5 MONTHS, 8 DAYS EARLIER

"Do you think he knows?" Emma asked, removing her watch and throwing it onto Regina's vanity.

"I think he knows something. Henry's no fool; I'm sure he's picked up on the difference in our demeanor toward one another," Regina shrugged.

"We should probably have a talk with him sooner than later. We don't want him to find out his mothers are seeing each other from anyone else," Emma smiled, placing a hand on Regina's shoulder.

Regina nodded slowly, unsure. "We will," she patted Emma's hand. "Eventually. I told you Emma, we need to go slow. We have so much history between us and with everything that happened with Hook…and Robin, it just makes sense for us to ease into things."

Rather than get defensive, as she wanted to do, Emma smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. Stealing kisses, grabbing hands under the table, putting on a nonchalant façade for everyone in their life; there was a thrill to it, but it was also torture. Emma wanted to be a cliché – scream from the rooftops, kiss Regina in the rain, serenade her with an obsolete boom box. But Regina wanted to move slow, so tantalizingly slow that Emma felt like she might explode. It was worth it, she told herself, she was worth it.

Emma had spent a few nights at the mansion, leaving before Henry got up for school so there wouldn't be any questions they (Regina) weren't ready to answer. There had been no sex yet – Emma wanted Regina to make the first move in that particular area, to make sure it was something she was ready to do. But the cuddling and waking up together had been its own form of perfection, just right, so fucking right.

Regina removed her earrings and placed them in her jewelry box. She turned to Emma, eyes glassy and wide. "You scare the hell out of me."

Emma turned, shocked. "Why?"

"The push and pull we've had for so long, I think on some level I've always known you and I would end up as something more than adversaries. You brought out a side of me that had been dormant for such a long time, I didn't even know if it existed anymore." She paused, breathing deeply. "What Robin and I had was…pleasant. He's a good man, and I certainly could have done worse. With you…nothing is pleasant," Regina snickered. "You're fiery, and strong-willed, and put me in my place more often than anyone I've ever known. You're passionate and fierce and when I look at you, I see everything that I need in my life, everything that I know makes me…better. The love you have for Henry, the love we share for him is overwhelming and sometimes I just don't know how to deal with all of this." Regina breathed again, and gave a small nod to acknowledge that she was finished.

The silence that hung in the air was not uncomfortable, but the words lingered and if Emma could have reached out and grasped at them, she would have. It was the most open and honest thing Regina had said to her since that night in her study. They had flirted and danced around what was happening between them, both content in the idea that words might fuck things up, and neither of them wanted that. It was easier to just be, and act like everything would just fall into place and it sort of had, but there was still so much that needed to be said, that needed to break through the walls that Emma wanted to dismantle, but didn't know how, and the walls that Regina needed to cling on to in order to stand upright.

"I…get it," Emma said softly, stroking Regina's arm tenderly. "I know you want to take things slowly, and while I would rather just put everything out there and let the cards fall where they fall, I know that's not really your style. I'm not the most trusting person in the world, and I usually keep my hand pretty close to my vest. But I want this, Regina, I want you, and I'll do whatever you need me to. I promise, I won't push you." Emma pulled her close, hugging Regina tightly to her, hands clasping onto the back of Regina's neck.

"Thank you, Emma," Regina breathed, relief palpable. "I don't know how to love very well."

"I disagree. You love your son with all you have, and it's enough Regina. You're enough."

Regina made her way slowly to where Emma was standing, and stood behind her. She gently put her hands on Emma's shoulders, sending a spark through both of their bodies. Regina pushed her hands forward until they were at Emma's neckline. Emma closed her eyes and leaned her head backwards so that she was resting on Regina's shoulder. Regina began unbuttoning Emma's shirt, slowly and methodically. Emma's eyes flew open, but she didn't dare to speak or breathe. In light of their conversation, she grudgingly tried to do the right thing.

"We don't have to. If you're not ready," Emma said, more of a choke than actual speech.

"I'm ready," Regina purred, voice thick and full of want.

"Have you ever been with…"

"A woman?" Regina asked, still sultry. "Yes."

Questions swirled through Emma's mind, though she was aware this was not the time nor the place to have that conversation, although her curiosity was peaked. She closed her eyes again and let Regina continue her tortuous unbuttoning, and when her shirt was completely open, Regina slowly made her way back up to Emma's shoulders where she pulled it off slowly, letting it pool on the floor.

Emma turned, her eyes wide, and crashed her lips against Regina's mouth, desperate for more contact, to feel completely meshed with the other woman, as one. Regina had other ideas though, and didn't respond feverishly, kissing Emma softly and provocatively, running her tongue over Emma's lips. Emma moaned audibly, her hands grasping at Regina's waist.

"Patience, dear." Regina smiled against Emma's lips, thoroughly enjoying the torment she was inflicting. Emma breathed out deeply, hitched and broken.

