This was based on a prompt.
Regina couldn't lose Emma. She'd lost everyone and everything she'd ever loved no matter how many times she tried to cling to them. She had thought her chances at happiness had slipped away until Emma had grabbed her hand and kissed her at the New Years party. It was chaste and innocent, and Regina couldn't tell if those were real fireworks she saw or if she were imagining them. But now she had Emma, and she was happy. They had been together for approximately three months now, and while Regina was reassured by now that Emma wasn't planning on leaving her like Robin did she couldn't shake the fear that something would cause her to lose Emma.
She'd walk with Emma to work just in case someone tried to hurt her. She'd went through all of Emma's medical records and made sure to ask at every restaurant if there were any courses that were made with lavender because one time Emma developed a rash because she was having a skin reaction to the lavender laundry detergent Regina used. Regina even made sure she got Emma an epipen just in case she had a reaction (even though her chances of coming across lavender were less than the likelihood of her being abducted by a UFO.) Emma didn't necessarily mind all the attention; sure, she was even flattered that Regina cared for her so much. However, it was a bit excessive, especially when Regina instructed her to look both ways before crossing the street and made the blonde hold her hand while doing so.
Ruby teased her about all the attention. "Is she dating you or parenting you?" Emma ignored the jabs. On some level she understood why Regina was so protective of her. She knew that Regina had lost a lot of people in her life, and she knew this protectiveness was to insure that Emma wasn't taken from her prematurely. The blonde let the behavior go for the first few months; she thought it would ease up when Regina realized that she wasn't going anywhere.
She was wrong. They were walking around town. Regina had interlocked their hands, and Emma was swinging them carelessly. She hummed an upbeat tune, and Regina watched her with a smile. How could the brunette get so lucky to have such a wonderful woman love her. She didn't see it fast enough. A woman walked by the pair, bumping into Emma's shoulder slightly. Emma kept walking unfazed, but Regina stopped dead in her tracks. Her eyes were wide, and she was absolutely furious. She turned to the unsuspecting woman and shouted, "Watch where you're going!"
The woman jumped at the former queen's authoritative voice and looked back shyly, giving an apologetic wave to Emma. Emma sighed and squeezed her partner's shoulder. "Gina, it's okay. She didn't mean it. Let's just keep walking."
"It's not okay, Emma," Regina stated as a matter of fact and turned to give a worried once over to her blonde partner. "She could have killed you." Regina sent another glare at the peasant who had started easing away from the scene after Regina looked away.
Emma rolled her eyes and met eyes with Regina. "Isn't that a little dramatic?" Regina look absolutely offended at the statement. "Look, I love you, and I'm glad you care so much, but…" Regina raised a sharp eyebrow, daring Emma to finish that statement. "I'm not a baby, Regina."
Regina scoffed, amazed with the audacity of the blonde. "I know that, Emma," she says as if it were obvious.
"Then why are you treating me like one?" At Emma's question Regina furrowed her eyebrows. Regina had never correlated caring for her partner to treating her like a child. Partners are supposed to take care of one another. They loved each other and wanted the other to be safe. Emma sighed, relenting a bit. "Regina, I love you, and God do I know how much you love me. Everyday I wake up next to you I'm amazed you're still there, and you show me everyday how much you want me to be safe… but I'm not that fragile. I can cross the street on my own. I can walk down the street without you having to yell at everyone who comes within five feet of me, and no where in the entire world where I accidentally eat a grilled cheese made with lavender." Regina was going to interject that a lavender garnish could be placed on the plate but figured that was beside the point. "I don't mean that I don't want you to take care of me. I don't want you to watch me get run over because I tell you I can cross the street on my own," Regina's eyes widened at the though, and Emma cringed knowing immediately that was the wrong analogy to use. "I love you, and I believe that you have my best interest at heart… but you can't protect me from everything. What if I want to go on wonderful adventures with you or Henry? What if I have to go somewhere else for work? You can't always protect me, and you don't have to always be on my guard. If I fall down or stub my toe… I'll be okay."
Regina looks down, feeling silly for her behavior. "I don't want to lose you, Emma," she mumbles, dropping the hand of Emma's she was still holding. Emma's front falls, and she immediately wants to take back everything she's said. "You saved me, and… I don't know what I would do without you."
Emma bites her lip and reaches out to tilt the brunette's face up to look at her. "I'm not going anywhere. It's gonna take more than a few bumps and bruises to get rid of me." Her smile is so genuine and reassuring that it makes Regina believe for a second. Even if neither of them had any control of fate, Emma made Regina believe that this relationship wouldn't be cut short. Emma takes Regina's hand again and squeezes it, swinging it back and forth. She stood still, waiting for Regina to lead the way, continuing their walk.
"Okay," Regina mumbles, smiling shyly towards her shoes. She starts walking and doesn't even say anything when Emma misses the first step and almost face plants the sidewalk.