A/N: This came from spending all day looking at the new promo pics for "The Cricket Game." I wrote it all tonight, and honestly it's probably not all that good, but I guess I'll let you guys make the final call on that front lol.

"Where are you?"

Emma was beyond happy to be home. Everyone was in high spirits, in fact – not least of all the son she shared with Regina. Her brow had furrowed at the thought of the woman, casting a glance around the diner to confirm her absence before typing out the message.

The response came much more quickly than Emma would have thought.

"My presence does not seem to be desired, nor welcome. Enjoy your family dinner, Miss Swan."

She need not hear Regina's voice to sense the sarcasm behind the words 'family dinner', though she chose to ignore it. Clearly, Regina had thought herself excluded from this occasion, and Emma couldn't help but be sympathetic to the defensiveness brought on by feelings of rejection.

"If the dwarves are family, then you're family... I mean, we do share a son. Not to mention the little fact of you saving my life today so... Yeah. Just get your ass to the diner."

Maybe not the most eloquent message, and it had definitely petered out by the end, but Emma had never thought herself a wordsmith anyway and was confident she'd made her point.

She waited for long minutes, but there was no reply from the brunette. She felt the disappointment deep in her gut, but refused to acknowledge it. This evening was for celebration, and if Regina didn't want to be a part of it, Emma couldn't force her.

She told herself there would be plenty of time to dwell and wonder why on earth she should be so upset about it all later, until the sound of the door forced her to look up, and there stood Regina.

Looked like she was going to be contemplating the way her heart raced at the sight, instead.

The room fell quiet, and the former queen looked as nervous as Emma could ever recall seeing her. In fact, she couldn't recall having seen any type of weakness on Regina before. Remembering the woman's fear of being unwelcome, Emma went to plaster on a big smile, before realizing she was already wearing one.

"Regina," she called, blushing slightly under her grin. "You made it."

That was enough to spur the people back to life. Whatever their personal feelings, Regina was now officially a guest of The Savior. No one would question her presence.

Emma watched the woman tentatively seat herself at the end of the bar, not shunned, but not included either. She saw their son take notice of this as well, smiling at him with a reassuring nod when he looked her way as though asking permission. A massive grin spread across his face as he skipped over to Regina's side, positioning himself on the corner of the bar next to his other mother.

Inching closer, Emma watched Regina dish up a piece of cake and hand it to Henry. He looked so happy, probably at finally getting to spend time in the presence of both his mothers without a fight breaking out. Emma found she was quite fond of this turn of events as well, unable to take her eyes off Regina as she dished another slice. She wondered if the mayor had always been this pretty, or if perhaps she had done something different while they'd been apart, aside from the loss of that title. Or was Emma the one who was different?

Regina held the cake out to Leory, who starred at her coldly until she sheepishly retracted it, placing the plate on the counter in front of herself. Emma wasn't going to stand for that. Sure, Regina had done terrible things, but tonight was about everyone being together, and that meant everyone getting along, and everyone being treated with respect.

Just as she opened her mouth to reprimand him, another voice rang out over the room.

"I'd like to propose a toast," David announced, raising his beer into the air.

Emma sighed. She wanted to keep the peace, not create a scene, so she turned away from the counter, raising her mug as well. The scolding would have to wait.

"To my wife and daughter," he continued, making Emma grimace when she realized she was the subject of the toast. "And their safe return to Storybrooke. I never lost faith that I would find you."

Everyone cheered their approval, clanking their glasses against those of the people closest to them, while Emma rolled her eyes. David was a well meaning man, and her father – however weird that notion still was – and yes, he had willingly gone under the sleeping curse to help them; but he wasn't the only hero here. Regina had saved their lives.

No sooner had she thought the woman's name than she heard the front door slam. She spun around to find her son now seated alone.

"Henry, where's your mom?" she asked, a little too urgently.

"She said she had to go," he replied skeptically. "She seemed upset."

"Don't worry, kid. I'm sure she's fine," Emma assured him, already starting for the door. "Promise you'll stay here til I get back?"

