AN: Everyone can hate me, it's okay. I'm a terrible author to follow, but we're in the home stretch now. Few more chapters.

Thank you again, as always, to Sammichbatch, because she edited AGAIN, even though her life is literally going through some of the biggest changes there are. Also thank you to her, because she has offered me a place in her home (not in America), just in case Donald Trump wins the election, and I will be taking her up on that one in the event the worst actually does happen. #IMWITHHER and I don't apologize.

J. Beans (not an author) also spell checked and things for me. I appreciate her as well.

Thank you all who have continued to read and give me comments. I've said it a million times, they spur me on so much.

Hope you guys love reading this as much as I loved writing it.
You are all loved. R&R. You beautiful humans, you.


Emma put the boys in bed a little early that night. She forgot to take Henry's cell phone away and even let Emmet fall asleep to the television to ensure she would have the opportunity for just a bit of privacy. On top of everything else, it didn't hurt that Ruby started spending the majority of her nights at Lance's house either.

It was just inching past ten thirty when she couldn't take it anymore and got out her phone; finding Regina's name like it was muscle memory.

-Can I call you?-

She didn't have to wait more than a minute before her phone vibrated a few times, signifying a call, not a text.

"Hello?"

"Hi." Regina's voice was warm and low on the other line.

Emma smiled hesitantly. "Did I wake you up?"

"No." She heard a sigh. "I didn't imagine I'd get much sleep tonight, really."

"Yeah, me either." Emma glanced up the stairs and sat herself on the counter in the kitchen, one knee under her chin. "I haven't been sleeping so well since we stopped talking."

Regina hummed on the other end in agreement.

"And I don't think I can wait to talk about it tomorrow."

"Should I come over?"

Emma smiled softly but shook her head. "Nah… if one of the kids woke up that would be kinda weird for them," she huffed a small laugh, "I don't know if I would really trust myself with all that just yet."

"What do you mean?"

She closed her eyes and pictured Regina with her brows knitted together in that gentle, concerned way. "I mean, I'm confused and probably still in a little shock. And knowing that you are feeling the same way now or have been or whatever…" She rolled her eyes at herself, "I think I'd just want to touch you, if you were here right now. It sounds awful, I know, but if we're on an honest streak, I might as well."

This time a happy hum buzzed through the speaker. "It does seem like the simplest form of validation, here."

"Yeah, but… probably not the one that should come first."

"You're right."

Emma licked her lips nervously. "Can I ask a question?"

"Of course."

She didn't mean for her breath to be so shaky, but it was. She couldn't help it. "Why didn't you say anything?"

There was a longer pause than the last time.

Then Regina sounded like she adjusted before she spoke. "At first… I think I knew before I knew, if that makes any sense at all. I knew you were special to me. And I knew I trusted you, and that… that I hated when you left after the boys were asleep or when we had to stop talking. I knew I hated that Ruby had so much of your time, but I also knew I wanted you to be happy. And then it all came crashing down on me one night but I-"

"What night?"

She sighed again. "It was the night I came back from one of my conferences. The first time I was away from Emmet after he was born and you watched them for me. I came home and saw you lying with them…" Regina hesitated and Emma could hear her apprehensiveness over the phone like a scream. "All at once it turned into something more, or it clicked into place what you meant to me or how deep my feelings ran, but it was terrifying, Emma. I mulled it over for so long… and at the same time I thought you were dating Ruby, and from my perspective you were so happy with her. I guess, knowing now that you've never been romantic, it was just because you… understand each other? Or, your friendship is so pure? But everything as I saw it then, all put together was paralyzing and I couldn't bring myself to say anything."

Emma rubbed her temples and frowned. "But why didn't you ask me about Ruby? That night was a couple years ago, Regina. You just kept your mouth shut for that long?"

"Please don't be upset, I-"

"I'm not…" Emma took a few deep breaths and rolled her neck. "I'm just confused. And tired. But I want to talk. We have a lot to talk about."

"Then is it best over the phone?"

"Maybe not, but if we get the biggest questions out of the way then we can probably sort through the rest a little easier," She shrugged, "And, like I said, I honestly don't think I can wait. My head has been going in circles ever since you left."

Regina was quiet for another long moment before she started again, softer this time – almost like she could cry. "I think part of me didn't want to believe you were with Ruby. And another part of me wanted you to trust me enough to tell me without being prompted. The fact you didn't want to meant… it meant you- I don't know. There were so many options I didn't want to approach. Once you said it out loud then it was real and I didn't want it to be. But if you weren't dating her, then you were available, and I didn't know if I could approach you in a romantic way. We've been friends for so long… family, Emma. We're a family! I didn't want to interrupt the haven we'd created for Henry and Emmet. And for ourselves. I've never had a friend like you." Her voice finally started to shake. "And I didn't want this to happen – what just happened – not talking and being separate and sharing the kids instead of being with them together. This has all hurt so much and it was exactly what I was afraid of."

