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The loft door closes shut and Regina instantly feels the open kitchen begin to narrow in on her as she panics. Maybe she should just text Emma? She could slip out right now and pour her heart out via text. She leans against the island and tries to take a few deep breaths to quell her rattling nerves. But what if Emma doesn't even bother to read her messages? And who would blame her, Regina thinks, so she opts to stay; to take the less cowardly approach and wait for Emma to appear. She wishes August had stuck around though. It would have been nice to have some sort of buffer here, some form of an ice breaker.

She hears a few stairs creak and her throat instantly goes dry as Emma rounds the corner and their eyes meet.

She expects to hear Emma's familiar yet shy one word greeting but instead Emma's eyes turn to steel as she plops a piece of pizza onto a plate and jumps up onto the counter that sits directly across from where Regina is standing. Maybe it's all in her head but the temperature feels like it has dropped a few dozen degrees as Regina feels a chill run up and down her spine. She quickly realizes she isn't the only one that is capable of putting up walls if Emma's stiff demeanor is anything to go by as Regina tilts her head and studies the other woman. Emma refuses to look at her, is in fact, acting as if she isn't even in the room. She's taken for granted Emma's openness with her, even from their first meeting, there was an unspoken will of trust given to her and now as she watches Emma softly bang the backs of her heels against the lower cabinets; she realizes she just might need a wrecking ball to break through this fortress, Emma has put up around herself.

Regina inhales a few deep breaths; fidgets with the sleeves of her coat a bit before she says, "I'm sorry Emma .. I .. messed up. I .. can you please look at me .. I feel - "

"You feel ignored? Maybe, like you don't even matter? Like, maybe you even coming here is a waste of your time, your energy? Yeah, well, welcome to the club." She slips off the counter; placing the plate into the sink while running some water over it before she begins to wrap up the food. She opens the fridge, moving items around to accommodate the new leftovers as she says, "Whatever you think was going to happen here tonight .. I mean, really the cockiness that makes you, you .. I used to think it was endearing, sexy even. A real turn on, your Majesty but now, that cockiness just pisses me off, frankly."

Her back is kept to Regina, she still refuses to look at her as she throws out the empty bag that once held the Chinese food. "You can show yourself out." Regina watches Emma disappear around the corner and she buries her face inside her hands as her elbows slide along the island. Her mind is racing as Emma's words cut into her and she realizes that she spoke the truth. She did think at some point Emma would just fall back into her arms.

She straightens herself upright again and pulls out her cell phone, sending a quick text.

She won't even look at me, she went upstairs. You can come home, August .. I'll reimburse you for the hotel room.

Her phone dings a minute later as she is turning the knob to see herself out.

Fight or Flight, Regina. It's your choice.

Her gaze roams over the message for a few seconds before determined eyes lift up from the lighted screen. She locks the door, sliding the dead bolt back into place and turns herself around. She types out one last message to August before she begins to climb the stairs.

I choose to fight for Emma.

Regina gently knocks on her door, knowing full well she will be ignored but she tries nonetheless. "Emma, may I please come in?" She waits two minutes and then knocks again. "I'm not leaving until we talk, Emma."

"Just let this go, your Majesty. Shouldn't be too hard of a concept for you."

She hears a lock click in place and she rolls her eyes at the sound. "God damn it, Miss Swan!" She hits the door with an open palm and then quickly shakes it from the slight sting before she turns and leans back against the hard surface. She crosses her arms and then turns her body so the side of her is leaning against the door now. "You were right, okay? I was lying when I said I didn't have deeper feelings for you. I was scared, Emma. I was .. I'm still frightened by all of this." She leans her head against the wood and stares down at her foot, scraping the heel around in a circle as she tries to collect her thoughts.

She sighs softly before shutting her eyes and speaking again. "I lost someone .. a few years ago .. and it changed me. Sent me into a tailspin and I swore I would never let myself feel that kind of love again. I .. didn't think I would have that special kind of love again but .. "

Emma puts down her phone and stares at her bedroom door. She shifts a little closer toward the end of the bed and waits for Regina to continue.

"I feel it with you though, Emma .. I .. cancelled with the Prince this morning. Before you even showed up, not because you have feelings for me but because I had .. I have feelings for you. Strong, deep feelings that I refuse to share with a door, Miss Swan!"

Emma rolls her eyes but she feels herself begin to smile. Just a little.

