A/N: Well, that had certainly taken me longer than I had wished for it to. I apologize for the tardiness of this chapter, and the delay on the story in its entirety. For those of you who are still with us, thank you for your patience! I had lost my internet for the last month and I took the golden opportunity to steal some from Starbucks for a bit.

Here's to strong coffee and free internet!

Also, this will not be all that there is. I am splitting this chapter into two, since it had become so long, in case you wanted to break and not read all 26,000+ words.

And I shall let you in on a little thing here that I have planned, the next chapter (well, chapter 26) might be the last chapter (but I do not promise anything!) I have the feeling that this story should be drawing to a close, and I have... roughly planned on how I am going to go about it.

Without further ado, I shall let you be and read on! Again, I do apologize and I thank you very much for your concerns. I am okay, to whatever extent "okay" will define! I will see you again with the next update whenever I get internet access again. So, until then, I shall enjoy watching more movies, reading more books, and playing more Fallout 3... and writing the rest of the story!

Shit shit shit shit….

Emma stared at the doorway, willing her body to move from her current frozen position. Cora was almost to the sitting room, which had only spiked the blonde's adrenaline higher, causing her to shake in her spot. She was quite sure that Regina was silently urging her to leave, because whatever may happen when the teacher's mother had entered the room and saw the student on that couch would be inevitable.

Their relationship would no doubt be over.

Emma was too sure of that because by how Regina had described her mother, she was just the type to peel the two of them apart. No matter what it took. The blonde was ready to fight and do whatever she had to in order to keep her brunette lover. But she wouldn't even get a swing in if that lawyer stepped through the door.

So Emma had scrambled out of her seat as if it were on fire and ran. She didn't bother to pay attention to where she was running to, no. She opened the first door in sight and stepped through, quietly closing the door behind her.

Unfortunately, she found herself in a small broom closet, but it was better than being seen by Cora. Oh, she would definitely hide in a closet if it meant saving her relationship with Regina, even if she were slightly claustrophobic. She'd be willing to go anywhere and do anything if it meant just that.

Emma sighed softly and stepped away from the door, only to ram the back of her head right into a shelf. The pain wasn't anything as she jumped slightly, hands raised in the air against the shelf. A soft "shh" fell from her lips as she stared with narrowed eyes in the inky air, assuming that's where the shelf had been. She was more worried about the noise that it had made than anything.

She couldn't risk getting herself exposed, even if she were down the hall and surely far away enough from the sitting room to be heard.

Emma carefully ducked her head down as she moved to press herself against the wall, slowly sliding down it. Unfortunately, that had triggered the broom to fall on her, making another loud rustle as it collided with another object that the blonde had assumed was the mop. She scrambled to keep them from knocking anything else over and held them close to her, staring wide-eyed at the door as if expecting it to pop open any moment.

"Stupid broom..." she muttered softly under her breath, something barely a whisper as she pushed the two household tools onto the floor in front of her. Why couldn't she had ran into a bathroom? At least she'd have light and not the current headache from the meeting with the shelf.

Emma lay her head against the wall behind her, an exasperated sigh falling from her lips. She was stuck in here for who only knows how long. It was dark, small, and getting rather warm. Sooner or later, she would have to get the hell out of here before she thought too much about the enclosed space and panicked.

Perhaps she should tell Regina where she went. The brunette could distract her mother long enough for the blonde to get the hell out of Dodge and find a larger room to hide in, more preferably a bathroom.

Emma squirmed a bit and pressed her legs together as her bladder complained. Normally the blonde didn't use the restroom at school and today was no exception. She hadn't bothered to use it upon arriving home in the excitement of Regina's birthday. She wanted to get that damned present to the older woman before anything else.

Of course, now that the blonde had thought about it, she regretted it more than anything.

For the sake of her full bladder, Emma quickly pawed at her pocket to retrieve her phone... only to find that it was empty.

"Shit..." she breathed. It must have fallen out on the couch.

She was fucked.

"I told you there was nothing, or anyone, in here." Regina looked around the sitting room as she had followed her mother inside, the butterflies rapidly fluttering about had fallen to the pit of her stomach when she had noticed Emma was gone. She knew the blonde would be smart enough to evacuate before Cora could see her.

"Then why insist I not come in here?" The older woman turned to her daughter, a soft smirk on her lips, though there was something that of disappointment in her eyes as if she had been expecting something.

Of course, it didn't take a rocket scientist to know of her disappointment. She was hoping Emma would be in here so she could say that she had caught her daughter redhanded.

Regina was, once again, thankful that Emma knew better than to stay in there. Although, the teacher didn't have a doubt in her mind of the blonde. That was one of the reasons why she had risked so much just to be with Emma. That was one of the reasons why she loved her.

The brunette caught herself smiling at the thought. Hopefully her mother wouldn't try to destroy what she had tried so hard to build. Regina was finally happy for once in her life. She felt fulfilled. She felt whole with the blonde there by her side. She wouldn't know what she would do if Cora had ever decided to take all of that away from her.

Regina wouldn't be able to breathe without Emma.

That was why she must keep her mother from ever finding out about her, because if she did, she would manipulate the both of them into splitting up. And that was whether they wanted to or not. She had her ways, and oh, were they ever inhumane.

"What's this?" Cora queried, drawing the brunette teacher from her thoughts.

Regina glanced up from her spot in the doorway, only to notice that her mother was no longer in front of her and had made her way to the couch where she and Emma had been only minutes before. She had noticed that her mother was holding the red gift bag that Emma had given her. The one that held the birthday present that she hadn't had the chance to open.

"It's a gift, Mother." Regina pushed herself away from the doorframe and stalked across the room to rip the bag from the older woman's hand just before she was about to look inside. "And I would appreciate it if you were to not snoop through my personal items."

"What is it?" She asked, quirking a brow at the bag before lifting her whiskey gaze to meet with Regina's.

The teacher rolled her eyes, setting the bag onto the coffee table. "I don't know. I hadn't had a chance to open it yet."

"Who gave it to you?" Cora's question was asked directly after her daughter had finished speaking. The younger brunette narrowed her eyes. Her mother was never one to be subtle when it came to prying into her life.

"That is none of your business, Mother-"

"Is it from your girlfriend?" The last word was a sneer as she took a step forward, getting up into Regina's personal space.

"What are you doing here, Mother?" Regina avoided answering the question, her gaze faltering.

Cora had been so insistent on trying to get into Regina's house that she had avoided the question upon her arrival. Though, she had answered now with a grin that Regina knew was all too faked. "Can I not visit my daughter on her birthday?"

"Since when do you give a damn about my birthday, Mother?" Regina hissed. "You have never bothered to visit me before on my birthday. When was the last time we spent the first of February together?"

"Oh, darling, don't be like that…"

"I know you're playing bullshit. Why are you here, Mother?"

"Like I had said, I only wanted to visit you. I have a… gift for you." The older woman's lips curled into a tight-lipped smile, the irritation on her face visible from a mile away.

Regina clucked her tongue, knowing that there was more to her mother's visit than her petty excuse. She had something planned. She knew and she had something planned, and that had only struck fear through the younger brunette. She could feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end the more her mother grinned at her, those eyes sparkling with knowledge.

"Mother…"

"I'm dying, Regina. Just let me spend time with you?"

Oh. She pulled that card directly out of her ass. Regina could literally smell the pile of shit reeking from her mother's mouth. That woman had something up her sleeve and it was only making Regina all the more anxious to get Emma the hell out of her house.

She couldn't risk the blonde's exposure, not if her mother had suspicions of her being here. Cora just knew, Regina knew just that much. Why else would she look as if she were the cat that had caught the canary?

The gift that Emma had intended for Regina's birthday present had more than likely fueled those suspicions.

Regina needed to get Emma the hell out of here before Cora ever found her. But the question was: How?

How would she be able to sneak Emma out of the house with Cora breathing down her neck? She needed to get her mother out of the house as well, or at least distract her with something else while she got her girlfriend the hell out of her.

That was, if Emma hadn't already left.

Oh God, did she hope that the blonde had left the house as well.

"Regina? Are you even listening to me?"

"What?" Regina shook her head, Cora's question shaking her from her worried thoughts.

"I swear to God, woman, sometimes I wonder if you are even worth the trouble." Cora's eyes narrowed on her daughter before she moved from her spot. She paced over to the television, her fingers sliding across the surface of it as Regina watched her every movement through way eyes.

"As I was saying, I will be in town for a few days. I would like to spend them with you before I take that special trip to hell." Cora turned, giving her daughter a soft smirk. "Perhaps I will be lucky enough to meet… the woman that had seemed to have stolen your heart."

"Not a chance, Mother." Regina shook her head, her gaze falling to the couch for a moment. She moved to gaze back to her mother, but something had caught her eye. Something that she hadn't seen there before.

It was Emma's cell phone.

Shit.

