Regina had always assumed that she'd never find love again. She had come to accept that, after Daniel, no one would ever love her. She believed that without a doubt in her mind. Especially after that failed attempt at love with Robin. Then there was the incorrigible Emma Swan. Regina loathed her and adored her at the same time and she hated it. Emma had tried to take her son from her. She then brought back Robin's dead wife and effectively ruined the "friendship" they were trying to have. Why does Regina feel like this?

However, if you asked Regina if she regretted working with the blonde to stop the trigger, or bringing her back from the Enchanted Forest, or giving her a good life with Henry, well the answer would be no. It would always be no. Regina knew she would continue to do things for Emma no matter how stupid she got. That's what you do when you love someone. That's right, Regina loved Emma. She realized it a while ago. When Emma's touch helped her open the portal to the Enchanted Forest, Regina had her suspicions. She has thought long and hard about this and only came to accept it in Neverland when Emma had asked her to be her friend.

It was stupid, so stupid. And Regina knew that. She tried to shut it down many times, but then Emma would do something nice for her like she always does and the feelings would come rushing back. It quickly came to the point where Regina couldn't ignore it any longer. She soon decided to tell Emma until she heard about the blonde's new relationship with the cocky, one handed pirate.

Regina had been waiting for thirty minutes after Henry said he'd be home. She knew he was spending the day with Emma and she was always late. She sat at the dining room table and sighed. She heard the sound of a key entering the lock and stood up. Henry came bouncing through the door and beamed at his mom. Emma was standing behind him with the pirate.

"Hi Henry, did you have a good day with Emma?" Regina smiled down at her son.

"Yeah we went out on the boat with Hook."

Regina stiffened and looked at Emma. The blonde noticed the sudden change in Regina and quickly defended herself. "The Jolly Roger is totally safe, Regina. I wouldn't let him on it if it wasn't."

Regina nodded, even though that wasn't what made her so tense. She was tense because Hook had quickly become a father figure to Henry and she didn't like it at all.

"I only hope the pirate wasn't inebriated." Regina said, attempting to sound condescending but only managing to sound nervous.

Hook held up his hands in mock surrender. "Sober as can be, Your Majesty."

Regina rolled her eyes at the title and put her arm around Henry's shoulder. "Well, now that you've safely returned my son, I suppose you may go."

Emma smiled softly at Regina and nodded. "Okay. Bye Henry." She bent down and kissed her son on the top of the head. She smiled again at Regina and walked out the door.

Regina visibly relaxed when the door shut behind Emma and the pirate. Henry watched as his mom sighed. He looked up at his mom with furrowed eyebrows.

"What's going on?"

Regina turned to face him. "What do you mean?" Her voice came out about an octave too high and she mentally cursed herself for always wearing her heart on her sleeve.

Henry lifted an eyebrow at his mom's failed attempt at acting nonchalant. "Why are you always so tense around Ma?"

Regina's heart started beating faster than she thought was humanly possible. Her son was exceptionally perceptive. She swallowed thickly. "Let's sit down." She walked slowly to the dining room table and sat across from Henry.

"So? What is it?"

Regina took a deep breath. "Henry, sometimes adults find themselves in awkward situations with other adults around them. It's-"

Henry held up a hand to stop his mom. "Are you in love with Ma?"

Regina's eyes widened. She knew she would have to be honest with her son about what she was feeling about his biological mother. She just didn't think it would be this soon. Suddenly, she couldn't find the ability to breathe. Her mouth hung open and she saw Henry smirking.

"I'm gonna take that as a yes." He laughed.

"Henry, I need you to understand that this is not a new thing nor is it something that you need to be afraid of. My being in love with your mother is true, yes, but nothing is going to happen between us. She's with the pirate, after all."

"Yeah but she doesn't love him."

Regina smiled sadly. "You can't know that for sure."

Henry shook his head. "I do know for sure. She doesn't look at him with love in her eyes. I see the way that Gramps looks at Gram and that's love. I see how Belle looks at Mr. Gold and I know that's love." He took a deep breath. "And Mom, I see the way that you look at Emma and I know that it's love. She just doesn't look at Hook that way."

