Emma's a mindless zombie as Regina tentatively follows her across the threshold of an old, rundown studio apartment. The blonde shrugs out of her jacket and doesn't even think twice as she allows the leather to crumble into a heap of mess by her door. She lazily kicks off her boots, leaving them hazardously a stray across the floor as she stumbles numbly through the room.
Regina gently eases the door closed behind herself, so unsure if she is even invited in, but her heart is aching for the woman she cares for, knowing she's in dire need of emotional support and comfort. She bends down, gathering Emma's jacket and glancing around for a coatrack or maybe a closet to hang the garment, but she comes up short. She folds the jacket over her forearm and neatly arranges the discarded boots near the door.
Full of apprehension, she creeps further into the studio apartment, noticing a small bathroom to her left along the way. She steps deeper into the only room, eyeing the rustic modern kitchen to her right and then a queen sized bed to her left. She swallows thickly, feeling utterly out of place, especially when her mind subconsciously compares her mansion to this one-room hole in the wall. She closes her eyes and berates herself for thinking like such a snob. Of course, Emma would live in a small place such as this, she has no parents, no loved ones to share a home with and for some peculiar reason, she feels guilty about her home and all she has.
She glances back to her left, where Emma is curled up into the fetal position, under a mess of blankets that were never neatly made before the woman ran off to Storybrooke for her case. Regina spots a closet near the bed and quietly opens the door to hang up Emma's jacket.
"Do you have to go home? For Henry?" The broken voice whispers from behind her, stilling her actions.
She sighs, then peeks over her shoulder to meet the red-rimmed eyes blinking back at her. "I have to leave in the morning," she delicately confesses, but when she doesn't receive a response, she proceeds. "Would you like me to stay? Or would you rather have some space?"
Emma doesn't bother with pesky words, instead her arms are opening up beneath her blankets, her invitation obvious. Regina nods curtly, shrugging out of her own coat and hanging it beside the red leather and she must admit, to only herself, that she loves the way her peacoat looks against the red leather. She closes the door and carefully crawls into Emma's embrace. She wraps one arm around the blonde's midsection while sliding another arm beneath Emma's head. She lightly scratches the woman's scalp and frowns when Emma buries her face against her chest to seek comfort like a small child.
Remy Hadley passed away at midnight, in the comfort of Emma's arms with her father watching over her. When Regina had notified Dr. Foreman about Remy's agitated state, he called another doctor into the room. Regina eyed the man skeptically, judging, and not at all approving of his laid back attire, avoiding his white coat or any indication that he was in fact a doctor.
The man ignorantly neglected introducing himself to the room, but Mr. Hadley seemed calmer in the man's presence and clearly knew who he was. He injected some kind of medicine into Remy's IV and then offered Mr. Hadley an apologetic smile. He whispered, vowing that he kept his promise to Thirteen and then stated his condolences before he was out of the room. Emma appeared just as confused as Regina felt, but neither one questioned a thing.
Emma cried silently as Remy drifted away and when it was all over, she offered one hug to Mr. Hadley and left the hospital in a daze. Regina followed her home to ensure that she was okay, but Emma didn't speak to her the entire time, until now. She knows Emma is struggling to accept her emotions and heartache, she's just hoping the woman won't end up pushing her away during her grief.
"I'm so sorry, Al-Emma," Regina stammers, prompting the blonde to snuggle in even closer against her chest.
"I guess it's gonna take you some time to get used to my real name," Emma lightly teases to ease the tension pulsating between them like the heavy beats of her thumping heart.
"I suppose, yes."
"I'm sor-"
"Please stop apologizing, I think we need to move on and start fresh, otherwise we will drive ourselves mad obsessing over it."
"Okay."
The room falls painfully silent, except for the uneven breaths escaping Emma's mouth. Regina glances around the room, over the mess of blonde tangles, analyzing how this woman lives. The walls are an expanse of emptiness; no desire for art, and the lack of self portraits or friendly faces decorating the plain brick walls is obvious from what little Emma has described about her life to Regina. Her eyes sweep toward the windows, naked, with no blinds or curtains to dress up the room. There is not one plant throughout the apartment, nothing resembling memorabilia or something that might grant a glimpse into Emma's past. There is an obnoxiously massive television screen on the other side of the room with the most pitiful loveseat in front of it, but other than that, there's not another piece of furniture throughout the home.
And Regina's chest constricts painfully at how empty and lonely Emma's life truly is.
"I can practically hear you thinking," Emma says through a sniffle, expressing that she is still silently crying against Regina's chest, but she had no idea from how quiet she is.
"I apologize, I'm just trying to get to know the real you."
Emma's head slowly slides away from the warmth of Regina, her eyes flashing with a mix of perplexity and insecurities. "What do you mean?"
"I was simply admiring your home, trying to get a better idea of the person I have been spending my time with."
"Well, you won't find much here," Emma mumbles, nervously wrapping the comforter tighter around her shoulder to hide away the embarrassment blooming across her cheeks.
