"Aw, shit! It's noon? Why the hell are you getting me up now?" Emma complained, eyes on the glowing numbers in front of her. She glowered at them before childishly flipping onto her other side to face the guilty party that had awoken her.

Regina still lay next to the blonde, a wicked smile on her face. "It certainly is, dear. That means half the day has gone."

"Not really." The blonde haired woman shifted up, watching closely as her raven haired counterpart brushed a finger over her shoulder. "We were up this morning."

"Mm, yes, but we went to bed this… 'smorning." Her lips twitched in amusement for mocking Emma's pronunciation, or lack thereof when it came to the two words.

"Shush!" Emma playfully tickled her side, fingers dancing across the warm flesh.
Regina squealed in response, wiggling around like a worm as she sought to get away from the blonde's teasing fingers.

"It's not my fault you wanted to stay up all night, Gina." She continued, pausing the tickles before she got injured by any possible flailing limbs.

"So you have decided to blame me?" The brunette quirked a brow before quickly sitting up, shoving the blankets off her. "Emma, you have a special place that you're going to Ms. Please-Don't-Stop-Let's-Get-Out-The-Toys."

Emma's cheeks heated at the statement, her eyes watching the brunette curiously as the latter peeled herself from bed. "That wasn't all me. You readily agreed." She muttered with a chuckle as Regina groaned softly, arms stretching above her head.

"Perhaps we are both the guilty party. None-the-less, you had said, at some point if I do recall correctly, that you promised you would be over to your parents in the morning." She turned to face the younger woman who still lay in bed, emerald orbs still glued to the masterpiece before her.

Emma couldn't seem to take Regina seriously. Not with the lack of clothing that she wore. Or the way she was giving her that look with her hair resembling something that of a small child's doll. Boy, did she just love every inch of that woman? Inside and out.

"Noon is my morning, Ms. Troll Doll." The blonde snorted, climbing out of bed to join the brunette who glowered at her. The relief that Emma felt was marvelous knowing that Regina's eyes didn't have the ability to spit fire and roast her where she stood.

"I wouldn't talk. You looked as if you stuck a fork in the power socket." A scoff left the older woman's lips as she moved passed the younger one, moving towards the closer. Emma watched her current agenda, immediately assuming she was ready to take a shower.

A thought ran across the blonde's head, drawing heat back to her skin already. Oh, dear, it would probably be well-passed noon if they showered together. Perhaps she should contemplate using one of the other bathrooms to freshen up or else they would never leave this house.

Because that was her thought process right now and she wondered why she wasn't a man. Sometimes, she feared for herself. She was controlled by her vagina. Terrible, terrible pity that it was.

"You know, vagina, you don't always need to be in control." She voiced her thoughts aloud, plucking through her own wardrobe to find something suitable to wear.

Regina's head immediately popped away from whatever she was currently gazing at to give Emma a bewildered stare. "Did I just hear you talking to your… lady parts?"

"Lady parts?" Emma snorted at the term. There was something about that teacher. She seemed to hate using crass language for anything, or using a term more directly related to something. Such as her sexual orientation. And genitals, apparently. Though, ironically enough, she didn't refrain from using that language when she was having sex.

"Your… intimate bits." Regina gestured towards the blonde's groin, cheeks dusting a soft pink that Emma had noted quickly. "Why are you talking to it?"

"Because, it's like a penis, you know? I think it has a mind of its own and my goddamn clitoris is the brain of the operation." Emma grumbled, grumpily plucking her clothes from the current drawer. "Sometimes I wonder if I'm a man."

"Oh, dear…" The brunette pursed her lips together, head shaking slowly. "You are such a horn dog, Emma Swan."

"Well, that's a new one." Emma blinked slightly at the new term. "I'm just gonna… go shower and try to get my… 'lady parts' to stop thinking about you."

The brunette smiled, amusement glowing in her eyes. She leaned forward to press a kiss to the top of the blonde's head before speaking. "Go do that, dear. I think I'm too sore to even attempt to try anything else right now."

"Yeah. I guess I need to get my ass over to my parents before Mary Margaret has a cow." She smiled at the small gesture and leaned up to press a chaste kiss to Regina's lips before rushing off to the bathroom. She was honestly too afraid of herself in that moment. If she continued any longer, she would surely take Regina again.

