This just in, Emma spills her soul all over Regina's kitchen, as well as other things. ;) enjoy.

Emma was unable to sleep once again. Every time she tried her mind replayed the memory of Regina, running away from her so that her tears would be in private. That woman was many things, but predictable was not one of them. She served her heart on a silver platter, too bad Emma felt as if she was aimlessly wandering through the maze that's center housed it. Just when she thought she'd found the path that would take her to her destination, she was hit with a dead end and forced to turn back once again. The slow process was killing her, she had to take action before her sliver of a chance with Regina was gone with the wind. The blonde shot up, she knew what she had to do. She pulled on jeans and a black tank, grabbed her keys, a quick check on Henry who slept soundly, and she was out the door. The night was chilly so she ran back and slipped on her favorite leather jacket. This time, she was out the door and on a mission to find the one who haunted her mind. The usually lit driveway was pitch black and gave Emma pause. She wasn't supposed to be here, what was she doing? Sleepless nights had been blocking her common sense, she should turn back, but she didn't. What are you going to do, burst through the door at midnight, for what? To talk? God, could you be more ridiculous? This can wait till morning, go home. Go back to Henry, Emma. Do the smart thing for once in your life. The little voice in her head tried to convince her, but she had her heart set on Regina. She shook the voice aside and pulled the bug in front of the estate. She cut the lights and then the engine, and gave herself five more minutes to make the right decision. She didn't last that long before she was making her way up the porch steps. A light illuminated the house, and music was playing within. Van Morrison, In the Garden. Not too shabby. She recognized the smooth music immediately, letting out her withheld breath and knocking. No turning back now. She thought as the music paused and a figure appeared from around the corner. Now, her body reacted the the nerves, and she shook a little, and turned around.

"Emma?" The rich voice that hypnotized her the first time they'd met, questioned from behind her. She turned and stood a little taller. "What are you doing here at this hour? Is everything okay?" Came another question, identical to the ones asked the night before, when Emma called her wasted out of her wits.

"I'm sorry," Emma began with the first words that came to mind. "I just couldn't sleep, I need to talk to you." She finished and received a tight nod, but no smile.

"Come in." Replied an equally strained voice, and Regina moved aside to grant Emma entrance. She closed the door and turned the lock. Emma stood and looked about aimlessly as she realized she had no idea what to say. "Follow me, we'll get you some tea, or coffee if you prefer." The brunette added, sensing Emma's awkward shift. She went in one direction and Emma followed a few steps behind, until they we're standing in a large and elegant kitchen colored white without a blemish in sight. Regina wordlessly offered Emma a seat at the island and went on to pursue her promise of coffee, which she knew the blonde would choose.

"You're house is even nicer than I thought." Emma broke the growing silence.

"You've thought about my house?" Regina retorted, never one to turn down an opportunity for a battle of wits. She wore a smirk, but the younger woman was unaware because of her back was all she faced.

"I mean, yeah, not going to lie. I was expecting less white, but I like it." She complimented. "It suits you."

"Thank you, I hope it does, I decorated it myself once I inherited it." She turned and pushed coffee and sugar across the the blonde. She grabbed her own beverage and leaned against the island with a head on laced fingers. She studied the blonde who played with her coffee, she looked like she was about to explode. "You came to talk, so talk." Regina pressed, seeing the other woman anxiousness.

"Right," Emma said and shifted. "I don't know where to start." She sipped her coffee nervously under Regina's piercing stare. "You know, I've had relationships with women before, nothing serious but enough to know how they effect me. It's crazy, you know? I've just met you and already I'm on this like, roller coaster. You come to my house and ask for my advice, then you leave me all hot and bothered without warning. Then, you come to my house when I'm more alcohol than anything else, and you tease me with all you're womanhood, then leave me high and," She chuckled and wiped her mouth. "Well, not so dry." The blonde finished and studied the unwavering face of the brunette who hadn't broken her eye contact since Emma began, but she didn't speak. So Emma went on. "Then you're amazing with my son, I mean he can't stop talking about you and Patch, and I think to myself 'maybe this could work' and I know it's weird for me to say, but, yeah. I mean, not yeah, but I'm reading to far into it because the second I think we have something between us, you leave." She was done this time, now it was Regina's turn to own up.

"I'm not sure what to say, Emma." The brunette stated simply.

"Just tell me what you want from me." Emma said urgently, and Regina shifted uncomfortably under the microscope the blonde was forming over her. She felt trapped, like a bug, she had no choice but to answer so it all would go away.

