Regina was sitting up straight in bed. It was 02:30 AM and she still hadn't made an attempt to sleep yet. The whole time until now she had bored herself with books, Tom Hanks movies, just to kill the time, to keep herself distracted, because she wasn't exactly looking forward to another nightmare.

If you need me, you can give me a call anytime.

That's what she said right? Anytime. Regina grabbed her phone and searched for Emma in her contacts. It didn't feel right though to wake her up. She was a grown woman; she didn't need someone to keep the boogieman away. "No… No." Regina said to herself and put the phone down again. But after a while she began to turn desperate. She actually felt a little nervous being alone. She had but a few friends, and even them she could not really trust. Little did she know how Emma was supposed to resolve the situation but she decided: what the hell.

It was ranging. It took a small moment before the electric beep was replaced by Emma's sleepy voice.
"H-hello?"

Regina choked. She was such an idiot to have ever gone through with this stupid idea.

"Hello? Regina? Is this you?" Emma sounded again.

"Uh…" The mayor's voice cracked over the phone before she hung up leaving the woman on the other side without words and rather confused.

"Idiot… Idiot, idiot, idiot." She softly hit herself on the head a few times. "What the hell is wrong with you Regina?" She asked herself, burying her face into the pillow. "Besides the fact that you are talking to yourself?" She snorted. Then flinched when her phone began to buzz. Shit, Emma was calling her back. Hesitantly she picked up the phone.

"Hello? Regina?" Emma sounded trough the phone with a hint of worry in her voice.

"Hey…" Regina eventually mustered to say.

"Hey, are you alright? I mean you called me just now right?"

"Yes I did, sorry to have woken you up." Regina said sincerely.

"Don't be. I told you, you could call me anytime didn't I? I meant it Regina."

Regina didn't quite know what to say, luckily Emma broke the small silence.

"Tell me what's the matter." Emma insisted on wanting to know.

"It's just that… I'm afraid to sleep." Regina murmured, a bit troubled to be exposing herself like that. Still it felt like she could really trust Emma unlike the other Charming's. Their friendship has had its ups-and-downs but that was also because they were so much alike they clashed sometimes.

"Because of the nightmares." Emma filled in the blanks.

"Yes, they are horrible. I'd rather not return there again. And the necklace that kept Henry save from the flames has broken sadly."

"Are you saying the flames hurt you?"

"I wake up every time with burns on my skin. Luckily for me I have magic to easily get rid of them."

"Regina…" Emma began, "Is there a way to help you? Doesn't Gold have anything to get rid of the nightmares?"

"No I'm afraid not, I already went to him. I guess it's just going to take some time until the dreams fade."

"What can I do?"

"Go to sleep Swan. Don't worry about me." Regina reckoned there wasn't anything the saviour could do about her dilemma. She had to face her demons on her own.

"I'll be right there Regina." Emma casually said, hanging up the phone rather shortly after leaving the mayor with a jaw scraping the floor. "Wait- What!?" Regina blurted out. She tried to call Emma again but this time without luck. What the hell was she thinking? I'll be right there? She can't be serious, Regina thought. She found herself shaking, not entirely sure it was either from the sleep or excitement.


It took only a little while before the famous yellow bug was parked in front of her porch.

Regina heard a few knocks on the door when she was already on her way walking down the stairs in her silken pyjamas. She opened the door with a sigh to reveal Emma standing in front of her.

"Go away Ms Swan. I can handle this myself." Regina snarled wanting to close the door but Emma stopped it with her hand. "No, I'm not letting you go through this alone. I'm going to stick by you whether you want it or not." Emma said before inviting herself into the mayor's house.

"You do realise this counts as trespassing." Regina said, closing the door after having looked around if no one else was watching. Gossip always spread fast in this town. And this would surely be the news of the day if anyone were to find out.

"Then I guess I'll just have to arrest myself since I'm the only sheriff in this town." Emma replied cleverly.

"Ugh." Regina groaned in annoyance. Could she be any more of a smartass? "Please wipe that smirk off your face Emma." She hissed.

The sheriff smiled even wider at the scowl on Regina's face and stepped closer, breaking some boundaries in regard of personal space. "Or what?"

Regina's heart went double time finding it hard to come up with any argument with the blonde staring at her lips. "T-this is highly inappropriate Ms Swan." She husked, hoping the other woman would realise this too. Now that Emma was so close to Regina, she could find many little things to admire the woman more for. Like the small scar at her upper lip, she wondered how that got there. Her jawline as sharp as paper and probably just as easy to get a cut from. Not to mention her warm eyes, a deep brown colour, one that reminded Emma of an older autumn, also making it her very difficult to focus anywhere else. "Emma." Emma snapped out of her thoughts finding Regina stare at her strangely. "Oh sorry." The blonde said taking a step back.

"You can take the guest room." The mayor told her, gesturing the blonde to follow her upstairs. It would just be best to dismiss this whole situation before it got even more awkward, even though Regina's stomach felt turned upside down.


Regina watched the sheriff crash down onto the bed and couldn't help but to smile at the sight. It was actually nice to have someone else staying at her place, though no way she'd ever admit this to Emma.

"If you need anything. Don't. Disturb. Me." Regina said, making sure she was very clear about this matter.

"Okay... Fine."

And on that note, Regina left the room.

Night '1

"EMMA!"

Emma jolted awake from a dreamless sleep. She could have sworn she heard someone call her name.

"PLEASE! EMMA!"

It was Regina's voice, full of terror and panic. "Regina?!" Emma stormed through the halls, following the sound whilst feeling her heart pounding like that of a wild stallion inside her throat. She opened the door to Regina's bedroom and found the brunette writhing underneath the bedsheets. "Regina..." The sheriff sat down onto the bed, trying to get the mayor to calm down. "NOOOOO!" Regina screamed, kicking with her feet. She was perspiring heavily, hair stuck to her forehead like it was glue. This wasn't going to work, Emma had to wake her up. "Regina it's just a dream! It's not real!" Emma took the glowing brunette in her arms and started rocking back and forth. If Regina didn't hate her before, she was definitely going to hate her now. "Shhh… It's okay." Emma hushed, running through the brunette's hair with her fingers. "You're okay." Much to her surprise it seemed to be working and slowly but truly the Queen was relaxing in her arms. Regina's breath became more steady and the sheriff shivered at the feeling of the brunette's breathing against her chest. Emma continued to rub circles on Regina's back when she suddenly heard a 'stop'.

"What do you think you're doing?" Regina snarled, pulling back and glaring viciously at the blonde whose cheek were flushed.

"I… Y-you screamed my name. You were having a nightmare... I-"

"Let me guess, you thought you'd come in here to soothe me?" Regina growled, showing her teeth.

"Regina- I was only trying to help. I didn't mean anything by it."

"Get. Out."

And before Emma was aware of what was happening she had already been send back in a puff of smoke to the guest room.