"Regina, I'm fine," Emma claims, her bloodshot eyes extra watery as she peeks up from her cup of coffee and she might have been able to pull off the lie if her voice wasn't struggling to escape her swollen throat.

"You aren't fine and you need to rest," Regina insists, swiftly stealing Emma's coffee away and it's a shame the blonde's reflexes have been weighed down by her sickness. "You should be drinking this instead," she demands, sliding a new cup underneath the pout aimed her way.

"Tea? I hate tea," her roommate whines, the heel of her palm rubbing against her watery eyes.

"Well, too bad. There is extra lemon to cut the infection and honey to soothe you, just drink it."

Emma skeptically eyes her and Regina can feel the heat rising to her own cheeks because she knows why the blonde is scrutinizing her. It has everything to do with their heavy and private conversation at the clinic two days ago. She understands Emma well enough now to know she hates being pitied. She's a strong, stubbornly independent woman that has been taking care of herself since she was three-years-old and she's not about to allow just anyone to barge into her life and help her.

Except, Regina doesn't pity her, in fact she admires her independence and strength. She just...well, she's feeling this pull toward the woman and her heart is twisting every time she sees Emma sniffle and wipe at her tired watery eyes. She can't stop herself from wanting to take care of her friend. Yet, there's a sensation filling in her heart, it feels like possession and it's quietly informing her that Emma is hers and she needs to protect her at all costs.

"I get what you're doing," Emma grumbles, propping her head lazily against her fist.

"I'm just trying to take care of you, since you won't take care of yourself. Please stop fighting me," she exasperates, her patience wearing thin after two days of trying to convince Emma to take care of herself.

"I am."

"Working out, drinking coffee and eating bags of chips is not taking care of yourself," she explains gently, trying not to sound too scolding when she knows Emma has no idea how to slow down in life.

"Look, I appreciate you trying to be nice because of what I told you at the clinic, but-"

"Emma, that's not what this is," Regina rejects the assumption, sliding into the seat next to her roommate at the kitchen table. "Here, under one roof with Lennox, it makes us a family. A dysfunctional one," she muses, provoking a small smirk to tug at the corner of Emma's dainty mouth, "but it's still a family," she declares with conviction. "And that means that we help each other out when the other is in need, right?"

"I guess so."

"It does," she growls, narrowing her eyes until Emma chuckles and nods along hopelessly. "Alright, so that means when you are sick, I will shove tea down your throat and make homemade soup and nag about you taking your medicine."

"And I do all that when you get sick?" Emma curiously inquires and never has she appeared so young to Regina.

"I don't get sick, dear," she smugly replies, patting Emma's head like a puppy, until she realizes the heat and pauses. "Emma, you're hot."

"Just like you to hit on me when I'm at my weakest and can't do anything about it."

Regina purses her lips, unamused at the moment from the concern coursing through her veins.

"Come on, I think you need to take some medicine and get into bed."

"I'm fine," Emma immediately waves her off, moving to sip her tea. "Dr. Love said I wouldn't suffer."

Regina rolls her eyes. "You have ten minutes to drink that tea and then up to bed."

"Ten minutes?" Emma mumbles into her mug, her eyebrows jumping at the flavor she is actually enjoying.

"Yes, you are supposed to drink all of it in fifteen minutes for the medicine to work."

"You drugged me?" Emma muses, a smile pulling at her lips from how amused she truly is.

"It's specifically for sore throats and fever."

"Regina, if you wanted to get me in bed, all you had to do was ask, you didn't need to drug me."

"Okay, clearly the fever has gone straight to your head," Regina deadpans, but the smirk playing at her lips sells her out. "The heat is frying your brain."

Emma's eyes suddenly appear extra droopy, but she manages to lift the mug again and slowly sip her steaming tea. "The heat in my body is always this hot whenever you're around."

"You're an idiot."

"Ah, but I'm your idiot now," she happily concludes, eyeing Regina over the cup, despite her heavy lids.

Regina inhales sharply to stop the fluttering in her heart and she knows her organ is about to fly away because yes, yes Emma is her idiot now.

"That you are, Miss Swan," she teases, her fingers moving all by themselves to brush those tangled locks away from her friend's shoulder.

