Disclaimer in Chapter 1

Chapter 17

Cora and Ingrid were all set to head off to the spa for a couple of days. Henry had come back with Evie giving Ingrid a chance to say goodbye. Evie while she was going to miss her mother was secretly excited as she was going to get to spend time with her new best friend Gina. Also, she loved spending time with Henry. He was so good with her. The two ladies were on the way out to the car. Ingrid pulls Emma aside.

"I just wanted to tell you that I am so proud of you. You are a wonderful person Emma. I am so proud of who you have become. You put everyone else before yourself but right now you need to put yourself first and fight for that wonderful woman over there," Ingrid says nodding towards where Regina was standing with Evie on her hip.

"You deserve to be happy like I was. My happy was having you and now Evie. Your happy has always been her. You don't get second chances in this life Emma. Take this one and trust in this strange family unit we have around us here and trust the police in Allensville and here that this will all work out. I want you to keep me in the loop from now on," she finishes as she bends Emma's head to kiss her forehead. Emma hugs her and steps back beside Regina.

"Oh, and Evie," Ingrid adds while looking sternly at her four-year-old daughter who was happily perches on Regina's hip "I am leaving the ice cream monitor here and I will see on my phone how much you haven't eaten while I am gone."

Evie's eyebrows raise into her hair and she gulps. Emma and Regina laugh. They wave them off and head inside. Evie gets down and heads off after Henry to the study where he has drawing paper. Evie sits herself at the small coffee table that is in there drawing while Henry places himself in the arm chair with a book. The image is so cute as the odd pair happily spend time together.

"Ok babe, how about dinner?" Emma says.

"Did you learn to cook while you were gone?" Regina questions.

"You have no idea what I am capable of," Emma smirks back to her. They head to the kitchen and Emma begins to prepare dinner. Regina tries to help which results in Emma catching her and lifting her and placing her on a stool at the counter. Regina is giggling and laughing at her antics. Emma goes back to making her speciality dish chicken piccata. Regina is impressed, and she does find it hot watching Emma cook. Emma wasn't a bad cook really, she just tended to get distracted and burn something easily. She watched Emma work diligently to make sure everything was perfect. As she watched her a thought came to her mind.

"Emma, you told me about how you ended up in Allensville after that date. May I ask has there been anyone since me and you?" Regina questions while picking at her fingers. She is not sure if she is entitled to ask that question. She knows Emma asked her. But she doesn't know if she's allowed, she's the one that thought Emma cheated on her. The most noble and dedicated person she knows, and she believed those stupid photos. That had been the worst mistake of her life. Emma looks at Regina. She sees that she isn't comfortable with what she asked. She moves over to right in front of Regina. She lifts Regina's chin to get her to look up at her.

"I won't lie. There were some dates that was all. I had a big problem you see," Emma says as she takes Regina's hand and places it on her chest over her own heart.

"When I left, I left this after me, so I was never able to give it to anyone else," Emma finishes. The statement and honesty bring a tear to Regina's eyes. Emma is such a wonderful person, how could she ever have thought that Emma would cheat on her.

She leans in and places her lips on Regina's. Its slow and yet passionate. It's the years that they missed. The times they cried for one another. It was the missed birthday's and the lost anniversaries. It was all the I love you they didn't get to say. It was the sorry that they didn't give and the thank you for not giving up on me. It was the I am home. I am yours and I won't leave again.

"Wow," Regina whispers as she pulls back.

"You can say that again," Emma says as she steps to the other side of the counter to finish preparing dinner. Regina is glad because she now knows Emma is hers always and entirely. No one has ever pulled moans from Emma like she has. No one has seen Emma at her most intimate. It makes Regina fall for her all over again. Regina stands and begins to set the table for dinner. Every time she passes Emma, she leaves a hand on her somewhere or gives her a little peck. It's these small moments she missed the most during their five years apart. She knows she can't get them back that is not the point. The point is now that she has Emma back, she is never letting her go again. She wouldn't survive that.

