Emma was extra nervous that morning, waking up early and getting to Granny's a full 30 minutes before she was supposed to meet Regina.

She had already drunk a coffee before Regina appeared – right on time of course and dressed like she was going to the office. Emma quickly got out of the booth and stood to welcome her. She could feel her cheeks straining from the smile on her face.

"Good morning," she said.

"Good morning," Regina said less enthusiastically than Emma would have hoped for but she gave a mental reminder to take it slow. Regina slid into her side of the booth and Emma reclaimed her seat.

"Thanks for coming," Emma said.

"You're welcome."

Ruby came over and Regina ordered her coffee and Emma got her own refilled.

"So how have you been? I mean besides the stuff with you dad; how are you?"

"I've been good."

"That's good," Emma said, not sure what to do with that answer. Regina was already keeping her eyes on anything but Emma which wasn't very reassuring. She took a deeper breath to calm her nerves as the silence stretched out between them.

"I heard you've been living and working in Philadelphia, what's that like?"

Regina finally made eye contact with her. "You mean what's it like living someplace that isn't a small town in Maine. Well, it's great being the only person from this town that seems to realize there is a whole wide world out there. It's great that I get to experience that world instead of staying here where we put on the same Miner's Day celebration every year or hear the same speech at the lighting of the Christmas Tree in the town square. It's great knowing that when I leave here I don't have to worry about my parents stopping in for a surprise visit because God forbid they ever visit their daughter."

Regina stopped as if she hadn't realized she had said those words out loud. Emma saw sadness in her eyes and instinctively she reached out and touched Regina's hand only for Regina to pull back.

"I'm sorry. I'm not in the mood for coffee," she said as she stood up prepared to leave.

"Hold on," Emma said rushing to stand. "Wait."

She went over to the counter and spoke with Ruby, handing over some money to her. Regina watched her, wondering what she was doing even as Emma held up one finger to indicate she should wait. Finally Ruby put two to-go cups in front of Emma who gathered them up and returned to her.

"Let's go." Emma motioned to the door with her head as she said it.

"Emma …"

"Come on. I have two hot chocolates since you aren't in the mood for coffee, my car is right out there. Let's get out of here. I happen to know a spot with a great view."

Regina paused before speaking. "Fine, but we're not taking that car of yours. You would think that you could have afforded a new car by now. That thing was old when we were in high school."

"Sure I can afford a new one, but the bug is a classic. Besides, I have a lot of good memories tied to that car, a lot of them featuring you. Now let's get moving before these hot chocolates get too cold."

Regina led the way out, holding the door open for Emma since she had her hands full. She also opened the car door for her as well. Emma put the cups in the holders.

"Swanky car, yours or a rental?"

"Mine," Regina said as she buckled up and then started the car. "I assume by a spot with a view you mean the overlook."

"Of course."

They drove up to the overlook, which was a small park with a view of the coast, mostly in silence. Once there they took seats on the bench and Emma handed Regina her hot chocolate. After each woman took a couple of sips, Emma broke the silence.

"Do you want to talk about what's bothering you?"

"It's nothing."

"I guess I never really thought about it, but since you mentioned it, I never connected the two – that your parents haven't left here meant they had never visited you," Emma said. "Sorry."

"It's not your fault," Regina said. She kept her eyes forward, looking out at the water.

Despite saying it was nothing, she told Emma about how she had told her father that she would make more of an effort to come back and visit and how that prompted the later discussion with her mother.

"I just wish I knew why this town holds such an appeal to people and why …" she trailed off.

There was a pause before Emma finished the thought for her. "And why it doesn't have the same appeal to you. You can blame me for that I'm sure."

Regina looked over at her like she wanted to say something but instead turned back to watching the waves. Emma felt the distance between them at that moment. Back before all of this, they would have been sitting on this bench without any space between them. Regina would have had her head leaning on Emma's shoulder, snuggled into her while Emma had her arm around her. They would have been talking about anything and everything or else sitting there silent enjoying their closeness.

The beautiful smile that was always so easy to appear on Regina's face was no longer there. Instead, there was this mask in its place – a mask meant to keep the emotions at bay, to seem calm and in control.

Emma hated that this was who Regina had become and hated that she probably had a hand in making her this closed-off person.

She wasn't going to give up though. The Regina she knew and loved had to be in there still.

"What's Philadelphia like?" Emma asked. "Do you have a favorite spot? Something like this?"

"Favorite spot?" Regina said, biting her lip as she thought about it a moment. "I don't know that I have a favorite. The city has a lot of spots that steeped in history."

"Well if I came for a visit, what would you recommend I see?"