Regina tried to take in everything her son said. He sounded so grown up but he was also right and it scared her. "Maybe she doesn't love him now," she sighed."but she may love him in the future."

"Not unless you tell her you love her."

Regina's eyes widened and she laughed nervously. "Oh no, Henry. I could never do that."

"Why not? I'm sure she'd love you too, if she doesn't already."

Regina shook her head. "I wouldn't want to risk it. Emma is...let's just say that if I told her something like that and she didn't feel the same way, she'd react badly. She might even run away. I just can't risk that."

Henry nodded slowly. "I understand." He stood up and kissed his mom on the cheek. "I love you, Mom."

Regina smiled. "I love you too, Henry."

"I just hope you can be happy." Henry said while walking away. He had already begun thinking about a new operation to get his two moms together. It wouldn't be easy, but he knew full well that it would be worth it.

Henry walked into Granny's and sat and waited for Ruby to come over. She smiled at him and leaned down.

"What can I get you, Henry?" She smiled her huge smile down at Henry.

"What does my mom usually get?"

Ruby's eyebrows furrowed in thought. "She takes a lot of milk in her coffee, but don't tell her I told you. She has to act like the badass Evil Queen. And don't tell her I talk like this in front of you. Anyway, she gets the breakfast special. Do you want to get that?"

Henry nodded. "Yeah it's a surprise for my mom."

"You're one hell of a son, Henry." Ruby smiled. "I'll get that ready for you."

Emma walked in the diner at just the right time. Henry was just about to walk out when she saw him.

"Hey, kid. What's all this?" She gestured to his takeout bag.

"It's breakfast for my mom. I have to get to school, though, so can you take it to her? Don't tell her it's from me, though."

Emma took the bag from Henry. "Who should I tell her it's from?"

Henry shrugged. "Just tell her it's from you." He smiled and walked toward the bus stop.

Regina sat at her desk, typing at her computer. She heard a knock at her door and furrowed her eyebrows. Who would be visiting her right now?

"Come in." She called out hesitantly.

She relaxed when she saw Emma walking into her office. She had two coffees and a takeout bag. She smiled at Regina and put the food down on the table. She gestured for Regina to come over.

"What is this?"

Emma shrugged. "Breakfast."

Regina smiled and sat down across from Emma. She opened the takeout box and was surprised to see her usual.

"How do you know what I order?" She looked up at Emma.

"I asked Ruby and she told me."

Regina nodded. They ate in silence for what felt like hours. Regina kept watching as Emma glanced up at the clock then back at Regina. Regina took her last bite of food and sighed.

"Do you have somewhere to be, Emma?" The questioned seemed to knock Emma back into reality.

"Oh, uh, no I don't. I can stay." Emma fidgeted in her seat.

"Really, Emma, whatever you have to do, you can do it."

Emma sighed. "Killian wants me to go out on the boat with him this morning."

Regina sat back in her chair. "And you don't want to?" It was more of a statement than a question.

Emma shrugged. "I should want to, right? I mean, we're dating or whatever."

Regina chuckled lightly. "Yes, usually you should want to be with the person you're dating 'or whatever'."

Emma laughed and sipped her coffee. She ran a hand through her hair. "I don't know, Regina. Do you think I should give him a chance?"

Regina's heart sped up. She wanted to scream that no, she does not think that Emma should give the pirate a chance. Emma should give Regina a chance. She sighed.

"I can't answer that question as I am slightly biased."

Emma's eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

Regina took a deep breath. "I am no fan of the pirate's. He has betrayed me and others on numerous occasions. I know that I am not one to talk, but his redemption seems to be...easier than mine." Regina said the last part slowly, trying to read Emma's facial expression.

Emma looked down at her hands. "You're right."

Regina was not expecting that. Emma stood up and grabbed her coffee. "Thanks, Regina." She smiled at the brunette.

Regina sighed. "Thank you for breakfast, Emma." Emma's smile deepened and she was out the door.

Emma walked toward the docks slowly, not looking forward to her date (or whatever it was) with Hook. She kept thinking about her conversation with Regina. She knew she was right, but shouldn't she at least give Hook a chance? Redemption can't come unless you're given a chance, right? Emma groaned. She had no idea what she was going to do. She wanted to go back to Regina and talk with her all day.