"I- I don't know." She tried to push Emma away, but she knew the pushy woman would not leave without something substantial.

"Come on, Regina, just let it go. You know everything, all you have to do is let me in. I trust you, why can't you at least try to give me the same benefit." Emma pressed lightly. Regina paused and took a long drink of her coffee, which she wished were something much stronger. It was well past 1:30 a.m. and time to come clean, so she stood straight and edged closer to the blonde.

"The day you came to inquire about lessons, I was aware of your attraction to me." She began, grinning at the blush she knew would brighten Emma's face after. "I was more subtle in my pursuit at first, but I indeed shared the connection. It was hard for me to accept the possibility of another in my life, so I brushed it off. Until the next day, when you saw me riding in the early morning. It uncovered feelings I didn't realize I could still have for another person, and I have to admit I was afraid. Then, when I was told that same day that I was to step down as mayor, or loose this place, all I wanted to do was ask what you thought I should do. So, I went to your house to do as much, and I may have gotten carried away when I kissed you." She sighed and looked at Emma who was still listening intently. "To put it simply, I'm afraid of my feelings for you." Regina finished and emphasized her competence by smacking her mug on the counter.

"You don't think I am, too? I'm scared shitless. I just don't know, it's stupid, but I wouldn't want to live a life where you weren't in it. You're a challenge like no other, different from anyone I've ever come to pass, and I," She hesitated, receiving a nod to continue. "I could love you." She dropped the bomb, and looked as though she'd lost a great deal of weight. Regina was not shocked by the confession, hell, she felt the same, but Daniel came to mind and she was suddenly afraid.

"I don't know." She whispered, but Emma heard it.

"If you could love me as well?" Emma asked, tilting her head to Regina, who'd uncharacteristically made herself small like a child about to be punished. "It's okay, I can take it, I'm a big girl." Emma urged jokingly with a hand on Regina's back. Regina was about to answer when she realized she'd had enough talking, she grabbed Emma by her loud red jacket and crashed their lips passionately together. This time was different than the others, it was raw and hungry, all of the words they'd shared danced around them and watched as the sparks flew. Emma drew her tongue back when Regina's was suddenly exploring the territory, she fought back and returned the favor. A hand gripped possessively at her backside as she stood and get a better angle. Slender fingers pulled and played with dark locks as it's identical slipped under silken sleep shorts. A moan urged her forward and she did a teasing dance over the lace boundary. More moans slipped through, muffled by their unwillingness to separate, even for a moment. Emma disregard of the lace and pushed on into the bare heat of the older woman. She thought she'd come undone just by the feel of her. Emma's wandering fingers were welcomed by the smooth slick heat of the woman before her. A shrill plea was all she needed before she ran over velvet folds once more before plunging curved digits into a soaked Regina. The warmth pulled Emma in, and she added another finger, grinning at the moan that elicited from the brunette. She removed her digits only to receive a glare from the woman before her. The grin widened when she picked up the ready woman and placed her on the counter. She disregarded the shorts and red lace, finally able to see the beautifully slick mound. The blonde moved between toned thighs, glancing up at the woman who's head was thrown back, waiting for her. She blew onto a throbbing nerve, causing it's recipient to whimper. Before she could begin, a hand dug into her scalp and pushed her to the point. She moaned into the skin, the hand guiding her pulled the hair it had settled in. She expertly began to lap up the excitement that was building quickly before her. Pushing her tongue inside a slick entrance was the cause for a loud unfiltered moan that filled the otherwise silent kitchen. Emma smiled beside her pursuit and deepened her movements. Wet pants and throaty poured from the brunettes open mouth, a painful reminder of the pool that Emma bore between bent legs. A part of her wanted to reach down and put an end to the pleasant suffering, but she decided instead to satisfy the goddess that yearned for her. As a tongue was pulled back a trail of rich excitement stretched from oozing entrance, she slurped it up gratefully before pressing cool lips to the bundle of nerves that jumped for her attention. She gave it a hard suck and was pleased by the loud cry she was rewarded with. Two fingers in the brunette quickly called for three, so Emma gave her digits without severing the others. She tongued around the rosy folds in desperate attempt to find the sweetest spot. Emerald eyes drifted shut at the intoxicating taste she'd been able to ignore until just now, she moaned at the sensation, he legs threatening to give out beneath her.

