A/N: My apologies again for not having this ready last week. However, it's almost twice as long as other chapters, so hopefully that makes up for it! It is also unbetaed, so sorry if there's errors or if it's shitty lol. Anyway, really really hope you'll be excited about this chapter and let me know!

After being exposed by the subjects of their stakeout, the prying women were sent away with their tails between their legs. Well, at least Emma was. Regina simply grinned with smug amusement all the way home; not quite saying 'I told you so', though the point was heard nonetheless.

Once Regina had assured that – despite any personal grievances – Henry was quite safe with Neal, the two women were able see the humor in the events that had transpired that evening, laughing at themselves over a glass of Regina's magnificent cider. In between the chuckles and soft smiles, though, Emma's gut twisted and pulled as she stared achingly at the woman beside her. The drinks were strong, but not even the buzz of alcohol could seem to reignite the flame of courage she had felt in the car. Instead, she was left with only the cold ashes of longing, wondering how much cider or circumstance it might take before she ever felt so bold again.

It was quite late before Henry came home, thoroughly exhausted, and though Emma was incredibly anxious to hear every detail of his evening, she begrudgingly accepted his plea to tell her all about it in the morning. She sent him off to bed, resisting the urge to ask if she might tuck him in, loath to admit that he was far too old for that. Regina soon took her leave as well, departing without so much as a caress of her fingers, let alone the goodnight kiss Emma craved now more than she ever should have allowed herself to. Desires unfulfilled, she followed their lead, welcoming sleep as she crawled into her bed.

The next morning Emma toddled sleepily into the kitchen, kicking herself for the disappointed way her heart sank to find it vacant, until she discovered a note placed squarely in the middle of the counter. It was from Regina, of course, apologizing for her absence and requesting that Emma come to the mayoral office at her earliest convenience. The note concluded by stating that breakfast was waiting in the refrigerator, and Emma couldn't help her grin at the thoughtfulness. It's not as if she was incapable of making the meal herself, and admittedly it was a bit hard to get used to the idea of someone else taking care of her. It was the fact that Regina actually seemed to want to do it that made Emma's heart stutter and swell.

After breakfast, mother and son set out on a walk to Snow and David's apartment. Emma still wasn't sure how to feel about having parents, but Henry seemed to like them, and she supposed they were family, after all. She figured it was good for him to spend some time with the cheerful couple, and it gave her an excuse not to leave him alone. He had certainly outgrown needing a babysitter, and Emma was okay with short periods of time when she was nearby. But leaving him alone was still hard for her to feel comfortable with, knowing all too well the troubles and dangers that existed in the world for kids his age. Having him spend time with his grandparents was a good way of keeping an eye on him, without making him feel like he was being babied. And walking to the apartment created a perfect opportunity for Emma to pry for information.

"You ready to tell me about your night?" she asked casually.

"It was cool," Henry replied, quite purposefully vague.

"Hey, kid, listen – I'm not going to be upset if you say you had a good time with your dad," Emma said intuitively. "My issues with him are mine, not yours. Got it?" Henry's relieved nod told Emma she had hit the nail on the head, and she smiled back warmly before continuing. "So, you did have a good time then?"

"Yeah," Henry said, still a bit hesitant, but at least being honest now. "Neal is pretty cool, I like him a lot. I think he still has a thing for you, though."

Emma groaned internally, hoping Henry was wrong about this, despite knowing his perceptive nature. "And what makes you say that?"

"He kept asking about you. And the look on his face when he talks about you." Henry shrugged, then giggled a little. "I told him he looks like you do when you talk about Regina."

"Like what?" Emma exclaimed, completely mortified, yet again.

"You know," Henry said innocently. "Bearclaw. Remember?"

"Yes, Henry. I remember," Emma sighed, rubbing her temples as she reminded herself that her son was not actively trying to sabotage her love life. He simply did not grasp the complexities that came with it all. "So," she continued after a calming breath, "what did he have to say about that?"

"He said he didn't see it coming, but that he probably should have."

Emma's heart leapt. She might not be feeling too particularly fond of Neal, but there was no question that he'd always been able to read her quite well. She'd often theorized that's where Henry got it from. And if Neal had seen something in her forgotten past to substantiate what she was feeling for Regina now, that just made her all the more hopeful.

"What about you?" Henry asked deviously, turning the tables. "How was your time alone with Regina?"

Emma chuckled at her son's persistence. That he had definitely gotten from her. "It was good." She smiled a bit wistfully. "Really good, actually."

"No details!" Henry exclaimed frantically, covering his ears. "Please!"

Emma laughed, hip checking him lightly. "Why do you act like I've emotionally scarred you with these stories in the past?"

"We talk about everything," Henry replied. "But we've never been in this situation before. So I wanted to make sure you didn't accidentally, you know, over share."

"Are you telling me you think that I have been completely celibate since you were born?"

"What's 'celibate' mean?"

"You probably don't want to know right now," Emma shook her head amusedly. "But just trust me, even if anything had happened between me and Regina last night – which it didn't – I would spare you the details. But nothing happened. We just, you know, cleared the air. Talked."