Regina smiled at her mother, moving to stand in front of the phone so the older woman wouldn't see it. Hopefully Cora hadn't seen it already.

The older woman had noticed her daughter's strange behaviour, though she hadn't said a thing as she merely shook her head and proceeded towards the door. Regina watched her, curious as to where she was going. Had she said?

"I will be staying with you," she paused for a moment, looking back at Regina with a wide smile. A smile too wide for the brunette teacher's liking. There was something in that expression that told her there was more to that statement than she was letting on. What was this woman up to?

Then Cora's words hit her like a hand upside the head. She was going to be staying here?

Sudden panic flooded the brunette and her eyes went wide. What was she going to do? Emma was living here now and she just couldn't kick her out during her mother's stay. This was one of those moments in life where she just wanted to crawl under a rock and forget the world.

Cora's appearance in town was way too risky on her and Emma's relationship. Her mother would no doubt find out sooner rather than later. That woman had a knack for snooping which made it rather hard to keep things hidden from her.

"I will grab my things from the car." Cora hummed before disappearing out of the room. Moments later, the front door clicked shut and Regina was moving through the house to find Emma.

"Emma?" She shouted. Her mother wouldn't be able to hear her as she traveled deeper into the house. Her muddy orbs trekked the halls and each room, opening closed doors in search for the blonde teenager. Where on Earth was she?

"Emma? Are you still in here?"

"Yes!" Regina stopped suddenly when she heard the blonde's response, relief and dread both flooding through her. She quickly looked down the hall where she heard Emma's voice and saw her stumbled out of the broom closet, the mop following after her.

"I have to pee." The blonde stared at her with wild eyes before shooting off to the bathroom just down the hall. Regina chuckled softly and quickly followed her, entering the bathroom with the blonde. She needed to get her the hell out of the house, or at least keep her hidden some time longer, though there was no telling when she'd ever be able to get her mother distracted long enough to get Emma the hell out of here.

Emma was on the toilet as Regina closed the door behind her. This wasn't an odd occurrence for them. Often times they interrupted each other while the other was using the toilet, though they tended to try giving each other their privacy if need be. The normal excuse for breaking into the bathroom with the other occupying it was either under important circumstances or a clingy mood.

The blonde just looked up at her expectantly, a look of slight worry on her face.

She sensed this was not a clingy moment and Regina's heart went out to her. The brunette leaned against the wall across from her, nibbling on her lower lip.

"My mother wants to stay here for a few days." Regina blurted immediately. There was no use sugar-coating it when they had very limited time.

"Should I leave?" Emma gazed up at her, frowning.

Her emerald hues were what had gotten the brunette and she frowned, because she couldn't just kick her out. She wanted her to stay. But there would be untold consequences if her mother knew of the blonde and the circumstance of their relationship. Emma appeared young, and if that wouldn't be a red flag to Cora, she would eventually find out when the two of them left in the morning- especially with the blonde carrying her backpack out.

It would be a whole different universe if Cora were to accept their relationship. If it wasn't for the fact that it was with the same gender, it would be the age difference and the frowned upon teacher-student relationship. Regina's mother would no doubt try to break them up and the brunette could already imagine the threats she would throw at her and none of them were pleasant. Her life would be flushed right down the toilet.

"I don't want you to leave," Regina finally sighed, looking down. "You live here now and I do not feel that it is right if I were to force you to leave."

"But you don't want your mother to find out about us." Emma murmured, finishing the thought that the brunette teacher was leading up to. "I understand that, Gina. And I will leave to protect us."

"Emma, I quite regret having to do this."

"So long as I can come back after she leaves. Besides," she gazed up, forcing a hopeful smile on her face. "We can still see each other at school. Maybe you can stay after and we can spend some time with each other?"

Regina smiled softly at Emma's reassurances and nodded, her heart squeezing in her chest. "God, I love you, Emma."

The smile that Emma had given her had completely melted her heart, forming it into a puddle at her feet. "I love you, too, Gina."

Regina couldn't help but to let the faintest of squeaks fall from her lips at those words. Her heart felt as if an intangible source was squeezing it where it lie, everything about the blonde bringing her to a state of absolute adoration. She couldn't help but to love that adorable blonde in front of her. She tried her damnedest to make her feel better and Regina appreciated that.

The brunette teacher sighed happily and closed the distance between them, bending her head to capture the blonde's lips with her own. Emma gasped underneath her, though she felt her arms wrap around her waist as she pressed herself up into the kiss. Their lips moved to a perfect beat, though it hadn't lasted long when Cora's voice rang through the large house.

"Shit," Emma murmured, staring up at Regina with those large, green eyes. "What the hell am I going to do?"

"I-I don't know…" Regina pulled away and paced about the small lavatory, donning a worried expression.

"I suppose I can hide out in here for a while… At least it'll be better than the broom closet?" Emma offered, giving her a sheepish smile. "Though, I left my phone somewhere…"

"It's right here." Regina quickly pulled said object out of her bra, handing it to her lover. She had grabbed it before going on her search for the blonde earlier. She figured the blonde would need it if she had ever found her, and lo and behold, she did.

"Thanks," the blonde gladly took the object.

"I can message you when it will be safe for you to come out." Regina glanced to the door worriedly as her mother's voice had grown louder.

"I'm in the bathroom! Almost done, mother." She called towards the door, her voice lowering when she spoke to the blonde in a hushed whisper. "I will try to keep her away from this bathroom, alright? I am so sorry that I have to put you through this…"

"Don't sweat it, Gina." Emma offered her a smile. "I'm doing this because I love you and what we have. I will do anything to protect that, even if that means hiding in a broom closet or a bathroom for hours at a time."

Regina let out a strangled laugh and pressed a kiss to the blonde's forehead. "I truly do love you, Emma."

"Good," she beamed. "Though, are you really going to kiss me again on the toilet?"

The brunette paused, midway through planting another kiss on Emma's lips. She offered her a sheepish smile and shrugged. "I do not care where you're at, my duck."

"Well, do me a favor, don't fuck me and make us known to your mother." Emma gave her a wry look, leaving Regina to playfully hit her arm.

"I will message you when it's safe." Regina pressed a quick kiss to her forehead. "Now, get off the toilet and flush it for my mother's sake."

"Alright!" Emma finished her business and quickly moved to wash her hand. "But you owe me for this."

"I will do anything." Regina hummed with relief, moving to wrap her arms around Emma from behind. She set her head on the blonde's shoulder, making eye contact with her through the mirror. "Just not right now because, knowing my mother, she will beat the door down if I don't get out of here soon."

"I wish you luck with your mother." Emma leaned back against her.

"Thank you." Regina quickly kissed her cheek before pulling away and heading towards the door. Without another word, she opened it and slipped out, relieved when she found that the hallway was empty. At least her mother hadn't taken the liberty to wait for her out here.

"Are you out, Regina?"

"Yes, Mother." The brunette made her way back to the living room where her mother stood with her bags. Clearly she hadn't taken the liberty to put her belongings into the guest room, either. "Are you planning on staying in the sitting room?"

"Oh, this…" Cora chuckled, though it lacked any humor as she glanced down to her bags before gazing back up to her newly-arrived daughter. "I was worried about you, darling. I couldn't seem to find you when I had first entered."

"Well, I am here and I am fine. You can take the guest room that you usually do." The brunette teacher had made her way to the older woman, her arms extended as if to shoo her away to do just that.

Though, Cora didn't seem to have it as she remained in her spot, darks eyes casting a malevolent look upon her daughter. "What is the rush, my love?"

Regina faltered, her brows furrowed. "I had only figured that you would want to settle in before we do anything else." The ever growing suspicion in her mother's eyes had intensified, sending a panic signal to Regina's brain. She didn't want to alert her mother on any suspicious activity going on, because if she had succeeded in doing that, Cora would surely find Emma.

Cora's eyes narrowed as if she were contemplating what the younger brunette had said, and Regina thought she was going to call her out on it before she burst into a smile and nodded. "Of course, Regina. It would give us more time later to spend together."

Relief filtered through her rather slowly, because she may have curbed her mother's suspicions for now, but she knew that they were still there. She had to pursue her acting skills and pretend to be calm, despite the ever growing worry gnawing at her brain.

"Indeed," she nodded in agreement, gesturing towards the bags. "Shall I help?"

"I can manage by myself." Cora nodded, picking both her luggage bags up with a smile that pricked the very hairs on the back of Regina's neck. "Why don't you make us a snack? I am rather peckish after the flight."

The alarm bells in Regina's mind went off at the suggestion her mother had given. She could smell it from a mile away. Her mother no doubt wanted to snoop and the teacher had a feeling she knew where the first place would be.

"But dinner will be soon-"She had tried to argue, hoping that it would bring her mother's mind from the idea, though Cora had interrupted her before she could further protest.

"We can have a late dinner out."Cora let the smile on her face only curve wider. "My treat."

