CHAPTER 15

Regina's eyes popped open and she blinked as her they adjusted to the light. She had a light sheen of sweat upon her brow and her heart was thudding from the nightmare she'd just woken herself up out of.

She turned her head and sat up slowly. She looked over at Henry who was studying her.

"Who's Leopold?" he asked as he stared intently at her.

Regina got nervous but quickly schooled her face. "What?"

"Leopold. You were screaming for him to please stop. And you were crying in your sleep. Who is he?"

Regina waved him away dismissively, "No one important." She rose and grabbed her bag. She turned toward the bathroom but stopped and looked over at her son, "How are you feeling this morning?"

Henry threw himself back against the pillows. "I'm fine," he gritted out through his teeth. He grabbed the remote and began to flick through the tv channels.

Regina went into the bathroom and went through her morning routine. When she came out the nurse was taking Henry's vitals. She smiled over at Regina, jotted down some notes, said everything looked fine and told them the doctor would be with them sometime mid-morning.

Regina checked her phone. She had no messages from Emma nor her sister. She made up the cot and neatly folded the blankets away. She sat down beside the bed in a recliner and zoned out to whatever Henry was watching.

SF

When Emma rolled over Luka was already sitting up in bed beside her. "I'm hungry," she informed her while flipping through the tv channels. "And bored."

Emma rapidly blinked her eyes from the offending glare of the sun beaming into her window. She stretched and smiled over at her before glancing at the clock. "Geez kid. Can't you wake up at a normal time? It's Saturday and barely 8."

"This is a normal time for waking up. We're already dressed and had breakfast by this time," Luka informed her.

"Yeah, I got the feeling your Mom was one of those up with the sun type of people," Emma let out a big yawn. She stretched her body out more and shook out her muscles.

She rolled herself onto her feet and forced herself to stand. "Well, let's get this show on the road." She began collecting her toiletries and a change of clothes, "You need to use the bathroom kid?"

"I already did. Now I just want food," Luka complained while frowning at the tv.

"Yea I heard ya the first time kid. Give me like 20 and we can run over to Granny's," Emma shut herself into the bathroom. As she went about her morning routine her mind insisted on drifting to where it always did. Regina Mills. The throbbing between her legs began instantly.

She got into the shower and turned the spray on hot. There was a removable shower head that she stared at intensely for a minute. Then she called out, "Hey kid, you sure you don't need the bathroom? It might be a while."

After Luka yelled back no, she picked up the shower head and played around with it until she found a setting that she liked. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes and immediately her mind conjured up the image of the Mayor in all her glory. She didn't know if she was shaved or not but in her fantasies she felt she would be.

Her body immediately appreciated the hot water cascading over it. Some of the leftover tension from the day before began to melt away. She hadn't even realized she was carrying any.

Her eyes fluttered closed as her breathing increased. Then other feelings began to push their way in. Her long fingers morphed into a smaller more delicate hand. She could picture those full, soft lips and thought she'd die just from the thought of them working their way around her body. In her mind's eye she could see and feel a tongue darting out from between two ruby red lips missing nothing.

Her body responded instantly. A coat of wetness began to pool between her legs. Heat pulsated through her veins and the throbbing between her legs intensified.

She could feel those delicate hands exploring over her wet skin in feather light caresses. She could feel those full lips darting across her body. Emma moaned as her hips bucked and she raised her leg around the lip of the bathtub.

This stimulated her body and her imagination into overtime. The cool air hitting the wetness between her legs had her biting her lip to keep from crying out. She put the shower head down below as she imagined it was Regina's lips and hands that were being dragged slowly down her body and between her legs. Emma moaned aloud as she gave in to the temptation.

Her orgasm came fast and hard. She opened her eyes slowly as the fantasy began to slip away. She pulled her hand from between her legs where Regina's had never been before. She stood leaning against the back of the shower on shaky legs as her breathing returned to normal. She finished showering then stepped out and finished the rest of her morning routine.

She rounded up Luka and the two headed over to Granny's. They placed an order for themselves and Luka supplied what her Mom, Aunt, Uncle, and Henry liked to eat. They sat sipping their hot chocolates at the counter until their order was ready.

They made their way to the hospital food bags in hand. Regina looked up pleasantly surprised as Luka came barreling at her.

"We got breakfast Mom," Luka informed her as she held up one of the bags.

"I see that," Regina kissed her baby girl's head. "You didn't have to do that Ms. Swan. You've really done enough already."

Emma had a light blush staining her cheeks. She shrugged, "It was nothing." She turned toward Henry, "Hi Henry," she greeted. Henry turned his nose up at her and stared grimly at the tv. He was apparently giving her the cold shoulder treatment now. Emma shrugged and turned back to Regina, "You've been feeding me recently. I was really just returning the favor," she buried her face in her hair to hide the blush that was forming from the memories of this morning's shower that wouldn't go away.

They had just sorted out the food when Graham and Zelena showed up. Luka ran to them and gave them both hugs and kisses. Emma handed them their meals. They thanked her and found some empty seats to have their meal in. Henry continued ignoring everyone while he scowled at his breakfast.

"How's he doing?" Emma asked Regina quietly as she took a seat next to her to eat.

"Physically he's fine. It's just everything else I worry about," Regina whispered to her as well.

