Thank you to everyone who asked for the continuation of the scene I initially posted. I hope you know that without you this story would not be here. You were wonderful! As I said earlier, I'm not sure where this story will take us, but I can guarantee that we will have many moments between our favorite couple.
This story takes place during the first part of the seventh season, after Drizella woke Roni from the curse. I've seen only a few parts of episodes this season so I'm not sure what and how things are going. Anyway, I hope you like it.
Regina has been staring at her phone for at least two hours now. She doesn't know how she can do this alone. How can she stop her own son from being happy? How can she keep him away from his family? She can't. Not alone. That's the truth. She stares at her phone again and sighs. The whisky bottle is almost empty now. Looking once more at the photo next to her phone she feels a tear trickle down her face before putting another dose into her glass and swallowing it all at once. She unlocks her phone and that name is there, like a giant neon sign. Having gathered all the liquid courage she needs, she touches the dial button and closes her eyes while she waits anxiously.
"Hello?" The husky voice of sleep echoes low on the other side of the line. "Hello? Who is it?"
Regina feels her heart pound madly in her chest. That voice. Her voice.
"Emma," she whispers.
"Regina?" The voice on the other end of the line is clear and awake now. Emma sits on the bed and looks at the number on her visor. She doesn't recognize that number, but the voice... she had never forgotten the husky, strong tone of the other woman's voice. "Regina?" She tries again, feeling a little silly, for what reason would the brunette call her after so many years? Emma can't push the feeling that makes her heart beat desperately in her chest. "Regina, is that you? You're okay? What happened?"
But there is no response from the other side. Only the low sound of a song playing far and a low snort lets her know that whoever is on the other side is crying. Before she can call for the brunette again Emma hears the sound of the call being ended and she looks at her phone, blinking repeatedly in an attempt to prevent her own tears. Beside her Killian is still asleep. The world could end and he would not wake up. Not after practically drinking the entire bottle of rum. She sighs and stands up. She needs to find out who called her in the middle of the night and where that number was from.
Emma knows she will not be able to go back to sleep now so she goes to the bathroom and turns on the shower, entering under the hot water as her thoughts run through her mind. Did Regina really call her? Was she all right? Had something happened to Henry? Why didn't she say anything?
Emma shook her head to dismiss all these questions and finished her bath quickly. She shifted and picked up her laptop to do what she knew best: find people.
For an hour she searched for Regina relentlessly and found no trace of the brunette. "Where did you go?" Emma sighed and got up to the kitchen for a cup of coffee. She needed to think of a way to find her. Or else... Henry! That was it! If she could not find Regina anywhere, then she would look for her son. She dropped her coffee cup on the table and ran back up to the room, not caring if her agitation would wake Killian. Emma opened the laptop again and began searching for her son. It wasn't long before she found his address. He had published a book - which had not been very successful - and had lost his family in a fire. Emma began to dig deeper and found some things saying that Henry had grown up in the system. "No." She whispered. She knew what that meant. They were under some other curse. After searching some more she finds his address in a city called Hyperion Heights in Seattle. "Wow!" Emma smiles and turns off the laptop before picking up a few changes of clothes and debating whether to wake up Killian or not. She remembers the last time she woke him up and how things did not go well and she shrinks into place. He would be furious upon waking up and finding out she was not there, but she could not leave her son and Regina behind again. She was sure that whoever had phoned her was the brunette and the tone in her voice and the low crying she knew something was not right. Emma shook her head to scare away other thoughts that were starting to pop into her mind and left a note for Killian saying that she had to leave because Henry was in trouble and she needed to help him. She left no explanation as to where she was going or when she would return. The last thing she needed now was him chasing after her and preventing her from helping her family.
She runs downstairs and picks up the wrench. Emma feels her heart pounding as she has not beaten in a long time. She drove away in her beetle and does not dare look in the rearview mirror while her house diminishes more and more. She feels a lump in her throat as she passes the "Leaving Storybrooke" sign and at the same time a relief invades her as she crosses the town line. There are still a few hours left before the sun rises, but that doesn't bother her. It's good because when she arrives in such a city it will still be day and consequently easier to find Regina. If she was right and they were under some curse Henry might not remember her so she couldn't go to him. She would go to Regina because somehow the brunette seemed to remember her. Emma laughed at the irony. Henry would be under the influence of a curse and now it would be her duty to make him believe in magic and that fairy tales are real.