Green eyes track her every move and Regina cannot ignore the way the blonde shivers in response. Her first instinct is to assume it's just the fever tormenting the blonde within, but the longing in those watery eyes convinces her it has nothing to do with the illness and everything to do with her touch.

Regina connects with Emma's gaze, searching for an answer, even a clue as to what might be fumbling around in that scatterbrain of hers. Except, there is a screeching coming from upstairs, crackling through their intense gaze, and ending the moment like a bucket of ice dumped upon their heads.

"Looks like goober is up," Emma mumbles, nervously folding her legs upon the chair and Regina hates herself for finding the action so endearing.

She secretly loves how Emma can never sit properly on a chair.

"I'm going to get her," Regina announces as she slowly stands from the chair, not wanting to end their private moment. "When I get back that tea better be gone."

"Are you sure you didn't drug me? I feel kinda loopy," Emma slurs, encouraging Regina to rush up the stairs and back down before Emma knocks out cold from the medicine.

XXXX

Regina ushered Emma upstairs around ten in the morning and the blonde was out cold within five minutes. She spent the rest of her late morning with Lennox, feeding her, changing not only her diaper, but pajamas soaked in sweat as well. Luckily, her goddaughter was feeling hungry today and ate the oatmeal with fresh blueberries without a fight.

Lennox was feeling a bit more coherent and actually played today with Regina, but by one o'clock her green eyes were drooping just like another set of emerald eyes earlier that day. So, she placed Lennox back in her crib for a nap and she was out faster than Emma was.

When she quietly snuck out of Lennox's room, she heard Emma mumbling from down the hall. She thought there would be no harm in checking on the woman, so she crept inside the dark room, finding Emma curled up, still fast asleep.

So, she snuck back downstairs to start preparing her homemade soup for the girls later for when they wake up. As she worked swiftly through the kitchen, she moved mostly on autopilot, so damn torn on where her life is headed. And it was all because of a bouquet of pink and white flowers sitting on her countertop, taunting her.

Ivy had sent the bouquet the morning after their first date and she has yet to call the woman and thank her. She had been so busy and preoccupied with a very sick Lennox and slowly declining Emma that she just hadn't found the time. She had the time then and there while cooking, but her mind was too busy to make the connection.

It wasn't until four o'clock when she finished cooking and snuck back upstairs to check on the girls. Lennox was sprawled out on her back, her thin lips parted as she gently breathed through her peaceful dream. Regina quietly snuck out of her room again and decided to wake Emma up to eat something.

Except, when she found Emma curled up in the fetal position, her finger running up and down her nose while she slept just as soundly as Lennox, Regina couldn't wake her.

It's been a half an hour and Regina is still sitting next to Emma on the bed, resting against the headboard while she tries to make sense of her head and feelings.

"How long have you been watching me sleep?" Emma murmurs, her voice extra groggy and broken from her sore throat.

"I wasn't watching you," Regina scoffs. "I've only been here a few minutes. I was just about to wake you. I made soup."

"Mmmm," she hums, half-asleep, half not trusting in Regina's claim.

"Can I ask you something?" She gently questions, sliding down in the bed and turning on her side to face her friend. Emma's eyebrows rise, but she doesn't respond. "Will you answer without getting all Emma on me?"

"Mmkay."

"I have noticed when you come home, very late, from a stressful day at work, your index finger rubs up and down your nose when you mindlessly watch television. And now as you slept, you did the same thing." Emma creates an audible gulp. "Is it a nervous habit?"

"I guess," Emma shrugs. "I honestly didn't know I still do it."

"Really?"

"No."

"But you remember doing it as a child?" Regina softly whispers in the heavy space between them.

"Yes," Emma hesitates, clenching her pillow tighter and squirming even smaller into a ball. "I was found on the side of the road when I was a newborn." Regina's face instantly falls. "I was in a hand-knit blanket with the name Emma embroidered on the side. I-uh, when I was scared in a new home, I would hide away, holding onto my blanket and I don't know, I guess it was soothing to feel the soft blanket against my nose."

"Do you still have your baby blanket?" She carefully asks, understanding how sentimental it was for Emma.

Emma shakes her head before her voice squeaks out a small, "no." And Regina wants to hold her close from how young and broken she sounds.

"Did you lose it?"

"No, I would have never misplaced it. I was in a home with a nasty drunk." Her face is already curling in disgust. "I was twelve and he thought I was too old for a security blanket. He was drunk one night and threw it into the fireplace just to be a dick."

