Her Glass Heart [SwanQueen]

Chapter Fifteen: Oct 18, 2017 - Regina

Regina's eyes widened in disbelief, unsure if she had heard Emma clearly. But Emma's words were playing on repeat in her head as she maintained their steady eye contact.

"You felt magic again when I touched you?" Regina asked, licking her lips as she felt them going dry.

Emma nodded slowly, her lips parted. "Yes, when I woke up and was in your arms, I felt that same feeling I remember experiencing all those years ago. I've been trying to figure out why, but nothing seems to make sense anymore. Not since you've been here."

Regina felt every nerve ending in her body tingle and she watched Emma as the room around them blurred.

"Does that scare you? That I may have magic and that I felt it again somehow... with you?" Emma asked, her voice hesitant.

Regina crossed her arms for a moment, then immediately uncrossed them. She wanted to open up and tell Emma about her own magic, but the possibility of potentially ruining this moment between them made her body feel heavy.

"No, of course not. I could never fear you, Emma." Regina inched closer to her, realizing now that they were only mere inches apart on the bed.

"Good, because I don't think I could handle you fearing me," Emma whispered.

"I need to tell you something," Regina felt the words slipping from her mouth before she could stop them. But she felt it was only fair, after Emma opened up, that she at least share some of her story with Emma in return.

Emma lifted her head, her gaze meeting Regina's once again. This intense, lingering stare they always ended up falling into became second nature to them now and Regina couldn't help but smile every time their eyes burned into each other's.

"I was born with a heart defect," Regina began, her voice calm despite her racing heartbeat. "My parents kept it hidden from the commoners in our land, but I reached a point when they know something drastic needed to be done in order to save my life."

Emma gasped, but kept her eyes locked on Regina's, listening intently.

"I'm not afraid of magic. In fact, I've seen it many times firsthand. When I was verging on the edge of life and death, my father hunted down a sorcerer known in our realm for his healing abilities. He wasn't sure if it would work, as this sorcerer's reputation wasn't exactly the most reliable... but it was my father's only chance."

"So, he found the sorcerer and he healed you?" Emma questioned.

"I guess you can say that. I'm not certain if healed is the right word. Did he save my life? Yes."

"I don't understand," Emma paused. "If he saved your life, doesn't that mean he healed you?"

"Sort of. I mean, yes, he healed me. But in his own way, the only way his abilities would allow."

"What did he do, Regina?" Emma hadn't meant to sound impatient, it was more out of concern that made her eager to know the answer, and Regina understood.

"He turned my heart to glass."

Emma's posture suddenly stiffened, and Regina averted her gaze, suddenly feeling tension in the air.

When moments had passed, and Emma still didn't say anything, Regina broke the silence. "Emma?"

"Sorry, I'm just trying to understand," Emma muttered.

Regina nodded, inching backward on the edge of the bed to give Emma some space. The closeness between them was setting her skin on fire and she couldn't bear it.

She only managed to scoot back an inch before Emma reached for her hand. "No, don't."

Regina's pulse quickened, and she let out an audible gasp. Emma's green eyes were so bright, and she was looking at Regina like she was silently pleading for her to not pull away.

Regina recognized what she needed, feeling the same level of desire stirring inside of her. But she refused to give into it. These feelings, the way her body ached, the need to be closer... they were all new to her.

Regina cleared her throat, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have told you that."

Emma shook her head, Regina's words snapping her out of a deep trance. "I'm glad you did."

Regina exhaled for the first time in what felt like hours, the room suddenly returning to normal as her head stopped spinning.

"Does it hurt? Your heart?"

Regina laughed deeply, and the tension in the room dissipated. "No, it doesn't hurt."

"Okay. Good."

The silence fell over them again for what felt like hours before Emma changed the subject.

"So how is your search going? Do you think you've found anyone you could see yourself marrying?"

The question made Regina's body tense, cursing inwardly at the fact that Emma had the ability to make her briefly forget about the pressure collapsing in on her to find a potential king in the next few weeks. She sighed and shook her head.

"How about that man you were speaking with in the infirmary wing last week?"

Regina raised an eyebrow meticulously, then shook her head slowly. "You really are nosy, aren't you?" She teased.

Emma raised her shoulders and pressed her lips together, "I can't help it, I've been... curious."

Regina laughed deeply again, feeling lighter for only a minute and thanking herself she already came up with a story for who Graham was when she released him a week ago.

"He's actually a knight from my realm. He traveled up here last week because they anticipated my arrival back by now, so he came to check up on me. He's a good man, very kind."

"Do you love him? Do you think you'd marry him? He seemed interested in you," Emma's tone sounded bitter and a sullen pout fell across her lips.

Regina shook her head and she could almost see the muscles in Emma's tensed jaw coming unclenched in relief. "I don't love him, no." She paused, then lowered her tone. "But that doesn't mean I won't end up marrying him," Her voice trailed off.

"Why would you marry someone you don't love?" Emma tilted her head to one side, furrowing her brows.

Regina let out a deep breath. "Because, when the sorcerer turned my heart to glass, it meant I'd never be capable of experiencing love ever again."