A/N: Thanks again for all the favorites and to those that followed and reviewed. Sorry this update is so late. I recently had minor surgery so I've been in and out of sleep and stuck in bed since Thursday. Also, I wrote at least half of this chapter on my iPod Touch so if there are a lot more spelling errors and such then usual, that's why. Hopefully you like this chapter and it was worth the struggle to finally finish it. Enjoy. :)

Henry sat in the passenger seat with a wide smile on his face as Emma drove him back to the house. He had been beaming since they got in the yellow bug.

Emma looked over and lightly chuckled when she saw his face.

"I must have done something right," Emma said.

"Huh?"

"To put that smile on your face. I don't think I've ever seen you so happy."

"Oh, right," Henry directed his smile at her, but didn't elaborate before he looked out at the road again.

"Do you want to tell me what I did to make you smile so that way I can do it again sometime? Maybe on purpose?"

Henry slowly turned back to her, still smiling though less in a trance like he seemed to be in earlier.

"You read the book."

"Well, not all of it, but..." Emma trailed off as she briefly took her eyes off the road. "That's it? You're happy because I read a book? And I told you earlier that I'd read it when I picked you up from school. You didn't start smiling about it until now."

"Because I was too busy smiling about beating you at bowling," Henry laughed as he looked at her again.

Emma's jaw dropped as she glanced over at him with laughter in her eyes. She chuckled and shook her head.

"You amaze me, kid. Sometimes...sometimes I don't know who you're more like, me or your mom."

Emma parked the car in her usual spot on the curb, just behind the bushes.

Regina could hear the yellow bug as it pulled up. When she checked one of the side windows next to the door, she could see the beat up hood peak out from behind the bushes.

She faintly smiled at the sight before she heard the oven demand her attention then disappeared into the kitchen.

Emma shut the door and released a deep sigh of the breath she'd held the moment she parked. She waited behind the bug as she stuffed her hands into her pockets and stared down the pathway at the front door. A small smile crept across her face for the briefest of moments before Henry startled her out of her reverie.

"Emma, come on! I'm hungry," Henry waved her over as he whined.

"Right. Sorry," Emma shook her head before she awkwardly shuffled around the car.

Emma put an arm around his shoulder and walked him up to the door. She pulled Henry closer into her side for a half-hug before she knocked on the door.

Regina opened the door with her eyes set on Emma, a small and regal smile directed at her before it spread into a genuine smile directed at Henry.

"I hope Miss Swan didn't feed you. I made Chicken Alfredo."

"She didn't," Henry started as his mouth watered at the mention of food. "She starved me!"

Henry ran past Regina and into the dining room where the food had been set out. He grabbed a fork and licked his lips before he attacked one of the two plates on the table.

Emma lightly laughed as she watched him scarf down almost half of his plate in seconds from behind one of the walls that threatened to block her vision of him.

"You starved him," Regina slowly asked with a grin.

"That's what happens when you don't let me spoil him," Emma casually joked as she shrugged.

"Look who's no longer the fun mom," Regina's eyes sparkled as she continued to grin.

"I still think I'm the fun mom in all this. We went bowling today."

"Hmm."

Regina's grin faded as she sized up Emma, a hand still on the door. Suddenly, Emma's stomach growled.

Regina laughed.

"Are you starving too, dear," Regina haughtily asked.

"Maybe a little."

"Would you care for dinner?"

"Seriously? You're...asking me to stay for dinner and it's not because Henry is twisting your arm about it?"

"The offer expires in three, two-"

"Okay! Yes, I'd like dinner."

Regina proudly smiled and stepped aside to allow the blonde inside.

Emma made her way into the foyer and stopped at the stairs just before Regina closed the front door.

"There's more on the stove," Regina said as he walked up behind Emma.

Regina looked to Henry and saw his only interest was his food. She salaciously smirked and ran her hand down Emma's backside.

Emma stiffened.

"I believe you know where the plates and silverware are," Regina purred.

Regina slid her hand between Emma's thighs as she lowly chuckled then smacked Emma's center.

Emma softly moaned at the contact.

"I wouldn't mind if you stayed for dessert either," Regina purred again as she pulled back Emma's hair.

Regina dipped her head and grazed Emma's pulse point with her lips and teeth.

Emma's eyes fluttered shut.

"What's for dessert," Emma asked, though she had a hunch dessert didn't belong to one of the major food groups.

"Mm. You."

Regina massaged Emma's center under the blonde's skirt.

Emma bit her bottom lip.

"I'll only stay if you're on the menu too."

"That can be arranged," Regina said as she removed her hand from Emma's center and brought it to blonde curls.

Regina gripped the younger woman's hair and turned Emma's head. She gave the Sheriff a kiss between chaste and heated then broke the kiss as she slipped into the dining room.

Emma took a deep breath and puffed out a sigh before she walked toward the kitchen. She immediately went for the plates since they were in her line of vision and she couldn't really remember what drawer held the silverware.

She timidly stepped up to the stove and peered into the half empty pan of noodles. She scooped up a moderate size of the pasta and awkwardly dumped it onto the plate with a strained, worried face. She went on her search for the silverware drawer and tried to recall the last time she was in Regina's kitchen. Henry had helped her find everything and told her how Regina liked to organize things. Within a minute, she remembered where Henry had pointed to when she needed some kind of utensil.

