Emma's mind was buzzing as she drove them back, fingers tapping anxiously on the steering wheel.

"Are you all right?" Regina finally asked. She was slumped lower in her seat than usual thanks to the wine but her eyes were still sharp.

"What? Me? Yeah, of course."

Regina eyed her not believing her claim of innocence.

"You've been weird since my mother pulled you aside. What did she say?"

"Nothing! She just told me about an audition in Louisville." It wasn't a lie, after they had talked at length about the implant; Cora had mentioned the audition in passing.

"It could help you get into better shape for the Lyric audition." Cora had said simply with a small smile.

Ruby scoffed from the backseat, "Of course she did."

"What?" Emma caught Ruby's slightly hazy eyes in the mirror, "What do you mean?"

Ruby stared back as if the answer were obvious, "Of course Cora would tell you about something that would –"

Regina slapped Ruby's leg sharply.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa lady, clearly there is something there I need to know."

Ruby sighed and shook her head, turning her gaze back out of the window ever the faithful best friend.

Perhaps if Emma's mind hadn't been so fixated on the new information about the implant, she might have noticed that there was something to stop and take note of there. Instead, her mind was full of wires and tiny gadgets. She was dying to ask her about the implant, to pull every bit of information Regina had on the subject from her Cora had been clear, this was a Christmas gift so don't you dare. She wished she had thought to ask Cora more questions. Why had Regina never told her this was a possibility? Did Regina know? Was it really possible she didn't know?

She was still buzzing when they arrived back at Regina's loft.

Regina poured herself another glass of wine as Emma helped Henry into his pajamas.

"I've never seen you drink this much," Emma smirked, "It's fun."

"Mmm," Regina sat with a thump on the stool in the kitchen, "It's the best survival tactic I've found. Helps me not notice all the little comments."

Emma laughed, "I sure as hell noticed. She's an interesting woman."

Regina offered her a glass and leaning against her; just enjoying being close to her. "It makes me nervous that you think she's interesting instead of abhorrent."

"What? Why? I mean I do, I can't believe the things she says but why would you worry about that? I can see she's kind of terrible."

Regina just smiled and pulled her in for a kiss.

They showered and enjoyed one another for a while but after Regina had drifted to sleep Emma slipped between the covers and tiptoed to the office. Once she was in front of the computer she typed two words into the Google search engine: Cochlear Implant.

She sipped at another glass of wine as she read about the structure and how they signal sound directly to the brain. She studied late into the night, tears flowing down her face as she watched a row of online videos of people of all ages hearing sound for the first time.

What would Regina's face look like? What would it show after she heard her name for the first time since she was a small child? Would she remember that's what it sounded like? If she did get it, would I be the one with the honor of saying it?

At some point in the night, she switched from wine to coffee but continued to study, to gather all the facts that she could before slipping back into bed with Regina around dawn.

Her mind was far too full for sleep, though. Emma was in love with this idea. The implant would take away all of Regina's problems, all of Regina's not so hidden pain. No more fighting with her mother, no more having to pretend she understood what was happening in a room full of people because could, for all intents and purposes, be hearing.

Emma rolled on her side, studying the sleeping woman's face.

"Regina." She said softly knowing there would be no response still she called again, louder and watched as her sleeping girlfriend did not react in the slightest.

A world with no sound. Emma's world revolved around sound, her life, her career was music. She imagined yet again what it might feel like, covering her ears as though that would give her an answer. Was it uncomfortable? Did she miss it? Would it be uncomfortable for Regina to hear again?

Softly Emma began to hum her favorite song, what would it be like to not know music?

She let a thumb softly swipe across her cheek and smiled as Regina's sleeping face twitched. This secret gift of Cora's could really change her life for the better. She had read a few negative things online, of course, of trials that had failed and a secret hatred for the devices in the deaf community but she couldn't help but to wonder what it would be like to help bring this woman she cared for so much out of her loudest silence and into the world of the hearing.

It took exactly one week for Emma's curiosity to win over her desire to hold Cora's secret and bring up the implant.

Emma was preparing for the night's concert, pulling on her proper outfit when Regina had caught her eye.

"What?" Emma smiled over her shoulder at the woman as she cuddled into her. "Cold?"

Regina laughed, nodding and pulling her thin robe on over her less than dressed body.

"Well, then why'd you get up?"

"Bed wasn't as warm after you left it."

"Come here." Emma pulled her to her, wrapping her tightly in her arms.

Regina purred contentedly, "I wish you didn't have to go. We never have an evening where Henry is gone."

Henry had begged Ruby for a sleepover that morning when his hungry little eyes had rested on her newly acquired gaming console. Emma was fairly sure Ruby was the coolest person ever in his eyes just now.

"It's nice to be able to use my voice without worrying that he will hear me."

Emma grinned at her screamer girlfriend, "Yeah I gotta say, I like that too."

