Chapter 4

Regina helped Mary Margaret to get the cabin in order. It was a nice place and she could see how people would have loved to rent this as a summerhouse, but as Ruby had said, it had gone unused for quite a while and needed a good cleaning. At least the water coming from the taps was clear, she'd worried that it might be murky and foul.

The cabin had three rooms and a bath - two bedrooms and a living area with a rather dated kitchenette. There was also a small loft with a single bed, which Henry had immediately claimed as his. He had stacked his comics next to the bed and gone through all the cabinets and drawers in search for a flashlight he could use.

Henry had always liked to read underneath the covers and it was a habit Regina had come to associate with her son. It wasn't uncommon for her to find him asleep - covers over his head, flashlight on and comics forgotten by his side. She found it endearing and putting his things away before tucking him in properly had become a cherished ritual - always followed by a kiss to his forehead. Sometimes he'd wake enough to mumble a 'goodnight mom' or he'd just snuggle deeper into his pillow. Either way it always made the love she felt for him tug at her heart, almost overwhelming in its intensity. She loved her son - always had and always would.

When they'd arrived at the cabin Emma and Ruby had set out to make sure they would stay safe. They'd gone through the shed and the supplies they had in the car before setting up a perimeter with traps which would warn them if anything came close. They'd disappeared into the surrounding forest about two hours ago and in that time Regina and Mary Margaret had managed to air out the place, wipe most of the dust away and get the beds in order. Their meagre belongings were taken from the car and they'd made a list of what they had and what they might need in the future.

They'd packed two survival packs to keep in the car if they had to leave suddenly and Regina was placing them in the trunk when she noticed Emma and Ruby returning. They'd stopped at the stream; Ruby was either washing her hands or simply checking the water's temperature as Emma stood behind her, shoulders tense and eyes sweeping the area. She held her gun in her hand, ready for anything it seemed. Her eyes found Regina and with a smile and slight wave she made a pushing gesture behind Ruby's back - pretending to shove the kneeling woman into the stream. Regina shook her head from side to side, amused at Emma's antics. If she could joke about like that it meant they hadn't run into any trouble while patrolling the area.

The door behind her opened and Henry came out onto the porch - wrapped in a blanket, hair wet and bare feet stuck into his sneakers. After making sure the wood-burning water heater was up and running Regina had sent him into the bathroom to get cleaned up, hoping she would be next in line. Her gaze let Emma go and instead she turned to her son, smiling at his shivering.

"It's too cold for you to be out here. Let's go inside. I think Mary Margaret is making us all soup." Henry's face lit up at the mention of food and he quickly turned and went back inside. Regina followed, amused by his eagerness.

The smell coming from the kitchen made Regina's stomach rumble. She preferred to avoid cans and prefabricated food, wanting Henry to grow up eating nutritious things that were good for him and his body, but right now she would have gladly bought them any kind of unhealthy fast food meal - she was that hungry. The canned soup would serve fine as tonight's dinner.

While the soup simmered Regina took her turn in the bathroom. She stripped the borrowed clothes off and looked at herself in the mirror. Her arm was swollen and bruised, the discolouration alone enough to make her wince with distaste. She had scratches and bruises all over her body and her eyes tiredly stared back at her from the mirror. She turned her back on her own reflection to step under the showerhead, relaxing as the warm water enveloped her.

Scrubbing herself clean, she washed away the grime, dried blood and as much of the telltale signs of the last days abuse that she could. The bruises and scratches would fade with time, she knew, but she doubted she'd ever return to the person she was before. She felt different now and she didn't know if it was because of the horrors she'd witnessed and lived through or if it was because of the way her heart seemed to soften and then speed up whenever she thought about Emma. It felt like a protective layer had been peeled away from her, like her walls were down leaving her heart and soul exposed, and for once she didn't mind.

Regina felt a blush creep up her neck as she recalled how Emma's lips had felt against her own - warm, soft, supple and sweet. She wanted them to kiss again. Running her fingers through her hair, untangling it as best she could, she admitted to herself that she wanted to do more than just kiss Emma. She glanced at the bathroom door, wondering if she had enough time and privacy to take care of the burning need she felt race through her body and settle to throb between her thighs. Her skin was sensitive, tingling, and as she let one hand caress the inside of her damp thigh, the other hand reached up to gently cup one of her breasts. The familiar sensations made her bite her lip and she closed her eyes as a sigh escaped. Her hand had almost reached its goal when a sharp knock on the door made her jump. With wide eyes and hand at her throat she stared at the door.

"Regina?"

It was Emma. Regina's eyes moved to the lock - had she locked the door? Of course she had. She shook her head to clear it.

"Regina, are you okay in there?"

She turned the shower off and cleared her throat. "Yes."

"I was just wondering if you needed anything? A change of clothes maybe? Ruby brought some from the inn. It's nothing fancy, but I thought we'd wash the stuff we've had on and hopefully it'll be dry by tomorrow. We really need to get some things that will actually fit, especially for Henry - the stuff we have is way too big for him."

Regina looked down at the floor where she'd discarded the borrowed jeans and the red shirt, along with her underwear. It would be nice to put something clean on, something a bit more comfortable and a little less tight than Ruby's old jeans - even though Emma seemed to enjoy them. Smiling she wrapped a towel around herself and then cracked the door open. Emma stood on the other side, grey sweatshirt and pants in hand.

"Will this do for now?"

Regina took the offered items. "Yes, thank you." She looked up from the soft fabric to see surprise on Emma's face.

"Your hair's wavy." Emma's smile was a mix between silly and mesmerised and her eyes were focused on the wet strands barely touching Regina's naked shoulders.

"I forgot to bring the straightening iron."

Emma laughed. "It looks good on you."

They stood silently staring at each other, sappy, shy smiles on their faces. Regina felt a shiver go through her, the cooler air seeping into the bathroom giving her goose bumps.

"I... I'm just going to get dressed. Do you want the bathroom next? I think you could use it." She indicated Emma's hair - curls clumped together with dry blood.

Emma sighed gratefully. "Oh, yes! Please tell me there's some hot water left?"

Regina smiled at the pleading look on Emma's face. "I think there's enough for all of us"

Shutting the door she quickly dried off and pulled the sweatshirt and pants on. She didn't bother to find a hairbrush, instead running her fingers through the damp strands. Before stepping out of the bathroom she picked the clothes from the floor and brought them with her to be washed. Emma was waiting just outside the door and their eyes met as Regina brushed by, their shoulders touching before Emma closed the door to the bathroom.