After leaving the office Emma and Regina found themselves in Regina's favourite coffee shop. Well actually Regina had never been inside but they made her favourite coffee. Jessica always brought Regina coffee from there.
The delicious aroma from the coffee was hanging everywhere and Regina felt at ease just sitting there in the sun at the window.
"So…."Emma says breaking the silence. "How come you don't have someone in your life? You're really beautiful. Men must be lying around the corner for you." Regina almost choked on her coffee and looked at Emma with wide eyes.
"I….no…..not really." Regina says a small blush is covering her cheeks.
"Really? I can't believe that. Your gorgeous, successful, smart and really sweet if you want to be." Emma bluntly admits making Regina avert her eyes.
"Hey! Don't do that?" Emma says when she sees that Regina looks shyly away. "Don't look away like that when I compliment you. You are all those things Regina and you better start believing them."
Regina couldn't believe her ears. No one had ever so bluntly complimented her. Yes she knew she was attractive but no one ever looked beyond her looks and here was someone telling her all the things she wanted to hear and she had difficulty believing them.
"You need someone. And I'm going to help you." Emma says looking across the room for some possibilities.
"What about that guy there?" Emma says pointing to a guy in a suit who is sipping his espresso while texting.
"Or what about that guy?" Emma turns around and points to a bulky man who is still waiting for his order.
"Come on Regina take your pick?" Emma turns back to the brunette who is again pulling at her sleeve. Something Emma has notice to be a nervous habit of her.
"They are not really my type." Regina says.
"So tell me what is your type." Emma asks playfully sitting a little closer to Regina.
"I don't know." Regina says feeling nervous now that Emma is sitting so close to her. It's strange she knows that if Emma touches her she won't feel it but still the idea of Emma touching her sent shivers down her spine.
"Let me guess." Emma smiles putting her fingers against her chin while thinking and Regina can't help but find her adorable.
"I think masculine, brunette maybe?" Regina chuckles and shakes her head.
"Alright maybe blondes?"
"Maybe." Regina replies at Emma's guess.
"So blonde alright. So what about that guy there?" Emma says pointing at a blonde guy in sports gear. "He's blonde, sporty? Is that your type?"
"Well almost there is just one thing that bothers me about him." Regina says taking another sip from her coffee.
"Tell me." Emma asks enthusiastically.
Regina breathes deeply in and closes her eyes. "He's a guy." She finally says and it's so quietly that Emma had to lean in to actually hear it.
But when she does her lips form a small o. "Well….I can work with that. I'm Bi myself so I don't have a problem with it. So what about the barista herself? She's a blonde and she was really friendly to you when you ordered." Emma smiles and points at the little blonde barista.
"Yeah she's cute." Regina says. "But Emma, I'm just interested in a relationship right now. I want to get everything in order first.
"Alright I get it. Just promise me that you will find someone. Someone who tells you your beautiful every day. Promise me that."
Regina nods and promises this. When her coffee is finished they both leave the shop. They decided to get a cab back to Regina's apartment so Regina can get some rest. The whole cab ride they keep quiet because Regina doesn't want to look like a crazy lady. But it also gives her some time to get some things straight. Things like glancing over to Emma and smiling when she smiles back at her, liking how cute Emma looks when she's thinking or the way she genuine compliments Regina making her believe that she's a better person. Things that make Regina happy but so sad.
Regina decides to bury those feelings. Emma is in a coma and it doesn't seem like she will wake up, having feelings for Emma is something that will destroy her.
Regina was lying in her bed and wants her eyes to close but how hard she tired she couldn't fall asleep. Regina was really tired from today although she hadn't done much, she did feel like she had accomplish a lot. The day had been wonderful. She can't explain but doing those random acts of kindness warmth her heart. They remind her of the person she once was, the person she wants to be again. No not the person she wants to be again, she wants to be an even better person, someone like Emma. Someone who can see the good in each person. Could she be this person? Was she strong enough?
Regina turns under her sheets and sniffs. She feels her eyes getting moist and squeezes them shut, trying not to cry.
"There's nothing wrong with crying you know." Regina can hear Emma says from under her sheets. Emma stands at the door of Regina bedroom and watches the bundle under the sheets.
Regina whips her tears away before getting from under the sheets and sitting up against the headboard. "I wasn't crying." She says but her hoarse voice betrayers her.
"I always know when you're lying Regina. You are allowed to feel sad and to be vulnerable. You don't need to put up walls around me."
"I do." Regina thinks to herself because if I don't I might fall in love with you. Emma frowns when she sees Regina's shoulders shake and before any of them can utter a word Regina let's out a loud sob. "I'm afraid." She cries out between sobs. Emma hurries over to the bed and sits next to Regina on the bed.
She wants to comfort Regina, she wants to touch her. There's nothing in the world that she wants more right now. She wants to tell her everything is going to be fine. She is going to survive this and come out a better person. Emma doesn't say any of these things just watches with sorrow how Regina is hugging her own knees. When was the last time someone actually hugged her.
"What are you afraid of?" Emma asks. If she can't hug her Emma can at least be the person Regina can talk to. Regina lifts up her head and places it on her knees before staring out in front of her.
"Dying." She says.
"You're not going to die."
"Regina shakes her head and rolls her eyes. "The only way for me to live is if you die and give me your heart." Regina turns her head to Emma. "I saw so many people lying in those hospital beds. Children, they are waiting for a heart as well. They deserve to live, I don't! I have hurt to many people, was mean for too long. You have to pick one of them. I will die and I'm okay with that, I'm just …afraid."
Emma just stares at Regina not knowing what to say in this second. She wants to die and give the heart to someone else?
"Don't be afraid. I will be here and I'm not going anywhere." Emma finally says and they both lie down facing each other. Soon Regina tears stop falling and her breathing evens out. Emma watches her through the night with only one thought on her mind. "Regina doesn't got a say I this."