A/N - I know I said I'd try and get it done by today, but some stuff came up and I got held back. I can't promise anything, but it should be wrapped up soon. I hope you're enjoying it so far! Thanks for the reviews!

Regina woke up the next morning slightly disorientated. The instant she opened her eyes, she remembered the events of the previous night. It wasn't as if she'd been expecting to forget, she just wasn't prepared for the reality of it at all; a reality that became even more frightening when Regina realized her date wasn't there.

"Emma?" she called out, her eyes still tried to refocus to the sunlight that streamed through. She kicked her feet out from under the blankets and swept through her room. "Emma?" Still no answer. With every second that passed without any sign of the blonde, Regina searched more and more of the house. "Emma?!" she tried once more, frantic from Emma's absence.

"I'm in here!" Regina finally heard a voice respond. "In the kitchen!"

Regina shuffled through the halls until she found Emma making a cup of coffee- she was in the same dress she'd worn the night before. The brunette took two deep breaths until she finally calmed herself down from her panic. "I thought you left," she said hoarsely.

Emma looked almost insulted at the notion of a one night stand- if you could call it that. "You're not getting rid of me that easily, Regina," she smiled coyly. She read the expression of alarm on Regina's face and switched into adult mode. "Hey, I wouldn't just leave like that," she said seriously.

"No, of course not," Regina backtracked. "I was merely surprised-"

Emma cut her off with a swift kiss and pressed her forehead against Regina's. "Good morning to you, too."

Regina felt something on her face- was it a smile? "Emma, just to be clear, what did happen last night?" There were holes where memories should have been, but they were locked away and Regina didn't have the key.

"You don't remember? We totally did it!" Emma laughed with a giddiness that she had thought was lost. She recovered only after Regina's jaw dropped to the floor. "Relax, I'm joking. We just talked."

"That's it?"

"Scouts honor." Emma crossed herself, thinking that was the correct gesture.

"You do understand you just proclaimed Catholicism?" Regina questioned with a slight smile.

"Same difference."

Regina sat down at the table she'd slowly been clearing. There was just enough room for two people to have a meal together. "Where do we go from here, Emma? I've... never done this before. Or anything like it."

Emma joined the woman and nursed her coffee gradually. "Where do you want to go?"

"You're still going to leave, then?"

"Unless you give me a reason why I shouldn't," Emma challenged. For the first time in a long time, Emma felt a tiny bit of happiness. And, she felt that with Regina. If she left, Regina would have to stay, and she'd lose that happiness all over again. The only chance she had of remaining in Storybrooke, is if Regina said so.

Regina looked away and her eyes fell upon the pile of folders at the opposite end of the table. "People saw us. They saw the two of us at Granny's."

"I know."

"They'll start to talk. You know this town: word travels fast."

"What word will they spread? That the two of us had a casual meal together?"

Regina shook her head with the speed of a turtle. "They may be fairy tale characters, Emma, but they're smart. Never underestimate them."

"Ok, fine, so they'll spread a little gossip. What's so bad about that?"

Regina set her glass down and sat upright. "I have a reputation to uphold. If I'm perceived as weak then-"

"Then what? You'll lose your reign? Regina, this isn't the Enchanted Forest anymore. This is the real world. People have to deal with this kind of stuff everyday where I'm from."

"That's exactly my point, Emma. I'm not from here. None of us are. On top of that, how would it look for us to go together when we just lost-" Regina couldn't finish her sentence. Two things were stopping her: One, she didn't want to be reminded, and two, she'd forgotten.

"When we just lost our son," Emma finished. "Normal, Regina. It would look normal."

"Since when are you the expert on loss?" Regina snipped.

"Fifth grade," Emma replied robotically. "One of my foster mother's brother lost his daughter. He and the mom were split up, but when the kid died, they got back together."

"Was their daughter murdered? Were the parents from completely different backgrounds?" Regina asked bitterly. "If they weren't, I don't want to hear it."

"Regina," Emma sighed. "Whatever's going on here, you can't deny that we have a connection. I feel it and I know you feel it, too."

"How would you know such a thing?"

"Because you wouldn't be arguing with me about it if you didn't."