Yay for another update! I seriously love this story. I know i'm biased but I can't help it. It's crazy long too so hopefully you guys enjoy it! Don't forget to favorite/follow/review I love hearing fom you guys!

Chapter 6: The Bug

Gold smiled at the girl, "That's quite alright Miss Swan, I was just asking if you would like anything to drink."

"Uh, yeah sure I'll talk some water if you don't mind."

"Not at all, I'll be right back," Mr. Gold said as he excused himself from his chair and walked out of the room once more.

While he was absence from the room, she started getting nervous. What if this wasn't the place for her? What if all it held was memories, not all bad she decided, but not all good either? Would she ever be able to get to a stage of peace? She thought all she needed was time and distance. Thought that if she just had space from it all, it wouldn't bother her as much. And while the dreams became less frequent, the heart wrenching scenes playing over in her head disappeared, as soon as she stepped her foot back at StoryBrooke Prep, the memories came flooding back.

There was a knock on the door, she figured it was Gold but questioned his reasoning behind knocking on his own door. Then when the person responsible came into the room, it wasn't Gold, but it was a very familiar face.

"Sorry Mr. Gold, but I just have a question about the new guidli-," The dark haired woman looked up and saw who exactly was in Mr. Gold's office and as soon as she saw her, her face went from confused to overwhelming excitement, "HOLY SHIT Emma Swan as I live and breathe!"

Emma jumped from her chair and immediately ran over to her to hug her former friend.

"Red! Oh my gosh what are you doing here?"

"I work here slut what are you doing here?"

"I'm honestly trying to get a job here!"

"Oh my god really? That's amazing I can't believe you're coming back! We can like cause all sorts of trouble again I can't wait!"

"Well don't get too excited yet, I don't even know if I will get hired yet."

"Oh please, everyone loves Emma Swan, you'll get it."

Emma smiled at that. Wishing everyone did love her, it would've made life simpler. Actually, she takes that back, one person did love her, too much in fact, and that's why she was separated. It makes no sense on paper, but over time, Emma had realized why Regina did was she did. She was still heart broken over it, but she understood. She didn't fully grasp the concept of it until her son was leaving for college. It was depressing as hell, all she wanted to do was keep her baby boy small and hold him for even a few minutes longer, but she knew he had to go out there and live his dreams. She couldn't ask him to stay for her sake, and that was love. Regina had loved her; she had cherished her, Emma knew that. Unfortunately, that didn't stop it from hurting.

"I hope so, I really want to be back."

Ruby glared at Emma, thinking she had some gossip to spill. She ran over and sat in Gold's chair and propped her head on the desk with her elbow; all while giving Emma this look of tell me everything.

"Did something happen? Are you back with Regina? Oh god I knew you two were meant for each other how'd it happen?"

"Ruby, we're not together," Emma started but was cut off with an over enthused Ruby.

"Did you guys accidently message each other online and become like a You've Got Mail type of thing?"

"No, Ruby listen to me-"

"Oh maybe you came back and got a apartment next to her, Oh my god you're Ross and Rachel right now aren't you?!"

"RUBY," Emma shouted, pulling Red from her questions. Bless her heart, she's always been a hopeless romantic. Emma admired her for that, she'd had her heart broken plenty of times, but kept the hoping spirit that one day true love would find her. Emma wished she could be like that. She wished she could hold on to the hope that wasn't even there anymore.

"I'm not with Regina; I haven't spoken to her in 20 years. I don't know where she is, what's she doing, who she's with, and quite frankly I don't know that I want to know."

"Aw Em, you know she loved you."

Emma closed her eyes and sighed, "Yeah, I know."

A moment of silence passed before Ruby opened her mouth again. Hesitating whether she should tell the woman of Regina's relationship status.

"You know, they're not together anymore. Robin's gone. Has been for a while now."

"What, did he break her heart again? I warned her that he was going to do that again. God, what a dick."

"No, she ended it. Not too long after you left she filed for divorce; hasn't been with anyone that I know of since."

Emma just made an "Oh" expression with her face and started twirling with her thumbs in her lap.

"Is she still here," Emma asked. She couldn't help it, she had to know. It was the question that was eating at her all day, all month, all year. That's all she could think about while listening to Gold's speech, all she could concentrate on as she filled out the paper work for her to get a job at the same place as her ex lover.

Ruby eyed the blonde, all the while thinking of how she was going to tell her. She knew what her reaction would be no matter what she told her. She knew that Emma still loved the brunette, and that the very same brunette love Emma. This was all a game of who could keep their feelings to themselves the longest, and Red had quite frankly had enough of it.