"Better not do that." She joked to herself, keeping her mock paranoia aside.

Emma shut the bathroom door behind her, realizing soon enough that she had totally assholed her way through to take a shower. Regina looked as if she had planned on taking one, but the brunette hadn't said a word when Emma mentioned she was hopping in.

Not trying to worry about that too much, the blonde placed her clothes on the toilet seat and prepared the shower, trying to think up any other thoughts to distract herself from the problem at hand. Mary Margaret and David were a good subject to think about, and her soon-to-be visit with them.

She planned on spending as much time as she could with the two before she left Storybrooke, in which the hourglass to that point was running low on grains of sand. Regina and Emma had planned on moving only a few weeks after graduation, which would give the brunette enough time to finish up the school year and the two to pack up the mansion.

"There's no way in hell that I'm going to the apartment without any furniture. I want some of it, and of course all of my kitchen and bathroom items. A few wall decorations and a lamp or two. Or else there shouldn't be much we should bring besides personal items." Regina had said when Emma inquired her on what they were taking.

Emma had assumed the apartment was going to be rather small based on the pictures the brunette had shown her, and no matter what it wouldn't be a thing compared to the size of the manor that they currently reside in. Naturally, that had led to the assumption of leaving the furniture behind and bringing only a select few, unless Regina had planned on purchasing more once they had moved down there.

Regardless, the blonde wasn't at all enthused about packing up and moving even just the few things. She was quite sure those "few" things would total in a large truck load that they would be stuck moving to who only knows where that apartment would be located.

Of course, unless Regina had planned on hiring help. Emma hoped that were the case or she might have a sobbing fit in the corner before toughening up to do just that tedious task.

The blonde grumbled to herself at the thought as she quickly dressed. There was a lot of things to pack up in this house. The two of them had made an attempt to last week so they would have been able to make some dent. But all those boxes full of just things from a few closets and the bathroom downstairs was already pushing Emma towards surrender.

And then she did still have her things. Though, thankfully, during her visits to the Nolan's, she had managed to pack up her room (which wouldn't have been much aside from her mattress and the fixings for it).

"Are you finished, dear?" Regina's voice filtered through Emma's thoughts, forcing the blonde to look up as she exited the bathroom. The blonde nodded with a smile, heading towards the brunette who had donned something. "Are you ready to go?"

"You're not going to shower first?" Emma quirked a brow, drinking up her girlfriend's attire. She had wiped off the remainder of makeup from last night and pulled her hair back into a messy pony tail. Her top was a plain black tee-shirt that Emma had often seen her lounge in or use as a pajama shirt, and she wore jeans- something usually uncommon for the older woman. Though it wasn't exactly excluded from her wardrobe.

It was a rare thing to see the brunette in jeans, especially those tight ones that she wore now. Normally, it was something that she wore around the house if they were doing work, or as something she had quickly put on instead of donning her regular attire to pick something up from the store. Emma wished that Regina had worn those damned things more often because, damn, she looked great in them.

"I'll do that later. I plan on packing some things up while you're gone. No use showering if I'm just going to get dirty again." The brunette pursed her lips at the thought as she stood, wrapping her arms around Emma's waist once she reached the bed.

"Well, you could always shower while getting dirty." Emma couldn't help the words that came out of her mouth and smirked salaciously at her lover who, in return, slapped her shoulder.

"Now, Emma. Stop thinking with your clit and get your shoes on. Your mother called while you were in the shower." She stepped away from the younger woman so she could get Emma's cellphone from the end table where it lie. "I think she's worried that you haven't shown up yet."

"Meh, she should know that I'm a late sleeper." The blonde huffed softly, taking the electronic device from Regina to check for the missed calls. Three of them showed up, all from Mary Margaret. "She called three times?"

"And I believe messaged twice."

Emma looked under her messages. At least the five that she did have weren't all from Mary Margaret, though the less half was from her asking where she was, what she was doing, and when she would be coming to visit. With a soft sigh, the blonde shot off a quick response telling her foster mother that she would be there soon.

She loved that woman to death, but there was something about Mary Margaret that bothered her and that was her tendency to be… annoying. Well, perhaps not exactly "annoying," but she was too concerned for her own good and tended to ask too many questions.

She smiled slightly to herself because, yeah, that was still sweet of the schoolteacher since Emma had never really had anyone care so much for her. It was nice, yet annoying when thrust unto her in such copious amounts. Just as her friends were when it had come to certain things.

