(A/N: This is long and quite sexy. I'm not gonna apologize for either ;))

Regina's phone made a familiar tjing-tjing sound, and honestly, Regina was grateful for the interruption. She had just spent five solid hours helping out one of her students who was struggling a great deal with a project. Explaining things in text rather than saying them out loud was difficult, but she had managed to get her student back on track, and now it was time for a well-deserved break. A break in which she checked who had just texted her. There were two options. It was either Malena whom she had texted a bit with earlier. Or it could be Emma. Regina would lie if she claimed that she would be equally happy no matter which of the twos it was. Of course she hoped it was Emma.

She pushed her glasses up her nose and reached for her phone. Smiled as she saw the name. It was Emma. How fortunate. She closed the laptop, deciding that she was done working for the evening. Then she opened the text message from Emma.

'Can I ask you something?'

Regina raised an eyebrow. That sounded a bit serious. She wondered what was on Emma's mind. 'Yes, of course', she texted and hoped that Emma wouldn't take too long to answer.

She didn't. 'I was wondering how the lady feels about picnics.'

An unladylike snort escaped Regina. And here she was, thinking that they were about to talk serious. Apparently not. Oh well.

'The lady feels good about picnics.'

'Then perhaps she would do me the honor of accompanying me on one?'

Regina raised an eyebrow again and glanced out of the window. It was cold and dreary. Not exactly picnic-weather. But then again, she HAD promised her therapist to grasp new opportunities. Though she wasn't sure this was what Kristine had meant. 'Don't you think that will be a bit cold?'

'Ah, but fear not Milady. I was thinking an indoor picnic in front of the fireplace. That should keep us both warm, don't you think?'

'Absolutely, but I think it's my turn to ask you out.'

'Try picturing it for a moment, Milady. A red and white checkered blanket laid out on the floor. Nice sandwiches. Some wine. Roaring fireplace. You and me….'

Regina smiled. She could very easily imagine that. And it sounded lovely. But she was also very aware that Emma blatantly was trying to ignore that it was Regina's turn to ask her out. Regina had a feeling that she knew exactly why Emma was doing this. Regina had a fairly stressed week. She had seen her therapist, but she had also been to the doctors for another checkup. Which hadn't been particularly nice, but Emma had been right there with her on the phone through it all, and Regina had managed to breathe her way through the checkup. Without gagging. But it had still been tough. Especially because Doctor Anton had talked a lot about the potential surgery. He hadn't been pressuring her to make a final decision, but at the same time… he had. At least a little bit. And here Emma was, with her superpower trying to make it all better. Bless her. She had asked Regina if she perhaps could come with her to the next doctor's appointment. Had offered to sit in the waiting room

Regina had said yes. Emma could come with her to her next doctor's appointment. But would she be sitting in the waiting room? It would be wonderful to have Emma with her in the doctor's consultation room. But if she was to be in the consultation room with her, it would mean that Regina had to expose her throat to Emma.

There was something to think about. But for now, it was time to reply to Emma's text.

'I can very easily imagine that. But again, isn't it my turn to ask you out?'

'With the risk of speaking frankly while there's a lady present…. I don't give a shit ;)'

Regina honest to god snorted at that. Of course Emma didn't. 'Well, in that case….'

'In that case you're saying yes to my suggestion of a humble indoor picnic?'

'Of course I'm saying yes. Though I doubt it'll be 'humble'. Nothing about the dates I've had with you has been humble.' That was the truth, and even if she was joking, Regina wouldn't hear Emma bring herself down. She did that far too much. Her insane mother had instilled that deeply within Emma. The feeling of never being good enough. But Regina was here to show Emma differently. She WAS good enough. She was more than good enough.

Regina smiled at the block of grinning emojis coming her way. And the following: 'Awesome! Saturday? At six?'

As it so happened, Henry wasn't going to be home on Saturday. How convenient. Almost as though fate had worked that one out.

'Saturday at six suits me perfectly.'

'Awesome! It's a date then ;)'

'Yes, it sure is.'

'I have another question for the lady….'

Regina smiled softly. Emma was such an adorable goofball. Unapologetically dorky. One of the million little things that had Regina falling in love with her again and again.

'And what might that be?'

'If I may be so bold…. Have the lady ever been kissed in front of a fireplace?'

Ohhh. Regina felt her cheeks flush and a faint whisper of something she absolutely could not be feeling right now. It wasn't appropriate. 'The lady has never been kissed in front of a fireplace.'

'Well, if you ask me, that is absolutely scandalous. Perhaps the lady would be interested in changing that?'

Now Regina's heart was definitely beating. 'Yes. The lady would be most interested in that!'

'I'll be looking forward to that ;) and just seeing you in general! I miss you!'

'I miss you too.' Which was ridiculous because she and Emma saw one another last Saturday. It hadn't been that long. How wonderful it would be to spend longer than just a few fleeting hours with her…. Hmm. Regina would have to think more about that.

'See you very soon, lovely ;)'

'See you soon, dear.'

Sensing that this was the end of the conversation (for now) Regina put the phone back on the coffee table. Her thoughts immediately wandered in a very cliché-direction. What was she going to wear for an indoor picnic? Not a dress. That would be impractical when sitting on a blanket. What else then? A skirt? No. That fell into the same category as a dress. Impractical to wear when sitting on a blanket. Pants? Wasn't that awfully boring. Hmm. Why did this have to be so difficult? Regina had never been on an indoor picnic before. She had been on a few outside and none of them had been a success. They had ended in mighty downpours leading to wet clothes and soggy sandwiches. Quite the spectacle.

This would be different. Mainly because it was inside. But alas, it still didn't solve her clothing problem. Unfortunately.

"You look very serious."

Regina jumped a little. She had completely forgotten that Zelena was there. She had been working concentrated with her headphones on for almost five and a half hours. She wasn't quite sure when Zelena had come in here, but she often did. She liked solving cross-words when Regina worked. Which was actually pretty cozy. Except when Zelena scared the crap out of her, obviously.

"Sorry," Zelena said hastily. "You were just really frowning there."

Oh. She probably was. Regina nodded a little.

"Is something wrong?" Zelena asked.

Regina nodded again and signed: 'yes, I have no idea what to wear for an indoor picnic.'

"Oh." Zelena's concern melted away and transformed into a smile. A knowing smile. "Emma just asked you out?"

Regina nodded a third time. And felt a bit like Zelena was missing the point.

"That sounds really nice, sis."

Yes, it did, and yes, Regina was excited and happy about it, but again, Zelena was missing the entire point.

"I don't think Emma will care what you're wearing," Zelena said cleverly.

Regina rolled her eyes. She was well aware of that, but that wasn't the point either. The point was that she wanted to look good and wear something fitting. Something that made Emma do a double take. Or a third take. Emma often did a double take.

But she had a feeling that Zelena would be quite useless and throw ridiculous cliché's around instead of actually helping her. She had to take matters into her own hands. Right now. She stood from the couch and partially stomped through the living room and towards the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Zelena called after her.