"But, Mother…"

"My treat." She had repeated in a tone that implied no more arguments.

Regina sighed in defeat. No matter what she would do to argue, her mother would win. Cora had always won, but she never played fair.

"What would you like for a snack, then, Mother?" She grit her teeth, hoping whatever it was that her mother had 'craved' would be something simple and easy to make. Regina would need to find a way to keep her mother away from the bathroom. Perhaps she could follow behind her and leave her at the stairs.

There was no way that she was going to let Cora rummage through her house because she knew she would try to find Emma.

Perhaps she should warn the blonde when she went to the kitchen?

Cora smiled, moving towards the door with her daughter hot on her trail. "Good girl. Why don't you make us a couple of sandwiches. That could tide us over until then, yes?"

"Of course, Mother." Regina nodded, a grin on her face. Sandwiches were rather simple to make. She could half-assed make them before her mother would finish putting her things away upstairs.

Everything seemed to be going according to the plan that Regina had made mere moments before. Her mother was already on the first step in the foyer as Regina had paused to look up at her. She would be sure to see her mother up before she would ever go in to make their snacks.

"Any specified kind?"

"Any would do." Cora returned the polite grin that her daughter had given her, ascending another step. "Now be quick with it. I hadn't eaten yet today."

"Of course, Mother." Regina abided, watching as her mother had made her way to the top landing before heading off to the kitchen.

Perhaps she had nothing to worry about. Maybe Cora had only wanted to put her items away and was truly hungry for a simple snack. Maybe she didn't want to snoop around the house after all. She hadn't tried to delay her actions for going upstairs nor did she try to remain downstairs either.

"Nothing to worry about, at all." The brunette mumbled to herself as she collected the items needed to make the sandwiches her mother had requested.

But before she had started preparing them, she had pulled her phone from her pocket and scrolled through to find Emma's name in her messages. The blonde couldn't leave just yet without risk, but she could be informed of the dinner out later as a means of escape. Just hopefully the teenager would be alright for a few hours until then in the bathroom.

Regina's heart sank as she began to type out the message of the plans for later. She felt so horrible that she had to force Emma to stay holed up in the smallest bathroom of her own home.

Sometimes she had found their relationship to be rather difficult and quite risky. It was, as is, since she was working within the very school that Emma had attended. But it had felt even more so with Cora around. The rising panic and constant worry was ceaseless, and all of it had made Regina feel rather sick.

And the very worrisome panic had eluded Regina into sending another message to the blonde.

Also, my mother is out of my sight. I trust that she is upstairs unpacking, but I cannot be sure. Watch out in case. Use the shower to hide if she tries for the bathroom.

Setting the phone aside, she felt some of the tension relieve itself. The warning that she had given Emma seemed to have eased her to some extent.

The house was quiet.

That was good. Silence meant her mother wasn't moving around downstairs. That means she wasn't looking for Emma- at least down here, anyways. She could try as she might on the second floor, but she would never succeed.

Regina got to putting the second sandwich together when her phone buzzed, flashing to life with a new message. Grinning, she picked the device up and read the newest reply from Emma. Though, that grin had quickly disappeared into a frown as the two words burned into her brain. She barely had enough time to process them before dropping her phone back onto the counter and rushed off across the house.

Because those words said: "Too late," and that had meant Cora had somehow found Emma without Regina's immediate knowledge. She hadn't heard her mother come back down the stairs, and the usual creaking would have alerted her, even if the attempt were to be furtive.

When Regina had finally reached the sitting room, she was confronted by her mother's angry and rather disappointed stare as Emma sat on the couch with an apologetic look. Cora was holding up the blonde's cellphone, a devious grin on her face.

"You cannot deny it now, my love." She tossed the cellular device onto the couch next to the blonde teenager as she stalked towards her daughter, tsking as she drew closer. "I cannot believe that you would ever lie to me."

The blood in Regina's body had boiled at that statement. She cannot believe that she had lied to her? What about the bullshit that she had spewed at Regina for being here in the first place?

"Oh, I cannot believe you, Mother. I should have known that your little spiel about wanting a snack was only to get me away so you could snoop."

"And my snooping need was satisfied when I had found what you were trying so hard to hide from me." Cora laughed coldly, her head shaking. "Did you honestly think that you could ever hide her from me?"

"One could only hope, but my ever prying Mother is not one give in so easily." Regina sneered, moving towards the blonde. She let her eyes rove over her lover's body, inspecting for any damage that her mother might have done. Knowing Cora, she would go apeshit on the woman that her daughter was associated with. That, or just leave like she had the first time.

"Don't worry, darling, I didn't hurt her if that's what you're thinking." Cora rolled her eyes, turning to face the two with a smirk that Regina wanted to smack right off her face. "She's a minor after all, is she not?"

"Not technically." Emma butted in, but Regina shot her a glare.

Emma. Always the one to speak when she shouldn't. Regina loved that girl dearly, but sometimes she just needed to shut the hell up before she got them into a deeper pit of shit than they were already in.

"Not technically, she says." Cora gave a humorless laugh, her position had changed once again. She had now moved to stand next to her daughter, though her eyes were locked in with fiery emerald ones, which had only caused that smirk on her face to grow. "But is she not one of your students?"

"Mother..."

"No, no, darling. Do tell answer me." The older brunette snapped her gaze up to meet with Regina's, her eyes twinkling with a knowledge that the latter wasn't exactly sure of.

Just how much did her mother know?

"Is she not the one that I have heard about from your dear sister, Zelena? The one that was here the day that she had visited?"

Regina closed her eyes. She had blanked about Zelena ever visiting, which was the day that Emma had also been over. Emma was here. Zelena had seen her. Zelena had also written a letter to Cora about it.

Is that how she knew? Those two weren't associating with one another, were they?

No. Her mother had never said she had a good relationship with the redhead. Did she?

But the point of that didn't matter at the moment. Her current worry was how the hell was she going to exactly explain this to her mother without sounding like a disgusting human being. And how the hell was she going to get out of this with her and Emma's relationship still being alive?

Regina knew that her mother would do anything to split them apart, especially now that she had living proof. It would be in the brunette teacher's best effort to persuade her mother not to destroy their relationship. She would have to show her just how happy she was with Emma and just how much they had loved each other. Though, Cora was never one of those people who dealt with love very well. She was never one to believe in it, so what made her think that she would give a hoot about their love? She would more likely rather watch them burn.

That was Cora.

She enjoyed destroying lives. She enjoyed arguing to points. She enjoyed manipulating. That was why she was a lawyer in the first place. That was why Regina never won.

"Yes," she finally answered, chocolate orbs opening to meet with her lover's emerald ones. Looking into those vast oceanic pools of everlasting love could always render her into a melted puddle. Just looking into them now, in the midst of tension and panic, she could feel herself slipping. She could feel the ground below her merging with her entire being as she slowly dripped onto its surface.

A soft smile curved her lips upwards. No matter the situation, no matter the threat, the two of them could get through this. She could read the reassuring words that Emma was telling in those very orbs. They were enough.

"That is disgusting, Regina." Cora clucked.

Her words had broke their contact, ripping Regina back into the conscious reality that they were currently living. She glared towards her mother, that sweet and loving smile on her face had soon vanished, turning into a scowl.

"And why might that be, Mother?" She inquired haughtily, though she had a feeling that she already knew of the reason.

And Cora's words had confirmed it. "She is a child, Regina. Honestly, are you so desperate as to snatch up the first girl that bats her lashes at you?"

"That is not how it is, Mother. You do not understand-"

"Oh, I think I do understand, Regina. I understand that you need more help than I could ever give." The older woman hissed, looking as if her head were about to explode.

Regina, though, didn't seem to care of her anger. She was far too used to her mother's short temper and anything that came with it. She was prepared and she would not go down without a fight. She wouldn't let her mother control her life. Not again.

"I don't need any help, Mother." The brunette teacher grit her teeth together, her hands flexing at her sides.

Emma had looked between the two of them, quite unsure of what she should do. She wasn't exactly welcome to speak in this moment, but she knew something big was going to happen. It didn't exactly take a rocket scientist to figure out that the shit was hitting the fan.

And Regina looked as if she wanted to tear her smug mother's head clear off her body. The blonde frowned to herself, her emerald gaze falling to her brunette lover's hands. She definitely looked as if she were about to rip Cora's head off.

"Gina..." she whispered softly, reaching forward to grab the hand closest to her. Regina had changed positions at some point to face her mother, but that did not affect Emma any. She would rather not see that horrible look on the teacher's face. It was rather terrifying and she hoped that she wouldn't bring Regina to that point herself in the future. She would probably lose within seconds because that was scary as hell.

Emma had felt a tightened grip on her hand after a moment and looked up to be met with soft, chocolate eyes. She tried to offer a smile, a smile that would reassure her that they would get through this.

