Emma was trying to sleep but was having a very hard time of it. She could feel her magic burning beneath her skin and it irritated her to no end. It was a fitful night, but she finally fell asleep sometime shortly before dawn. When she heard her alarm clock go off, barely three hours after she had finally fallen asleep she slapped at the snooze button. Closing her eyes, she quickly fell back into an exhausted rest, but the alarm clock began beeping again five minutes later. She relented and turned it off, getting herself out of bed and getting dressed. When she walked down the stairs to the kitchen and poured herself a cup of orange juice, Snow and Henry laughing wildly from behind the curtain that concealed Snow and David's bed interrupted her activity. Her irritation bubbled up inside of her and she glared at the curtain. Finally it opened and the two stepped out into the dining room and Henry smiled widely at his blonde mother.

"Good morning, mom!"

"What are you doing up so early, kid?" she asked him, her tone not as nice as it should be.

"Grandma and I are going to get breakfast. Do you want to come with us?"

"No. I need to get to work."

"Can't you be late?"

"No, Henry, I can't be late, because adults have responsibilities that they can't just shirk to go have fun at breakfast." Her response was cold and her voice harsher than necessary.

"Oh, sorry." Henry must have noticed her tone because he frowned and his eyes widened and watered.

"Emma! You don't really need to be so harsh, do you?" Snow interrupted, scolding in a way to convey to her daughter that she needed to lose the attitude.

"Well, I'm sorry, we can't all have fun days and do nothing all of the time!" Emma responded, pissed off for no real reason other than her lack of sleep the night before. Suddenly, the glass she was grasping burst and pieces shattered everywhere in the kitchen.

Snow gasped and checked that none had cut Henry before she checked that Emma was ok. She decided that she and Henry should leave the apartment before Emma's temper worsened and Henry got caught in the crossfire. They said goodbye and hurried out the door, desiring nothing more than to get away from the anger that the blonde was displaying.

Emma rolled her eyes and quickly went to the shower. It didn't relax her as she hoped it would but at least she was clean nonetheless. After her shower she dressed herself again and headed to get coffee at Granny's. Snow and Henry were gone by time she arrived and she felt herself being a little grateful for that. She didn't want to take out her frustration on them but it was so easy when they were constantly around.

She asked Ruby for a coffee and the brunette waitress smiled at her and told her it would be right up. When the cup was handed to Emma, Ruby asked her why she hadn't gotten her hot chocolate like she usually did in the morning.

"Excuse me for wanting more of a boost. Damn it, why aren't people just allowed to order whatever they want without their intentions being questioned?" she snapped harshly. Ruby looked taken aback and gave an easy apology. The "I'm sorry" that the waitress gave her only pissed her off further and she felt her energy bubbling inside of her. No more than a minute later did her coffee explode out of her cup and burn Ruby and the guest that was in the chair next to her at the bar. Emma just threw down some bills for the coffee and sprinted out of the diner.

Sucking in a few deep breaths on her way to the station, she contemplated why her magic was acting so crazy. She decided that if people would stop questioning her and respecting her decisions, it probably wouldn't happen anymore. David was at her desk when she entered her office. She looked at him questioningly as he sifted through a manila folder on the surface in front of her computer.

"Can I help you, David?"

"Yeah, uh, I was just going through this file because it's complaints about Regina and you haven't done anything about them."

"Your point?"

"I just thought maybe you were too close to the situation, with her being Henry's other mom. So I decided it might be better if I take care of these complaints."

"Have you even read them?"

"Yeah."

"Then you know that they're stupid as shit and don't really need to be looked into."

"I disagree. The concerns of our citizens are very important."

"Oh, right. So the one complaining that Regina bewitched a woman's cat to continuously climb a tree and get stuck, that's legitimate?"

"Why do you think it isn't?"

"Because I was still sheriff before the curse broke and the woman's damn cat got stuck in a tree every single week."

"And what about the one where her neighbor says that she keeps magically dumping his trash all over his curb every Wednesday on garbage night?"

"That's even more stupid! The guy called animal control weeks ago because he saw raccoons do it!" She felt her anger growing. She and Regina had barely become friends, but they had an understanding with each other. They both loved Henry and as much as Regina wanted Henry back, Emma wanted their son to spend time with his brunette mother. She was alone and probably lonely, Emma had known that feeling far too many times in her life to wish it upon someone, even someone who had once been considered the evil queen.

"Ok. Then what about Mr. Stout who says that Regina bewitched his flowers to grow weeds so the flowers would all die?"

"David, do you realize how stupid all of these complaints sound? Why do you think I haven't followed up with any of them? People here are trying to make Regina a villain in circumstances that are clearly beyond her assistance. Get over it and get away from my desk."

"Emma, I just think that complaints about Regina are to be taken seriously. She is dangerous. Look at what happened to Archie."

"Oh, you mean look at how he was kidnapped and fake murdered by her mother, who is clearly a psycho and looking to destroy everything Regina has built? She is trying to change. Why won't you and the rest of the town let her?"

"Emma, people can't change who they are."