"No," Red stated, no emotion in her eyes or face, "No, she isn't."

Regina woke from her slumber to the sound of bowls and utensils being dropped downstairs in her kitchen. She almost panicked when she remembered the blonde was still at her house. She smiled to herself, only imagining what Emma was getting herself into down there. She got dressed, brushed her teeth, and began descending down the stairs.

She came upon the living room, where there was a blanket and pillow laying on her couch, where there had previously laid a blonde. Regina thought back to the night before how Emma had fallen asleep, head somehow on Regina's lap. Regina stroked the blonde's hair as she often did when they were in close proximities. The sweet smell of her lavender shampoo mixed with the smell of her leather jacket was intoxicating. She had wanted to wake the blonde up, bring her face to hers, and kiss her until they were both out of breath, but she couldn't. She hated herself for having this thoughts. She figured Emma just needed a home, not some teacher who had the hots for her. So, Regina slowly moved out from under Emma's head, and went to go fetch her a blanket and pillow. After she had gotten the pillow under her head, she unfolded the blanket, and in the most nurturing and loving way, placed it on top of Emma's body. Then she ran her fingers through the blonde's hair once more, removing it from her face. She bent down and kissed the blonde tentatively on the forehead, as if to say "You're safe now."

She walked into the kitchen, just in time to hear Emma cursing at the kitchen items that weren't cooperating with her.

"Really Swan, I've been your teacher for half of a semester and that's the best English you can come up with?" Regina asked, teasing her.

Emma laughed and only replied, "Old habits die hard teach!"

They began laughing at each other, that's when Regina noticed the table was set, and there were two bowls of cereal as well as two cups of coffee. She smiled in the most precious way

"What did you do?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry it's just cereal, but that's like the only thing I can't burn" Emma smiled sheepishly at the end and Regina couldn't help but gaze into her loving eyes replying with, "It's perfect."

They ate, and Regina offered to clean up while the blonde got ready for school. They talked and laughed the whole time they were at the breakfast table, neither one of them being able to stop from wanting to make the other smile. They were like magnets, always attracted to the other one, constantly wanting to hear more about each other, wanting to get to know each other on such a deep level, that's something that was a mystery to them both, they didn't know what they felt towards one another, but they couldn't stay away.

Regina had given Emma a key to her home, informing the blonde that she had a dinner date with her sister and she didn't know what time she would be home. Emma continued asking her if it was okay and she didn't mind to get a hotel room, and of course, Regina refused that option.

"You are always welcome here, maybe we can go apartment hunting for you this weekend so you can actually have your own bed though."

Emma smiled, thinking to herself how amazing this person was. Not only protecting her, but giving her money, a roof over her head, but most of all giving her love, and that's something she hadn't had ever, that explains why she didn't know what it was at the time. What a beautiful soul this woman must have she continued, to care for someone like me.

As she continued to ponder what she had done to deserve the kindness, they arrived at school. Regina hugged her best friend, and they went their separate ways through the hallway.

Regina closed her car door, opened the backseat door, and began to gather all the things she was about to take in the classroom with her. She closed the backseat door, rearranged the items in her hands, and began walking to the entrance of the school. As she remembered she forgot her name tag that coincidently had her keys on it, she turned around but as soon as her eyes looked up she saw it. She saw a yellow bug, very similar to the one she had associated with Emma. Bright, pastel yellow on an older model definitely made Regina question her color choices, but Emma loved that thing. She would've never given it up, Regina knows that. Especially with the memories they had made with it.

All she could do was run. Run away from the girl she used to know as her sister. They were never the closest. Jealousy usually raged between the both of them. Not always their fault, their mother had a lot to do with that. However, even as adults they were never best friends. They did the occasional text or call. They did holiday dinners and put on a nice show for all involved, but they were not the type of sisters that shared secrets and braided each others hair. So Regina knew she was up to something as her sister never wants to meet for lunch just to chat or catch up. She knew she had something important to say. She knew it was probably bad news or a situation that she needed help out of. But never, never in her 30 years of living would she have expected to tell her that she had been sleeping with Robin, and she was now with child.

She was hurt, she was confused. She was pissed. Why had Robin done this? Why had he cheated on her with her sister? It's bad enough he cheated on her, but out of all the women, out of everyone he could have possibly fucked, it had to be her sister. Regina began to question things and herself. Was she not pretty enough? Did she do something wrong? She couldn't bring herself to understand why. She was smart, she had a job, and she was bright and attractive. So why? Why did he choose someone else? She was beginning to lose herself in her thoughts. As she ran outside the café and down the street, she couldn't' remember where she parked. At the time she didn't even care, she just kept running. Feeling light headed, she stopped she crouched behind a yellow bug and just sat there and cried.

