Robin jogged down the sidewalk and came up to Emma, "Hey Emma, can I ask you a question?"

Emma raised an eyebrow at the man dating the woman she loved, "What's up?"

Robin sighed and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand, "Well…I was wondering…is it common for women to hate cuddling?"

Emma raised her eyebrow, "uhmm…every woman is different. I guess it's not uncommon for women to hate cuddling. Why?"

Robin sighed and slumped his shoulders, "Because Regina absolutely hates cuddling! I really want to cuddle with her, but she won't let me!"

Emma smirked, "I don't know…maybe it's just you…I feel like Regina is a total cuddler."

Robin sighed, "No. She's not." Emma kept smirking at Robin and said, "Maybe she's just a closet cuddler." She snorted as she said it.

Robin shook his head, "No. She told me it makes her feel unsafe and trapped whenever anyone tries to cuddle with her. She said even if she is in her own house, she still doesn't feel safe enough. She has major panic attacks when someone cuddles her."

Emma raised her eyebrow, "I doubt that. She seems like the type who loves cuddling!" Emma was having fun getting Robin riled up.

Robin ran his hand through his hair and started raising his voice while pacing, "No! One time I tried cuddling her and she immediately started pulling away. When I tried to keep her in my arms, she started hyperventilating. I stopped trying for a while and then one time when I went over there, she was taking a nap in her bed. I tried cuddling up to her, thinking since she was asleep, she would be okay with it, but immediately her breathing quickened and when she completely woke up, she started hyperventilating! This is ridiculous! I should be able to cuddle with my girlfriend!" He sighed, calming down, "But…I guess…at least it's not something wrong with me. When I asked Henry about it, he told me that he hasn't cuddled with her since he was super little, and it was her holding him. He said that one time, when Graham was over, Graham tried cuddling with Regina, and she had a panic attack. Henry said that when he asked her about it, she told him the same thing she told me. She feels unsafe."

Emma was starting to get annoyed with how calm Robin was getting and so she said, "I still think she enjoys cuddling."

Robin glared at Emma, "Are you not hearing me?!" he shouted.

Emma smirked, "Oh, I hear you alright."

Robin smirked and said, "Fine. You wanna be like that, let's see you try to cuddle with her."

Getting angry that he had a cocky smirk on his face, without thinking she shouted, "Fine, I will!"

The two of them started walking towards the mansion while subtly glaring at each other before walking faster and faster. Once they arrived, Robin opened the gate and stood back with a grin to let Emma go first. Emma rolled her eyes and walked up the walkway.

Opening the door, Emma called out, "Regina?"

Robin followed Emma in and walked quietly behind her. Emma looked back at him and rolled her eyes, realizing he was going to try and stay out of sight. Walking into the office, Emma spotted Regina.

Emma looked into Regina's eyes and ran to her. Pulling Regina into her arms and sitting on the couch, Emma asked, "What's wrong? Why do you look so upset?"

Regina sighed and cuddled into Emma's neck while sitting on her lap. She said, "I don't know…I just woke up this morning feeling off."

Emma nodded and held Regina tighter. Regina wound her arms around Emma's shoulders while burying her face in Emma's neck.

Emma gave a little squeeze and asked, "I thought you hated cuddling?" She had a slight lift in her voice to keep the mood light.

Regina gave a little huff and said, "I do."

Emma started to let go of Regina and pull away when Regina shouted, "No!" and buried herself further into Emma's arms. Emma smirked and looked over Regina's shoulder to Robin who was peeking his head in the doorway looking annoyed.

Emma decided to get cocky and said, "I thought you felt unsafe when you cuddle? Isn't that what you said? That even your own house doesn't feel safe enough to cuddle in?"

Regina nodded into Emma's neck and said, "You're right. My house isn't safe enough. My vault isn't either."

Emma gave a little puff of breath, rubbing Regina's back, she asked, "Then why are you okay with it right now?"

Regina immediately answered by saying, "My house isn't my safe place, you are."

Emma looks up, shocked, and sees Robin. He bows his head and quietly walks out the door.

Emma squeezes Regina tighter and Regina says, "I feel more safe with you than I ever have in my life. I know I am safe with you. You would never hurt me like the king did. You wouldn't ever hurt me the way my mother did with her magic. Since meeting you, whenever I was in danger, you were always the one there to save me. You have been there for me from the beginning, even when we hated each other. I feel like…as long as I'm with you…I feel safe. I feel at peace. Right now, in your arms, I don't feel anxious. I don't feel trapped. I don't feel unsafe. I just feel…loved." She whispered the last word and Emma tightened her arms around Regina and buried her face in Regina's hair.

"Thank you for letting me be your safe place." Emma replied.

Regina quietly asked, "Forever?"

Emma smiled into Regina's hair and whispered back, "And always."

And for the first time since the day she was born, Regina allowed herself to completely relax her body into the safety of another's arms.