A/N: This story was written for Swan Queen Week 2015. The prompt for Day 1 was Bed Sharing. I'm a little late but still wanted to contribute. I went in a little different direction than you might have expected. I'm sorry. Please leave a comment.

Emma snuggled closer to Regina. She didn't want to wake her but she wanted to be close.

"Emma?" Regina's sleep heavy voice drifted through an otherwise silent room.

"It's me. I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's ok. I'm glad you did." Regina moved to situate her head on Emma's awaiting shoulder.

For a few moments they just laid there, neither saying anything. The silence was comfortable as only the silence between long together lovers can be.

"Do you remember the first time we slept together in this bed?" It was Emma who broke the silence.

Regina's lilting laughter drifted soft as a cloud into Emma's ear. "I assume you are using slept together as a euphemism. I don't recall us doing much sleeping that night, my love."

Emma added a chuckle of her own. "No, I don't suppose we did get much sleep that night. But I have no regrets. Do you?"

"No. You know I don't. That night was the beginning of the happiest part of my life." Regina draped an arm across Emma's middle and sighed. "Emma, you do know how much I love you, don't you? I need you to know…"

"Of course I do. I love you too, Gina. You don't have to convince me." Even though she would normally protest the use of the nickname, Regina allowed it now. There was something sweet in the way Emma said it this time. "So many things have happened in this bed."

"Are you being crass?" Regina lifted her head to look Emma in the eyes.

"No. Not at all. I mean… well, like that Mother's Day when Henry helped Caroline make us breakfast in bed. Remember? We all wound up spending most of the day snuggling here under the covers. You said it was—"

"The best way a mother could spend her special day… with her wife and her babies. I remember." Regina thought back to that day. The toast was burnt and her kitchen was a disaster area, but their sweet Caroline with her flaxen curls and soulful chocolate eyes had been so proud of herself that nothing else seemed to matter. Henry had tried to resist the cuddle time, he said he was too old for that, but hadn't made a move to leave even when it was clear it would be alright. "Where are they?" Regina asked after another stretch of silence.

"With Mom. They are fine. No worries…" Emma let her words drift off as she drew Regina impossibly closer and breathed in the scent of her hair. How much she loved her silken strands.

"Do you remember…" Regina began tentatively.

"Do I remember what?"

"Do you remember that Christmas Eve when Caroline was still just a baby? We stayed up half the night putting together toys and getting everything ready for Santa to come." Regina sniffed at the thought of the fat old man in red.

"Oh yeah, I remember. You were just as much a snob about Santa then as you are now." Emma tickled Regina lightly on her side which elicited a small sound somewhere between pain and joy. "Did I hurt you?"

"No, you didn't. I was just thinking about how much this realm tries to make a farce like Santa Claus seem real to children but they call people crazy who believe in magic. Idiots." Regina sniffed again in disgust.

"Well," Emma said, turning the conversation back to the story at hand, "I mostly remember you falling asleep on the sofa and leaving me to finish the assembly. And I recall carrying you up to this bed so you wouldn't be grumpy on Christmas morning."

"I wasn't asleep." Regina tried to bury her head in Emma's hair to hide from her shocked expression.

"Not asleep? What do you mean, you weren't asleep?" Emma pulled back to look in mock outrage at her wife.

"I was technically asleep when you picked me up but I woke up. And it felt so good to be in your arms like that, I just… enjoyed the ride, I suppose." Regina shrugged. "Oh don't look so scandalized, dear. I seem to recall you getting a pretty good present that night after we got in bed and I 'woke up' to your kisses." Regina chuckled this time with what Emma called her sexy laugh.

"Well, yes, I guess I have nothing to complain about. And the kids got everything they wanted that year too." Emma smiled into soft black locks as she readjusted back to cradling Regina to her side.

"Where are the kids? I haven't hear them in a while. I…"

"Shhh, they are fine, baby. They are with Mom. Do you want me to go get them?"

"No. Not yet." Regina whispered.

"Ok," Emma whispered, her voice quiet to match Regina's. Another few minutes of silence passed between them. The only sound was their breathing and the sound of Emma's hand brushing the sheet as she traced comforting circles on Regina's back.

"Emma?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you so much. I've never loved anyone the way I love you. I know when we first met it was rough and I pretty much hated you for taking Henry. I'm sorry for that. You know that right?"

Emma shifted so she and Regina were laying side by side and looking each other in the eye. She reached a tender hand out and intertwined their fingers. "You don't have to apologize. We both acted like idiots back then. But we had to go through all that to get to where we are. I don't regret a minute of it. I just wish we had realized how we felt sooner. But you don't have to apologize. That's all so far in the past it's like it happened to someone else."

"I know. You're right. I'm sorry." Regina looked up through black lashes into those beautiful green eyes. "You know you are so beautiful. I still, after all this time, I still have to catch my breath at the thought of you. I never knew I could be happy like this. You've made our life together so wonderful."