"I will go and get the two for dinner," Regina says as she pecks Emma on the cheek, while Emma serves out the dinner. The domestic hours they had just spent not lost on either of them. Evie and Henry come in a few moments later happily chatting about a story book Henry had been reading to Evie. They have a lovely meal together and when they are done, they head to the lounge room to watch a movie before Evie needs to go to bed. As they are watching the movie, Evie is on the floor and Henry in his arm chair. Regina and Emma are curled up together on the couch. Emma can't help but feel the domestic bliss in it all once again. If Mal hadn't got in the way this could be here life now. Evie could be their own child. She had been about to propose that night. Couldn't wait to marry Regina and have more adventures with her. She sighs contentedly though as she maybe appreciates this more now as she had lost it and thought she would never have it back. There are now small snores coming from the floor. Evie has dropped off to sleep. Emma pauses the movie as she goes to get Evie. She gently picks her up and moves to bring her upstairs. Regina momentarily stops her and places a kiss on Evie's temple wishing her a good night. Henry watches the moment form his chair also thinking of how this could be real had they not gone through this Mal mess. He is now very angry with Mal. He gets up from his chair and wishes Regina a goodnight and takes himself off to bed as well. He hopes tomorrow will bring news that this whole mess is nearly at an end and his daughter and the love of her life can finally start living the life they were meant too.

Regina sits in the lounge room waiting for Emma to return. The events of the evening playing on her mind too. She goes to find her phone in her coat pocket to see many messages and missed calls from Mal. She doesn't even bother listening to them. She opens the text app and can't help but read a few of what Mal has sent.

Mal: Do you really think it is wise to get back with her? She did cheat on you. You know what they say once a cheater always a cheater.

Regina scoffs and deletes it.

Mal: Fine it's your life your decision but I feel for the campaign we need to get out in front of this. Say that you are a forgiving person and that's why you took her back. We can really feed off how forgiving you are, even though she doesn't deserve it.

Mal: Listen Regina I am doing these things to help your campaign the least you could do is get off Swan for a few minutes and answer me!

Mal: Regina sorry about that last message. You know I really care for you and I saw first hand what a mess she made of you before and I guess I care too much about you to stand by and watch you put yourself through all of that again.

Mal: Regina you are being ridiculous now. It's your campaign. Do you think I give a crap if you are willing to through it all away for her! All the last few years of work. Building your portfolio of things. Getting your name out there. Making sure people knew what you stood for only for you to throw it all away at the most crucial time on an orphan that no one really wanted!

Mal: Again, sorry about that last message. I have had a couple of drinks to calm my nerves. I didn't mean it all. I just care about you and I don't want her filling you head with the wrong things right now when we need to be touring and getting you to meet the voters and putting forth your amazing policies.

Wow Regina thinks as she reads through them all. She really is losing her cool over all of this. How in hell did she not see this? How did she not know? It was crazy to here now when she sees how Mal has been acting.

Regina: My office 10am tomorrow

Regina barely has the phone left out of her hand when there is a response from Mal.

Mal: Great. Can't wait to see you and get all this back on track.

Again, Regina is left astounded by how far off the rails Mal is on this whole thing. Regina then hears Emma's phone ringing from where it was charging in the kitchen. She goes to look at it and it is Ingrid. She decides to answer it in case there is something wrong.

"Hello Ingrid," Regina says upon answering "Emma is just putting Evie to bed. Is everything ok?"

She hears Ingrid sniffle a bit on the phone.

"Ingrid is everything ok?" Regina asks now worried as it sounds like she is crying. Just then Emma comes up behind her. Regina hands her the phone covering the mouth piece.

"It's your mom, sounds like she is crying but she hasn't said anything," Regina says.

"Mom, mom, are you ok?" she says but all she hears is the sniffling too. Regina is beside her ready to phone the police and send them to the spa immediately. Then Emma hears someone take the phone.

"Emma darling, it's me Cora," Cora says.

"Cora, what's going on? Do you guys need help?" Emma asks with a million thoughts going through her head.

"We are fine sweetheart. Everything is ok. Your mom just got off the phone with a Sheriff David Nolan in Allensville. Seems they caught Leo in your Mom's house this evening. He resisted arrested pretty hard and he had a weapon, so they had no choice but to shoot him. Seems he died a short time ago at the hospital. Your mother was ringing to tell you, but she is upset now. I will try and calm her and get her to ring you in the morning when we know a bit more," Cora says.

"Ok Cora, I will talk to you tomorrow. Tell mom I love her," Emma says as she hangs up.

Emma turns to Regina.

"They got him. He was in Mom's house. They shot him. He is dead," Emma says in disbelief. I guess she thought in some part of her that Mal was bluffing all this time and that she would never do it. But she did! Oh my god what a psycho Emma thinks.

"Wow," Is all Regina can manage. She wraps her arms around the woman she loves. How had she let Mal stay so close to her for all these years.