After she was drying her tears and trying to compose herself, she heard a familiar voice started to approach her.

"Damnit, stupid keys why are you always going ghost pro on me?"

She was must've been holding 5 bags of groceries all the while trying to look for her keys in her bag. She glanced up to look at the backseat of her car and realized nothing would fit in there. So she decided trunk it is. As she moved her way to the back of the trunk, she found her keys and was about to open the trunk, when she saw her.

"Mrs. Mills?"

Regina was startled and hurried up and tried to scramble to her feet and pretend nothing was wrong. She would've been more convincing if her eyes weren't red and tear streaks hadn't been on her face.

"What happened," Emma asked as she set the bags down and made her way over to her teacher.

"Nothing it's not important, I'm sorry I didn't realize this was your car," Regina replied wiping the tears from her face trying to act okay, and praying Emma couldn't tell the difference. She was mistaken.

"It's not nothing if you're crying like this, something is bothering you, what's wrong? Whose ass do I need to kick?"

Regina smiled slightly at this, "Sometimes, life is just a bitch Emma, I would pray that you wouldn't know what that feels like, but I know you already do."

"Yeah, I think I've gotten that memo a few many times than I'd like," Emma stated, leaning her back against the trunk of her Volkswagen, "But seriously, what happened you can talk to me."

"It's about Robin. He cheated on me."

"What? Are you freaking serious with who? Do you know her?"

"Oh yes, I know her Helped raise her in fact. It was my sister."

"Your…what?"

"No, you heard right. I said my sister."

"Okay I need to sit down for this one."

Emma began to slide down her trunk and sat on the ground right next to where Regina previously sat. Regina sat down again beside Emma and just breathed. Neither one of them said anything and they didn't mind the silence. It wasn't awkward it was just two friends trying to figure out how someone could do such a jacked up thing.

"But…why ..I mean..just why?"

"Yeah, do that for about 20 minutes, you might be where I'm at right now."

Emma didn't say anything, just sat there amazed that someone could cheat on something that beautiful. Regina sat questioning things all over again. She started to doubt herself and from Emma's point of view, it sounded like she was blaming herself. Emma was not going to have that. There's no way she'd just sit here and let this beautiful creature think this was her fault. Working up the nerve, she stood up, pulled Regina to her feet, and gave her a light push so she was pressed against the trunk.

"Emma what the hell," Regina spat.

"Close your eyes," Emma said. Regina just gave her this puzzles look and Emma repeated herself. Regina was unsure of what was happening or what was running through Emma's mind so she just stood there and stared at her.

"Regina, close your eyes," this time it wasn't a question, it was a command that she do what the blonde asked and did it now. So Regina finally did what she was told and closed her eyes and rested her head against the blonde's car.

Emma grabbed Regina's face with her right hand, she used her thumb to remove any remaining tear she may have had, and leaned in.

"Forget about the past, forget about the pain, and the hurt," as she spoke these words she brought her left hand up to tentatively caress the other side of Regina's face and Regina could feel the blonde's mouth centimeters away from her own. The brunette could feel Emma's breath on her mouth as she began speaking again. "Remember what a remarkable woman you are," Emma said while moving her left hand down to where she was cupping her neck now and rubbing her fingers through Regina's hair. "Robin is going to miss this. He's going to regret doing what he did to you, but through it all, I will be here. I will never leave you." As she spoke those final words she pressed her nose to Regina's neck right above her cleavage and moved it all the way to under her earlobe. Her mouth tempted to kiss her there. With that, she removed her herself and stepped away from Regina.

When Regina opened her eyes she was stunned. She felt like she couldn't breathe again but this time it wasn't from pain. It was from intimacy, something Regina had never known. It scared her and thrilled her at the same time.

"I uh, need to go find my car, thank you Emma, for everything."

"Anytime Regina," Emma said. They parted ways as Regina gave her a soft smile and turned away and started walking. Emma sighed, put all the groceries in the trunk, and got in her car to drive home.

Regina sighed at the memory. She opened her car door and grabbed her nametag, and continued walking her path to the school. Absentmindedly thinking about the blonde, and wondering if she thought about Regina. She wondered if the blonde was getting tortured by memories as well. She was curious to know if she had forgiven her. She pondered over the realization, she couldn't ask her to. What she did broke Emma's heart, and for that she couldn't even forgive herself. But she hoped the blonde knew, wherever she was, Regina still loved her, always will.