Emma heard a few sniffles and felt her palms itch, wanting to hold her so badly it hurt. Comforting Regina was second nature, now. But she stayed quiet.

"And then… Then that morning after your birthday. I was just afraid. Of everything. I was afraid you would hate me for crossing a line or for putting myself between your relationship, what I thought was your relationship… and I hated myself for it. And I wanted you so badly but you weren't mine to want." She laughed through her tears, so sure that she sounded as silly to Emma as she did to herself.

But Emma felt the pull in her throat and the water in her eyes too. "And then Ruby moved in." She frowned.

Regina laughed a bit more soundly. "It looked like a commitment. And she looked at me like she hated me."

"She did."

"Yes, but not for cheating with her girlfriend."

Emma nodded. "True."

"What about you?"

She slid off the counter and flexed her feet on the linoleum. "What?"

Regina's voice was quiet. "Why didn't you say anything?" Before Emma could start, her voice spiked, jumping back in. "When did you… when did your feelings change?"

Emma smiled bashfully. "My feelings never really changed."

There was just silence on the other end.

"Hello?"

Regina cleared her throat. "What do you mean?"

"Regina, I was attracted to you from the minute I saw you." She said exasperatedly. "Everything from there on out just buried me deeper. I was either more attracted to you, or admired you. And then, ya know, you're right – we became a family. But even then I had to keep telling myself not to think of you as anything more than a friend."

"Well, you didn't tell me the way you felt either, then."

"Yeah… but you never gave me any reason to think you weren't completely straight. And outside of that, when I met you, you were dating Graham, then you were pregnant… and Emmet came and we were always so good. It never felt like the right time to introduce a different dynamic between us, or try to and risk turning you off on our friendship because… I don't know. I didn't want to just ask you out on a date out of the blue or something like that and make you think that the whole time I just stayed to try to get in your pants, because that wasn't it."

"We both just played avoidance tactics." Regina said quietly.

"Like a fucking cowboy with a six-string."

Regina burst out laughing on the other end of the line and Emma felt her own cheeks bubble under her eyes until they ached, not realizing how much she'd missed the rich, throaty sound. And then a sudden silence when the joy had calmed.

This silence was different. It was mutual – cogs moving in both of their heads and waiting for the other patiently.

Regina spoke first, stronger this time, and a little more hopeful sounding as well. "Neither of us really enjoy change, do we?"

"Probably not."

"I wouldn't mind this change, though."

Emma smiled. "Me either."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Ha… Sure."

It took a second, but it didn't sound like hesitation. "Do you want to go on a date with me?"

"A date, date?"

"Emma." She enunciated slowly. "An actual date. Just the two of us."

"Yeah." She grinned like an idiot. "Not going to lie, I kind of wanted to be the one to ask you."

"Well, then you can take me out, dear. I don't mind as long as we can… test the waters on our own."

Emma nodded. "That's a deal."


A full week later, and for the first time in Emma Swan's natural life, she was early.

The door swung open a few seconds after she knocked, revealing a very sly looking Henry with one wiggling eyebrow. "I figured something out."

She stepped in the entry way and kicked her boots off. "Did-ja, now?"

"That was mom's lipstick all over your face the other day, wasn't it?"

Heat rose into her cheeks but Emma just shook her head and started for the living room. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Emmet was on the floor with an ever-growing Elizabeth, and Katherine sat behind them on the couch, smiling down at the happy chatter they threw back and forth; Emmet with his broken sentences and Beth was grunting and pointing, with a mumbled "Yeah," here and there.

Katherine smiled as mother and son strode in awkwardly from the entry way. "Hey! I feel like I haven't seen you in years."

"Few weeks." Emma frowned and sat next to her. "I was kind of a d-bag."

The blonde shook her head. "At one point or another we all have to pick ourselves and be a d-bag. Reflecting time is important."

All she could do was smile. Emmet got up and gave her a hug, told her about school and what their bedtime routine had been like without her. They decided after she'd dropped the boys off the Sunday before that they would go back to just phone calls before bedtime for the time being before they'd figured everything out between them. The only exception was telling Henry last night that they planned on going on a date. What started as confusion quickly became acceptance from the teen.

"Thank you – also – for being available on such short notice." Emma sighed.