"Ok, fine! People can't change? I guess I'll go back to Boston and stop being the little bitch savior of Storybrooke. I mean, if people can't change, then why am I here? Why am I taking care of an 11 year old that I gave up for adoption when he was born, without even holding him, I might add."

"Emma, I'm sorry, that isn't what I meant,"

"Yes, it is. You meant that the only people allowed to be seen as changing or as good are the people who are on your side. Did you ever think that maybe if people were nice to her, Regina would be on the side of good, too? She hasn't hardly used magic since Henry told her he didn't want to be around it!" Emma was yelling at this point and the glass that her office was encased in burst, shards flying everywhere, scraping both her skin and David's. She called 911 and had an ambulance take her father to the hospital. He had protested vehemently, but she insisted. Really she just wanted to be alone.

She locked up all of her files into her filing cabinet and slid the key onto her keychain. She normally left the key under her mouse pad but David knew that now and she figured the best way to keep her files safe was to keep them under lock and key. She thought more about how her magic seemed to burst out of her at anytime she was overly emotional. Only one person could help her with it, so she headed over to the big, white mansion on Mifflin.

When she arrived, she automatically felt foolish for thinking that the brunette would help her. After nearly ten minutes of standing on the porch, pacing and trying to decide if she would knock, the door flung open to a petite and beautiful woman.

"Miss Swan, what insufferable behavior do I have to endure today?"

"Hey Regina. I just, um… I came to see if you would be willing to do me a favor?"

"What kind of a favor?" Regina asked, one eyebrow raised and wearing a look of skepticism.

"I can't control my magic anymore and I think it's going to end up hurting people."

"What do you mean you can't control it?"

"Well, for starters, I'm always angry about everything now. Every time I really get angry something around me explodes. Glass, cups, whatever."

"Come in, please." Regina stepped aside allowing Emma to walk into the house. They went to sit in Regina's study before continuing the conversation. "Ok, dear, how long has this been going on?"

"Like a week, I guess. But now it's worse, it's happened three times today alone and its not even noon!"

"I'm aware of the time, Miss Swan."

"Emma."

"Ok…Emma. So you never actually said what you wanted your favor to be?"

"I need you to help me with my magic. To control it. Can you do that?"

"I suppose. But you can't tell anyone, because I'll have to do magic to help you and I'm not supposed to."

"Deal."

A week after Emma had asked Regina for help, they had met three times already under the cover of the night. Emma figured her parents probably thought she was out drinking or out with one of the guys. Nope, she was with Regina and was learning how to control her magic. They were due to meet tonight as well. Emma had learned more productive ways to release her magical energy when she was feeling frustrated or angry, but it involved using magic for no real reason other than to calm herself.

She knocked on the mayor's door at half past ten that night. Regina opened it wearing yoga pants and a sports bra. Emma raised her eyebrows and enjoyed the sight.

"Were you going to come in sometime tonight?"

"Right, uh…sorry." Emma stepped past the brunette and waited until she heard the door close to turn around. She headed to the in home office that Regina had. Each time they practiced the women would move all of the furniture to the walls so that they would have an open space. "So, uh, where should we start?" Emma asked after they had finished clearing the floor.

"What is your favorite thing you've learned so far?"

"Fireballs, though you know, I can't really use them often for fun or for distraction."

"Why?"

"Dangerous."

"Fair enough. What else have you liked?"

"Cleaning, I guess. It's kind of nice to create order to release bad energy."

"I quite agree. That's why when magic first came back my house was even more pristine than it had been previously."

Emma nodded. "It's a lot easier now for you, right?"

"Magic? Oh yes. It's different here, still, but a lot easier to control than in the beginning."

"You know, I never gave you a good enough apology about the Archie situation."

"I'm not concerned."

"I know, but Regina, I really am very sorry. I was the only person who had put faith into believing in you and who was willing to give you a chance and I betrayed that."

"It's fine, Emma."

"Can I just say one more thing?"

"If you must," the brunette sighed.

"It's why I have such a hard time using magic, why I hated it at first and waited until it was exploding all the time to take care of the issue."

Regina's brow furrowed and Emma noticed the look as quizzical. "I'm sorry, I'm not sure I understand."

"That was the first time that I actually tried to use magic and all it did was drive me away from you and I hated that. I hate that it made me see something, think something that wasn't true."

Regina looked surprised but nodded. It was nice to hear Emma apologize and to say what she was saying, but Regina knew not to take more from the words than Emma was offering. Though it would be too easy for her to do so. She cared far too much for the blonde for her own liking. As Emma had said it, she was the only person who had given Regina a chance, who had seen that she was trying to change. Of course it hurt when Emma stopped believing her because of what her magic had made her see. But Regina wouldn't blame the blonde for that, her mother had taken her form, she would have believed it, too.

Still, there were too many feelings that she had for the blonde and though it was nice that Emma needed her help, because it meant spending free time with the blonde, it still frustrated her because she wanted to be with Emma just to be with her, Emma, however, wanted to be with Regina to get help from her.

The women worked for a couple of hours on hard organizing with magic, not the quick, wave-of-the-hand stuff that Regina had so long ago mastered, but the piece by piece placement of things. Regina could tell that Emma was mentally exhausted so she told her they could stop.