"Plus it's cold!"

"Cuddle weather."

"I'm sorry, what?" Regina chuckled.

"It's cuddle weather. So cold you want to strip down to nothing and cuddle under the blankets with someone."

"That seems counterproductive."

Emma's lips pursed, "You could come with me."

"What?"

As soon as she said it Emma rolled her eyes at herself, "Sorry, I guess that's silly. No point, right?"

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, I just –"

"What?" Those beautiful brown eyes staring up at her pushed her over the edge of her control. She had to know.

"Do you ever wish you could? Come with me I mean – and um, you know, hear a concert?"

"You mean, do I wish I could hear you play?"

Emma felt her face heat with a soft blush, "I'm sorry, you don't have to answer that. I'm, um, sorry, uh, that was stupid. Just curious, you know?" She turned back to the mirror, trying to swallow the scream she felt behind her teeth, the scream that would have read let me help you hear if she could release it.

Regina wrapped her arms around her from behind again, "It's all right, Emma. I'm not going to get mad. Of course I wish I could hear you play."

"You do?" Excitement shot through her.

"Of course, there are many things I wish I could take part in."

"Would you change it if you could?"

Regina smiled slowly. Emma's face must have shown something serious because Regina just cupped her cheek and kissed her lips lightly, "sometimes. Sometimes I would."

"I don't know what the hell it was supposed to mean." Emma sighed as she packed up her cello that evening. August was leaning heavily against the wall thinking.

"She just said sometimes?"

"Yes! Leave it to freakin' Regina to find a way to answer a direct question vaguely."

"And you feel like you can't go along with Cora's Christmas gift unless she seems like she actually wants it?"

"Right. Kind of. I don't know, Cora is terrible. Why would she do this? I mean it's clear she would love to not have a deaf daughter but why? Plus this is a huge thing; it's surgery. And I just, I can't just ask her if she wants it, you know? Cora would kill me if I gave away the surprise but I just-"

"So then don't give it away."

"Gee thanks. Super helpful."

"I'm just sayin', she's her mom, right?"

"Right."

"They might have an awkward relationship but what it comes down to is that she is her mom. She knows Regina better than anybody. That's her job; to know what's right for Regina and what Regina would want."

An aching pain crashed through Emma's heart. She had never had that, not once. Was August right? A sliver of doubt snaked through her stomach as she remembered the word 'cooK', "I don't know. They don't have the best relationship. Cora's kind of a bitch."

"Still her mom though, kiddo."

August was probably right. Cora was perhaps a little pushy and frankly a little fucking rude but she had to have Regina's best interest at heart, right? Even that whole 'cooK' incident had been all for the sake of Regina communicating. It had been done horribly wrong, but it was done with love, right? August was right. She's her mother. Maybe Emma was just reading into it because - she had never had a mother. It was stupid of her to be so suspicious.

No mother ever meant their child true ill will.

The next morning she allowed herself to be shown into the giant office again.

"Emma, what a surprise. To what do I owe this honor?"

"Why?"

Cora's face remained blank but Emma had a feeling she knew exactly what she was referring to.

"Why what, dear?"

"Why do you want to do this for Regina?

Cora tittered dryly, "Have I played the role of mother so poorly?"

"Well, kind of, yeah."

Cora's eyes burned but Emma refused to let her gaze fall away. "She's my daughter, Ms. Swan. Despite your ideas of me, I have always and will always give her everything she needs and wants."

"You want to improve her life?"

"Of course! My daughter may think of me as unscrupulous but that, well that simply is not true. She sees me as cold, I know that but I think, I think that this might help turn that around."

Emma's mind whirled as she stared at Cora's blank face. She believed her. She had always had a good sense of people, whether they were being honest with her or not and she could feel the truth radiating from the cold woman, "Then I've decided you're right and we can help Regina. What do you need me to do?"

Cora grinned slowly, "Well dear, I have already spoken to the best surgeon in the field. He will be flying in to perform the surgery five days into the New Year. All I need from you is to get her there."

"'Kay – when are you going to tell her?"

"Why don't we tell her together? A little Christmas surprise? As a matter of fact, why don't you tell her? This can be your gift."

"What?"

"Oh, I have years of giving her gifts under my belt. It would mean something to you to be able to do this, right? You said you were struggling to come up with a gift."

"Why would you do that?"

Cora rolled her eyes dramatically her voice coming out exasperated, "Ms. Swan it isn't as though Regina wouldn't learn of my part in the plan eventually. Is this not something you would like to do?"

"Of course."

"Good. Then this is a gift from you to my daughter."

"Okay, uh, great. I guess that means we're coming over-"

"For Christmas dinner, yes dear."

"Is it a yearly thing or?"

"No, just a family celebration."

"Right, then why don't you come to us?"

