A/N: Next chapter! I'd like to give a 'thank you' to all you folk following along, and gently remind y'all that I'd love to hear your feedback :)
Anywho... I still own exactly nothing, and I'm coming to accept that that's the way it's likely to stay. Hope you enjoy...

This, I Find In You

Chapter 3: A Protector

Regina trailed behind Emma through the doors of the apartment. The chatter stilled instantaneously and she lowered her head, trying to ignore the three sets of eyes staring at her – two in disbelief, one in… well, she wasn't quite sure yet. The brunette raised a hand to tidy herself. She knew she was looking somewhat dishevelled.

'Dishevelled'? Try 'an outright mess.'

She hated being the centre of attention, but even more, she hated Henry seeing her like this. She supposed no mother enjoyed having their children see them in such a state of… brokenness. It made her cringe.

Snow was the first one to break the silence.

"Henry, go get ready for bed." – She fixed her daughter with a 'look' – "Emma. A word? Please?"

They stepped away to the side, and Regina busied herself with the trinkets on the bookshelf trying to disregard the fact that they were talking about her like she wasn't even there... as though she couldn't hear every single word they whispered.

"…Emma, what were you thinking? Using Henry as part of your ploy? That is exactly the kind of thing that Cora would do – baiting someone's affections like tha-"

The brunette found herself nodding along with Snow's words, despite herself. It was true. It was something that her mother would've done – that her mother did do – using her biggest weakness to ensure her compliance. She began to shrink within herself. She should've known better. She shou-

"It's not a ploy."

The blonde's low growl shook her from her downward spiral. She chanced a look towards the two other women. Snow was wearing her patented, steely-eyed, tough-as-nails, 'not-going-to-back-down-on-this' look. She knew that look all too well.

"Emma…"

And the other woman mirrored the same look right back at her.

"It's not a ploy. It's the right thing to do." – The brunette stilled her fidgeting, listening closely – "Henry needs to be with his mother, and Regina needs to stay the hell away from hers. I am willing to say anything, do anything to make that happen." – Well, that was new – "…I don't care what it takes – I would grovel on my hands and knees before whatever powers that be if it meant that they're safe."

Snow's voice lowered, in an attempt to deal gently with her daughter.

"She's not your responsibility."

It was true, but Emma wasn't having any of it. Regina could feel, as well as see the change that came over the blonde – feet were planted wide, shoulders back and down, arms akimbo. A clear, defensive stance. It would seem that she was done with whispering.

"None of you were my responsibility, and yet… here we are! As far as Henry's concerned? I am responsible for everyone's happy endings. Emphasis on the 'everyone'. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to my room. …Regina?" – the brunette whirled around to face her, eyes wide – "You coming?"

She stood in the corner, trying not to shuffle from foot to foot, deliberately avoiding eye contact with Emma. The blonde stood on the other side of the bed, briskly turning down the bed.

"You'll be sleeping here tonight."

"…and where will you be sleeping?"

She flashed Regina a quick smile of reassurance.

"…I'll figure something out. Here," – she tossed the brunette a parcel of clothing – "Get comfortable. I'll be back in a minute."

The door clicked shut behind her. Regina slipped out of her clothing, letting her pants and shirt fall to the floor, not bothering to bend down and pick them up. She shivered, despite the warmth of the loft – she'd never felt quite so… naked before. She hated the sense of vulnerability that swept over her. The brunette could hear the muted voices that carried up the hallway – she knew that they were talking about her, but could only wonder what it was that they were saying. She supposed that Snow and her insufferable husband were trying to convince Emma to decide her fate.

…the last time she'd been at the mercy of another was when she was a child.

She'd never wanted to find herself in that position again – the brunette supposed she should be grateful that Emma seemed to be the merciful type, at least when it came to Evil Queens.

Regina brushed aside the thought, with the memories that accompanied it and began to clothe herself slowly. The old tee and pyjama pants smelled like the blonde and she ignored the sense off reassurance that accompanied the scent of coffee, mint and musk.

…At least they don't smell like smoke.

She slipped in between the sheets – crisp, freshly washed – and pulled both blanket and knees up to her chin. Lights were out, and exhaustion overtook her, sleep following shortly after.

Regina felt it more than she heard it. The door snicked open and shut. Footsteps sounded on the floorboards. A bolt of adrenaline shot through her and she took a moment to reorient herself. She'd always been a light sleeper, and the paranoia she'd acquired in the last week didn't help at all.

Taking a calming breath, she reminded herself that she was in Emma's room. In Emma's bed.

The mattress dipped behind her and she froze – she didn't think she could handle sharing the bed with the blonde.

Not tonight.

…But the body that had settled next to hers was too light to be Emma's.

She waited a moment, until their breathing had evened out, before she slowly rolled over. Her breath caught in her throat, and her lower lip was caught between white teeth. It wasn't a mess of golden curls that awaited her; instead, it was a very familiar brown mop that rested on the other pillow.

Henry?

He stirred slightly, his voice low and raspy with sleep.

"Mom?"

Regina's heart tightened in her chest. She didn't dare breathe, didn't dare move.

"…Yes, Henry?"

The boy shuffled backwards on the mattress, pressing his back against her front. He reached for her hand and pulled her arm over him like another blanket.

"I'm really glad you're here."

Her eyes filled with tears and she pulled him closer, tucking him into her, enjoying his warmth – basking in his affection.

"…I'm really glad too."

His breathing slowed, and slumber reclaimed him. Slowly, reverently, she brought a hand to his forehead and lowered a kiss into his hair, taking a moment to inhale his scent. It wasn't quite the same as she had remembered, but then… it seemed like so long since he'd allowed her to be quite this close.

There was a twist of regret, as she recalled the times that he'd tried to crawl into bed with her when he was very small. When he'd had a nightmare, when there was a thunder storm. She'd always returned him to his own bed and held his hand till he'd fallen asleep again.

But she'd never allowed him this.

The brunette didn't bother to hold back her tears now, and they dripped across her face down into the pillow. A single sob wracked her body, and she tucked her son's head in under her chin.

She looked across the room, and caught sight on the blonde. She was sitting in the sofa in the corner, one leg pulled, her chin resting on her knee and the other sprawled out over the arm of the chair. She didn't look to be getting any sleep tonight – not the way she was grasping her father's blade and eyeing the entrances of the room.

She was the very image of an angelic sentinel.

Fierce.

Beautiful.

Her face set, as though carved in marble.

And Regina found she didn't mind one bit. She'd always assumed she'd resent Emma's intrusion in a moment like this, between her and her son. But this was… different.

She wasn't there to supervise this moment. She was there to protect it.

The blonde glanced over to the bed, and brown eye locked with green and the brunette was surprised to find that hers was not the only face wet with tears. She smiled up at her – it would seem – former nemesis, trying to express a whole world of gratitude in two simple words.

"Thank you."

A/N: Thanks for reading :D Don't forget - reviews are love! Drop me a line, tell me what you thought...