Regina again looked at her, giving her a curious expression before speaking. "There are all the tourist spots of course – Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Elfreth's Alley – these places are always part of the recommended tour," she said. "When I first went there I took a couple of tours. I don't really like guided tours like that but I take them to experience how a city portrays itself to tourists, to get a feel of how it presents itself to the world at large. After I get done with that nonsense I just take a walk. Pick a street and take a walk. Then you pick another the next day and the next day."

She began telling Emma about some of those walks and the buildings and houses she admired. Emma would occasionally interject with questions about why she liked a certain building and Regina would explain some of the architectural aspects that she liked the most. She spoke in detail about some of the places that Emma felt like she could see them.

Before either of them knew it nearly two hours had passed them by. It was Regina who noticed it first.

"I should drop you back off at the diner. I have work to get done today."

"You shouldn't work on a Saturday Madame Mayor."

"The work needs to get done regardless of the day."

Reluctantly Emma stood knowing she had gotten all she was going to get from Regina for the day. Still, she felt ecstatic that they had managed to talk as long as they did. As Regina had talked more and more, she became more relaxed, more animated in her expressions and the way she described the places she had seen. It made Emma not only feel good but gave her a glimpse of the old Regina.

Regina drove them back to the diner and parked behind Emma's car.

"Thank you for the hot chocolate," Regina said.

"You're welcome. Thanks for going out with me, I mean not going out, but you know um spending time with me," Emma said. "Maybe we could get together again soon."

"Maybe."

"That's not a no."

"No, it's not."

Emma wished for something more resolute but knew she would have to take what she could get. She got out of the car, but before shutting the door, she bent back down to look at Regina. "You know as a deputy, I should probably caution you about beautiful, young women going walking alone in the big city," she said. "Especially at night."

"I know, I know, Neal warns me about it regularly."

"Who is Neal?" Emma asked not missing a beat.

She saw Regina was thinking over her answer, the relaxed atmosphere they had been in disappeared at the mention of Neal.

Regina glanced down at her center console then up at Emma. "Neal and I, we live together."

"Like roommates?"

"He is more than a roommate."

"Oh," Emma said. She paused not knowing what to say but feeling a tightness in her chest. "I should let you go. So you can get to work. Bye."

She shut the door, not waiting around to hear if Regina said goodbye back and she was in her car and pulling away without looking back.

…

Regina felt bad and it was keeping her from accomplishing much of anything. Ever since Emma had sped off from the diner, she had felt guilty. She hadn't meant to bring up Neal, but when Emma had said that bit about walking alone at night, it slipped out of her mouth before she had given it any thought. Then when she asked who Neal was Regina had to make a quick decision.

She hadn't lied, or at least that was what she had been telling herself to assuage her guilt. Neal was more than just a roommate. Still, she knew she had left the same impression on Emma that she had with her dad about Neal.

The expression of hurt on Emma's face, even if it was for only the moment it took for Emma to walk away had bothered Regina. Despite what had happened between them in the past she truly had intended on hurting Emma.

She hadn't wanted to hurt Emma because she didn't want to feel like she had to get even with her.

Regina smiled at Emma as they walked hand in hand along the pathway in the park. It had been nearly three weeks since she had returned to Storybrooke after finishing her first year at university. Since returning they had barely spent time away from each other.

"We're going to be late for the movie if we don't hurry," Regina said.

"I could think of other things to do if we happen to miss it," Emma said, leaning and kissing her on the neck. The first day she was back in town she had gone to dinner with her parents, but as soon as it was over she was headed over to Emma's place. She had gotten a small apartment shortly after graduation and she was currently working two jobs to support herself. "We could go back to my place."

Regina laughed. "You are incorrigible."

"Is that a yes?"

"Yes."

They walked to the edge of the park where Emma's car was, but there was another vehicle behind it now. She felt Emma's hand slip from hers and then she saw the reason for it – Killian Jones was standing there leaning up against his car.

"If it ain't my two favorite ladies," he said walking up to them.

"What are you doing here?" Emma said.

"You haven't been returning my calls," he said. "I see now why you have been busy." He looked at Regina from toes to head. "You are looking as beautiful as always Regina. I bet you look even better naked."

"Hey," Emma said, pushing Killian. "Don't you speak to her like that."

"Fine," Killian said putting his hands up in mock surrender. "I apologize Ms. Mills."

He bowed down before her. "I apologize if I offended you. It's just that I've seen our girl Emma naked so I thought maybe since she had changed her mind about sailing on my ship, you might as well."

Regina looked over at Emma.

"Oh wait," Killian said. "Our girl here didn't tell you? We had a rather hot night while you were off in Michigan. I'm surprised Swan didn't tell you – I know I would be bragging if I had slept with both the prom king and queen. And believe me, it was worth the wait to feel her between my legs. I can't imagine how you can stand leaving her. Well, I can tell you two have some things to talk about. Later Swan. Remember my offer Regina, anytime anywhere."

