A/N: I'm not really sure what to say other than I hope you all continue to come along on this ride with me after reading this chapter! Thank you so much for all the reviews and follows. You really have NO IDEA how much every single review and every single follow and every single favorite mean to me! I love you all. :) Enjoy. And hold on tight.

Chapter 10

Emma's eyes fluttered open. Her arm was numb and whole body was sore and as she went to move, she realized that she was being spooned by a very naked Regina Mills. Her heartbeat started to race as she quickly replayed the events of what had happened last night. She felt a blush creep up from her stomach, spread out through her chest and up through her face when she remembered each event. From the fight to the talking to the kissing to the insane amount of touching and undressing… And oh God, the things Regina had done to her. And her to Regina!

She closed her eyes and immediately images of Regina's face hovering over hers flashed into her head, her dark eyes almost black and her knee pressing ever so gently between Emma's thighs. Her mind moved quickly, remembering the feeling of Regina's feather soft touch... tracing the steps that her hands had taken... over her breasts, her abdominal muscles, her thighs, even her calves. When was the last time a man paid attention to her calves? When was the last time a man did anything that excited her?

Regina had confessed that Emma wasn't the first woman she slept with and that it had happened years earlier in the craziest of situations. The feeling of embarrassment and nervousness at not being good enough for Regina had flooded Emma's entire body. Her mind recalled how the brunette had kissed her deeply, whispered how she was the first woman to make her feel this, to make her feel whole, and how she wouldn't have slept with another person ever if she knew this was how it was going to be when she found the right one.

Emma knew that just recalling all of these moments and feelings were getting her worked up and honestly, she didn't mind. How often did she wake up and actually want to spend the morning with the person she woke up next to?

Emma made herself open her eyes. From her spot on the bed, she could tell that whatever storm was set to hit them was currently in process. She shifted slightly, rolling gently so she could face Regina. The brunette didn't open her eyes, just continued with her steady breaths indicating that she was still very much asleep. Emma's eyes moved over Regina's features. Her clear olive skin, her perfectly shaped eyebrows, her beautiful lips, that insanely sexy scar.

Just the thought of that scar made her hands ache. Tracing it with her tongue only hours earlier, she remembered telling Regina how beautiful it was. And Regina's smile and blush that had filled her cheeks, saying how she's always been self-conscious about it and how maybe one day she would tell Emma how she got it. And she remembered the way Regina came undone underneath her when Emma's two fingertips found Regina's clit and made sure to not stop until she was being begged to please, please, please, oh God, Emma, please… All she knew as she watched the brunette arch her back and press her beautiful breasts into the air was that before this, she was floating around aimlessly and now Regina Mills was the only thing tethering her to this fucked up world.

When Emma leaned in to place her lips on the soft skin right above Regina breasts, there was a moment when she couldn't actually believe this had all happened. In all of her years, she never thought she'd be doing this with a woman. And before last night, she had literally no idea what she was doing.

But it fit.

It all fit.

And everything about Regina made sense and for the first time since she could remember, it wasn't something she wanted to rush. She wanted to enjoy every touch, every glance, every moment they kissed and made each other come apart at the seams.

Emma heard a soft chuckle come from the other woman when she very gently slid her hand over Regina's hips. Emma pushed Regina's hip away from her, making the woman roll onto her back. "Good morning," Emma whispered against Regina's chest, her breath making the skin moist.

"Good morning to you, too," came Regina's reply, her voice deep with sleep. She smiled and then pressed her lips together and a moan escaping when she felt Emma's hand slip between her thighs. "Emma," she whispered, her voice pushing past her teeth and lips and into the air like a prayer.

"I feel like I didn't get enough of this last night," Emma replied, her lips hovering over a dark nipple.

"You mean the 8 or 9 orgasms you caused weren't enough for you?"

"I thought it was 12?"

Regina's cheeks blushed a dark pink. She covered her face with her hands and then peeked at Emma through a slit in her fingers. "You really counted, didn't you?" She watched as Emma nodded, a very sly smile developing on her lips. "And it was 12?"

"Actually, I'm pretty sure there were 13," Emma said, taking a deep breath and moving to place her lips against Regina's. "All I know is the first one you came apart before I even touched you."

