A/N: This is a short chapter because I've had this section written for months, thinking that I wouldn't post it until I'd written the next bit. However, I need to go back through season 6 and decide how I want to end my version of it, since I've diverged so far from canon. That means it will probably take me a little while yet to finish, and I wanted to post this and let everyone know I haven't abandoned it!

oOoOo

It had been a wonderful afternoon, truly it had, and when Regina shouldered her way into the sheriff's office, she was still wearing the smile that she couldn't seem to banish.

"What've you got there, Regina?" David asked, as he spied the casserole dish in her hands.

"Dinner." She saw his speculative look and laughed. "I know, I probably made too much. Emma can have the leftovers for lunch tomorrow."

"I think there might be enough there for us both to be eating the leftovers tomorrow." He peeked under the lid of the dish after it was settled on the desk, "Smells delicious though. What's the occasion?"

"My gratitude." Regina watched his eyes as he sat back in his chair and looked up at her. She sat lightly on the edge of the desk before continuing. "I wanted to thank you for being so understanding. Most men wouldn't be, especially considering our history."

David gave a chuckle and shook his head. "I suppose not, and honestly this whole thing hasn't been easy," he sobered as he went on, "but Snow's happiness is important to me. I would move mountains for her, so I couldn't just say no when she asked me to give this a try. She loves you, and like it or not, you're family."

"I like that very much. More than you know." She reached out and gave his shoulder a fond squeeze. "I'm sorry for everything the queen did to you."

He shrugged. "We survived. And who knows, maybe the queen seducing Snow was actually a blessing in disguise."

Regina blinked, utterly flabbergasted for a moment. "Who are you, and what have you done with David Nolan? You can't be the same man that threw me up against a wall two days ago for sleeping with his wife."

"I'm sorry about that, by the way." He had the grace to look sheepish about what had happened. "I just mean that the two of you have been obsessed with each other for years. At least now everything's out in the open."

"Obsessed?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Regina, Snow ran off to find a way to defeat you on our wedding night. Well, our official wedding night." Since they'd already been married before that. He smiled. "In retrospect, that should have been a pretty big clue. And you. Razing villages trying to find her? Watching her through mirrors? If you don't think that's obsession, I think you need a new dictionary."

It was a fair point.

"I do love her," she said quietly. It was an admission that she really hadn't made to anyone, even Snow.

"I know you do. That's why I decided not to fight this. You both deserve to mend what has been broken for so many years."

"Pretty profound for a shepherd."

"I have my moments."

"Sometimes you do, Charming. They're few and far between, but sometimes you do."

"Hey!" He gave her a nudge and they both laughed, secure in the notion that at least they had an understanding. After a minute, the laughter faded away, and his face turned serious. "Just promise me that you're not going to hurt her, and I'll deal with my own feelings."

"I don't think anyone can promise never to hurt another person, especially me, but I'll do my best. I don't want to hurt her anymore."

"Okay, well, I guess that's a start."

She smiled at him. "Thank you, David."

"You're welcome, Regina."

oOoOo

Things were going well, too well, and Regina kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. Snow hadn't seemed to notice, remaining as chirpily optimistic as ever. She was currently curled up on the sofa with her head in Regina's lap while the latter flicked idly through a fashion magazine, scoffing every once in a while at some outlandish new runway trend, and mentally bookmarking the pages that she wanted to come back to later. Her free hand was riffling through Snow's short hair, and she could tell from the happy sighs that she was enjoying it immensely.

It was odd, being like this with the woman who was once her mortal enemy, yet at the same time, nothing had ever felt so right. "Why don't we take the boys out for a picnic this weekend?" Snow asked, as Regina's fingernails brushed along her scalp. "Mmm…the weather is supposed to be nice."

"Henry is spending the weekend with Emma," she reminded her. Though that might give them an opportunity for other things.

"We can invite Emma and Killian along too. It'll do us all good to get out as a family for a little while without worrying that something's going to pop up to try and kill us."

"I'm not sure we should ever stop worrying about that," Regina commented dryly, especially since Emma's dream premonitions hadn't yet been resolved, "but okay. I don't object to a picnic, as long as I don't have to do all the cooking."

"You won't. We'll help you." Snow shifted so that she could look up at her. "Or we could order from Granny's" There was a smirk along with that, a glimpse of a challenge.

"Because we don't eat out far too much as it is," she poked Snow's belly, raising an eyebrow of her own.

