Where We Belong

by Viktoryus

Emma Swan leaves NYC in search of a new beginning. Regina Mills is a restaurant/bar owner that uses work to avoid having to deal with her broken heart. Both women are completely unaware of what they truly want or need. A story about friendship and heartache, and how one finds the courage to move on. Story is mine but characters are not. Swanqueen. AU. COMPLETE.

23. Twenty-Three - When The Walls Come Down

***Author's Note: So, here we are, two chapters away from the end! And, I should warn you, because of this particular chapter, the story will have to be changed from suitable for general audiences to a M-rated one. Please be kind because I have never written anything like this before-I know that it could use some work. As always, I very much appreciate comments. ***

When Emma gets back to Regina's apartment, she finds her in the bedroom pulling out several wrapped gifts that she has sitting in her closet. Regina puts the packages into large bags and sets them aside, making sure they are in a visible spot so she will not forget to take them with her in the morning. When she sees Emma in the doorway, she smiles and reaches out her hand.

Emma takes it and lets Regina pull her over to where the bed is. They both sit down as Regina takes Emma's other hand as well, rubbing them in her own. Emma smiles as she scoots herself closer to Regina so that their thighs are touching. She gently pulls one of her hands away and reaches up to tuck a loose curl behind Regina's ear. When Regina turns her face back towards her, Emma frowns. "Have I told you already how sorry I am for being such an asshole to you this past week?"

Regina smiles. "Yes. And I also recall you telling me that you will make it up to me."

Emma chuckles. "I did say that, yes." She takes both of Regina's hands again. "And I am willing to spend as long as it takes making it up to you."

"Mmm, I will keep that in mind. But, right now, I really need to finish up this packing. So, you will need to stay here, on the bed, and try not to be too much of a distraction until I'm done."

"I can do that." Emma says as she nods happily.

Regina gets up and retrieves an overnight bag that she has tucked away on a shelf in her closet. She starts by finding a few pairs of jeans from her dresser and rolling them up. Then she pulls out some blouses, a few comfortable sweaters, and some pajamas and adds them to the bag as well. When she looks over at Emma, she sees her pulling off the hoodie that she is wearing. Then Regina watches as she lays back with her arms behind her head.

Regina smiles. "Emma, you have one job and that was to try not to be such a distraction."

"But I'm not trying to be a distraction! I'm just laying here." Emma says feigning innocence. "You told me to stay on the bed until you are done."

"I didn't say anything about stripping." Regina says.

Emma shrugs, then smirks. "We'll it is hot in here."

"And getting hotter, it seems." Regina says before getting on the bed herself and crawling towards Emma.

Emma smiles widely and sits up just as Regina is leaning into her for a kiss. She pulls Regina on top of her again so that they are in the same position as they were on the couch just earlier. Only this time, Emma hands are already nice and warmed up. She puts them on Regina's waist pulling her closer as they continue kissing. After a while their kissing slows and Regina sucks lightly on Emma's lower lip before pulling away.

"So much for you not being a distraction." Regina says teasingly.

"Why don't you just finish packing in the morning. I can help you." Emma offers with her arms still around Regina.

Regina lays her head onto Emma's shoulder and mumbles a long string of words into her neck.

Emma laughs. "What?"

She pulls back and looks Emma in the eyes. "I said, I don't think that I will be able to drive away from you in the morning if I don't have everything packed already."

Emma notes the sad expression on Regina's face and sighs. "This is exactly why I'm going to hate myself for a very long time for being such an idiot all week. I've wasted so much of our time."

Regina looks thoughtful for a second and does not respond. Instead, she swings her leg back around so that she is no longer sitting in Emma's lap. She pushes herself to the edge of the bed and wordlessly gets up, taking her overnight bag into her bathroom so that she can gather all of her toiletries.

Emma frowns. She walks into the bathroom to find Regina packing a spare toothbrush and some hair products into her bag. "Hey...did I say something wrong?"

"No, you didn't. I was just thinking that I should really try and get this done. And I can't be in the same room with you and actually get anything accomplished because you are making everything so foggy."

"Foggy in a bad way?" Emma asks hesitantly, all of a sudden feeling very self conscious.

Regina sighs as she is pulling out her hair dryer and straightening iron. Without looking up, she replies, "I don't know, just foggy, Emma." She knows that it comes out harsher than she intends so she turns to look at Emma and bites down on her lip. "The last time I felt this way, I got my heart broken in the worst way. I'm just a bit wary, that's all. It's not you, I promise."

"Maybe I should just go…" Emma says.