The blonde scoffed slightly at her phone as she slipped on a pair of shoes from the closet, Regina hounding her while she stood ready in the doorway. Emma quickly headed towards the brunette and followed her outside, reading the other three messages. Two of which were from Ruby while the third was from David.

It was surprising to see something from David. He rarely ever messaged Emma… If he ever had. Mary Margaret was usually the one wanting to know the blonde's business while her foster father had rarely stepped in.

But there was a message from him.

Anxious about opening it up, Emma had decided to see what the hell Ruby was going on about.

Thanks for ditching us. What the hell?

That was the first message, causing the assumption of it being sent before Ruby and Belle had made their way outside to bubble up. The second one, though, was definitely sent after.

Girl, we need to be talking about Ms. Mills here. I want to know more before you ditch us for Boston. Belle asked if you're moving in with Graham or going with Regina. WE MISSED TOO MUCH AND WE NEED TO KNOW MORE.

Emma shook her head to herself at the message. Of course that was Ruby being her usual self, wanting to stick her nose in other people's business whether they liked it or not. She would no doubt try to squeeze every last juicy detail that Emma wasn't willing to give out. She wouldn't know what to say to her friends about Regina and their relationship. It wasn't high school gossip at all. It wasn't a teenage romance that lasted one week and was replaced the next. The two of them had something real and that something wasn't anything that the blonde was willing to share with her friends.

Not right now, at least, and definitely not all the details. She would only answer a few select questions that they might have and wouldn't splurge on things they didn't plan to obtain knowledge on. She wasn't a giggly, blushing schoolgirl anymore. Hell, she never had been and perhaps that's why this relationship had worked out so damned well.

Smiling to herself, she responded back to the message with a simple later and clicked out. She needed to see what David had said, and when he had said it. If Emma was lucky enough, it would only be an apology for his wife's persistence. If not… who only knows what her foster father had to say. With baited breath, the blonde opened the text message and read over the words displayed on her screen.

We need to talk when you get here, Emma. Without Mary Margaret. Maybe we can go test drive that new Bug of yours?

Emma's eyes widened at the message. What did he want to talk about? What was there to talk about? The paranoia bubbling within the blonde seized her in a state of panic. Did he know something?

"Is something wrong, love?" As they slowed to a stop at the sign, Regina frowned towards Emma. "You look…"

"It's nothing." Emma shrugged, shoving her phone back into her pocket. "David just messaged me."

"Oh?" She didn't look as concerned nor worried as Emma had felt. Though she had no reason. She didn't know that David never messaged his daughter. He needn't a reason to. But he did today. And for some reason unknown. Some frightening reason. "What did he say?"

"He wanted to talk with me. Without Mary Margaret, so that means it's something he doesn't want her to know." Emma elaborated, eyes on the road ahead. They were nearing the apartment, and as they grew even closer, her stomach did flips until it hurt.

"What is wrong with that?" Regina innocently asked, turning the next corner that led up to the loft.

Emma swallowed thickly, eyes on the building as they pulled to the curb. "When he doesn't want her to know something, that means he doesn't want to hear her bitch about something. It's usually if I do something really, really bad or…" she shook her head absently because she didn't know what else he would discuss with her when Mary Margaret was intentionally out of sight.

"Oh…" The brunette frowned, eyes faltering to the restless hands on her younger lover's lap. "What do you think he wants to talk to you about?"

"I… I don't know. I guess I'll just have to find out." Emma sighed softly, her fingers fighting each other in her nervousness because no, she didn't know, and she was scared shitless to find out what it would be. Even if it weren't anything bad, she didn't seem to trust it.

"You don't have to go up there if you do not wish to." The older woman broke apart the restless hands, gathering one up in her hand to squeeze it reassuringly. "I won't hesitate to take you back home."

Emma lifted her gaze to the raven haired woman, a gentle tug offered a sweet smile on the corners of her mouth when she met coffee eyes. "Gina…" she whispered, setting her free hand on top of the one that had captured her own. "I need to find out no matter what. It'll kill me if I don't, okay?"

"I understand, honey." Regina nodded slightly, eyes faltering. "I hope that everything will be fine. But if there is any trouble, do not hesitate to call me, alright?"

