"We need to talk." Wide eyed, Emma turned to Regina. Those were definitely not the sort of words one wanted whispered in their ear, regardless of how enchanting and warm the mouth uttering them was.

"W-what?" she stuttered, swallowing the sudden lump in her throat. Was Regina breaking up with her, or? Wasn't that a bit… out of the blue? They were on the verge of having sex like twenty minutes ago!

Regina blinked and pulled her head back, tilting it to the side. Emma watched as realization dawned in her eyes before Regina quickly said, "Gods no. Emma, don't be ridiculous, we're not breaking up. You are such an idiot.

Relief, fast and soothing washed over Emma, and then she was offended. She scrunched up her face and parted her lips, but quickly found she couldn't speak when a hand clamped over her mouth. "I can, if you even think about arguing with me right now. I need to speak with you, and it's nothing anywhere near as moronic as where your mind went, but it is semi-important."

Glaring at her, hard, Emma waited until Regina moved her hand and then stood. Whatever Regina wanted, if she said it was important, semi or otherwise, then it most likely was and there was no reason they couldn't speak about it now when they weren't exactly doing anything. Once she'd met Jafar, there really had been no reason they all stayed out on the balcony, except for the fact it was a beautiful day and it was preferable to going back inside where the palace walls absorbed the heat of the sun shining bright in the sky and served as a potential oven to cook them all in.

"Come on then," she said as she walked away, not even waiting to see if Regina would follow. She would. Eventually.

At the sound of clicking from behind her, she knew Regina had, and Emma continued on through the throne room to the side passage that led to the Sultan's private gardens. Bobolonius had given his permission for them to go wherever they pleased, within reason, and none of the guards along the way tried to stop them. It was a nice change from what she was used to when it came to traveling with the former Evil Queen; trust, without all the bullshit that came from earning it because of some nobody thinking they knew Regina better than she did.

Understandable or not, she was a little jealous that there was someone out there who did, in fact, seem to know Regina better than she did— or at least someone who knew her differently. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't miffed to find there were others who could claim a special place in the heart of the woman she loved. Emma wasn't used to sharing Regina with anyone other than Henry. Sure, there was also Rumple, and Belle, her parents, and more recently; Zelena, but none of them really counted because they were all just one, big, fucked up family in her eyes.

It didn't make sense in the grand scheme of things, she knew. The more people who loved and cared for Regina, the happier she would be and Emma was definitely all for that. She just wasn't great on the whole sharing thing, which she would have to work on sometime in the n… distant— very, very distant —future.

Emma snapped back to the present as she felt the hand slip into her own and she smiled, squeezing lightly before she pushed open the doors and led Regina into the garden.

Peace engulfed them the moment they stepped on to the path that, if followed, would weave and twist, showcasing the varied flora one might find across worlds before bringing them to an enormous fountain, a golden lamp seated high upon a pedestal of white marble, water flowing from its spout and spilling over into the basin beneath.

It was all a bit too opulent for Emma who preferred the public gardens, but it reminded her of the ones back home, where she would almost always find Regina when she wasn't huddled up in the library with her nose buried in a book, which was rare, but often enough that it was always the second place she looked for her.

Halfway down the path, Regina forced her to stop when she stopped walking, their hands still joined as Emma turned to her in question. "How are you feeling?"

Emma chuckled and joked, "Before you asked that, or after?"

Regina rolled her eyes. "I am trying to be serious," she said as she stepped in close. "Would you be upset if we returned to the Enchanted Forest today?"

At the thought of leaving so soon, Emma frowned. This was only their fourth day there and while she wasn't entirely against leaving whenever, she thought Regina might have wanted to spend more time with Zelena and Marie, considering none of them had any idea when they would see each other again.

"You want to leave?" she questioned, her frown deepening at the shake Regina gave of her head.

"Not exactly," she admitted with a small smile. "Unfortunately, Jafar's time is limited and there are a few things I've asked him to do before he leaves again."

Emma raised an eyebrow at that. She'd watched the two of them chatting amongst themselves for a few minutes, but she'd assumed it'd been more of what she witnessed when she was introduced to the genie and Regina was attempting to hide her obvious affection for him. "Like what?"

