Birds were singing. Regina grumbled, rolling onto her right side, her left arm draping across the bed finding Emma's waist. She felt herself pulling closer to the warm body inches away from her. She buried her face in Emma's hair, breathing in the rich scent and allowing herself the moment to enjoy the way she molded against her. She softly kissed the back of Emma's neck, her hands roaming Emma's bare skin under the sheets. She had no idea that it could be this good, she didn't think about it being this good. She hadn't been intimate with Robin, the thought hadn't crossed her mind and for a brief moment, she realized that perhaps Emma and Killian had been…she felt a sharp pang of jealousy in her heart at the thought.

He had no right to her, the thought of his hand on Emma made her burn with quiet rage. She watched as Emma slept on, unaware that she was laying there, memorizing the way the early light brightened her face, the dusting of freckles along her cheeks and the bridge of her nose, the curve of her eyelashes. He wouldn't have even thought about those things, she would've been a conquest for him she thought as she brushed her lips along her arm, her fingers still trailing along Emma's hip. She was so much more than that. She shivered at the memory of the night's activity. The way they'd gone at it. She rolled over and switched the alarm off. Regina stared up at the ceiling, light stretching across the cracked paint and she sighed. She glanced to the side, watching Emma's sleeping form. She wanted to wake her, wanted to watch her shiver under her touch, the way her eyes clouded with lust, how possessive she could be with her kisses and the way she'd brazenly left hickies in her wake. Regina was fairly certain she had marks everywhere. She particularly enjoyed how intent she was to watch her as she fell over the edge in orgasm; the intensity, the focus, the way she bit her lower lip just before her own orgasm. Her heart fluttered at the memory of Emma whispering I love you as she came down from her high.

She had to get up and get dressed.

She kissed Emma's cheek again before slipping out from under the covers. She stretched and took inventory of the mess on bedroom floor. She began gathering her clothes from their places all around the bed, smiling at the sight of Emma's tank top pooled with her blouse. She padded into the bathroom and started running the shower. Regina checked her reflection and sure enough, she had two hickies on her hip, one on her shoulder and one on her left breast. She blushed as her fingertips brushed against her skin, marveling at Emma's handiwork. She was faster than she'd given her credit for.

She showered, dressed and was pulling on Emma's tanktop as she exited the bathroom, tucking it into the waistband of her pants. She stopped in her tracks at the sight of Emma curled up on the side she had been sleeping, still fast asleep her arms locked around the pillow. She felt her heart flutter and crossed the bedroom floor towards the bed, kneeling and kissing Emma's cheek.

"You call that true love's kiss?" said Emma, her voice muffled in the pillow and raspy with sleep. "It's supposed to be on the lips…" she slowly rolled onto her back, mimicking her mother's famous pose and waited. She felt the side of the bed dip as Regina leaned forward and kissed her softly. She smelled sweet and fresh and Emma resisted the urge to pull at Regina's clothes again.

"Better?" Regina mused, her mouth floating inches away from Emma's. Her heart stopped as Emma slowly opened her eyes, a lopsided grin on her face.

"I'll allow it…" Emma joked as she sat up, smacking her lips and squinting. "What time is it?"

"Time for me to go…"

"Sneaking off after our tryst…?"

Regina sensed the hurt in Emma's tone and sat down on the edge of the bed, watching as Emma rubbed at her face with her hands. "I'm not sneaking off. Henry is home and I don't want to be gone when he wakes up."

"He's a fourteen year old boy, he's sleeping til eleven tops and when he gets up he'll eat everything in sight. He's been with me for the last few days…trust me." Emma wished she hadn't said anything, wincing at Regina's reaction. "I'm sorry…"

"No, you're right." Regina replied curtly, smoothing her hands across her trousers. She stood up briskly, searching for her blouse aware that she was wearing Emma's tank top and feeling her cheeks burn with shame. She wanted to tear the stupid thing off but it smelled just like her and she wanted to hold onto that for a little while as she sorted out everything. She slipped her arms through the sleeves quickly buttoning the top her fingers fumbling knowing Emma was watching her move.

"Regina."

"What."

"What are you doing?"

