Emma was finishing one of the romance novels that Regina pretended she wasn't hiding. She was in the closed-off west patio that held the apple tree, and she would be lying if she said she hadn't plucked an apple from its clutches just so she could try the 'Evil' Queen's forbidden fruit. She was leaning against the wall as she sat on the hip height, cement barrier that doubled as a flowerbed wrapping around the western patio. The patio was made to show the tree off, that was for sure, and it did exactly what it was supposed to do.

Daylight had been burnt up and she would be forced to go back inside if she wanted to continue. Thankfully, she just finished the part where the lovers break up and one of them moves away—at least she wasn't right in the middle of it. Instead of going back inside, she started wondering why lovers did that. She wondered why her counterpart did that.

If lovers loved each other like they said, why do some, like herself apparently, just up and walk away when it gets hard? She wasn't saying this part herself, the part of herself that she grew up with, was perfect or even capable of loving fully and truly, but she knew herself well enough to know that if she ever did get the pleasure, there was no way she'd let that girl (let's be honest: that she'd let Regina) go. Or at least she hoped she wouldn't.

But knowing that her alternate did exactly what she would never want to do if she had feelings, had emotions—Oh, who was she kidding? She started feeling things the minute she saw Regina; the minute she stepped onto the castle grounds. There was no reason for her to still be in castle. The storm had come and gone, but she needed to stay. She felt things here, with Regina. She felt jealousy of Graham. And it hurt, sure, but she wasn't going to give that up. Feeling anything besides indifference was powerful to her. She just hoped that Regina felt things too. She pulled both feet up and wrapped her arms around them and looked up at the now bright stars as she continued to think on this.

And as she continued to think on this, regal footfalls got closer and closer. Soon, the Queen walked out to look over her tree.

"Nice night." Emma spoke up from her little spot. She finally grabbed up the apple she'd picked and took a large bite from it.

Regina turned and watched on, appalled that the blonde had the gall to eat her fruit in front of her face, "What do you think you're doing?"

"Sitting. Thinking."

"About?"

Emma showed her the book, "Why do you think that two people that are so obviously in love and meant to be can't get over the tiny things and be together?"

"I don't know what you're asking." Regina stared at the book with a little too much recognition, "I don't even know what that book is." She turned quickly from the blonde.

Emma took another large bite and chewed on it before she came up behind the brunette, pressing ever so slightly into her, "I think.." she swallowed her apple, "That you do."

She paused a moment, letting her breath fall into Regina's ear, "This is why I'm grateful that you cursed my feelings to Earth… If I had to deal with having to dissect every little thing and concluding that I don't belong with someone because of outside circumstances that shouldn't matter because all that should matter is if both people love each other and think they can make a life together, then I'd probably be emotionally stunted, pissed at the world and for all intents and purposes in the mindset that I'd be forever alone by now. Instead… I'm just apparently and obviously broken. But not to worry, I have a whole fleet of lovely ladies that think they can fix me."

Emma waited, knowing that if Regina was feeling things because of her just like she was feeling things because of Regina that the mention of bedding someone else would irk her. She'd read, heard and seen too many romances to know that that was the only option. She thought she heard a catch in Regina's throat, but she couldn't be sure.

"I'm not saying I don't warn 'em, but that doesn't stop them from trying to fix the broken White Princess."

Regina turned, unimpressed, "So, you bed women that pity you? You take advantage of their hopes and take what you want. It seems my curse worked far too well; your Charming parents would never do something like that."

"My Charming parents are freaks of nature that have to find each other constantly. But they do know how to love. I understand the concept, envy it even I suppose… I admire it at least, but I know the odds of finding the ability to feel, to love are none to none. Right?" Emma watched every slight movement the brunette made, "So, I look for love' fleeting glances just like everybody else. I'm no different than you Regina. You take advantage of Graham because you literally have his heart and he wants you. I take advantage of this girl and that because they're attracted to my 'broken-ness' and they want to fix me and show me that love exists."

"We're not the same, Princess. I sleep with a man whose heart I took. One man. One heart. You've taken what I'm going to assume is many, many hearts and broken them. None of the many hearts I've taken are broken. Graham's heart isn't broken; it's just not in his chest. Those girls that you let try to fix you, you break each one of them when you send them away like they're one of your maids that did you a service and you know it."

The beginnings of tears started pricking the blonde's eyes, "I suppose if I felt emotion, I'd feel regret and be angry with myself."

Regina stared into those glossy eyes. Did she feel? "But you don't."