Not expecting that response, Regina reaches out and grabs ahold of Emma's hand. "Please don't. I want you here. Really. Just give me another ten minutes or so and maybe we can talk about everything."

Emma forces a smiles, but she is still very concerned that she has screwed things up. "Okay. I'll just wait for you in the living room then."

Regina leans over and kisses Emma on the cheek. "Thank you."

Regina finishes up her packing and moves her things along with all the bags filled with the wrapped gifts into the dining room area. She set most of it on or around the dining room table, making sure everything that she will need to take with her is ready to be loaded into the car. When she is done, she walks over to the sofa and sits down next to Emma. "Hey…"

Emma, who has been sitting quietly with a million things running through her mind, does not notice that Regina is next to her until she hears her speaking. She looks up and smiles. "Hey, did you get everything packed?" She asks.

"Yes." Regina says as she nods to confirm.

"That's good." Emma says awkwardly.

They sit in silence for what seems like a long time. Then Regina speaks again. "Have I managed to scare you away from this already?"

Emma is genuinely surprised by Regina's question because for the last twenty minutes or so, all she can think about is how she may being scaring Regina off. "What? No. I was thinking that I may have spooked you."

Regina shakes her head. "No, not at all. I may have just been overthinking it myself." She takes Emma's hand. "I'm so sorry about earlier." Regina takes a moment to reorganize her thoughts before she continues. "You are so important to me and I don't want to screw this up. Right now, that is my biggest fear. Because, I don't want to lose you…" She trails off.

Emma looks at Regina and sees for the first time since they met, unmasked fear and vulnerability. "Regina, you will never lose me. Even if you tell me tomorrow morning that you've had a change of heart, I can promise you that I won't go anywhere. Truthfully, I'd be pretty heartbroken, and I might be M.I.A for a little while but I am done running."

Regina smiles at that. "I am not going to have a change of heart any time soon."

Emma laughs nervously. "Well, that's definitely reassuring."

"Come with me. Let's go into the bedroom." Regina gets up and reaches out her hand for Emma to take.

Emma starts to get up but pauses. "Do you want me to move the TV so we can watch a movie or something?"

"Is that what you want to do? Because I do have some other activities in mind." Regina smirks.

Emma's eyes widen as she quickly takes Regina's hand making her laugh. Emma laces their fingers together and lets Regina pull her towards the bedroom.

They barely make it past the doorway when Emma stops and pulls Regina into her arms. They stand there looking at each other longingly until Emma breaks the silence. "So, this is going to sound very random but I was thinking about when I call my family tomorrow to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, they will probably ask me what I've been up to."

Regina nods unsure of what Emma is really trying to say. "I'm sure that they will. Our loved ones tend to do that on occasion." The thought of having to see her own family tomorrow is something that she always has to mentally prepare herself for as well.

"Well…so, I was wondering, considering everything that's already happened tonight, how accurate would it be if I told them that my hot boss is now my actually my girlfriend?"

This makes Regina laugh and her face instantly turns red. She lays her head onto Emma's shoulder so that she can hide her face when she replies. "I'd say that it's pretty accurate. If that is what you want to tell them."

Emma is beaming when she pulls her neck back so she can see Regina's face. "Yeah?"

Regina just nods still smiling. Then she pulls away from Emma and gets onto the bed. She reaches over to turn the lamp on her nightstand on, and instructs Emma to flip the switch for the main light. She pats the spot next to her on the bed and Emma gladly jumps on and crawls over. Regina turns towards Emma and puts her hand on Emma's thigh, slowly moving it up her body and onto her stomach which is still covered by a thin tank top, all the while, she never looks away from Emma's piercing green eyes.

Regina plays with the hem of Emma's shirt for a moment but eventually slides her hand underneath it feeling Emma's warm skin and she can feel Emma quivering at her touch. She urges Emma to lay back as her hand moves higher up Emma's torso. Regina leans down and captures Emma's lips with her own as they kiss slowly. "Mmm…" She hums into Emma's mouth.

Emma reaches for Regina, desperately wanting to feel her skin again and she, too, slides her hand into the front of Regina's top feeling the muscles in her stomach constrict to her touch. She continues to move her hands up Regina's body, slowly rubbing on her rib cage until she reaches her right breast. When Emma's palm softly grazes the nipple, Regina moans louder into her mouth.

Regina then frantically reaches into her own shirt and takes Emma's hand slowly guiding it over to her other breast, her more sensitive one. Emma sits back up and lays Regina slowly onto her back as she starts kissing down her neck. She takes her time, not wanting to rush any of her movements, as she is really loving the feeling of her lips on Regina's skin.

