A/N: Regina's starting to work it out! Emma's already there, even if she's not fully admitted it to herself.

Exhaustion was becoming a familiar feeling. She didn't quite understand why. She was sleeping well. Better than she had since arriving in London. She felt safe. She could relax. But the feeling of tiredness dogged her. Perhaps it was just cumulative after months of endless restless nights, late nights, and troubled sleeping.

Whatever the reason, Regina slept for two more hours, despite having only been awake for an hour that morning. Her body needed it and for once she was able to listen to what her body wanted. When she woke once again, Emma was still sleeping beside her. Well, behind her. The woman was tucked against her, front pressed to her back. It was the exact reverse of the position she herself had been in when she had woken that morning.

Previously, the closeness of another person had jolted her back to consciousness and she'd quickly unravelled her limbs from Emma's and shifted to the far side of the bed. She was surprised that her movements hadn't woken the blonde but Emma had slept on. This time, however, she didn't feel panic creeping into her bones at the warmth and weight of another person's body. Instead, she felt calm, safe.

Regina lay still and closed her eyes again. She felt better rested than she had in a while but was reluctant to move and disturb Emma. The nurse was exhausted too, Regina knew. She had seen the dark shadows which had emerged beneath those green eyes as the week progressed, the relentlessness of her job building up and finally she had time to rest and recoup some energy. Regina didn't want to interrupt that.

Plus, she realised, she didn't want their positions to change. Although she had fallen asleep with Emma's arms around her, that had been as a result of her tears. She knew she wouldn't ask for this sort of contact under usual circumstances but she couldn't deny to herself that she liked it. The blonde's arm wrapped around her, clinching their bodies together. Against her back, she could feel the softness of the woman's breasts pressed against her shoulder blades.

She felt her cheeks begin to flush at the thought. What was that about? She frowned to herself and moved ever so slightly away from Emma. The arm around her waist tightened, closing the distance almost immediately. Regina let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. What was happening?

An unfamiliar sensation began to register. She squeezed her thighs together but the tingling continued. Low in her belly, a coiling heat began to unfurl.

Her eyes flew open and Regina bolted forwards, out of Emma's embrace.

"What's wrong?"

The sudden movement had woken the blonde who was sitting up, taking in the scene of Regina who was sat on the edge of the bed, elbows on her knees with her head in her hands.

"Regina? Are you ok?"

A tentative hand reached out and brushed against her shoulder. Regina had to force herself not to move away. It was mad, she knew. It made no sense to pull away from Emma's touch. They'd spent most of the last twelve hours wrapped up in each other's arms. And yet now … She stood up, straightening the top of her pyjamas.

"Regina?"

She realised that she hadn't said a word since rudely waking up Emma with her panicked movements. "I'm fine," she lied. "Bathroom."

Without looking back, she left the room. She took the opportunity to splash some water on her flushed face in the bathroom and try to get her body back under control. What was happening? Why was she feeling like that? Why was her body reacting like that? She'd never … not since … not with …

She'd half expected Emma to knock on the bathroom door to check she was ok but was equally unsurprised that the blonde had sensed she needed space. When she realised she couldn't hide any longer, she unlocked the door and returned to the bedroom. Emma was gone. Again, it didn't surprise her. The woman was astute enough to know when Regina needed some time to herself.

With nothing to do aside from straighten the bedding which Emma had replaced but not quite to her standards, Regina knew she had to go downstairs. With any luck, Emma would know not to pry and there wouldn't be any questions. If there were, Regina didn't have the answers.

Down in the kitchen, Emma was putting on a load of laundry. As if nothing had happened ten minutes earlier, she asked Regina if she had anything which needed washing. Regina shook her head. She'd done her own laundry the day before. Emma finished prepping the machine and set it to on. The noises of water filling up an the drum starting to turn were a welcome distraction from what would undoubtably be an awkward silence.

But Emma didn't seem to know the meaning of the word awkward, or at least, was working hard to ensure no tendrils of that feeling crept into the room. She chattered away about her trip to the supermarket, making a list as she went through the cupboards and suggested meal ideas. Regina was only half listening. Her eyes followed the blonde around the kitchen, taking in the woman's movements as she navigated the space.

Ok, yes, Emma was beautiful. Anyone could see that. But physical attractiveness didn't mean much. Regina had been surprised to find that some of the men who had paid for her body had been what was considered traditionally handsome. If you'd seen them on the tube in their suits on a Tuesday morning commute, you'd have no idea that they'd paid for sex the night before. External appearances meant very little to Regina now.