Emma drove to the airport and took the next flight to Seattle and sighed, thinking of the long hours ahead. Luckily she had picked up a book and her iPod to help distract her.
When the plane lands at Seattle's airport Emma gets up and stretches before disembarking and goes straight to the car rental counter.
"What can I do for you, Miss?" The boy behind the counter asks, smiling.
"I need a car." She rolls her eyes. Why else would she go to the car rental desk? Emma watches silently as the boy guides her around to pick a vehicle and her eyes shine as she lands on a New Beetle. He reminds her of her old car and she smiles widely at the boy. "I'll keep this one." She slides her hand over the roof of the vehicle. "Do you have yellow?"
"Yellow?" The boy looks at her with an arched eyebrow and when her smile intensifies, he just nods and walks toward a table to get the papers on the car's location.
A short time later Emma is driving through the streets of Seattle in search of the city she had found online the night before.
It is late afternoon when she finally finds the town and as she crosses the border she feels the familiar energy of magic.
She drives slower now, though her heart is beating fast in her chest with the possibility of seeing Regina and her son after so long. How would they be? Had they changed much? Suddenly a knot formed in her throat and she refused to think about the next question, but it was inevitable. Would Regina have anyone in this new life? Shaking her head to get rid of those thoughts Emma sighed as she entered a street. The truth is, just like the first time she went to Storybrooke, Emma had no idea where she should go. She had Henry's address, but she knew she could not go directly to him. Emma looks around and considers going to the police station across the street, but the sign in front of her catches her attention and she decides to enter a bar. She needs a coffee or any other drink to help her think about how to find Regina and their son, not a police station. The place is cozy and is fairly full for a Wednesday night, but she doesn't care. She just needs some time to think about how she can find them. Emma walks with her hands in the back pockets of her pants, and as she stands in front of the counter she sways from one foot to the other, nervously. She feels something inside herself stirring and her heart beats even faster.
"Excuse me," Emma calls a little louder so the woman behind the counter could hear her. "I would like a beer."
The woman stops, the moment she hears her voice and Emma feels her heart pounding without knowing for sure why. That woman in no way resembles Regina.
"Emma" The brunette whispers and can't stop the bottle in her hand sliding to the floor. "It's not possible."
But Regina knows it is. She knew that Emma would find a way to reach her. Slowly Regina turned to face the person on the other side of the counter.
"Regina." Emma let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.
Their gazes meet and the shock doesn't go unnoticed between them. Emma is gaping as her eyes travel across Regina's body. Never in her life did she think that one day she would see her like this.
"Hi." Emma smiled nervously. It was like the day they met, but worse. This time she had full knowledge of who that woman was and how much she meant to her. Almost as if she had no control over her feet Emma goes around the counter and hugs the brunette as she has wanted to do for so many years.
"I can't do this alone, I can't do it." Regina grabs her tank top tightly as her body shakes in the blonde's arms.
"What?" Emma slides her hand up and down the brunette's back as she feels her tears soaking her tank top.
"Our son." Regina sobs. "I need- I can't do this without you, Emma. You were always stronger than I was."
The blonde laughs out a strangled laugh. She wasn't stronger. She never was. Otherwise she would never have married someone she didn't love in fear that if she admitted what she really felt for the brunette, she would laugh. Emma couldn't handle the possibility of rejection, so Killian was the easiest choice.
"You're wrong, Regina, I'm not stronger than you, but I'm here now and I'm not going anywhere."
She hugged Regina as hard as she could without hurting her. Emma sinks her face into the hollow of the brunette's neck and inhales deeply. She feels Regina's arms hugged with the same intensity and sighs against her skin. "You scared me, I needed to know that you were all right, that our son was alright."
"How did you know it was me?"
"Who else would call me in the middle of the night and hang up without saying anything?"
Regina laughs against the blonde's shoulder. After so many years she was there. She feels tears coming down her face as she thinks about the past few years and how she wished it had all been different. "You're an idiot, Miss Swan."
"There she is." Emma smiled, moving away just enough to look into her eyes. "The Regina Mills I know."
The brunette rolls her eyes, but lets herself embrace again. She doesn't care if people are looking at them or what they may be saying, she cares about nothing but Emma in her arms as she had wished for so long.
"You are here. Are you really here? This is not a dream?"
