma couldn't believe what she had heard. Her mouth was practically hitting the floor.

"Are you serious right now?" Her parents gave each other a worrisome look. "How could you say something like that? And why do I have to get married to rule?"

"Because that's the way it is." Her father replied sternly. "That's the way things are suppose to be. One king and one queen. I mean look at Regina. She ruled by herself and look what happened."

"OK first off I am not Regina and second of course I loved Neal. Neal was my first love and he will always be a part of me, but even if he was here right now I wouldn't date him let alone marry him! What Neal and I had is long gone, we weren't right for each other. I could tell. I could feel it. As for Regina she is doing her best to make herself better. She was even willing to sacrifice herself for the entire town, her former citizens of her kingdom, all in the hopes of shedding the name of Evil Queen that you two gave her in the first place." Snow and Charming stood there stunned by the reaction of their daughter. Snow took a deep breath then put both her hands on her daughter's arms.

"Just think about it ok, sweetie."

The thought of the argument was making her stomach feel worse. She leaned over her legs and closed her eyes taking deep, slow breaths. "Mr. Swan?" Emma slowly looked up to see Regina standing on the stairs with a concerned look on her face. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, um just a little sea sick." She gave a small smile to show that she was alright. Regina shifted uncomfortably on the stairs. Emma and her hadn't spoken since they had saved the town and she had actually done her best to avoid the savior. The magic the two of them had created was extremely powerful and Regina didn't want to admit why.

"Oh, I'm sorry. The seas can be rough on those who aren't use to it. I was just trying to get away from everyone up above, since I'm not very well liked. The only person who seems interested in even speaking to me is Hook, which consists of bad pickup lines. Anyway, I'll leave you be. Good day Ms. Swan." Emma sighed, she couldn't let Regina go back up there. She knew what it was like to be given dirty looks and ignored. She remembers how that feels.

"No, it's ok you can stay."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Besides no woman deserves to put up with Hook." Regina gave a small chuckle as she descended from the stairs.

"Yes that man can be annoying to put it mildly."

"Very mildly. It's like he's trying to compensate for something." They both laughed as Regina sat herself next to Emma on an identical barrel. Things went silent after that and both began to shift and look around; Regina had started to rub her legs. She turned to see Emma looking at her smiling.

"What?" She said stopping.

"Nothing. It's. It's just that you do that all the time. It's like a nervous tick."

"Really? I do? I never noticed."

"Yeah, but everyone has one. Like um Mary-I mean my mother she squeezes her hands together and my father he uh taps his fingers on his leg."

"And what about you Ms. Swan? What do you do?"

"Me? Umm I smile and giggle actually. Just like I'm doing right now." She ended with a giggle. They made eye contact just smiling at each other. When Regina caught herself she quickly looked away, blushing slightly.

"So uhh I heard about your argument with your parents."

"Oh. That was just like a few hours ago how did you hear?

"They were discussing it when they came back on deck. I didn't hear all of it but it was something about your attitude and how they didn't understand. Something like that." Emma nodded slightly in reply and let out a puff of air.

"They…they want me to marry Hook." Regina nearly jumped in surprise. That was the last thing she expected to hear Emma say.

"Are you serious? I mean I knew they were idiots but-," she stopped herself. "I'm sorry I'm so use to just calling them that."

"No it's ok you can call them that this time."

"It's just. Did they not learn anything from what I went through?" Emma gave her a confused look. "Oh, right you probably have never heard anything about my life." Emma shook her head and leaned against the wall, keeping eye contact with Regina. "Well my mother, whom I'm I sure you remember, had forced me to marry Snow's father, the king, and it just made me so bitter. Don't ever do that. Don't ever marry someone who you don't love. Do you understand me?" Regina's eyes began to fill with tears. Emma straightened herself up.

"Regina.."

"I mean it. I never got to marry the one I loved. I watched him get taken away from me and was forced to share the bed of a man who never meant a thing to me." She lost control. Tears began to spill out onto her cheeks. She didn't really understand herself why she was getting so upset and being so vulnerable to Emma, but she just couldn't seem to help it. Emma grabbed Regina's shoulders and brought her close. She had never seen the queen in such a state and her heart hurt for her. Regina rested her head against Emma and cried into her; all Emma could do was hold her. Regina began to compose herself and lifted her head off of Emma. Tears were still streaming down her face. They looked at each other, eyes locked. Emma slowly reached out to Regina's face and wiped away her tears. A small pop was heard from across them, they looked to see set of ropes had been set on fire.

"Shit!" exclaimed Emma getting up from her barrel to stomp it out. Regina stood up as the last of the flame was put out. "How the hell did that happen?"

"We did it." She explained calmly with some stray tears dripping down her face. Emma knew what she was talking about. She meant their magic had did it. "Emma." Emma's eyes slightly widened. She had never heard Regina say her first name and she said it so softly and warm. She had never heard that tone from her, even with Henry. She slowly turned to face Regina. "Emma, we need to talk about what is between us."

"What do mean 'what is between us'?" She was trying to play stupid. She didn't want to have this conversation. There was just too much happening right now. Looking for Henry, her parents trying to set her up with a misogynist pig. No, not now, she couldn't handle it. Regina walked up to her so she was only inches away.

"You have to know. Don't you feel it? The only explanation for what we did back in Storybrooke, amount of magic we used, to stop something that was unstoppable, is true love." Emma tried to walk away but Regina grabbed her hand and pulled her back. "True love is the most powerful magic in the world, hell in all the worlds! Nothing is more powerful." Emma tried to pull out of Regina's grip was too strong. Regina looked into her blue eyes trying to make Emma look at her. Under the stress and frustration she was feeling Emma began to cry. She hung her head and tried to hide her face with her other hand. Regina gentle pushed the hand away and tilted Emma's head up. She mimicked Emma and wiped away her tears and Emma finally made eye contact. Before Regina could react Emma pulled her in and kissed her hard. Regina tensed up from the surprise but then melted into the kiss, trying to pull her savior even closer.