The knock on the door made both women jump.

"Regina, it's your mother! Open the door!"

The doctor's mouth dropped and hung open.

"Oh, shit," she cursed, looking at Emma. "It's my mother."

"So I heard. What do we do? Hide me?"

Regina thought hard about this, considering her options. Of course, she could hide her new lover, praying her mother wouldn't find her there, but that was cowardly. Better to face the condemnation than to hide her relationship with piles of lies and deceit.

"I'm coming!" Regina called from the living room, jumping up and rushing to the door. Emma followed her to the front of the apartment and stood awkwardly behind her, her palms sweating in anticipation of the explosion that was about to come.

Throwing the door open, Regina swallowed hard and prepared for the worst.

"Mother," she started, "this is Emma."

Regina nudged her lover forward. Emma, flustered, extended her hand. When the woman didn't take it, she dropped her arm to her side and bit her lip.

"I'm Regina's mother," the woman reiterated, "I know who you are, and you don't belong anywhere near my daughter."

Just as Emma opened her mouth to speak, Regina took a daring step forward.

"You're going to have to accept this. She's not leaving."

"I thought I told you to end this relationship."

"I'm an adult. I can make my own choices."

Her voice was strong, but inside, the brunette's stomach was turning like a thrill ride at a theme park.

"Obviously, you're incapable of making the right ones. You could lose your job for this."

"I terminated our professional relationship. She's no longer my patient. I'm free to pursue a romantic relationship with her under those circumstances."

Regina made sure not to mention that the girl was a minor, and Emma certainly wasn't about to bring it up.

"Oh, really?" her mother boldly challenged, taking a threatening step forward. "I think if I reported you, the board would feel quite differently."

"It's not against the ethics code."

"I'm sure that wouldn't matter."

"What do you want, mother? Why are you here?"

"I'm here to check on you," her mother mused, looking around the apartment. "You clearly can't take care of yourself."

"You need to leave if you can't accept my choices."

"You will end this relationship and all contact with this girl, or I will report you, and you'll see just how serious these accusations are. After all, who's to say I won't tell them this relationship has been going on since the beginning of your therapy sessions?"

The two women both swallowed hard, feeling the force of the threat. When neither said anything, the menacing figure of the therapist's mother turned and disappeared through the front door, slamming it behind her.

"Wow," Emma said. "Your mom sure is a piece of work."

"Don't I know it," Regina sighed in return.

"Do you really think she'll report you?"

"I don't know."

After some hesitation, Emma asked, "What if she does?"

"Well, I think she's right. I think, regardless of the official code of ethics, they will find fault in my actions, even without proof. I think they would take away my license to practice."

"Jesus," Emma breathed.

Regina sat down in a recliner and put her feet up, leaning back in the seat. She put her hand over her eyes, covering the tears that had formed and were burning her cheeks.

"Oh, honey," Emma gasped. "I'm so sorry."

Rushing to her side, Emma wrapped her arms around the woman and squeezed tightly, holding her close. The brunette removed her hand from her eyes and buried her face in her lover's shoulder, trying not to sob. When she pulled away, her face was visibly red.

"It's gonna be all right, okay?" Emma assured her. "It's all going to work out."

"How can you possibly know that?"

"Because you're a good therapist. You're good at what you do. They're not going to let you go just because of some accusation they don't even have proof of."

"My mother has a lot of power and influence. Her word against mine? She'd win."

"Maybe she won't tell," Emma tried. "You don't know yet. Have you considered keeping us a secret? Lying to her?"

"I don't lie," Regina snapped.

When she realized that she'd been too harsh, she apologized and hugged Emma again, kissing her cheek as she moved away.

"Maybe you're right," the therapist said. "Maybe it will be okay. Either way, I'm not letting you go, and I'm not keeping you a secret, either. We have to lay low for a while, until you're eighteen, but after that, I really don't care what anyone thinks. And thank God my mother doesn't know you're a minor. Though I'm sure she'll do her research and find out, somehow."

"Then we'd really be fucked."

"Well, I'd be fucked. You'd be fine. I'd be labeled a sex offender for the rest of my life, and the only job I'd ever get is at a fast-food restaurant."

The blonde bit her lip. What if Regina was right? Emma could ruin the doctor's entire life.

"I think we should take a break."

"Emma! You can't be serious! After all of this? Really?"

Hanging her head, the girl responded, "Yes, I'm serious. I think we should wait. Besides, everyone wants what's forbidden. Maybe that's why you're into me. We should give it some time. Maybe you'll change your mind in a few months."

"This is bullshit."

Regina jumped up from her seat, seriously considering flipping the coffee table and shattering its glass top. She wanted to scream, but the sound stuck in her throat.

"Fine," she finally told the girl. "If that's what you really want, I'll take you home."

After some hesitation, Emma said, "Wait. Regina. Please understand. I just want what's best for you."

"And I want what's best for us. I can't let you go, not after all of this. I just want us to be together."

"I still don't understand what changed your mind," the blonde sighed, looking dismayed.

"Don't look so sad, Emma," Regina said softly, lifting the girl's chin and finally smiling. "Just trust me, okay? I was scared. I'm still scared. But I know what I want, and I'm not letting go, but if you really want to leave, I won't force you to stay."

"Why not?"

"You want me to?"

"Maybe I'm just looking for you to show me you love me."

"Oh, sweetie..."

Regina wrapped her arms around the girl, kissing the top of her head.

"You confuse me so much," the doctor told her lover, sighing. "Just tell me what you really want from me, and I'll give it to you."

"Tell me you'll fight for me. Tell me you won't let me go."

"I'll fight for you. I won't let you go."

She squeezed Emma a little tighter, tears forming in her eyes again. Emma looked up and saw them, then wiped them away.

"Don't cry, okay? I'm right here, and I won't leave. I'm just scared, too. I don't want you to lose your job. I don't want to ruin your life."

"We'll get through this. Nothing's going to keep me from you, honey."

The kissed they shared was slow and tender. Regina took her time, but eventually deepened the kiss by sliding her tongue over Emma's bottom lip, begging for entrance. When Emma opened her mouth, their tongues moved together.