She opened the drawer and inwardly celebrated that she'd found it by herself. She grabbed a fork and headed into the dining room to join Henry and Regina.

Henry looked up from his food, a mouth full of noodles, when he noticed Emma on her way to the table. He quickly slurped up the noodle that hung from his pursed lips.

"You're having dinner with us," he asked with wide eyes.

"Yeah, is that okay," Emma asked as she took a seat between Regina and Henry.

"It's awesome," he exclaimed as he dropped his fork onto his plate and jumped out of his chair.

He ran over to Emma just as she set her plate down on the table and hugged her from the side. He wrapped his little arms around her and squeezed.

"Oh," Emma uncontrollably said when Henry ran into her side.

Emma placed a hand over one of Henry's arms and smiled.

"Well, you can thank your mom. She invited me in for a bite," Emma said before her eyes wandered to Regina.

Regina grinned and looked to see Henry's eyes were tightly shut as he continued to hug the blonde. She turned her attention back to Emma and opened her mouth only to snap it shut in a biting motion.

Emma parted her lips at the insinuation.

Henry pulled away with a smile reserved for Emma, but after a moment to allow the blonde's words sink in he directed it at Regina.

Regina had quickly changed her expression to mask the teasing looks she'd given Emma before Henry had time to witness anything he shouldn't.

"Really," he excitedly, though also disbelievingly, asked Regina.

"Yes," Regina smiled and nodded.

"Why," Henry curiously asked as he tilted his head to the side.

"My stomach," Emma started as she redirected Henry's attention back to her. "Made this really angry sound. Your mom thought I didn't have much food at the apartment, and she was right, so she asked if I wanted to have dinner here."

"Thanks," Henry said after a moment when he turned to Regina again.

He went in for a hug, not as tight or aggressively loving like the one he'd given Emma, but Regina would take what she could get. He'd rarely enjoyed her company lately then anyway. A hug was more affection than she'd received from her son in months.

"Does that mean we can eat in the living room and have a movie marathon," Henry asked as he gleefully pushed his luck. "Emma and I bought new movies today before we went bowling."

"Oh?"

Regina looked from Henry to Emma.

"Uh, yeah," Emma sheepishly said. "Apparently the movies I had in my car weren't good enough for him and we were passing the store on the way to bowling so...we stopped in to find the right cinematic adventures."

"Cinematic adventures," Regina stated rather than asked as she stared Emma down.

Regina's expression might have been meant to intimidate enemies, but it only turned Emma on more than she already was from the brunette's previous actions.

"Yeah," Henry happily piped up. "It makes movies like Grown Ups and The Proposal, and Madagascar sound cool."

Regina chuckled.

"Did you come up with that," Regina asked as she kept her focus on Henry for the moment.

"Well, Emma said 'cinematic adventures' and then I said 'that sounds cool' and then it kind of became a thing," Henry explained.

Regina couldn't help but smile.

"So can we eat in the living room," Henry asked again, almost bouncing with anticipation.

Regina took a deep breath and sighed as she thought it over. She stared at Henry for a few moments before she looked at Emma.

"Fine," Regina agreed as she kept her eyes locked on Emma's.

"Yes," Henry yelled with a wide smile before he ran around the table and grabbed his plate.

"But if you spill anything," Regina strictly warned with a pointed finger as Henry headed into the living room.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll have to clean it up and won't be able to eat in the living room for the next three months or until you think I've learned my lesson," Henry finished for her in a monotone as he continued toward the couch.

Emma grinned as she watched Henry situate himself in the living room before she turned to Regina. She opened her mouth to say something, but Regina beat her to it.

"He definitely gets that from you, dear."

"I'm so proud," Emma continued to grin.

Regina rolled her eyes and stood.

"Coming, dear," Regina asked as she headed toward the living room.

"I didn't think that was until dessert," Emma teasingly joked as she stood and gathered her plate.

Regina looked over her shoulder at the blonde.

"Are you that impatient that you have to make reference to sex every few minutes," Regina asked with a smoky tone.

"I think the real question is, are you that impatient that you can't keep your eyes off me for more than a minute?"

Regina looked over her shoulder again and caused Emma to laugh.

"Told you," Emma smirked.

Regina slowed before she crossed the threshold to the living room and turned half her body to face Emma as the blonde ran into her back.

"I'm going to bite especially hard tonight," Regina growled.

"And maybe I'll be the one to sit on your face tonight," Emma threw back with a low voice. "Or do you not remember the first time you came over to clean the apartment?"

Regina gulped and parted her lips as she heavily exhaled.

Emma victoriously smirked as she stepped around Regina and confidently walked into the living room. She took a seat on the couch next to Henry and set her plate on the coffee table before she messed up his hair with her left hand and smiled.

Regina took a moment to compose herself as she felt a rush of heat consume her body after hearing Emma's words. Once she felt her body temperature return to normal, she sauntered into the living room and took a seat at the end of the couch, next to Emma and farthest from Henry. It wasn't her choice, but she didn't mind being close to the blonde in the slightest.

"So...what movie do you want to watch first," Emma asked.

"Other than the ones I named earlier, what movies did we get," Henry asked.

"Uh," Emma struggled to name them off the top of her head.