"Did you just call me fat?"

At that Regina laughed and started to tickle her. Snow screeched and tried to wriggle away, rolling off onto the floor. Regina followed her down, still tickling her unmercifully until Snow managed to roll her over, pin her hands to the floor, and kiss her senseless. When they finally came up for air, they were both laughing and panting. "I would never call you fat," she assured her, lifting her head to steal another kiss. "You're perfect."

"I never thought I'd live to see the day where you called me perfect."

"Me neither." A sly smile spread onto her lips, as she managed to wiggle her way out of Snow's strong grip. She didn't tickle her again, instead wrapping her into her arms and giving her a more languid kiss. "We should get up off the floor," she murmured after a few minutes.

"We should," Snow replied, but she didn't make any attempt to move. When their lips met again, Regina chuckled, waving a hand so that they were transported to her bed. "Cheater…"

"I didn't realize it was a competition."

"It's not."

Another kiss.

"You weren't moving."

Another.

"Are you complaining?"

"Not at all. Just wanted to be comfortable."

"Mmhmm."

It was heaven, lying there kissing like that, measuring time in breaths and heartbeats, in soft touches and hungry moans. Snow was easy to get lost in because their connection was so deep, and it wasn't long before Regina found herself once again pinned beneath her, Snow's thigh pressed tight against her core.

"I want you," she murmured against Snow's lips, then gave her nose a playful brush with her own.

"You already have me."

"Not what I mean and you know it."

"Do I?" There was the tease again.

"Yes, you do. Now get up for a second."

Snow obliged, giving Regina the ability to banish what was left of their clothes and summon a strap-on around Snow's hips. Snow looked down with a little chuckle, shaking her head as she returned to her arms. "You know, I always have loved magic. When it wasn't being used against me, that is."

"It does make things more convenient," she agreed as they shifted around, humming her appreciation when the toy slid into her. "That's…perfect."

Snow was holding, letting her just feel the fullness of the thing as they watched each other's eyes. "You're perfect."

"I thought we'd already established that you were. We can't both be."

"Who says?" Snow gave a little shove forward with her hips, pushing deeper and drawing a soft grunt from low in Regina's throat.

"Well, when you put it that way," her eyes drifted closed as she felt Snow start to rock back and forth. Regina moved with her, helping to establish a rhythm that had pulses of pleasure sizzling along her nerve endings. She surrendered to it, letting go in a way that she rarely did. It was hard for Regina to give up control, since she had so often felt helpless and powerless in her life, but somehow this felt safe. It felt good. Beyond good.

Snow's hands found hers, twining their fingers together so that she couldn't touch herself. The pleasure built and built until she was nearly whimpering with need. "Snow…I need to…I can't get there without…"

"Shhhhh."

"Please…" It was a whisper. She hated to beg. Begging brought too many bad memories of the times she'd begged her mother not to hurt her, or begged Leopold not to…she shuddered. That the word slipped out anyway was a product of her desperation. She was hanging on the edge now, every thrust an exquisite agony, but she couldn't find completion without fingers on her clit.

"Wait, Regina." The warmth of Snow's breath washed across her ear, before she sucked at the tender spot just below it. "Just a bit more."

"Can't…I can't…"

"You can."

Her muscles were tensing, seeking the release she couldn't find, and just when she thought she couldn't take it any longer, Snow let go of her hands so that she could bring one of her own down between them. Fingers found the engorged mass of nerves and rubbed a tight circle, sending Regina cascading into one of the most powerful orgasms she'd ever had.

It was only much later, after she'd finally recovered her breath and her wits, and was cuddled up in Snow's arms that she thought to ask, "Where on earth did you learn to do that?"

Snow laughed. "Learn to do what?"

"Deny a person's orgasm so that they almost pass out when they come."

"Belle is not the only person around here who reads, you know."

"I find it hard to believe that you learned how to do that at the public library."

"You'd be surprised."

"I'll never look at Belle in the same way."

Snow laughed again. "Haven't you ever heard that it's the quiet ones you need to look out for?"

"No, but I'll keep that in mind." She placed a kiss, then a soft nip on Snow's throat, "Though you seem to have overlooked one thing."

"Oh? What's that?"

Regina smirked as she pushed her back into the mattress, ropes magically snaking out of the bed to hold Snow's hands. "That it's my turn now, and I'm definitely going to get revenge."