To find something appropriate to wear for Saturday, damnit.

Upstairs in her room, she opened the closet and carefully searched every inch of it until she found something that worked. Her red blazer. And… her black pantsuit. She hadn't worn that in ages. She tugged it out and looked at it. The pantsuit was a bit more lowcut than the other things she had worn on their dates, but Regina didn't actually mind it. Yes, this would do nicely. With her red blazer over to create a bit of contrast and some high heels on her feet, she would look pretty good. And perhaps she would even match the red blazer with some red lipstick.

Well. That was easier than she thought. Perhaps it was time to check up on Henry then. And tell him to do something else. He had been playing video games for about two hours, and that was quite enough.

Regina put the pantsuit back inside her closet and walked down the hallway towards her son's room. She knocked lightly on the closed door and was met by a: "come in!"

Regina pushed the door open and peeked inside her son's room. Henry was sitting in front of his computer wearing his headset. So he was probably talking to his friends while gaming. Having a good time, undoubtedly.

But Regina did not feel very guilty about breaking it up. She had a firm rule about screen time, and she wasn't planning on deviating from that anytime soon.

Henry looked at her and lifted his headset slightly as he said: "has it been two hours already?"

Regina nodded. It had indeed. She flashed him a smile. Then lifted her hands to ask him: 'would you like to play Monopoly with me?'

Henry grinned at her. "Sounds good. I'll just say goodbye to Nick and August and the others."

Regina nodded and left his room again. She knew that he would actually do that. Henry had always been very good at minding his screen time-curfew. Something Regina took advantage of now. That would probably change when he became a teenager.

He had finally seen Emma's place last Saturday, and he had loved it. Of course. Especially the tower-room which he had dubbed 'the fairytale room'. Regina imagined that Henry would be coming to Emma's a lot in the future. Just not on Saturday. Although he loved picnics (even the wet ones) Regina had decided that the next date would be an 'adults only' kind of date. Just her and Emma. They had snuck in a few kisses during the movie last Saturday, but there hadn't been opportunity for much except a few quick pecks when Henry was completely engrossed in the movie. They hadn't kissed each other 'properly' like they did when it was just the two of them, and Regina missed that. She was kiss-starved. Emma-starved.

But on Saturday, she was going to see Emma again. Thank god. She was so looking forward to that. Could barely wait, actually. She couldn't help it. Emma made her feel like a sixteen year old all over again. At least that was Regina's initial thoughts, but examining her feelings more thoroughly, she knew that it wasn't just that. It was deeper.

Emma made her feel excited about dating again.

Emma was replacing her memories of tense dinners at stuffy restaurants where she wasn't allowed to be interested in anything except Killian.

This was different.

Way different.

Regina had never been so excited about dating as she was now.

Coming downstairs, she found the boardgame and sat it up in the kitchen where there was the most room.

"Are you going to play Monopoly? Is there room for one more?"

Regina cracked a smile and nodded at her sister. Zelena had always loved a good boardgame. And she took it very seriously. Could be quite competitive. Which was both mighty entertaining and mighty annoying at times.

'If you behave,' Regina signed and smirked slightly at her sister. She remembered the last time they had played boardgames. Zelena had ended up insisting that the rules were wrong. Had even betted with Henry that they were. And when it turned out that he was right, she'd had no choice but to make pancakes for him.

"I promise," Zelena assured and made a face. "I'm not about to bet on things I clearly know nothing about."

Regina rumbled in amusement. That seemed like a very sensible thing to do. And NOT to.

They sat down by the table to wait for Henry and Zelena took the opportunity to ask: "So, when do you need me to watch Henry?"

'Saturday night. I have to be there at six, so if you could be there then,' Regina signed.

"Sure thing. I'll take him for a sleepover at Chad's place. You don't mind that, right?"

Regina shook her head. Of course not.

"What time are you coming home?"

Regina squinted slightly at her older sister. What was masked as an innocent question, was definitely more than that. Zelena was prodding.

"What?" Zelena asked, laughing. "I'm just asking, sis."

Regina settled for a shrug. She wasn't completely sure what time she would be home,

But god, how she hoped she was going to be home late. Her days were coming up short on Emma Swan. Regina missed her. Ridiculously much. Seeing Emma would be the perfect cure for the stressful week she'd had. A few kisses and Regina's tense shoulder would settle. A few kisses from Emma and Regina would forget all about her doctor's appointment and the decision she sooner or later would have to make regarding the surgery. God, she still had no idea what to do. There were so many cons. Could she withstand the pain again? The idea of her throat being cut in? Liquid diet? And of course the risk that it was all going to be for nothing. There was a chance that it wouldn't work at all.

But of course there was the pros as well. Being able to talk again. Sing. Laugh. Say the names of those she loved. Henry. Emma.

Goodness. She loved Emma. That was something she had realized after they… After Emma 'helped' her. It hadn't just been a thought that had popped into her head in her post coital bliss. It was real. Very real. She truly did love Emma. But she wasn't going to tell her. Not yet. It was too soon. Their relationship was still so new.

Regina didn't want to go and spoil it all by saying (or rather signing) something stupid like… 'I love you'.

The 'thundering' on the stairs revealed that Henry was on his way downstairs, so Regina quickly pushed the thoughts about her growing feelings for Emma aside and put on a smile for her son as he came into the kitchen and apologized for being a little late. Then he grinned and declared: "I am ready to kick some a-"

Regina raised an eyebrow in warning.

"Butt," Henry hastily corrected. "I'm ready to kick some butt."

Zelena laughed. "Well then, dear nephew. Come here and let's see who will end up kicking some… butt."

She had clearly already forgotten about her promise not to get too competitive. Oh well. Regina had a distinct feeling that it would be neither Zelena nor Henry who would win. Regina happened to be exceptionally good at monopoly.

She offered to be 'the bank' and so the game began. It was a very good time indeed.

That Saturday had Regina standing in front of the mirror. She had put on the black pantsuit and was now debating whether it was the right thing to wear. Even with the scarf tied around her neck, the neckline was low. Very low. It was definitely the 'sexiest' piece of clothing she had worn for her dates with Emma.

But perhaps that wasn't such a bad thing.

As so many times before, Regina thought back to the time where she was in the hospital and only wore big hoodies and sweatpants. Her panic attacks when she put on a skirt for the first since the attack. How she had felt that would 'put her out there'. That she would be vulnerable wearing a skirt.

She didn't feel like that anymore. Not at all. The pantsuit was pretty and entirely appropriate for a date with her girlfriend. She WANTED to look sexy. She wanted Emma to go 'wow!' when she saw her.

Regina fluffed up her hair and smiled at her reflection in the mirror. She had indeed put on red lipstick that nearly matched the blazer she was going to wear over the pantsuit. She lazily wondered what Emma would be wearing tonight. Something ravishing, Regina was sure of. Emma always looked ravishing no matter what she wore. Be that a sparkly, sequined dress or a pair of tight jeans. God, those jeans. Regina could easily day-dream about Emma's jeans for a few hours. But right now was not the time for daydreaming. It was the time to get a move on. She didn't want to be late for the indoor picnic. She had been so excited about it all week. Had counted the days even. Like a sixteen year old excited to see her crush. And that was completely okay.