As Emma started to go through the list with Henry, Regina couldn't help but longingly stare at the younger woman. Her eyes, along with her mind, drifted to Emma's back. She watched it curve and straighten with the different ways Emma moved as she talked to Henry. Her eyes fell lower to the patch of exposed skin between Emma's shirt and skirt. Fair skin was on display and it seemed like it was just for her. She wanted to reach out and trace the dimples on the small of Emma's back, let her fingers dip with the tiny indents. There seemed to be many parts of Emma's body Regina had failed to give attention to in all the times they spent together, though it was of no shock to her. They had only recently began to appreciate one another, their bodies, when they had sex.

Regina would make sure to enjoy every part of Emma she could that night. The only thing that prevented her from doing it at that moment sat two couch cushions away with a big smile on his face as he listened to Emma talk about some movie or another.

Regina gazed at Emma for a moment longer before Henry shot off the couch and held a hand out to Emma. Regina instantly pulled herself out of her thoughts and looked at the boy.

"Keys," he asked Emma.

Regina furrowed her brow and frowned as she tried to catch up with the conversation she'd clearly missed.

Emma reached into jacket pocket and pulled out a pair of jingling keys. She placed them in Henry's hand as she spoke.

"I'm gonna watch you from the porch, okay? Don't get any ideas and think you can just ride off into the night like some badass."

"Language," Regina quickly scolded Emma as she only partially filled in the blanks of the conversation.

"Sorry," Emma softly said over her shoulder to Regina.

"Is he getting something from your car," Regina asked.

"Yeah, the movies," Emma quizzically looked at Regina. "Didn't you hear us talking about it just now?"

"Watch him closely, Miss Swan," Regina ignored the question. "It'll be dark soon and there are a few people in this town I wouldn't want to run into in a dark alley."

"Pfft," Henry readied himself for an argument as if it was second nature. "Like anyone could be scarier than you. You're the Evil-"

Regina almost looked hurt at the words that came out of Henry's mouth, but the pained look on her face disappeared and was replaced with confusion when he didn't finish his sentence.

Henry noticed Emma's expression and cut himself off.

Emma warningly glared at him and he immediately understood not to say anything more.

"Never mind," Henry quickly said as he looked down at the floor before Emma relinquished complete control over her keys.

Henry spun around and headed for the door without apologizing or even saying another word.

Emma pushed off the couch and got to her feet. She looked over her shoulder, her gaze directed down at Regina who remained on the couch.

"I'll keep an eye on him," Emma said before she followed Henry out.

Regina felt relief and something else she couldn't quite place wash over her. Though she didn't deserve it, Emma had stopped Henry from calling her the Evil Queen. It may have been an accurate title, but she didn't want her son to see her as a villain. Emma seemed to feel the same way.

Emma watched Henry grab the movies from the floor of the passenger's seat with her arms folded across her chest.

Henry hurried to collect the bag of newly purchased movies then shut the door and jogged his way up the walkway.

Emma smiled and unfolded her arms just before Henry reached the step up to the porch.

"Did you lock it," Emma asked as she took the keys from him.

"Yep," he answered as he kept walking toward the house.

Emma shut the door behind Henry and locked it.

Henry, though he moved at a normal pace, wasted no time with his return to the living room. When he reached the couch, he set the plastic bag with all the movies on it and pulled out the one he wanted to watch. He left the bag on the couch, in Emma's spot, and went toward the TV.

Both the TV and DVD player were on and Regina seemed to just be settling back into her seat as Henry reached up to put the movie in. He didn't pay much attention to her, his only goal to watch movies with Emma.

At least that was how it appeared to Regina.

Emma reentered the living room and smiled at Regina as the brunette smoothed down her work attire, which she had yet to change out of.

"I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to slip into something more comfortable," Emma smirked.

"That won't be necessary until later," Regina said as Henry turned and headed back to the couch.

The movie started to load as Emma moved to her seat. She grabbed the bag of movies and set them aside behind the couch before she sat down.

The three of them finished their plates almost halfway through the movie. Regina, not too invested in the film, collected all their dishes and cleaned them up in the sink. She ran them under the water for a minute or so before she scrubbed them clean then set them in the dishwasher. It took her another ten minutes give or take before she went back to the living room.

In what seemed to her like the blink of an eye, Regina returned to find Henry curled up next to Emma on the couch. Emma had an arm wrapped around his shoulders and kept him close while their eyes stayed glued to the screen.

Regina approached quietly and cautiously as Henry started to talk.

"Emma," Henry softly asked as the movie still played. "What happened to my dad?"

Regina froze, halfway to the couch, when she heard Henry's question. With Emma and Henry facing the TV, neither one of them could see her where she stood.

"Uh," Emma stuttered. "I... He..."

Regina had only heard one story about him and knew the topic of Henry's father struck a nerve for Emma. She didn't know his name or what he did or why he wasn't in the picture, though she assumed about the latter.

Henry turned to look at Emma and the blonde sensed his eyes on her.

Emma looked down at him with a frown and sheer panic in her eyes. After a moment of internally deliberating, she gave him an answer.

"I...wasn't your best chance," Emma started. "You remember how I told you that?"

Henry nodded.

"Well, that's because I didn't have a lot growing up. I didn't have my parents, I didn't live like you do, I was...troubled."

Regina stood and listened to the story. For some reason, hearing Emma talk about her past intrigued her. She suddenly wanted to know more about the blonde and finally get some answers about Henry's father, something she hadn't been successful at during her and Emma's massage session.