"And neither do you."

Regina swallowed hard and turned, going back inside. She stopped at the door, "You know the rain's come and gone."

"I do."

Regina dared looking back to find a waterfall of blonde facing her. She could see Emma was looking up at the stars and it looked like her hands were at her eyes. She continued her trek inside.

~0~0~0~0~0~

Allison shut the door and locked it. She sighed as she thought about how hard life was going to be without an entertaining fuck buddy to distract her from her problems—and in Remy's case, help her sort them out.

It had become an agreement between them that Remy would stay for two more months as they both liked the sex and Remy liked Florida okay. But those two months had come and gone and they both knew that they would be kidding themselves if Remy stayed and they really tried something. They had great chemistry, but there would be the whole Remy's dying and, oh yeah, Allison's in love with another woman thing; they figured that wouldn't work so well in a relationship.

So came the naked send off dinner and Remy's insanely early flight. She had to leave in the middle of the night just to get to the airport on time. Her first stop was Africa. And from there, she would figure it out. She told Allison that she would send her a post card from each place she went to and they promised each other that they would keep in touch. But neither was sure how long that would last.

Allison sighed as she picked up a champagne flute and poured a little more. She toasted to the air, "Here's to you, Dr. Remy 'Thirteen' Beauregard Hadley." She really was going to miss Remy. But she needed to get on with her life now.

She downed her glass, cleaned up the kitchen, showered, opted for her comfy, fluffy bath robe over pajamas, and was about to settle in for some late night, much needed time with Netflix when the pounding on her door sounded. It both scared her and made her wonder if Remy came back for some reason that she wasn't going to be able to handle emotionally.

She padded quietly over to the door and looked in the peephole.

She quickly unlocked it and opened the door, "Eva?"

Eva looked Allison over. She could tell that she was probably naked under her robe and with suddenly dead eyes she looked over Allison's shoulder. "Iss she here?"

"Is who here? Remy? No—"

"Good." Eva pushed into the apartment. Allison smelled the alcohol on her breath as she passed her. "There's ssomethin' I've been tryin' t'say."

"Are you drunk?"

"Completely. Well… Enough to make me able to say it. Not enough that won't forget…everything in the morning." Eva looked around, "Where is she?"

"She's not here."

"But she's always somewhere close. Always bringing you lunch or..fucking you in the locker room. Where'd the bitch go?"

Allison's jaw jut to the side. This was going to be a long night, dealing with a drunk bitch that, for reasons unknown to her, wound up on her doorstep. She decided not to comment on Remy's new nickname for now, but she was sure it was only a matter of time before she would. "Africa." She answered simply.

Eva's head drooped a bit as she concentrated on that one word for a moment or two. She was trying to decide if Allison was kidding. "Fine. Don't tell me. But let me talk, 'cause I got stuff I need to say to you, Woman."

Woman? 'Woman' in the 'make me a sandwich; listen to me' tone? Oh, hell no. Allison raised her brows, "Why should I let you do anything when you barged into my place drunk off your ass calling Remy a—What the hell?" She turned her head just in time and felt soft, delicious, whiskey flavored lips against her cheek. She pushed Eva away even though every part of her wanted to pull her in and kiss her for real for all she was worth. Instead, she wiped her cheek.

Eva didn't know how to react. She turned and looked I around the apartment some more before she turned to Allison again with desperation in her voice, "You shouldn't be with her!" She finally got the words out.

"Why not?"

Desperation quickly turned to bitter superiority, "Because she's not the kind of girl you settle down with. She's not the kind of girl you marry. She's the kind of girl that pulls you into her charming clutches and ruins your life. She's probably cheating on you."

"You don't know what you're talking about." Allison's tone was harsh.

"You said that you were sort of dating her. She didn't want the commitment. Because she wanted to more easily talk her way out of her adultery."

"That's not what 'sort of' dating meant."

"You might want to get tested. I still won't be surprised if she has a disease or two."

Allison had enough, "As a matter of fact, she does have a disease."

"…And you still slept with her?!"

"She has Huntington's!" Allison yelled angrily at the other woman.

"What?" Eva looked at her sobering slightly before she sat down.

Allison calmed, "She's got Huntington's. She's dying. She's got 8 more years if she's lucky. The chorea started early, so she set about traveling the world as she's officially hit the beginning of her end. She hit all the major cities in the states, stopped by here in hopes that she'd see me."