"I'm glad you guys aren't fighting anymore," Henry proclaimed earnestly. "I was kind of scared for a minute."

"Scared of what?" Emma asked, noticing the way her son winced like he wanted to retract the statement. "What is it, kid? You know you can tell me anything."

"Well, it's just..." Henry muttered. "Don't take this the wrong way, but things just haven't felt right this year. Like... I don't know, like something was missing. But when we're with Regina–"

"It doesn't feel that way anymore," Emma finished the sentence, his words making her feel as though her heart might explode right out of her chest.

Henry came to an abrupt halt on the sidewalk, staring up at his mother with a bemused expression. "How did you know?"

Emma turned back to face him, brow knitted empathetically. "I've felt it too. All of it," she replied softly. "Is this why you've been pushing for me to date Regina?"

The boy's shoulders rose and fell once again, a bit sheepishly this time. "Maybe."

"Henry," Emma began, motherly concern leaking through. "If you've been feeling upset this year, why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I didn't want you to worry," Henry replied.

"It's my job to worry about you," Emma reminded him, lovingly cradling his chin in her hands.

"I worry about you, too, Mom," he insisted. "I just want you to be happy."

Wrapping her arms around him fully, Emma couldn't help but laugh at her precocious child, simultaneously disguising her watery eyes. She dreaded remembering a life without this boy, but she had to believe Regina's promise that it had been to give him his best chance.

"Nothing matters more to me than your happiness. And I promise you, I will always do everything in my power to make sure that you and I get our happy ending. No matter what. Okay?"

"Okay. But, Mom," Henry wheezed. "You're kind of suffocating me!"

Dabbing discreetly at her eyes, Emma released her hold, earning a halfhearted eye roll for the kiss she placed on top of the boy's head. "By the way," Henry began as they continued on their walk. "I wouldn't mind hanging out with Neal again sometime. You know," he smiled cheekily, "if you wanted spend more time 'not doing anything' with Regina."

"Thanks, kid," Emma laughed again as they approached the apartment. "I'll keep that in mind."

Snow greeted them enthusiastically at the door when they arrived, the joy shining so brightly from her eyes that it made Emma want to shield herself and hide from the rays. Even so, the woman was clearly holding back on her daughter's behalf, and for that Emma was grateful. Obviously her mother – so strange to use that word – was aware of her boundaries, even if it took every ounce of Snow's overbearing being to respect them. David stepped in before things got too intense, promising to drop Henry off at Regina's office in a couple of hours. Emma thanked them both, kissed Henry again, and hurriedly left.

Eagerly making her way back to the mansion to pick up her Bug, Emma tried to convince herself that her quickened pace had nothing to do with her own excitement over seeing the woman she'd spent all of one morning away from, and everything to do with simply being prompt. She was only partly successful. By the time she stepped into Regina's office, though, she could hardly be bothered to give her motives a second thought, too captivated by the stunning silhouette of this gorgeous woman in a fitted black dress. Emma felt a bit subpar, in her casual jeans, boots and block print sweater, but those thoughts were instantly melted away with Regina's warm smile. A little too warm, Emma mused, removing her red leather jacket as she felt a deep blush trying to burn its way up her chest.

"Emma," Regina continued to grin. "I didn't expect to see you so soon."

The blush crept up to Emma's neck upon realizing she'd been over zealous in her ambition to get here. "Oh, yeah," she stuttered. "Dropping Henry off with my parents went quicker than I thought." She added a shrug for good measure, turning towards an empty chair and away from Regina before her cheeks could flush.

Seeing Regina today felt like an entirely different experience than all the days before. After Emma's undeniably amorous intentions in the car, and Henry's musings of dating and family and forever now floating freely through her head, suddenly every moment with this woman, every look or word exchanged, it all felt so much bigger than it ever had. Than anything like this ever had.

Laid out across the conference table in front of her was a chemistry set that looked to Emma like something out of a cheesy science fiction movie. It was almost comical, but Emma held back her quips as Regina approached the contraption with a completely straight face.

"So, what's the plan here?" Emma asked instead.

"Once, when Henry was very small," Regina explained, "I created a potion of forgetting. One which I used on myself, to forget about your very existence, ironically enough. Theoretically, a potion using the counter ingredients should have the opposite effect. Assuming I can figure out just what those ingredients might be."

"And you need me here for... what exactly?" Emma inquired, grimacing nervously when the other woman smirked.

"Taste testing, of course."

After three hours and a multitude of foul flavored concoctions, Emma certainly hoped this was all still so amusing to Regina, because it certainly wasn't for Emma or her tongue. Just as another mixture was finished and poured, a quick knock that was hardly even a courtesy interrupted them and the door was flung open. Emma was helpless to extinguish the cold burn that spread across her chest and tinged her cheeks when she laid eyes upon their visitor.

"Apologies, m'lady," Robin said, taking in surprised expressions and eyeing Emma just as curiously. "I thought I might invite you to lunch. I wasn't aware you had a prior engagement."

"It's quite alright," Regina replied, holding the potion bottle out of the man's sight and indicating Emma with her free hand. "I believe you and Ms Swan have already been introduced?"

