A Fine Line

Chapter 8

Emma awoke in a different bed that she had fallen asleep in. Sitting up and looking around, she realized she was in a different place entirely. The other side of the bed was empty, and the small room she was in was vacant as well. Assuming Regina must have poofed them both there when Emma had passed out, the blonde settled back against the pillows and surveyed her surroundings.

The bed was in the corner of the room. On the other side was a small kitchen with an area for a table and chairs. A fireplace was roaring on the center wall, casting a warm glow over the cottage. A loveseat was set in front of it, and a flat screen TV hung on the brick wall above fireplace. Nightstands stood on either side of the bed, and Emma noticed a note propped up against the small lamp next to her.

Emma,

Help yourself to anything in the house, this will be where we will be staying for our honeymoon. I went to pick up a few things, I have my cell on me if you need to call. Love, Regina.

Emma climbed out of the bed and went to the kitchen. She noticed Regina had stocked it with coffee, bear claws, ingredients for grilled cheese sandwiches, and other snacks Emma liked. She settled for a donut and her morning cup of coffee. Regina came in a few minutes later, bags in her hand. "Morning. How's your arm?" She asked.

Emma moved her arm, wincing at the slight pull against her stitches. "Not bad. I could use a shower though, that might help loosen the muscle."

"Follow me." Regina grabbed her hand and led her outside. Emma stared wide-eyed at their surroundings. They were in the middle of the forest, somewhere outside of Storybrooke. "Where are we?" She asked. "The Enchanted Forest. The fairies helped me with this portal and I spent the last few weeks fixing up this place." Regina answered, leading her along a narrow path.

"How did you even know this was here?" Emma asked curiously. "Back when I first became Queen I hated staying at the castle. When Leopold would go off on an errand in another land, I would sneak out to the stables where I spent a lot of time as a teenager. My father eventually caught on to what I was doing, and he brought me here. He had built it for me as a sanctuary so I had somewhere to come where I could be alone."

"It's beautiful out here." Emma commented. "It is. But when I came back here after being in Storybrooke for so long, it wasn't in the best condition. I fixed that with magic of course, as well as adding in some modern luxuries. But that isn't the best part."

The two women stepped into a large clearing in front of them. Emma's breath was taken away at the sight before her. A beautiful spring covered most of the area, and the aqua water was nearly sparkling as rays of sun beamed down on it. Regina let go of her hand and stripped her clothes off, stepping into the water. Emma couldn't help but stare at the woman before her. The brunette sat along the ledge until she realized Emma wasn't following her.

The blonde was awestruck by her beauty along with the almost magical feeling this spring had. The older woman stood, droplets of water sliding down her slender body as she extended a hand to her. "Come on, Emma." She beckoned. As if she were hypnotized, Emma stripped off her clothes and climbed in. She gasped as the warm water consumed her, and she watched in astonishment as it began to heal her.

The little scratches and bruises she had acquired over the last few weeks faded away, and even the gunshot wound disappeared completely. The blonde felt as if she had a new body as magic flowed through her. Her strained muscles felt relaxed, and even her hair seemed to feel cleaner and healthier despite not having any shampoo. "What is this?" She asked.

"This is an enchanted hot spring. When Daddy built the cottage, this was just a normal spring. But now it has the property to heal any injury and it will never dry up. Just one drop of this is enough to heal and rejuvenate the body." Regina explained. "That's amazing, Regina." Emma said.