"Would you like some hot chocolate, dear?"

"Oh, god, that sounds great Regina." Emma smiled widely and Regina felt her heart flutter a little. She followed the brunette into the big kitchen and sat on a barstool at the island while she watched Regina prepare the cocoa. After the milk and chocolate was started on the stove, Regina moved and pulled out a metal canister and some heavy whipping cream and sweetened vanilla.

"You make your own whipped cream?"

"I do. I find that it tastes much better than the stuff at the store."

"Oh my god, you're amazing."

"Oh you have no idea what I am capable of, dear."

Emma laughed and Regina found herself loving the sound.

They drank their hot chocolates (with whipped cream) while talking about Henry and various other parts of their days. Regina noticed that Emma had some whipped cream on the corner of her mouth and tried to point it out. Emma tried to lick at it, but she couldn't get it, and Regina laughed lightly at the action. She brought her thumb to the corner of small pink lips and wiped the whipped cream away, but instead of wiping it off she brought her thumb to her mouth and licked the whipped cream off. Emma's sea-green eyes went wide and Regina gave her a small smile, only slightly embarrassed.

"What if I had a disease, Regina?!" Emma asked, her tone halfway between grossed out and intrigued.

"It would have been well worth it," Regina allowed and smiled again.

"Regina, can I ask you a question?"

"Anything, Emma."

"Do you get lonely? When Henry's with me, do you get lonely a lot?"

"Sometimes. Kathryn and I have sort of become friends, real friends, since the curse was broken. It's nice having a friend."

"Is there anyone you're interested in romantically?"

"Oh, uh...I don't know. Maybe someone, but I doubt its requited. I am the evil queen after all."

"You aren't the evil queen, Regina. And I doubt it would be unrequited. I guess I don't know who it is, but you're sort of really hot. And you're a good mom."

Regina blushed and found herself wondering if the blonde was only talking like this because she was tired and it was late. "Thank you, that's kind of you. And what about you? You have your parents around I know, but do you get lonely? Is there someone you want, romantically?"

"I get lonely sometimes. I'm starting to realize that I'm getting too close to 30 and the only relationship I've had was 12 years ago."

"You aren't interested in a relationship with anyone though?"

"I don't know, if the right person came along, sure. Henry's father really did a number on me."

"I'm sorry."

"Sure sure, such is life I guess." Emma's mouth was slightly downturned and her lips were so pink, her eyes so brightly green that in that moment, Regina didn't think she could resist. She leaned forward and captured the blonde's lips against her own full ones. She felt a white-hot fire burning through her body and she never wanted the sensation to end. She slid her tongue against Emma's lips and felt the other woman's mouth open. They moved their tongues against each other's both breathing heavily.

Emma was stunned by the sudden kiss from Regina. It shocked her and that was probably the reason why she didn't pull away. But the more she let Regina kiss her and the more she kissed back, the better she realized that this felt really good to her. Her body was on fire, pulsing with magic that worked its way through her veins and her muscles. Finally, when she felt like she couldn't breathe anymore, she pulled away.

"Emma, I…I'm sorry."

"Are you?" Emma asked.

Regina didn't respond right away, taking her time to think. "No, I'm not I suppose."

"You suppose?"

"Well, yes. I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable, but I enjoyed the kiss. I've…I don't know when it happened, but it seems I have acquired feelings for you."

"Oh. Um…wow."

"And you clearly do not feel the same."

"No…uh… no," Emma stuttered having difficulties finding the words to say. Regina's face fell and her eyes brimmed with tears that were threatening to pour over. "No isn't what I mean Regina. I just mean that it's not something I've thought of, and that isn't because of you, just because you and my parents are sort of mortal enemies and Henry is really important to both of us and I don't want to complicate that. But now that I know that you feel that way, I think it's something I would be interested in trying. If you wanted to like, go on a date or something."

Regina understood where Emma was coming from, that's why the blonde's poorer choice of words hadn't affected her the way they would have if someone else said them. Instead, Regina nodded. "Yes, that would be quite enjoyable. Are you free Saturday?"

"Yeah, Saturday sounds great, Regina."

The women spent a month seeing each other nearly everyday. They went on 2-3 dates a week and Regina helped Emma with her magic 3-4 days a week. They were growing together as a couple and both of them were finding that they made a really good pair.

On the next time Regina and Emma scheduled to practice magic, Emma let herself into Regina's house, calling for her as she walked in the door. Regina came walking down the stairs in a light blue silk teddy and smiled at Emma. The blonde's jaw dropped and she stood there gaping at the almost fully revealed olive-toned legs.

"Oh my god."

"Anything else to say besides that, dear?"

"Um…wow. You look…um…fantastic."

"Thank you." Regina had reached the bottom of the staircase and grabbed Emma's hand. She turned back towards the second floor and pulled the blonde with her. Emma followed easily, gulping as she trailed the very attractive woman in front of her.

"What are we doing, Regina?" Emma asked, knowing what she wanted to hear and what she would likely hear from the brunette's actions.

"My dear, I am going to show you a very good way to channel your magical energy."