Emma drove over to the mansion and parked up on the opposite side of the street. Her vehicle wasn't exactly inconspicuous, but this particular stakeout didn't require anonymity. She suspected that the mayor may have only done this to her as punishment. There had been a couple of thoughts that would suggest so but Regina had seemed quite keen for her to be there. Even if it was all for nothing, she felt better not pissing her off needlessly. She saw what she assumed was Regina's bedroom curtain twitch so she gave a little wave. The Mayor, realizing she had been caught spying, gave a little nod back. 'Yes Miss Swan. I can see you there.I could hardly miss you in that death trap on wheels now could I.'

Emma rolled her eyes at the remark. "There's nothing wrong with my car!" She was still staring up intently at the woman in the window. How long exactly did she plan on standing there? Not that Emma minded much. It was going to be a long and tedious night. She stole her eyes away when Regina stepped back from the curtains and the bedroom light was turned off. Emma hummed to herself. Only she could carelessly wish her last wish away on this drama. She wasn't even sure what she was supposed to be looking out for. The streets were dead quiet and now Regina had switched off her light, she was alone in the dark and a little cold. She grabbed at her flimsy jacket sleeves trying to pull them over her hands when the next thoughts assaulted her brain.

'Please let me have just one restful night's sleep free of those horrid nightmares. King George is coming for that meeting tomorrow and I could do with a decent night's sleep before dealing with his power hungry ass. He still thinks he should be the one running this town and why? Just because he's a man. He's always been threatened by me and if he had the chance, he'd have killed me the moment the curse broke. As much as it pains me to admit, if Emma hadn't been there and defended me on his witch hunt, he likely would have succeeded. Now I have my magic at least he wouldn't dare make his move. The only thing he still clings to is trying to discredit me and run for office. The town might think I am evil but that bastard is truly heartless. I suppose that's why I've always related to David in a very loose manner. Forced into royal duty and snatched from his simple life to because of our parents. I carry such guilt at times for him. For Emma. And Henry.'

Emma shivered both from the cold and from the acknowledgment of her bosses guilt. She'd never once blamed Regina for her upbringing even though everyone else did and it logically was her fault. She'd always blamed her own parents for putting their blind faith in a magical wardrobe. She was past it now though. It didn't undo what was done and it wasn't healthy to keep holding onto the past. She wondered at how much else Regina held on to. It was clear she was a woman who found it difficult to move on from things. Hell, she cast a curse over a grudge she'd held since she was 17. She shivered again thinking how messed up that was that she had been forced to marry at that age to someone at least twice her age and whom she didn't love.

'I should have drunk something stronger than that wine to knock me out. This is useless. I dont even know why I bother trying to sleep. Why did I think asking the sheriff to sit outside my house all night was a good idea? If I could just read for a while I might manage to nod off but I am not turning the lights back on and having her know of my insomnia issues.'

Emma chuckled with a guilty expression. She kind of felt bad for the woman but at the same time thought it served her right for being so anal about time keeping. She'd figured out her punishment although it had taken her a while. She pulled out her phone and fiddled with it. She scrolled through her contacts and pressed her thumb over Madam Mayhem, her secret nickname for the woman, debating whether to text or not. It was just past one. She couldn't believe how fast the last hour had gone with her mind occupied with Regina's thoughts. She tapped out a quick message and paused a good few minutes before sending it.

Regina's phone vibrated on the table beside her bed and startled her. She grabbed the phone and rolled her eyes. Honestly, she was glad of the distraction.

Sheriff Swan: Just checking in. Everything seems pretty quiet out here. I can't imagine any kids coming out here this late on a school night and especially in this cold. It's dropped to below freezing and I didn't bring my warm coat.

Emma knew she going to be pissed at her and was mentally preparing for the slew of insults but she smiled as the first thought popped into her head.

