Mary Margaret expected the phone call. It was a common thing and she had been smelling the storm in the air all day. It had been inevitable that Regina would call at some point in the evening, calling her by her nickname and her other name, her voice very small and very scared.

"Snow… Can you come round?" The plea was so heartfelt and Mary Margaret did really care for the woman, so there really wasn't much leeway for her to say no.

"I'll be there soon." She assured Regina before hanging up the phone, grabbing her keys and quickly driving across town to the Mayors house.

Regina answered the door before Mary Margaret had even rung the doorbell and was instantly wrapped in a slightly soggy hug from the rain soaked school teacher.
Mary Margaret felt Regina relax slightly when she hugged her and that made her smile. Pulling away, Regina examined the younger woman, noting that her white blouse was no see through, and her black skirt was stuck to her skin. Her short hair was plastered to her head and was dripping rain water onto her face, but still she wore a soft smile.

"Come in M&M. I think I still have some of your clothes around here somewhere." Regina stood aside to let Mary Margaret past. Still smiling the short haired woman turned to face the mayor.

"A pair of your fluffy pajamas will do just fine." Mary Margaret was the only one who knew about the mayors pajamas. She had the silk ones and the ones she generally wore, but she had a few fluffy pairs that she had never let anyone see, for fear of ridicule.

"Okay then. You know where they are… Can you bring me down a pair?" Regina asked. Mary Margaret smiled again and grabbed Regina's hand and pulled her up the stairs to her bedroom. Grabbing the pajamas from the drawer, she tossed a pair to the mayor before stripping off herself. She could feel Regina staring, so she slowed down a little, sliding the skirt slower down her legs and hearing Regina's breathing become heavier. The teacher knew this wouldn't last long, that as a clap of thunder sounded or Regina saw some lightening flash, then the Mayor would quiver and she would be back to being the protector. This was made easier by Henry being at Emma and Ruby's for the night, since it meant she only had to deal with a hysterical Regina AND a hysterical Henry.

She felt Regina behind her suddenly, her hands splayed across the teachers pale stomach. Mary Margaret's breathing hitched momentarily as one of Regina's hands moved behind her to unsnap the younger woman's bra.

"You're stunning as usual M&M" Regina muttered as she slid one strap down Mary Margaret's arm. Smiling, Mary Margaret turned round to find Regina with her pajama bottoms on and her top undone.

"Why Madam Mayor, are you trying to seduce me?" Asked the shorter woman, her arms encircling Regina's waist as she leaned up to press a soft kiss to the mayors' mouth.

"Maybe." Replied the older woman with a smirk once Mary Margaret had moved back slightly.

"Well if it's only maybe, I think I should go back to getting dressed" Mary Margaret teased, stepping out of Regina's embrace and turning away, a smirk on her face as she heard Regina sigh in exasperation before she felt a hand on her wrist, tugging her backwards and landing them both on Regina's bed. Giggling, Mary Margaret dipped her head to press her lips softly to Regina's, barely putting any pressure, in effect, teasing the mayor.

"I have to try to seduce you now?" Regina asked, smiling, her hands roaming Mary Margaret's back gently.

"Never." Mary Margaret could hear the thunder building, so she decided distraction would be the best option, so she leant down, kissing the mayor hard, taking her by surprise, so it took her a moment to respond. But when she did respond, it was with enthusiasm. It became less of a kiss and more of an attack, teeth, lips, tongue all joining in, in an attempt to make the other submit. But both women were equals. Neither could win, and neither really wanted to.

Regina was the first to pull back, her breathing heavy and her pupils dilated. Mary Margaret wasn't faring much better.

Before either woman could speak, a clap of thunder sounded and Regina jumped, squeaked slightly, and began to shiver. Mary Margaret ran a soothing hand down Regina's arm before standing.

"Wait there one sec, okay? I'm just gonna get dressed." Regina nodded, sitting up herself, buttoning up her pajama top, her eyes fearful, darting round the room as if the lightening was hiding in a corner ready to jump out at her.

Mary Margaret took Regina's hand once more and took her back downstairs into her living room and settled her on the sofa. Regina grasped Mary Margaret's hand and pulled her down too, before moving in to cling to the younger woman.

"Thank you." The mayor said in a small voice, her head resting on the school teachers' shoulder. Mary Margaret smiled softly and laced her fingers with Regina's, wrapping her other arm around her, holding the shaking woman close.

"There's nothing to thank me for." She told her, her hold tightening as another clap of thunder sounded causing Regina to nearly fall off the sofa with the force of her jump.