"Absolutely!" Katherine grinned. "To be honest with you, I thought you two had been making eyes at each other for a while now. Didn't think it was appropriate to say anything before you two did, though."

Emma smiled. "I'm nervous."

Katherine laughed. "She is too, don't worry."

"Really?"

"Oh yeah. She asked me to come over an hour early for my official feminine opinion."

Emma frowned. "I'm afraid to ask."

"In short, she's picked out about seventeen different outfits for us to wade through."

Henry cleared his throat. "I didn't get paid for babysitting while they were up there."

"Tough shit."

"Ammah!" Emmet pointed at her forcefully. "No bad words."

Everyone else laughed while Emma just pretended she was shocked. "Sorry, bug! I didn't mean to."

"Iihs okay." He patted her knee and went back to showing Beth how to use the Jumbo Legos, but turned abruptly with a huge smile on his little face. "Mommy, so beautiful."

Emma whipped her head around, and yeah... she thought, Regina was pretty damn beautiful.

It wasn't the first time she'd seen her in jeans, but the first time these particular jeans made an appearance. They were black, and high waisted – not quite skin tight but they hugged the older woman pretty well. The white, flowy blouse topped by a grey jacket Emma was sure she'd seen before was more understated than she had ever seen Regina when they weren't just around the house. The lack of lipstick didn't go unnoticed either. She had to blink away the shock in her eyes, but the heat coloring her face couldn't be avoided.

Regina smiled faintly and headed straight for Katherine, handing her an envelope that she promptly pushed away.

"Regina, you don't need to pay me."

The brunette just shook her head. "I insist." She nodded. "It's also bribery – not to call my mother under any circumstance and if she calls, it's incentive to lie for me."

After a good moment, Katherine accepted the money, though Emma had the feeling it would inexplicably end up in the cutlery drawer.

Regina took her time in kissing the boys goodbye, and giving a warm smile to her friend before reaching for Emma's hand, and pulling it back before she got there, pointing at the door instead. "All set?"

Emma nodded and waved one more time before they headed for the door. She put her shoes on and let Regina close the door behind them, and out of nowhere, she was pressed up against the pillar, mouth sloppily kissed by the rigid woman who'd come down the stairs. But every bit of tension faded away between their lips. And all of the sudden it was gone, leaving Emma staring at her with wide, happy eyes.

"You good?"

Regina smoothed her hair and her jacket, and wiped at her mouth delicately. "Yes. I- absolutely." She smiled, and took a breath. "I just… That one particular thing couldn't wait."

Emma laughed and took her hand, taking lazy steps to the bug.


Regina was right. As always, she thought.

Emma went for something low pressure, but in the most comfortable way. They'd driven an hour out of town to a rather large bar/restaurant and ordered easy food that was easy to talk over, and the ambient noise just enough to feel as ease talking about all they wanted to. Not that they dared broach anything serious just then. But, looking down at her outfit, Regina felt confident she could blend in.

It took a moment to warm up to the Chicken Barbecue Nachos that was apparently the specialty, but once she got over the fact they weren't authentic, they actually had a nice flavor.

"Why are you picking the jalapeños off?"

Emma scrunched up her face.

"You don't like them?"

"They're too spicy."

Regina raised an eyebrow. "You're weak."

"Woah! Hold on… Did Regina Mills try to roast me just now?"

"Roast you?"

She nodded. "It's… shit. Like teasing me, but in a… more malicious way. But still joking?"

"Oh." Regina laughed. "Alright then."

"I know you're cooler and way more ethnic than I am, okay."

"Both observations are fairly obvious, I think."

"Shut up." Emma rolled her eyes.

Regina still just smiled, looking across the booth with a different look in her eye than she'd let herself show before.

Emma looked up at the tail end of it, just before she looked away. "What?"

Regina shook her head.

"Look at me."

The very ends of both of their lips tilted up looking at one another. "Yes?"

"Are you having a good time?"

Five years of smiles and slow, longing looks passed between them warning them of their fears and how much was at stake. Still, the toothy grin that planted itself on Regina's face was enough to melt the rest of the worry away.

"I am."


Just outside the restaurant, the dying light of the afternoon illuminated a rather large pond and a foot path running around it. The whole scene was glimmering with tendrils of pink and gold.

Emma, again, was the one to eliminate the awkward space hanging between them as they took the paved path around, offering her arm for Regina to hold.

"Late lunch." Regina sighed.

Emma shrugged and bumped her shoulder just a bit. "Or early dinner."

"No! No, I think it was a smart move."

"Yeah?"