Emma pulls her hand from underneath Regina's shirt and hears the woman whimper discontentedly. Then she sits back so that she can look down at Regina who is currently breathing heavily with her face flush and lips swollen.

Emma takes off her tank top revealing a lacy, dark purple bra. She discards the top by tossing it somewhere onto the ground behind her. Then she runs her hands over the front of Regina's flannel pajama top, playing with the buttons, silently requesting permission. Regina nods and begins unbuttoning from the top as Emma starts from the bottom. When they finally meet in the middle and Regina's top falls open, Emma bites down on her bottom lip as she takes in the sight of the beautiful woman lying before her. "Wow…"

Regina blushes. "I think that you have too much clothes on. It's hardly fair." She says to Emma, her voice small and unsure.

Emma chuckles and extends her arm behind herself and undoing her bra in one fluid motion. She lets it fall and tosses it behind her where it joins the tank top that she discarded just moments earlier.

Neither of them makes a move until Regina sits up slowly and puts her hand lightly on Emma's neck, her fingers making lazy circles there. "Emma, I..."

Emma notes the slight awkwardness in the air which is only reinforced by the uncertainty and hesitation in Regina's voice. "Hey, I hope you know that I don't have any expectations for anything to happen between us tonight. The most important thing is that I get to spend Christmas morning with you." Emma says as she smiles reassuringly.

Regina nods. "I know that you don't."

"But, you look so unsure." Emma says with her brow furrowed.

Regina smirks. "Well, I'm just really torn because I really want to push you down onto the bed and attack every inch of you with my mouth. But, I also don't want this to be just about sex. And believe me, I want you and I want the sex. Badly. But, Emma, you mean so much more to me than that."

Emma nods feeling a little dazed by Regina's admission. "Why don't we just lay down in the covers together and see where that takes us?" She reaches over and starts buttoning up Regina's shirt before stretching herself off of the bed to find her tank top. She pulls away the covers on the bed and slides herself into bed. "Come here." She says with her arms outstretched to Regina who is looking over at her adoringly.

Once they are both laying in bed, Emma turns her body and props herself up on one arm and Regina turns so that she is facing her. "Hey there, Gorgeous." Emma says.

Regina smiles. "Flatterer." She says as she moves herself closer pulling Emma's body down towards her own so that she can nestle up against her. Emma puts an arm around her and kisses the top of her head. They are both quiet for a moment and while Regina begins absentmindedly playing with Emma's hair. "Can I ask you a question?" She looks up at Emma waiting for her answer.

"Of course. You can ask me anything." Emma says.

"When exactly did you realize that you had feelings for me?" Regina asks curiously.

Emma smiles. "I don't know if there is an exact moment. There were probably several moments."

"Like?" Regina urges Emma to continue.

Emma laughs. "Like...when you told me about Danielle and I realized for the first time that there was even a small possibility that you could be interested. Or when you came mattress shopping with me and helped me pick out furniture." She pauses thoughtfully. "But, I guess if I really had to choose one specific moment, my favorite one was when we had the sleepover that very first time. When I woke up next to you in the morning, you had your arm around me and I knew that I had it bad because I really had to force myself to get out of bed."

"Did I really have my arm around you?" Regina asks skeptically.

"Ohhh yeah. You were spooning me! Actually you had your hand underneath my shirt and you were rubbing my stomach." Emma says laughing at the memory.

Regina laughs because she remembers the sound of her alarm interrupting her very vividly erotic dream about the blonde that morning. "Hmm. Well, that actually makes a lot of sense now."

Emma raises her eyebrow. "What? Why?"

"Not anything that you have to worry about." Regina says with a playful smile.

"Hmm." Emma really wants to kiss Regina until they are both out of air but knows that she should really behave herself. Instead, she just pokes her playfully. "I'll get it out of you eventually."

Regina just shakes her head with a smile while they go back to a comfortable silence. "So, do you ever wonder when it was that I realized I had romantic feelings for you?"

Emma thinks about it for a moment. "I guess I am actually pretty curious because I've always felt like you've been more annoyed with me than anything else. For most of the time we've known each other you've been a bit hot and cold."

"That's not true! Even if you can be pretty annoying." Regina says playfully.

Emma pouts her lips and frowns dramatically. " And that's not true."

Regina sees the pout on Emma's face and her heart instantly tightens. "Aww, baby…" She kisses Emma softly. "I think it is safe to say that right now, I don't find you the least bit annoying. So please smile for me."

