A/N: Hi guys - sorry this chapter took so long... It was a little troublesome to write - it started as a flash-back but then when I started writing it seemed to flesh itself out into a chapter of its own.

I really hope it works for you, and that I haven't edited it to death. All my stuff is un-beta'd, sooo... *shrugs* I hope it's okay.

So without further ado, I present:

This, I Find In You

Chapter 4: A Great Love

As the evening began to set in, Regina had perched herself on a stool in the kitchen and quietly watched the Charmings & Co. prepare to go out on patrol, as they usually did at night. But as she surveyed the scene, she frowned.

…Something was off.

Usually they patrolled the streets at night in twos, taking turns – Snow and Red one night, Emma and David another, then Snow and Charming, and Emma and Red.

But tonight was no ordinary patrol, was it?

Snow was seated on the couch, stringing her bow and stocking her quiver. Charming had his sword at his hip, and looked as though he needed a little help with his breastplate, while Red's cloak was no-where in sight.

Emma looked up at her from where she was readying her borrowed cross-bow, her already-cleaned rifle slung over her shoulder. She caught her eye, heard her silent interrogation. Setting the rifle down against the dining table, she stepped towards Regina, who quickly averted her eyes.

"It's okay – I know you know something's up."

Her voice was lowered to near-whisper, and Regina matched her in volume.

"…Four did seem slightly extravagant for a routine patrol."

The corners of Emma's mouth twitched into a smile, there only a moment, and gone before it could reach her eyes. The sadness that lingered there was puzzling.

But what was even more puzzling was the way the Emma gently took hold of both her hands, and way that she pulled her aside, and the way she shot a look at Snow, and the way that Snow ushered Charming and Red towards the foyer, and the way that Emma locked eyes with her, and the way she was speaking so slowly to her, like as to a child, and the way Emma still wasn't letting go of her hands.

She cocked her head.

…Puzzling indeed.

"As soon as the sun sets, we are going to go out there and we are going after your mother."

Oh. Well, that explained the mass of weaponry on the kitchen table.

She smirked slightly, covering for the sudden pang of sadness – but Emma wasn't done.

"…by the way things are shaping up, it doesn't seem like anyone is looking to take prisoners tonight."

Emma steadily searched Regina's eyes for confirmation that she understood that she may well be an orphan come morning. She nodded slowly – touched, though not a little bewildered by this conversation starter. Of course she had not expected that they would suffer her mother to live, not after everything she'd done, but she hadn't expected Emma to be quite so… apologetic about it.

She hadn't expected Emma to comprehend the thing that she herself could barely understand – that, despite everything, Cora was still her mother and that she, in some deep and instinctual way, still loved her. She certainly hadn't expected that Emma wouldn't think less of her for it.

Despite herself, a small smile softened her face – Emma understood, and it was more than she could've asked for.

The blonde took a deep breath and returned her smile in kind before continuing – her voice at steady as before, but her tone more serious.

"…And tonight? You will be staying here. You're going to lock all of the doors and windows, and you're not to set foot outside the apartment."

Regina's smile vanished, softness replaced by indignation.

…Who was she to say what she could and could not do!?

"I beg your pa-"

Emma gave her hands a gentle tug, giving her a look that brooked no argument.

"-it's not because I don't trust you in the field." She paused, gathering her words, "…I love Henry and, Evil Queen or not, there is no one I trust to protect him more than you. I know you love him, and I know that – no matter what else happens – I can depend on that tonight."

"…What do you mean?"

"-If I don't come back… I want you to take Henry." She paused, letting her words sink in, "…And then I want you two to go as far away as you possibly can. To whichever world you please. And whatever you do, do not come back." There was another, longer pause – not borne of design, but of embarrassingly raw emotion. "…Because if I fall, I want to fall knowing that Henry will be safe …I want to know that you will be safe."

Regina was not a hugger. Not by a long shot. But in that moment, she found herself resisting the bizarre impulse to fling her arms around the other woman and never let go. Her fingers tightened around Emma's hand, and Emma squeezed back. She tried to ignore the tenderness in those green eyes, but when the other came up to brush her face in a soft caress, she found herself leaning into the touch.

…But those were not goose bumps spreading down her arms.

And those were definitely not tears burning behind her eyes.

No.

Definitely not.

She found herself trying on a smirk, trying to lighten the sudden weight in her chest.

"And… how do you know that I won't just take Henry anyway?"

"…I don't."

And suddenly Regina understood, and she was rendered speechless.

As far as Emma was concerned, this was goodbye.

Whether she lived or died, she expected to see neither Regina nor Henry ever again.

…But yet here she stood, one hand clutching her own, the other hand caressing her cheek, telling her that it was okay.

So stunned by this revelation was she, that when Emma drew her into an embrace she did not think to resist. The fingers that had brushed her face moved to weave themselves into her hair, and pressed her head against the other woman's chest.

Emma breathed in deeply, inhaling her scent, trying to memorise the moment – the way she felt under her hands, the way she felt in her arms. Regina was fairly sure that there was zero chance that Emma was inhaling apples and lavender and Chanel No. 5, and suddenly the shower she'd had that morning seemed a distant memory. She felt bare, utterly vulnerable. Having her so close, filling all of her senses – there were no more walls to hide behind. She couldn't very well hide behind the predatory sexuality of the Evil Queen, nor could she hide behind Mayoral aloofness.

…Certainly not at this range.

But the embrace did not seem to be abating; in fact it seemed to be moving in the opposite direction.

She felt Emma's arms tighten around her. Felt her breath catch in her throat. Felt the single shudder of emotion in her chest.

…and then, beyond the fact the Emma wanted to remember her at all, the realisation that Emma wanted to remember her like this brought a sudden flush of warmth to a corner of her soul she'd long thought dead.

Emma wanted to remember – not a Queen, and not a Mayor – but rather the woman she'd found underneath it all.

She wanted to remember Regina.

…Just Regina.

And between the steady heart beating beneath her ear, and the strong arms that held her, she felt a peace seep into her bones. A peace she'd not felt since… well, not since a life-time ago.

She imagined that this was what home felt like.

Safe.

The moisture welling in her eyes safely hidden from view, she reached up and, grasping a handful of red leather, pulled Emma closer, returning the embrace – burrowing further into her new found shelter, not eager for this moment to end. Not eager at all.

Emma shifted slightly, her whisper warm and husky in Regina's ear.

"You stay safe, okay?"

Regina swallowed hard and nodded softly, not trusting her own voice.

…You too, Swan.

A/N: So, how'd I do? I need feed-back on my SQ-dynamics...