"Emma!" Regina hissed. "You're embarrassing me."

"Well, I'm just stating the facts."

"Oh, well, if we're going to state the facts, then we should also let the record show that your first one happened while I was straddling you and riding your hips." She dropped her voice down on that last part, licking her lips afterwards.

"Holy mother fuck, Regina," Emma whispered. Her entire body went numb. "You… You… Damn."

"What?" Regina asked, her eyes shining and shining and shining.

"You are so ridiculously hot."

"As are you, my dear." Regina smoothed a hand over Emma's forehead and down the back of her head. "You're gorgeous," she whispered, her eyes almost filling with tears. She was so in over her head there was no saving her now.

"Regina," Emma said with a shaky breath. She leaned forward, brushing her very bruised lips over the brunette's. "I had no idea how much fun this could be."

The confession made Regina's heartbeat start to flutter and her skin flush with heat. She slid her hands down her face, her neck, over her breasts to where Emma's hands had settled on her lower abdomen. She made locked her dark eyes onto Emma's green, pushing the blonde's left hand further between her legs. "Let's not stop while we're ahead then," Regina finally said, her voice silky smooth. And when she felt two of Emma's fingers slip so easily inside of her she silently thanked whoever was responsible for bringing Emma Swan into her life. Because this? Having someone who loved her with so much abandon and passion was all she had ever wanted.

Regina brought her eyes up to Emma's as she poured a cup a coffee for herself. The blonde was sitting on a stool, reading The Chicago Tribune, scanning it for clues, of course. She let her eyes travel down the woman's cheeks, her neck, the gentle rise and fall of her chest with each intake of breath, her biceps, her hair as it fell in loose curls over her shoulder. She knew what the feeling stirring inside of her meant. She knew it. But did Emma feel it, too? And if she did, how much longer until it all came crashing down?

Emma reached over and picked up her coffee mug and took a sip before looking up and catching Regina's dark eyes staring at her. She smiled. "You okay?"

Regina shrugged a shoulder and then smiled back. "Sore. But I'll survive." She smiled even wider when she noticed the crimson on Emma's cheeks.

"Jesus," Emma mumbled under her breath. Her eyes noticed that the white, terry cloth robe's sash was coming undone and all that stood between her and Regina's gorgeous body was a thin piece of fuzzy material. She looked back at the paper and let out a very deep breath. "I can't even look at you without wanting to rip that robe off and take you right on the floor."

"You realize there's nothing stopping you from doing just that, Miss Swan," Regina drawled, her voice sexy and sure. And then, without warning, there was a stern knock on the door. She let out a huff. "Can you please elaborate on why people feel the need to bang on your door so incessantly?"

Emma laughed, stood up and went over to Regina. She leaned forward to capture those full lips between hers and kissed the brunette deeply. "I'm sorry," she replied so tenderly that it made Regina's knees weak. She pulled away before saying, "Well, three people have the code to get upstairs. Henry, August, and Mary Margaret. So, it's one of them."

"Should I hide? What should I do?" Regina loudly whispered and then she tightened the sash to the robe.

"Stop," Emma said, looking back over her shoulder at Regina. "I don't care who knows about us." She peeked through the peephole, unlocked the door, and then opened it, her hand on her hip. "Really? You couldn't call or text first? I'm a little busy."

August pushed his way inside, Ruby hot on his tail, but as she approached the kitchen, she looked up and saw Regina standing there with the robe and the coffee and the freshly fucked hair and the look of pure bewilderment on her face. "Uhhh," Ruby started, already feeling a stutter in her voice. She grabbed onto August's leather coat covered arm. He had turned back to face Emma before he saw Regina standing there. "August, we probably should have called first," she hissed.

August shushed Ruby and then did a double take when he finally noticed Regina standing in the kitchen. He looked back at Emma, his eyes wide. "Well, shit. You were serious."

"Yes, August, I was serious." Emma brushed past both of the visitors and made her way over to Regina. Their eyes locked and Emma tilted her head, letting Regina know with only a look that it was okay and not to worry. "What's going on, you two?"