She toyed with her scarf. For a moment considering leaving it at home. But then courage deserted her, and cold dread filled her stomach as she thought about the choke-marks on her neck. She couldn't let Emma see the marks. Not tonight. Not like this. She adjusted her scarf one last time and firmly pushed all thoughts about her neck aside. Tonight was not about that. Definitely not.

Regina turned her back on her reflection and went downstairs.

"It has been a long time since I last saw that," Zelena said softly as she eyed Regina when she came into the living room. She was talking about the pantsuit.

Regina shrugged lightly and did a little mock spin in an 'what do you think?-manner.

"You look really nice, sis."

"You look pretty, mom!" Henry chirped in and looked up from the book he was reading. "Can I see Emma again soon?" there was a hint of dissatisfaction in his voice.

Regina nodded and quelled a smile. Sometimes she suspected that Henry adored Emma even more than she did. He certainly wanted to see her all the time.

Regina shared that feeling completely.

She went into the hallway and put on her fur-collar coat. Although it had not snowed today, it still was a bit chilly. The coat was necessary.

Next, she opened her purse and checked that she had the pre-written notes. All of them were still there. Her phone ditto. Good.

Well, she was just about ready then. Ready to go and see her girlfriend.

"Bye, mom!" Henry called from the living room. "Tell Emma I said hi!"

Regina responded by tapping a fist against the wall. Then she flushed because the gesture reminded her of something else. Something she definitely should not be thinking about when her son was in the next room.

"Have fun," Zelena snickered from the other room.

Regina clenched her jaw. Her sister could be exceptionally annoying sometimes. She didn't bother responding to it. Instead she just left the house.

She elegantly entered the car and turned the key in the engine. Sat for a moment while waiting for the car to warm up. Should she text Emma and tell her that she was on her way?

No, Regina decided. She wasn't gonna do that. She didn't want to accidentally make Emma feel stressed out. She knew that Emma had been very busy this week. Work had been taking up a lot of her time. And so had editing. And hopefully Willa and Helena too. Regina was so curious to read more about those two. So curious she had actually asked Emma, and she could tell that Emma had liked that. She had promised to give her more Willa and Helena chapters. Regina was so excited about it. From what she already had read of Emma's story about Willa and Helena, she knew that Emma was a wonderful storyteller. She was brilliant.

The car was properly heated now. Regina pulled out of the driveway. Switched on the radio. Loud rock music blasted from the speakers and Regina jumped a little in the drivers-seat. She turned the volume down a notch, but she did not turn it off. Emma liked that kind of music, and Regina was on a mission to give everything Emma liked a chance. That included rock music. It wasn't her favorite thing in the world. A bit too much noise for her taste, but it wasn't completely horrible either. Regina could see the appeal of working out to this kind of music. Perhaps it was time to expand her horizon a little.

After a moment, Regina gave up though and switched channel. Found one that played classic music instead. Much better. Perhaps she could introduce Emma to more classical music. Trade music-taste with her. That could be fun.

She tapped her fingers on the wheel to the piano music. It was a happy little tune. One that reflected her mood perfectly. Tonight was going to be a good night. How could it not? After all, Emma had promised her a kiss in front of the fireplace. That was definitely something to look forward to…

Pulling up in front of Emma's house, Regina wasted no time in getting out of the car and walking up the little pathway leading to the house. She really liked this house. Henry too. What was it that he had said when he was here? That it was big enough for three. That little rascal. The remark had made Regina roll her eyes and Emma had chuckled nervously. She had probably been thinking the same. That it was way to soon to as much as think about living together. Emma had barely moved in, and Regina was certain that she wanted this place to herself. Who wouldn't? Yes, she was willing to admit that living with Emma at some point would be wonderful, but not yet. Now wasn't the time. It was simply too soon.

She made it up to the door, and rather than knocking- she had always thought that there was something creepy about knocking- she pressed the doorbell which let out a loud: 'ding-dong!'. Well. That was almost scarier than knocking.

It didn't take long before she heard hectic activity coming from inside the house. Was Emma running down the stairs? Regina frowned. That could be dangerous. She could hardly tell Emma what to do in her own home, but nonetheless…

"Coming!" Emma called from inside the house.

That had Regina smiling. She doubted that Emma's intention ever had been to let her stand out here in the cold.

The door was opened, and Emma who was grinning from ear to ear appeared on the other side of the door. "Hi," she said warmly.

Hi indeed. Regina found it quite hard to concentrate, but she still managed to lift her hands and sign 'hello, how are you?' she should have signed something sweet, but it was so difficult to concentrate. Emma looked…. Well. She looked…. Amazing.

"Better now that I'm seeing you!"

Cheesy line alert. Regina rolled her eyes but still smiled. She liked cheesy lines. Especially when they came from Emma.

"Come in, come in," Emma's voice was brisk and her movements quick as she stepped aside so Regina could come in.

Regina crossed the threshold. The hallway was warm, thank god.

"Let me take your coat, Milady," Emma said gallantly, holding out her hand as though she was a waiter from Downton Abbey.

Regina rolled her eyes again. This was definitely not necessary.

"You're my guest."

Alright, alright. Regina clicked her tongue slightly but still loosened the belt in her coat. Unbuttoned it and then handed it to Emma who hung it on the coat rack.

Under the pretense of fixing her hair, Regina turned her head to hide the massive grin on her face. Emma was checking her out. Doing a triple-take, exactly like Regina had hoped she would.

A grinning sound reached her ear, and Regina turned her head and raised an eyebrow in what she hoped was an 'what's funny'-manner.

"I like your lipstick," Emma explained.

Oh. Yes, Regina had gotten wind of Emma's profound fondness for red lipstick. Remembering that she couldn't just get by with raised eyebrows and smiles, Regina roamed through her purse and found her trusted stack of post-it and her pencil.

"Well, come in," Emma said with a smile. "Everything is ready. I hope you're hungry. And in the mood for sandwiches. And pie for dessert."

Oh, absolutely! Regina was definitely hungry.

"Awesome! Come on in," Emma encouraged and let the way into the living room through the kitchen.

Regina followed suit and more than ever she mourned that she couldn't exclaim when she saw the arrangement Emma had sat up for them tonight. It was beautiful.

A checkered red and white blanket laid spread out on the floor. In the middle a huge picnic basket. Flickering flames in the fireplace. The curtains were drawn, and the candles Emma had lit everywhere, made the setting all the more romantic.

Telling Emma that it looked beautiful was impossible for her. But she could show her enthusiasm in another way. Regina clapped her hands excitedly and then turned around to look at Emma. She smiled warmly at her girlfriend. Nobody had ever made an indoor picnic for her.

"You like it?" Emma asked and a beautiful rosy tint colored her cheeks.

Bless her. She was getting all shy. That was usually Regina's modus operandi. But apparently not tonight. She nodded as enthusiastically as she possibly could.