"I won't. I mean, I will. I'll call you." The blonde leaned forward to brush her lips against the brunette's olive cheek before pulling back. She gently shook her hands from Regina's grip to unbuckle her seat belt, eyes quickly glancing behind her to gaze at the window to the Nolan's loft. She swore someone was watching her, she couldn't shake that feeling. But when she tried to search for a silhouette as suspect, there wasn't a thing there.

"Perfect. I'll miss you, Emma." Regina hummed, bringing her freed hand to cup the blonde's cheek.

The blonde turned into the tawny hand, a sweet smile stretched wide across her lips. Somehow, her racing heart had slowed into a perfect, relaxed beat. "I'll miss you too, Gina."

Regina's warmed smiled burned into the blonde's brain, the prior's hand falling away from the latter's cheek. Emma breathed, staring at the older woman for a moment longer before trying to calm herself back down from the sudden rise in her pulse. She forced herself to turn away to reach for the door handle, popping the passenger's side open. She felt a hand on her back, rubbing across her shirt in another suit to calm her.

"Goodbye, Emma." She whispered behind the blonde as the latter had exited the vehicle.

"Bye, Regina." Emma turned, smiling at her as an attempt to prolong the time. But she couldn't stand there and stall forever, so she nodded and shut the door to the Mercedes, soon twirling around towards the tall building.

Inhaling deeply, she pushed forward and opened the lower level door, only to be stopped immediately by David's wide smile and friendly arms.

Emma blinked, momentarily stunned at this gesture as she willed her body to respond by returning the embrace. "What brings you down here?" She asked nervously, sneaking a glance at the reflection in the door's window. Regina had, thankfully, pulled away by then. But that still hadn't mean David didn't see her which brought back the twisting of her insides.

"I need to talk with you and I figured to meet you down here before Mary Margaret knew that you were here… Officially, anyways." His arms dropped to his sides as he looked at her with contemplative eyes. "And I thought that, maybe, I could let you drive me around town in the Bug while we do it."

The friendly smile that he offered had calmed Emma's nerves somewhat. It didn't seem that he was angry at all, though the man could hide it well.

"Okay." She mumbled, eyes moving towards the little yellow vehicle parked across the street.

"Do you want the keys?" David grinned automatically, offering her the keys before heading towards the Bug after she had accepted them. Swallowing, Emma followed behind, nervously toying with the keys in hand.

What the hell did he want to talk about? The blonde had tried not to let the anxiety get to her. She couldn't not when she had to drive.

Quickly, Emma opened the door and dove in, pausing momentarily as she drank up the old car for the very first time.

"Wow…" she breathed in awe, eyes moving over every piece of the upholstery that it held. "It's beautiful."

"I knew that you'd like it." He smiled warmly, watching the excited look on his daughter's face. "You do, right?"

"Hell yeah!" The sudden excitement had partially eased the growing worry within her. She quickly followed as David had and clicked on her seat belt.

"Are you ready?" He chuckled, amusement sparkling in his eyes.

The blonde merely nodded, more excited than not to drive her car. It wasn't exactly new or fancy, but neither were most things in her life. She didn't mind it one bit, either, because it was something, and that something meant that someone had put consideration into it for her. And that was enough for Emma.

Humming to herself, she inserted the key into the ignition and turned it on. The engine roared to life, the sound echoing like the perfect melody in the blonde's ears. Her mirth grew at the gentle hum, the reality washing upon her like a tidal wave. She had driven David's truck before, and that was about it. She knew what to do, or at least a comfortable enough amount to get around town.

It was the other reality of having to drive it to Boston that terrified her. She wasn't exactly comfortable with going those kinds of speeds just yet, especially for that long of a distance.

Putting her foot on the brake, she shifted gears into drive and started to carefully pull away from the curb. Her heart rate increased dramatically. She knew as soon as she was on that road, David would start talking. About what, she had no idea. Hopefully he would only be curious about getting her license before she left and nothing else. Perhaps those would be his implications. He was taking her out for a drive, after all.

As she came to a stop at the end of the street, she turned a curious gaze to her foster father. The man hadn't said a word just yet as he remained silent, staring out at the street in front of them. As Emma had observed him closer, he almost looked as if he were thinking hard about something. Almost as if he were contemplating on how to start.

"What did you want to talk about?"