Regina sighed softly and nodded, her entire body relaxing as she spoke, though to her mother as she continued to gaze into those very eyes that had forced her into an entirely different mood.

"I love her, Mother."

"I don't care if you love her. I didn't ask if you loved her, Regina." Cora scoffed, her eyes on their intertwined hands. There was something that flashed briefly over her face, but it was gone before either of the other women could decipher it.

"You will never succeed in tearing us apart." Regina continued, brushing off what her mother had just said. "I do not care what you try. I am sick of you trying to control my life. So what if I prefer women over men? It isn't like I cannot produce children, if that is what you're always so worried about."

"That isn't, at all, what I'm worried about. You do not understand how I feel, Regina. Was it because you did not have a father figure while growing up? Is it my fault that you had turned out like this?"

"I am not deformed, Mother! I am fine!" Regina's grip on Emma's hand had tightened incredibly, her anger rising through the roof. She heard the blonde make a soft noise below her, but she hadn't let up as she proceeded to argue with her mother.

"You are sick, Regina. This is not normal!"

"Yes it is, Mother!" Regina could strangle that woman. This was an argument they have had time and time again, and it had always ended the same way. She only hoped that her mother would leave this time as well. "Quite a bit of the population are just like me. It is natural. It is psychological. We are born like this. I was born this way."

"So you are telling me that you were born to chase after little girls?"

"No, Mother. That is most certainly not what I am telling you." The English teacher pinched the bridge of her nose, an annoyed sigh falling from her lips. "Why are you even here? You never come visit me unless you want something, Mother. I assume that you have found it, now, haven't you? Emma was the reason why you're here."

Cora was taken aback by the sudden subject change, but that didn't falter her mood any. She continued to wear the same scowl on her lips as she sneered her next words. "I came here to put an end to whatever it is that you have."

"It really is not that simple, Mother. What are you going to threaten me with? I had already declared that I do not want your business. Why don't you give it to Zelena? She seems to be so eager for the position."

"I am not here about that, darling." Her mother suddenly changed her pace of mood, a much lighter tone to her voice. Much sweeter that it had only raised the hairs on Regina's arms. "I have something to wager that I am quite sure you cannot deny."

"And whatever might that be?" Regina rolled her eyes, impatience taking a tone to her already wary voice.

"Gina, I think I know what she has up her sleeve..." Emma stood from her spot, looking worriedly into her brunette lover's eyes. It was her hand this time to tighten its grip.

"Oh! It seems that she's smarter than she lets on. Let us hear her assumption. Perhaps I wouldn't have to break out the dramatic threat myself." Cora smirked, an eerie aura surrounding her as she gazed at the young blonde who had stood stark and proud next to Regina.

Emma didn't meet her gaze, instead, she continued to stare at Regina as she nibbled on her lower lip. Clearly whatever she had been thinking was something worrying, especially the way that she was in great hesitation.

"What is it?" Regina asked tentatively, dread suddenly filling her because she might have just thought of what her mother was going to use against her.

"Your job," she simply stated, her voice void of emotion as she had realized just what that meant.

That was exactly what the brunette had just thought of so suddenly. How she never could have was beyond her. But that had meant her own mother would use her teaching job against her if that meant breaking the two of them up. Cora was ever the twisted woman and Regina despised it. She could never be happy without her mother intervening at some point.

She should have known everything was going too well for her. She had been happy and life was perfect with Emma here by her side. But now all of that was going to get flushed down the drain because her mother did not approve of it. Everything that Regina had ever worked for was going to disappear with the snap of her mother's fingers.

She was either going to lose the person that she loved the most, or her job. It would have been a thoughtless act to choose Emma over her job, but if her mother was going to use the latter against her relationship with the blonde, there would be more to it than unemployment.

Regina would surely go to prison if Cora would consult the authorities about it, and she no doubt would. Even if she wouldn't, she would still go to the school board and tell them of the relationship that Regina had with the blonde student. The school board would take great action and everything would go to hell.

Regina would lose her life and everything that she had worked for up to this point.

That was what had the brunette conflicted. She was absolutely screwed either way. What choice did she have to make? She would rather there be a third option of crawling under a rock and never coming out again.

"You can't do that!" Regina heard Emma exclaim, now facing the oldest woman with a glare. "That's just fucked up. Would you really do that to your own daughter?"

"She needs help, don't you understand, child? You need help, too. Why aren't your parents helping you?" Cora narrowed her eyes in return, causing the brunette teacher to move closer to the blonde. She had no doubt her mother would attack Emma and she wasn't about to let that happen.

"Because my parents accept who I am." Emma retorted, this time taking a step towards Cora. Regina had pulled her back, though, before she could get closer to the smirking woman and wrapped an arm around her.

"Emma. No." Regina let the younger woman relax against her and sighed, her hand absently rubbing Emma's side. "Mother. Are you so cruel enough to threaten that of me? Both are my life and you know it, or perhaps you wouldn't because you have no idea what love is."

Slap.

Cora's hand met Regina's face quite hard, forcing the latter's head to the side. She made no sound, though her cheek stung from the contact as she felt Emma's arm wrap tightly around her. She donned an angry expression, her emerald orbs piercing Cora.

"How dare you say that to me, Regina Mills?" Cora hissed, her voice something menacing that sent shivers down Regina's spine.

This was the voice she used just before making things physical. Regina subtly moved closer to Emma, hoping that her mother wouldn't try something in front of the blonde more than she already had.

"You have never loved me, Mother. How could you say that you do when you threaten me with things like this?" Regina growled. She knew her words were asking for her to get slapped again.

And so she was. Cora didn't have any of what she had said, slapping the brunette teacher hard across the face. The sound of skin-on-skin contact had echoed through the room, almost deafening for the blonde standing beside Regina.

Emma had frowned upon the contact and only squeezed Regina tighter, a soft gasp falling from her lips. She was now witnessing firsthand what Cora does to her own daughter. And it wasn't anything pleasant, just as she had suspected. She wished she could do something for her brunette girlfriend, but it was something impossibly dangerous. Besides, what could she do?

"Cannot handle the truth, can you?" Regina continued without hesitation. She had straightened back out, rubbing her reddening cheek for but a moment. "You are so pathetic. Why do I even bother with living like this? I could have my own life. My own house. My own job. But instead, I fell back on you. I allowed you to do all of this for me and I should have not. I should have just stayed away when you had kicked me out. I would have been better off without you and your offerings."

Though once those words were out of her mouth, she had wanted to stuff them back in, all for more reasons than just one.

"The only good thing that came out of this was Emma." She quickly mended, pressing a kiss to the blonde's lips. Emma had blinked at the unexpected contact, but soon melted into it as the brunette had only embraced her in both arms.

"That is enough, Regina." Cora growled, and before the brunette could even have a chance to pull away from the kiss that she had initiated, she was pulled back by her hair. Regina squawked in surprise at the rough contact, falling back roughly onto the ground as her mother moved to loom over her, everything darkened in her angry state. Her eyes were narrowed slits, the displeasure from Regina's actions had been quite evident on her twisted features, leaving the teacher to immediately regret everything that she had just done. Her mother was not going to falter with Emma here.

No.

She seemed to take pleasure in having an audience, or so the younger brunette had assumed when Cora knelt down. Her mother was straddling her waist before she knew it with her arms pinned helplessly above her head in one of the older woman's strong hands as the other gripped her neck, much like she had on the night she had arrive just months earlier. There was no hesitation as she squeezed at her throat, earning a choked cough from Regina as she struggled against her mother.

"Mother. Let me go." Regina gasped desperately, succeeding in pushing the smaller woman off her. She made no hesitation to stand up, gathering the blonde up in her arms. "I want you to get out of here, Emma, before you get hurt."

"I can't leave you here with her." Emma quickly shook her head, her brows furrowing at her as if she had sprouted a second head.

"There is nothing that you can do to help me, dear." The English teacher sighed softly, eyeing her mother as the older woman had finally stood. Cora hadn't made an effort to move, though. She had only glared at them with fiery eyes, burning with what Regina could guess was pure, unadulterated fury.

Emma, on the other hand, had given Regina a look that had told her she wasn't going to leave. There was nothing going to change the stubborn blonde's mind, and that had only worried Regina more. Who only knows what her mother would do to Emma? Cora was capable of many things and they were dangerous.

Regina couldn't help but to feel entirely responsible if Emma were to get hurt under her mother's hand. There was no way she would let that happen, so she had to figure a plan to keep the eighteen-year-old safe. Whatever that might be.

"I do not understand your affinity for this girl." Cora hissed finally, breaking her from the worries burning on the edge of her mind. "It is disgusting, Regina."

"Mother! You don't even know her." Regina snarled, standing in front of the blonde now, turning a glare on the woman who had given her life. Cora was one too quick to judge and she never took things into consideration. If she didn't like something, or someone, she wouldn't care to give them a chance. She would push them aside because it is what she felt was right.

