A/N: Sorry for the delay in this - COVID19 is making it really hard to get any writing done with my work schedule in overdrive, but I'm trying to write whenever I have a chance for my own mental sanity and to be able to put stuff out there for people to read while they're social distancing. It's a super short chapter because it was either post a short one now, or wait until I get the rest of Day 98 done, which may not be for a few more weeks, depending on how things go at work and with the pandemic. I hope you and your friends and family are all staying safe and healthy!

20. Regina: Day 99

Regina wakes up and realizes she's in a much different position than she fell asleep in the night before — she remembers cozying up to Emma in a moment of vulnerability, but now the blonde is pressed against her back, an arm draped across her waist. She knows that she can't put off the conversation she's been dreading much longer, but she tries to enjoy the feeling of Emma's steady breathing tickling the back of her neck, since she's not sure where they will stand after they have that much-needed talk.

She lays like that for a little while longer, gently playing with the stitching on the sleeve of Emma's flannel pajama top, enjoying the weight of the arm wrapped around her waist. She can feel Emma shifting slightly behind her, settling into the pillow and scooting a little closer. She's not sure if the blonde is awake or unconsciously repositioning herself, so Regina moves to interlace their fingers. When she feels Emma's fingers flex in hers and the grip of her arm tugging her closer, she knows the other woman isn't truly asleep. "Tell me what you're thinking?" Regina says softly, more of a question than a command.

"You smell good," Emma sleepily replies, burying her nose into the brunette's hair.

"It's the shampoo my mom leaves in the bathroom here. It's lavender scented."

"It's nice. I like your usual apple stuff, too, don't get me wrong, but this is relaxing," Emma says, her voice rough and dry from a long night's sleep.

Regina turns to look over her shoulder, surprised. "You know what my regular shampoo smells like?"

"Of course," Emma says, not bothering to open her eyes. "You're a little bit shorter than me, so I get a whiff of it every time we hug or pose for a photo."

Regina chuckles as she rolls back to her previous position on her side. "You didn't answer my question," she says quietly. "You just deflected."

"You asked what I was thinking about, and I told you: I'm thinking that your hair smells good."

Regina scoffs at the non-answer and starts to pick at that loose thread on the flannel sleeve with her free hand.

"And now I'm thinking that I'm hungry," Emma adds, just as her stomach growls. "I smell bacon."

"Your nose is working overtime this morning," Regina comments. She looks at the clock on the nightstand. "Breakfast won't be ready for another 20 minutes. My mother has a strict schedule for Christmas morning every year."

"I see," Emma says, making no effort to loosen her grip on Regina's waist. "I'm thinking…" Emma says at last. "That I'm really comfortable."

Regina chuckles under her breath. "Yeah, my mom always goes for the best mattresses."

"That's not want I meant," Emma says. "I meant this," she clarifies, tugging on Regina's waist just enough to pull her a millimeter closer.

Regina smiles despite herself, rolling over to fully face the blonde sharing her bed, only inches separating them. "Emma…" she starts, looking down briefly because the eye contact is too intense. "Yesterday, you said that this was messing with your head. What did you mean by that?"

Emma swallows audibly, fidgeting with the top of the bedsheet that's pulled up over their stomachs. "We slept together, Regina. That isn't in the contract. It is explicitly not part of the contract. That kiss yesterday is definitely not part of it. This," she says, gesturing between them and their intimate positioning, "is not part of it."

"Are you uncomfortable with it? You can always say 'no'. I won't be offended," Regina says, pulling back to give Emma more space.

"No, it's not that at all," she says quickly. "Regina, I'm gay. Like, I'm a super hella gold star lesbian. And you're not. But, you're gorgeous, and you obviously must know that I find you attractive. I wouldn't have slept with you if I didn't. But, I'm not an actor and I'm new to this whole entertainment business thing, so this whole scenario is so bizarre to me. And it's hard for me to separate what's part of the contracted relationship and what, if anything, might not be. But, we've been spending so much time together that it's all getting muddled, and it's confusing to me. I'm trying not to let it affect me and to remember that you're an actress, but…"

"But…" Regina asks, trying not to get her hopes up.

"But, it's hard not to let it get to me, and it does mess with my head. It's confusing trying to sort it all out. Yesterday, at the park, it was just too much. That felt real."

"It was," Regina reassures her. "That wasn't part of an act, Emma."

"Regina, you're straight," Emma responds, pointing out the obvious.

"I thought so too, but, maybe I'm not totally…maybe I'm bisexual? I don't know. All I've know is that yesterday I really wanted to kiss you, and not for some stupid contractual obligation. And last weekend, well, you know what I wanted to do then."

"Right," Emma chuckles.

"Emma, do you…do you have feelings for me?" Regina asks hesitantly. She then clarifies, "Not just like the 'you think I'm hot and would want to fuck me after a drunken night out' feelings, but like actual feelings?"

"Honestly? I don't know. Like I said, it's confusing not only trying to work out what you're doing and thinking, but also trying to figure out what I feel. This isn't a situation I've been in before, so I don't know what to make of it. I don't even know what's real on my end and what's a side effect of the contract requirements."

Regina bites her lip in contemplation as she looks at the green eyes staring back at her. "Well then, maybe this will help?" she asks as she leans in, placing a soft kiss on pale lips and giving the other woman plenty of time to stop her. Instead, Emma reciprocates, deepening the kiss until Regina pulls back and raises a brow. "Did that help?" she smirks as she looks at the stunned blonde below her.

"I think so," Emma replies, a light blush tinting her cheeks.

"You think so?" she sasses, leaning back down toward her. "Would another test help?"

"Oh, it definitely would," Emma says, surprising Regina when she takes the lead. The next thing Regina knows, Emma's wrapping her arms around her neck and pulling her on top of her, letting their motions say more than words ever could. Regina moves to straddle Emma, sneaking her hands under Emma's pajama shirt across the smooth skin of her abdomen, working their way upward as she presses her hips down into Emma's.

"Regina, Emma, breakfast!" Henry's voice calls from down the hall.

"Damn it," Regina sighs, sitting up and looking down at an out of breath Emma.

"Later," Emma promises.