Emma shook her head. No, Emma thought. You are not going to think about Regina right now. You are gonna go on this "date" with Hook and not wish that you were with Regina. She rolled her eyes. She had realized a while ago that she was attracted to Regina. It was purely sexual, so Emma had quickly learned to suppress it.

Emma shook these thoughts out of her head when she saw Hook standing at the docks.

"Hey Hook." She always spoke noncommittally to the pirate.

"Swan." He nodded at her and led her onto his ship. She followed slowly behind him. These dates were always so boring. He would take them out to sea and talk about his ship as if it were a woman and he would talk about the sea as if it was an enemy of his and Emma didn't understand the sea metaphors. His sexual innuendos always earned an obvious eye roll from Emma. She should be enjoying it, if she was dating him. At least she thought she should. But all she could think about was Regina. What was Regina doing? Was Regina thinking about her, too? Stop.

Why couldn't she get Regina out of her mind? Emma rubbed her temples. She heard Hook say something and looked up.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I asked if you wanted some rum." He held out his bottle for Emma.

Emma looked over at the bell tower. "It's 9:15."

Hook took a long sip and rolled his eyes. "Suit yourself."

Emma scoffed. She went back to thinking about Regina and found herself wanting to be in her presence. All of a sudden, Emma felt a tingling sensation in the pit of her stomach and then she was standing in Regina's office.

"Emma!" Regina stood up from her desk, utterly shocked.

Emma stumbled forward. "Oh no." She muttered.

Regina walked over to her and caught her before she fell. She led her to a chair and knelt in front of her.

"What just happened, Emma?"

Emma rubbed her forehead. "I think...I think I just used magic? I used magic to teleport here, accidentally."

"Accidentally?" Regina repeated.

Emma glanced at her guiltily. "Yeah."

Regina took a deep breath. "What were the circumstances surrounding this event?"

Emma looked down at her hands. "Well, I was on the Jolly Roger with Hook and I, uh, didn't really wanna be there anymore. So, I just started thinking about not being there and suddenly I was here."

Regina's eyebrows furrowed. "Were you thinking about me in particular or was it just a coincidence that you ended up here?"

Emma hesitated for a moment. She didn't know whether she should tell Regina the truth or not. Regina might freak out and kill Emma. Well, maybe not kill her, but something else bad. Oh well, she thought. This is it, Swan. It's now or never.

"I might have been. Thinking about you, I mean."

Regina smiled slightly. "Your magic was triggered by thinking of me."

Emma's eyes snapped up. "My magic was what?"

Regina stood up. She smiled brightly at Emma and sighed. "Magic is emotion, Emma. Most magic is triggered by some type of emotion. Usually, that emotion is anger. However, it can also be happiness, love, or sadness. As long as it's a strong emotion. Your magic was triggered because your thoughts of me made you feel some type of strong emotion, whatever it may be."

Emma had always though that love happened gradually, over time. She assumed that it would be that way for her. But when she listened to Regina talk, she felt it all. It was a rush of what felt like ten million emotions. It felt as though her heart was going to burst. She felt everything in the past year and realized with a heart wrenching thud that she was in love with Regina Mills.

"It was love."

Regina's breath caught in her love. "W-what?"

Emma smiled shyly. "Love. The emotion that thinking of you gave me, it was love."

Regina's heart thundered so loudly in her chest that she was sure Emma could hear it.

"You love me?"

Emma's heart fluttered from hearing those words. "Yeah, I do. Is that okay?"

"Say it."

Emma's eyebrows furrowed. "What?"

"Say it. Out loud. That you love me."

Emma smiled. "I love you."

Suddenly, the lights flickered on and off. Emma looked up and then back towards Regina.

"What just happened?"

Regina looked at her hand. "I would suspect that my magic was triggered by hearing you say that you love me."

Emma nodded slightly. "Huh. Interesting." She stood up and walked towards Regina. "Does that mean...that you love me too?"

"I do love you. Very much so." Regina smiled. "You're my happy ending, Emma. You and Henry, it's all I need. That's it." She stepped closer to Emma. "This is it."