"You like it…. a lot?"

Regina nodded again but immediately sensed that nodding wasn't quite enough right now. She had a feeling that Emma had been stressed about this and could need a little extra reassurance. She leaned in and brushed a soft, sweet kiss against Emma's cheek. That had to be reassurance enough, right?

"Awesome," Emma said, sounding a bit distracted, and Regina was in awe. Could this be affecting her? Truly? It was just a kiss on the cheek.

"Do you wanna sit down?" Emma asked motioned towards the red and white checkered blanket in front of the fireplace.

There was only few things Regina wanted to do more. She walked over to the blanket and sat down as elegantly as she possibly could. Yes, it was a good thing she hadn't put on a skirt or a dress tonight. Sitting down like this would definitely have made it ride up her leg.

Emma came over to the blanket too. But rather than sitting down on the opposite side of the huge picnic basket between them, she chose the tiny patch of blanket next to Regina.

Regina most certainly did not mind that.

"Hi," Emma said, voice all soft and hand all gentle as she found Regina's and gave it a soft squeeze.

Regina recognized that voice and wondered if she was about to be kissed. She definitely wouldn't mind that either. But she had to postpone it. At least for a little while. First things first. She reached within the pocket of her blazer and found the note she had written for Emma while home. Under normal circumstances she would have handed the note to Emma straight away, but these weren't normal circumstances. Tonight she had something to add to the usual 'you look so beautiful tonight'. So under that message, Regina added: 'I like your shirt!'. Then she gave the note to Emma, and while she read, Regina let her gaze roam over Emma. Yes, that shirt- or perhaps she should have written 'tanktop' instead- was DEFINITELY something to notice. It was tight, white and rather see-through. Emma happened to be wearing a black bra underneath, and the effect was rather…. Delicious. And those black jeans. Those TIGHT black jeans…

Regina wondered how she was supposed to concentrate on eating.

"Thanks," Emma grinned. "I chose it especially for you."

Regina rolled her eyes at the smooth reply. But she was secretly pleased though. A tingling sensation told her that Emma was looking at her, and she was absolutely right. Emma was indeed checking her out. Again.

"I like your... everything," she concluded and flashed Regina a little grin.

Oh, her 'everything'? Well, perhaps it was time to show Emma more of her 'everything'. Regina unbuttoned her red blazer, wiggled her arms through the sleeves and then let the material fall to the rug. The top of her pantsuit was tightly fitted, and yes, the top of her red lace bra was peeking out. But she did not feel awkward about it. Not at all.

"Holy…." Emma didn't finish the sentence. Just stared and stared at her.

Regina couldn't resist teasing her a bit. She tilted her head in expectation, silently urging Emma to finish the sentence. Everyone liked a bit of praise now and then.

"You look FANTASTIC," Emma said, and her voice was so full of earnestness and affection it made Regina feel a bit shy. She drew a lock of hair behind her ear.

"And I'd like to kiss you," Emma softly added. "Can I?"

A thousand times yes. Regina nodded eagerly, and Emma didn't need further encouragement. She shuffled forward. Sat back on her heels. Then captured Regina's lips in a kiss so soft it had Regina dying for more. She eagerly returned the kiss. Grasped Emma's hands and placed them on her lower back. She was aware that it was a new place, but that didn't frighten her. She'd had dreams of Emma kissing her and placing her hands just there. Tonight she wanted to know if it felt as good as it did in the dream.

Of course it did.

No.

Actually, it felt better.

Regina was the one to shuffle forward now. She cupped Emma's cheeks to pull her closer. She was so touch-starved. So kiss-starved. It was a good thing that Emma was here to sate her thirst. Emma sighed into her mouth, and Regina understood the meaning of that sigh perfectly. She copied the sound. Felt the same way.

Emma's hands were moving on her back. Or rather, the pads of her fingers were. They were gently caressing her lower back. Up and down. Up and down. But not too low. Never too low. Incredible. Even now Emma was so careful. And it FELT so good!

Regina sighed again. That caress had her lower back tingling in a particular way, so it was both good and bad when Emma moved her hands to her cheeks instead and smoothened her thumb over her cheek like she had done so many times before.

She had quickly forgotten the purpose of this visit (was there one? Hadn't she just come to kiss Emma?) until Emma broke the kiss and reminded her: "we probably ought to eat the food."

Oh, the food. Right. Yes. Of course. The picnic. THAT was the reason why Regina had come here tonight. And she was looking forward to that. Of course.

Still, the interruption disappointed her. She wasn't done kissing Emma. But she had to pull herself together. This was embarrassing. She gave a nod in agreement.

Emma chuckled a bit as she gave Regina's cheek a gentle caress. "You are allowed to be excited about kissing, you know."

So Emma had noticed the look of disappointment on her face. Marvelous. Regina grimaced slightly. Why was she so transparent? And more importantly, why was Emma so damn good at reading her every expression?

Emma chuckled softly once more as she opened the picnic basket. She found plastic plates. Wine glasses. And of course the sandwiches.

The plastic plates had Regina smiling. So Emma had really gone through with that idea. Regina had thought that she was joking, but apparently not. She didn't mind though. The plastic plates was a nice touch.

"I wanted it to be authentic," Emma half-laughed. "Even if it is too cold to have a picnic outside."

As she nodded, a lock of hair escaped, and Regina quickly drew it behind her ear again.

"Hold on, I'll just fetch the wine," Emma said briskly as she rose from the blanket. "I know you're driving, but one glass won't hurt, right?"

Regina shook her head. No, one glass of wine wouldn't hurt.

Emma disappeared into the kitchen and Regina heard the sound of the fridge being opened. Then closed. A drawer ditto. Then Emma returned to the living room with a wine bottle and a corkscrew.

"Watch out," she smirked.

Regina jokingly covered her ears as Emma 'attacked' the cork with the corkscrew. After a moment it came loose with an almighty 'pop!'

"That was a good one," Emma laughed as she came over to the blanket and sat down once more. She poured Regina half a glass of the white wine. Then half a glass for herself.

Regina wondered if she was trying to be solidary with her.

"Feel like toasting to your awesome pantsuit?" Emma asked casually.

Regina shook her head firmly and wrote a note. One that could be considered a little bit bold. 'To your tanktop!' she had written. But she didn't regret it. Instead she handed Emma the note.

Emma laughed. Then chuckled. "Fine. To my tanktop then. AND your awesome pantsuit."

Regina shook her head. She wasn't gonna win this one, was she? Oh well. She raised her glass nonetheless. And so they toasted. She had just swallowed the mouthful of wine and was about to compliment it when Emma suddenly leaned forward and picked up a note which seemingly had fallen out of Regina's pocket when she wrote the other. Oh. Regina knew exactly what it was. It was her 'operation pros and cons'-note. The one she had written when she got home from the doctors. The one she was looking at hoping that it would bring her to a decision.

So far it hadn't happened. She still had no idea what to choose.

"Can I read it?" Emma asked softly.

