Emma walked into work more relaxed but was ready to go straight for August and punch him in the face. Only he wasn't there. She was informed that he'd went on an errand for the mayor just minutes before she arrived. Of course Regina would take care of it, making sure Emma didn't run into any trouble. She was always taking care of Emma with the tinest of gestures and that made her smile.

She busied herself with the case that'd started this all. After going through the bag that was left on the ground while she was in pursuit she'd found that the criminals were none other than a couple lost boys stirring trouble. Not only were they vandalizing but now moving up the crime ladder and breaking and entering. She was gonna have to talk to Regina about this. They needed a stable home and some counseling.

Finally her work day came to a close, she locked up and radio-ed in August for night patrol to serve as her own personal punishment knowing that he'd had a date. She headed over to her parents house and was meet with a screaming baby and a frantic Mary Maragret.

"Whoa, what's going on here?" She bee lined for her little brother picking him up from his bassinet as her mother ran around the kitchen slamming cubboard doors and drawers. "Hey there little buddy, it's ok" She tried to soothe but it was in vain. Neal only wailed more, his face red and full of tears.

"I can't find it!" Mary Margaret's distraught tone catching Emma's attention.

"You can't find what?" she asked bouncing the baby now , his cries already grating her nerves. Her question went unanswered as Mary Margaret rushed past her and started pulling up the couch cushions. "Mom?"

"I just had it, I know it's here" She rambled in her haze now dumping the contents of Neal's baby bag. Emma looked on concerned, her worry growing. Sure she'd seen her mother frazzled, tired and a complete OCD basket case but this was something more than a frustrated mother with a crying infant.

Emma tugged on the ribbon holding baby Neal's pacifier clipped to his onesie and placed it in his mouth. He took it happily, tears ceasing and his eyes already begining to get heavy with sleep. Emma than walked over putting her a hand on her mother's shoulder "Mom, let me help you."

The brunette turned to her seemingly disconnected, her crazed searching forgotten. She regarded Emma then let her gaze sweep to neal "Oh Emma, you found it" She marvled as if she just noticed the room was quiet.

Emma's eyebrows knitted following her gaze to the pacifier "It was on his shirt. You- is everything alright?" She cut to the chase seeing her mother deflate in worry and not in relief.

"He just kept crying and I tried everything, he didn't want -"

"I mean with you?" Emma affirmed, looking the distressed woman over.

"I think David is cheating on me" spilled out and then there were tears.

"What?!" Baby neal stirred in his lulled state. Emma put him in his bassinet quickly and safely before returning to a sobbing mother. "Why would you think that?" She asked helping Mary Margaret onto the crooked cushion of the couch. She awkwardly consoled the woman until she was calm enough to speak.

"Remember last week when you asked me if he was ok?" Emma nodded remembering that night of embarrassment well. "I asked and he said he was fine but he was still acting strangely and has been going out every single night not back until past midnight." That certianly didn't sound like her father and it sounded suspicious enough.

"Where is he now?" She had sent him home an hour before she even left work. Mary Maragret shrugged.

"I don't know but he came in, got a shower and said he was going to hang out with August for a while." Emma's head snapped to attention at that. "Though this morning I kinda went through his phone and seen a text from Katherine." Mary Margaret admitted guiltly knowing it was wrong but she sounded desperate.

Emma sighed leaning forward, placing her elbows on her knees and pressing her fingers into her eyebrows soothing the building tension there "what did the text say?"

"It was simple text that said 'good seeing you last night' I mean it could be innocent but... Emma he won't touch me and we haven't had a proper kiss in days. What am I supposed to think?" came tumbling out and Emma groaned in agony "I'm sorry I know you don't want to hear about your parents touching.."

"Whoa, ok, enough" Emma cut in, standing quickly and heading toward the stairs. She picked up the spare carseat next to it.

"What are you doing?" Mary Margaret asked watching her daughter scoop up her brother and strap him into the safety device.

"We're going to find him." She said determined, grabbing things they needed for a stake out.

*Henry is staying at a friends, we have the house to ourselves. When are you coming home?*

Emma glanced at Mary Margaret, her worried eyes scanning their surroundings looking for any sign of her husband. They'd been staked out at Katherine's for an hour now. It was nearing 9pm. She knew she had to do this for her mother but she felt bad for leaving Regina all by herself. She read over her text again and sighed but gave a small smile at the last sentence.

Hearing her daughter's sigh Mary Margaret took in the sight of Emma smiling down at her phone, thumbing a text back. She could only guess it was her former nemeis making the blonde contented. Her heart ached with two different emotions. Heavy with hurt at the thoughts of betrayal and yet light at seeing Emma in love. She'd been scared for her daughter when she found out about them dating, not coming around to quickly but now...

"She really makes you happy doesn't she?" Emma stopped her reply to glance over at her mother's frail tone. "I never would have imagined...I mean I knew her before but after I'd thought she lost the ability to be soft with the exception of Henry of course." She stumbled around for wording to not offend her daughter.