Regina waits a beat, tilting her ear to try and hear any form of movement and then rolls her eyes at Emma's stubbornness. She feels her heart clench inside her chest at the thought of Emma never speaking to her again. To never being able to kiss those soft lips; to hold her as they fall asleep together. She quickly brushes away a few tears that have fallen as she slides down the door.

She leans her head back and continues to fight; holding on to a small twine of hope that beats along with her heart and each breath she takes. "If I could go back and change one thing, Emma .. it would be that day in my office. After we .. when we were holding each other on my desk and you whispered, you had missed me .. I wish I hadn't pushed you away. I missed you too, Emma .. and I wish I had told you that instead of still entertaining the absurd notion of using room four. I hurt you but I also hurt myself .. I hurt us." Regina wipes at another stream of tears before she quietly says, "Please forgive me, Emma .. please, let there still be an us because - "

Regina doesn't hear the lock turn and before she realizes it, the door is swinging open and she is falling backwards inside the bedroom doorway. She winces a little as the back of her head knocks with the floor but is grateful Emma at least has some form of carpeting to blanket the blow.

She looks up and immediately notices Emma's warm gaze staring down at her. Her eyes aren't hard like steel anymore, there's a lightness dancing amid sea green and the glow from the bedroom light cascades over soft features as Emma extends a hand out to help Regina back to her feet.

Their fingertips touch and a spark ignites in both of their souls as sea green eyes bare into dark brown. Both women lick their lips and then follow the other's pink tongue as it darts back inside. Breaths hitch and then Emma is pulling Regina into her arms. She begins to cry softly as Emma holds her tight. She whispers, "I'm sorry .. " again and again by the shell of Emma's ear before she pulls back and strokes her cheek. "I'm sorry I slapped you .. " She leans close and gentle lips nuzzle the spot where she had been hit and Emma closes her eyes as she breathes in Regina's scent.

They stay like that for awhile, just holding each other, gently swaying to an imaginary sheet of music. Every once in awhile one of them will pull back and kiss a palm, a cheek, the barest touch of lips will graze a neck before they are holding onto each other again. Time seems to stand still for them until a clock chimes in the hall way, signaling the stroke of midnight and the start of a brand new day.

They pull away as the last bong of melody splays over the stillness of Emma's bedroom and Regina feels her hand being squeezed then tugged toward the bed. Regina shakes her head and looks down at her trench coat before scared eyes look up into Emma's again. "I .. when you came to the club earlier, I was getting ready to dance on stage and .. I should go home, Emma .. I need a shower and I need to change out of .. "

Emma pulls her into a kiss then, silencing any other words or thoughts from Regina's voice and mind as the kiss deepens like a wild fire.

When they break away, both women's breaths are shortened and Emma threads her fingers through Regina's. "Shower here and you can wear something of mine to sleep in. Just, don't leave .. "

Regina's eyes brighten with a fresh wave of love for this woman as she nods her head softly before Emma kisses her cheek and guides her toward a dresser drawer where she keeps her night wear.

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Regina showers, slightly impressed with the spacious bathroom Emma has adjacent to her bedroom. She can't help but let her mind wander and imagine what it would be like to share this space with the younger woman, while washing her long blonde hair and scrubbing her back before taking her against the slippery shower wall. She shakes her head, quickly clearing those promising thoughts away as she turns the water off and steps out; drying herself with the soft and surprisingly warm towel. She grabs a shirt; bringing it to her nose and breathing in Emma's scent before slipping the gray Adidas t shirt on. She quickly pulls on a pair of black sweats and brushes her teeth with the spare toothbrush Emma had opened and left out for her. She smiles to herself as she places it next to Emma's in the holder and clicks off the bathroom light.

Emma is already laying in bed, leaving the right side free for her, the same sides they shared in her bed just a few short weeks ago. She hums to herself as she slips in next to Emma and nuzzles into her side. "Do you have magic towels, Miss Swan that can somehow retain heat, hmm?"

Emma blushes and Regina tilts her head at the tinted cheeks before she murmurs, "No, I ran it in the dryer for a bit .. so, it was warm and fluffy for you." Emma shrugs and Regina's eyes brighten once more, the dark brown color swirling in a sea of love.

She cups Emma's chin, drawing the woman's gaze to meet her own before she leans in and whispers against soft lips, "I love you, Emma." She kisses one corner of Emma's mouth then gently kisses the other before sliding their lips together in the most sweetest kiss ever tasted.

When they break apart, Emma's heart is beating faster than a hummingbirds wing as she places Regina's hand across her chest to feel it. Bright green eyes slowly close then open again as they stare into deep brown and she whispers, "I love you, Regina."

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