"That," Regina began, "is precisely why I wanted to talk to you." She turned as she spoke and resumed their walk, leaving Emma no choice but to follow unless she wanted to release her hand, which she most certainly did not. "I have been mulling over your father's proposal."

Emma stumbled as she blurted, "My father proposed?!"

Regina glanced back over her shoulder with a look of disgust and shook her head without word as she faced forward again. Emma hung her own head in shame. She was beginning to understand why Regina called her an idiot all the time. She'd known what Regina meant, and yet the thought popped into her head and she'd impulsively vomited it up as though she had a version of Tourette's brought on by too few brain cells.

"You're right," she said, rolling her eyes at herself. "I am an idiot."

Regina hummed and Emma could hear the smile in her voice when she agreed, "Yes, but you're my idiot."

And damn it, even when she was being mean, Emma couldn't help but love the woman. She deserved it, but Regina wasn't supposed to just come out and agree with her. Whatever happened to reassuring her, or subtly changing the subject so Emma at least didn't think she agreed with her? Whether or not she knew better was another matter entirely, but still. Regina had agreed, and Emma just about melted in response.

Scratch that, Emma had melted in response. Her heart was practically begging to be torn out of her chest, somehow sentient in its want to wrap around Regina as if it had actual arms.

Okay, that was still idiotic.

Emma sighed and cleared her throat. "So that proposal," she prompted, deciding to shut her brain down. Maybe if she stopped thinking, she'd stop spouting stupid shit. "I'm assuming you mean the one about giving back your throne?"

"That would be the one," Regina confirmed. "I believe it was something you wanted us to discuss were I to ever consider accepting it."

Emma sounded an affirmative. She had wanted that, and was afraid she wouldn't actually get that. In all honesty, if Regina had accepted without consulting her, she would have let it go. She never wanted to be someone that forced her will on someone else, and definitely not on Regina who'd had too many of her choices taken from her throughout her life.

The truth of the matter was; Regina was on point when she said the same thing to her father. What Emma wanted was to be wherever Regina and Henry were. To her, where she belonged— where she felt most at home, was not a place. Home to her was a state of being in which she was content, comfortable, happy and safe. To her, home was Regina and Henry and whatever four walls kept them warm at night, no matter where those walls happened to be.

"And you want to?" she questioned. "Accept, I mean."

Regina chose not to answer right away and Emma chose not to push. Instead, they reached the centre of the gardens where the fountain stood in all its splendour and she waited, patient as the two of them sat side by side on one of the benches, hands clasped between them.

"I never wanted to be Queen…"

Emma nodded, she knew that. She said nothing, but she knew. Regina was only ever Queen because of Cora and her thirst for power, having decided before Regina was even born that she would be Queen so that Cora could one day manipulate her from behind the scenes and ruin the lives of Regina's subjects, like she'd ruined the life of her own daughter.

Emma was glad the bitch was dead because if she wasn't, if her mother hadn't killed her, she wasn't entirely certain she would have stopped herself from doing it when she'd learned of everything Cora put Regina through.

"I was good," Regina continued. It wasn't a boast, and Emma didn't take it as one. She smiled when Regina glanced at her. "Not like your mother, of course. I had very little in the way of morals."

She chuckled and added, "I was insane, but I was a good ruler. I took care of my subjects, made sure they were safe and fed. I didn't particularly like any of them, but I maintained my Kingdom and ensured it would continue to prosper long after I was gone. Any complaints they had were about their crops and the poor weather, which may surprise you to learn, I cannot control…"

Emma gasped in mock horror and grinned when Regina used their joined hands to punch her thigh. She was sceptical; they had caused an eclipse in Neverland, after all, but she didn't mention that.

Regina sighed. "I never wanted to be Queen but I was good at it, and I…"

"Miss it," Emma finished in understanding. Regina nodded. "I get it. I mean, I only became deputy because I needed a job and— I won't lie, I only became Sheriff to piss you off…"

She paused as Regina laughed, savouring the sound before she went on. "But when we came back here, I started to miss it. All I did was chase Pongo twice a week, arrest Leroy almost every night, and fill out mountains of paperwork for my bitchy, anal-retentive boss—"

Regina punched her harder. "Hey, I said that with the utmost love," she protested and chuckled at the look Regina gave, which screamed bullshit because yeah, Emma truly had loathed her back then and she had no doubt the feeling was mutual, at least for a time.