"You mean you dream of me?" Emma jokes, but the nervousness in her voice does not go unnoticed by the brunette.
"Not even in the worst of curses." Regina smiles widely now. Emma was right there. It was not a dream or a hallucination.
"Where's our son?" Emma asks when they finally released from the embrace.
"He should be here any minute." Regina bites her lip nervously.
"What's going on? Why did you call me? I thought everything was fine with you." Emma fires at the sight of the brunette's gaze.
"It's not a good idea to talk about it here." Regina sighs. "You came alone?"
Emma nods.
"Where's the pirate?"
"He was asleep when I left, I thought it best to leave only a note for him. Killian doesn't like being woken up because of nonsense. "
"Where's your other son?"
"I don't want to talk about it now." Emma responds biting the inside of her cheek and fighting back tears.
"Emma..."
"I'm fine, okay?" She takes a deep breath and walks away, skirting the balcony once more and sitting on one of the benches on the other side. "We should focus on what's important now, why did you call me?"
"I told you, it's not a good idea to talk about it here." Regina rolled her eyes. "I promise I will explain later."
"Okay." Emma snorted. "So you mean you're a bar owner now and you've dropped your pants off?
Regina arched a challenging eyebrow and an amused smile formed on her lips, but before she could answer the door opened again and she froze. Henry arrived with Lucy and Jacinda. Rarely did the three of them show up together at the bar, especially at night and after her conversation with Ivy, the girl had made it clear that it was best to keep the three of them apart. Emma noticed the change in Regina's expression and turned to look in the same direction, feeling her heart beat fast as she saw Henry after so long. He looked so handsome. He hadn't changed much since the last time they met, but now he didn't remember her and she had to restrain her every impulse not to get up from the seat and run to him. Lucy frowned as she stared at the woman sitting on the counter near Roni and then a smile formed on her lips as an apparent recognition spread across her face.
"Red leather jacket, long blonde hair... Oh my God! You're Emma Swan!" Lucy glanced between her parents and the two women's in the counter. "You're Henry's birth mother. You broke the first curse."
Emma's eyes widened, and she looked at Regina searching for help.
"Lucy..." Jacinda's voice came out as warning.
"But it's true mom!"
"Uh... I don't know what you're talking about, kid." Emma said nervously.
"You can't be under the curse too." Lucy studied her face attentively. "You weren't in our realm when the curse was cast. You had gone back to Storybrooke with your husband."
"Lucy!" Jacinda looked apologetic to the blonde. "I don't know what happened to this girl today. I'm sorry."
"It's alright" Emma replied. "Kids tend to have a great imagination at this age."
Lucy looked at her incredulous. Emma couldn't be under the course. And she was sure that this woman was Emma Swan.
"I just have to find the book and when I find it you will see that I'm right."
Emma glanced at Regina and Henry and both shrugged.
"After Victoria discovered that I had run away to find my dad she told Ivy to take the book away from me. She gave the book to detective Rogers and I never saw it again." Lucy explained.
"Just like Henry did" Emma whispered but Regina heard her and she nodded slightly.
"What book is this, kid?" Emma thought it would be better to find out more about what the girl knew and see where that might lead them. Of course, still had the curse thing and the reason why they apparently couldn't let Henry break it, but that she would find out later when she was alone with Regina.
"It's a book, like my dad book's but it tells the story of you. From when did you got to Storybrooke until the final battle. It tells how you and the Evil Queen hated eachother at the beginning because she was afraid that you would take her son away and that you would break her curse and how you ended up becoming friends afterwards and saving each other's lives more often than anyone can count." Lucy had a radiant smile as she told their story and didn't realize that the other two women were struggling not to let the tears stream down their faces.
Emma felt a lump in her throat and before the girl could finish telling the story of them the blonde simply got up and left the bar.
"Emma!"
She could hear Regina calling, but she needed some air. Listening to their story and remembering everything they had experienced in the same day she saw Regina after ten years was too much for her.
"I'll talk to her." Henry looked at the three of them and rushed out after the blonde.
Regina sighed and buried her face in her hands, shaking her head. "It was a mistake to call her." The brunette whispered.
"I may not be the best person for loving advice, but that woman certainly..." Jacinda began.
"You can stop right there." Regina interrupted her, looking at her with red eyes. "There is nothing between her and me and there never will be! She is married and happy and loves her husband."