"Emma, I'm going to come." The brunette exhaled huskily. Emma quickened her pace until the walls began contacting around her digits to the point of pain. In only moments, the walls relaxed and Regina cried in ecstasy, giving sign to her sweet release. She went nearly limp, all the strength she could muster went to keeping her body upright. Emma squeezed Regina's thighs as she stood to face the brunette. They shared a passionate kiss that Emma soon broke. She smirked at the sated woman before her, and turned to leave. "What are you doing? Don't you want me to-" Regina managed but was cut off by a smile that painted the younger woman's face.

"I'm ensuring that there's a 'next time', because now you owe me." She grinned and made way to front door, leaving Regina half naked on her counter in a puddle of her own fluids and confusion. The door shut and Regina then pulled herself from the counter and shakily redressed herself, unable to think anything of substance. Her thoughts were overflowing with the sudden turn of events that the blonde's visit consisted of. She smirked winningly as she cleared the island of cups, running her fingers thoughtfully over the spot Emma had taken her so wonderfully. She look forward to the 'next time' that Emma reassured her of. She went upstairs and fell asleep easily, for the first time in a long time, she slept through her alarm.

Emma sat in her bug, trying to process what had just went down inside the house she nearly ran from. The unexpected turn of event left her equal halves contented with the progress they'd made, and upset at the holes left in Regina's answers. She'd realized now that Regina used her attracting towards her to her advantage, using her slippery tongue and charm to avoid giving Emma any substantial answers. Though disappointed, she couldn't stay down in the dumps for long, she'd just given the most stunning woman to walk the Earth, a groundbreaking orgasm. She smirked at her skills that left the woman in a trance, then started her bug and drove in silence to her house. She reversed the process she'd gone through when leaving over an hour ago, and slipped into Henry's room. She admired his sleeping form, illuminated by the rotating stars that erupted from his night light. She watched him for some time, but sleep weighed heavily on her, so with a loving kiss to the forehead, she followed her body to her bed where she fell asleep before she could even change.

She awoke the same way, in her jeans and tank top atop fluffy covers. The time read 11:50, and she was pleased to see as much, given her history of getting an unsatisfactory amount of sleep. Feeling refreshed, she pushed herself upright and tuned in for a much needed shower. Disregarding her jeans, she found her boy shorts to be soaked to the brim, flashes of her night with Regina resurfaced into her consciousness, causing her to blush. She stripped and stepped into the heavy stream that called to her. Her tense body relaxed under the warm pulses, she pushed her hair back and allowed herself to be consumed by the cleansing substance. A thorough wash later, she emerged from the steaming cubicle feeling further refreshed. She threw on her usual attire, minus the shoes, and went in search for Henry. She found him deep into cartoons and a box of Lucky Charms on the couch. She kissed him to his obvious disgust then went to the kitchen for a bowl of cereal for herself. She poured a generous amount of Fruit Loops into a bowl, filled it to the brim with milk and joined her son on the couch.

"What are we watching?" She asked, not really caring but only wanting to initiate conversation. Emma was in a good mood, and it showed.

"Family Guy." He answered gruffly, he did not share her good mood, which dampened Emma's, but only slightly. She watched as a dysfunctional cartoon family performed shenanigans. She found in slightly inappropriate, but was enjoying it too much to change it. She found the talking baby, to be the most entertaining. Henry and his mother stayed in their seats for most of the day, until an invite to dinner from Jefferson and Grace came into play. Emma accepted, and told Henry to be ready in two hours. Bored with cartoons, she went off to unpacking her soon-to-be office space. It took her the better part of the two hours she'd given before slipping into a white button down blouse. She deemed the blouse more acceptable than a simple tank top. After readying herself she went to find Henry dressed and waiting patiently for her at the table.

"Took you long enough." He joked.

"I wasn't actually expecting you to be ready." Emma answered, she really hadn't, the kid had a tendency to wait until the very last minute to do anything that wasn't dire. "Let's go then." She added, tossing her keys into the air for emphasis and was out the door.

The drive to Jefferson's was a short one, it was also on the outskirts of town. The house was gigantic, it looked more like a resort. Emma was surprised, since Jefferson and Grace were the only residents. They'd gotten to talking at the playground, and Emma knew quite a bit about the man already. He was very open and pleasant, which allowed Emma to look past his animosity towards Regina. The pair made their way up the steps and rang the doorbell. Beyond the glass, they could see Grace who raced to answer the door. They greeted the girl, who Emma had told she looked adorable. She was wearing a glittery pink and silver shirt that was long enough to be a dress, over black leggings. They excited girl grabbed an equally excited Henry by the hand and led them to the kitchen and dining area. The two kids stood anxiously awaiting permission to leave and play elsewhere. Jefferson gave them a time, knowing they weren't listening and excused them.