Emma initiated the conversation with her inquiry, pulling from the stop sign to head forward to no particular destination.

David answered the question in silence, leaving Emma to chance another glance at him. The man looked slightly uncomfortable now. He sat with his hands on his lap, slightly dancing upon his thigh in a gesture that Emma was wary to assume.

After a prolonged silence, Emma had come to the conclusion that he wasn't going to speak and continued onward, smoothly turning the next corner that lead to the main street. His quietness was bothering her greatly. Surely David wouldn't be so hesitant if he had wanted to speak about what Emma had previously thought. He wouldn't get this caught up over a license, right?

But what he had finally said had answered her question, right in the middle of Main Street.

"I saw you and Regina."

Emma's foot slammed on the break, uncaring of any cars behind her once those words had processed.

He did what now? Her heart was somewhere in her throat as she tried to regain control with little lick. The little Bug putted down the street after the blaring of angry horns behind her had sounded.

"You… what? When?" She furrowed her brows as she had tried to act nonchalant, the words that had been caught in her throat finally escaped into a messy case of verbal diarrhea. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Emma, don't you play dumb with me." David's voice was that kind of stern that Emma didn't argue with. "Pull over."

"Yeah…" The blonde willingly obliged as she pulled into an empty parking lot. Swallowing thickly at the newest revelation, she put the vehicle into park and turned it off. Her eyes caught the reflection of herself in the mirror as she readied to turn her gaze to her foster father. For a moment, she mistook herself for a ghost. She sure as hell was as pale as one.

"Last night, Emma. I had to patrol the school grounds and…" He trailed off, evidently becoming more uncomfortable with the subject at hand. "And I saw you… with Regina while you two were-"

Emma held her hand up to stop him, yelping in protest. Her once drained cheeks were now once again full of blood, warming her face quickly. "I get it! I was there!"

"Yes, you were, and that's what I wanted to talk about. Emma, what's going on?" He didn't sound too particularly angry, instead, most of his emotion lie with mortification over what he had seen.

The blonde's gaze dropped to her lap, unsure of how she should answer that very question. It was terribly obvious that he knew that had happened. What more should she say? He was the sheriff. If he found out that their relationship had extended before just that one night, what would he do? The two of them weren't exactly doing something that was legal. Regina would pay the mighty price of it all.

Emma was certain of David's opinion on this. The look on his face hadn't told much. He neither looked angry nor supporting. Just… indifferent.

Emma frowned to herself. She didn't want to ruin her relationship with the older brunette. The hell that would break loose if something were to happen felt as if it would be monstrous. Emma would be stuck in the middle of it, after all.

"Emma, I understand your hesitation." David finally spoke after a few minutes of silence, his hand finding her arm. "I promise you this, Emma. I promise you that I won't let anything bad happen to either one of you if you give me the truth."

Emma's forest gaze fell to the masculine hand on her arm. Her heart stuttered. Should she trust to confide in this man about her relationship with Regina? David had never broken his promises to her before and if he had ensured this great of one…

"I… What do you think is going on?" She queried quietly, eyes rising to meet his pale blue hues.

"I don't know, Emma. That's why I'm asking you." He paused for a moment as if he noted the dubious look that was offered. "Mary Margaret doesn't know and she doesn't have to know."

"Do you know how hard this is?" Emma pressed her back into the driver's seat, the lack of food hadn't helped her aching stomach from giving a grumble.

"I can understand that it would be. What I saw you share with Regina-…"

"That's it. You don't know what I share with her. It's more than just a kiss." Emma mumbled the words, half hoping that he hadn't heart. But with her luck, he had, and made a comment over it as well.

"Then tell me, Emma. Why not make me understand? Has this been… going on longer than just last night?" He curiously asked, no harm in the question.

Emma sighed softly, her heart sinking to the digestive organ below it. "You know, you never asked where I was staying. You just accepted it."

"Emma, what does that have to do with-" Then his words cut off, almost in a comical way that matched his face. He just stared at her. "Are you living with her?"

"Where else would I go?" Emma didn't deny the inquiry, leaving it open with a question of her own.

This made the man pause as the reality of Emma's open question soaked in, striking him like a rock. David looked up at his daughter, lips parted in shock. This wasn't exactly something he had been planning to hear.

"How… long?" His brows furrowed, scrunching together as he tried to piece his scattered thoughts. "How long has this been going on, Emma?"

