Twice Upon A Tale

S1E22

A Land Without Magic

"You what?" Emma looked with wide eyes, unable to believe what Regina had just told her.

How was this all true? How could it even be?

As her mind swirled with endless thoughts, she couldn't find the right words to say; she had so many questions. So many things she had to know the answers to.

"So my parents?" She decided to start with, speaking slowly as she looked at the heartbroken expression on Regina's face.

"Are Mary Margaret Blanchard and David Nolan. Snow White and Prince Charming" Regina confirmed, looking down at the floor as tears welled in her eyes. "Emma, I'm so sorry" Regina's voice broke as she spoke, and Emma felt her heart ache in her chest.

How could this be true? There's no way any of this could be anything more than a horrible dream.

But...she'd felt it. She'd felt the feeling of Regina's lips upon her own and then she felt some ethereal thing lift and break within the air.

She didn't have words for the feelings that welled up in her chest. All this time, she felt so unwanted and so unloved. All this time, she thought her parents didn't want her.

"They wanted me?" Her own voice sounded so small in her ears. She looked up at Regina, who nodded tearfully. Again, her heart broke in her chest filling her with sadness and joy in a perfect, confusing symphony.

"Yes, Emma. They wanted you. You should go to them, they probably remember now and they'll be looking for you" Regina said, her voice somber as she wiped under her eyes. She straightened herself out, standing tall once more, and Emma found herself wanting to reach out and pull Regina close instead of pushing her away.

Regina had lied to her, she'd kept everything to herself this entire time. Henry was right this whole time.

It was quiet for a moment as she processed exactly how she was feeling. She knew she should be feeling angry, she should be furious, but the woman in front of her was a different woman than the one who set loose a curse nearly thirty years ago.

Disappointment set itself in her gut; she was disappointed that it was true. Even though knowing the truth gave her back her parents, she found herself thinking that she'd rather have never known than to be standing in front of Regina with the pit in her stomach that reminded her everything was a lie.

Well...maybe not everything.

The woman in front of her was the love of her life. She couldn't throw that away. The curse broke because of the love they had for one another, no lie in the world could take that away.

"No" she says finally, shaking her head "no, I need to stay here with you for as long as I can" she reaches a hand out for Regina's and grasps the other woman tightly, as if someone would rip her away if she didn't hold on for dear life.

"What do you mean?" Regina asks, staring at their intertwined hands with worry painted across her face "they're your parents. Don't you want to know them?"

"I do, eventually I do" Emma nods, moving forward to put her outstretched hand around Regina's waist "but when I do, they're going to tell me what they think. I want to know what you think" she wanted to know everything before she was thrust in the middle of something she couldn't get out of.

Regina's eyes widened in disbelief as Emma laced both arms around her waist to pull her close.

"But why? After all I've put you through. Why?" Regina looked up at her, confused and sad. Emma knew that Regina was expecting her to leave, to rush out the door to find her 'real' family.