"Shhhh darling" Mary Margaret soothed, the hand that wasn't laced with Regina's stroking the woman's hair gently. Regina was still shaking, but Mary Margaret knew that her presence did help, as Regina had told her so.

"I'm scared." Regina whispered quietly. Mary Margaret's heart dropped at the sound of the mayor's voice, so scared and small. She never wanted the older woman to sound like that.

"I know. There's nothing to worry about. I'm here. I won't let anything hurt you." She soothed, using her thumb to rub small circles on the back of Regina's hand.

"But…" The mayor started, to Mary Margaret cut her off with a finger to her lips.

"But nothing. I refuse to let anything or anyone hurt you. Not again." She remembered the one time she hadn't listened to Regina's plea. So instead the Mayor had made a deal that Mr Gold would give her headphones that would completely block out the storm, but in return he got to take something from her. He took her dignity, completely destroyed it. The tape was still out there somewhere, but everyone in town knew that if they even brought it up the normally mild mannered school teacher would destroy them.

"I know…" Regina conceded, still shaking.

"Regina… Why?" Mary Margaret asked. Regina knew what she was asking, and normally she got shot down. Regina didn't want to go back there, even in her own memory. But, she reasoned, the other woman deserved to know.

"When I was a kid, I was scared of storms. And my mum…" Regina felt Mary Margaret stiffen. Regina's mother was a sore spot for both of them, as at one point she had come to visit Regina and had humiliated Mary Margaret.

"She hated me. Completely despised me. She didn't want me. So if I was scared of something, she would be horrible about it. So when she found me cowering in my closet… She picked me up, I was only five, opened the back door and shut me out. My Father was away on business, so she left me there all night…" Regina sniffled, turning slightly to cry silently into Mary Margaret's shoulder. Mary Margaret rubbed Regina's back and made gentle shushing noises, as you would with a frightened child. If she had known how deep Regina's fear ran, she never would have ignored her. Not even that once.

"Gina…" The nickname slipped from Mary Margaret's lips without her realizing it. Regina hated being called anything but Madam Mayor and Regina. This could have been a step to far.

"Say that again…" Regina asked, her voice still small as she lifted her head to look Mary Margaret in the eye. Swallowing thickly, the school teacher spoke again.

"Gina…" Their eyes connected and Mary Margaret could see a spark of something in Regina's eyes that she had never seen before. Helplessness. Even when she was being scared, Regina never looked helpless. She always seemed in control. But now… she looked like a child.

"I like hearing you say that…" Regina admitted, her voice still small and that look not leaving her eyes. Mary Margaret smiled softly and kissed Regina's nose.

"I thought you hated nicknames Gina?" She joked, noting that Regina hadn't reacted to the latest clap of thunder.

"I do. It's just… that sounded right coming from you." Regina tried to explain. Mary Margaret understood though. It was like, anyone else calling her M&M or Snow would sound weird. But coming from Regina, it was just normal. Comforting.

"Well I'm glad we agree on something. I like calling you Gina, and you like hearing it." Regina smiled and wrapped her arms comfortably around Mary Margaret's middle, her head resting on her beating heart.

After a moment Mary Margaret plucked at the sleeve of Regina's pajama's.

"Monkeys? Fitting." She muttered, dropping the sleeve and wrapping one arm around Regina's shoulders, the other playing with Regina's fingers.

"Why is it fitting?" Asked the older woman, her fingers tangling with her girlfriends, gently tickling the palm.

"Because you're clinging to me like a monkey." She said with a grin. Regina tightened her arm, before tickling the other woman's side. Mary Margaret squealed and tried to wriggle away, but Regina held her tight, her fingers moving with dexterity, eliciting giggles from the school teacher.

"No! Gina don't! Please!" Mary Margaret begged, her eyes filling with tears as she continued laughing. After a while Regina took mercy on Mary Margaret and stopped her fingers, schooling her face into the look of innocence as she looked up at the younger woman.

"I hate you."

"You love me." Regina countered, smiling before sitting up slightly to look at the pajama's that Mary Margaret was wearing.

"Yours fit too." She told her, settling her head back down and humming contentedly.

"Bears?" Mary Margaret's face crinkled in confusion as she looked down at the top of Regina's head.

"Teddy bears. You're my teddy bear." Regina explained before she yawned. Mary Margaret smiled, rubbing Regina's arm.

"Sleep Gina. I'll still be here in the morning."

Pauley: I couldn't help but put in the minor link with the sister fic in that last line… Hope you enjoyed this.