Emma beams. "Call me 'baby' again, and I probably won't be able to stop smiling for the rest of the night."

Regina chuckles. "Emma, my baby…" She says as she touches Emma's face.

Emma bites down on her lower lip again so that she can stop herself from just jumping on top of Regina. Then she takes a deep breath. "So, you still haven't said. When did you realize you like me, huh?"

"I think it was when you told me that very first time that you liked it when my hair was natural. And then you stole my flat iron." Regina laughs. "Who does that?"

"I just really wanted to be alone with you again." Emma says. "Also, that was the same morning that I realized that I was head over heels for you. I couldn't stop myself from saying or doing anything stupid at that point."

Regina shakes her head. "You're so impossible! And also, I'm positive that whatever I was feeling that morning was confirmed on Halloween when you came waltzing into the bar in the tightest, most seductive dress that I have ever seen on anyone." Regina recalls how beautiful Emma was that night. "I wanted to throttle that man when he put his arm around you."

Emma laughs. "You know what, you berating that guy was the hottest thing I've ever seen you do."

After their laughter subsides, Regina is still looking at Emma. wondering what she is going to do for the next week without her. She sighs.

Emma raises an eyebrow. "That doesn't sound good."

"This is going to sound so needy but I find myself missing you already and I haven't even left yet." Regina says.

"I will be as annoying as possible and call and text you like crazy all week so you won't have a chance to miss me." Emma says even though she feels exactly the same way.

Regina smiles. It has taken every ounce of willpower that she possesses to not act on her desire for Emma and she thinks that it is just about time to give up. So, she leans in for another kiss, only this time she does not pull away so quickly.

Emma eventually has to be the one to stop them. "Mmmm, I'm going to have to take a very cold shower if you keep kissing me like that."

Regina raises an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

Emma chuckles. "Well, I'm only human." She sighs. "And the most beautiful woman I know is in bed with me, her mouth tastes like heaven…" Emma trails off a little embarrassed but she sees that Regina is staring at her waiting for her to finish her sentence.

"And?" Regina adds curiously.

"And I don't want you to feel any pressure just because I'm all hot and bothered-"

Regina cuts her off with another kiss. "Emma…" She kisses her again. "What would you do…" And another kiss. "If I told you…" And another. "That I'm very hot…and very bothered too?"

Emma groans. "I'd say we'd probably both need to take a cold shower. And separately."

Regina smiles, her face still barely an inch away from Emma's. "Well, I say that we take care of this part first and we can discuss the shower arrangements later."

Emma feels like her heart about to beat out of her chest but she eventually manages to catch her breath. She tries to form words but is unable to speak.

Regina subconsciously licks her lips before she removes the covers from around them. She maneuvers herself so that she is able to reach the waistline of Emma's jeans and plays with the waistband for a moment. She touches the button with her fingers and looks to see that Emma is staring down at her hands. So, when Emma does not protest, she unzips and unbuttons them. Emma helps her slide them off and Regina takes them tossing them to the ground. She does the same with her own pajama bottoms before she is sitting on top of Emma.

Emma watches while she slowly unbuttons her top again, her green eyes focused on Regina's brown ones. When Regina is done, she pushes the shirt off of her shoulders and tosses it away also. Emma's breath hitches when Regina slides her hands beneath her shirt touching her stomach and her breasts before she pulls them back out to grab the hem of the tank top so that she can remove it. The second Emma's shirt is gone, Regina's mouth is on hers.

They kiss until they are out of breath and that is when Emma puts both of her hands underneath Regina's bottom and lifts her off of her lap and onto the bed. She gently urges Regina to lay back before she starts kissing her again. She moves from her face down to her neck, paying extra attention to a particular sensitive spot that she remembers from earlier in the evening. Then she kisses her way down Regina's body, her hand continuously on one of Regina's breast while she kisses and sucks the other. By the time, she has made it to her stomach, Regina is panting and out of breath.

"Emma…."

Emma lifts her head slowly to meet Regina's eyes. "Is this still okay?" She asks.

Regina smiles lazily and touches her fingertips to Emma's face. "I promise that this is so much more than okay, baby."

Emma smiles and kisses lower on Regina's stomach. She stays there for a moment, breathing in the scent of Regina's arousal. She looks up again to see Regina biting down on her bottom lip in anticipation so with both hands, she pulls at the waistband of Regina's panties. Regina lifts herself and Emma is able to slide it off of her legs, flinging it onto the ground.

