Regina froze in place. Emma retreated quickly. Closed her eyes, she wouldn't look at Regina. She couldn't handle fear on one more person's face.
If she would have opened her eyes she would have seen Regina caught in the headlights. She hadn't seen this coming, well not at this moment. She had assumed one of them would talk about their thoughts or better yet feelings first, over alcohol.
Emma was biting her lower lip trying her best not to cry, not over this.
Regina watched Emma's internal struggle.
Emma turned her head and stood from the couch, made for the door without a word.
It took Regina hearing the click of the door to know Emma was gone. Without knowing why she gave chase. It had started snowing, the street were lightly covered in powdery snow. Regina ran after Emma in bare feet.
"Emma…" Emma picked up her pace slightly.
"Emma!" Regina tried again but Emma kept going.
"Swan!" Regina sprinted after her.
Emma heard feet pounding on the road and she slowed. She turned and saw Regina in no shoes and no coat. She hadn't taken in her appearance earlier. But the woman was wearing a clingy lacy black tank top and a shorter black skirt. No makeup, hair slightly mussed up. This was the most raw Emma had ever seen Regina, and the woman was beautiful.
"Emma I have been calling your name for a whole block." Regina huffed out trying to catch her breath.
"Yeah?" Emma just played dumb, why had Regina followed her.
"Emma just, just come home with me. Let's finish talking. You should not be walking home in this weather, you'll get sick." Regina was just starting to feel the cold catching up with her.
"Regina…"Emma held back the tears and glanced towards Regina's home.
Regina just insistently held her hand out and held her palm up for Emma to take it.
"Come on Miss Swan." Regina was growing impatient.
Emma smiled and reached her hand out. Regina really wanted her to come back.
Emma caught Regina audibly sigh when she took her hand.
"Regina, you're going to catch a cold." Emma took her jacket off and wrapped it around Regina.
As Regina shook in her failed attempts to keep warm.
"Well I'm not the idiot that ran out into the snow in the first place." She said through chattering teeth.
When they got back Regina poured them hot tea. Emma expected them to talk about the kiss. But Regina didn't bring it up. She didn't seem bothered at all. Emma started to wonder if earlier had even happened.
She started to notice Regina's shoulders weren't pushed back into perfect posture anymore they were slightly slumped forward. The woman looked a little defeated.
Emma tried to reach the woman with words, as she didn't trust the bodie's reactions right now.
"Regina… It will be ok. Just please don't give up yet." Emma looked into her tea as she talked.
Regina lay her head down on the counter and looked up at Emma.
"But Emma, I am just so tired of this? Of trying to find who wrote the book, of trying to find happiness. Of Robin coming around when I know as soon as his wife wakes up it is going to end…"
"Then I think it's time for the Queen to go to bed." Emma finished swallowing her tea.
"Can I sleep on the couch if I am not allowed to walk home in this?" Emma asked seriously, maybe Regina would change her mind and throw her out.
Regina's face grew confused.
"Emma we can just have a sleepover in my room, the bed is big enough. I trust you to behave yourself." She gave her an easy smile.
"I trust you Emma, don't worry, it's fine." She raised her head and waved off Emma's worries.
"Come on, Princess time for bed, I might even tell you a story." Regina yawned and glanced at the clock as she got up.
"Regina I'm not Henry, I don't need story time." She laughed, "Though I have never had it, maybe it would be fun."
Regina smiled back at the blonde, she would have to think of a story to tell her on their way up the stairs.
Emma sent a quick text to MM that she would be staying at Regina's again tonight, to sleep off the alcohol, small lie.
Regina got towels out for Emma and slipped in bed and was asleep by the time Emma got in, or so Emma thought.
Emma lay there for a while waiting for sleep to come, but it didn't. She heard a sigh from the other side of the bed, Regina must not be asleep either.
"Um hey Regina you awake?"
"No dear… not at all…" Regina said snarkily.
Emma rolled her eyes in the dark.
"Hey Regina?"
"Yes dear, what is it?"
"Thanks for letting me stay."
Regina seemed to be pondering something, it took her too long to finally reply with,
"You're welcome dear."
Emma thought about this for a moment then,
"Regina, are…are you mad at me?"
Regina could feel Emma grip the covers.
"No dear." Regina turned over and found Emma's hands. She pulled one to her lips and kissed the spot between Emma's thumb and pointer finger.
Regina could hear Emma take a shaky breath, "Ok, promise?"
Regina wrapped her arm around Emma, "I promise Emma."
….
Emma woke the next morning to Regina staring down at her pillow, biting her lip in concentration. Emma reached out a finger and poked Regina. It startled the woman but only for a moment.
Regina leaned her head on her hand, her thoughts pushed aside for now.
"How did you sleep?"
Emma stretched, "Like a baby." She smiled.
Regina reached her hand out to stroke Emma's cheek.
Emma's face grew confused. Regina leaned in and kissed Emma before Emma was awake enough to stop what was happening. Emma gasped at the action.
Regina kept her lips there a moment longer, then pulled back with a mix of guilt and fear.
Her walls were down.
Regina wanted to explain what she had just done, needed to explain what she had just done but she couldn't find the words, or any for that matter.
So they just stared at each other.
A/N: Hey guys trying to keep with the story but also not. :P I felt the last chapter was a little rushed but I wanted them to be at this place in the story but couldnt get there another way. Hope you are enjoying the SQ moments that didn't make the show ;)