"I'll show you my room!" Grace exclaimed and pulled Henry around the corner. Little footsteps pounded up the stairs, Emma chuckled at the two, who were getting along so nicely.

"Wine?" Jefferson asked once the kids had departed. "I have white or red, we're having fish, so white would be your best bet, but hey, who am I to tell you how to live your life." He suggested and Emma glanced at the bottles, she'd never been much of a wine person, but decided to try the white.

"White sounds great, thank you." He smiled and poured a few fingers into one of the cups for her, doing the same for himself. He studied her to her great discomfort, and she sipped her wine to break the contact.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." He laughed and set his glass down on a coaster. "You are just glowing right now, and that could only mean one thing." He raised his brow knowingly, and she blushed at her obvious change in demeanor. "So, who is he? Or she, I'm not here to judge." He winked.

"I'm not sure they'd approve of me telling you." She answered, not in the mood to lie. "It's clear the two of you don't see eye to eye."

"The only people in this town who dislike me are Gold, and Regina. Gold's married, so that just leaves the lovely Miss Mills." He was good, he could read Emma like a book, and she wasn't sure if she liked that or not. "Nice job, Swan, God knows that woman needs to get laid." He winced. "Apologies."

"None taken, I'm a little pissed that you could find that out so fast." She finished off her wine, and he poured her another glass.

"I'm pretty good at reading between the lines, it's what makes or breaks people's impression of me." He confided as the oven went off. "Ah, salmon's done. It's going to be good, I have a knack for salmon." He told her as he put oven kits on. He opened the oven and a mouth watering aroma filled the space around them.

"Smells great, Jefferson. Thank you." Emma told him, she was ready to dig in already. "Do you want me to get the kids?" She asked, wanting to help somehow.

"That'd be great, up the stairs, third door on the right." He directed her. She went in search of the stairs and found them quickly. The door to Grace's room was open slightly, and she could hear the two talking beyond the barrieR. Emma pushed the door open and her heart warmed at the sight of her son and Grace playing with model horses and riders on the floor.

"Heels down!" The girl yelled, using the phrase she probably heard more than a handful of times from Regina. "Nicely done, Henry, I think you're ready for the Olympics." The children laughed and noticed Emma, who was grinning like an idiot in the door frame.

"Dinner's ready." She told them, explanation to her standing in the threshold. Henry jumped up and extended a chivalrous hand to Grace, who accepted and pushed him out of the way to race downstairs. Emma laughed at the exchange and followed after the kids.

Dinner went nicely, the food was delicious and conversation flowed easily throughout. Emma helped Jefferson with dishes while the kids went upstairs to play until Emma and Henry were to leave.

"I've been meaning to ask you how you managed to sweep The Evil Queen off her feet?" Jefferson asked halfway through dishes.

"The Evil Queen, huh?" She retorted, not in the mood to discuss Regina with him again.

"Just a nickname I've given her." He said as if it weren't disrespectful.

"Ah, well, I'm charming when I want to be." She gave explanation.

"Clearly, I've got to give you props, we may not get along but even I can't deny she's got it all going on." Emma paused and continued, not liking where this was going.

"She's very beautiful." Emma managed.

"Rockin' body, probably flexible too, all those years riding horses." He commented.

"I'd prefer if you'd refrain from talking about Regina that way, I don't care for her because she has a 'rockin' body' I'm not nearly so shallow." She spit at him, and he drew back hearing the venom in her tone.

"My apologies, I was just trying to relate." He replied, his tone defeated.

"Relate on something other than the one I choose to share my life with, I think we're done for tonight." She threw down the dish towel, water flew in all directions. "Henry, let's go!" She called up the stairs, and her son was at her side within moment. "Thank you for the lovely dinner, I hope Henry and Grace can get together again soon." Emma spat at him and slammed the door behind her and Henry. The boy could sense his mother's mood and stayed quiet the ride home. They said their goodnights and went off to their separate rooms. I wonder if I can cash in that favor. Emma thought as she pulled out her phone to call the woman who's honor she'd defended. Three rings later and there was an answer.

"Miss Swan." The voice purred, and Emma's body hummed.

"Yes." Emma replied with a suggestive smirk.

Ooh, cliffhanger, my favorite! xo