Regina watches while Emma parts her legs and starts kissing the inside of her thighs, the warmth of Emma's kisses suddenly making her very dizzy. She looks over again to see Emma situating herself between her legs and before she can say anything, she feels Emma's mouth on her. She gives a stifled moan of pleasure and looks to see Emma smiling smugly.

Then Emma pulls Regina closer to her and runs her tongue up and down Regina's slit a few times before she focuses on her clit. "God Regina...you taste so good…"

Hearing that makes Regina want even more of Emma's mouth so she brings her hands up to Emma's head and tangles her fingers into the blonde's curls holding her where she needs her to concentrate her tongue. "Em-ma, That feels so good. But, I need you…inside me."

Emma, not one to disappoint, gently touches her fingers around Regina's opening as she continues to lick and suck on her clit. Regina is slick with wetness and Emma is enjoying every drop of it. She slowly inserts one finger finally feeling how very warm Regina is.

Regina moans loudly. "Auhhhhhemma. More."

Emma gladly inserts a second finger, sliding it in and out, slowly at first but once she feels Regina has adjusted, she pumps into her faster making sure to curl her fingers so that she can hit just the right spot. When Regina's breaths get more frantic she applies a bit more pressure with her tongue.

"Oh god, baby, I'm so close… " Regina removes one of her hands from Emma's head, pressing it onto her own stomach. She can feel herself get closer with every movement of Emma's tongue. When her orgasm finally hits her, instantaneous and hard, she arches her back up and off of the bed while squeezing her thighs together clenching onto Emma's head. "Emmmma!"

When Emma feels Regina loosen the grip she has on both her hair and her face, she uses the flat of her tongue to clean her up while also trying to slowly bring Regina down from her climax. When she is completely satisfied, she lifts her face to see that Regina is looking at her.

Regina lazily reaches for Emma with both hands and Emma gets up and crawls towards her. Regina does not hesitate before she pulls Emma down to her for a kiss. She is still very much aroused and being able to taste herself on Emma's mouth excites her even more. She pulls herself up as she pushes Emma down onto her back. Then she smiles seductively. "My turn."

"Yes, ma'am." Emma replies happily.

Regina mimics Emma's earlier motions and kisses her way down Emma's body. Unlike Emma, however, she is too impatient to do any teasing. She slides Emma's panties off right away so that she can position herself between Emma's legs. In a matter of seconds, she is eagerly lapping at Emma's folds. "Mmm…" Regina moans.

They stay in that position for awhile, Regina hungrily attacking Emma's center, until Emma stops her with a gentle shift in her body. "I really want you up here." Emma says shyly, her face flushed and her hair a mess, as she motions for Regina to get on top of her.

Regina smiles and moves over to her. As requested, Regina straddles Emma and without pause, she lowers herself, grinding her wet center against Emma's which elicits a few very colorful curse words from the blonde and makes Regina chuckle.

Emma moves her hands up Regina's torso and finds her breasts, playing with them, while Regina continues to rub herself against Emma slowly. When Regina starts to speed up her gliding motion, Emma moves her hands to Regina's hips trying to help her to create more friction. "Uhhh…this feels so good, Regina." Emma says before she focuses her eyes back to REgina's. "Will you come for me again?"

Regina is biting down on her lower lip and finds it very difficult to string any words together so she just nods and continues to ride down on Emma harder.

Emma moves one of her hands to Regina's breasts again squeezing and rubbing her nipples until it eventually sends Regina over the edge. She cries out Emma's name again and again as her body starts trembling with pleasure. Just the sight and sound of Regina's moans is all Emma needs to reach her own very intense climax.

Regina is laying on top of Emma as her orgasm begins to subside and is enveloped in Emma's strong arms.

It takes Emma a few moments longer to ride hers out especially since Regina is still gliding her hips back and forth on top of her, clearly still really enjoying the sensation. When she finally catches her breath, she sees Regina looking at her dreamily. Emma just smiles and pushes some of Regina's hair from her face. "Hi, there."

Regina laughs, her voice hoarse and scratchy. She pushes herself up so that she can see Emma's face a little better. "That...was very hot."

Emma smiles up at Regina, her heart still racing, and when she finds her voice again, it is soft and meek. "Yes, it was. You are so incredibly beautiful, you know that?"

Regina does not reply but instead, leans in and kisses Emma again. When they part, she reluctantly pulls herself off of Emma, reaches to turn off the light, and lays down next to her. It takes only a short few seconds before Emma is pulling Regina close to her and tangling their limbs together. Regina sighs contently with Emma's arms wrapped around her as they both fall into a peaceful sleep.