Emma frowned slightly, fingers plucking at a string on her jeans. When she didn't seem to respond to her foster father's question, he inquired further. "Is this why you… told us that on New Year's?"

"Yes! Why is it such a big deal? I just wish you wouldn't bother me about it." The blonde snapped, glaring at the man with the attitude of her own age before realizing what she had done. She sighed softly, mumbling an apology under her breath. "I don't… I don't feel comfortable talking about this."

"Okay." David nodded, the hand on her arm had moved up to gently rub her back in a reassuring manner. "I promise, Emma, that I will not judge you or Regina. Alright? I will look the other way. I won't tell anyone."

"Is that why you didn't want to talk with Mary Margaret about this?" Emma asked quietly, her frazzled nerves relaxing into a more comfortable state. David wasn't a bad man. He didn't go back on his word. Maybe he would be a good ally in this… Especially if anything ever happened with Cora.

"Could you even imagine her if she knew?" He let out a strained laugh, shaking his head.

Emma nodded at that because, yes, she could and it wouldn't be pretty. Mary Margaret would shit out a cow and enough bricks to build it a barn if she ever knew anything that was going on between Regina and the blonde. That's where David was the cooler parent. He wasn't as optimistic as his wife nor as reactant as she was when it came to the smallest of things.

"I can and it would be ugly." Emma muttered, sliding down in the seat. "I'm glad you're cool about this. I mean, you are, right?"

"I'm still trying to wrap my head around it, honestly." David sighed, looking at his daughter. "But as long as you're happy. You are, right?"

The blonde chuckled nodded. "Yeah, I am. It's the happiest I've been. I have you guys, Ruby and Belle, and… And I have someone that I love." Emma closed her eyes, an absent smile on her face as she thought of that very someone. Raven hair, olive skin, and a killer smile curved to murder.

"… You love her?"

The three words clung in the air like a rancid stench stuck in an airless room. Emma swallowed. She didn't know what he thought their relationship was like, but apparently he hadn't thought it to be that serious. The way he looked at her proved just that.

"Yes."

"Oh," he slowly nodded, a gentle grin curving his lips. "So you're in love?"

"And it's beautifully tragic, so I have discovered. "She hummed, leaning into her father, not exactly denying the question. After all, she had so blatantly stated it.

"It is, Emma. It's tough." David rumbled, his hand moving up to ruffle the hair on top of her head. This earned a soft growl, though she didn't make a move because she kinda did like it and being messed with wasn't so bad when it was innocent.

"Yeah…" She frowned, taking the words to heart. It certainly was touch and whatever heartache she had faced when she and Regina had fought was one of the worst kinds of pain she could ever feel.

The two of them sat quietly after that, letting the conversation at hand sink in. It felt as if it were still stuck on the surface, feeling almost surreal. Emma had never imagined that her parents would ever come to this knowledge. Of course, it was illogical when they few older and wiser of the situation. She wouldn't have a problem telling them as she aged and their relationship less peculiar.

But it was all sorts of fucked up now. It was the day after she had graduated high school and she had been seeing Regina prior to that. No one was ever supposed to have known about their secret relationship. But, somehow, they had worked their way into the protective shell they had distributed and spilled what was held within. Although, the two of them weren't exactly subtle about their relationship. Obviously considering the current circumstances.

They were wearing their stay here now and fortunately they were feeling away from any potential danger within the small town. Neither she nor Regina felt comfortable yet with exposing the relationship to the small population, and they had every right to be. It wasn't exactly safe for it being so close to the end of the school year. And even beyond that yet, the effects weren't particularly desirable.

That was one of the reasons Boston sounded like heaven. They were able to roam freely without worry of being caught. They could flaunt their love for each other if they wished without the immediate consequences. They would actually be able to enjoy a meal together at a restaurant without having to sit separate or so awkwardly far away from each other as they had before.

Emma smiled absently to herself, something warmly sweet melting her features. She would be damned if she wasn't able to show off Regina. She loved that woman more than her heart could fathom, something so fierce and deep it seized her every nerve into complete paralysis if she even dared to have a single thought over the matter. The image burned in her brain from earlier still, leaving the gorgeous image imprinted in the forefront of her mind.

There was nothing else that she would rather have there.