Regina shrugged nonchalantly. Of course Emma could read it. There was no secrets between them.

Emma sat her glass of wine down and squinted slightly as she read the note.

Regina was reading along with her. Not because she could see the note, but she had looked at it so many times she knew exactly what was written on it. Knew the two columns. One with cons.

Hospital. Pain. Doctors. Anesthesia. Being away from Henry. Being away from Emma. Being away from Zelena. Getting my hopes up if it doesn't work.

And one with pros.

Being able to talk to Henry and Emma and Zelena. Resuming my old job?

Regina was well aware that there were more cons than pros, but she couldn't help it. She had been in a very negative mindset when she wrote that note.

Emma looked at her. "Have you been carrying this note around ever since you saw your doctor?" she asked.

Regina nodded. She was definitely guilty of that. A whisper of anxiety rushed through her as she thought about what would happen if she said yes to the operation. How the doctor would cut in her throat. How much pain she would be in afterwards…. She knew she had to make a decision soon, but she just…. Couldn't.

"Hey," Emma said softly as she reached out and took Regina's hand. "You don't have to make a decision right now."

Regina shrugged. She kind of did, though.

"And you don't need to get this operation if you don't want to," Emma gently continued.

Want. It always came down to that, didn't it? Regina sighed. She found the post-its and pencil in her pocket and quickly wrote a note. 'I know that, but I would like to talk to you. Actually talk to you. Say your name.' If (and that was a big 'if') she decided to get the operation and if it worked (another big 'if') she would use every single description in the vocabulary to tell Emma how lovely she was.

But what if the operation didn't work? You would think that Regina didn't have anything to lose, but she did. She was finally in a place where she was comfortable. Where she felt like herself. She was afraid she would slip back into the darkness if the surgery didn't work.

There was no easy answer to this question. She gave Emma the note.

"I understand that," Emma nodded, looking up from the note. "But I just don't want you to feel pressured into making a decision about this. It's your choice, Regina. And you can take as long as you need to think about it."

Regina nodded automatically. But would she ever come to a decision? She felt stupid. She should be jumping for joy over this opportunity. Saying yes should be the easiest thing in the world, but…. It wasn't.

"Want me to call your doctor and yell at him for being an ass?" Emma asked almost nonchalantly.

Regina surprised herself by rumbling in amusement. That would be quite the treat. Emma was so good at this. She had seen that Regina was getting upset, and as easy as one-two-three, she was making it better.

"Let's eat," Emma said with a smile. "Before these sandwiches turn into complete mush."

Regina rumbled again. Mushy sandwiches. She'd never had that before. But she had a feeling that it wouldn't be so bad. How could it be when Emma was the one who had made them? She took a bite of her non-mushy sandwich. It was very good. More than just a salmon sandwich.

"Oh, these are pretty good," Emma said, sounding surprised over her own abilities. "Go me!"

Regina smiled at her. Emma's sometimes child-like excitement was one of the many things she so cherished about her. Emma had claimed to be a pessimist, but Regina disagreed. Emma was actually very optimistic.

"Cheers," Emma said briskly. "To your hair!"

Her hair? Regina raised an eyebrow in disbelief. She hadn't done anything particular to her hair tonight. Just brushed it out and made sure there weren't any stray curls.

"It's all shiny," Emma clarified. "Beautiful."

Regina automatically blushed. She would never get used to hearing Emma call her beautiful.

"Come on," Emma gently coaxed and grinned like the Cheshire-cat. "Toast to your hair with me, lovely."

And so Regina toasted. To her own hair. Which apparently was shiny tonight. But surely, they couldn't just toast to her hair. So as soon as they were done toasting, Regina wrote another note. 'May I suggest a second toast?'

"Sure," Emma chuckled after having read the note. "What would you like to toast to? How lovely you are tonight and any other night?"

Regina shook her head and tried not to show how affected that little compliment actually made her.

"Darn it," Emma joked. Then growing somber again. "What then?"

Regina pointed. To Emma's jeans. They made Emma's legs look really nice. And her butt… Well. Regina was too much of a lady to even think about that.

"My jeans?" Emma laughed softly. "This old thing? You wanna toast to them?"

Regina nodded. She would very much like to toast to them.

"Okay then," Emma chuckled, raising her glass again. "To my jeans, I suppose."

Regina eagerly clinked her glass with Emma's, and as she sipped her wine, she let her gaze rake over Emma's body. There was no harm in showing that she was physically attracted to Emma. That still had her marveling. That she was capable of feeling physically attracted to ANYONE.

Emma laughed again, but her laughter sounded a bit different. She didn't sound nervous or embarrassed. More like… strained.

Oh. Regina hastily turned her attention back to her sandwich. There was no reason to make this meal difficult for Emma….

Once they had eaten their sandwiches, Emma found the dessert. Pie. Emma almost looked guilty when she revealed that she had bought it from Eugenia's Inn and not made it herself.

Regina didn't care whether she had bought the pie or made it herself. That wasn't what mattered the most. As long as it was delicious. And oh boy, it was!

"One more?" Emma offered once Regina had consumed one large piece.

Regina held up her hands in defeat. She couldn't possibly eat another piece. She was utterly stuffed.

'Thank you for a lovely dinner,' she wrote on a note and gave it to Emma.

Emma blushed prettily. "It was just a couple of sandwiches."

No, it wasn't. It was so much more. But Regina didn't press the issue. She just followed Emma's example and rose from the blanket. Emma grabbed the picnic basket, and, while ignoring Emma's vague mutterings about not needing help, Regina grabbed the plastic plates and wine glasses.

Emma mock scowled at her. "You just can't resist helping in the kitchen, can you?"

Nope. Regina shook her head and flashed Emma a cheeky grin.

Emma pretend-sighed but didn't protest as Regina followed her into the kitchen. She didn't protest when Regina rinsed the two wine glasses either.

"We'll wait a little before having the coffee, right?"

The question sounded completely casual, but Regina's imagination immediately went into overdrive as she pictured what they were going to do until having coffee. She didn't show, though. Just nodded in agreement.

Once they had taken care of the few dishes, they returned to the living room and sat down on the blanket once more. She could have chosen the couch, but Regina was rather comfortable there. She looked at the flickering flames in the fireplace and thought to herself that every house ought to have a fireplace.

"Do you feel alright?" the question was soft and so was the fingers running up and down her arm.

Regina smiled and nodded. She felt just fine. More than fine.

"You wanna come over here?" again, the question was very soft, but Regina could sense something else in her voice. An urgency. And of course the answer was yes. Regina nodded. Shuffled closer to Emma once more. As soon as she was close enough, Emma leaned in and kissed her. It would seem that neither of them could wait tonight. Emma cupped her cheeks and kissed her deeply and tenderly.

Regina willingly parted her lips, allowing Emma's tongue to slip inside her mouth. Regina moaned. God, how had she gone a week without doing this? How had she survived? She needed more closeness. Needed to feel Emma's hands on her body. She grasped Emma's hand and gently moved it from her cheek and to her side. A bit higher than normally. She knew that her pantsuit was thin, and that Emma would be able to feel her bra through her clothes.