"I met this guy. I mean, your dad wasn't just some guy," Emma quickly corrected. "But at first, he was. We weren't exactly like the fairy tales in your book. We didn't meet in the best or most romantic situation and we really only had the yellow bug I drive around now. We did what we had to so we'd survive. We were kids from the street."

Both Henry and Regina continued to listen with extreme focus.

"We knew each other for about a year before I got pregnant with you and...well, things didn't turn out so well between us. Truth is, I don't know where he is or what he's doing. I haven't spoken to him since...well, before you were born."

"Was he a good guy?"

Emma's breath hitched as she failed to find an answer that wouldn't be lying but also wouldn't crush him.

"He treated me with a lot more respect than anyone else in my life had before I met him. And there were a lot of people after him that didn't respect me as much either so...I'd say he was a good guy. But...Henry...there's something I need you to understand, okay?"

Emma turned her body to face him as she folded her left leg onto the couch.

"Things aren't always as black and white as they seem. It's not always good and evil," Emma continued. "Your dad had his 'hero' moments, but...well, let me put it to you this way. Even if your mom was the Evil Queen, I'm sure there's a lot more to that story than what you're reading. The same could be said about your dad. Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you?"

"That...my dad was a good guy, but he did a few bad things?"

"I'm gonna be honest with you, kid, and I really hope this doesn't bite me in the ass."

Regina refrained from lecturing Emma about her choice of words and continued to listen.

"You think of me as the hero in this story, our story. You think Regina is the bad guy, the villain. I've done a lot of stupid things, things I regret. Things I hope you never do, never have to do, and things I'd rather not tell you. The most important thing you know about what I've done is give you up. It's true that I did that for your own good. You wouldn't..."

Emma trailed off and sighed. She didn't know how to talk about herself or her choices to the ten year old she put up for adoption. She could barely admit it all to herself let alone another adult. She didn't know how to phrase things that put her in the middle of the story so she avoided putting herself in the middle.

"Regina's the one who's given you more than I ever could back then. Hell, she can still give you so much more than I can."

"But she's the-"

"I don't care. You know what, I don't. I read the story about the Evil Queen, Henry. Here's the thing, the Evil Queen couldn't have raised a kid as remarkable and good as you. So even if the book is true and your mom is the Evil Queen, she can't be all that bad. At least not since she got you."

"Did you skip a few pages? She cursed the entire town. She tried to kill Snow White, your mom. She even tried to stop you from going through the wardrobe! In the book, she asked Snow White where you were after your dad put you in the wardrobe to get you here, to bring you to this world."

"Henry."

"What, that's what happened! She's not good, Emma. She can't be."

"You know what," Emma angrily started. "You owe your mom an apology and a hug and a thank you! She's fed you, cared for you, loved you, and look at this place! If I didn't know any better, I'd call you a spoiled little brat. Regina is Regina. She's your mom, not the Evil Queen. She's given you everything a kid should have, everything I never did. Believe the book is real, fine! I'll even so much as admit that yes, your mom has a few bad days and she gets kind of angry and then maybe acts a little like the so called Evil Queen, but that doesn't mean you get to disrespect her like she hasn't done so much for you. Got it?"

Henry stayed quiet for a moment.

Regina waited with bated breath for his answer and kept a smile from spreading across her face. Though she managed a small, sincere smile at Emma's words.

Henry nodded.

Both Regina and Emma smiled, but Regina's smile beat Emma's by about a hundred Watts.

"Good," Emma said as she pulled Henry closer, back into his previous position curled up at her side.

Regina took a deep breath and relaxed before she walked the rest of the distance back to her seat on the couch.

"Did I miss anything," Regina innocently asked as she tried to make herself comfortable.

"No," Emma said with a straight face before she looked at Henry.

Henry smiled and shook his head when he saw Emma stare at him. He turned his attention back to the movie and hoped he wouldn't be in too much trouble with the blonde later.

Emma turned back to Regina and smiled.

Regina fought her hardest not to take Emma's hand in hers, but the fact that she wanted to should have been cause for concern. And yet, all she could think about was all the things she'd do to Emma once Henry was asleep.

A little more than two hours later, the second movie had finished and Henry was fast asleep in Emma's lap. His head rested more on the upper part of her left thigh, something that worried both Emma and Regina given the gauze underneath her tights and the fact that her wound was sensitive, prone to open with the slightest ill advised move.

Regina stood first and turned off the TV without stopping the DVD first as the end credits rolled. It wasn't her concern at the time.

"Do you want me to get him," Regina asked.

"No, I think I've got it," Emma replied as she gently started to lift Henry off of herself.

Regina smiled as she stared at the two of them. As fearful as she was about Emma's injury, she couldn't shake the fact that she thought the idea of Henry falling asleep in Emma's lap was cute. It was something she thought she could get used to, another person around the house to help take care of him. Another person around to make, dare she say it, a family.

Emma got Henry into a sitting position and held him up with one arm as she slowly stood beside Regina who had moved to be in front of Henry.

"Here," Regina said as she leaned in and tried to scoop him up.

Regina lifted him into her arms with a grunt of discomfort and unease.

Emma smiled and sandwiched Henry in between the two of them before she physically nudged Regina to lean most of his weight onto her.