"Emma, that's awful, I am so sorry-"

"It's fine. I punched the guy in the nose and then I was sent to a new home the next day. That's when I met August."

"Still, Emma-"

"Anyways, after that, I guess my body still searched for that comfort, so now I rub my finger down my nose instead of the blanket. I really didn't know that I still do it though. I thought I stopped a long time ago."

"I wasn't pointing it out to be cruel, I was just curious."

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like what?"

"That look you always give me."

"I have a look?" Regina investigates, slightly amused with one eyebrow drifting up her forehead.

"Yeah, it's the one where you aren't quite sure if you wanna slap me and shove me into a wall or maybe shove me up against a wall and fuck me," Emma so boldly comments, causing Regina to flinch.

"You really are ridiculous sometimes, you know that?"

"I can see it in your eyes when you look at me. You're conflicted," Emma confidently says and Regina's mouth pops open to argue, but she rushes on. "You're conflicted because on paper the doctor is everything you have ever hoped and dreamed for, but she doesn't make your heart thunder. She doesn't make your knees go weak, or make your palms sweat or drive you absolutely mad."

"Emma-"

"But I do," she vows, her voice cracking on the admission. "It's thrilling, enticing and completely reckless and I'm everything you despise and never wanted in your life. She's everything you want, yet everything I'm not."

"Emma-" Regina pleads with her to stop because she doesn't think she can handle whatever this woman is about to share by that desperate look in her eyes and the wetness clinging to her own.

"I see it in your eyes, you're terrified and I know this because I recognize the same fear in my own eyes. But I can't stop my heart from wanting to jump out of my chest and reach for you every time you walk passed me. I can't stop my knees from growing weak every time you flash that cocky smirk my way. I can't stop the way my palms become clammy every time you touch me. I can't stop anymore," Emma whispers as she presses her lips to Regina's and silences the gasp that was just escaping.

Regina's eyes expand from the unexpected kiss, but every thought vanishes in an instant and it's all because of the way Emma is kissing her. She thought this woman would be rough and demanding and so full of herself when she kisses, but she's not. Emma is timid, shy, delicate and patient and Regina melts completely for this woman. For a split second, she yells at herself for allowing her lips to press against the germ infested ones before her, but that thought immediately disappears when her own body automatically drifts closer to the woman.

Emma carefully cups Regina's jaw, her thumb caressing her cheek tenderly and much to Regina's surprise, she's not pushing for more. Regina finds her own hand wandering without her permission, latching onto a sharp hipbone to keep her from completely floating away in the moment.

At a painstakingly slow pace, Emma ends the kiss just to brush her lips against Regina's once again. The room is silent and the atmosphere is crackling from the intensity of the moment. Everything feels like it's dragging in slow motion and she's finding it almost impossible to breathe, but she never wants to leave these dainty lips again. Just one taste, barely even a taste and she's obsessed with the feel of Emma.

And there it is. The heart thundering in her chest like the middle of a summer storm. Her palms sweating and itching to touch every inch of skin. Her knees are going weak, quivering and she's suddenly thankful that she's already laying down. Then comes the fluttering in her gut and the clenching of her thighs and she knows right then and there that nobody will ever compare. Nobody will ever electrify every part of her body the way Emma does.

She doesn't know how to express her feelings, so she squeezes Emma's hip and jerks her closer. She feels the blossoming smile against her mouth, but it's giddy, not at all cocky like she anticipated. Emma inhales sharply and dives forward for a more firm kiss before she is pulling away, forcing Regina's overly charged heart to plummet.

"As much as I would love to continue. I am sick and I shouldn't have even kissed you right now, but," Emma pauses, trapping her bottom lip between her teeth.

"You can't stop yourself anymore," Regina finishes while green eyes memorize her face.

"No," Emma chuckles softly, her voice barely making it out into the world. "I really, really can't."

"Come on, you need some soup and liquids," she says, already rolling off the bed before Emma wraps her fingers around her bicep and stops her.

"Wait, don't you want to like...talk..."

"The very last thing I want to do right now is talk," Regina declares, because truthfully, she has no idea what to say in response to that kiss.