"Aaaanyway," she drawled with a smirk. "I get why you miss it and if you want to accept my parents offer, then I'm all for it."

"You're all for it," Regina repeated, locking eyes with her.

Emma frowned at the hint of disbelief in her voice, but she nodded. "Yeah. I told you the day he offered, Regina, you're not getting rid of me that easily."

Regina breathed a sigh of what Emma assumed was relief and she suddenly understood. Regina had wanted to believe her, but after a life time of disappointment, what she wanted to believe and what she was conditioned to believe likely never coincided much. If anyone could understand that doubt, that feeling of being unworthy, unloved— that fear of abandonment, it was Emma and with that understanding came a need to be closer as she let go of Regina's hand and shifted into that minute space, sliding an arm around her waist.

"You know I love you, right?" she asked and playfully poked her in the side. Regina squirmed, shooting her a glare that fell in the next moment when Emma said, "You are… you mean everything to me and that's never gonna change."

"There is that sappy romantic again," Regina teased her, a small smile forming on her lips.

Emma shrugged and flashed a smile of her own. "You only have yourself to blame for that." Regina leaned in the second she finished speaking and kissed her, their lips soft but firm as their mouths moved tenderly against each other while neither made a move to deepen it.

When Regina eventually pulled away and smiled, all the words she hadn't said filled Emma's chest and she returned the smile before a thought occurred to her. "Wait. What does all of this have to do with Jafar? You said he was going to do something for you…"

Regina chuckled and kissed the corner of her mouth before she stood, holding out her hand. Emma accepted the offer as a look of confusion clouded her expression and she came to her feet, and Regina explained, "I think you might enjoy the surprise more if we show it to you."


Appearing in what sounded like a violent crack of thunder but was merely Jafar's version of a displacement spell, Regina and Emma flinched at the almost deafening shriek that accompanied their entrance. Regina rolled her eyes the second the smoke cleared and they landed on the blonde inches from where they stood. It was loud and extremely disorienting but that reaction was a little over the top, even for Regina, and she could be a downright diva at times.

"Dramatic, much?"

Hand held against her chest, Abigail breathed out a laugh and replied, "After that entrance? I can only assume that was a compliment."

Regina grinned, shoulder jerking up in a half shrug. "Well I am the Queen," she drawled, watching as the panic slowly faded from blue-green eyes to be replaced by adoration and hope as her Queen Regent jumped to her feet.

Abigail rushed her and Regina laughed as she was suddenly trapped in an embrace that would have taken her to the ground, if not for Emma's hand darting to the small of her back and steadying her. Abigail jerked back after a moment and gasped, "Oh, Emma. Please tell me you didn't talk her into this?"

Emma snatched her hand back and raised them both. "It was all her idea," she defended, gesturing to Regina. She brought one hand to her face and scratched the side of her nose, and Regina smirked at the nervous tell. "Well—"

"Emma," Abigail sighed in exasperation before Regina came to her rescue.

"Abigail, leave her alone," she chided in amusement. "It was Charming who reminded me you were still here against your will, and I've decided it time I return—"

Abigail tried to interrupt, but a perfectly timed rise of an eyebrow kept her silent and Regina added, "—of my own accord. Emma was merely with me when I made up my mind, and we are together, so I'd advise you go easy on her."

"Oh!" Abigail clapped her hands together and smiled brightly. "Finally! I have been rooting for the two of you for years."

Regina shared a look with Emma, and bit her lip at the expression her lover wore. She looked as though Abigail had just confessed she was a three headed hydra and Emma was waiting for her to prove it; somehow terrified and fascinated at the same time.

"As thrilling as all this is…" Regina spun on her heel, wondering how she'd forgotten Jafar. He tapped at his non-existent watch and reminded, "Tick tock, my lovelies."

"Right." Regina cleared her throat and turned back to Abigail. "I trust my vault remains intact?"

Abigail inclined her head, gaze fixed to the genie. "Of course. Are you going to—"

"Abigail, Jafar. Jafar, Abigail," Regina interjected, eyes rolling at her friend's obvious interest as she grabbed both Emma and the genie by their wrists and hauled them off to her vault.