She doesn't dare venture into the book based on the cover that it has offered her. Regina needed to force that book open before her mother could reject it. She needed for her to read the contents inside and study of them. Then she could judge. But the only question now was: how?

"Why should I?"

"Because your daughter loves her and there is nothing that will ever change that." The brunette closed her eyes for a moment, reaching blindly behind her to take hold of the blonde's hand. The softest of smiles lilted her lips when she felt Emma readily take the hand, giving it a squeeze. "Look, Mother, I want you to read the pages before you throw the book away."

Regina now opened her eyes, not missing the disgusted look on her face before it had cleared. Would her mother ever comply with her? Would she be willing to fulfill her desires, or would she just pass them off like she did most of the time?

Cora had a habit of making her daughter feel like a worthless piece of trash. It was Emma that had changed that. She had shown her that she was worth something. She had shown her that Regina could trust another without getting her heart torn from her chest.

Emma had loved her.

She still loves her.

And that made Regina's heart soar. She couldn't give her blonde lover up so quickly. In honesty, Regina would rather die than have to release Emma from her hold, especially under her mother's threats.

"Why should I read these pages when it is nothing but a trashy novel?" Cora spat, causing the younger brunette to flinch. "Frankly, Regina, I would rather you throw out what has been used and start fresh."

"With a man." Regina finished her mother's unsaid thought. She was quite sure that's what Cora had wanted. She wanted Regina to be with a man, and she could not fathom why. Her mother hadn't even been with anyone as far as she knew.

Unless her father was nothing more than a sperm donor to get Regina.

That thought made the brunette sick to her stomach. She couldn't think about such a sweet man being used by the likes of her heartless mother.

"Mother, listen to me." The brunette quickly said before Cora could open her mouth to say anything about Regina's latest comment. Her head was about to be severed, she was quite sure. "Emma lives here."

It had taken the older woman a moment to process what Regina had told her before she spoke. Though the look on her face was naught of surprise, but of something that the teacher could not quite place. Why did it look as if she knew?

"Why is she living with you? Does she not have her own parents? This girl is underage."

Regina could not help but to cling to her mother's seconds question: Does she not have her own parents? Was Cora implying that Regina was old enough to be Emma's mother? Of course, logically speaking, it was true. But it had still hurt nonetheless. She loved Emma dearly and her mother only toyed with the emotions that she had. Cora didn't take any of this seriously and played it out as if it were nothing but a game.

It was rather sickening. Cora held Regina's future in the palm of her hand. No matter what the brunette would do, something bad would no doubt happen. Cora could report her to the school over this if she did not comply with her wishes, even if she were to kick her mother out of her house right now. There was still that chance that she knew the older woman would no doubt take.

"I'm eighteen," she heard Emma behind her speak, stepping to the teacher's side once again.

"How convenient."

"Shut up, Mother." Regina grit her teeth, her grip on the blonde's hand only tightened. "She had a fallout with her parents and I had let her stay here until she sorted it out. She decided to move in after patching things up and I did not mind. I do not mind. I will never mind."

"Oh, how sweet!" Cora's voice was nothing but sugar as she spoke, sweet and sickeningly so, and it had Regina cringing. "Now you can play house."

Regina pinched the bridge of her nose once again, a habit she had formed from Cora's constant taunts. She could already feel a migraine starting behind her left eyeball. "Mother! I will not hear of it. Will you stop taunting our relationship? I know that she is incredibly younger than I am, but so what? There are eighty-year-olds married to twenty-year-olds, and it isn't even for love!"

"But at least it's legal, Regina." The older brunette smirked, her head shaking as she took a step towards the two. "Darling, why do you not give your relationship up? It's risky, anyways. I highly doubt that you would ever want to lose your job over it?"

"I find Emma quite worth the risk, Mother. The funny thing is, you find love where you least expect it, and when you do find it, you better grab that opportunity because you never know when you will ever find it again." Regina started the shorter woman down, daring her to make another move.

When her mother hadn't said a word, she had continued. "Look, I want you to see our relationship in progress. Give it a chance. I... cannot let you do this to us, Mother. We had worked so hard to get to this point and for you to come in like a tornado and blow us apart would only be a tragedy that I wouldn't be able to survive."

Cora stayed silent, contemplating the information that her daughter had given her. Regina could only stare at her. She didn't want to go on an overload, because her mother would surely decline then.

Cora was something like that. Fed too much, she will only vomit it back up. Regina had only learned that too many times throughout her life.

"Say I do what you suggest," she had finally said in a slow, contemplative voice. "Would you really think that it would change my mind?"

"I would only have hope for the better." Regina answered. That was the idea of this operation. She wanted to change her mother's mind and hope that she would see just how much she did love Emma, and how happy they actually were together. One could only hope and she had her fingers crossed.

"I highly doubt that it would, but," Cora crossed her arms, wearing a smirk that took Regina aback. What cogs were rolling in that woman's mind? "I will give you until I leave in one week's time. I do not guarantee that you will change my mind, ever, but I will give you hope. Show me why this is worth such a risk."

"Thank you, Mother..." Regina could cry with relief. She had found herself hugging the older woman in front of her, more than grateful that she had given her this chance.

"This will be my birthday gift to you, Regina." Cora had tentatively hugged the younger brunette in return. "You have one last week to spend with this... girl."

Regina nodded, pulling from her mother's grip to stand next to Emma once again. This time, she had wrapped an arm around her waist, the upturn of her lips rather faint, but still there.

"Did you make those sandwiches?" Cora queried after a moment's silence. She turned from the two of them, moving towards the door. "I was not lying when I had said I was hungry."

"Yes. I made two." Regina bit her lower lip as she moved to follow her mother to the kitchen, Emma still attached to her side. "You can have them. We'll find something else, I'm sure."

"There are steaks." Emma murmured, grinning up at her brunette lover. "I wanted to make them for you for dinner."

"That might be too heavy." The brunette teacher pursed her lips together, eyes floating to her mother watching them on the opposite side of the kitchen.

Cora had said something about going out later for dinner, but then again, that was before she had discovered Emma. It would be rather risky for the three of them to go to a restaurant, at least in town. And she wasn't quite certain that her mother would have any desire to dine with the two of them.

The older woman had set down the sandwich that she had just about to take a bite from and folded her hands together, her sparkling orbs flicking between the blonde and the brunette. "Now, don't be silly, Regina. You can let... Emma here fix you up the steaks, and I will even head off to the grocery store to pick up a third. We can dine in tonight if she has something special planned for your birthday."

"Mother," Regina had started, her lips parted as if she were going to continue, but her mother had waved a hand in the air, immediately cutting her off.

"I will not hear of it. If she wishes to make you dinner, so be it. At least let there be enough for us all." Cora smirked slowly, almost as if she had something planned, before turning to get a box of plastic wrap from one of the drawers behind her. "I will even make my own."

"Mother, you don't have to do that. I'm sure we can-"

"Gina," Emma had interrupted her this time, though the gentle squeeze to her hand had been far more settling than the chill that ran down her spine from her mother's. "That steak won't last much longer. We might as well just eat it tonight, anyways." There was a single moment's pause before she hesitantly turned her emerald gaze to land upon the eldest woman. "And don't worry about making your own. I don't mind cooking up all three. It will be far easier, anyways."

"If you seem to be so sure of yourself," Cora's lips twitched as she set the plate of sandwiches into the fridge and moved towards the two. Her spicy perfume engulfed Regina's senses, causing her muscles to tense.

The scent of her lover and her mother mingling together was nothing pleasant. It had only spelled danger. Cora's presence here was nothing as she had told. That woman had some tricky business up her sleeve that Regina couldn't quite put a finger on it just yet. Her mother was rather hard to read, the words on her pages were not easily discernible if skimmed over. No. She had to study her in order to find out just what information that she held and that would be proven as something difficult.

"I am." Emma murmured, her eyes darting over Cora's features before averting. "Uh... I'm gonna go see what we have to make with it." She quickly moved off, leaving Regina and her mother alone.

Regina frowned at the sight of her lover moving away. This wasn't going to be an easy week for any of them, she could sense that.

Cora would hate every moment watching her daughter with a woman, Emma would be too frazzled and terrified to do or say anything in front of Cora, and Regina was going to be the one in the middle, worrying herself sick about everything going on around her.

"I suppose I should be going. I don't think we want to waste any more time than we already had, now do you?" Cora drew the younger brunette's attention her way, a smile full on her lips.

"Of course not, Mother."

"Do you require anything while I'm there?" She had moved now, her tracks leading towards the door. Regina merely shook her head, unable to think of anything at the moment and watched as she disappeared into the hall.

It wasn't but a heartbeat later that Emma had popped out of the pantry with a box of pasta in one hand and a small bag of potatoes in the other. "Which starch goes better with steak?"

