Hate to spoil anything but just in case, this chapter is slight M. Very slight. Enjoy.

Ch. 12 – The Wait Is Over

Regina stood under her apple tree gazing at the now ripe fruit that had slowly returned to health after the curse broke. Funny, she thought, she figured the tree would have stayed rotten after the curse, rotten just like her. That's how everyone saw her, right?

Angry tears trickled down her cheeks before she swiftly wiped them away, even though no one was around to see. She was completely alone as she trembled in the cold, her winter coat not quite able to keep out the icy chill. She was hungry and sad and more numb that she could remember being in a long time. Her eyes turned to the sky, dark clouds covering every inch. She twisted her gaze left and right trying to find just a single star through the grey haze, willing for the clouds to part to offer her one little bit of piece. She always felt better when she looked at the stars.

Another tear slipped out as a gust of wind flew around her, but this time she didn't bother wiping it away, there was no point.

She wrapped her arms tighter around herself and closed her eyes. Her mind drifted to Daniel and the life she could have had. Everything would have been so much easier, so much simpler if they had been able to run away together. Sure, they wouldn't have been wealthy nor had the luxuries of living in a castle, but they would have been together, and she would have been happy.

Regina pictured it in her mind, they could have lived on a little farm, had a few horses, grown their own vegetables in a garden at the back of their cottage. Perhaps, they could have even had children. It would have been enough.

She wouldn't have needed magic in that life because she would have been content, no feelings of revenge, of hatred, and no need for power to fill the empty hole in her heart.

She had thought this curse would bring her happiness and she could be in a place where finally, finally she could be herself. Not the Evil Queen, not the wife of a king, but just Regina. She hoped this new world would be like a restart button, but she had been sorely mistaken. At first she had thought she was happy, or at least something similar, satisfaction or fulfillment. But as the time dragged on she realized this town was as much a prison to her as it was to the people she cursed.

Everyone went about their days blissfully unaware of their old life while she was trapped in time with the same anger and loneliness that she had in her previous life.

That is why she had adopted Henry, to attempt to fill that void in her heart, hoping beyond hope he could bring back the light to her eyes. At first it worked, she could honestly say that she loved him and every time he asked her for one more bedtime story or when he asked if he could go to work with her because he didn't want to leave her side, or when he got out of class and ran into her arms, she could say in those moments, she was happy.

Then he got his hands on that storybook and Emma came to town and everything fell apart. And yet the woman who should hate her the most was the only one willing to give her a chance, the woman who helped their son to see that there was more to her than just the Evil Queen. Emma, the daughter of Snow White, could see through her walls, could crack them with one look and a smile, she was the one ready to give Regina her happy ending.

Regina hated the need to rely on someone; she had always been a woman to hold her own, to walk with her head held high in confidence even if she was feeling anything but. She had learned during her years as Queen to block out cruel things people said, to not let them affect her, but she could not deny that tonight, Snow's words had managed to seep their way in.

She clenched her jaw and squeezed her eyes shut, forcing the last of her tears out and keeping any new ones from forming. She hated depending on anyone but herself; however in that moment what she wanted more than anything was Emma by her side.

She wanted reassurance that things would turn out alright and have it be true because everything else in her life had fallen apart. She wanted Emma's arms wrapped around her, letting the blonde's warmth seep into her bones so she wouldn't have to feel so cold anymore. And last but not least she wanted Emma to whisper three little words in her ear that she didn't think she would ever hear from anyone besides Henry for the rest of her life.

She waited.

She drew in a deep breath and held it still waiting, wistfully yearning for the warmth that was probably too good to be true.

XxXxX

Emma was running now, her lungs burning as the night air rushed in and out. She didn't have her car, she and Regina had as she liked to call it, poofed to the restaurant. She rounded a corner, brown paper bag still in hand as she eyed the mansion, all the lights were off. Her feet carried her around to the side of the house, somehow knowing if Regina was at home, it would be somewhere she felt comfort, one of the few things that had been a constant in her life, her apple tree.