Emma nodded and put a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. She ignored the static electricity that seemed to always happen between the two of them. She had no idea where it came from.

Luka regaled the family with tales of her sleepover with Emma. They really hadn't done much. They just sat round brushing and braiding one another's hair as they watched a movie. Emma had made sure that it was at least pg13.

Emma had managed to get some information about her Mom from her though so she considered it a win. "Your daughter asked about me girls liking girls. I don't know what you've told her about same sex couples or anything - ," Emma's voice trailed off.

Regina frowned at her, "I do not raise my children to be homophobic. We are open minded liberals. As long as you're not hurting anyone else then love is love. It doesn't have eyes to see differences."

Emma nodded, "Good. I just didn't want to overstep in that department. Different strokes for different folks ya know," she shrugged.

"Well for us no one is different. Everyone is worthy of kindness and respect at all times." Her eyes drifted to her son who'd tossed his breakfast away from him uneaten. "Henry just needs more reminding than others," she grimaced.

Again Emma reached out to her. She clasped her hand inside of hers, "It's not your fault. And I, for one think you're doing the best that you can."

"Then I guess my best isn't good enough," Regina shook her head sadly.

"Hey, lighten up on yourself. At the end of the day kids will be kids. And all kids are assholes. Henry's just going through something. I'm not sure if my being here is good for him or distracting. I just – I really wanted to see you," she stared deep into the chocolate orbs trying to read the secrets they hid there.

Regina blinked repeatedly at her surprised. She knew she needed to cut Emma off. But the intensity of her gaze made it hard for her to do so. She summoned up everything in her and forced herself to look away from those green eyes with blue swirls that had her cursing herself for being sucked into them.

Thankfully the doctor walked in at that moment. He gave Henry a lookover before declaring him fit to go home. He left the family to themselves to gather their things together.

Everyone helped clean up the room while Henry went into the bathroom to change into his clothes.

Zelena pulled Regina aside, "You two looked cozy over there."

'Yeah, well. We were just talking about the kids. Or rather Henry," Regina

Zelena smiled at her, "the two of you together were discussing parenting issues?"

Regina scowled at her, "Oh please. You know it's not like that. Emma's just been really nice. And Luka loves her already."

"And you're defending her already," Zelena bumped her sister's shoulder playfully.

Regina turned and squared off against her sister. She looked across the room to ensure that their conversation was staying private. Thankfully Emma was being occupied by Luka. "In case you've forgotten I'm straight. And I am not into that woman."

Zelena shook her head at her, "You can deny it all you want. But where there's smoke, there's fire. And the two of you steam up any room you're in." Regina rolled her eyes and turned away from her sister. She had no idea why she insisted on going down this road when it led nowhere. As if she could read her thoughts, Zelena again reminded her, "You know this curse breaking doesn't have to be a bad thing. And I trust Emma. I think she will end up surprising you in the end."

'I hate surprises," Regina reminded her.

"You didn't ask for her but now she's here. And I haven't seen you so flustered around anyone since Daniel. I think – I think this may be your chance. And I'd hate to see you ruin it because you're scared." Regina scowled in her direction again. Zelena threw her hands up in supplication. "At least think about it. We both know that true love is the most powerful magic of all. And it doesn't lie. It's the purest magic there is so anything that comes from it can't be bad. We both know exactly what the signs of true love are."

Regina whipped around to confront her sister again but she had already moved away. Henry exited the bathroom and the family gathered their things and headed for their respective cars.

Regina couldn't believe that her sister would sink so low as to bringing up true love. Daniel had been her true love. What was going on between her and Emma was nothing but a biological reaction.

Before they drove away in separate directions, Luka lowered her window. She leaned out towards Emma's bug and yelled out, "Don't forget my recital is at 2."

Emma raised a hand and nodded to let her know she understood. Then her eyes met Regina's and she gave her a big smile.

Regina peeled her eyes away before she pulled out into traffic. She looked at her daughter through the rear view mirror. "Miss Swan may have other things to do. You can't expect her to show up at your recital. We haven't really known her that long."

"Emma's cool Mom," Luka replied. Henry glared at her but thankfully kept silent. "She likes me a lot," Luka stuck her tongue out at her brother. Henry merely turned his back toward her. "And she likes you a lot too."

Regina had been driving but her eyes whipped back to the mirror. "What do you mean by that?"

"She says your name a lot. Like when she's sleeping. And even when she was in the bathroom taking a shower."

Regina's cheeks colored. Thankfully the kids sat in the backseat and couldn't see her face turn into a tomato. But it wasn't just her face that had heated up. At the thought of Emma moaning her name in her sleep and in the shower her own body began to betray her. A heat ran through her and her core began to throb. She sighed and shook her head. No good would come from her going down that road. She didn't have her sister's optimism that things would be okay.

Emma was the Savior destined to break the curse. And she was the Evil Queen who'd become the owner of said dark curse. Even if she hadn't wanted to. But that was irrelevant. The only thing that mattered was that this could never be.

She got them home without incident. Henry headed for his room and Luka began practicing her routine. Regina watched her but her mind was a million miles away. By the time they were heading out for the recital she had made up her mind. This thing with Emma Swan had played out long enough. For all their sakes it was high time to end this.