Regina couldn't recall noticing him walk away as she had turned toward Emma.

"Was he telling the truth?"

"Regina, let me explain."

Regina stepped back as Emma reached out to her.

"You slept with him."

"Please, just let's go back to my place and we can talk about it."

"How could you …"

"I was drunk," Emma said. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry Regina. I never intended for it to happen. You were away and …"

"And what, it was my fault?" Regina said, tears coming down her face. "It was my fault because I left. I asked you to go with me."

"I know," Emma replied, her tears coming down. "I know. Please, I know messed up, but I love you. You know I love you. What happened with Killian was nothing, it's you I love."

"And this is how you show it."

Emma reached out for her again and Regina blocked her from touching her and she backed up. "Leave me alone."

She turned and walked away. In less than a week she was on her way back to Michigan.

Picking up the phone, she dialed the one person she could trust.

"Hey," Neal said.

"I need you," Regina said.

…

Emma took another drink from her beer. She knew she should probably stop drinking – she was already past the point of needing a ride home. She had been there for hours – unable to come to grips with what had happened. She had lost Regina – lost her for good.

She knew it was silly. In reality, she had lost Regina a long time ago.

Still, she had thought she had a chance – as small as it may have been – to put the past behind them.

The day had started so well. When they were up at the overlook talking it felt so right. Then Neal. She kept picturing what this man must look like, what he must be like, and how he had probably never hurt Regina.

"You've been ignoring Tink's calls all day so she sent me out to look for you," Daniel said, as he took a seat at the bar next to her. He waved off the bartender. "We guessed that things didn't go great with Regina."

"It was going great until Neal happened."

"Who is Neal?"

"He's Regina's 'more than a roommate'" she said making air quotes. "He's the guy that gets to sleep with her because I was a horrible person for one night 15 years ago."

"Come on, let me take you home."

"No," she said. "I'm gonna stay right here until I drink enough that I can't feel anything. I don't want to feel anything."

"I know it hurts."

"Do you? Do you know Daniel, because you get to go home to your wife every night? You get to go home and you get to kiss her and hold her or curl up on the couch and watch a movie with her. I go home to nothing. I go home to an empty one-bedroom apartment and I'm all alone."

"Nothing I'm going to say is going to make you feel any better," Daniel said. "And neither is that drink. I'm sorry that Regina has moved on. I'm sorry you didn't get a second chance with her. But right now what you need to do is let me take you home."

He took the bottle and slid it away from her and then helped her down from the barstool and out the door.

…

Regina was concentrating on her work – part of the prep work for Savannah – while she sat at her father's desk in the mayor's office. It was Monday afternoon and she decided that she needed to spend time on her real work. Her father was feeling better and she hoped that maybe he would be ready to ease himself back into work beginning next week.

About five minutes ago she had gotten a strange feeling – a feeling that she didn't want to go to Savannah. It hit her out of nowhere as she was working. She shook it off and went back to her research. She found it hard to concentrate though.

It was 15 minutes later when the secretary buzzed the intercom.

"Mayor Mills there is a Neal Cassady here to see you."

Smiling, she told her to send him in. Getting up she gave him a huge hug when he was inside.

"You said you couldn't take time off to come?"

"I quit my job."

"What? Please tell me you are joking."

"I'm not. You needed me here so I came here."

"I didn't intend for you to quit your job."

"I know," he said. "But the truth was I've been thinking about doing it for a while now."

"You have? Why didn't you tell me?"

"The reason I was thinking of quitting was because of Savannah. I mean I can't have my best friend living down south without me there to keep her on the straight and narrow."

Regina hugged him again. "You want to come to Savannah with me?"

"I wouldn't go for anyone else," Neal said. "We can talk about that later though. You wouldn't have asked me to come here if you weren't desperate so let's figure out how to solve your lingering issues here. By the way, this isn't an easy town to find. One road in and it wasn't even on Google maps."

"I know," Regina said. "I think the residents here probably prefer it that way. Outside of delivery drivers who never stick around we don't get many visitors here."

"I hope there is someplace I can stay while here."

"You can stay at my parents."

"I appreciate that, but maybe you can point out the nearest motel instead. I don't think I should be staying with you, especially while your father thinks we are more than friends. Plus given how you've described the small-town gossip I wouldn't want it getting back to Emma either. Have you spoken to her since Saturday?"

Regina shook her head no and they ended up taking seats before speaking again.

"You can't let her believe you and I are in a relationship any more than you can let your father believe it, you know that right?"

"I do," she said. "You should have seen the look on her face. It was like her heart was breaking in front of me. I never wanted that."

"Alright, well I'm here now and we'll fix it," he said, gently elbowing her and giving her the smile she had missed.