Emma moaned. Undoubtedly because she could indeed feel the side of Regina's bra. Then she broke the kiss. Was panting slightly as she said: "is it alright if I lie down?"

Lie down? Had Emma somehow misunderstood Regina's gesture? Did she think that they were going to… Regina felt a flicker of anxiety.

Emma's free hand quickly came up to cup her cheek. I just wanna... feel you on top of me for a moment," she said softly. "But only if it's okay with you. We're not gonna do anything you're not ready for. And we're definitely not gonna go beyond kissing."

Oh. That was alright. More than alright. Regina nodded and did nothing to hide her eagerness.

"Yeah?" Emma asked.

Regina nodded again. If there was something she wanted, it was to lie on top of Emma.

Emma smiled as she laid back on the blanket. She looked up at Regina and kept looking at her as Regina once again shuffled forward. Then slowly lowered herself and stretched out over Emma. Good god, that felt VERY good. The way Emma's body pressed into hers made her feel slightly dizzy. It felt amazing, being this close to Emma. She was so warm.

"That feels really nice," Emma said, looking at Regina once more. "Is it okay for you too? If it isn't, you can climb off, Regina. You do not have to do this."

Regina didn't want to climb off. She wasn't in any position to sign or write, so once again she had to rely on Emma's lip-reading skills as she formed the word 'good'.

"Yes?" once again, Emma was checking.

Regina nodded in confirmation.

"Is it okay if I put your hands on your shoulders, or would you rather that I didn't touch you?" Emma asked gently.

God, this woman! Would her goodness ever stop surprising Regina? No, probably not. But either way, the gentle question needed more than a smile. Regina took Emma's hand, turned it over to expose her palm and brought it up to her lips. She kissed it lightly and then placed it on top of her back. She repeated the motion with Emma's other hand. Of course she wanted Emma to touch her.

Emma sighed contently. Her cheeks were flushed. Her eyes were half open, and her golden curls shone in the light from the candles. She looked so beautiful, Regina simply HAD to kiss her. She pecked her lips. Then deepened the kiss.

Emma's hands flattened against her upper back, and Regina grew more and more eager. She moaned. Then brushed the tip of her tongue against Emma's lower lip in a silent plea.

Emma understood and parted her lips. Regina slipped her tongue inside Emma's mouth. Moved her hands so they were on either side of Emma's face. She wanted to make sure she wasn't crushing Emma.

Emma moaned sharply into her mouth, and Regina slid her tongue along Emma's. Swirled it in circles around Emma's. Then sucked gently. God, Emma was a magnificent kisser! Regina could feel how Emma's body was starting to react to the kiss. She was wiggling under Regina, moaned sharper. Sounded a bit delirious.

Regina automatically shifted. Her thigh ended up wedged between Emma's legs. She wasn't even thinking about it. Was just following an instinct. An instinct that had been buried for a very long time.

Emma hissed a bit.

They were still making out like teenagers. Regina's tongue was wrapped around Emma's. She was sucking gently, drawing sharp moans from both of them. Emma's hands moved to her cheeks. She cupped them. Then wiggled again. Regina felt her girlfriend's leg being slipped between her own. Gently grinding and rubbing and stimulating a place that had Regina moaning in a way that sounded more like crying out.

For a moment, everything was really, really good.

Everything was incredible.

The sensation had Regina tingling and shaking from top to toe.

But then everything came crashing down as Regina remembered the last time someone had touched the place Emma's leg was rubbing against. How much it had hurt…

She tried. She really did try to fight it. Fight the memories and surrender to the pleasure instead. But she couldn't. Her walls came up and she tensed. Broke the kiss. Released a puff of air. Then scrambled off Emma.

Emma was quick to sit up too. "I'm sorry," she hastily apologized. "I took things too far."

Regina shook her head and sighed. Why did Emma keep apologizing for things she was not responsible for? She grabbed a note and wrote down her frustration. 'I feel as though I'm leading you on!'

"You're not," Emma said immediately. "Not at all!"

Regina wanted to believe that. But she still felt bad about initiating and then not being able to continue. She frustrated looked into the fireplace and tried to get control over herself. She was shaking but not from frustration. This was pure arousal coursing through her body. Arousal she could do nothing about right now. Because she was too damn scared to continue.

Fuck.

Emma touched her hand lightly. "I'm really sorry. This is my fault."

Regina scoffed and tore off another post-it. Wrote yet another message. 'You are not the one with the problem, Emma. I am.' She was still shaking as she handed the note to Emma.

"I shouldn't have-"

Regina interrupted what undoubtedly would be another apology from Emma. She wouldn't have it. Emma should not be apologizing for this. It was completely wrong.

Emma reached out and took her hand again. "I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry, Regina. This is not your fault, alright? This one's on me."

How could it possibly be that? Emma had only gotten lost in the passion just as Regina had. There was nothing wrong with that. The only thing wrong with it was that pleasure had turned to panic for Regina. Again.

She shook her head again to dismiss Emma's apology.

Emma gave her hand a little squeeze, and Regina responded by lifting Emma's hand up and pressing it to her cheek. She felt so guilty for this. The interrupted kissing sessions that always ended like this. With frustration on both ends. Emma had to be frustrated too. Of course she was. Kissing and touching like they just had only to have your partner flinch and pull back almost as though in disgust couldn't be anything but frustrating.

Regina felt like what Killian numerous times had told her she was.

A fucking tease.

"You've got nothing to feel sorry for, Regina," Emma whispered. "It's me. I'm an idiot. I should have stopped. I said I just wanted to feel you close to me for a moment and instead I- mph!"

Regina stopped her nonsense by planting a soft, quick kiss on her lips. Emma had nothing to feel sorry for. Regina was the one who had initiated the second kiss. She was the one who had moved her body on top of Emma's. It was only natural that Emma had copied her.

When she pulled back, Emma flashed her a little wobbly smile.

Regina returned the smile and figured that it was high time to change the subject. She wasn't sure she could bear hearing another apology from Emma. So she found another post-it note and wrote a new message. A very short one. In fact only a single word. 'Coffee?'

"Yeah," Emma said. "I'll go and make the coffee now. Are you okay?"

Not quite. But she would be. Regina nodded.

"You're absolutely certain?"

Regina nodded again. She only needed a moment to collect herself. And she could take that moment while Emma was making coffee in the kitchen.

"Okay," Emma said softly as she rose from the blanket. She disappeared into the kitchen, and Regina heard her roam around and make coffee. It took her longer than expected, and Regina knew that it was deliberately. Emma was doing it to give Regina a moment. And perhaps herself. She had to be just as aroused as Regina was. Darn it. Regina blew out a breath and clenched her fists. Shifted on the blanket. This took frustration to a whole new level…

But despite the slight hiccup, they got back on track. Emma made her laugh several times, and she smiled as she kissed Emma goodnight and then signed: 'thank you for a lovely evening.'

"I say the same," Emma smiled. "I've had a really great time."