Regina could barely hold him and she didn't want to wake him up so she carefully handed him off to Emma.

"I think this will be the last time I carry him to his bed. He's getting too old for us to be doing this," Emma whispered before she lightly laughed.

"I have no arguments there," Regina agreed.

Emma headed toward the stairs with Regina at her side.

Without warning, Regina placed a hand on Emma's shoulder as they left the living room. She soothingly rubbed her hand between Emma's shoulder blades and dropped it back down to her side when they reached the staircase landing.

Regina placed the hand she once had on Emma's shoulder blades onto the railing and stayed behind the younger woman in case she fell back given Henry's weight.

Within minutes, the two of them were in Henry's room.

Regina helped Emma lay him in his bed then pulled back one side of Henry's covers while Emma pulled back the other. They shared the responsibility of tucking him in that night and when they had him snuggled up under his comforter, they looked at each other from opposite sides of the bed.

They locked eyes for a long moment before they straightened up and made their way to the door.

Emma motioned for Regina to step out first, which caused Regina to quizzically stare at Emma before she left the room. Emma followed her out and shut the door behind them.

Regina spun on her heels and stopped Emma before she could get more than a step away from Henry's door.

"Guest room," Regina ordered.

Emma dropped her jaw in shock. Her legs wouldn't move, wouldn't cooperate with her at all, though her mind and heart knew where she was needed: the guest room.

Regina walked toward her and pushed her by the shoulder to turn her in the opposite direction of the stairs. She guided Emma down the hallway to the guest room with a hand on Emma's shoulder at all times.

Emma opened the door and Regina nearly pushed her inside.

Before Emma could get even one word out of her mouth, Regina had the door shut behind them. She noted Regina's eyes were already dark with desire the second she turned around.

Regina looked Emma over, a head to toe scan, and grinned when she met Emma's almost deer-in-a-headlight gaze. She looked a little innocent and more lost than Regina had ever seen her. As much as she liked Emma to fight her, start a fire in her belly to get her going, she did happen to like that particular look on the Sheriff. She liked it when she knew Emma was dumbfounded and all because of her. She didn't think she'd ever felt like she had that much power when she reigned over the kingdom, when she was the Queen. She started to feel like that kind of power, the power she truly wanted, was something only Emma could give her. But if she really thought about the kind of power she wanted, was it really power or something else?

Regina didn't spend her time thinking. She saw what she wanted in that moment, a woman with blonde hair that knew how to get under her skin. Emma stood only a few feet away, all hers for the taking. But even as Regina rushed toward Emma and pinned her against the bed, she didn't want to take anything from Emma. Instead, she used her skills of show rather than tell to communicate what she did want to do.

Both of Emma's feet where firmly on the floor, her legs over the side of the bed as Regina straddled her right thigh and leaned in.

Regina smothered Emma with her own body as she feverishly claimed Emma's lips. One hand slid up the right side of Emma's stomach and came to cup Emma's breast.

Emma moaned into the kiss as she arched her back for Regina. She wrapped her arms around Regina's neck and grabbed a fistful of brunette hair with one hand.

Regina pleasantly hummed before she tore her lips away from Emma's and moved to the blonde's neck. She kissed then bit the younger woman's pulse point over and over again.

Emma moaned again, longer that time as she turned her head to offer more skin to Regina. She let go of Regina's hair but kept her arms around her neck. She gave the brunette free reign over her own body and reveled in the way the mayor made her feel because of that.

Regina pulled away after a few minutes and stood up.

"Scoot back," Regina gently ordered.

Emma slid further onto the bed, like she had earlier that day in the apartment. She relaxed against the pillows and watched Regina hurry onto the bed after her.

Regina slithered on top of Emma and rested a hand on the front of the Sheriff's right hip. She lowered her lips to Emma's neck again. She left a trail of wet kisses in her wake on her way to the unmarked part of Emma's clavicle. She kissed the blonde's collarbone before she lightly raked her teeth over the skin. She kissed it again then gently bit her.

Emma's breathing became labored and erratic as she grabbed at Regina. She frantically clawed at the back of Regina's dress and forced the brunette further on top of her.

"Dress," Emma breathlessly said as Regina started to kiss her way down Emma's chest.

Regina sat up on her knees and Emma pushed the dress up to the brunette's hips.

Regina grinned as she throatily chuckled. She brushed her short hair out of her face then reached behind herself and unzipped the dress. She pushed the dress away from herself, over her shoulders and down her front. She brought the dress down to her lap before she slid off the bed and let it fall to her feet.

"Now you," Regina said as she waited to get back on the bed.

Emma tugged at her skirt and lifted her hips off the bed. She pulled the skirt down to her knees and sat up. She pushed the skirt down to her ankles and felt Regina grip at the hem of her shirt. Emma raised her arms as Regina began to peel off her shirt. She kicked her skirt off the side of the bed and it landed in crumpled heap on the floor.

Regina removed Emma's shirt and tossed it almost completely across the room. She knelt on the bed and hungrily leaned in. She crashed her lips against Emma's chest and scraped her teeth over the valley between the blonde's breasts. She kissed and bit at Emma's skin a few times before she scooped her arms under Emma's body and unhooked her bra. She brought her mouth to Emma's stomach as she pulled the straps down the blonde's shoulders.

