Chapter Forty-Nine: Finals

Life had become hell. Emma didn't remember much about her high school years (At least when it came to finals) but she was sure they weren't this living hell she was in right now. When the fuck did she accumulate so many subjects to study for? She was all up to date with everything, there was no way in hell her weekend over at Regina's cause that much damage. The teachers had simply started to run with new stuff just one week before finals, and now she was in a deep mess of sleepless nights trying to catch up with everything. And she had lie to Regina, right to her face. Well, not her face, face, as they were on the phone. But Regina had asked how was her studies going and Emma said they were fine and everything was up to date when in reality, she was drowning herself in coffee and sleeping only a few hours at night. She was exhausted. Emma was genuinely afraid she might fall asleep on top of one of her tests one morning.

She didn't see Henry or Regina for the following week. She would never admit that out loud but she was actually glad Regina had decided to keep picking up Henry to let her study. She knew she missed them like crazy, but she barely had time to register their absence. Her life had resumed to wake up at six in the morning, eat, change, classes, grab a burger, home, study, study, study, sometimes dinner, more study, sleep and repeat. Yeah, Emma could not wait for this very well-paid version of hell to end.

Henry called her Saturday morning to ask if she wanted to play ball with him at the park. It broke her heart to tell him she couldn't make it. He sounded so sad after she said it, that she almost sent everything to hell to go play with the boy. It was only because Regina forbade her to do anything apart from studying that she decided to stay put. It would be plenty of time for that after the hell season ended. Emma used that weekend to study and catch up on some very needed sleep.

On Monday, she had her first test, the psychology of law. It was a very chill and easy test, so much that Emma almost kicked herself on the butt for wasting so much time studying for it. She decided to think that it was easy because she had studied a lot and not because the final test was simply ridiculous. On Tuesday she had the anthropology and law test. Now, that was a tricky one, and Emma almost fell into a few easter eggs hidden on the questions, but she successfully managed to spot most of them and when she gave in the test, she knew she would have a good grade in it. On Wednesday, she had Regina's final, introduction to law. Trust the love of her life to use fancy words to make simple questions look difficult. Emma had studied so hard for it that it didn't surprise her to realize she knew all the answers. She just had to fancy up her writing to match Regina's style and she knew the test was in the bag. On Thursday she had political sciences and general state theory. God, she hated that. That subject had been legit the rock in her shoes. The test was hard, as she had predicted, and even though she knew she wasn't going to get the highest score, she knew she had done well enough to pass with a good grade. And finally, on Friday, Emma had her last test. Sociology of law. This one was definitely one of Emma's favorite, mostly because the Professor had always used real-life examples to demonstrate this or that great thinker and how its philosophy would apply to modern society. The test had pretty much been just that, real-life problems and how the law combined with society could fix it. Emma smiled when she wrote the final sentence and put the final dot on the paper. It was over. It was all over and done with. She was free. The weeks of hell was officially over now. Emma rose from her seat with her backpack properly place on one shoulder and test in hand. She walked all the way up to the Professors desk and placed her test on top of the pile. He wished her good luck and Emma smiled back saying thanks before leaving the room. When Emma closed the door behind her, the first thing she did was taking her phone from her backpack pocket and call Regina.

"Hello," Regina's voice said on the other end of the line.

"It's over. I'm free" Emma said grinning.

"What are you talking about?"

"I've just done my last final, babe. It's over. I'm free"

"And in general, how do you think it went?" Regina asked.

"I think I'm gonna have the higher scores this University has ever seen in a first-year"

"Ah, now that is my kind of girl," Regina said and Emma could sense her smiling on the other end.

"So, can I go get the kid today?" Emma asked.

"Well, now that you are officially free, yes. You may go pick up Henry"

"Awesome!"

"He is also having his last test today"

"Really?"

"Yes. I really can't wait for his grumpy form to go back to normal"

"Oh, no! I feel for the kid. I know how stress out I was this past three weeks" Emma said, "What time do you think you'll get home?"

"I should be in around five"

"God, I miss you"

"I miss you too"

"I'll be home waiting for you. At five, sharp" Emma said "I mean it"

"I'll be there at five. Sharp" Regina said laughing.

"Good! I'm off to get the kid now. I love you"

"I love you too"

Emma smiled and ended the call. She walked to her bug and eagerly drove to Henry's school. She parked the bug a block away from school. She really wanted to surprise Henry and parking the yellow bug near the school would totally ruin it. Emma walked the short distance to the school grounds and was greeted with a Hello sister from Leroy when she passed on the gate. She found Henry reading a comic near the park bench so focused on it that he totally missed her sliding on the bench near him.

- Oh, wow! – Emma said – She punched him?

- EMMA! – Henry screamed and catapulted himself on top of her – You scared me!

- Sorry kid!

- What are you doing here?

- I came to pick you up!

- Really? – Henry asked surprise – You don't have to study anymore?

- Not for a while, no!

- I missed you!

- I missed you too, kid – Emma said – Come on, let's go. Today is operation junk food day.

- Oh my God, I missed those the most!