"What are you thinking about?" David asked quietly, propping himself up slightly to catch a look at the wide smile on her face.

Emma jumped slightly, warmth rushing to her face. "Regina," she answered honestly, eyes falling to her hands. 'You really do love her, don't you?" He stared baffled as if he hadn't believed it before.

Emma returned with a serious look, almost hurt that he hadn't believed her. But whatever he had noticed on her latest expression had did a complete 180 on his attitude. "And she loves me. Why would we risk everything to be together? It certainly wouldn't be worth a damned thing if we didn't share mutual feelings."

"I understand, Emma. I really do. I love your mother, need I remind you."

"Sometimes I have my concerns, but you always stick by her side." She have him a wry look. "Even when I know that you may disagree given a situation."

That's when David donned a guilty visage, remembering the night that Emma was speaking months ago. "I know… But, that can be a lesson taught. Even if you share a heart with someone, it doesn't mean that you need to share beliefs as well… Or go along with something that may make them happy, but you the opposite."

"I know, David." Emma stated monotonously, the intention of his words registering as more than just advice, reaching far beyond that and into something more personal. They narrated his own lamentations and regrets, leaving her to think. Anyone could screw up and that had proved just that. "I would never let anyone control me."

"I never had that doubt, Emma." Her foster father grinned softly, pressing a kiss to the side of her head before sitting up. "I have an idea…. If you're up for it?"

The blonde quirked a brow at the man beside her, awaiting what he had on his mind. It was a sudden subject changer that had taken her aback. "Depends."

"Why don't we go grab lunch? We can talk some more about this… Don't think that I'm not curious." His light eyes twinkled when he turned them on her. "You look hungry."

"I am. I literally woke up, took a shower, and came here all thanks to Regina 'cause she felt the need to wake me up." She grinned, starting the Bug up once again. Her stomach twisted with a swarm of butterflies as they flapped futilely to escape the rising angst. And flap they did as she pulled from the parking lot with David chuckling awkwardly at her words. That was the reality of it setting in once again. The words were all but foreign to their ears and not quite the most comfortable that they could have been. That was because David didn't want to see what he considered his little girl talking about adult relationships, yet he thirst to gain more knowledge over the most important details.

Emma, on the other hand, had been contempt to keep the relationship with the older woman a secret from her parents and had refrained from saying a word about it. It was odd to even speak of her former teacher as something other than that with them. She couldn't help but to worry about the look in David's eye the more she elaborated, or even just mentioned Regina's name. He almost look disgusted, yet terribly joyful that his daughter was happy.

It was a frightening mixture that yanked Emma's gut right from her body. The man may support it, but his morals were still hesitant when it came to accepting the entire process as his brain worked over what the hell was happening.

And the blonde couldn't blame him if he were feeling like that. The woman that she was dating had an easy ten years on the man. And Emma was ten years younger than him.

It was a long, awkward lunch with just that on the mind as Emma elaborated further about her relationship with the older woman. She began from the start, accepting to be blatantly honest with her foster father about how long it had gone on. Of course, she had scraped out a few of the intimate details and a few more in between, but kept to the timeline of the story from their lunches to the kiss in the car and beyond that, extending to Boston and how she had actually went with Regina. She had smiled when showing him the swan pendant given to her as a birthday gift from the brunette woman. After getting a stern look and small lecture about lying from David about the Boston trip, she droned on about some of the more mundane points in her relationship before heading towards the downfall.

Winter formal.

She explained why she was really upset that night, leaving out a few… minor details. Then there hadn't been much else to explain after New Year's. She left out anything that dealt with Cora, way about informing her foster father of the abusive woman. Of course, Emma would have loved to tell him about Regina's mother's misdeeds, but she would rather take that up with Regina before she released any information on the lawyer lady.

And who only knows how the older brunette would act upon the newest revelation of David's fresh knowledge over their relationship. For some reason. The blonde was actually hesitant on telling her, but knew none the wiser to release the information. Perhaps David would play the perfect ally for them. He could become rather useful at some point, not to say that he wasn't worth a penny currently.

"Why am I so oblivious?" he had asked himself when all was finished, staring blankly at his empty plate.

"You aren't. I just hide things well. Especially when it's important to me." Emma reassured as she had offered a smile.

