Disclaimer: I own nothing of Once Upon a Time.
Crossfire
-by Megannrosemary
Regina padded down the steps in stocking feet, a sense of calm enveloping her after tucking in her son and slipping out of her severe high heels.
That calm quickly disappeared as her feet hit the ground floor. She found her in front of the liquor cabinet, a shot glass and a bottle of tequila in front of her.
This on its own was not alarming, even if it was something she'd never seen the blonde do.
It was the look on her face that surprised her, serious and vulnerable. She carried the weight of the world on her shoulders and looked ready to crack and crumble under it.
"How about a glass of the best apple cider you ever tasted," She suggested softly so as not to startle her, to try and bring her back down to earth.
"Sure." Emma looked up in slow motion, her eyes glassy.
They sat in the study, sipping slowly and watching the fire.
Occasionally one of them would break the silence and mention the evening they'd just spent together with their son, something that was becoming a pleasant common occurrence. They made plans for the week to come, with Henry and with each other. This too, was something they did more and more frequently. Lunches at the station or in Regina's office, a quick drink after work or a teasing flirty run in the mornings. If anything, they were friends.
When Emma's head began to droop, Regina was the one to pull her to her feet and suggest she be heading home.
"Tonight was nice," The blonde sagged against her, eyes downcast, "Really nice. But then, it's always nice with you. I wish it could be nice all the time."
"It was lovely," Regina didn't hesitate to admit, it always was, until their time had to come to an end. Her uneasiness over the blonde's mood remained, and it was only amplified by the amount of tequila the blonde must have consumed before she'd found her.
They stumbled to the car, where Regina buckled the other woman into the passenger seat.
"Mmm you smell nice Regina. That's another nice thing about you."
Biting her lip, Regina started the car and pulled out into the empty street, the night sky above them clouded and hinting at rain.
Emma leaned against the window, "You know what else is nice, Henry had two Moms, he's pretty lucky. I never even had one and you didn't either. I guess the universe has a way of righting itself."
She was a perceptive drunk that Emma Swan.
"You dress nice too, which is nice but also sexy. You're sexy, that's nice. "
"Thank you dear." She clamped down on her soaring heart, knowing the blonde would have no recollection of this conversation.
"You have nice legs and nice hair and a nice boobs," Emma continued. "You know what else?" her head lolled to the other side, expecting an answer.
"What?"Regina answered patiently.
"I think it would be really nice to kiss you."
It was what she'd dreamed of, their friendship blossoming into something she'd waited for for so long. She just wished that it hadn't happened like this, not in a drunken haze fueled by...something. "We're here," She rolled to a stop in front of the apartment Emma shared with Neal.
"Gina," The younger woman mumbled, "I don't feel so good. " She scrambled to open the door before she lost the contents of her stomach, mostly alcohol, on the driveway.
After Emma wiped her mouth, Regina helped her stagger up to the apartment building where the blonde's knees gave out and she sank down on the ground. The older woman pressed the smooth block button and called up, "Neal?"
"Who is this? Regina?"He asked, his voice muffled with confusion and sleep.
"I have Emma with me, she'd not well."
"l..I'll be right down."
He appeared moments later with messy hair and baggy sweatpants.
He bent down beside the blonde to help her up, him on one side and Regina on the other
"Neal," She shook her head violently, "I don't want you, I want Regina" She threw herself at the brunette, aiming a kiss at her mouth and landing sloppily on her cheek.
Neal pried her away, supporting her full weight as they began to head inside.
"Regina, come with meeee," Emma whined.
The brunette looked to the man for permission, letting her eyes convey her apology,
He shrugged his agreement and together they helped the tipsy blonde inside.
Regina barely had time to look around the apartment for the first time before they were lurching to the bathroom. She'd never been to the apartment before, always picked up Henry outside or met Emma at the station. She hadn't been able to bear seeing the place Emma lived with her boyfriend and their son. Seeing it would have made it real, would have chased away the last dredges of denial that snaked through her mind, wrapped around her heart.
Emma made it barely, heaving over the bowl with Regina holding her hair back and rubbing her back soothingly.
Neal, to his credit, stood at the door with a glass of water in an attempt to play some part. It was him who stood there awkwardly and out of place, while Regina sat holding the blonde so easily, so comfortably, so at home.
To Regina, she was home. They fit well together, completing each other. It wasn't very often she got to hold onto the beautiful woman in her arms. She remembered every touch with agonizing detail, there was the hug in Neverland when they rescued Henry, the quick embrace on Henry's graduation from grade six and the comforting embrace after they'd watched a heartbreaking movie. Even now, in spite of the circumstances, Regina relished the weight and the warmth of the blonde against her.