Regina quietly pointed to the potato bag, a brow quirked at the blonde's sudden relaxed physique. She had continued to watch on as Emma had moved to set the pasta back on its designated shelf before dealing with the starch vegetable.

"Emma?" The teacher quirked a brow at the younger woman's nonchalance as she went through the procedure of washing and peeling the potatoes. "What are you doing?"

"Peeling potatoes to make mashed potatoes." Then Emma paused, the peeler halfway down the current potato before she glanced up at her brunette lover with widened eyes. "Unless you want them baked, then I screwed up horribly."

"No... No, mashed are fine." Regina gave her a reassuring smile before heading towards her, her arms slipping around her waist from behind. She felt the blonde stiffen for a moment before relaxing into the grip to proceed with her current action.

"You seem much more relaxed than you were earlier."

Emma was quiet for a moment as she set the potato aside and grabbed for another. "I'm trying to pretend that everything is normal right now. It's just you and I." The blonde sighed softly, the arms around her squeezing. "Honestly, Gina? I'm scared shitless by what she's going to do. I don't... want to lose you."

"I know, baby girl." The older woman dipped her head down, pressing a tender kiss to Emma's cheek. She gently plucked the potato and peeler from the blonde's hands, setting them aside before slipping her fingers between the paler digits. "I don't want to lose you, either, and I will be damned if I ever let her win. You won't lose me. Not so easily."

"Please don't let that be a lie, Regina." Emma leaned fully back against the older woman's body, her eyes closing as she let the scent of her lover fill her senses. The soft feeling of gentle hands caressing her own was enough to let her slip into a momentary state of tranquilization.

Regina took a deep inhalation of air, her grip never faltering on the blonde woman in her arms. "I cannot promise anything, Emma."

And she couldn't. She couldn't promise that they would stay together forever. She couldn't promise that her mother would let them stay together. It had hurt her deeply that she couldn't promise even the simplest of joys to Emma. That blossoming woman deserved so much more than this. She deserved more than to be in an inevitable relationship that would ultimately get her hurt.

Regina didn't want for her young lover to be damaged once more. That for them would only cause for far more destruction than they were willing to take. The two of them could not survive this. They were tied to a bomb and Cora had the trigger.

"But I will promise you this," she murmured after a moment's silence, her fingers curling tighter into the blonde's hand. "I promise that I will stop at nothing to keep us together and if I fail... if I fail, then I am better off alone. I will hate myself too much if I allow for her to tear us apart. You wouldn't deserve such a horrible excuse for a human such as I."

"Regina, don't speak like that." Emma had wormed around in her arms, turning to face the older woman. Her vibrant, green eyes were shimmering with tears unshed. "Gina, listen..." She reached up and cupped Regina's tawny cheek, her thumb caressing the smooth surface. "I love you, and I always will. We will find a way to be together no matter what because you're the only one that I want. You're the only puzzle piece that I can connect with, and without you here... I'm incomplete."

That had tugged something in Regina's heart because the next thing she knew, her vision was far blurrier than before as something wet rolled down her cheeks. Her arms tightened around the smaller frame before her, a smile so bright, it could melt the sun itself.

"You have your moments, Emma Swan, and that's what I quite love about you." She sniffled her nose, trying to sober herself up. "You can be smart as hell and just as sweet."

"Thank you, thank you." Emma smirked, wiping those tears from her lover's face before placing a gentle kiss on plump, pink lips.

But that gentle kiss was nothing but as Regina didn't allow her to pull away. She had, instead, kissed the blonde back heatedly, taking Emma by surprise. A groan fell from the blonde's lips as she matched the other woman for each move she made.

The brunette hummed, her hands falling against Emma's bum to press her closer, a sudden desire sweeping through her and roaring to life in her lower belly. She daintily ran her tongue across the crease of the blonde's lips, soon gaining access to her sweet mouth. That very tongue was pushed out by Emma's own in a desperate duel to gain dominance.

A muffled plea rose up in the brunette's through, almost inaudible but when Emma had pushed her back against the counter, she knew she had been heard. The answer was frantically given as the blonde had urged for Regina to hop up onto the counter, their kiss broken for only but a moment.

Regina had fulfilled the request and pulled Emma closer to her, their lips crashing together in another heated kiss as the latter woman's fingers fumbled with the teacher's dress. She hiked the skirt of it up, the palms of her hands pressing flat against olive thighs. The older woman had wrapped her legs around Emma's waist, her hips thrusting forward as if pleading for her to continue.

Emma smirked against Regina's lips when those pale finger proceeded towards the English teacher's aching center. The brunette bit her lip as the heat had concentrated itself into her very core, the desperation to be touched only growing by the moment. She could almost feel it, her hips jerking forward once again with success when Emma's fingers had collided with her.

"Please, Emma..." Regina had pleaded, their kiss breaking as her head fell back. Emma's lips attached themselves to her exposed throat just as she pushed the damp panties aside and thrust two fingers into her.

The well-needed contact had exploded pleasure throughout the brunette, causing her to gasp into the air. Her fingers had tightened around the blonde's arms as she met each thrust, her hips moving off the counter every so often.

At that point, everything logical had swept from her mind. Everything including the fact that her mother would be due home at any moment now. The thought hadn't even crossed her mind as she continued to rock herself against the now trio of digits pumping furiously into her.

Though, it had when there was a horrified voice calling her name from the opposite side of the kitchen. Regina's eyes had immediately popped open from their drooped state, her head whipping up to spot her mother staring at the two of them with a face of both horror and disgust.

Emma had ceased all movement upon hearing the ungodly shriek, her eyes wide as she stared at her brunette lover, who had much reflected her visage.

"Mother!" The brunette finally was able to make sense of the situation, the word being the only thing that had brought to the forefront of her mind.

This had definitely taken her back to when she had been a teenager. Her mother had caught her in the act then, as well, though the circumstances were quite different now. Cora couldn't throw her out on her own this time. But there was no telling what she might do.

"Get out of my daughter!" Cora screeched, slamming the bag that she had been carrying onto the island counter.

It wasn't until then that Regina had noticed Emma had been too shocked to even remove her fingers from the older woman. But that didn't serve as a problem now because those digits were out of the brunette faster than if her insides had been on fire.

"I'm sorry!" Emma raised her hands, taking a step back.

"Emma..." Regina clucked her tongue, smacking her arm to make her put them down. "You don't need to apologize to her. I wanted this, Mother. It's my fault. The least we could have done was get up to the bedroom."

The brunette hopped off the counter, her cheeks heating as she had finally gained realization of her current position, and pulled her dress down. She raised her eyes to her mother's angry complexion, nearly flinching at the intense emotion burning in her eyes.

"That is just disgusting, Regina." Cora growled, no sooner bringing a hand to slap across the brunette's face.

Regina blinked, almost unsure of what the hell had happened until the skin of her cheek had started to sting. "Mother?"

"You are lucky that I am allowing for you two to be together for the week that I am here." The older woman merely rolled her eyes at her daughter's reaction before turning her attention to the abandoned potatoes behind them. "But you won't be if I catch you two doing this again. At least have enough decency to keep your atrocious lifestyle in that closet of yours where no one has to see it. More especially me."

"I'm sorry, Mother..." Regina sighed, closing her eyes. It wasn't going to be easy getting used to having her mother around. She and Emma never denied themselves pleasure, no matter where they were in the house. But now they had to because they would never know when Cora would so happen to walk in. They'd have to limit it to their bedroom until she left... That was, if Cora didn't go through with her threat.

"You will be, darling." Cora cast a glare to her daughter before turning to face the panic-stricken blonde who had been watching through wide eyes. "And you, you're making dinner. Do it."

"Yes. Of course." Emma quickly nodded, looking so unlike herself as she moved jerkily towards the potatoes, but not before Cora had stopped her.

"And wash your hands before you do. I beg of you." Her gaze flicked to Emma's fingers before quickly latching onto Regina's wrist. "And you're coming with me, Regina."

"Wh-what?" Regina blinked with surprise, but she was already being drug from the kitchen. She looked back at Emma with sympathetic eyes as the blonde washed her hands.

This next week will be absolute hell.

"Dinner was wonderful, Emma. Don't listen to my mother." Emma looked up from the bed as her brunette partner had stepped out of the dress she was wearing. "She can be quite the bitch, I will not deny that."

"So I have seen in these painful seven hours." The blonde's attention was focused on other things that weren't exactly concerning Cora, though, as those emerald irises of hers had ate up every last scrumptious bit of Regina's soft, tan body.

But there was quite some truth to those painful seven hours. Emma had been on edge the entire evening, feeling as if Regina's mother had been breathing down her neck. The scene in the kitchen had never helped the matter and now she was almost too afraid to sleep, fearing that she would get slaughtered during slumber.

Of course, that was silly to think and Regina was right there next to her. But those worrisome thoughts never eased as the night drew to an end. It was almost midnight now and Emma couldn't be more happier, or petrified.