David was even still stunned on their way back to the apartment, looking as if he had witnessed a brutal death. His eyes were glued to the road ahead, remaining nothing but silent the entire ride.

Of course, that was, until they were a block from the apartment and the words from his mouth were almost as if he had asked them on autopilot.

"Have you had sex with her?"

That poor Bug couldn't have stopped dead in the middle of the street any faster the way Emma had slammed on the brakes. Wide, green eyes on the man beside her. "Why the hell would you ask me that?"

"Uh…" He looked just as shocked that those very words had left his mouth. "It's a little futile to tell me about the birds and the bees when there is no flower to pollinate… Or should I say bee or bird to pollinate it." Emma snorted with her own self-amusement, earning a strained chuckle from David. "And why would I answer that question willingly?"

But the response must have been the wrong one because he went pale. "Oh my god, you did!"

"No!" The blood rushed to Emma's face as fast as it had fled her foster father's.

"… You do know, I was kidding, right?" He coughed, turning red now as he had realized just what the reaction from his daughter had meant. The air felt too thick to breathe.

"Shut up, David. Just shut up." Emma muttered, driving the last few yards to the apartment before attempting to park across from it.

Desperate to get the hell out of the car, Emma quickly turned it off and popped out. David was soon behind her as she made haste to the door, face still florid. "I can't believe you!" She continued to mutter, holding the door open for the blond man.

"I was just kidding, Emma. You're like… My little girl. Why would I even attempt to want to even think about something like that?"

"It's not that I think you're a pervert, David. It's just awkward as hell." The blonde stopped midway up the stairs, turning to look down at him. "That's just… A Mary Margaret question that makes weird tension."

"I know. I know. I'm slightly turning into your mother and I am mortified because of it." He shot her an awkward smile, shrugging. "But when you live with someone long enough."

"Well I'm not wearing pencil skirts or fancy underwear, yet, but beware." Emma joked, making her way up the rest of the stairs and to the green door that bore the number 3.

"… I wasn't meaning literally, but it's nice to know what's in her closet." He stared at the blonde curls in front of him. "Or how you know what she wears under them."

"I think you answered your own question, you smart little cookie." She offered a condescending look to him before opening the door to the loft, immediately being bombarded by Mary Margaret. "Oh, my! Where have you two been? It's been almost three hours since you left, David."

"Sorry, Mary Margaret. I took Emma out to drive the Bug around and we hit Granny's for lunch since she didn't eat. I brought you back a burger." He offered a brown paper bag to his wife who had only stared at it.

"You should tell me these things, David, I was worried sick." Mary Margaret chastised, putting on her stern face.

Emma's brows rose, almost to her hairline at the "oh shit" moment. No wonder David thought it best to keep all this from Mary Margaret. Well, Emma, as well. The little schoolteacher had too much raw emotion within her, and any little thing would set her off. The blonde could only imagine what the brunette would finally burst into a thousand pieces if she were to ever find out.

"Honey," David sighed, taking one of his wife's hands. She attempted to resist, but he only tightened his grip and brought her closer. "I just wanted to spend some time with Emma."

"But-"

"Alone." He enunciated, pulling her completely into her arms as she began to protest. "You get to do girly things all the time."

"I'm sorry, David. I just… worry. And you left without telling me." Mary Margaret lamented into his shirt.

Emma stood behind with a quirk of her brow, watching the two with an amused smile. David gave her a look over his wife who had still clung to him while he rubbed soothing circles to her back.

"Hey, M'n'M, we get to spend all day together. Okay?" Emma finally piped up, taking a step forward. The brunette turned around and nodded, her face florid and her eyes jovial.

"We have so much to do before you leave." She sniffed, disconnecting from her husband's arms to wrap them around her daughter. "So much! Too much… Come on! I wanna see what your father showed you."

Emma's brows flew up once again when the older woman grabbed her arm and started to tug at her. David chuckled at the response, elaborating for his anxious partner.

"I think she wants you to drive the Bug."

"Oh…" Emma mumbled, letting herself be dragged right back outside. As soon as they broke the barrier to the outside world, she blushed. The little yellow car was parked across the street, half of its back end in the middle of the land. She certainly could have done better.

"David! You didn't teach her how to parallel park properly?"

"What- No! I mean… Yes! She still has learning to do…"

The blonde shook her head as the two continued to bicker, even as they entered the Bug.

This was going to be a long day.