Henry nodded his agreement, and Emma sent him a grateful smile before fleeing out the door. She sighed her relief when she spotted Regina just down the walk, not in much of a hurry to get anywhere, now that she was safely out of the diner.

"Go back to your party, Sheriff," Regina called dryly, without turning around. "You've done your due diligence with me. Surely, they can't continue without a guest of honor?"

"They still have one. They'll manage," Emma replied. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going home," Regina sniffed. "It was a mistake to come here. I know where I'm not wanted."

"Henry wants you here, and I invited you. Who cares what everyone else thinks?"

"I care!" Regina snapped, pivoting to face the blonde. "Since the day you fell into that portal, I have been trying to be a better person. I am trying to redeem myself. Those people, though, they will never see it."

"They might," Emma supplied meekly, strolling towards the other woman. "If you give them the chance, they might. Just come inside and finish your cake–"

"I don't want any cake!" Regina was yelling now, she seemed to be on the brink of tears. "I just want to go home."

"Okay," Emma held up her hands in surrender, as though she might frighten Regina off. "For what it's worth, I believe you are trying. To be better, that is. Henry believes in you, and if there's one thing I've learned, it's to believe in him."

"Indeed." Regina smirked lightly at the sentiment. "He always was a clever child."

"He gets that from you," Emma whispered shyly. She felt silly, until she noticed the genuine smile on Regina's face. "If you won't come back in, can I at least walk you to your car?"

Regina hesitated a moment, but then nodded. "Very well."

They walked along in silence a while, neither of them in a rush now. It wasn't necessarily awkward, though Emma desperately wished she could think of something to say. These new feelings of disappointment and joy that revolved around the woman beside her were never going to make themselves understood through silence.

Luckily, Regina was the one to break it.

"Thank you, by the way," she said, sounding poised and regal once again. "For inviting me."

Emma nodded. "I'm glad you came."

It was all she could think to say, but something about the moment felt charged. It felt intimate. There had to be something more than whispered pleasantries. Feeling bold, and with a deep sigh, Emma slipped her hand into the one beside her.

As quickly as she could register it, Regina yanked her hand out of Emma's lose grasp, coming to an abrupt halt on the sidewalk. Emma stopped and turned to face the other woman, who was now holding her own hand out and away from her body as if diseased. She frowned at the look on Regina's face – not one of disgust, as her actions might have suggested, but one of pure and utter confusion.

"I tried to kill you," the brunette sputtered incredulously.

"You also saved my life," Emma reasoned, already starting to see what was really going on here.

Regina shook her head.

"I tried to kill your mother."

"You saved her life, too," Emma shot back.

"You've saved me more–"

"Regina," the sheriff cut her off sharply. "I'm trying to wipe the slate clean here."

Brown eyes stared at her blankly for a long moment, finally shifting down to their own outstretched hand.

"Okay," Regina nodded uncertainly.

Emma's heart thundered in her chest as she gently reached out to reclaim the hand. This time there was no resistance, not even as she twined their fingers together. The silence resumed, though it was a comfortable one, Emma noticed. As though everything was exactly the way it ought to be in that moment.

All too soon, they found themselves back at Regina's car, behind Mr Gold's shop. Emma grappled for anything she could think of to stretch out their time a little longer, but came up empty. She shrugged with a timid smile.

"Well, goodnight," she said, giving the hand she held a light squeeze before loosening her hold.

To Emma's surprise, Regina didn't release her. Instead, she squeezed back, tugging slightly to pull the blonde closer. Emma just barely had time to register the faint smirk on Regina's lips, and then they were pressed against her own. Softly, gently, moving carefully together, and then they were gone.

"Goodnight, Emma," she whispered, still close enough for warm breath to caress pale skin, then stepping back and climbing into her black Mercedes without another word.

Emma's heart was still hammering, and her lips still tingling while she watched Regina drive away. As she started back towards the diner, smiling secretly to herself, she couldn't help thinking once again just how happy she was to be home.