Her Glass Heart [SwanQueen]

Chapter Nineteen: Oct 30, 2017 - Regina

It was early evening, and the snow seemed to be falling heavier than Regina had witnessed since her arrival here. She had been in the northern realm for exactly a month now, and tomorrow was the day she planned to head home and announce her engagement to Graham.

She continued packing up her things when she spotted her camera on the nightstand. She picked it up and turned it on, beginning to click through the scroll of memories she had captured on film in the past month while she was here.

She stopped on a picture of Emma she had taken a few weeks prior. They were exploring a forest and the snow was falling. Emma's white cloak against the snow, paired with her blonde hair and porcelain skin, looked too perfect not to get a photo of.

She posed Emma, both women giggling as they tried to get the shot just right, and the end result was breathtaking.

The snow was caught in her jet-black eyelashes, her green eyes shone bright, even through the camera lens, and the natural rosy color of her lips was prominent.

She must have been admiring it for much longer than she realized, because it wasn't until she heard a knock at her door that she was snapped back to reality.

She opened the door and Emma greeted her with a smile and a soft hug.

"You're still packing?" Emma asked, more of an observation than a question, as she plopped down on the bed and watched Regina who continued folding clothing and placing them in her bag.

"Is it selfish to say I don't want you to go back yet?"

Regina laughed and looked over her shoulder. "It's not selfish, but I do have to go. But now that you're apparently an expert on navigating to my land, I'm sure this won't be the last time we see each other."

Emma's breath caught, and she felt a burning in her throat at the thought of never seeing Regina again. "It's just that... I've never met anyone like you, Regina. I know this sounds ridiculous," Emma paused and licked her lips. "But I feel like I can be myself around you in a way I've never experienced before. You're the only person I felt I could talk to about my magic, and you really —" she exhaled quickly. "You mean a lot to me."

Regina's nerves tingled, her heart pounding as she couldn't help but lean in closer to Emma. "I know what you mean," she whispered in return.

Emma extended her hand and Regina reached out to grab it, their fingers lacing together as their eyes met like they had a thousand times before, but this time felt different. Regina felt that familiar pull she had when she was around Emma, and she didn't have to wonder whether Emma felt it as well.

Emma stroked the heel of Regina's palm with her thumb and Regina smiled then closed her eyes, the feeling of contentment overwhelming her.

"I wish you could bring me back with you," Emma whispered.

Regina reached her other hand over her body and placed it on top of their intertwined hands, but when her skin made contact with the bangle on Emma's wrist, she yelped and snapped her hand away.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Emma gasped.

Regina finally understood now. Those times when Emma had burned her... it was because of the silver bracelet on her wrist.

"Emma, where did you get that bracelet?" Regina's voice was full of both concern and dread as her mind came to its own conclusion.

"My parents gave it to me that day after I saved the bluebird. You know... when I first suspected that I might have magic? They said it was a gift and to always wear it. Why?"

Regina ran her hand through her hair. "I know this sounds crazy, but," she took a slow breath. "I think that bracelet is containing your magic somehow. Preventing you from healing anything again."

"What makes you think that?" Emma's gaze fell on the bracelet and she twisted it around her wrist, like she always did out of habit.

"I think it repels magic."

"But then why would it hurt you?" Emma's narrowed eyes were light, but she couldn't conceal the confusion written on her face.

Regina knew she needed to tell Emma about her magic, but if she told her now, would she be angry from keeping it from her for so long?

Instead, Regina shrugged and rubbed her throbbing temple, ashamed of keeping her magic hidden from Emma, and even more ashamed that she was choosing to continue to do so.

"I'll just take it off then, I don't want it hurting you, or anyone else." Emma unfastened the clasp for the first time in years, and the bracelet fell to the floor. For the first time, she felt a lightness washing over her and she realized Regina must have been right.

But then a new sensation came over her when she looked back up at Regina. She had always felt a strong pull toward Regina, but now, the pull felt more like an instinct. Like she needed to reach out and touch Regina, to close the gap between them.

The hairs on Regina's arms felt like they were standing on edge when she looked at Emma. The way she was looking at her was something she'd never seen before. Emma's posture was relaxed, but she looked like she was in pain, like she was being restrained and fighting against it.

"Emma..." Regina spoke, making her name sound like an entire sentence. But before she could say another word, she felt Emma close the gap between them completely as Emma's soft lips pressed against hers.

Regina melted, overwhelmed by the fluttering sensation in her chest. She parted her lips slightly, deepening the kiss, and pushed Emma backward onto the bed, both women refusing to break the kiss as they realized how badly they craved this.

Regina moaned lightly as Emma's hands tangled into her hair, and all of Regina's inhibitions vanished when she brushed her fingers against the exposed skin at the nape of Emma's neck.

Their mouths relished each other's, alternating between softer, delicate kisses and hard and passionate ones. Emma was delicate, yet precise in a way that made Regina dizzy.

She tried to commit the way she felt to memory, knowing she had never felt more alive and she refused to ever let herself forget it.

A lustful thought washed over her in tandem with Emma's tongue against hers. She wanted this to last a long time.

Forever, if possible.

Her body went weak with this realization, hyper-aware of every single one of her senses. But when she realized where she was and what was happening, she snapped back quickly.

Emma looked at her, her pupils larger and darker than Emma had ever seen them before. She ached for more, but Regina pulled away.

"I'm sorry, I can't." Regina murmured as she stood up and ran out of the room, eager to get some fresh air.