"I'm getting dressed." She scanned the floor with her eyes, rolling them when she remembered she'd left her heels in the front of the apartment. "I have to go home." Emma sat up covering herself with the blankets. She watched the way Regina worried her fingers, tangling them together, twisting her ring around, fidgeting and avoiding eye contact. She was running. She was practically crawling out the window to get away.

"I'm sorry."

"For?"

"What I said…about…Henry."

Regina shrugged, blinking hard to chase away tears that threatened to spill. "How can you go from absolutely charming to incredibly insufferable in no time flat?" she blurted out, finally looking at Emma, eyes glassy with frustration.

"Been around Hook too long."

"Clearly." She bristled at the mention of the pirate.

Emma swept her hands along the bedspread, looking for something to wear before realization dawned on her. "You're pissed at me but you're wearing my tank…"

"Yes. Well." Regina was about to unbutton the shirt again but was stopped by Emma's hands on hers. "What are you doing?"

"Keep it. Besides, I still owe you for the shirt you let me borrow when I first got here…" she held onto Regina's hands, aware that her elbows were the only thing holding up the blanket. She was on her knees on the bed, looking up at Regina, willing her to say something. "I'm glad he's home with you. I didn't mean that the way it came out. I meant that kids his age just don't wake up at the crack of dawn for pancakes the way we'd like them to…the way I like to wake up to pancakes." She blushed again, embarrassed that she was even having this conversation about pancakes, her son while naked with a very irritated Regina.

"What are you even going on about?"

"Apologizing again. And pancakes. Mostly apologizing and pancakes." Emma shook her head as though that would shuffle things back into place. "I mean, he's home, you should go home and make pancakes because he'd like that. I'd like to go over for pancakes. He won't care if they're still hot…he'll eat them anyway and probably whatever cereal is still around."

Regina studied Emma's eager face, the color slowly pinking her cheeks. Her eyes were deep sapphire blue, brilliant in the early sunlight. The bruises were stark against her pale skin and the cut on her temple would more than likely scar. She looked tired, beaten but still hopeful. It was the same reason she couldn't stand The Uncharmings, so optimistic in the face of despair. From the discoloration under Emma's bright blue eyes, Regina could see she hadn't been sleeping well and a piece of her heart hurt knowing that she was the reason Emma looked so ragged. Her fingers wove through blonde locks, softly combing it out causing Emma to lean into the touch. Regina felt her heart skip again.

Whenever Emma babbled like that she was really trying to make things better and that effort endeared her to Regina in a way that she couldn't describe. She kissed Emma's forehead, goosebumps erupting on her skin when Emma's arms wrapped around her waist, locking her in a tight embrace. "I'll have to stop by the market." She squeaked out, surprised at how strong Emma was.

"I'll have to get dressed…" Emma replied into Regina's torso, kissing her abdomen before she pulled away, careful to keep the blanket tucked up under her armpits. "Shower you know, be presentable…" she blushed, as she crawled around on the bed, looking for her undergarments. "Can't eat pancakes looking like you fell out of bed…"

"I doubt that you could somehow look unpresentable." Regina replied. She watched as Emma slid off the bed still wrapped the sheet and stood awkwardly in front of Regina, a smirk on her face.

"Was that a compliment?"

"Yes." Regina whispered, her eyes roaming Emma's exposed shoulders, her cheeks flushing.

"I don't think I've ever seen you blush this much."

Regina tipped her head up, her chin jutting out confidently. "Must be something in the air."

"Must be…"

"Emma…"

"Yes…"

"I have to go…"

"Am I keeping you…?"

Regina moistened her lips with her tongue, watching Emma as she coyly adjusted the blanket under her arms, giving Regina a peek of skin. She swallowed, stepping back from Emma and gathering her thoughts. The air was thick with tension and she needed to remind herself of the teenage boy in the house completely unaware that his mothers spent the night together. "I'm doubting your want of pancakes."

"I want something else but…" her stomach rumbled. "Pancakes are definitely needed."

Regina nodded with a smirk, turning towards the door. "If you're right about Henry being a serious eater, you'd better hurry Ms. Swan." Regina taunted before stepping out of the room to gather her jacket and boots.