"I wouldn't necessarily say that," she hums, her fingers sneaking beneath Emma's shirt and lightly scratching against her back. "From inspecting your home, I would say you like that rustic-modern design. You're not one for clutter, yet you're still a little messy. You enjoy the simplicity in life."
"Okay, Regina," Emma mocks, hiding away her face against the silky chest before her. "You got a real knack for backhanded compliments."
"I beg your pardon?"
"I don't have a decorative bone in my body. The rustic-modern design that you claim to see, is just an old, rundown building that was turned into apartments and remodeled to sell. The simplicity of my apartment has nothing to do with my regards toward life. My house is empty because I'm an orphan and I have nothing from my childhood or from my parents to put up around the house. I have no idea how to decorate a bedroom, let alone an entire house because I never lived in a home long enough to even consider putting my own spin on it. I was bounced around between so many homes when I was younger that it wasn't worth the time or dedication just to have it ripped apart again."
"But you know this is your home now and you aren't moving, why not find some things you may enjoy and place them around your house?" Regina innocently inquires, not truly understanding the depth and the damage of growing up in the system.
"Because, this is a temporary pit stop between cases. My job requires me to basically relive my childhood all over again. I bounce around from town to town, pretending to be someone I'm not just to blend in and try not to get kicked to the curb. I'm hardly ever here. I go from case to case, town to town, apartment to apartment."
"Why do you sound so angry about it all?" Regina investigates from the bite in Emma's tone, confused as to why this woman would choose a career that obviously triggers horrible memories of her past?
Emma jerks away, leaning on one elbow and peering deep into dark eyes to ensure she has her undivided attention. "Because I am angry. I'm livid. I'm just now realizing how I chose a career that was identical to my childhood because it was familiar and easy to adapt to. And now, you came along and flipped my whole way of thinking upside down. I don't know what to do anymore. I don't think I can honestly go back to being an undercover cop while attempting to balance a relationship with you."
"I see," she shakily replies, self-conscious about what this all means for her future with Emma. Slowly, she leans on her elbow as well, so she doesn't feel as vulnerable and exposed lying down as they venture on through the conversation. "So, you don't believe it's wise if we continue this?"
"No, that's not at all what I'm saying," Emma exasperates, her eyes falling closed for a moment while Regina exhales slowly. "Look, obviously I was removed from the case. I'm on leave for the next two weeks to get my shit together, but I don't think I can go back undercover."
"Well, why don't you take the next two weeks to think about it?"
"No, Regina, if I want a real relationship with you, I can't," she stresses, gazing deeply into her concerned eyes. "Sometimes I'm gone for months at a time and I wouldn't be able to contact you. Not to mention the danger I'm in sometimes. I couldn't do that to you and Henry, you have enough stress in your lives already," she sadly says, her head resting against her own shoulder as her fingers curl a chunk of hair behind Regina's ear, filling her nervous heart with adoration for this adorable blonde.
"So, what will you do?"
"I don't know. Maybe I can just work as a detective or maybe I can go back to patrolling the streets, I don't know," she sighs heavily and the darkness of stress circling beneath her eyes, breaks Regina's heart.
"Like I said, you have time to think about your future during the next two weeks. Now is not the time to be worrying about any of that," she orders, guiding the distraught woman to lay back down in her arms. "Come on, let's try and get some rest," she urges, but her phone is unexpectedly demanding her attention and tearing through the intimate moment.
"You sure Henry's okay?"
"Yes, but I'm just going to double check my phone."
"That's fine," Emma mumbles, grazing the tip of her nose against the ample cleavage on full display before her.
Regina smirks to herself and retrieves the phone from her back pocket. Behind Emma's head, she discovers a message from Ruby, which she finds rather odd, this late at night. Her brows crinkle in wonderment as she opens up the message.
Hey, I just closed Granny's for the night, sorry for the late text. Henry and Robin told me Ally had a family emergency and you are with her now. Thought I should give a heads up, her ex-husband came in here tonight, snooping around for her. I think he wants her back!
"Emma?"
"Hmmm?"
"Seems your ex is in Storybrooke, paid a little visit to Granny's this evening and was looking for you," she casually says.
"Yeah, I know," is all the blonde reveals and Regina knows right away by her careless tone that it has everything to do with the case and she already anticipated all of that. And when she doesn't say another word, Regina knows her lips are bound by her career and that it must all have to do with the case.
Regina quickly types out a thanks and her gratitude, keeping the message simple because she doesn't want to lie to her best friend, but she also doesn't want to cause more problems for Emma's case.
"Ruby wanted me to inform you that he wants you back."
Emma wiggles her way closer, wrapping one arm around Regina and holding her impossibly close. "Yeah, well, I'm taken."
Regina smiles to herself, completely satisfied with the answer and tosses her phone somewhere behind her. "I like the sound of that," Regina seductively flirts, sliding her hands on both sides of Emma's face and pulling her into a slow, meaningful kiss, that ends far too soon. "I want to know more about you," she finds herself demanding before she truly processes her train of thought.