Ok, yes, Emma was kind. Unbelievably kind and generous. She had a good heart. Better than good, great. The best. Who else would open up their homes to someone like Regina? Emma had no obligation to help and yet she had. She cared. And she made Regina feel cared for. She made Regina feel safe.

Maybe that was it. Maybe it was the feeling of being cared for. Maybe it was how Emma's arm across her body had made her feel safe. Maybe.

An hour later, Regina helped Emma put the groceries away. She had been quietly relieved when Emma had left for the shops. It had given her some space, some time to get her head straight. But she was also unable to deny the little glimmer of joy which flickered inside upon Emma's return. She hadn't noticed it before but looking back, this was an emotion which had appeared every time Emma returned from her shifts.

"What do you want to do this afternoon?" Emma asked as they put away the last of the food items.

"I don't mind. I don't need entertaining. If you have plans, go ahead. I'll be fine here."

"I don't have plans," Emma said. "Chilling at home sounds like a perfect first day off."

"Ok, well, I was going to read in the garden."

"Sounds good. I'll hang out this washing too and then join you."

They settled under the shade of the trees at the bottom of the garden. Regina offered Emma the deckchair but the blonde chose to sprawl out on the ground. They both disappeared into their books but within ten minutes, Emma had laid the novel on the grass beside her and was gazing up through the canopy above.

Regina watched surreptitiously from behind her own book as the woman lying before her stretched her arms and legs out as far as they would go. Her toes wiggled, the blades of grass flicking over the soles of her feet. Her fingers too reached out and threaded themselves through the grass. Emma let out a sigh before resting her hands on her now exposed midriff where her t-shirt had ridden up. Regina's eyes were extricably drawn to where the pads of Emma's fingers were now tracing mindless patterns on her skin. She wondered whether it felt as soft as it looked.

"I was thinking we'd order take out tonight."

The words broke Regina's reverie and she snapped her eyes back to Emma's face. The blonde was still lying with her own eyes closed, so Regina assumed her staring hadn't been noticed.

"Oh, ok," Regina replied.

"I know I just got a load of food in but none of it will spoil overnight and I don't have the energy to cook. I just want to lounge in front of the tv and think of nothing."

"I can cook if you don't want to," Regina offered. She didn't like the fact that she couldn't financially contribute to the cost of her stay with Emma. It made her feel uncomfortable and she was eager to redress the balance in any way she could.

But Emma waved her hand. "Nah, I've got a hankering for creamy, unhealthy Indian food. Do you like Indian?"

"I do," Regina said.

"Sorted," Emma said, smiling unseeingly at the sky above her. "And if you fancy cooking those pancakes again tomorrow morning, I wouldn't be adverse to that. They were delicious."

To emphasise her point, Emma slapped the palm of her hand against her bare stomach. Once more, Regina's eyes were drawn to the expanse of skin before she mumbled something unintelligible and disappeared back into her book.

Several hours later, the remnants of their Indian feast was strewn over the coffee table in the lounge. Emma was groaning lightly as she collapsed back into the sofa cushions. Regina chuckled and set about tidying away the plastic containers. "Leave it, it's fine," Emma said. "How can you even move? I ate so much I think I may die."

Regina laughed lightly but continued with her task, boxing up the leftovers and stacking the boxes neatly in the fridge. By the time she'd returned, with a beer for Emma, the blonde was lying on her side, idly flicking through Netflix.

"What do you want to watch?" she asked as Regina sat down in the armchair.

"I don't mind," the brunette replied. She didn't feel she could dictate their television choice; it wasn't her tv nor her Netflix subscription, after all.

Emma scrolled through the seemingly endless options before landing on a sinister-looking horror flick. "What do you think?" she asked, craning her neck around to look at Regina.

Unable to hide her apprehension, Regina admitted that she wasn't a fan of scary movies.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you," Emma chuckled, wiggling herself back on the sofa and patting the cushions in front of her.

The invitation was unspoken but Regina found herself climbing out of her armchair and taking her place lying in front of Emma, their bodies parallel to each other. Beneath her head, Emma's bicep formed a cushion for her cheek as the blonde wielded the remote to start the movie and increase the volume.

"Is this comfortable?" Emma asked as she adjusted her position behind Regina, causing her to roll back slightly so their bodies were touching. Again.