So had Regina.

"Wanna go out with me again?" Emma asked casually.

Regina smiled again and nodded. Of course she would. But next time it was her turn to invite. She would have to remind Emma of that.

"Drive safely. And text me when you're home," Emma instructed.

Regina nodded almost solemnly. Of course she would do that.

Then she turned around and walked towards the car. Hopped inside and drove off. Now that she was alone, there was no escaping the frustration and arousal still tumbling around in her body. She was aching between her thighs. Terribly so. She couldn't push the feeling aside. It was too strong. And unfortunately, she couldn't do anything about it either. She was driving. And she couldn't exactly just pull over to take care of… things.

Oh god. Take care of things. The memories of how Emma had taken care of her a few weeks ago flooded Regina's mind and made it ten thousand percent harder to concentrate on driving. More than anything, she wanted that to happen again. But could she really ask that of Emma? She knew what Emma had said. That she had offered to do it again, but one thing was Emma offering. Another thing was Regina asking for it. It was embarrassing. Could potentially even be awkward. The suggestion had to come from Emma, right?

Regina didn't want to take advantage of Emma. She didn't want to come across as greedy when she literally could offer nothing in return.

Coming home, Regina went upstairs and shed her clothes faster than lightening. She couldn't bear being dressed right now. After her kisses with Emma, the clothes had grown tight and uncomfortable in certain places.

She lied down on the bed on top of the covers. Silently trying to convince herself that she could do this on her own. Without Emma's help.

But the moment her hand strayed lower, and she tried to touch herself, the wall came up and she tensed. Again. A new cycle of frustration began, but Regina refused to surrender to it. Instead she grasped her phone and did what she had promised. Texted Emma.

'I'm home now. Safe and soundly.'

'Good! Regina, I'm so, so sorry about tonight! I really, really am!'

Regina swallowed something. Emma really had to stop apologizing. What happened wasn't her fault.

'Please don't. It's alright. I'm alright.' She texted back and hoped that she once and for all would be able to soothe Emma's guilt.

'Are you sure?'

'Yes.' She was fine. Unharmed. But definitely frustrated. God, she needed…...

She needed release.

Desperately so.

And she couldn't find that release on her own.

She needed….

She needed help.

Regina suppressed every twinge of embarrassment she might have felt and sent Emma another text: 'Can I ask you something?'

'Anything.'

Regina licked her lips. Ordered herself not to be a chicken. 'What you said a week ago... About wanting to help me like you did that night. Did you really mean it?' she pressed 'send' before she could get the chance to regret it.

She did not have to wait long for the answer. 'Yes, of course!'

The breath hitched in Regina's throat. Emma had meant it. It hadn't just been a spur of the moment thing she had said.

Still, she bit her lip. There was still something about this that made her feel bad.

'I'm taking advantage of you, aren't I?'

The answer to that question came just as quickly. 'No! Absolutely not. If you need help, I'm more than willing to give it to you. You're not taking advantage of me. At all. Please let me help you.'

Oh god. Regina wanted this so badly. She was so aroused it felt like she would succumb if she didn't do something to soothe it. And she couldn't do it on her own. She needed Emma. Emma's reassurance. Emma's gentle guidance.

But it still felt like she was being greedy.

She could give Emma nothing in return.

The feeling of taking advantage of her girlfriend's offer threatened to overtake her, but then she forced herself to see this from Emma's point of view. She didn't want anything in return. Didn't expect anything.

Primal instinct won.

'Will you call me?' she texted Emma.

It didn't even take a full minute before her cellphone rang. Regina answered the call and switched the speaker on.

"Hey, lovely," Emma said softly in the other end. "Are you there?"

Regina answered in the same fashion she had the last time this happened. By tapping twice on the bedside table.

"Are you comfortable?"

Regina tapped twice for yes again. It wasn't entirely true, she wasn't completely comfortable, but there was no reason to tell Emma that.

Emma would help her get comfortable.

Excitement hummed through her body.

"Good," Emma said. "First of all, I'd like to tell you how happy and proud I am that you chose to ask me about this instead of bottling up. You deserve this. You know that, right?"

Tears formed in Regina's eyes as she tapped the bedside table twice again. Emma was right. She… She did deserve this.

"Are you lying in your bed?"

She was indeed. Tap-tap.

"Are you undressed?"

Tap-tap. That too.

"Close your eyes. Take a nice, deep breath. In and out."

Regina closed her eyes. Inhaled deeply. In. Then out. Nice and easy. As she did so, she became aware that her heartbeat slowed down. She hadn't even noticed that it had started thudding.

"Yeah, exactly. Like that. Start at the top of your shoulder and then slowly run your fingertips down your right arm. All the way to your fingertips."

So same approach as the last time. Regina absolutely did not mind that. After the almost-panic attack, the anxiety earlier and the flashbacks, she needed to find her way back to her own body. Feel it. Claim it. She ran her fingertips down her right arm. Went all the way from her shoulder and down to her fingertips. The touch felt good. Soothing.

"Now do the same to your other arm," Emma softly instructed. "From the top of your shoulder and all the way down to your fingertips. Feel how soft you are, how smooth your skin is."

Regina inhaled shakily at that. Her skin actually was very soft and smooth.

"Use your fingertips to touch your collarbone."

Regina lightly traced her collarbone. It wasn't as protruding as it once had been. It felt healthier now. And that touch felt good too. It felt as though she was waking up her body. Like Emma was helping her wake up her body. She sighed quietly.

"Now slowly run your fingertips down your stomach," Emma whispered. "All the way to your lower abdomen."

Regina's hand had started shaking again as she caressed her stomach. When she reached her abdomen, she felt the muscles twitch. Her toes flexed. Exactly like the last time. She moaned.

"Yeah, like that. Exactly. That feels nice, doesn't it?" Emma murmured and her voice reached Regina's ears like a salvation. A lifebuoy thrown to her on uneasy water. She knocked her fist against the mattress twice in response.

"Circle your navel," Emma hoarsely instructed. "Slowly, like the last time."

Oh, how Regina remembered that! She exhaled sharply and found herself to be wiggling as she lightly circled her navel. Sweat had gathered at the column of her throat. Regina could feel it trickle down her chest as her back arched and her head grinded into the pillow.

"Are your nipples hard?"

The question had her gasping slightly. Emma's voice had gone all tight and hoarse. Was she… God, was she… touching herself? Regina tapped the mattress hard twice. If Emma really was pleasuring herself to this, Regina wanted to help her as much as she possibly could.

"Good. Start out with kneading your... your right breast. Softly. Don't rush it. Go nice and easy."

Regina could feel that it wouldn't take long for her to come undone tonight, but she did what Emma suggested and took it slow. Focusing on the endgame wasn't the point of this, she knew that now. And the longer she could do this with Emma, the better. She let out a shuddering moan. Her nipple felt hard against her palm. The touch had her toes curling again.

"Yeah, that's it," Emma said softly. "Now lift your left hand and touch your other breast. Like you're touching your right one. Don't rush it."