- Kid!

- But you first – Henry said sheepishly

- Good!

- Can we have a burger? I haven't eaten one of those in weeks now.

- Sure!

- And pizza? And a hot dog! Maybe we should get pies too…

- Was your mother not feeding you for the past two weeks?

- Too many greens, Emma – Henry said – More than a ten-year-old should have to eat in a lifetime.

Emma laughed out loud at what Henry had said. God, she missed that kid. She placed her arm around his shoulder as they walked and asked him about his finals. Everything was good until the math test to which Henry did not want to talk about. Once inside the car, Emma took their Operation Junk Food list from the glove compartment and let Henry decided what should they have for dinner. Emma indulged the kid and let him have the burger combo and pie from their favorite pie shop. They went back to the mansion where they had their delicious lunch in front of the tv along with dessert. After all the food was consumed, they started a video game match that lasted through the afternoon. They were so engrossed in the game that neither one of them registered Regina entering the living room.

- I see you too had a very productive afternoon – Regina said by the door.

- Babe? – Emma said surprised – What time is it?

- It's five pm. Sharp! – Regina said with a smile

Emma smiled beautifully at her and rose from the couch to give the woman a kiss. God, she missed her. She missed those lips so badly, Emma didn't even know how could she ever survive another round of this. She deepened the kiss and held Regina tightly inside her arms, but Regina gently pushed her away. Emma looked at her confused for a second until she saw Regina's lips mouthed Henry at her. Emma smiled sheepishly and settle for kissing the woman on the cheek. Regina held Emma's hand and walked with her to the couch. She asked Henry about his test to which he made a face before saying very unconvincingly that it was good. Regina then asked him when she was supposed to pick up his reports and Henry said Preferably never. Emma laughed; Regina scolded them. She asked Emma about her tests, and details about the question, and what Emma had answered. Emma did her best to reproduce her exact words on them and felt a joy of pride when Regina smile and said Excellent argument. Emma was sure she had nailed her finals now.

Later that night, she helped Regina with dinner. She used every single opportunity to steal a kiss from the older woman or wrap her hands around her waist while Regina was chopping. If she asked Emma to pick up anything from the fridge, her price was a kiss. Regina had asked for a lot of stuff that night and had no idea why was she so forgetful. Emma, for her part, not only did not complain about it but often forgot something Regina had asked her, only to remember after she had already cash in on the kiss, and then, she charged another one for the forgotten item. Needless to say, dinner took longer than usual to get ready that night. The trio had their dinner on the kitchen island and afterward, they all had ice cream to celebrate their freedom. Well, Henry and Emma's freedom, Regina still had tests to correct and grades to put on the University system. After dessert, Regina went to the office to get some work done while Emma and Henry decided to play some more video games. Henry passed out a little after nine. Emma barely managed to carry him up to his bedroom. She changed him into pajamas and tucked him in before going downstairs after Regina.

She found Regina behind the desk, hidden on a pile of papers. Emma walked to her and stretched her hand saying Professor Mills was going to take a break now. Regina didn't even try to protest. She held Emma's hand and together, they made their way up to the bedroom. Emma kissed her the moment the door was closed behind them, Regina deepened the kiss, lowering her hands down to Emma's ass, squeezing them. Emma moaned inside her mouth and that was all the encouragement Regina need it to do it again.

"God, I missed you" Regina whispered when they broke apart.

"Me too"

Emma lifted Regina's shirt up and squeezed both her breast before crashing their lips again. She reached for her back and unhooked the bra, letting the delicate material fall down onto the floor. Regina started to walk backwards to the bed, their lips never leaving one another and hands exploring each other body, removing pieces of clothes as they go. Regina sat down on the bed and Emma reached for her pants, unbuttoning and then pulling them down Regina's beautiful legs. Regina moved to the middle of the bed as Emma took off her own pants, pulling them along with her panties. She crawled on top of Regina and crashed their lips again. Emma moaned when she first felt their nipples brush against one another and then she lowered her body some more, to feel more of Regina's skin on her. When the need for air was too much, Emma moved her lips to Regina's neck, feeling every single molecule of her skin shiver by Regina's nails running up and down her back.

Emma captured one hard nipple inside her mouth, circling the areola with the tip on her tongue before capture the whole globe inside her mouth. She used her free hand to massage the other and the tip of her fingers to slightly pinch the nipple. Regina squirmed under her, making delicious sounds that only encouraged Emma to do more. When she deemed the breast properly sucked, Emma gave the same attention to the other.

- Emma - Regina whispered – I need you to touch me.

- I'm touching you, babe.

- I've been touching myself for two weeks now – Regina said – Please, don't make me come in my hands again.

- You have what? – Emma asked lifting her head from Regina's breast.

- I've been touching myself – Regina repeated with a mischievous grin – Thinking about you finally fucking me again.

- How was I fucking you? – Emma asked.

- Your fingers – Regina reached for one of Emma's hands and brought it down to her pussy – Was inside me.

