Almost done! Only a couple of more updates to go. Thank you all so much for your support through writing this – I don't think anything I've ever written has had such a positive response! Anyway, I hope you continue to enjoy!

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"You look fine!" said Emma as Regina adjusted her outfit once more. The brunette only sighed. It was one thing to borrow the other woman's sleeping attire, but wearing her jeans and a borrowed shirt felt entirely different. "You pull those jeans off better than I do. And the white shirt is very you."

Regina turned to the blonde with a smile, leaning in for a quick kiss. "Thank you."

"But you do know he's not going to care what you're wearing, right?" asked Emma. "He just wants to see you."

The brunette nodded, her smile growing. She wasn't quite sure how to deal with feeling quite so wanted and loved. It was all very new to her. Hearing footsteps on the stairs outside, she pushed herself to stand, not wanting to wait another moment before seeing her son.

"Mom!" The moment the door was open Henry flew to her, hugging her tight.

Regina gasped in pain at the force with which Henry hit her, but did her best to ignore it, wrapping her arms around his small shoulders.

"Careful, kid!" came Emma's concerned tone.

He loosened his grip, but only a little. "Sorry Mom."

Regina shook her head. "Don't be. I really am fine, see?"

"Just take it easy, yeah?" said Emma, not quite sure who she was directing her statement to. Leaving mother and son to have a few moments to themselves, she went to greet her mother and father, who stayed in the kitchen, giving Regina and Henry their space. "Thanks for picking him up you guys."

Snow smiled at her daughter. "You know it's not a problem. We were actually going to head out for a while, give you guys some space."

"Oh, you don't have to do that," said Emma.

"We want to," smirked Charming. "You're my daughter and I love you, but a guy needs a break from watching you all over her."

Emma blushed. She hadn't been that bad, had she. A chaste kiss here and there, and admittedly more snuggling than she had ever done in her life, but that wasn't bad.

"Ruby said she'd be over to pick him up at nine," said Snow. "He won't be happy about it, but I told him it'll only be for the next few days."

Emma nodded. The young she-wolf had been a godsend. She had been staying at the Manor with Henry, keeping him entertained and out of mischief while his mother recuperated. "I talked to Regina earlier about getting her home when she feels up to it, but even she said that might be a few more days."

Snow brought her daughter into a tight hug. "She's not going anywhere, Emma. As fragile as she might be right now, she'll keep fighting, you know she will." She pulled back, pretending not to see the tears in her daughter's eyes, before reaching for Charming. "We'll see you later, okay?"

Emma nodded, waving them off. She hastily wiped her eyes before heading back to Regina, who sat with Henry, a wide smile on her face as she listened to him speak animatedly. Perching on the arm of the sofa nearest the older woman, Emma unconsciously reached for her hand, bringing it to rest in her lap.

Her son caught the action, grinning. "So are you two together yet?"

Regina looked up at Emma for help in answering. They had briefly discussed telling him, but weren't sure exactly what to tell him. They hadn't even had a proper discussion between the two of them yet. All they knew was that they would never again hide exactly how much they meant to each other.

The blonde, in her ever eloquent way, cleared her throat, replying with: "Kinda, yeah…"

Henry rolled his eyes. "Really? That's all you're going to tell me?"

Regina smiled. "It's still very new, Henry."

"But you guys like each other?" he asked, not willing to drop the subject quite yet.

Emma nodded. "Yeah, we do, kid."

"A lot?"

Regina chuckled. "A lot, yes, now can we leave it at that?"

The young boy though on it for a few moments, taking in the way Emma had naturally curled around Regina, her free arm settling behind the brunette's shoulders on the sofa. They looked comfortable, and more importantly, happy. "For now."

"Good, now maybe you can tell me exactly what you've been getting up to with Ruby watching you?" asked Regina, eyebrow raised.

Regina walked with Henry to the door, smiling softly down at him. "Now you make sure Ruby behaves herself," she smirked, kneeling down to hug him close before finally letting him go.

Emma meanwhile, leant against the doorframe next to Ruby. "If Regina finds out you've been letting him ride you, never mind see you in wolf form I'm dead."

Ruby only laughed. "I don't have a car. It's the quickest way of getting him home."

"Just make sure he never mentions it in front of her. I didn't save her only to have her kill me," smiled Emma, turning to look at mother and son.

"You told her you love her yet?" asked Ruby.

"No! You don't just spit things like that out at people, Rubes!" hissed Emma, glancing around to make sure Regina hadn't heard them. "I'll do it when I'm damn well ready!"

"So you're just going to let your eyes do it like you have been for months?" sighed Ruby. "Maybe I should just do it?"

"You do that and I'll tell her you let our son ride you in wolf form," smirked Emma as Ruby glared. "If I'm going down, you're coming down with me!" she chuckled, cut short when Henry barreled into her. "Hey kid, you good to go?"

He nodded. "Mom says I could come over tomorrow again for a while."

Emma glanced back to Regina, who nodded with a tight smile.

"How about I pick you up after my shift finishes?" asked Emma. "It's a Sunday so I'm off at 3."

"Great!"

Leaning down to hug her son, Emma finally released him into Ruby's care once more. "Night, kid."

"Bye Moms!" called the boy as he left, bounding down the stairs, eager for his next wolf ride.

The moment Emma closed the door, she marched straight up to Regina, wrapping an arm around her waist. "You're exhausted!"

"I'm fine!" said Regina, even as she accepted the support.

Emma shook her head. "You've been getting worse for the past hour. I could see you wincing every time you moved."

Regina sighed, sagging into Emma's side. "I don't know what it is, sometimes I just start to feel cold, and it's like taking in the curse all over again."

"I'm taking you upstairs," said Emma, taking no arguments as she picked the smaller woman up bridal style once again. "And tomorrow I'm going to find Nova and see what the hold-up is with this damn fairy dust!"

As the former Queen let herself be placed down on the bed, she tugged the blonde down to lie beside her, placing a soft kiss to her lips. "That fairy dust might help, but it's not a cure," she admitted in a whisper.

"You know something, don't you?" asked Emma. She had suspected the brunette had been holding back each time she had asked, and it terrified her to know she had been right. "Tell me," she pleaded, tears in her eyes.

Regina shook her head. She didn't want to. She didn't want to shatter the hope that lived in the blonde's eyes when she looked at her.

"Regina, please."

"The fairy dust helps, but it doesn't break the curse," she informed the blonde, her voice barely more than a whisper, as though to say it any louder would bring her fate to her all the quicker. "It gets rid of a little bit of it, but it's still in my system, building back up."

Emma shook her head. "No!"

"Emma, I don't like it either," said Regina, her own eyes filled with tears. "I don't want to leave you and Henry, but I don't know how to fight this. I'm trying, believe me I am, but I just don't know how to win."

Emma pulled the other woman close as gently as she could, hushing her words with repeated kisses. "You're not going anywhere. I won't let you!"

"I wish the choice was yours," cried Regina. "But I think this is out of both of our hands."

Emma shook her head. "No. I'll find a way. I promise."

*
Snow had expected to return to find the pair in high spirits, Regina especially after seeing Henry. Instead, she found them fully clothed on Emma's bed, wrapped around each other, clinging desperately, even in sleep, as though the other was the only thing keeping them alive.

Troubled, she returned back downstairs. "Charming, remind me to talk to Nova tomorrow."

"What's wrong?" he asked, instantly concerned.

"I just feel like we're missing something."