Bella Notte
“It’s a beautiful night.”
“The chill of Fall has arrived.”
Emma stood, took off her jacket and dropped it around Regina’s shoulders. “There you go—”
Regina looked up, “I didn’t mean…”
Emma chuckled as she sat down next to Regina and picked back up her food. “You don’t ask for much do you.”
Regina nodded, “I had a fiancee once. He was injured in a— he was injured I think…” She shook her head, “I asked for his life.” She paused, “I was young.”
“I’m sorry.” Emma put a hand on Regina’s arm, “Hey, I’m perfectly happy to take back my jacket and let you freeze. But, one of my foster father’s told me if a girl is shivering that I’m required to offer her my jacket or coat.”
“You’re a lesbian?”
Emma shrugged, “I’m undecided.”
“That’s generally a political description.”
Emma laughed, “I guess it is. Everybody else can call me whatever they want. I’m gonna go with undecided until I find someone to decide with. How about you? Got your eye on anyone in town? Maybe the Widow?”
Regina physically moved back from Emma a little bit, “How old do you believe I am Emma Swan?”
Emma smirked, “Just seeing if you’re listening. So, do you want me to take it back?” Regina studied Emma with a look that Emma couldn’t puzzle out. “I’m kidding Gina—” Regina frowned, “Okay, not Gina. How about Reggie.” Regina made a face with even more distaste and Emma laughed, “Okay. Regina it is then. It does suit you. You’re more beautiful than a Queen.”
Regina’s hand strayed towards her scar, but Emma caught it before it could get there. “Emma.”
“Nope. When I flirt I don’t flirt halfway.”
Regina frowned, “What does that actually mean?”
Emma cupped Regina’s cheek, “I mean what I say and I say what I mean. It means that you’re beautiful, and I know that with everything that’s going on with Henry, and me, the last thing I should do is get involved with someone, and yet… I don’t care.” Emma let her hand drop, “Does the scar have a story too?”
Regina slowly nodded, “I don’t think…”
Emma cut Regina off, “No-no, it’s okay, I didn’t mean that you had to tell me right now. I just wondered.”
“No,” Regina shook her head, “No I’m the one who should be apologizing. I’m not good at this.”
“Talking?” Emma smiled to try and take the sting out of her question.
Regina stood and walked to the railing, “No, yes. Life, talking, flirting.”
Emma joined her, “Nobody really is. We’re all just stumbling around like idiots in over-sized shoes.”
“Clowns?”
“Or bowlers.”
Regina smiled and Emma put the back of her hand to her forehead. “It happened. I didn’t think it could happen, and it happened. A smile.”
Regina sighed, “Emma, sarcasm doesn’t become you.”
Emma smiled back, “Nah, everything becomes me, right?”
Regina shook her head, “I just…”
Emma hovered her arm over Regina’s shoulders, and when Regina nodded, lowered it, pulling the two of them closer together. “I get it. Life mostly sucks. We have two different ways of dealing with that. You’re serious about it. I’m the opposite. Laughing or crying right?” Emma paused, “Hey, the kid likes you, right? And kids don’t usually lie about that sorta stuff.”
Regina nodded. “I suppose if he didn’t like me he’d tell me, yes.”
Emma shivered and looked out towards the harbor. “Did you feel that?”
Regina squinted out at the horizon as well, “Is that a ship? I don’t think I—” Regina made a noise in the back of her throat as she put both hands to her head, “Ahhh… ahhh…”
Emma held her upright, “What is it? What’s wrong?”
Regina groaned, “I don’t know, it hurts, it hurts.”
Emma started to walk Regina back towards the town, “We’re going to the hospital.”
Regina tried to stop their movement, but she could barely stand, “No.”
“Yes, damn straight yes. You’re not having a stroke, or… or whatever the hell’s happening on my wa— oh great,” Emma grunted as she lifted Regina into her arms, “she passed out.”
oOOOOo
“Get down off the bow this instant young lady.”
Martha smirked as she clambered back onto the deck, “I wasn’t going to fall in. I thought I saw land is all.”
Maleficent shook her head, “Not yet. It’ll be a bit before we get there still.”
“And what if Cora gets there before we do?”
Maleficent looked out towards where the sun was just going down, “From Zelena’s stories. That would not be a good thing.”
oOOOOo
“So, what’s our first step now that we can see Storybrooke?”
“You manage to get us into a secluded port without killing us.”
The man with a hook for a hand bristled, “You wanted us to get here ‘with all due haste’. That meant an uncomfortable journey. Hey, is it my fault our seas were stormy?”
His companion, an older woman with quite the noble bearing was silent for a moment, then spoke, “Yes.”