"There's not much to tell," Emma sheepishly responds, shrugging carelessly and doing what she does best, deflecting, which entails her sweeping her tongue teasingly through the swell of Regina's perky breasts.
"Let me be the judge of that. You said yourself, you're not great at relationships and you are very accustomed to pushing people away," she reiterates, cupping a pale cheek and urging green eyes to meet hers. "I want you to be open with me."
"Okay..." Emma trails off and a beautiful shade of pink highlights her cheekbones.
"I'll start with something easy, your favorite food?"
"Well, it was grilled cheese until you made those tacos, ugh, and that guacamole dip...can you make those again soon?" She innocently asks, batting her thick, long lashes and Regina finds herself falling deeper for this incredibly sexy, yet adorable woman.
"Of course." Regina smiles, lightly pecking her lips against the frown that's really struggling to portray a smile under the unfortunate circumstances. "Why did you become an undercover cop?" She whispers against the hot flesh dragging slowly against her mouth.
"I wanted to save the world."
"You saved mine and Henry's," she vows without skipping a beat, before pressing her lips more firmly against Emma's, causing the woman to whimper in response.
Emma slips her greedy hand beneath Regina's shirt, molding her palm into the small of her back before easily pulling Regina's body on top of hers. Regina doesn't need her eyes open to see the cocky smirk curling around Emma's mouth as they share a passionate kiss. This woman expertly guides plump lips apart and eagerly dips her tongue into Regina's mouth. However, Regina slowly breaks away from the kiss, confusing Emma by the expression on her face.
"Nothing is going to happen tonight, you're vulnerable, and-" Emma cuts off her speech with a gentle peck to her lips.
"Okay," she wholeheartedly agrees, "what else do you want to know?" She softly questions with fear swelling in her eyes, informing Regina that this is something she never does.
"May I ask about your childhood?" She gently inquires, gazing down upon a nose with a splash of scattered freckles that she never quite noticed before.
"Ummm...I guess..."
"How many homes were you in altogether?"
"I don't know, I stopped counting after ten."
Regina swallows, creating an audible gulp that neither one can ignore. Green eyes flicker from glossy to urgent in a split second, like Emma is mentally trying to run away from Regina's concerned gaze upon her.
"I'm-"
"Please don't say you're sorry. I hate feeling pitied and it's not your fault," Emma coldly remarks, her body buzzing with an anxious energy that's begging her to run as far away as possible, yet she's staying, and that means everything to Regina.
"Thank you for sharing. May I ask why you weren't sent to live with your grandparents?"
"I don't remember much. From what I was told, my parents were foster kids themselves. They found love in each other and created a home and a family right away. Seems the universe has a cruel sense of humor," she bitterly sneers and even though it's not directed toward Regina, she feels the intensity and understands that Emma has reached her limit.
And tonight is certainly not the night to pick at old wounds.
"Thank you for opening up, I know how difficult that is for you," Regina whispers, just as the softest lips connect with hers for another slow kiss.
"Regina, please," Emma sadly whimpers into the kiss, provoking a thousand different questions to flash across Regina's mind as to what this woman is asking for. Regina hums softly, her bottom lip dragging tentatively up Emma's bottom lip, dipping in the middle before skimming across her top lip. "If you have any doubts, leave now. I-"
"I don't have any doubts," she vows with conviction, sealing her declaration with a fierce kiss that sucks all the air out of the room.
Emma's fingers swim through Regina's hair, cupping the back of her head and holding her into place as her tongue sweeps so perfectly against Regina's warm muscle.
"I'm falling in love with you," Emma murmurs so quietly that if the words weren't tumbling into Regina's mouth, she would have missed them.
Regina's body moves to its own accord, needing to be closer to the woman that feels so deeply for her. She thrusts her hips, while her chest meshes deliciously against Emma's and they both moan so softly into the kiss. Emma's body is right there, meeting her in the middle and Regina can't help but feel little tingles of excitement running rampant through her blood. She feels the sensation exploding through every inch of her skin and warming her cold and broken soul.
"I am falling for you too, Emma Swan," she says her name with purpose, so this shattered woman below knows damn well, that she is falling head over heels for her and not some fake persona she was.
In the end, Emma was right all along, she's still the same loving, caring person she was falling in love with. The only thing that has truly changed is her name, nothing else matters. She's still the one that opened her son up and encouraged him to speak again. She's still the woman that sat there and allowed Regina to pour all her problems on. Emma is still the woman that sat with her, beside her mother's bed and reunited grandmother and grandson again. She's still the one who holds her close and chases away her demons and kisses her like there's not another soul on this planet that is meant for her heart. And she's still the woman she thinks about the moment she wakes up and the woman that clouds her mind as she drifts off to sleep.
She's in love with Emma Swan and she'll be damned if she allows this opportunity to slip away.