True to her intuition, Emma could see a petite figure in the darkness standing just at the base of the tree. Emma slowed her pace and took a deep breath to calm her racing heart. As she walked closer, the brunette coming into better focus in the dark, she could see Regina had her arms wrapped around herself, looking small and fragile, nothing like the cold mayor Emma had met not so long ago.

Setting the paper sack on a table at the side of the deck, Emma walked closer, her steps muffled in the grass until she was right behind the brunette. She inched closer but Regina stayed facing forward releasing a deep breath into the air, her shoulders slumping in a look of defeat and sorrow.

Emma moved automatically, she lifted her arms and wrapped them tightly around Regina, pulling her close before burying her nose in soft ebony locks, whispering in her ear.

…

"I love you."

Regina's eyes snapped open and grew wide before she looked down to see arms that weren't her own encircled around her waist. She could hardly process the words as she felt warm breath on her neck and a familiar fragrance invaded her senses.

Turning in a 180, not breaking Emma's hold, Regina drew her hands up to Emma's collar and held on tight.

The blonde was smiling and her eyes glowed with sincerity and compassion directed at nothing and no one but Regina.

"I know it may seem too soon to say it, but it's the truth."

The brunette shook her head and bit her lip forcing back the tears that wanted to reappear, "How," she asked, "how can you love me?"

Emma pulled the shivering woman even closer, green eyes sparkling despite the darkness.

"Because when I look at you my mind goes blank and I can't see anything else. When I'm near you, I can feel my magic come alive inside me. And when I hold you in my arms like I am right now, it feels like this is the only place I'm meant to be."

Regina tightened her grip around Emma's collar as the blonde tucked a few errant strands behind her ears, a palm coming to rest under her chin.

"Regina, I just want you, that's it. All your flaws and mistakes, your smiles and sarcasm, everything. I just want you."

They were inches apart now, breath mingling in the air.

"I told you I would do anything for you to have your happy ending and I meant it. Forget what my mother said, forget what anyone else has said and just focus on this, us, right now. I love you and I won't leave you."

Regina paused for only a heartbeat before she looked up into Emma's eyes and released a breath letting the words tumble out, "I love you too."

Tugging Emma's coat, she closed the last bit of space between them and crashed their lips together. It was a kiss full of passion and promise and one that neither would be likely to forget.

Both women broke apart breathing heavily. Regina trialed her hands up and down Emma's scarf, enjoying the feeling of the warm soft fabric under her fingers.

Looking up again she smiled, "Hold on…"

Before Emma could speak a purple cloud engulfed them as they reappeared in the Queen's bedroom.

"Wha-" Emma shook her head back and forth looking around the room.

"Oh," Emma smirked, "you poofed us, I wasn't ready for it."

"Well," Regina purred pulling at the blonde's scarf, sliding it and her jacket down her shoulders, "I did say hold on."

Emma's eyes widened in understanding and deftly started unbuttoning the older woman's coat, "Oh, I don't think I'll be letting go any time soon." With those words, she leaned forward and reattached their lips pushing Regina's coat off all the way.

Emma's jacket soon joined the growing pile on the floor as Regina let the blonde lead her towards the bed.

Regina's knees hit the back of the mattress as she grabbed a fistful of Emma's shirt and tugged. They fell backwards and Regina reveled in Emma's weight on top of her. The blonde's heat was smothering and Regina soaked it in like the summer's sun. It had been so long since she had last been touched the way Emma was touching her now, hands roaming every inch they could reach.

Emma sat up and tugged her sweater over her head and unbuttoned her jeans in one swift movement before leaning back down, burring her face in the crook of Regina's neck, placing soft, languid kisses up and down her jaw.

