Chapter Twenty Seven
"So, are you planning on staying here for good this time?" Mary Margaret asked, eyeing Emma's suitcase as she dragged it into the loft.
Emma felt an uneasy feeling in her stomach, and she glanced around the familiar space. This was her mother's home - well sort of, since Mary Margaret had no idea who she really was - and standing in the entryway, it suddenly felt overwhelming.
"Emma?" Mary Margaret prompted, when Emma didn't respond.
Emma shook her head quickly, bringing herself back to reality. "What? Oh… uh, yeah, I guess. I'm staying, in Storybrooke I mean, not, you know, in your loft. I appreciate you putting me up but I don't expect you to let me stay forever."
Mary Margaret smiled. "Well, having a roommate is kind of nice. It does get lonely you know."
"What about David?" Emma asked, quickly.
"David?"
"Yeah, you like him, right?"
"Emma," Mary Margaret said, with a small chuckle. "He's married."
Emma rolled her eyes. "A technicality. David and Kathryn aren't in love."
Mary Margaret raised an eyebrow. "And you know this how?"
"I… I had an enlightening trip back to Boston," Emma said, with a shrug. "I see things differently now."
"Things? Like the Mayor?"
Emma tensed up slightly. "Regina and I… worked things out."
"I guessed as much. I'm happy for you, if she makes you happy."
Emma nodded, slowly. "I want her to be happy. Mary Margaret, you uh, you know Regina's a good person, right?"
Mary Margaret paused for a moment, thinking. "Well… I don't know her well. She's not exactly… friendly to me, you know. But she's a good mother to Henry. But she's been unhappy, for a long time."
"Right, yeah… I just mean… whatever happens, please trust me when I say she's a good person. I know her."
"Whatever happens? Emma, what's going on?"
Emma shrugged again. "Nothing. I'm just saying… Regina could use some friends, you know? People on her side."
"Right," Mary Margaret agreed, albeit somewhat hesitatingly.
"I'm just gonna, um, put my stuff away," Emma offered, before the situation could get any more awkward between the two of them.
She lugged her suitcase upstairs, wondering what really would happen when the curse inevitably broke. What if Regina was right? What if it was her fate, and she couldn't avoid it? What if the town really did want Regina's head for it when all was said and done?
It seemed impossible back in Boston, but now she wasn't so sure.
In the days that followed, Emma tried to push her worries about the curse to the back of her mind, as there were more pressing matters to deal with. Regina was more on edge than she had been before she'd left, but in an entirely different way. Emma wasn't sure if it was Regina's own worries about the curse, or her trepidation about entering a real relationship for the first time in ages, but either way, she was stressed.
So on Saturday, Emma arranged for Henry to stay over at Mary Margaret's, so that she and Regina could have some time to themselves.
"I hope I didn't overstep," Emma offered, tentatively, as she stood in Regina's kitchen Saturday evening, after picking up Henry and dropping him off. "With Henry, I mean."
Emma had noticed right away that in the time she had been gone, Regina had changed out of her pantsuit and into a short burgundy dress, that ended just above her knees. She felt underdressed herself in her jeans and a thin grey sweater, but she hoped she could take Regina's change of attire as a clue that she wasn't upset with her for making plans for Henry.
"He's your son too," Regina said, after a pause.
Emma's heart skipped a beat. She hadn't expected that. "Right. Well, sort of. But-"
"But nothing," Regina cut her off, though her voice was quieter than Emma had expected. "Emma, we may as well begin coparenting him now, because who knows when…"
Emma shook her head, immediately catching on to Regina's train of thought. "No. Don't do this. We've been through this. Curse or no curse, you're not going anywhere."
Regina raised an eyebrow. "You sound less sure than you did the other night."
"Yeah, well, it feels more real here. But still… that doesn't change anything. It doesn't change the way I feel or that I will protect you, no matter what."
At that, Regina's lips curled into a small smile. "My hero."
A big goofy grin spread across Emma's face, as she leaned in to give Regina a kiss.
"Wait," Regina said, stepping back suddenly.
Emma's stomach flip-flopped. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, nothing," Regina said quickly, shaking her head for emphasis. "I just wanted to talk about… what I said the other day. About wanting to let you touch me."