"I'm sorry?" Cora's voice was deadpanned as if Emma had just asked her to ride the El naked.

"Come to us. I think that would mean a lot to Regina."

"Emma –"

Emma held up her hand and surprisingly Cora stopped speaking "Wow, I didn't think that would work. Look. Just come over."

Cora's eyes narrowed and for a second Emma was sure she was going to lose her head. "Very well then."

"All right then. Okay, well um,"

"Emma."

"Yeah?"

"The Louisville audition. You're taking it?"

"I haven't decided actually. I'm not sure I want the job. I –"

"Emma."

"Yeah?" Why did she always feel like a lap dog when she was near the Mills Matriarch?

"Take the audition."

"All due respect ma'am but shouldn't that be my choice? I promised my son. Besides I hate Louisville, it's kind of my unicorn."

"I'm sorry?"

She shifted on her feet, "You know, my unicorn. The unreachable thing. I've taken Louisville auditions four times and I always make to the final round and I never win."

Cora just stared at her, "You want the Lyric audition, right? You want to succeed." There was something in Cora's eyes that Emma didn't like.

She's going to take Lyric away from me. Uninvite me. Can she do that?

"Of course I do."

"Then how would it look, dear, if an audition was handed to you and you did not take it simply because, as you say, it's your unicorn? That doesn't show good work ethic, does it?"

Emma pressed her lips together hands in her pockets and shrugged heading for the door.

She didn't bother to tell Regina the reason she was taking the stupid Louisville audition was because of her mother. There was already enough animosity there; she refused to be the cause of a little more. Still she wished she could as Regina's eyes grew distant over the next week. They completed their Christmas shopping. They cuddled, they touched but still there was a slight dull in Regina's eyes.

"What about your position here?" Regina had quietly asked when Emma had informed her she would be going.

"Are you asking as my girlfriend or as the president of the board?" Emma had been trying to make Regina laugh but instead the woman seemed to retreat further into her eyes.

"Both."

"Oh. Regina. I'm not going to win. I've never won an audition there. I just feel like I have to try, plus it will be a great warm-up for Lyric."

"That isn't until spring."

"I know, I know but stop worrying, okay? It will just be a fun little trip for Henry and I."

"You're taking Henry?"

Emma's brows furrowed, "well of course. I'd just leave him at the apartment but I'm a little worried he and his friends might throw a kegger with some top shelf apple juice."

Regina smiled a little, "Why don't you leave him with me?"

"Um,"

"Why not? He and I can have some fun."

Emma shrugged, "All right but don't come crying to me when he gets into your top shelf apple juice."

Now it was time to go and she didn't want to, not with that shadow on Regina's face.

"I promise," Emma said for what felt like the hundredth time "I'm not going to win. I can tell you're worrying."

Regina rolled her eyes, pushing her toward the elevator.

Emma grabbed her, wrapping her in a tight hug, "I'll be right back."

Regina frowned but kissed her. She tried to smile reassuringly at her as she stepped into the elevator but Regina didn't let her, suddenly cupping her face and bringing their lips together quick and hard. Emma gasped in surprise, feeling the pull of longing from Regina as she carefully slipped past Emma's lips. Emma pulled her close both reveling in and fearing the passion that was flowing over her like a tidal wave.

Finally, a bit breathless Regina released her and with clouded eyes she pushed her into the elevator again.

Emma grinned pleased with the send-off but as the doors to the elevator closed she was sure she saw Regina's smile drop from her face like a stone.

She doesn't want you to take it, Emma. Come on, she doesn't want you to take it. She wants you to stay. She knows if you win you'll have to move to Louisville – you and Henry. Don't go. Cora won't take the audition from you, just don't go.

She argued with herself the entire five-hour drive, debating turning around, hating the moment that Regina had lost her smile but she knew she couldn't. The Lyric audition was her chance at the future she wanted. She couldn't let it slip away. Besides, there really was no way she was going to win Louisville.

Hell, I'm not even going to try to win.

That's why when she heard the number fifty-four called as the three other finalists sat around her picking their nails and pacing she didn't even look up. She was busy texting inappropriate things to Regina and hadn't even heard.

The tall white-haired man cleared his throat again, "Fifty-four? Congratulations."

It wasn't until the entire room had quieted that Emma looked up from her phone. She caught the eye of the woman next to her who looked down at her with disgust, "What?"

"You won."

"What?" her head whipped around to the audition committee member, "uh, what?"

His brow creased, "Of course, if you don't want the job –"

"No!" Emma cried; standing and shaking his hand. The other finalists picked up their instruments and with a few sour looks departed "I mean, I don't know." Emma admitted, "I'm in the middle of a contract with The Windy City Chamber Group right now. Do you need a solid yes or no today?"

"No, Miss. Swan though I would require a commitment before the next season starts in May."

Emma nodded.

Just after the Lyric audition.