"And exciting. Don't forget exciting." Emma grinned. "And full of junk food and bad behavior and sexy times." She wiggled her eyebrows for emphasis.

"Yes, all that too. And moments like these, when I'm being too serious, you've brought me so much joy." Regina reached up a hand to caress her wife's cheek, tears filling her eyes.

"Hey, hey. No tears. We promised. No tears today." Emma scolded without any real force.

"I know. No tears." Regina shook her head as best she could laying down, clearing the melancholy mood. "So, wonderful, exciting, junk food filled, bad behavior laden, humorous and chock full of sexy times life. You've been quite busy dear." Regina smirked up into her lover's face.

"And the children. Don't forget I gave us two beautiful children to fill with junk food and bad behavior." Emma puffed out her chest with mostly mock pride, teasing Regina.

"Yes. Thank you for my babies. Where are they?" Regina looked up in question. "Did I ask that already? I'm sorry, Emma."

"No, it's ok. They are downstairs with Mom. Henry was going to take Caroline out to pick some apples from your tree. It's time for them. Maybe we can make a pie later."

"I'd like that. We haven't baked anything with them since Henry went away to school. Although I am not sure Snow would appreciate apple." Regina didn't even try to hide her evil grin.

"You may be right. But I think we can make an exception this once." Emma brushed her hand through Regina's hair. How she loved her hair. "Do you want me to go get them yet? The kids I mean?"

"Yes. I think so. Go fetch our babies." Regina reluctantly released her wife. As soon as Emma was out from under the covers she missed her warmth. She reached out a hand toward her.

"What is it, Regina?" Emma looked down at the brunette, so small in the big bed they shared.

"I just wanted a kiss. Can you spare one for the patient?" Regina flashed her classic pout at the blonde. It always got her whatever she wanted from Emma.

"Of course I can." Emma leaned down over her wife and kissed her lightly on the lips. Regina's hand on her shoulder kept her from pulling away and breaking the sweet kiss. They lingered there for several moments, lips pressed softly together, breathing each other in. Finally, Regina let go. "Let me go get our off spring. I'll be sure they wash their hands before they come up."

"Alright. I'll be here. They know I love them don't they?" Regina's voice was soft, though her words carried such a weight of worry.

"Of course they do, Gina. And you can tell them again yourself over and over until we are old ladies with grandkids getting into everything and they are sick of hearing it." Emma started out the bedroom door.

"Emma?"

Emma stopped just short of going out the door and turned back to her wife with a broad smile, amused that Regina had become so clingy in the last few days. "Yes, Regina?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to look at you. I love you, Emma." Regina smiled from the cocoon of covers around her in their bed.

"And I love you. I'll be right back." With that, she was out the door and headed to the stairs.

Emma stepped up to the french doors leading from the living room to the backyard. Her mother glanced at her and they two stood a moment watching Henry and his sister as he helped her choose apples from their tree.

"How is she?" Snow asked.

"Fine. Ready to see her babies, as she called them." Emma opened the door and called to her children. "Henry, your mom wants to see you guys."

"Ok, Ma. Let us get these last few and we will be right in." Henry called, lifting Caroline up to reach a higher branch.

"Ok. But don't take too long. And when you come in—"

"Wash our hands. I know. Don't worry. Five minutes and we will be there." Emma closed the door. The fall air was crisp in Maine.

"Emma? Have you given any thought to—" Snow began but Emma cut her off.

"Now is not the time, Snow. I told you we will see. Don't push me on this. She is feeling much better today." Emma knew calling her mother by her given name would drive home her point. This was not the time for discussion.

"OK. I'm sorry. I'm just trying to help." Snow's voice was heavy with emotion, her face contrite and sincere.

"I know you are. But right now you can help by making sure they wash their hands and sending them up to see their mother. I'm going back up now." Emma didn't wait for a response as she turned and left the room. Bounding up the stairs two at a time she headed back to the bedroom she shared with Regina.

From the hall she called out "They are coming in a minute, Gina. You should see the haul of apples we got this season. I bet you will get one helluva good cider this year…" Emma's voice trailed off as her eyes fell on Regina laying still in their bed. Too still.

"Gina?" Emma called quietly. When there was no response she tried again. "Regina? Regina, answer me."

The small frame of her wife lay still and didn't speak.

"Oh, Gina… no. Please. I'm not ready yet." Emma's hand flew up to cover her mouth as a sob escaped. "No, baby, please…"

"Emma? Emma, honey, is everything alright? The kids are coming in—" Snow called from the bottom of the stairs.

"No, don't let them come up!" Emma screamed. She stood there in the door, tears streaming down her face.

"This can't be real," Emma whispered. "You were feeling better today. This isn't how it is supposed to end."

After a moment, Emma eased closer to the bed and crawled in her side, under the covers. She cradled her wife's lifeless body close to her and silently wept. The bed they shared held so many memories… and now it held this last one more. Regina was gone.