Emma moved to help Regina get rid of the bra. She propped herself up on her elbows and reached out to Regina. She gripped the back of Regina's neck with one of her hands and pulled the brunette close. She brought Regina's lips to hers and moaned at the contact. She slid her tongue across Regina's bottom lip.

Regina moaned and allowed Emma access. She slithered further up Emma's body and kissed the blonde more and more until she felt that same heart warming feeling she had earlier that afternoon. With one of her forearms pressed into the bed up against Emma's side while her other hand snaked up Emma's front, she broke the kiss and brought her lips down to Emma's left breast.

Emma groaned when Regina pulled away from the kiss but whimpered when the other woman directed her attention to the Sheriff's nipple.

Regina swirled her tongue over and around the pink bud and teasingly traced around the other with her fingertips. She moved with Emma as the younger woman arched into her mouth and her touch. She sucked on one nipple and ran two fingers over the other. Her nails gently scraped over it and caused Emma to appreciatively hum and arch further toward Regina. It brought a smile to Regina's face as she let go of Emma's nipple with a subtle pop and began to kiss down the younger woman's stomach.

She dipped her tongue into Emma's navel and nipped at the skin above it, at the top of her navel.

Emma bucked her hips to bring herself closer to Regina yet again. She reached down and started to push her tights off. She exposed a small portion of her panties, but couldn't push her tights any lower with Regina on top of her.

Regina moaned and flicked her tongue over the bitten area of Emma's navel before she pulled back.

"I'll get it," Regina grinned. "Can you move much?"

"I...don't know," Emma said as she innocently stared up at Regina. "I haven't really tried."

"Do you want to?"

"Want to...?"

"Try."

"Uh...yeah."

Regina rolled onto her back and turned to Emma.

"Get on top," Regina more suggested than demanded.

Emma smiled, her features glowing before she got onto her knees above the brunette and looked down at Regina.

"Why, Madam Mayor," Emma started with feigned shock. "I never took you as a bottom."

"All this time and you still don't know me. Sad. I'm not a bottom, dear."

Regina didn't give Emma any more explanation before she pulled Emma's tights down to the woman's knees.

"I want to watch you move," Regina added.

She smirked at the sight of Emma's panties then slowly scanned her eyes up the Sheriff's body until their eyes locked. She reached out and played with Emma's panty line.

"Aren't you tired of seeing me," Emma asked as she awkwardly moved her hands to several different positions in an attempt to cover herself.

"No," Regina said as she released Emma's panties and grabbed the woman's wrists to stop her from covering herself. "You're far too beautiful and entirely too feisty to tire of in any way."

"Look who knows what to say now," Emma smiled. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you like me."

"If that's what you think then it's only because you seem to like me."

Emma leaned in and her hair fell over her shoulders. Blonde tresses cascaded around Emma's breasts as she chastely kissed Regina. She pulled back and reached down to tug at Regina's panties.

Regina arched her back and bucked her hips at the appropriate times to help Emma remove her panties.

After Emma discarded the lacy material she didn't have the chance to remove during their lunch break, she started to kiss her way up one of Regina's legs and simultaneously ran her hand up her other leg. When she reached Regina's thighs, she moved her hand to Regina's hip and nipped at the brunette's right thigh.

Regina made sounds of encouragement and spread her legs for Emma. She reached down and gripped a handful of blonde tresses. She tried to bring Emma's mouth closer to her center as gently as possible, her need growing.

Emma moved up Regina's body and pulled her mouth away from the mayor's thigh. She smiled down at Regina then held out her hand to the woman.

Regina looked from Emma to her outstretched hand.

"Really? We exchange bodily fluids and you're hesitant to take my hand?"

Regina scrunched up her face in distaste.

"So crass," Regina said as she looked into Emma's eyes again.

She took Emma's hand and the blonde lifted her into a sitting position.

"Um, this isn't the best time, but I don't know. You flipped out on me earlier today and I want to avoid any issues with you."

Regina furrowed her brow.

"Well, that's a first."

Emma nervously laughed.

"I know. I just, I want to know where we stand."

Regina frowned and looked down at their joined hands. She cleared her throat and tried to shift positions, but she could only move so much with Emma between her legs.

"Why do we have to 'stand' anywhere? We're not in a relationship," Regina answered after a moment.

"So...would it bother you if I had breakfast with Ruby tomorrow before the diner opens," Emma slowly asked.

Regina met Emma's eyes once more and searched them for something, though she wasn't sure what.

"You're asking for my permission."

Emma paused before she nodded.

"I told you how I feel about your time spent with Ms. Lucas."

"I'm not trying to sleep with her," Emma said.

"Then you have nothing to worry about," Regina looked away from Emma and tried to mask her deflated emotions.

"Hey," Emma started as she leaned forward and hooked her fingers under Regina's chin. She lifted Regina's head and made the brunette look at her before she continued. "If you don't want me to go-"

"I can't tell you what to do," Regina cut her off.

"What if you did? Would that be so horrible?"

"I'm Henry's mother, not yours."

Emma rolled her eyes.

"That's not what I'm saying. If you don't want me to go, I won't go."

"Why? What does that mean for us?"

"It means I respect your feelings and...maybe I don't want to hurt you anymore. I mean, I'll give you all the pain you want in the bedroom, but emotionally..."

Regina took a deep breath and released it in a heavy sigh.