Emma felt Regina's wetness the moment her fingers made contact with her core. Regina was dripping, exactly the way Emma liked it. She entered her with two fingers, making Regina's back arch from the bed, and a moaned scape her lips. Emma started to pump in and out of her, while her mouth continued to assault Regina's breast. Regina was so wet that Emma had trouble staying inside her. She used her thumb to stroke Regina's clit and smiled when she felt Regina opening more of her legs. Emma used the tip of her teeth to bite Regina's nipple, giving the woman just the right amount of pain before sucking it in her mouth to make it go away. Her fingers quickly pumped Regina, and it didn't take long before Emma could feel Regina's walls closing around her fingers. Regina's hands grabbed onto Emma's hair, both pulling it and bringing her mouth impossible closer to her breast. Emma flicked her clit a little faster too and soon she felt Regina's whole body stiffen and then a moaned and then a rush of wetness running down her fingers.

When Emma looked up to her, Regina was a mess of sweat and messy hair and Emma could swear she had never seen anything more beautiful than this. She slowly removed her fingers from inside Regina, but not without a whine from the woman, which only served to make Emma smile proudly. She licked her fingers clean, finally tasting what she had been missing for so long. When Regina was fully recovered, Emma was definitely going down on her. She laid down next to Regina and stroked her hair, patiently waiting for the brunette woman to come back to her.

- Hey – Emma said when Regina opened her eyes – You okay over there?

- Yes – Regina said her voice hoarse – I missed this.

- Yeah, me too – Emma said smiling.

- Just give me a minute and I'll do you.

- Take your time!

Emma ran her fingers up and down Regina's body, her eyes absorbing all of Regina. Her skin was soft and warm under her fingers. Regina's form was absolutely beautiful, from the tip of her toe to the very last strand of hair. As Emma watched her, a question that has been bothering her for three weeks now popped into her head. Maybe it was the lull of the moment that made Emma think about that, and know that everything was done and over with, Emma needed to know the answer to it.

- Hey, can I ask you a question? – Emma said.

- Go ahead!

- Why… - Emma started to say – Why were you so worried about my grades? Is there something you are not telling me?

- Yes, there is!

- Oh! Something bad?

- No – Regina said quickly – At least I hope not.

- What is it?

- I want us to go public next year, Emma!

- What? – Emma asked – What does that have to do with my grades?

- I'm tired of hiding – Regina started to say – I'm tired of being scared of going out in public with you, I'm tired of looking around a restaurant to see if there is anyone from the university there, I'm tired of second-guessing myself every time I hold your hand in public.

- Regina you…You never told me any of that.

- Because you would freak out if I did – Regina said – And just because I don't show you my discomfort it doesn't mean it's not right there in the back of my mind.

- I had no idea – Emma said – I'm sorry!

- It's not your fault, Emma!

- Yes, it is – Emma said – You felt like you couldn't trust me to share that part of you.

- It's not a matter of trust – Regina said and reached of Emma's hand, bright it to her lips to kiss – I trust you with my life.

- I trust you with my life too – Emma said back.

- I didn't tell you because you were always against telling other people about our relationship.

- Regina…

- And I understand. I really, really do. But I don't want to hide it anymore, Emma. I'm proud of you and I'm in love with you. It's time to tell it to the world.

- But what if people find out about me? About my past!

- Then we'll deal with it.

- You'll be ashamed.

- I won't.

- You say that now Regina.

- Emma, look at me – Regina said wand waited until Emma looked into her eyes – I am not ashamed of you. I will never be ashamed of you. Quite the opposite, in fact.

- Okay – Emma said sheepishly – But, what does this have to do with my grades?

- I needed to make sure you had excellent grades in every chair you are taking this year and not only mine.

- Why?

- To avoid any favoritism comment.

- Oh!

- I'm sorry if I was…A bit of a terrorist about it – Regina said with a soft smile.

- It runs in the family, it would seem.

- Yeah, I guess it does – Regina chucked.

- So, we are going public next year?

- We are, yes – Regina said – Are you okay with that?

- I'm scared – Emma said honestly.

- I know. Me too.

- Promise you won't leave me because of this?

- I promise – Regina said firmly.

- And if my past comes out?

- I promise we will deal with it. Together! I love you, Emma Swan.

- I love you too, Mills.

- Now – Regina said moving on top of Emma – I believe I owe you an orgasm.

- I believe you do, yes!

Regina captured Emma's lips on a kiss and then did good on her promise to give her an orgasm. Or three. It was hard to count when Regina's mouth was doing wonders between her legs. Later that night, when they were wrapped up in each other's arms, Emma thought about the conversation she had with Regina. She felt guilty for never realizing how Regina felt about this particular aspect of their relationship. Emma had always been so focused on her reasons not to, that she never took a moment to think about it from Regina's point of view. It scared her, going public like this. If she was honest, part of her didn't want to do that. Part of her wanted to stay inside their little bubble where nothing could harm them. But Emma knew it couldn't last forever and Regina had promised her they would deal with everything together. Regina had her whole heart for a long time now and Emma trusted her. She trusted Regina enough not to crush it.