Emma only laughed though at the mention of Regina's prickly facade running people off. How she loved that woman. "Actually, Regina loves to cuddle. She's a great cuddler." the blonde teased knowing Regina would be inducing bodily harm had she know what her girlfriend just armed her enemy with.

The short brunette gasped in surprise aside from the 'accidental' incident she just couldn't picture the woman in question letting her gaurd down. "She does?"

Nodding Emma looked out at the street thinking about her favorite subject "Most people think she's some rigid, cold hearted prude that takes no nosense but honestly, she's funny and playful along with thoughtful and she's so loving. Her love..." she cast out not being able to find words immediately

"I know..." once again the brunette's airy tone caught the attention of her daughter who was staring at her with a raised eyebrow "She loves with her whole being. She gives it all or nothing." She continued unaware of the blonde's skeptical glare upon her.

"Something you want to tell me?"

Mary Margaret blushed holding her daughter's probing eyes "No, I'm just saying-"

"That you totally girl crushed on my girlfriend!" Emma accused in amusement but was more so disturbed.

"Hey! She was my step mother first and she's undoubtly goregous ok... who wouldn't notice that?" She grinned liking the grimance on Emma's face.

"Eww mom, no!"

Mary Margaret continued on like Emma hadn't grumbled in disgust "Well she is but it was more than just her beauty. She was tenderhearted and warm. Her smile was... when we met, it was so pure, just...free and when she told me about Daniel, her eyes were just full of hope, passion and love. It oozed from her like it had filled to the brim inside her and over flowed into the street. She was..."

"...incredible?" Emma breathed, feeling the love swell inside for the woman that was becoming her everything and who she now missed a painful amount. Mary Margaret nodded in agreement at her daughter's finishing note looking out at the night. She let her mind wander off until she turned to Emma with a bashful smirk.

"What's she like in bed?"

Emma was not fully prepared for that and let "Mom!" Shriek from her throat "No, just no!"

"Oh come on. I've always wondered if-"

"Lalala can't hear you" the blonde took to toddler tactics, plugging her ears and making noise till Mary Margaret held up a hand in truce "Just because were the same age does not make you any less my mother, especially now that I know you're my mother. and why would you...no, nevermind! just don't say anything else"

"Oh but it's fine if I can hear you two?"

"That was Regina's fault and I thought we were never speaking of that again?"

"I thought it was natural?" She mocked Regina's advice for her to get over her mental scarring. "I had sex to have you so" She teased further more

"Oh my god! I'm taking you home!"

"Ok sorry, I'll stop"

"What happened to pure snow white? Not the fairytale I remember"

"Well I did live with 7 men" Mary Margaret smiled happily loving to have her revenge even if it weren't for her intented target. "oh and Emma?"

"No"

"Emma?" her pleading voice weakened her daughter

"What?"

"Don't tell Regina...please"

"I'm telling her everything" She smirked. Mary Margaret rolled her eyes knowing that Emma and Regina were very much in the stage that they had to tell eachother everything. That desperate need to feel connected in everyway because being in love wasn't just loving and feeling loved. It was carrying that person around with you everywhere. Appearing in everything you saw, smelled and tasted. They were in your mind, driving you thoughts while humming the tune that matched your heartbeat and lead your feet back to them, time and time again.

They sat mostly in silence only random topics coming along, some stories from the enchanted forest and some about her brother as they were out a little after midnight. Mary Margaret had to get home and get Neal into his real crib before his schedule got wonky. They hadn't spotted David all night and Katherine even left and came home with take out but no visitors.

Emma was asked to stay but she very guiltly declined admitting that she'd already cancelled a date night with Regina and she couldn't very well leave her alone all night. Mary Margaret understood plus she hadn't really wanted Emma to be home when David got in anyhow. So when she crept into the Mills residence at 1:30am and found a beautiful brunette who tried but had failed to stay up for her, her heart melted.

There lay the woman that had her heart so fully, head propped up on a fist on the arm of the couch, eyes closed, legs covered by a throw, book lay teetering in her lap, light on, last remanant of white wine in her glass. Emma quietly took off her jacket laying it over the back of the couch before bending and pressing a kiss to a warm forehead. Regina stirred with a moment of confusion then felt herself being lifted.

"You're home" She whispered as Emma flicked off the switch and started for the stairs. She smiled as Regina layed her head in the crook of her neck and trusted her to get her into bed. She was a little heavier than her tiny frame suggested but Emma managed ok. Regina was already in pajamas so Emma layed her gently in the bed and started stripping her own clothes. Leaving her black boyshorts and red bra because who matched their underwear except maybe Regina? She crawled in where the brunette was nodding back off.

Regina's arms sleepily found her warm wasit and curled around her. "I missed you" Emma breathed into her hairline, kissing her temple.

"You wore boyshorts for date night?' was the response grumbled sleepily to her in return. She sputtered for a respone then just laughed. Regina was truly something else.

"I love you Regina sassy ass Mills. Go to sleep." Regina huffed, cuddling Emma closer and seemed to drift off but just as sleep was pulling Emma under Regina whispered a 'love you too'.