"No. She doesn't love him!" Lucy said drawing their attention. "She married him because she thought it was her duty to give him a happy ending. She is the savior and-"
"Lucy, stop." Roni practically begged. "Just stop. She's not who you think, okay? She's just an old friend visiting me."
"I'm sorry for this." Jacinda smiled awkwardly and took her daughter by the hand. "Say good night to Roni because it's time for you to go to your grandmother's house."
"But mother..."
"Lucy, I will not ask again." The brunette looked at her in a way that left no room for argument. "You crossed the line today, young lady."
When Henry finally found her, Emma was sitting on the sidewalk with her head buried in her hands. He sat down next to her making some noise so that she realized there was someone there and when she finally looked at him the boy gave her a half smile.
"I'm sorry about Lucy. Sometimes she gets like this and ends up talking about things she doesn't know about."
"It's okay." Emma smiled weakly at him. "It's not her fault that I was not strong enough to fight for what I really wanted. Who I really loved."
"It's never too late to fight for what your heart wants. For who you love."
"I can't do this with her again. I can't do this with us again. I can't hurt her like that again." Before Emma could control herself, she was talking to her son about things she was not supposed to, but it was always easy to talk to Henry. Even now when he did not know who she was.
"You're talking about Roni?" He asked with an arched eyebrow and a amused smile on his lips.
"I'm-" Emma shook her head looking at him with a sad smile. "Never mind. She wouldn't want me anyway."
"No harm in trying."
"I'm twelve years late for this, kid."
"Henry," Jacinda called a few paces from where they were. "I need to take Lucy back or Victoria will make our lives hell."
"I drop you there." He stood up wiping his pants and looking at the blonde once more. "Go talk to her. It will still take some time before we're back."
Emma nodded and waved to Lucy and Jacinda. The three of them left in Henry's car and after a few minutes Emma decided that it was better to go back into the bar. She had come here, she could not behave like a teenager.
When Emma entered the bar again her gaze met Regina's immediately, and the brunette seemed relieved to see her.
"Sorry I ran out." Emma said awkwardly.
"It's all right." Regina slid a beer toward her. "Lucy can be a little too enthusiastic at times. If I had not been the owner of the bar I would have run out too."
"It's just..." Emma scratched her neck, trying to figure out how to say what had made her run away.
"I understand, Emma." Regina offered her a reassuring smile. "You don't have to explain anything to me. I'm glad you're here."
"You're?" Emma smiled and suddenly remembered the night she went to Regina's vault telling her she thought they were friends. It was the same kind of smile and the brunette had the same reaction that that day.
"You are an idiot." She rolled her eyes but smiled amused.
They kept talking almost until the bar closed and then the blonde got up and grabbed her wallet receiving a disapproving look from Regina.
"Don't even think about it."
Emma sighed and slipped her wallet again.
"I think I'd better go and find a place to stay..."
"You can stay with me." Regina said quickly. "I mean, not with me, with me, but here. It's not as luxurious as the Storybrooke mansion, but it's not too bad either."
"I don't want to bother you."
"Emma..."
"Okay."
Emma helped her to close the bar and both headed upstairs where Regina lived now.
"It's pretty cozy here." Emma said as they entered
"Thank you." The brunette smiled at her and threw her leather jacket at the couch. "I would never have imagined wearing that kind of clothing or living in such a place, but it's not that bad." Regina smiled sheepishly.
"I like it. Not only the place. The hair, the clothes... suits you." Emma smiled.
"I think it's best if we talk in the bedroom or on the balcony. Soon Jacinda and Sabine will arrive and I don't want them to hear us talking about curses and stuff." Regina said changing the subject. She didn't like to wear her hair that way because when she was a child her mother always complained about it. Hearing Emma saying that she liked it left her stunned, she tried not to show her reaction.
"You're right." Emma put the small backpack on the couch and followed her out onto the balcony. "Wait, are you saying our son's wife and her best friend live with you?" Emma's eyes widened in surprise.
"More or less." Regina shrugged. "They moved here recently. After Victoria decided to increase the rent of there apartment they shared to a value she knew they couldn't afford. They even got the money, but then an accident happened. Rogers helped Jacinda buy a truck so they could have a food truck business. I called them and told them to stay here until they could raise some money. I was still under the curse, but even if I was not I would have invited them to stay here, I couldn't leave them helpless. " Regina indicated an armchair for her and went to the kitchen, returning seconds later with two glasses and a bottle of whiskey.