This wasn't exactly what Emma had planned for Regina's birthday to be. She wanted to make a special, romantic meal for the two of them to sit and enjoy each other's company to. Not get her meal criticized by an unwanted third party with a bad attitude. And the gift that she had planned on Regina opening, and hopefully loving, to not be tossed aside still unopened in the bag by that same third party.

At least the two of them could still share that moment together, alone, as Regina would open it up. Emma had brought the bag up to the bedroom later on during the night in hopes that the brunette would get to it before her birthday would be over.

The clock was nearing midnight, and increasingly so. It didn't matter all too much if she were to open it after midnight, but it would be nice if at least one thing went as planned during February first.

Unlike the meal that she had worked so hard to make, only for it to virtually be dumped in the trash by Cora. The meal in which Regina was apologizing for.

"Don't worry about it," she mumbled, her eyes sliding up to meet Regina's. "I'm sure it was bad, anyways."

"But it wasn't, Emma." Regina smiled softly at her before turning to hang her dress back up in the closet. The blonde's eyes fell to her plump behind and the generous amount of flesh exposed by the small, lace and satin that she wore.

"I guess as long as you liked it, Gina, that's all that matters. It was for you, anyways." Emma rolled towards her edge of the bed and reached down to grab the bag with Regina's gift in it before the woman could return.

By the time that she had, Regina had donned a pair of her satin pajamas and a smile as she shuffled over to the bed. Emma held up the red gift bag that had been in her lap, returning the smile.

"And I hope you'll like this, too." She handed it over as soon as Regina got comfortable and waited anxiously. This had been the first thing that she wanted to happen today, and that had been the fuel of her excitement to get through the day. But, of course, nothing ever goes according to plan, and alas, Cora had shown up.

But now there were no interruptions and no rude comments.

Unless Regina hated the gift.

But Emma was sure that was unlikely, no matter how much it made her seem so very high of herself by even thinking that.

"What is this?" Regina blinked slightly before a flicker of recognition passed over her features, ending with an upward curve on those perfect lips. "Oh! I nearly forgot about this. Emma, you know that you didn't have to get me anything."

"I know, but you got me something for my birthday and so much more. This is the least I can do." Emma smiled softly, her hand coming up to absently play with the swan pendant around her neck.

"Sometimes you are too sweet and I simply do not know what I will do with you." Regina leaned over to drop a kiss on the blonde's nose before drawing her attention to the gift bag once again. This time there were no interruptions to stop her from removing the tissue paper, the gift slowly unveiling.

Emma squeaked softly as she watched Regina gasp and pull the fluffy, stuffed panda from the bag. "I know it isn't no Mr. Pervert like you have over there, but I hope you like it. A-And look! It even has your name on the little collar thing."

Though, the collar had been an addition made by Emma. She bought a normal, black collar from the store and had found a machine that made customized nametags. The blonde hadn't been all too sure what to engrave on the little golden heart, so she had put in Regina's name instead of the other nonsensical things she had thought up.

"I love him, Emma." Regina smiled widely, hugging the stuffed panda close before drawing the envious blonde into her arms. "He is wonderful and I will cherish him forever."

"And look on the back." Emma reached towards the little heart tag to turn it around, showing the three little words on the opposite side of Regina's name.

"'I love you,'" Regina read, the smile turning soft. "Oh, that is so sweet, Emma."

"But it's true, so." The blonde shifted in her spot, leaning slightly against Regina's arm as the older woman had continued to admire the gift. When the brunette had looked up upon hearing those words, Emma had offered her sheepish grin.

The brunette chuckled softly at this, leaning down to drop a soft kiss to her forehead. "And I love you, Emma."

Emma giggled softly, shifting up in her spot once again as Regina had moved to set the stuffed panda on the night stand. She had also taken the liberty to flick off the lamp, leaving the two of them to get swallowed up by the sudden dark void. This had the blonde blinking for a moment, trying to adjust to the new lighting, or lack thereof.

And when she finally had, she was pulled down onto the bed by a shadow at her had only earned another giggle from her as she realized the source was Regina, and she was currently coddling her under the blankets with a soft giggle of her own.

"We should sleep." She whispered, stealing a quick kiss from Emma.

The blonde couldn't help but to giggle again at this gesture. Regina could certainly be adorable and childish when she wanted to, though that wasn't exactly often. But when she did, Emma couldn't help but to be easily humored by it. And as her eyes had adjusted more to the darkness, she was able to make out the basics of her lover's face.

The smile there melted her heart.

"But it's the weekend?" Emma finally realized what Regina had whispered, her brows furrowing at the thought. Normally they stayed up well past midnight on the weekends. Sometimes they wouldn't even go to bed at all.

"My mother is an early riser." Emma couldn't help not to miss the sudden sullen tone Regina's voice had taken. "It would be best if we were to sleep early to get a good night's rest or we'll be crabby as hell and my mother will only make it worse."

"I guess that means bye-bye sleeping in until the afternoon." The blonde mumbled under her breath.

"I'm sorry, Emma." Regina's voice was like a lullaby as she whispered those words into Emma's ear. Perhaps it would be easier than she thought to find slumber earlier than she was acquired to. She felt herself grow tired already. The warmth of the blanket was like an incubator with the combined heat of her's and Regina's and the arms wrapped around her were a sort of security.

"Don't be." She murmured softly, wiggling closer against the brunette as she opened her eyes. "I'm tired anyways."

A smile bloomed across Regina's features. Soft and sweet were her eyes as she ducked forward to steal another kiss. "Then I suppose we should sleep?"

"Isn't that what we're supposed to be doing?" Emma yawned her words, drawing them out as she had shifted away slightly to gaze into those dark, sparkling orbs. The brunette had merely nodded at her words, the upturn of her lips still there.

"Unless you're planning something."

"No. Of course not, Emma." Regina hummed, nosing closer to her before dropping another kiss to her lips. "Unless, of course, you have something planned?"

Emma's brow quirked at the question. Was she suggesting what Emma thought she was suggesting? Suddenly a slight smirk scorched the blonde's features and she leaned in to steal a much longer kiss from Regina.

The brunette had gasped softly from the sudden contact, moving to return it only for Emma to pull back. "That's payback."

"Payback?" Regina quirked a brow, wetting her lips as she searched the blonde's face.

"For stealing those kisses, silly." Emma smirked, shifting herself closer into Regina's personal bubble. The teacher made a soft noise, her breath hitching as their bodies had pressed against one another.

"You're quite something, Emma." Regina clucked, her hand drifting down the blonde's side. Emma shivered at the contact, her back arching slightly as the dormant desire in her body had roared to life. She itched for more contact and she was sure Regina felt the same because she was now forcing the younger woman onto her back.

The older woman smiled down as she had hovered over her, hands planted on the pillow on either side of Emma's head. Regina's own head had lowered, closer and closer to Emma's until their lips were but a breadth apart.

"You have two options, Emma." The teacher whispered huskily, her hot, moist breath falling against the blonde's skin in steady puffs.

"And what might they be?" Emma's emerald irises fell to Regina's plump lips before rising up to meet with coffee eyes.

"We can either a) sleep, or b)..." A salacious smirk soon replaced the sweet smile on the older woman's face as she closed the distance between them. Emma groaned into the kiss, her lips sliding in perfect harmony with her brunette lover's before the latter of the two quickly pulled away.

"I take it someone wants birthday sex?" Emma nibbled on her lower lip, the ever growing smirk on her face only expanded. "Tsk, tsk. We're supposed to be going to sleep."

"Well, we can if you want." Regina gave her a look before changing position, rolling off the blonde and back to her previous position. "I can just... take care of myself."

"Oh no you don't!" Emma's eyes widened when the older woman had suggested that, her hand flying to Regina's wrist to keep her from moving the hand. "If you're going to do that, then at least let me do it."

"I thought so." The English teacher's lips twitched as she watched the blonde slowly release her grip.

Emma's eyes narrowed at her, her nose crinkling slightly as she slowly rolled herself on top of the brunette in a position much like Regina's previous one. The older woman had giggled, the vibrations coursing throughout her body had tickled something in the blonde to join in as well until the two of them were nothing but a mass of madness.

It was Regina who had broke their uproarious laughter with a soft kiss to the blonde's lips, stunning her momentarily. She blinked, unable to make a sound when the older of the two had stared at her with smiling, dark chocolate eyes.

"My mother is in the other room." She whispered softly, stealing, yet again, another kiss. "I don't think she would appreciate us waking her."

"No shit. Especially after the kitchen thing." Emma murmured in return, succumbing to the brunette's dominance as she flipped them over. The blonde stared up at the darkened figure of her lover, almost a shadow in the inky room, with an anxious smile on her lips.

"So that means you'll have to be quiet." Regina hummed, head lowering out of view.

