Disclaimer: I don't own OUAT

Flashback

"I'm in love with you." Emma breathed out softly. The air around them was tight and she could feel the tears gather from behind the corners of her eyes, but she couldn't take it. She had to say it or she might never get the chance again. She needed her to know. If there was even a shot, if there was a chance then Emma had to take it. And her gut instinct had never lead her astray before.

Better yet, her heart had never lead her astray before.

"What-?"

Emma wiped furiously at her eyes, clawing the tears before they might fall. She wouldn't cry. She had promised herself she wouldn't. So instead she laughed hoarsely as she stood in front of her best friend. Fear of rejection clawed at her heart, but there was no one she trusted more with it than her. No one could ever replace her and that's why through all the fear she still smirked because despite it all, this had never felt so right.

"Regina," She said stepping forward and into the brunette's personal space. "I'm so in love with you." And the honesty of her words had left her feeling raw. For all the times that Emma had ever been afraid she had never been so vulnerable. The shadows of the bleachers above them over casted her face, but Emma could still see her beautiful brown eyes fill with disbelief.

What did she have to lose? It was her senior year. Regina had been her best friend since sophomore year and they had been joined at the hip ever since. Every stupid dare and adventure, every heartbreaking mistake, every laugh they had all been with her. They all led Emma back to Regina.

She didn't want to leave and not have her know. She deserved better.

Emma's hand rose slowly, tentatively to cup Regina's cheek. The brunette's breath hitched but her eyes never left the blonde's. Emma wanted to believe she even felt her lean in to her touch. Her other hand followed suit and their bodies were so close. All she could hear was their shared breathing. All she could think about was Regina. That was all she could ever think about these days.

She was always on her damn mind. It was infuriating how she could think of nothing else but her.

"I know this isn't the best time and that we-" Emma choked on her words. "We could never possibly make this work, but I want to. I want to make this work Regina. I want there to be an us. I want to try." She whispered softly. She watched slowly as tears gathered in Regina's eyes.

The blonde brushed her thumb under her eyelid catching any tear that might fall. She was so beautiful and she didn't even know it.

"I would do anything for you because I love you Regina Mills."

There was silence. And Emma with no other thought to say leaned down slowly. She wanted this. She couldn't stop, she had to try. She pressed her lips to Regina's. It was sweet and gentle and their lips stayed pressed together with Emma waiting for something, anything. Her friend didn't move.

The fear of rejection gathered again and tore her chest open in ways she didn't think possible. Had she read the signs wrong? The blonde pulled back from her as if she had been burnt. Her pale clammy hands falling back to her side tightly. She had messed up. Of course she had. Emma always fucked up the good things in her life.

"Regina," She begged her voice cracking. "Say something, please…" She hated how childish she sounded.

The brunette started to shake and the tears began to fall and Emma felt her heart break. "I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry Gina I shouldn't have done that. I'm so stupid, I- we—" She started to ramble. This was it. She had truly ruined it.

She stopped when she felt arms encircle around her neck. "I love you Emma." came the soft whisper. Regina buried her face into her neck as if to muffle the words, as if she couldn't bear to hear them aloud. And it was then Emma knew this was going to be so hard, but with her arms around her neck she clung to Regina pulling her tightly against her.

She could feel the wetness that gathered on her shirt as Regina cried softly. The blonde could feel her own silent tears as they streamed down her face. They should be happy. This should be the easy part.

Regina was the first to pull away. The shock and surprise was still in her eyes, but Emma saw something else to. She watched carefully as brown eyes glanced at her lips before slowly pulling Emma down to meet her own. It only took a moment for Emma to respond to the kiss, her stomach dancing with nervous butterflies.

It felt so good. To finally have her, and to finally be the one to hold her. None of the other guys had ever made Emma feel like this, no matter how many she went through. She had always been drawn back to Regina, no matter how much she tried to fight it.

It was slow, it was curious, and it was sad to. And it was still everything Emma had ever wanted. And maybe it wasn't full blown love, but it was a start. Regina cared for Emma, more than she should. They could figure this out together.

Everyone else be damned.

Regina pulled back and separated herself. A flush of pink across her face, her eyes stayed downcast. Did she regret it? "Emma." She started. "I need to think about this ok? I just need a little bit of time. I-I'm not sure how…" She mumbled off.

Emma gave a lopsided teary smile. "I know." She knew this wasn't going to be easy. They both needed time. But this was a first step.

Regina looked up and nodded in a daze. And it was in that moment that Emma knew she was going to run. All the tell-tale signs were there. She knew her best friend to well. Sometimes the blonde thought she knew her better than herself. That's what worried her.

Before Regina could even think to turn and go, the blonde spoke one more time. "Even... even if this doesn't work out Gina, I won't leave you. I will always be your best friend. Nothing will ever change that and I'll always love you."

Regina put a hand to her mouth and a strangled sound emitted from her throat. She was still crying Emma noted sadly. Love always looked so easy in the movies. The brunette finally took her hands and clenched them at her sides before meeting green eyes.

"Emma Swan I do love you. More than anyone else in the world. Please remember that."

And Emma believed her, so she smiled. Because for all the fear in her chest a warmth blossomed at her words. It was okay. Emma trusted Regina. She held her heart and the blonde knew the brunette wouldn't break it so easily. Then Regina turned around and left.

Flashback End

Ten years later

"Shit," Emma said looking down at her watch. She was going to be so late. The case had run far longer than she expected, wasting unnecessary time. She grimaced and combed through long blonde hair. She was only about twenty minutes out she guessed so long as traffic didn't get any worse.