Regina found Emma's earlobe and nibbled it, taking her tongue and tracing it down the length of Emma's neck, to the top of her breast where her bra remained an obstacle. Regina reached behind her and with a quick flick of her fingers, Emma's bra fell forward.

"You are stunning," Regina murmured, letting the bra fall to the floor. Emma couldn't contain herself any longer. She used shaking fingers to unbutton Regina's blouse, and since Regina didn't stop her, Emma quickly shed the hindrance, moving on to Regina's slacks. With one swift move, Regina's pants were at her feet. Emma took a step back.

"I…don't even know what to say right now," she said, her eyes nearly bulging at the sight of Regina standing there, waiting for her, in matching black lace, a telling smirk on her flawless face.

"Then don't say anything," Regina said, grabbing Emma by the shoulders and falling back onto the bed with her, their bodies already slick with heat, sliding against each other, and Emma decided at that moment that she would never, ever recover from this.

Regina made quick work of Emma's jeans, using her heels to slide them to the floor, so their mouths wouldn't need to break contact. Their kissing had grown furious, the craving they both felt spilling out into each other. Regina's undergarments were gone, though Emma didn't remember removing them, although she certainly could have in this fog of sex, where nothing was tangible and everything was tangible and it didn't really fucking matter because, Regina was underneath her, naked and ready.

"Touch me," Regina whispered, her voice so gravelly that Emma thought she might come on the spot, but wouldn't allow herself that kind of weakness.

Emma latched on to Regina's neck, sucking and licking, feeling the skin beneath her mouth swelling at her touch. She used the free hand that wasn't clutching Regina's neck to run her thumb over the taut peak of Regina's nipple, and the way Regina cried out, like it felt so good that it hurt, gave Emma the green light to continue her way downward.

Her blonde curls spilled out over Regina's thighs, and the sight of herself so close to the most intimate part of Regina Fucking Mills took away all of her oxygen, and Emma actually gasped. Regina paid no notice, for which Emma was grateful. She nestled herself between Regina's thighs, lifting one of Regina's knees over her shoulder, and placed soft kisses on her thighs, her stomach, until finally moving toward her drenched center. Emma softly ran her tongue up the length of Regina, lost in the dizzying scent of her, and when she reached her clit, Regina sucked in for air and tightly gripped Emma's hair, nails burying in the back of Emma's scalp. Emma swirled her tongue in tight circles, holding onto Regina's crooked thigh like it was grounding her to the earth. "Inside," she heard Regina moan, and she was happy to oblige. Emma inserted a finger inside of Regina, and continued her circles with complemented ministrations.

"Emma," Regina nearly yelled, feeling her body hovering closer and closer, and Emma only tightened her grip as she felt Regina come in a thunderous wave, her body nearly folding in half, pushing Emma's head closer and pulling her away, until she finally fell backward in a heap of aftershocks.

Crawling her way up the length of Regina's body, Emma let herself lie flat on top of the other woman, kissing her profusely in a mass of sweat and sex and heat.

Regina's tongue sought out Emma's frantically, and her manicured nails were doing a number on Emma's upper back.

In an unusual show of strength, Regina managed to flip them over, so that she was now on top of Emma, who lay beneath her with an astonished smile. Regina returned the smile, and without warning, slipped two fingers into Emma, who immediately arched and squeezed her eyes shut at the cascading pleasure that was overtaking her body.

Regina quirked an eyebrow at Emma, the smirk on her face a permanent fixture. Regina found Emma's swollen bud with her thumb, adding the slightest bit of pressure. Emma's body was so receptive to her that her fingers had nearly disappeared. At Emma's deep, gasping moan, Regina sped up her movements. "Oh yeah?" she asked quietly. "Tell me more."

That was it. Emma grabbed a fistful of sheet and let herself go, her ragged breath culminating in a strangled cry, a curse-filled string of nonsense, which ended with her arm slung over her face, covering her eyes. And a giggle that she could not contain.

"Something funny?" Regina asked, unable to keep her own chuckle tamed. She sidled up to Emma, gliding her fingers over Emma's stomach.

"Oh my…fuck…I can't speak," Emma laughed, hearty and full. "I could really use a cigarette right now."

"Do you smoke?" Regina asked quizzically.

"No."

Regina laughed that time, tucking a sweaty strand of hair behind Emma's ear. "It would seem that the Savior and the Evil Queen fit well together. What good is light without dark, anyway?" Regina sighed contentedly, though the weight of her words was not lost on Emma.

"You haven't been the Evil Queen for a long time, Regina. This, who you are now, is far from evil. A little debauched, maybe, but certainly not evil." Emma drew her up next to her, kissing her temple softly. "I could get used to this," she whispered, dancing her fingers on Regina's back.

"As could I, Ms. Swan."

"Oh shut up, Regina," Emma smirked, pulling her back on top of her, letting their bodies react to each other again, unwilling to let the night end.