August couldn't wipe the dumbfounded look off his face. He continued to stand in the middle of the entryway staring at Emma and Regina, who looked insanely comfortable given the situation. He felt Ruby pull on his arm again and walked towards the bar top where a cup of coffee was being poured for him by Emma and a bag of bagels being placed on the counter by Regina.

"We need to talk to you, Emma," Ruby said in a much quieter voice than normal. "Alone."

"Uhhhh," Emma looked at Ruby. "You know anything you have to say you can say in front of Regina."

Ruby forced a smile when her cup of coffee was given to her next. She looked up at Regina and their eyes locked. Ruby felt her stomach drop to her feet. "Thank you," she said as she made herself as comfortable as possible on one of the stools. "We have news. From the... forest?" Her voice rose at the end of her sentence and she grimaced.

"Forest?" Regina asked.

Emma raised her hand and shook her head. "Long story," she said softly. "What happened?" Her eyes traveled from Ruby to August, who was still standing there with that stupid look on his face. "August, seriously, snap out of it. What happened?"

He reluctantly pulled himself from the thoughts racing through his mind and reached forward for one of the stools. He pulled it from the counter and then grabbed his coffee before sitting down and sighing. "Robin wasn't there last night. He's back in Storybrooke. That was confirmed."

"Wait, what?" Regina placed her hand on Emma's arm. "Emma, what's… going on?"

Emma turned her head to look at Regina. "Well, we were kind of busy last night. I didn't get a chance to tell you the whole story."

"Oh, God," August said under his breath.

Emma rolled her eyes and then took a drink of her coffee. "I think it's super important for you to remember that these are all just speculations we're making here, Regina. All of them."

Regina leaned her hip against the countertop and then tried to smile. She had seen that look on Ruby's face and clearly August was hiding something. She wasn't stupid, "I think it's imperative for you to remember who you're speaking to. I can handle it."

"Okay," Emma said softly. Her eyes wandered over Regina's features, down her neck to the patch of skin showing under the robe. Her body warmed and her heartbeat quickened and she slapped herself when she realized what she was doing. She was acting like a teenage boy! "Well, we found the hideout. And I told you what we think about Robin being married." Regina nodded her head as Emma spoke. "What I didn't get a chance to tell you, though, is that we are pretty sure that… Oh, God. I can't even say it."

"It's Robin Hood and Little John," Ruby practically shouted. "And his wife was Maid Marion and what the hell is happening here, Regina, because this is some fucked up shit."

Regina felt her heart plummet. The room started to sway. It was happening. Her hands gripped Emma's arm, her eyes closed. She took a deep breath. And another one. And another one. They had pieced it together. It was only a matter of time. Regina knew that from the beginning. "What else did you figure out?"

"Well, we think that Storybrooke-" August started, but was cut off by Emma.

"Wait, what? Figure out? Like you knew this already? And you didn't tell me?"

Regina's chest rose and fell with each breath she took. She opened her eyes and looked at Emma. She was begging and pleading with just one look. "Please let me explain before you-"

"Before I what, Regina?"

"Before you start acting like a crazy woman, Emma."

"Regina. What the fuck?"

Regina took a very deep breath and blew it out slowly. "I'm not who you think I am."

"I am starting to sense that." Emma pulled away from Regina's grasp and took a step back. "What the fuck is going on here?" She looked at August and then at Ruby and then back at Regina.

"Em, that's kind of why we're here so early. And without calling or texting. We were really hoping you hadn't… Man. We were hoping that you hadn't -" August gestured between Emma and Regina with a defeated wave of his hand.

"Yeah, Emma, Storybrooke doesn't exist on any map that we've looked at. Google Maps, MapQuest, an Atlas, a map of Maine… There is no documentation of it. No records. No phone book. Emma…Nothing." Ruby eyes moved over to look at Regina who was still looking directly at Emma, her hand clutching her chest, her eyes filled with tears. "And then we found this." Ruby turned in her seat and took her backpack from her back. She pulled out a large, leather-bound book. It was clearly a very old book with markings along the cover. She smoothed her hand over the cover and then set it down gently on the countertop.