Emma is right, she is everything she never wanted, but all her heart desires and Regina is absolutely torn between the picture perfect doctor and that bed hopping player that can very easily shatter her heart.

"Okay," Emma murmurs because for once in her life, the first time ever, she wants to talk.

Instead, she follows Regina out the door, not wanting to smother the woman and scare her away.

XXXX

So, as it goes, neither one has the courage to say what they want, both too terrified of the outcome and too stubborn to completely surrender. However, their dynamic shifts and neither one seems to be stopping it.

"I am so full," Emma groans from her curled up position on the couch. "But that soup was so delicious."

"Thank you." Regina is sitting on the floor in front of her stomach, leaning against the couch with Lennox sitting upon her lap. She snatches the pacifier away from Lennox and scowls. "This is yucky! You don't want this, gross!" She playfully teases, eliciting the most contagious baby giggle ever.

Lennox is cracking up, but she leans forward, her lips tentatively reaching out for the paci once again, but Regina is quick to jerk it away.

"Gross!" She demands again, coaxing Lennox into those full belly laughs that are uncontrollable.

Emma snickers behind her shoulder while Regina tries to keep a straight face for this silly game she has found herself in with her goddaughter.

"Say, Gi-na, and I'll give you this icky thing," she says, her face scrunching up in disgust which only provokes Lennox to giggle even harder. "Gina!"

Lennox scrutinizes her, those big green eyes shimmering in amusement, but instead of trying to say her aunt's name, she lunges forward to steal the pacifier with only her mouth.

"You little stinker!" Regina growls, her fingers quickly digging into Lennox's sides and causing her to laugh so hard, tears are rolling down her cheeks.

"Oh my god, she's so slap happy tonight," Emma laughs, almost just as hard. "Gimme that paci," she commands, jumping right into the game and lightly tugging on the pacifier, but Lennox bites down and giggles all the more. "Hey! Gimme it, you little butt!"

Regina is desperately trying not to laugh, but those baby giggles are far too amusing. "Auntie Emma, you don't want that, it's gross."

"Ewww, baby germs," Emma playfully complains and they all belt out full-belly laughs at how hard Lennox giggles.

"Oh, you precious weirdo," Regina laughs, pressing a kiss to Lennox's forehead. "She takes after you, you know?" Regina muses, never craning her neck to see the stupid grin consuming the sickly woman's face.

"I'll take being your precious weirdo any day," Emma husks directly behind Regina's ear before placing a discreet peck right there.

"Of course you will, you weirdo." Emma only laughs in response, watching as Regina sets Lennox on the ground beside her and stands. "Okay little girl, it's almost night-nighttime. Emma, I'm going to put the clothes in the dryer before I take her up."

"I got her," Emma confirms Regina's unspoken question. As Regina turns around, Lennox slowly stands up. "Ummmm," she doesn't know what else to say, she doesn't want to spook Lennox again from walking.

However, Regina peeks over her shoulder having an idea as to why Emma cannot find her words. She smirks, then takes a small step forward, ignoring her goddaughter. Lennox doesn't move. She purses her lips and takes another step. No movement. Another step. Another step, and then when she's near the hallway that leads to the laundry room, Lennox takes a step.

Emma leans off the couch, like she's ready to dive forward and save Lennox in case she trips or her little legs give out. Regina's smile takes over her entire face, but other than that, she doesn't react. She takes another step forward, Lennox follows. She steals another small step, Lennox mimics her.

Emma begins chuckling again, trying so hard not to distract the new walker, but it's so dam cute watching Lennox sneak in Regina's footsteps.

Very slowly, Regina pivots to face Lennox. She places one hand on her hip and wags a finger in her goddaughter's direction. "Are you following me?" She playfully teases, inspiring Lennox to giggle uncontrollably once again. "Come here, baby girl," she softly encourages and just like that, Lennox happily walks right up to her.

Regina scoops her right up as Emma jumps off the couch and rushes to them. She presses a firm kiss to Lennox's temple and doesn't even care that her eyes are filling with tears of joy.

"You walked! You finally walked, you stinker!" Emma gushes, placing a hand over Regina's, against Lennox's back and kissing the other side of her goddaughter's head.

"Oh baby, we are so proud of you," she praises, her eyes fluttering closed as she relishes in the embrace of just the three of them while Emma presses a kiss to her temple as well.

And now, they really do feel like a family.