Regina touched her other breast and as she did so, the echo of an old memory flickered through her mind. A memory of rougher hands touching her breasts and squeezing them too hard. It hurt. She hissed again. But this time she wasn't completely sure if it was because of pleasure or distress. The touch still felt good, but-

"I'm right here," Emma said quickly, gently assuring her. "Don't be afraid. We're doing this together, yeah?"

Regina moved one hand away from her breast to tap a fist against the mattress twice.

"Are you alright? Do you want to continue?"

Regina answered by tapping her fist against the mattress four times instead of twice. She was okay now. Emma was with her.

"Okay. Take a deep breath. You're not alone. I'm here. I'm right here with you all the time."

She couldn't do anything to prevent the little sob escaping her. Yes, Emma was right here. Regina believed that. She would trust Emma with her life. She took a deep breath and felt calmer immediately.

"Good. That's it. You're doing so good, Regina. Lift your hand. Roll your right nipple between your fingers."

As she rolled her hard nipple between her fingers, Regina moaned again. The brief flicker of fear dissolved. Now there was only pleasure left. Warm, sweet pleasure. She was enjoying herself without being afraid.

"That's right," Emma said and sounded like she was biting back a moan. "Keep doing that, Regina. Keep making yourself feel good. You deserve this, remember? You deserve all of it. This is your body, and this is your pleasure."

Regina panted. Her back was completely sweaty. Her abdomen tensed. Her toes flexed.

"Lift your other hand and touch your other breast," Emma gently coaxed. "Roll your other nipple between your fingers."

Fuck. Emma had said nothing about how fast she should go, so Regina found her own pace. And oh, how it worked! She bit down on her bottom lip and was sure she heard the mattress creak as she twisted on it. Once again, she imagined that Emma was here. That it was her hands on her breasts. Making love to her and making her feel so good.

"That feels so good, doesn't it?" Emma whispered. "Look at you, you are making yourself feel good, and you're doing so well! You are so, so, so amazing, Regina! Really, you are, you are giving this to yourself, and you deserve all of it. Every last little bit of pleasure you can get."

Had she forgotten to breathe for a while? The breath exploding out of her lungs certainly made it seem so. Both the touches and Emma's gentle reassurance had her moaning and gasping and trembling. She was a complete mess.

"Go a little faster now, beautiful," Emma said ragged. "Knead your breasts. Yeah, that's it. That feels good too, doesn´t it?"

It did, it did, it did! Regina's back arched again as she pushed her breasts further into her own hands. Could she come from this? No, surely not. Right? She had never come from just having her breast touched. She heard Emma hiss in the other hand and knew that she just had her suspicion confirmed. Emma WAS touching herself. Oh, god! Regina tried to breathe properly, but it sounded more like panting.

"M-move your hand," Emma whispered. "Move it down your stomach, Regina."

Something. Something that could almost have been a sound of sorts fell from Regina's lips as she moved her hand down her stomach. The anticipation was nearly killing her.

Emma groaned into the phone. "God, Regina, touch yourself!"

Regina's hand easily found the place where she was warm and wet. She brushed her fingers through the wetness there and shuddered. Whimpered. Didn't know she was even capable of doing that still. The muscles in her stomach pulled taut.

"Touch your clit, beautiful. Just use the tip of your finger. Does that feel good?"

Regina could not recognize the deep guttural sound escaping her. Her hands didn't tremble anymore. Only moved on instinct. She kneaded her breast with her other hand and touched her clit. It had her back arching and more wetness spilling. She was straining, straining, straining! Needed. Desperately needed….

"I'm here," Emma rasped in the other end. "I'm right here with you, beautiful. Keep going, you're doing amazing!"

She FELT amazing. She circled her clit faster and faster. The burning sensation were travelling up her legs. She writhed on the bed. Felt increasingly desperate. She gave her breast one last squeeze. Then loosened her grip to twist her fingers into the sheet instead. As though Emma's voice wasn't enough to keep her grounded.

"Are you close, darling?"

Darling. So tender. So sweet. And so completely sexy when Emma used that voice. Regina banged her fist against the bed as hard as she could. She wasn't sure whether she was answering or expressing her pleasure. Her mind was completely foggy. Everything in her was straining to release. Higher and higher she climbed….

"M-make yourself come then!" Emma panted, and Regina heard creaking on her end too. "Circle your clit faster, Regina! Rub yourself faster!"

Another strangled sound she didn't know she was capable of making ripped from Regina's throat. Her fingers worked faster and faster between her thighs. She didn't dare open her eyes for a second. If she did, the entire room would spin. The pleasure she was feeling was so intense. It stole the breath from her lungs and made strange sounds come out of her mouth. Regina could not recognize herself.

"Yes, yes, yes! That's it!" Emma hissed. "Keep going, you beautiful, amazing creature! Oh god, keep going! You're doing so good, you're making yourself feel so good! You're amazing, you're fantastic!"

Everything was overwhelming. Her body was burning. Her head was spinning. Her clit was throbbing so much the sensation was almost bordering on painful. Her broken vocal cords hurt slightly at the almost wailing sound coming out of her mouth.

"You can do this, beautiful! You're almost there, keep going, keep going! You're so close! Just keep breathing, alright? I'm here, I'm not leaving you, just listen to my voice, Regina, and make yourself come! Just let it out, darling! Let go of it all!"

She did.

Her fist landed on the bed with a thud.

Her mouth fell open.

Her back arched so she was almost sitting up.

Her head lolled back.

She rubbed her clit one last time.

A high pitched, breathy sound that couldn't possibly come from her.

Her abdomen tightened.

Twitched.

Everything pulled taut.

Everything strained and begged to be set free.

Then the sweet, sweet release.

Warm, sticky wetness coating her fingers. A whoosh of air.

She had done it again. She had let go.

A tingling sensation coursed through her body. It felt so, so good!

Regina slowly released the tight grip she'd had on the sheet. She did not open her eyes. Just turned her head and listened.

Emma was still in the other end. Regina could hear it. Could hear her rapid breathing. Her moans. Some of them sounded straining. Like Emma was chasing her own release.

Regina didn't want Emma to strain. Not ever. If Emma could help her, she could help Emma. She WANTED to help Emma.

Once again, she thought about giving something back.

Regina had just realized that she actually could just that.

It wasn't much.

But at least it was something.

She forced her tired, warm body to move, and she managed to wiggle close enough to the phone. She needed to be close to the phone in order for this to work.

Would it hurt?

Yes.

Would it be worth it?

Absolutely.

Regina opened her mouth and willed her broken voice to do this one little thing. It was hard. It was a struggle. It was painful.

But, nonetheless…

"E-e-e-e-e...E-e-e-e-Emma!" she managed, knowing that she had succeeded in making her voice audible enough for Emma to hear.

First there was silence. Then a sharp gasp. A drawn out moan that almost sounded like a choked sob.

Regina felt something wet slide down her cheek, but she did nothing to wipe the tear away. Emma had just climaxed to her voice.

Now the pleasure truly was mutual.

To Be Continued….