The blonde had tears in her eyes, "She said that one of her many, many regrets was not taking advantage of my husband being a jackass and trying to comfort me, or stopping us from getting married and waiting a healthy amount of time before she ruined our, what would have been, 'developed healthy friendship'. She wanted one night with me. One date. I gave her two months because no one has ever wanted me like she seemed to."

Allison stood angry once more, "So again, I will say that you have no idea what the hell you're talking about!"

Eva looked off to the side. She had the sense to feel shame, but she was a woman on a mission. Nothing was going to stop her. "I do."

"You do? You do know what you're talking about? That's rich. This coming from a woman that tells me to get tested but sleeps with god knows how many men that she meets in a bar!"

Eva shook her head. She stared at the blonde with her next words, "I want you like no one else. I've been… so jealous and angry lately. I've turned into a different person. I slept around—I never sleep around. I flaunted a random guy I didn't care about…" A tear rolled down her face, "And it was all because I couldn't get those three words out: I want you." She licked her bottom lip as she debated on speaking more.

"I want you too."

~0~0~0~0~0~

Emma knocked politely on Regina's door. She'd washed her clothes that afternoon and took a bath. She was clearly trying to look her best.

Regina opened the door harshly, ready to maim someone with words when she saw the White Princess looking crisp and clean, "What?"

"I was hoping you might accompany me to dinner."

"Why? You've not needed my company for a meal yet, why start now?"

Emma smiled, "It seems like something we should have done together by now, don't you think? I also want to apologize for my behavior last night, practically bragging about my conquests in the bedroom. It was inappropriate."

"Yes. Your mother would be appalled."

Emma looked down and around before offering the queen her arm, "Will you have dinner with me?"

Regina eyed her and delicately, suspiciously linked her arm with Emma's, "I suppose. Seeing as you're seemingly refusing to leave even though the storm's over with."

"I just don't feel as though I'm done here." Emma spoke sincerely as she walked them along the hallways.

Regina wasn't quite sure what to do with that, so she didn't continue the conversation. The only time she did speak was when Emma bypassed the dining hall. "Where are you going? The dining hall is—"

"I thought the east patio would be nice."

"'Nice'?"

"Yes." Emma led Regina to the eastern patio.

When Regina saw the intimate, romantic candlelit table she just about turned around and went back to her room, "What is this?" She asked, unimpressed.

"I was hoping a date."

"A date? My gods, how often does the Genie let you watch them?"

Emma chose not to answer directly, "…I've picked up a few things."

"And you wanted to take me on a date? Why?"

"Well, it's logical." Emma took a breath to speak, but was cut off.

"Logical?"

"Yes."

"How is two unfeeling people dating logical?"

"Just because we don't feel doesn't mean we don't have things to say or ways of doing things. And because we don't feel we could fuck and that's all it'd ever be. You wouldn't have to string Graham along, which I know you don't necessarily like but feel is a necessity to keep up appearances and all that, and I wouldn't break any more hearts. We'd both get that release when we needed and—"

"You're serious. You really think that I would want to have sex with you? You're a child."

"Doesn't mean, I couldn't show you things. And just because I'm a little younger than you—"

"You're not a little younger than me. You could be my child."

Emma smirked, "But I'm not. I'm just your curse; the same age, maybe a little younger than you as you haven't aged at all. And that's where I want to point out that you owe me."

"So giving you my body, whoring myself out to you would pay off my debt of cursing you? My gods, what kind of princess are Snow and Charming raising?"

"They've done the best they can raising a girl that doesn't feel emotions." Emma crossed her arms.

"Oh so you do blame me. It seems I apparently left enough emotion for you to feel blame."

"I don't blame you." Emma's eyes softened, "You were trying to make yourself happy. After everything you've been through, everything my family and your mother have put you through… taking my emotions was the least you could do."

"You are walking on broken glass, dear Princess. You have no idea of what you speak."

"I think I've a pretty good idea, Regina. It's not just Allison and Eva I've watched. Just like it's not just Allison and Eva you've watched."

Regina turned away from the blonde, "I've no idea what you're talking about."

"I think you do. I think you watched me and Alexandra playing 'Evil Queen' and I think you saw what I would do every time it came time to kill you."

"Oh?" Regina turned and quirked an eyebrow.

"Yes. And I also think you know what all of this, this date, is about."

"I'm afraid I don't."

"You want the curse broken as much as anyone else." Emma's jaw tightened.

Regina gave the princess a look, "There's no way for that to happen. This is one curse that can't be broken."

"There's always a way to break a curse."

"Enlighten me."