"Are you asking for a relationship?"

"I don't know. Maybe," Emma shrugged with a frown.

Regina looked Emma over, her eyes scanned over every inch of the younger woman.

"Talk to me in the morning about it," Regina said as she pushed forward and started to finish taking off Emma's tights. "For now, I want to enjoy this."

Both women rid the other of their last articles of clothing. They kissed and bit and played with each other like all the tension and anger that resided between them never existed.

Emma rhythmically rode Regina's fingers as she felt her release build up. Just before she could let go, she grabbed Regina's waist and rolled them over so the brunette was on top.

Regina gasped as she fell on top of Emma, her fingers still inside the younger woman. She laughed after she put out a hand to keep herself from completely crushing Emma.

"I thought you would have enjoyed being on top," Regina teased.

"Oh, but you move so much better than me," Emma said as she slipped two fingers inside Regina.

Regina hummed and gradually grinned as she leaned in and worked on a hickey on Emma's neck. She sucked and bit as she started a new pace with her fingers inside Emma.

After a couple minutes, Regina hurriedly pushed off Emma and threw her head back. She moved with Emma, in Emma, and onto Emma's fingers. She felt so alive, so desired, so unbelievably appreciated.

Like Emma, Regina waited until she almost let go then rolled them both onto their sides before she could. She used her free hand to grip Emma's hip as she continued to pump in and out of Emma. She panted against Emma and felt Emma's breath against her face as well.

Emma and Regina had a playful competition going as they simultaneously moved in and out of each other. They touched each other in ways they had never touched anyone and in turn, had never been touched by anyone.

Emma felt more relaxed and more comfortable with herself and with Regina than she ever had in life, than she ever had with anybody in her life. When she let go, she gave every part of herself to Regina. She didn't even think about it as the brunette's name fell from her lips in a moan. She didn't even think about it when she stared straight into Regina's eyes throughout her release. She also didn't think about it when she brought Regina to her release.

Regina let go soon after Emma, but she only gave her best parts to Emma. She held the Evil Queen at bay and tried to be herself. To be just Regina. As much as she wanted to shelter Henry from knowing her as the Evil Queen, though he already believed it, she wanted to keep that part of herself from Emma as well. She didn't know why, but she had a good idea. That idea also kept her from kissing Emma when they finished. As cruel as it seemed, she couldn't face Emma after she her climax. She looked into emerald green eyes then quickly looked over a tempting body shadowed by the darkness in the room.

Emma frowned when she looked at Regina. She'd heard and seen the most incredible things during their time together and yet, when she tried to meet Regina's gaze the brunette avoided eye contact.

"Regina?"

Regina wiped her eyes from the tears that had started to fall. She pushed Emma away and got out of the guest bed.

"Regina, what's wrong?"

She didn't answer Emma, she only focused on picking up her clothes without sobbing. She slipped into her dress and only bothered to zip it up half way before she gathered her bra and panties.

"We'll talk in the morning, Miss Swan," Regina said as she wiped under her eyes again to ensure she cleared all the tears.

Regina quickly retreated to her own bedroom and left Emma alone and naked in the guest room.

Emma frowned and pulled out her phone. She typed out a message and sent it within a few seconds.

"Is everything okay?"

Regina heard her phone buzz as she got out of her dress a second time that night before she crawled into bed. She brushed her hair out of her face with her fingers then grabbed her phone. She read the text and took a deep breath before she came up with a reply.

"Yes. See you in the morning."

"You want me to stay the night?"

"Unless you want to go back to that construction zone of an apartment."

"I'll see you in the morning. And Regina?"

"Miss Swan, I'm tired and I'd like to sleep."

"I just wanted to say you were amazing tonight."

Regina placed a hand on her bare stomach as felt nausea overtake her, an overwhelming longing for the lightness Emma had to offer and the strange inability to take it. She never had a problem taking what she wanted, and she wanted Emma, but somehow she couldn't allow herself that.

"Goodnight, Miss Swan."

"Goodnight, Regina."

Emma pushed Regina against the apple tree and had Ruby and Leroy tie her to it.

Regina watched with fear as Emma wrapped her hand around her throat. The blonde tightened her grip and a tear fell from Regina's eye as she saw the anger and hurt in Emma's features.

"Please, Emma," Regina softly said.

"I trusted you. I defended you," Emma only got louder with each sentence. "Why did you do this? The curse?"

"I just wanted to win. For once," Regina responded as she tried to hold back sobs.

"I knew you were the Evil Queen," Henry piped up from behind Emma.

He stood in front of Mary Margaret and David, or rather Snow White and Prince Charming. Charming had a hand on Henry's shoulder while Snow soothingly rubbed his arm.

"I'm sorry," Regina barely said above a whisper as she stared at Henry.

She looked from her son to the only other person in the boring town she created she never wanted to hurt.

"Emma," Regina started to beg.

Emma let go of Regina's throat and cut off the brunette.

"It was all a lie, wasn't it. Get the Savior to fall in love with the Evil Queen and you'll have everything you ever wanted."

Regina shook her head and Emma reached up and grabbed an apple from the tree.

The apple was dark red, almost black. Emma held it in front of Regina's face and squeezed.

"Rotten to the core," Emma growled as she maliciously stared into Regina's eyes.