"I think we're going to need this as I keep you abreast of what's happened in the last few years."
"I guess so." Emma smiled and accepted the glass the brunette was offering.
Regina told her as best she could about the years they had been apart and about how things had happened with Drizella and Lady Tremaine and the curse Drizella had cast for revenge on her mother.
"It's not your fault, Regina." Emma said softly.
"How could it not be my fault if she only got the curse because of what I taught her? She made sure that her curse was not broken because she knew I would never let anything bad happen to the ones I love. That little brat!"
"We'll figure out a way to have our family back, Regina." Emma squeezed her hand slightly. "I made a mistake once and I won't do it again."
Regina breathed a sigh of relief. She knew that with Emma at her side things would get easier and eventually they would find a way to break the curse.
"What about you? Your parents?" She hadn't forgotten Emma's reaction when she asked about the baby she was expecting when she returned to Storybrooke with Hook. She knew something had happened and hoped Emma would open up to her about it.
"My parents are great, getting old and sometimes a little surly, but I think that's just because they're missing everyone." Emma smiled. "Neal started working part-time at Granny's and he's happy about it. My parents also. David doesn't want him to go to the police station. Next year he goes to college and my parents are going crazy about it because he goes to another city. Especially my mother." Emma laughed.
"How about you?"
"I'm fine." The blonde shrugged. "I'm still at the police station and sometimes I help Lily in the library. After Belle and Rumple left I thought it would be good to keep the library open and Lily was there, willing to help so... By the way, that reminds me that you mentioned Rumple, but not Belle. "
"Belle passed away a few years ago." Regina answered sadly. "When Rumple and I met again he told me that at last they had the life they longed for one day, they left shortly after Gideon's birthday and lived exploring the world and realms for a few years until one day they found the perfect place where they lived until the last days of her. Rumple was willing to give up the dagger when Drizella cast the curse. He had changed, but now..." Regina shook her head.
"Do you think he still willing to give up from his powers?"
"I don't think so."
"Why not?" Emma frowned.
"I kinda made a deal with him other day andI know he was already awake." Regina said quietly.
"Regina!"
"I wasn't awake. It's not like I did it on purpose."
Emma sighed massaging her temples. "What's the deal?"
"I- I don't know yet. When I went to him to ask a favor I said that I owed him one and then he said we had a deal. He was probably already awake. He always is. He always finds a way to have some trigger to wake him up. When I cast the curse, his trigger was your name, - I discovered it later - but now... I have no idea what his trigger was."
"So, we can count on him to help us..."
"I don't think so." Regina sighed.
"Ok." Emma said quietly. "We will figure out a way to solve all this without hurting anyone."
Regina smiled weakly at her and before she could answer the door opened and Jacinda and Sabine's voices echoed throughout the place.
"Oh." Jacinda stopped when she saw the blonde. "You stayed." She looked at Roni with a amused smile and the brunette only rolled her eyes.
"What'd I miss?" Sabine alternated her gaze between the three women with one arched eyebrow. She'd never seen that blonde around before, but it was clear there was something between Roni and her. It was almost palpable. "Who are you?"
"Sabine!" Jacinda gave the brunette a slight elbow.
"What?"
"Sorry for my friend here." Jacinda smiled. "Sometimes she can't hold her tongue."
"It's okay." Roni smiled at them. "She is a old friend who is visiting me."
Emma remained silent just watching the three women interact. Even if the other two didnt remember anything because of the curse, it was clear that the three had a strong connection.
"We're going to bed already." Jacinda announced pushing Sabine toward the bedroom. "Have a good night, see you tomorrow."
Emma and Regina nodded and when the two of them disappeared through the door the blonde smiled shyly. "I think we should go to bed too."
Regina looked at her with an arched eyebrow.
"What?"
"I think maybe I forgot to mention that I only have two rooms here and that we... uh... we'll have to share the bed."
Emma swallowed, trying not to show how it had made her nervous. To share a bed with Regina? After all these years? After drinking half a bottle of whiskey? What are the chances of this ending well?
"Look," Regina began, feeling the nervousness of the blonde. "We do not need to share the bed if you do not want to. I can sleep on the couch and you sleep in the bedroom."