Regina was in Emma's space. They were sharing the same air. Emma grabbed the back of the brunette's head and brought her in for the best kiss either woman had ever experienced. When they pulled from each other, they knew nothing had changed. They knew that what Emma just tried was foolish and impossible.

It's true that true love's kiss could break any curse, but what happens when neither of the parties of that love believe that they feel that love or understand that they do in fact feel that love, let alone anything at all?

Regina wiped her mouth, "You talk a fanciful story. It's no wonder you've bedded so many women. The next time you try that with me, I'll take your heart and I'll crush it to dust." She paused and raised a hand, not letting Emma interrupt her, "I don't care that it will be my demise as well." She stormed off into the hallways, "GRAHAM!"

Emma pulled out her chair and stared at the meal she'd personally prepared. She never told anyone, but she was partial to cooking. And she wanted to share that with Regina on their date. The feelings that she was still so unsure of, hesitant of constricted in her heart. She didn't like that at all.

~0~0~0~0~0~

Eva looked up surprised at hearing the words, "What?"

"I've wanted you my whole life." Allison said softly. "I know this might sound crazy, but I've been dreaming of you for as long as I can remember, your name isn't Eva in my dreams, it's Regina. But you are definitely Regina, or I guess Regina is definitely you without a doubt."

Eva sat there, jaw dropped, "That's not crazy at all." She stood and walked over to the blonde, "You're name is Emma Swan White in mine. You're a tomboy, and a princess."

Allison stared at Eva, making sure she heard her right; that Eva was telling her that the same thing happened to her. Then she smiled, "Your full name is Regina Mills. You're a Queen. An Evil Queen that isn't evil."

Eva sat down on the couch, Allison sat on the edge of her coffee table facing her. Eva stared at the blonde, "I wonder what that means?... I'm probably a little too drunk to be thinking about that in depth though."

"Probably. You want some coffee?" Allison moved to start up her Keurig.

"I want you."

The blonde turned and gave the brunette a shy smile, "We've already discussed that." She curled her hair behind her ear.

"Doesn't mean I want you any less now… I'm gonna keep telling you I want you now that I finally said it to begin with."

Eva's drunken words made Allison's stomach flutter around a little. She smiled, "I want you too." She waited for that smile to grace Eva's face before she moved to the kitchen.

~0~0~0~0~0~

Emma sat in her room, the room she'd chosen to be hers at least. She thought it smart the first night, picking the room right next to the queen's, but it wasn't. 22 years of wear and tear on a castle without a ton of upkeep can make the room's walls thin out. She could hear everything.

She turned sideways and covered her ear with a pillow as the queen's overly dramatic pants and sighs and Graham's enthusiastic grunts came through. She was probably a masochist. That's why she was in her room instead of anywhere else in the castle.

"She feels too."

Emma sat up, scrunch-faced and stared at the mirror, "What?"

"She feels things." The genie said, "That's why she's doing what she's doing. She thinks you don't. That's why she thinks the kiss didn't work."

"How do you know?"

"I know everything." When Emma still gave him a look of question, he sighed, "I've known the Queen a very, very long time. She acts out when she feels and she hasn't acted this…randy in quite some time."

"Oh." Emma looked at the comforter on the bed.

"She's angry."

"Oh?" She looked back to the genie.

"She thinks that her other part's happiness will affect her ability to be happy here, once all her feelings come back."

"How are all her feelings going to come back?"

"Well, I'd imagine true love's kiss."

Emma knit her brows, "But… We already—!"

The Genie gave her a look, "Keep in mind that there are two sets of you, two sets of you that are able to feel—that have always been able to feel when it matters."

"I haven't always been able to feel when it matters. I wouldn't have, as Regina so eloquently put it, 'taken hearts and broken them' from as many young ladies as I have if I were able to feel when it matters."

"But you have." He looked off, "That's why you never looked them in the eyes when you broke things off."

Emma began pacing angrily, "So say I can feel when it matters, say we both can feel when it matters. It matters now, it mattered last night! I kissed her and what do we have to show for it? Our death if I ever try to kiss her again and her fucking the huntsman! This curse can't be broken and even though we can feel around each other, she wants nothing to do with me."

"Are you absolutely positive that the curse can't be broken? You're sure there is no loophole?"

Emma glared over to the Genie, but the man faded away after giving her this look. This look that seemed to restore her faith in what she'd seen from her parents in her years in the White castle: That true love is the most powerful magic of all. She needed to read over that curse again…

AN: Lots of stuff happened in this one. Can't wait to see what your thoughts and feels are!