"I don't want to do this here. Can we go somewhere?" Emma said, her voice teetering between forlorn and hopeful.

Regina regarded Emma's face for a moment before responding. "Yes, but what are we doing?"

"I don't know. I feel like we punctured a balloon. I want to say everything before all the air flies out. Before something happens to take away this moment."

"Emma, I think everything has been building toward this moment. Everything makes sense now. Nothing will take it away."

"OK, but can we go sit somewhere? I just want to really talk to you, and this setting feels a little sterile."

Regina nodded and took Emma's hand. In a haze of purple smoke, the pair was suddenly poofed to Mifflin Street, sitting on the floor side by side with their legs outstretched in front of the couch by a crackling fire.

"Better," Regina asked.

"Yes, wow, yes."

"So how long have you—"

"Why do you think we never—"

They started in at the same time, and Emma blurted out a crude laugh, causing Regina to break out in a giggle. "This is going to be weird, isn't it?" Regina said.

"Maybe, a little, but honestly I feel so relieved. I feel like I finally told a secret I've been keeping for so long, and it feels amazing to just have said it out loud."

"I feel the same way," Regina said. "But honestly I don't think I even consciously knew how I really felt until you said it. I always put so much of my energy into resenting you for everything, feeling threatened by you, that I don't think I realized how much I cared for you, how important you've become to me."

"Not me. I've known for a while. And I think about it all the time, like it's always on the tip of my tongue, but I never thought I'd get to actually tell you. Or if I did I just assumed you'd have me committed or something."

"Well, you are impulsive and impetuous sometimes," Regina said, but there was no edge to her tone and her cheeks were still stretched in an easy smile. "I just don't know where we go from here."

"You know what? Lets just stay in this moment. Lets not rewind or fast forward. Lets just stay right here, right now and see where that takes us. Is that ok?"

"Yes. But what would you like to do?" Regina said tentatively.

"Part of me wants to just talk to you—find out all the things about you that I thought I knew but I didn't come close to knowing because you wouldn't let me in that far." Emma was finding these little confessions easier an easier, like she was under the influence of the truth and how good it felt.

"And the other part?"

"God, Regina. I just want to hold you, kiss you, discover you. Are you feeling any of that or…"

Regina suddenly shifted up to her knees and put her hands on Emma's cheeks. She pulled the blonde's face toward her and just breathed her air. "The second one. OK?"

Emma sighed and puffed out a "yes" against Regina's lips.

They started kissing, just cells and molecules slipping against one another, feeling, exploring, gently, sweetly.

Emma pulled back. She raised her hand to Regina's mouth, whispering, "Can I just…" She traced her finger to the left side of Regina's lip where her scar resided. "I've wanted to kiss this spot for such a long time. I've thought it more times than I can remember," Emma said, almost dreamily.

"I guess you better do it then," Regina said softly. Emma just smoothed her lips back and forth over the spot, turning her head from side to side. And that's all it took. Regina felt a switch flick from somewhere deep within, and she pulled Emma toward her with vehemence, with assuredness, with passion. She slicked her tongue over Emma's, threaded fingers through her silky hair, cupped a cheek, palmed a breast. Regina and Emma traded moans and sighs. The heat between them became stinging—they both felt it.

Emma fought to find her wits. She'd wanted this for so long, but it was more than this, she realized.

"Wait. Wait. Regina," she said, breast heaving.

"Do you want to stop?" Regina said.

"No, God, no. I don't want to ever stop. But for me, this isn't about scratching an itch. I want to learn you. I want to know every part of you. Can we go slow? I want to remember every second of this."

Regina sucked in a breath at the sincerity, the sweetness of Emma's words. "I want that too. Come with me, OK?"

Regina reached out a hand, stood, and pulled Emma up. They walked hand in hand up the staircase, down the hall, and into the master bedroom.

Regina shut the door, and Emma flicked on the lights.

"Too bright?" Regina asked.

"No. I want to see every freckle. I'm going to memorize your curves and map out all of your skin with my fingers and then my lips. And then my tongue. So I need the lights on for this."

Regina just smiled. "Kiss me, Emma."