Still inspired by Penance ... this chapter we get a little more drama.

And i do live for reviews. A word, a smirk, whatever, I take them all, they keep muse busy and focused :)

Laying a hear against the wooden door, she listened for a few seconds before knocking softly. When silence greeted her, she made her way inside carefully and frowned when she spotted Regina by the window. She had dragged a chair to it to sit on and was drappped in a thicket blanket.

Her back to her, she didn't even acknowledge her presence. When calling her softly didn't change her posture, she went to stand behind her. That's then she noticed how badly she was shivering. She hadn't lied to Henry, she was not really up to go out tonight. They'd have to do it some other time.

- "Hey", she said gently as she laid both hands on Regina's shoulders.

She was afraid to make her jump but she was more than surprised by the brunette's reaction. She shouldered out of her embarance and tightened the blanket closer to her body.

Her deafening silence was the most intriguing.
Fisting her hands by her sides, she took a carefree tone as she glanced down at Regina.

- "I sent Henry to keep company to my parents and Ruby. But if you are not up to it, we ..."
- "You can go Emma, I'd rather stay in", Regina interrupted her in a hollow voice, still staring stright ahead.
- "He can have dinner with them and I will cook us something".
- "You'd better join them Emma, you don't have to miss this because of me".
- "We'll have plenty of opportunities to gather all for dinner", Emma went on, a bit worried by Regina's tone. She sounded ... defeated?
"So, what do you want for dinner?"
- "I'm not hungry. Go ahead, I'll just stay here", Regina stated.
- "Right. I'll go have dinner with out kid and family and you stay here, shivering from head to toe", she retorted.
- "That's for the best Emma. Go be with your family".

Patience was something she wasn't particularly good at, especially after the last weeks' events, and Regina's rebuff was starting to piss her off.

Taking two calming breaths, she went to crouch in front of Regina who stubbornly refused to look at her. Laying both hands on the older woman's knees, she frowned when she took in her appearance: her eyes were red and her cheeks damp.

- "Hey, what's wrong?", she queried, immediatly alarmed by her girlfriend's distress. "You in pain? What can I do?"
- "There is nothing you should do Miss Swan. I just wished to be left alone", Regina answered with a pinched voice.
- "First, it's Emma. Second, it's our family and third I'm not going anywhere so you'd tell me what's going on honey", she replied as gently as possible.

That got a reaction from her lover. Did she imagine this or did Regina just flinch when she called her 'honey'?

- "Nothing is going on. Why can't I just be left alone?", Regina all but spat.
- "I'd leave you alone Regina if that didn't mean you hiding in here".
- "You are right", Regina whispered as she stood and went to the dresser.

Emma's relief was short when she noticed Regina was opening the top drawer to retrieve some of her stuff and lay them on the bed.

- "And what do you think you are doing?", Emma interrogated her as she went to stand between Regina and the furniture.
- "Go out of my way Emma", Regina commanded, her eyes blazing.
- "Sweetheart, I don't know what's going on right now nor why you feel the urge to flee but ..."
- "I'm not fleeing Miss Swan, I think it's high time I move back to my place', Regina retorted as she went to the closet and retrieved her travelling bag.

But Emma was now clearly pissed so she charged on.

- "It's the middle to the night and you're moving out Regina. Looks like fleeing to me", Emma accused her, standing nose to nose with Regina.
- "I'm merely rightening an ackward situation"
- "Excuse me? You living with your girlfriend and our son is ackward? Since when?"

There it was again, Regina flinched again. Honey then and now girlfriend made her tick.

- "Care to tell me what's ackward?"
- "The town is no longer in danger, it's time everyone takes back its right place"
- "And you moving to your old mansion is? What about us?", she pushed. More flinch from Regina.
- "For God's sake Emma Swan, there is no need for a 'us'. It was an awful mistake".
- "Awful mistake? That's how you see us? I love you Regina and you love me. Stop acting non sense and tell me what's going on in your head', Emma pleaded.
- "Nothing is going on Sheriff Swan. City is safe from the harm I brought on it ; now it's time to go our separate ways", Regina stated very matter of factly.
- "Fuck no! Now that the town is safe, it's time for us to move on ... together".
- "It was wrong, can't you see it?"
- "I don't and never will. Out love saved you remember?"
- "It was Henry", she stated coldly.
- "So now it's Henry. Two days ago it was me, today it's different. You'd better telle me what's going on here love because you are not making any sense. And stop fliching like you've been slapped everytime I call you honey or love, damnit!", she yelled wishing to get a reaction from her lover.

She expected to be slapped or turned into a frog but she got neither.
In a split second, the strong Regina Mills who endured three years of torture and seven of reeducation turned to stone.
She just stood there, her gaze downcast.

So worth going on? ...