"Thank you," Regina acknowledged sincerely, taking the proffered glass and lifting it to Emma's lips. "Emma sweetheart, have a sip, rinse your mouth."
The blonde gulped thirstily, clutching at her arm.
"Slowly," Regina cautioned, reaching to brush a drop of water that had spilled onto her chin.
Nodding to Neal, they helped the blonde from the floor and into bed.
The brunette chased her jealously from her mind, shut down the images of the Emma and Neal in this bed. Instead she focused on the present, "Neal, pajamas?"
"Oh right, uhhhh," He looked dumbfounded and pulled open a few drawers before handing her a white tank- top.
The older woman sat on the side of the bed, where Emma was curled up on her side. Slowly , she untied her boots and helped her out of her skin tight jeans.
"Mmmm Gina, your hands feel so nice. I always hoped that you'd see me like this under different circumstances though, you'd have a lot less clothes on." Her head lolled back on the pillow, and her piercing green eyes managing to focus on the brunette before her.
Regina looked back at Neal, still hanging back, just letting Regina be. All he could do was shrug.
"Shhh Emma sleep now," She left her bra safely in place and pulled the tank over her head before covering her up. The thick down comforter was pulled over long muscled legs and Regina kissed her forehead.
"I love you Regina, "Emma mumbled into the pillow and she was out before Regina could turn out the light.
How she'd longed to hear those words.
How long had she waited to hear those three words leave her lips.
In other circumstances perhaps, but the she knew in that moment that the sentiment was real.
She held on to that.
She followed Neal to the kitchen, brightly lit and cluttered.
"Want some coffee?" He asked, pain evident in his voice. He'd heard those three little words too, and they hadn't been aimed at him.
"Thank you," Regina nodded.
They leaned against the counter, the gurgling and spluttering coffee pot the only sound filling the kitchen.
At last, Neal offered a steaming mug of black liquid. "Thank you for your help tonight."
Regina a took a quick sip of the strong coffee, bunging her tongue. She bit it to stop the pain, to stop her from saying something she shouldn't.
It came spilling out anyways.
"I love her," Regina admitted apologetically.
"I love her too," Neal nodded sadly, "But that's why I have to let her go." He was resigned, already accepting of the three little words.
"What?" She sputtered and choked on the acrid liquid.
"I know how much she loves you. I just wish she could feel that way about me. " He wasn't angry, only wished for what could have been.
"I...I'm sorry." She was sorry, if only for the pain she caused. The knowledge that Emma loved her and she loved Emma, that she could never be sorry for.
Neal settled into his next words as if he'd been practicing them. "She talks about you constantly or talks to you constantly. She's never so happy and never so sad than when she comes back from being with you and Henry."
"She's happy with you too, "Regina suggested helpfully.
"It's not the same crazy happiness. She can't have the life she wants with me and I love her too much to keep her from it. She can have the family she always dreamed of with you."
"You're a man," Regina blurted out, years of suppression rising up.
He nodded carefully, wondering what she was getting at.
"You're also not the evil queen. It's easy with you, you can have more children, you can be a family that no one will challenge. " To this man, who she'd admittedly dreamed of killing or turning into a woodland animal, who she'd been murderously jealous of, she was admitting her deepest fears. Even if Emma did love her, why would she choose her, the evil queen, a woman. Life wouldn't be easy, not at all.
"You're already a family and, of course you can have more children. Science in this land is almost as good as magic. " He grinned goofily, "Who would ever challenge the evil queen anyways?"
"Oh Neal..." Dreams pooled in her eyes.
"Do you love her?"
"More than anything." The world spun on its axis, the truth reigning.
"I know, I can see that. Take care of her ok? Make her happy." He gulped the last few sips of coffee and set his mug in the sink. "My father is the dark one, so if you hurt her..."
"I won't," Regina promised.
"Thank you, for taking such good care of my son and thank you for making my girl happy. I'll never forget her." He glanced back at the bedroom. "I'm heading back to New York to visit some buddies and clear my head. I was gonna talk to her when I got back, but I'll make sure I talk to her before I go."
"What?" Regina's head swam at the speed at which things had changed. She'd been waiting and longing for so long and now, all of a sudden, here she was about to get what she wanted.
"Thank you would suffice, I'll send her you way tomorrow."
"Thank you," Regina breathed her attention focused on the closed bedroom door. "I'll be waiting."
Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough.
A/N: I've had this written for quite some time now, and while I love the idea I felt I couldn't quite get down in words the story I wanted to tell. I'd love any comments or criticisms to help this little story. Thanks for reading!
P.S. This is a two - shot, the girls will chat in the next part ;)