There is a tiny reference to Emma and Regina's family tree relation so if you hate that, apologies


Regina knocked firmly on the apartment door. The sound echoed in the hall and she couldn't take it back now. She felt a sudden flurry of nerves in her abdomen.

This was a stupid idea, she told herself. Her hands rolled into fists and then unrolled. She turned to leave when the door opened.

"Regina?" Emma asked. Her tone was duller than usual.

She turned to face her. "Hi" Regina frowned

"Is everything ok?" Emma asked, looking around the hall as if to literally see if trouble coming.

"Yes I…" she had forgotten what she had planned to say, she was just going to go in blind "I heard about what happened with" captain guyliner, the handless wonder "the pirate. I came to see how you are." Her face was a mask but really she felt like she could be sick. Baiting a Chernabog seemed like nothing compared to this.

"Oh. Why?" Emma's expression changed from concern to curiosity

"Because I'm just…" Regina could feel her heart beating in her throat "...your friend"

There, she had said it. She was reminded of the phrase 'a fool tests the depth of water with both feet', but she had done it anyway, and here she was, to splash or sink. Emma's expression didn't change but for the wrinkle that appeared between her eyes.

"So I brought red" Regina said, indicating the top of the bottle poking out from a bag on the floor. Emma looked at the bottle and back at her face, though Regina's eyes remained averted.

"And then I thought I might have only seen you drink white, so I go that too, and some pink stuff to cover all the bases. They said it was wine but I don't-"

"Regina" Emma interrupted. Regina pursed her lips, she was babbling and she knew it. She didn't do that. What was wrong with her?

"You're not 'just my friend'" Regina's heart sank. Of course she wasn't. She was her boss, technically, and her co-parent, and if she really thought about it (which she tried not to) her step-grandmother. Emma had Snow and Ruby and even Belle to confide and seek comfort in. What did they share other than Henry? Pain. Suffering. Near-death experiences.

'It's a start' Emma's words chimed around her mind. A start does not a friendship make and she should have known better.

Emma caught her eye while she internally berated herself. She was smiling. Regina didn't know what there was to smile about. It wasn't funny. She couldn't think of anything less funny.

"You're my best friend" Emma said.

Before Regina could comprehend her words, Emma had pulled her into a hug. For a moment she didn't understand and didn't react. Her arms stayed by her side though Emma held onto her tightly.

After a moment Regina let herself accept it. Relief swept over her. She raised her arms slowly and wrapped them around Emma. Her best friend.