'Well at least that gives me the excuse of turning the light back on.' She flicked the switch and kicked the covers off instantly feeling just how cold the temperatures had dropped inside the mansion. She grabbed her thicker robe and plodded to her bookshelf to fetch something to read. As she sat back down on the bed debating what to text back to the sheriff, a worry set in. 'If Miss Swan has come out for surveillance in just that flimsy red leather atrocity, then she's a bigger fool than I initially thought! I can't have her freezing to death. The townsfolk, and Henry would certainly have my neck.'

Emma rolled her eyes. She was hoping the woman would take sympathy and let her off duty but when the response never came and the jumbled mumblings of Regina's mind became fragmented, she considered she may have just poked the beast. Her worries were confirmed when she noticed the door of the mansion swing open and a pissed off Mayor stamping towards her car with something in her arms. Emma watched wide eyed through the glass unable to get a firm read on the woman's thoughts due to her own racing ones. Regina tapped on the glass with a stern glare and Emma reluctantly rolled down the window.

"Everything alright Madam Mayor?"

"Just peachy Sheriff. I thoroughly enjoy being woken up at a godless hour by a whiny sheriff who clearly has the inability or foresight to check the weather forecast before starting a shift!" She shoved the bundle through the window which Emma now saw was a pile of blankets.

She stifled a smile at the double edged gesture and the outright lie of being woken up. The Mayor clearly didn't want her dead but was stubborn and not about to let her fully off the hook. "I didn't know you cared!"

Regina raised an eyebrow and pointedly stared at the woman sat shivering in the car. "I don't. But our son does. I don't need you dying on me as another reason for him to hate me." She ran a hand through her unbrushed bed hair and Emma couldn't help but notice how her robe fell slightly open with the action revealing navy silk and a rigid nipple. She shivered again and Regina did the same.

"Well thanks for the blankets. I take it you want me to sit out here all night. As you can see, it's pretty cold out here." Regina noticed where Emma's eyes kept darting to and she pulled her robe shut tight around her slightly flustered but also amused she had the woman's attention.

"Is it really? I hadn't noticed." The brunette snarked with another shiver.

"Oh right yeah. You are the ice queen. You wouldn't."

Regina leant in slightly through the window with a glint in her eye. "Wrong fairy tale Miss Swan." She was smiling as she turned away and about to head back to the house when she heard Emma shout.

"Oh come on Regina! I've been working all day and you know as well as I do there are no vandals, Henry would have told me. This is just you trying to punish me for being late and messing up those case files earlier. I said I was sorry! Just, let me go home and rest. It's been a hell of a day and I bet you don't want to have to be looking out the window every five minutes to check I haven't turned into a popsicle!"

Regina had already stopped walking and turned to face the car. Emma knew she was off the hook because of her guilty thoughts. She huffed out an icy breath. "Fine! You have a can take the guest room tonight. I'm sure the vandals won't be anywhere other than in their beds."

Emma grinned as she opened the car door, banged it behind her and followed the brunette up the steps. Regina halted and turned abruptly, causing Emma to stop inches away from her face. There were in touching distance and the brunette hovered a pointed finger precariously close to the blondes lips.

"Please keep your voice down. If you wake Henry up before his math exam there will be hell to pay."

"Got it!"

Regina sighed and closed the door gently behind them. 'Such a waste.'

Emma didn't know what to make of that throw away comment. She swallowed hard and stood in the hallway waiting for directions. She'd been in the mansion many times but didn't want to overstep any boundaries or make the woman uncomfortable in her own home.

"Would you like a drink before bed? A glass of water, perhaps?" It was Regina's turn to feel awkward. For all their banter and bickering, she did actually have a bit of a soft spot for Emma. She had come to her aid on a few occasions over the last year since the curse ended. When they weren't playing Madam Mayor and Sheriff Swan, they were Queen and Savior and in moments like these, in the dead of the night when nobody else was around, they were just two women not quite friends or enemies, who happened to share a son.

"Got anything stronger?" Emma asked grinning from ear to ear when Regina smiled back fondly.

"Now where have I heard that before?" She tilted her head signalling for Emma to follow her into the study.