"I've had the pleasure," Emma bit dryly, earning a slightly puzzled expression from Regina.

Robin's face contorted, ignoring Emma's sarcastic comment. "What in the name of the gods is that stench?" His gaze finally landed on the array of beakers, swirling tubes, and Bunsen burners that covered the tabletop, then snapped back to Regina. "Are you using magic? Again?" he asked accusingly, making the the icy tingling sensation of rage radiate all the way out to Emma's fingers and toes at the audacity of this man.

Regina rolled her eyes. "It's merely potions," she defended herself, giving up on trying to hide the bottle and holding it out in front of her like it was evidence of what she said. "Hardly more than chemistry."

"So you're not taking the drugs, you're just making them," Robin persisted sharply. "I wonder wherever that could lead."

"Enough!" Emma shouted, unable and unwilling to sit by and watch this verbal attack. Robin looked at her as if he had already forgotten she was there, seeming very nearly embarrassed by his outburst.

"I certainly hope that she's worth it," he said ominously to Regina, sparring Emma a final glance before he turned, slamming the door shut behind him.

No sooner had the walls stopped vibrating from the force than Regina had spun away from Emma, hurling the bottle in her hand across the room.

"What the hell?" Emma exclaimed as the vial shattered against the floor.

"It's hopeless," Regina lamented. "You're not just under some spell. You and Henry were cursed. And there are only so many ways to break a curse."

But Emma didn't care about curses or lost memories right now. There was something far more immediate pressing on her mind. Something that caused her hands to shake and her heart to twist in her chest before she even uttered the words.

"What did Robin mean by 'worth it'?" she asked, trying to act bold even as her voice trembled. Regina froze, gaping as if it hadn't occurred to her that Emma had heard the man's words, but tore her gaze away without responding. "Regina," Emma demanded more firmly, rising from her seat and rounding the table to stand in front of the other woman where she couldn't be ignored. "What did he mean when said he hopes that I'm worth it?"

Regina's breathing was heavy, still laced with the same adrenaline that had sent the tiny glass bottle crashing to the ground. She grabbed both of Emma's wrists, hands hovering between their faces as Regina eliminated their personal space with one sharp tug.

"I had a lot of time to think over the past year," Regina hissed through her teeth. "And I thought about Henry – all the time. Just as I expected I would." She paused, leaning in closer still, forcing the air from Emma's lungs. "But I also thought about you. And not in the way I expected at all."

Regina's breath on her lips made their proximity impossible to ignore, and as each sharply punctuated syllable caressed Emma's skin, suddenly she knew – she just knew – that this was the moment.

She couldn't take it anymore, not another minute. Twisting her hands free, Emma pressed their bodies together. "If you want to kiss me," she dared boldly, "then do it."

In an instant, Regina's hands had clasped around Emma's face, gripping with a fierce intensity of need, and in the next their lips collided roughly, hungrily. Desperately seeking to become closer, grabbing and pulling at one another's clothing in fistfuls. Emma's body burned, every inch of it. A simple kiss shouldn't possibly feel this good.

When Regina slowed and began to pull away, Emma felt like the air had been sucked out of the room, even as she panted greedily. "Don't stop," she whispered against succulent red lips. "Please."

Slower this time, more gently, Regina cradled the other woman's face and pressed their mouths together. It was soft, but no less intense as Emma felt teeth nibbling on her lower lip. The kiss was hot and languid like lava flow, melting her bones and consuming everything. Thoughts of going slow were eradicated as Emma welcomed the tongue that slipped over her own with a satisfied whimper. She felt Regina's grip on her tighten just before quickly being lifted and unceremoniously plopped onto the conference table. Emma gasped at the unexpected move but never faltered, hands wondering of their own accord over a supple backside, squeezing boldly to pull Regina more firmly between her legs.

Emma's stomach was in perpetual knots, hardly able to comprehend that this woman was kissing her, touching her, sneaking her fingers hesitantly under the block print sweater. She had no idea what Regina's intentions were, how far they were going, but Emma would let the woman take her right here on the table if that's what she wanted.

"Hey, Mo– Oh, gross!"

Her son's voice snapped Emma out of her state of bliss. "Henry!" she exclaimed apologetically as the boy's hands flew to cover his eyes.

"This is why I ask if you're decent!" he huffed indignantly, scurrying frantically back out of the room without unshielding his face.

Emma groaned petulantly, allowing her head to fall forward until it rested against Regina's chest, feeling the vibrations of the woman's soft chuckle. Soothing fingers began trailing through blonde hair, making Emma hum contentedly at the pleasurable sensation and letting her frustrations fade away. Regina's fingers soon traveled under Emma's chin, gently encouraging her to look up.

"I'd like to take you out to dinner," Regina said softly, tucking imaginary strands of hair behind Emma's ear. "Just the two of us."

Emma grinned, feeling like a giddy school girl who'd just been asked to prom. "I'd like that," she nodded in agreement.

Regina smiled broadly in return, placing a delicate kiss on Emma's lips. "Then it's a date."