Regina arched up and wrapped her arms around the younger woman's back, nails scraping along the white tank top eliciting a small groan from the woman above her. She could feel Emma's hands near her collar before moving lower as they began undoing her blouse. Finally making it to the last button, the blonde's hands slid their way around her waist, kneading at the soft skin. Jeans and slacks were soon kicked off, Regina having a slightly more difficult time as the sheriff's jeans were impossibly tight.

But the brunette was a determined woman and when she wanted something, she got it and right now she wanted Emma, badly. So, when a sudden rush of nerves hit her like a tidal wave, she faltered, confusion swarming her mind.

Back in the Fairy Tale world, while she was feared by many, her beauty was well known. People fell at her feet and needless to say her bed was rarely cold. Sex was nothing new to her, but what she and Emma were doing was so much more than just sex and what she did not have experience in, was making love.

Her breath hitched as Emma's lips trailed a line of fire down her throat, grazing over the swell of her breasts while her right hand traveled higher up the smooth expanse of her thigh. Her thoughts became clouded and all she could focus on was Emma's hand getting closer to its destination.

She wanted this, needed this, but the uneasiness was not leaving making it impossible for her to relax. She squeezed her eyes shut as her body stiffened, hands slipping from the blonde's back to grip the sheet beneath them.

Sensing the change Emma stopped her ministrations and looked up to see the distressed expression on the brunette's face. Immediately she crawled up until she was level with the woman beneath her.

"Regina?" Her voice holding nothing but honest concern, the brunette still did not open her eyes.

Emma reached her hand out and traced the side of a tanned cheek in soothing strokes, trying to gain back a sense of peace in Regina's features.

"Regina you're okay, look at me."

Brown eyes blinked open, frustration and embarrassment swirling in their depths.

Regina was angry at her mind for betraying her, she felt weak, an emotion she did not allow herself to indulge in.

Emma offered her a small smile, "We don't have to do this, you know. We can wait."

Regina's defense mechanism started to kick in, her anger growing towards herself and the need to lash out at Emma for seeing her in such a state, but the blonde's fingers were still tracing her cheek while the other arm was wrapped around her protectively. She felt the blonde's warmth and as quickly as it came the anger began to fade.

"Emma, I…" Regina opened her mouth trying to sort out the disorder of her thoughts. Her anger had dissipated but the frustration was still there and showed itself in the form of a tear leaking from the corner of her eye.

Eyes catching the tear, Emma leaned forward and kissed her cheek, stopping the tear in its tracks. She could guess what the brunette had been thinking because the exact same thoughts had been swirling in her own mind.

Emma rolled to her side and Regina missed the warmth immediately, fearing the blonde was going to pull away but in the next instant strong arms were once again wrapped around her petite frame, drawing her close.

Reaching down the blonde grabbed the comforter and pulled it over their shoulders, cocooning them both, safe and protected.

"This is new for me too," Emma murmured, as she pulled Regina impossibly closer and traced soothing circles against flawless skin. She leaned forward and pressed their lips together, soft and full of love.

"We can wait for as long as you need, I'm not going anywhere Regina. Whenever you're ready, I'll be here."

The first thought Regina had in that moment was what had she done? What had she done to ever deserve this kindness, this forgiveness, and love? It saddened her when she couldn't think of a reason, but Emma must see something in her to have them be where they are now.

Burrowing her face into Emma's chest she breathed in, taking comfort in the scent that could only be described as 'Emma'. Placing a chaste kiss to fair skin, Regina whispered, "Thank you."

Emma brushed her lips over soft brown locks, her fingers continuing their lazy pattern on Regina's back.

"Tomorrow," Emma stated, "we'll go to the barrier tomorrow. We'll break it and Henry will be safe and back home where he belongs. Then, we can start on your happy ending."

Regina looked up, seeking green, before she spoke softly, "Our happy ending."

The smile that spread on Emma's face nearly made Regina's heart stop.

"Yes," the blonde whispered, ghosting her lips over the older woman's again, "our happy ending."