Emma nodded. "It's okay. If you're not ready, it's fine."
"No, Emma, I'm ready. That's what I wanted to say."
"You're sure?"
Regina smiled and nodded, and it was the most genuine smile Emma had seen from her in several days. She considered checking again, one more time, just to be sure, but if she knew Regina, she knew that she would have no qualms telling her no if it wasn't what she wanted.
"Alright," Emma said, reaching up to cup Regina's head in her hands, and pull her close again, bringing their lips together.
Regina kissed her back with vigour, but Emma pulled back a moment, just to be sure. "Tell me if it's too much, or if you want to stop," Emma said, looking into Regina's eyes to make sure she was still okay.
Regina nodded. "I will. I promise. Just… just don't hold me down."
"I wouldn't."
Regina smiled. "I trust you. Kiss me."
"I thought I was the boss tonight," Emma said, before doing just what Regina asked. She pressed her lips hard against Regina's, while her hands found Regina's hips and guided her back toward the kitchen counter.
For once, Regina was at a loss for what to do with her own hands, as Emma maintained her grip on her hips and started kissing and sucking on the skin on her neck. But, she did trust Emma, and she tipped her head back to allow Emma more access, and opted for resting her hands on the countertop behind her.
Emma kissed her fervently, like Regina was her air and she couldn't get enough of her. She closed her eyes and let Emma feel her. She felt Emma's hands roaming, sliding up her back over the smooth fabric of her dress, tentatively exploring. Emma had wanted to touch her so badly and for so long, and Regina had to appreciate how, in spite of all of that, she was still being slow, and gently, testing her limits.
Regina's breath hitched in her throat as Emma's hands slid behind her, just under her ass, and without warning, she lifted her up, and set her down on the countertop behind her. Despite her surprise, Regina was truly impressed that Emma managed the move without once breaking contact with her lips.
Regina smiled into Emma's kisses. Letting go of her inhibitions with her was easier than she'd expected. She let out a low moan as she felt Emma's smooth palm move to her inner thigh, and she leaned back, spreading her legs to allow Emma easier access.
Emma's mouth moved down to her neck, suckling and kissing, as her hand moved higher up Regina's leg. Regina bit her lip to hide her smile at the surprised sound Emma made when she realized Regina wasn't wearing any panties.
Emma looked up at her and smiled, kissing her lips again as her fingers reached their destination. Regina was already wet when Emma's fingers made contact, stroking over slick flesh.
Emma pressed her body closer to the counter Regina was perched on, her free hand sliding over the smooth fabric of Regina's dress, up her back and to the exposed skin on her shoulder. She continued to kiss her hard as she slipped two fingers effortlessly inside of her. She pushed in and out slowly at first, and began to rock her hips against her hand in tandem as she built up momentum.
Regina closed her eyes and dropped her head back, revelling in the feeling of giving up her control and letting Emma really fuck her for the first time. Emma's free hand roaming over her shoulder, her arm, her neck, didn't terrify her the way it might have before. Instead, she melted into the tenderness and care of Emma's caresses.
She could feel her orgasm building as she open her eyes and lifted her head to look at Emma. Emma was staring back at her with such a look of wonder, like she didn't believe this was really happening. This wasn't them, not as they'd ever been, but Regina felt more deeply connected with Emma right now than she ever had before.
She gasped as she came, hard, never breaking eye contact with the savior - her savior - until she all but collapsed against Emma, who caught her easily with her free arm. Regina fell against Emma's chest, letting her hold her up while she came back to herself.
Slowly, Emma withdrew her fingers from inside of Regina, and Regina let out a contented sigh as she watched Emma bring her fingers to her own mouth, to lick them clean.
Regina closed her eyes, still pressed against Emma's chest, as Emma laced her now clean fingers through her hair, holding her there, as Regina wrapped her own arms around Emma's back. Earlier this evening, she'd never expected to be sitting atop her own kitchen counter, spent and embracing Emma, but she couldn't remember the last time she'd felt this cared for, this protected, this-
Before she could finish her own thought, her mouth was moving, words coming out before she could even process them.
"I love you, Emma."