The day slipped by too quickly, like sand running between her fingers too fast and shapeless to catch. Emma turned onto her side in another futile attempt to get comfortable but it wasn't the squishy mattress or plethora of throw pillows that thwarted her slumber. Still she shoved some of the pink lace-trimmed pillow to the ground with an accusing scowl for good measure.

She flopped onto her back again and shut her eyes, trying desperately to let the blankness of unconsciousness take hold. Her mind had other ideas though, instead replaying the conversation she had with Snow that morning on repeat. Each time the scenario ran through, Emma would think of something different she could have said, something that would have made everything all right. But even in her imagination Mary Margaret remained unchanged.

Taking a deep breath Emma purposefully switched her thoughts to something more calming, specifically an image of Regina. Her soft umber hair, sparkling dark eyes, the challenging arch of her brow, full red lips curled in a serene smile all clicking into place to create the perfect picture. The mayor was probably in her bed as well, wrapped in downy blankets and sleep. Emma felt a tug as she wished the other woman were here with her. The blonde then felt her chest glowing warm with the thought. Suddenly there was a cloud of silvery white smoke and the bed dipped like another person joined her. Emma blinked a few times before she realized what had happened.

"Regina? What are you doing here?" She frantically whispered as the woman, who a moment ago was just in her thoughts, appeared sitting up in bed beside her and blinking owlishly. Emma scrambled to get upright and her eyes automatically looked to the blackness where the stairs dropped off to the lower floor as if her parents could come up at any moment.

"What am I doing here? I haven't the slightest idea. You summoned me Ms. Swan." Came the quiet but indignant reply from the woman who seemed a little out of sorts at having been magicked away from her bed in the middle of the night. She ran her hands over her hair, her own gaze glancing nervously to the staircase as well. However, Emma immediately forgot about being discovered as she absorbed Regina's statement.

"I did?"

"You did." Regina nodded. "Quite an impressive bit of magic for a novice."

Emma opened and shut her mouth a couple times before words came out. "I didn't mean to. I mean I don't know how to."

"What were you thinking before I arrived?"

"Just that I wished you were here with me."

Regina hummed thoughtfully as Emma considered the bit of magic she'd managed. She recalled when the fuming purple cloud came rolling down the street; it had been as if she were crushed by an ocean wave. The feeling of something rushing over her, dizzily pulling her under to an unknown depth was frightening and exciting all at once. Her hands shining with a dazzling light had been the only outward sign of any changed but since then she hadn't felt any different. She felt the fear and exhilaration all over again. Then Regina's voice nudged her out of her of her thoughts. "Well I'm here now."

"Yes, you are." Emma grinned a little in awe, reaching out through the dark to graze her fingers along the older woman's jaw line. Regina brought her hand up to cover Emma's as they both leaned in until their foreheads came to rest against each other's. The blonde breathed in the other woman's sweet scent, like spices and amber and maybe the moon. Regina always smelled wonderful but now Emma had memories and emotions tied to it causing comfort and affection to well strongly in her. She slowly pulled in another long breath.

The brunette seemed to breathe in deeply as well. "So why am I here? …You seem upset."

Emma didn't bother to question how she would know that. She just sighed, "I had a talk with Snow this morning."

"And it didn't go well?"

"It went." Emma drew back slightly.

"Well that really clarifies things."

"We agreed to start off with being friends, which was good." Emma bit her lip. "But other things, not so good."

Regina placed a hand on her lower back and waited patiently for her to elaborate. Emma huffed, feeling the irritation swirling back up in her like dust in a windstorm. "She called you a villain. She says she doesn't understand how I feel. And when she talked about the trial tomorrow… She said that she couldn't let go of the past and asked for me to understand. But I don't understand. I don't understand how she could sacrifice my life and then deny me this one thing."

"If it hadn't been for me she wouldn't have needed to sacrifice you." Her voice was small with sorrow.

"Or if Rumplestiltskin hadn't created the curse or if your mother hadn't forced you into being the queen or if there hadn't been a damned run away horse." Emma said adamantly. "You can place the blame wherever you want but I don't care about that. I don't want to blame you or her or anyone anymore."

"I am sorry Emma." Regina beseeched, her eyes bright with grief. "I don't regret a lot of it but the one thing I do regret is hurting you and Henry. I was so focused on getting my revenge. I was blind to anything else."

"Hey." Emma wrapped her arm around Regina's shoulders, her hand tenderly finding her cheek again. "I know and it's okay. Everyone is saying how much I've overcome but you Regina… You've had just as much shit to get through."

"Still I manipulated Henry just like my mother did to me." The older woman lamented. "I don't know how he could ever forgive me."

"And I left him just like my parents did to me. But I'm here now. And even before the curse broke you were ready to tell him the truth. If there is one thing I've learned about Henry it's that he has the biggest heart I know. If he can forgive me for giving him up, then he will forgive you."

Regina pressed forward and brushed her lips against Emma's, murmuring softly against them, "Thank you."

They kissed delicately; tongue meeting almost shyly then slipping away. Regina entwined her fingers through her blonde waves as Emma held her closer, savoring the slow intimacy of it. Just as the brunette sucked her lower lip more greedily and a steady heat began to blossom in her stomach, Henry grunted in his sleep and both women froze. They listened as he rustled around a little and then settled back down.

Emma dared to whisper. "Should we be more worried about waking him up?"

"No. A freight train could come through and he'd sleep through it."

"He doesn't get that from me." She yawned, the lumbering feeling of sleep finally, thankfully coming over her. She laid down pulling the other woman along with her. Regina didn't resist, tucking herself into her side and throwing her leg over Emma's hip.

"He's your son in other ways." Regina briefly kissed her jaw. "Like how much he loves hot chocolate."

Emma smiled, feeling as if she were floating, adding drowsily. "He's your son too you know. Like how stubborn he is."

"No, that's you too." She scoffed. Then after a moment she continued gingerly. "Maybe some day be could be our son."

"I like the sound of that." She said as the glowing feeling returned to her chest, the magic and hope was expanding and warm. Emma hadn't realized she was drifting off until Regina's voice jolted her slightly from the tentative lull.

"I should go back home."

"No. Just a few more minutes." The blonde insisted with sleep slurred speech. She turned on her side, legs naturally tangled with the other woman's and held on a little tighter. Regina burrowed into her neck, her fingertips lightly tracing patterns over her collarbone.

Emma only half listened, feeling like she was far away, as Regina agreed quietly. "A few more minutes."

/

When the savior woke the next morning, Regina had gone but the space next to her was still warm.