Emma gasped softly when she felt teeth nip delicately at her earlobe as one of the brunette's hands had moved from its dormant state, all too quickly finding the blonde's aching core through her cotton shorts. A soft moan erupted from Emma's lips at the added sensation, her back arching upward as she urged her hips against the hand cupping her.

"That might be difficult." Emma breathed, Regina's hand rubbing her roughly through the thin material. And just as she had finished her sentence, the brunette's fingers had pressed against the sensitive bud which had earned a hearty groan that had the teacher's hand slapping over her student's mouth in a heart beat.

"Shh, Emma. Not so loud." The older woman pulled her hand away before sliding her hands to the blonde's hips, silencing the whine that she was about to give. "I know you're used to making love in a house alone, but..."

"Revert back to the apartment, got it." Emma smirked, her hips rising in aid as her shorts, and panties alike, were being pulled down her milky thighs.

"Back to the apartment?" Regina had tossed the clothing onto the floor, eyes focused in on the forest eyes below her.

Emma smirked in return, her pale digits falling down her lover's sides to tug at the smooth, satin material of her pajama pants. "Well, I did have to be quiet when I... pleased myself."

"I see..." The brunette growled her words. She slapped Emma's hands away from her pants, moving to pull them off herself before repositioning herself above the younger woman.

"Does that make you... hot?" The blonde couldn't help but to smirk, her hands finding purchase on the teacher's hips once again. This time, she had let them explore the olive toned expanse of skin. One of them teased the intimate patch of curls, her fingers combing delicately through the short hairs as the older woman had responded with quiet mewls.

"I don't want to dirty talk, Emma," she murmured, her hips lowering the wet heat against Emma's stomach as they slowly rocked. "I want for you to touch me. I want you to make love to me, Emma."

A gentle smile graced the blonde's features as she nodded, her arms moving to wrap around Regina before she rolled the two of them over. A soft gasp left Regina's lips, hitting Emma's face as a hot puff of air. She smirked and lowered her lips to the pink ones below hers, a knee nudging Regina's thighs apart to press against her center.

"Yes..." The word was a gasping whisper as it fell from Regina's lips. Emma smiled in satisfaction as this, her knee grinding against the older woman's slowly moving hips. Their lips had returned to one another's again, the blonde's sliding over the brunette's as olive digits curled in golden locks.

Emma's entire body hummed with pleasure as she had rocked her own body against her brunette lover's thigh. They had moved in perfect harmony, gasping softly against each other's lips and cheeks as they attempted to remain quiet.

"Regina." The blonde choked against said woman's cheek when fingers had snuck their way under her shirt and up her smooth stomach. The muscles clenched anxiously at the sensation as the rolling of her hips nearly ceased when she jerked against the hand, her eyes widening.

Regina merely smirked, her other hand soon joining to tug the shirt up and over the blonde's head, with a few urging gestures. That piece of cloth had soon been tossed off to the side along with their other discarded attire.

"Your turn, baby." Emma murmured, pressing a finger to Regina's chest before moving to unbutton the pajama blouse that she wore. A smirk played on her lips as she watched the brunette's eyes burning into her.

"I do hope you hurry, sweetheart, because I am absolutely-"

Emma had pressed a finger to Regina's mouth to cut her off, the smirk on her lips only growing in size. "No dirty talk, Gina, as you had said."

"Being bitten by my own words. How classic." Regina groaned softly, jerking her hips up as Emma had managed to finally pull the fancy fabric from her. A pale hand fell to the newly exposed flesh before her, eyes eating up the sight as it swallowed down straight to her already aching core. The sensitive flesh thrummed, desperate for more contact than it was receiving.

Regina, though, didn't seem to take that into account. Even if she were feeling the same, she still seemed to take it lazily slow. Her olive fingers slid against Emma's pale flesh, exploring every inch exposed to her. They moved up her back, the warmth of her palms relaxing the blonde's body as she slowly melted into the touch. A pale smile spread across her lips at the gentle contact.

The hand on the older woman's breast had fallen away to give Emma the sight of the beauty it beheld. It was a sight that Emma had never wanted to be laid to waste, so she admired it for the time being as Regina's hand had continued to explore. The pad of her thumb brushed lightly over the brunette teacher's nipple, causing it to tighten the more she had made contact with it.

The breathless moan below her had only given her encouragement as she continued to gently tease the pert little bud, her fingers moving soon enough to roll it between them, earning a heartier noise this time.

"Mm, Emma..." Regina groaned softly, her chest thrusting up against the blonde's hand, urging her hips forward as well. "Please, touch me."

Emma nodded slightly, shifting that hand down her side with a soft smirk as Regina shuddered underneath her with a hum. Just as the blonde's hand had met with her lover's awaiting folds, she felt a hand slip up between her own thighs. A sharp gasp left her lips upon the new contact, her hips grinding down against the exploring fingers.

Regina stared up at her, teeth biting into her lower lip as she watched the shades of pleasure float across her features. Emma tried her best to suppress the moan bubbling rapidly in her throat as she forcefully thrust two digits into the older woman. Unfortunately, this had earned a soft yelp from said woman, chocolate orbs widening in shock from both the sound and sudden addition.

"Sorry." The blonde muttered sheepishly as she set a pace, her fingers not hesitating to pump in and out of her lover's body. Her leg had long moved, though she still remained mounted to the muscular tan one.

"Don't... worry about it, Emma." The words were nothing but groans as Regina tried to meet each of the blonde's thrusts, her slender fingers slipping between the younger woman's folds to find the sensitive bundle of nerves.

The circular movements had Emma gasping, soft squeaks falling from her lips as she tried desperately to keep the sounds in her throat. It was with Regina's help that that had been possible as the older woman kissed her, hard and long as their bodies moved once again at a harmonized pace. Emma's fingers thrust into Regina, her pace quickening in time with the brunette's own pace, her breath growing more ragged by the minute.

"Please..." she moaned against her lips, a third digit worming its way into her lover's slick heat. Her plea was fulfilled when the older woman slipped a digit into her, pushing it all the way to its knuckle. The blonde couldn't help the new moan that fell from her lips as she shifted her hips to urge that appendage in deeper.

"I-I love you, Emma!" Regina cried out, causing the blonde's eyes to widen before she slapped a hand over her lover's mouth. Emma's fingers pumped faster, getting harder with each thrust as she felt the older woman start to tighten around her. The brunette only stared at her with widened eyes at the entire situation, though her own movements had never faltered, instead, they had only sped to match Emma's pace.

"I love you, too, Gina." Emma finally had managed to pant in return as she continued to roll her hips against Regina's fingers and thigh, her thrusts nearly weakening until she felt the older woman's body contract and shudder around her as she had reached her climax.

"Oh, yes," she didn't let that cry be hushed. The blonde helped her ride it out, biting her lower lip as the brunette's movements had become jerky and slow. Emma smirked widely, pulling those digits out to clean as if she were a cat with a satisfactory catch.

"Your... turn..." Regina huffed, her breathing shallow as she picked up the speed of her fingers, two rubbing tight circles around the blonde's clitoris as another pumped wildly into her entrance. It wasn't long until Emma felt the pressure building up within her. Her movements themselves had become slower, yet still frantic as she searched for the release that she had longed for.

And she had found it, her body shuddering when she curled up against Regina with a soft cry, face burying into her neck. She didn't move when her body had relaxed, instead she had only curled up more against her lover as the older woman's fingers trailed up and down her back, tracing absent shapes against her pale flesh.

"I hope you enjoyed the second half of your birthday gift." Emma smirked softly, wriggling up to place a sweet kiss to her lips. Regina merely chuckled with a shake of her head, those digits moving up to curl into her hair.

"Oh, I quite did." Regina hummed, a smirk crossing over her features. "I do hope that isn't all, though?"

"Pardon?" Emma poked her head up, only to be met with a salacious twinkle in the teacher's eyes.

"Oh, nothing, my love."

"Are you sure?" The blonde nuzzled close to her neck, pressing a single kiss to the tanned flesh.

A yawn ripped from the brunette's throat just before she could answer and Emma chuckled, poking her nose. "Or are you just tired?"

"Well, it certainly has been a long day, what with my mother's arrival and all." Regina wrapped her arms around the blonde, keeping her close against her. "But I could always go for... a little...more."

"You're so naughty, Gina." Emma chuckled, though it died in her throat as the brunette's fingernails grazed over her bum.

"If we continue, it will be hard to stop." Regina growled, her voice had taken a husky tone to it.

"I know."

"And we will be exhausted in the morning. Is that something you'd be... willing to endure?"

Emma sucked her lower lip into her mouth and chewed on it, eyes searching the brunette's with a slow grin. "I'll be willing to take the risk."

"Oh, good." Regina purred, flipping the two of them over which had earned a squawk of surprise from Emma. "Then the night is still young and we aren't nearly sweaty enough."