Regina didn't say anything but she nodded. Her body was tense, not ready to settle against Emma's the way it had that morning. If Emma noticed the way Regina was holding herself a little away, she didn't say anything. To try and distract herself, Regina decided to focus on the movie, reminding herself that it was all special effects and clever make up and that no one was actually being murdered, the first incidence of which occurred only ten minutes in.

It wasn't until the fourth gruesome murder that Regina's body finally betrayed her. She jolted backwards, pressing herself against Emma whose arm immediately wrapped around the younger woman's waist.

"Hey, it's ok. It's just a movie," Emma murmured, her breath warm against Regina's ear.

"I know," Regina muttered, cheeks a little red with embarrassment at the way she had acted, as well as a consequence of finding herself pressed so tightly against Emma once more.

"It's not real," Emma reminded her. "And if anyone were to burst in with a knife, I'd protect you."

"You've already done that," Regina remarked drily.

"What?"

Oh, had Regina never told Emma quite how close Killian had been to killing her when she knocked on that door? Or had she never gone into the specifics.

"Nothing," she lied, not wanting to relive that memory.

But Emma wasn't going to let that comment go so easily. She paused the movie and propped herself up on her elbow, looking down at Regina who reluctantly turned her head to meet the blonde's earnest gaze. "What do you mean?" Emma asked quietly.

"It's not a big deal," Regina began. When Emma just looked on expectantly, she expanded. "When you came to my flat that day, when you were able to get me away from Killian, I told you that you saved my life."

"I know but I figured you just meant in general. Was he … Regina, what was happening when I knocked on that door?"

"He had pulled a knife on me, ok?" Regina sighed. "But it wasn't the first time. He carries a flick knife and it's not uncommon for him to pull it out and threaten his girls with it. Although, well, I guess that day was different."

"Regina, did he cut you?" Emma asked, gaze shifting to Regina's lip where the almost healed wound was still taped together using steri-strips.

"No, he didn't. And he didn't do this either," Regina added, raising her fingers to her wound. She'd forgotten that she'd never actually told Emma how she came to be in A and E that morning. "This was courtesy of a man the night before. He got angry at me when he couldn't get hard. Punched me, but I've had worse. And the punch seemed to do it for him anyway, so at least it moved the night along."

Emma's hand which had been resting on the sofa in front of Regina's abdomen reached up, fingertips brushing lightly over the repaired skin. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.

A shiver travelled through Regina's body at the contact. She wanted to pull back but there was nowhere to move to. She was pinned in and yet instead of feeling scared or claustrophobic, she felt protected. "I -" She stopped talking, unable to form words with Emma's finger still touching her lip.

"Regina, what did Killian do?" Emma asked, moving her hand away from Regina's face once more.

"Nothing, thanks to you."

Emma sighed. "Please, I need to know. Did he hurt you?"

"No, you got there in time. But he was angry. Angrier than I've ever seen him. He saw the card your dad gave me. He thought I'd gone to the police, turned him in or told them something about what was happening. When I arrived home, even before then, he'd put the knife to my throat although it wasn't until he saw the card that he got really angry. He was about to … well, you knocked on the door, that's all that matters."

"He would have killed you?"

Regina shrugged at the whispered question. "Maybe."

"I … I don't know what to say," Emma breathed out, eyes scanning Regina's face as if trying to read how she should react.

"You don't need to say anything. Knocking on my door that day was more than enough. It's a debt I'll never be able to repay." That was true. Regina knew no matter how many meals she cooked or errands she offered to do for Emma, there would never be any repaying her for the fact that Regina was still alive. Without Emma, she was fairly sure her parents wouldn't have heard from her for over a week for a whole different reason.

"I'm so sorry."

This time, it was Regina's turn to touch Emma's face. It was an involuntary action, her thumb reaching out to swipe away the tears which had spilled down the blonde's cheeks. "You have nothing to be sorry for. You saved me. I'll always be grateful for what you did that day."

Her hand stilled, fingers lightly cupping Emma's jaw. Those emerald eyes glittered with unshed emotions. Regina didn't need Emma's tears, or her sympathy. She just needed … oh.

As the realisation dawned, Regina's gaze drifted downwards. Pale lips parted slightly under the sudden scrutiny. Regina felt her cheeks flame once more, knowing that she'd been caught. But also not caring. She made eye contact once more, watching as Emma's pupils blew wider, dark pools all but eclipsing their sea of green.

"Regina, are you -?"

"Don't say anything," Regina interrupted. "Just kiss me."

A/N: I know, I'm evil. Go ahead and unleash your wrath!