Emma leaned in a little bit and looked at the book. "Once Upon a Time," she read out loud. She looked up at Ruby and August. "Where did you find this?"

"In Robin Hood and Little John's office. In a lockbox that I hadn't found the last time I went through their stash. And this was tucked in between the last pages," August started as he pulled a picture from his shirt pocket. He unfolded it and slid it across the counter to Emma.

She picked up the picture. Her eyes went wide, but as she turned the picture over and saw the handwriting on the back, her heart felt like it was going to explode. "What the fuck, you guys. This isn't funny."

"Emma, this is serious. We're not fucking around with you," August said so softly and tenderly.

"This can't be," she said, clutching the picture. "How is this possible?" She looked at Regina, her face red with anger. "Why does Robin Hood and his merry fucking asshole have a picture of Mary Margaret and David and me when I was a baby?" Her eyes were filled with tears and her voiced cracked on the word 'baby' and her hands were shaking.

Regina couldn't move. She felt like if she took one step she would collapse. She took a deep breath and glanced at August and then at Ruby before looking back at Emma. "You're their child, Emma. You're their child. You're the, the…"

"The WHAT?" Emma shouted, taking one huge step forward. Her blonde hair was hanging around her face, her eyes were red-rimmed with tears and her breathing was so erratic she felt as if she was going to have a heart attack.

"You're the only person that can save me. You're the savior. I'm the… Oh, God." Regina looked down at the floor. She felt like she was going to be sick. She was going to lose it all over the floor. "I'm the-" She couldn't say it. She wasn't that person any longer. And saying it? Admitting it? It was too much.

"She's the Evil Queen, Emma." Ruby said those words so quietly.

Emma's mouth was hanging open. She looked back and forth between the people in her kitchen like she was in a nightmare and all she was waiting for was someone to pinch her and wake her up. A hysterical laugh came up from her throat and out her mouth and she pushed herself away from the counter and started walking away from them. "You all are fucked. I can't even believe this. What the hell is going on right now?" She screamed it almost at the top of her lungs and then whirled around to face them all once more. "You're joking, right? I mean, this is all just a funny joke and ha ha we fooled Emma and this is just a funny, funny, funny joke." Emma locked her eyes onto August's. He looked like he was in serious pain.

"Would it make you feel any better if I told you that we are all a part of this story?"

Emma let out another maniacal laugh. "No! It wouldn't make me fucking feel better, August!"

Ruby stood up and took a couple steps towards Emma. She raised her hands up signaling that she wasn't going to hurt her. "Emma, please. Calm down. Let us explain. Let us tell you what happened."

Emma looked past Ruby to Regina. "You knew about this the whole time?"

Regina hadn't been able to take her eyes off of Emma. She had broken this woman and she honestly never meant to. "No, not the whole time."

"Stop LYING to me, Regina!"

"Emma, stop, I didn't know the whole time! I thought you were the wrong person. I didn't think the white knight would be a woman! How could I have thought that?" Regina shouted. She started to make her way towards Emma, but when the blonde turned and put her hand up telling Regina to stay where she was, her entire body went cold. "Emma, please. Don't…"

"Don't what?"

"Don't push me away! Please! Emma," Regina paused and took the remaining steps towards Emma. She grabbed onto her shoulders and spun her around. "I love you, Emma. I am in love with you. You cannot give up on this. Please."

Emma's eyes were filled with tears, some making the brave journey down her cheeks, forming droplets of water on her white tank top. "Regina, I can't believe this… I can't."

"Emma," Regina started. She put her hand on Emma's cheek and brushed away tears with the soft pad of her thumb. "You love me, don't you?"

The blonde's heart jumped into her throat. She did. Regina was right. She nodded her head, more and more tears flowing. "I love you, yes. I do."

"Kiss me," Regina said, her voice smooth and deep. "Kiss me."

Emma leaned forward and placed her lips on Regina's. And just like she had seen a hundred times on movies, on cartoons, on television shows, something happened. Something. A spark. All of the lights in the apartment dimmed, a light bulb over the kitchen sink popped, and the glass in the mirror by the door shattered. Emma pulled away, her eyes wide. "Regina."

"Emma?"

"Oh, my God. You're telling the truth."