Black goo oozed out of the apple and covered Emma's hand. She threw the ruined apple to the ground and shook her hand to rid herself of as much goo as she could.

Ruby and Leroy had joined the rest of the mob a few minutes earlier. When Emma stepped back to join the group of angry townspeople, she fell into step with Ruby. Using her clean hand, she laced her fingers with Ruby's and stood by Henry. He stood on one side of Emma while Ruby stood on the other.

Regina's heart broke at the sight. Henry glared at Regina as if he absolutely loathed her and Emma had clearly moved on, though she still seemed utterly broken.

"I didn't want this," Regina insisted. "You don't deserve this. Both of you."

Regina looked from Emma to Henry, sincerity in her eyes.

Charming unsheathed his sword and handed it to Emma, his eyes furiously narrowed on Regina.

Emma let go of Ruby's hand to take the sword and kissed the waitress on the cheek. She stepped away from Ruby and Henry and toward Regina.

"Emma, please don't do this. Let me explain."

"There's nothing to explain, Your Majesty."

Emma raised the sword.

Regina couldn't stop the tears that poured out of her. She looked at Henry as he stood tall and let it all happen. She hit her head against the tree bark in defeat and her eyes locked on Emma's.

Emma threw the sword and Regina gasped. Suddenly, she saw the person she had become. She saw what being the Evil Queen had given her and what it had cost her. Somehow, they were one in the same.

A gut wrenching yell followed by intense crying that escaped Regina. She woke up in deep, emotional pain and the last time she ever remembered feeling that way was when she had lost Daniel.

Emma woke up to loud, pained cries. She looked around the guest room startled and confused before the crying continued. She recognized the voice and shot out of bed. She scooped up her clothes and slipped on her panties before she threw on her shirt. She didn't bother with her bra or skirt or even her tights before she headed down the hall toward Regina's room.

On the way down the hall, Henry sleepily peeked out of his bedroom.

"Emma?

He rubbed his eyes to clear the haziness from his vision and took a second look at the figure passing through the hallway.

"Hey, kid. Go back to sleep. It's a school night," Emma whispered.

"But...what are you still doing here?"

"I was too tired to go home and your mom let me stay in the guest room," Emma quickly answered. "Go back to bed."

"What about Mom?"

"I'll take care of it, okay?"

"Really? Why would you do that?"

"Because it's not your job to take care of her," Emma said as she knelt before Henry.

"It's not yours either," he casually said as he stared quizzically at her.

"She needs someone and out of the two of u,s I'm the only adult. No kid should ever have to pick up the pieces so whatever's wrong with your mom, let me fix it. Okay, Henry?"

After a moment, Henry nodded and turned back to his room.

"Goodnight, Henry."

"Night, Emma," Henry grumbled.

Emma smiled as she noticed Henry didn't shut his door on the way back to bed. She reached out and closed it for him before she finished the short trip to Regina's room.

She softly knocked on the door.

"Regina?"

Emma slowly opened the door and stepped inside. She closed the door behind herself and stared at Regina as the brunette sniffled and attempted to turn away from Emma.

"Go away, Miss Swan," Regina groggily said.

"Not a chance," Emma said as she walked over to Regina's bed.

Regina felt the bed dip behind her and took a ragged breath.

"I don't want anything from you," Regina almost yelled as she struggled to say something she knew was a lie.

"Shh," Emma tried to calm Regina as she ran a hand through brunette hair. "Quit being so stubborn and just let this happen."

A silence fell over them as Emma draped an arm over Regina's waist. She gently pulled Regina closer to her.

After a moment, Regina rolled onto her back and looked at Emma.

"I don't want you to have breakfast with Ms. Lucas," Regina quietly said, though Emma still heard it.

"Okay," Emma said as she caressed Regina's cheek. "I won't have breakfast with her."

Regina slowly started to smile as more tears streamed down her face.

"I'm yours, remember," Emma asked as she recognized the happy surprise on Regina's face.

"Mine," Regina said as she reached out and ran her thumb over Emma's bottom lip.

Emma smiled and took Regina's hand. She kissed Regina's palm then rolled on top of the brunette.

"I love it when you smile," Emma admitted.

"I love it when you listen to me," Regina confessed in return.

"What do you need," Emma asked as she rested her head on Regina's chest.

"You. ...Let me hold you?"

Emma kissed Regina's chest over the brunette's heart then lifted her head to make eye contact.

"As long as I can still have breakfast at Granny's. Just not exclusively with Ruby and at my normal time before work."

"...Only if you keep your hands and lips to yourself."

"Not a problem," Emma smirked as she rolled onto her right side and allowed Regina to drape an arm over her waist.

Regina snuggled up to Emma and kissed just under her earlobe.

They didn't speak after that.

Regina held Emma tight, afraid to let her go or afraid Emma might slip away. She cuddled up against Emma and let all her nightmares, all her past wrongs, fade away. Her hand slid down to the gauze on Emma's thigh and she continued to hold the blonde.

Emma contentedly sighed as she felt Regina's hand on her thigh. She found Regina's hand and laced their fingers over the gauze. She remained in Regina's arms as the two of them fell asleep together.

A/N: Thanks again for reading. Please leave a review and let me know what you think. More soon, although my updates are going to be slow since I'm still recovering and school starts for me again in another week. Until then, I'll update as much as I can, when I can.