"No!" Emma cursed herself for sounding so desperate. "I can't allow it. Besides, there's no harm in sharing the bed."
Regina smiled in satisfaction and stood up. Emma followed her inside and grabbed her backpack.
"The bathroom is in that door on the left. I have clean towels if you want to take a shower before bed." Regina pointed to the door on the other side of the room.
Emma accepted the brunette's offer and took a clean towel toward the bathroom. As the hot water trickled over her body all the events of the last few hours passed in her mind. Regina's call, the way she simply left her husband sleeping at home and went out in search of the brunette, the shock - a wonderful shock - to see her in the bar, the warmth of her body as they shared a hug that for a long time they wished they had, the ease with which the conversation followed even after so many years. All this mixe with the good amount of alcohol in her body was only making her situation worse. 'No, I'm not going to masturbate in her bathroom.' Emma immediately stopped her movements. 'This is crazy.' With a frustrated groan she finished the bath and changed, going to the bedroom.
"Make yourself at home, Emma. I will not be long." Regina smiled as she walked into the bathroom after the blonde came back. "The TV control is on the bedside table if you want to watch something."
"Thank you, Regina."
The blonde sighed as the door closed and for the first time that day she picked up her cell phone. Ten messages from her mother, the same amount of missed calls, three from her father, two from Lily and one from her brother. No call or message from Hook. 'Maybe it's better this way.' Emma sighed in annoyance as she began to answer the messages on her cell phone.
After some time the bathroom door swung open and Regina appeared in a t-shirt and her underwear. Emma stared and gulped, almost in shock.
"Sorry. I forgot that I'm not alone." Regina said and despite the slight blush on her cheeks she didn't really look sorry.
"It's okay." Emma gulped again but made no effort to look away. For years she had imagined it and now the brunette was there, standing before her in nothing more than a T-shirt and underwear. Emma was startled to realize how the sight of a half-naked Regina affected her. A smirked formed on Regina's lips as she realized the way the blonde was looking at her and even though she knew it wasn't the best idea in the world she just couldn't stop what came next.
Regina only sparing Emma a brief look as she rummaged through the cosmetics on the table and walked past the blonde stepping over her. Emma wanted to look away but she couldn't as the pelvis moved over her, giving Emma a perfect view of the juncture between the woman's legs, covered by thin black nylon. 'Of course, it would be black' Emma thought to herself and without realizing her tongue peeked out automatically to moisten her bottom lip as she observed the sway of the woman's bottom as Regina headed for her cosmetics on the table.
She tried - unsuccessfully - to ignore the sudden heat in her body and the sudden fire of sexual awakening erupting low in her belly. Emma shook her head slowly thinking that she had never had these feelings for Killian. She sighed and with some effort managed to take her eyes off the brunette in front of her. It was almost as if Regina was doing this to torture her. A form of punishment.
Her phone vibrated again and Emma grunted as it was another call from her mother. She slid her finger across the display rejecting the call and quickly sent a message to calm her.
"Is everything all right?" Regina asked, raising her head to look at her.
Emma swallowed as her eyes met and she just nodded, not trusting her voice to respond. Regina smiled almost innocently and returned to her task of rubbing the lotion down her legs. 'Oh my God.' Emma almost groaned in frustration.
"Emma?" The brunette call her again as she closed her lotion and put it on the table again.
"Oh, sorry." Emma blushed furiously. "It was my mother. She discovered that I left the town and you can imagine what came next. I think that's why I left my cell phone in my backpack all day." Emma shrugged slightly guilty for not having warned her parents, but that would only bring more worry to them.
"I can imagine." Regina laughed and the sound of her laughter seemed to fill the place and the blonde's heart. "No word from Killian?"
"No." Emma put her cell phone on the bedside table and settled into bed. "I don't expect him to call or send a message."
"Something happened?" Regina looked at her and Emma could see the worry in her eyes, feel her tone. Regina always cared for her like no one else ever did and yet she choose Killian because he was the easiest choice. Emma felt a lump forming in her throat and before her tears escaped she simply nodded and turned away.
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Regina sighed. "But I hope you know that I'm here to hear you if you need to. After all, we're friends, are we not? At least that's what you told me all those years ago when you came after me in my vault." She laughed softly at the memory of that distant day.
Emma felt the mattress sink behind her and she knew Regina was getting ready to sleep.
"Thanks." She said quietly, but she knew the brunette had heard.