Green eyes glanced down at her attire. She wouldn't have time to change into what she had originally brought, but damn if she didn't look good regardless. It would do at the least. And if nothing else Lacey will already have been there with something extra to change in to.

Quickly shifting the gears of her car, she pressed down on to the gas pedal whirling past the cars in front of her. As she passed she was sure to smile and wave by with one finger salute. She didn't like to be late. Not anymore at least. And assholes who drove any lower than thirty over the limit didn't deserve to have a license in her professional opinion. Then again, she thought old people didn't deserve one either.

She took the next right on a little dirt road that led to one of the back roads. As she hooked back on to the solitary path a large sign came into view.

Welcome to Storybrooke

The side of her lips quirked down. It was home sweet home wasn't it? She should feel something at going back home after ten years of nothing, of cutting off everyone from her old life. She glanced down at her watch again. She turned up the music as loud as it would go and pressed on the gas pedal deciding a detour wouldn't kill her.

"Guess I'm arriving fashionably late as usual." She hummed in annoyance.

Regina frowned. She hated these events. She tiredly sipped at the punch in her cup as her brown eyes roamed the gymnasium. Lights were dimmed and the cheesy disco ball that hung over top looked like it would give at any moment. The music playing could have been pulled from a Beatles soundtrack for all she knew and even in adulthood all the men stood on one side and the women on the other. It felt like high school all over again.

"Oh wait," She thought sarcastically. "It is."

She had made her rounds. Said her hello's and held the polite conversation with everyone that she was required. And while Regina hadn't particularly wanted to come she was the mayor. It would have looked worse if she hadn't. Mary-Margaret and David had been over her in two seconds taking her down memory lane. She was introduced to people she hadn't seen in years like August and Tink and Mulan. And then there were the regulars who had never left like Graham and Belle and Killian.

And it hadn't been totally unpleasant, but it was a time Regina had tried her hardest to forget. People were people, they had new lives now. Ones that no longer included each other.

And yet it still seemed, as if finally, everyone was back where they belonged. Everyone was home.

"It's only been forty-five minutes and you make it seem like death has already warmed over." A woman snorted behind her bringing her out of her reverie. Regina immediately turned around and found Ruby and someone she hadn't expected next to her. She couldn't stop the small smile that played at her lips.

"Kathryn?" The slim blonde next to her smiled and nodded before walking up to grab her friend in a hug.

"Oh my god, it's been so long." She laughed infectiously. "I've missed you."

"Three years since you left to intern at that hospital. I didn't know you were coming back for this." Separating themselves, Regina gave her a look over. She looked different. Less like the queen bee's right hand man in high school and more like the future doctor the brunette always knew she would be.

Kathryn smiled brightly, ever the optimist. "I wouldn't miss this for the world. I loved high school, but I guess you could say this was my homecoming." Regina raised an eyebrow.

Ruby interrupted smoothly, "What she means to say, Madame Mayor, is that she's home for good." Slinging an arm around the blonde's shoulder the two looked ever the pair. They always had in high school. It was like things had never changed. Yet she knew deep down it had.

When high school ended, everything had changed.

Kathryn had stayed for a while to study, before finally landing a job at a firm in a prestigious hospital in California. She hadn't been back in Storybrooke in four years. She had kept in touch, but it had always been too difficult to ever come back for the weekend.

Ruby after things had happened had left right after high school. She had taken a year and traveled the world. No one had heard from her until one day she popped back in town and said she was here to stay. She easily went back in to business with her grandmother at the diner and looked to take over in the coming years.

Then there were some like her who had never left. A pang of regret built inside of her, she pushed the feelings aside. There were some things not meant to dwell on anymore.

"Well then Kathryn, let me be the first to welcome you back to Storybrooke." She said sincerely. It would be nice having her friend back in town.

"Thank you Regina." The blonde replied. "I heard you and Locksley finally tied the knot huh? I'm so sorry I missed the wedding. I really did want to come, I bet it was beautiful." She gushed. "I'm still looking for my prince charming, you'll have to help me plan—"

"Kathryn, why don't we go see Mary-Margaret? She's been dying to talk to you since she heard you were coming." Ruby interrupted glancing at Regina. The woman had visibly stiffened at the mention of her marriage. Something only Ruby ever seemed to notice. But she had always known. Ever since the end of high school, she had always known.

"Oh wait! Ruby did you tell Regina about—" Ruby was quick to put her hand over her friends mouth. Shit.

"Kathryn I think it's time to go." Ruby said hurriedly now.

"Tell me about what?" Regina enunciated slowly. She didn't like the way Ruby looked. It was the same look that she had whenever she knew she was about to be in deep shit.

Kathryn glanced in confusion at her friend as she pried the hand off her mouth. "You didn't tell her about Emma?" She said quickly.

Regina froze. Ruby looked over and cursed. She was so fucked.

"Ms. Lucas." Oh so so fucked. "What the hell does she mean?" She hissed before grabbing the brunette. Kathryn looking between the two and realized her mistake.

"Oh my god Ruby, I'm so sorry I didn't reali-"

"Expalin. Now."

Even over the loud music of the gym, when the doors opened it seemed as if it was the only sound Regina had heard. And in walked the person she hadn't seen in ten years. It had been nothing like she had ever expected and she felt her breath catch like it had all those years ago.

Ruby saw her attention dragged elsewhere and looked. She didn't know if she wanted to grimace or smile. Either way she knew Storybrooke was about to get a whole lot more interesting again because it seemed for once that everyone was finally returning home.

"Exactly what you heard Regina." She said staring encouragingly at her friend, hoping this wouldn't lead to complete mayhem. "Emma's back."

A/N - Just something that popped into my head. Let me know if you like it and I should continue.

Chasing Fantasies