Regina nodded. "Gave us more time to talk, and we get the sunset… and I think it was very strategic of you."

"I put some effort in."

"Well, it shows."

"Well, thank you." Emma fluttered her eyelashes erratically.

There was a few beats of comfortable silence before Regina moved her hand down from Emma's bicep to lace her fingers with the other woman's, trying her hardest not to focus on her raise in heart rate, or at least to try and blame it on the walk instead.

"Can I say that it feels a little odd?" She asked. "Not being with you... but after so long. I've trained myself to hold back, so now I'm not sure what to do."

Emma cleared her throat, "Yeah. I guess that's kinda true."

"What do we do?"

"Uhm…. What haven't we talked about?" Emma put her free hand in her pocket.

"Oh, is there anything?" A laugh bubbled out. "Other than... past relationships, I think. I've done my fair share in avoiding that. Although I don't know if that's appropriate first date conversation."

"Yeah."

"Although I haven't had a first date in almost a decade."

"Shit, you're old."

Regina hit her arm, then wrapped her other hand around Emma's forearm. "Tell me about your very first date."

"God." Emma looked out over the water. "I was fourteen and she was sixteen, and… and we thought we were tough shit."

"What happened?"

"We tagged a bridge and made out behind the gym at our high school."

"You what?"

Emma grimaced. "Probably not the cleanest conditions to suck face, but-"

"No, what is tagged?"

"Oh!" She laughed. "It's spray painting. Like graffiti."

"I see." Regina nodded. "So you've always known you were attracted to women?"

"I guess so?" She shrugged. "I grew up moving from home to home and sometimes just stayed in shelters. There were more girls than boys, and… I don't know if it was nature or nurture, but I just gravitated toward other girls. And they gravitated toward me, unfortunately."

Regina frowned. "Explain."

"I've… a lot of other girls used me as their test dummy." She tried to shrug it off. "And guys used me for – ya know. My relationship history is a lot of people who I can't remember their names and a few more who just hurt me and moved on." Emma stretched her back out quickly and kept walking. "Not to make things dark. You tell me. Who was there before Graham?"

Regina squeezed her hand and continued. "Not much of note. I was very serious with one boy in high school, and even until my freshman year of college. But he died and I didn't date for a few years after. Mind you I participated in quite a few… encounters after, more as avoidance for the grief I felt." She gulped and thought for a moment. "I was very close with a professor of mine during graduate school, and she kissed me twice, but nothing happened past that. And I refused to give it any thought because I knew my mother would disown me, and I still needed my inheritance to finish school."

"Oh, so I'm not the first?" Emma grinned.

"God..." Regina pushed her away as Emma laughed before they gradually brought their hands back together. "I don't know. I've always found the female form appealing but men were… familiar? And just sit in the palm of your hand, and I'm sure you know I enjoy my control. But I've never thought about dating women again until you, and seeing you with Emmet and Henry."

"Yeah, I tried to tell Ruby I wouldn't have a chance in hell if the kids weren't around."

"Oh, I don't know about that."

Emma raised an eyebrow.

"There's… I remember when you brought Henry back; I kept looking at your mouth. And I didn't know what it was – I just thought it was mild jealousy or something. Should have been my first sign, but I was so set on making it work between Graham and I."

"I get it now. I didn't then."

"Why I was with him?"

Emma shook her head. "Why you stayed for so long. I get why you were with him in the first place, and then so much effort in the beginning would seem wasted. And the fact that Henry was ten, and probably just jealous of the attention not being on him."

"Well that and he was the first person in so long to try standing at my side. I've never wanted any one to pave my own path for me – I'm not a follower. I've worked for everything I've been given and so many men are intimidated by that. He just fell right in line. It was easy. In retrospect it was too easy. I don't want to be with a follower either and I think that's what he was, a follower without any real sense of direction until he's there. And all of the sudden, he had to decide if he was ready to be a father or at least a father figure to Henry and he wasn't. And my son isn't something negotiable. He, on the other hand, was. And…" Regina sunk in her shoes. "Sorry. I – that was a bit much."

Emma wriggled her fingers with Regina's. "You're fine."

"Thank you." A soft smile graced her lips. "If… I know it might be more than we should talk about on the first date, but you-"

"Okay, this first date thing isn't really a true first date. First dates are for people who are getting to know each other, but I already know you. And you know me. We've been right by each other for I don't know how long and soaking up being a family. I've let myself love you as my friend and the mother of my kid, and… just as a person. Fuck the rest of the feelings that were floating around, you are my friend first, and now that we're being honest, I'm not worried about the future. I know that you'll be in my life and even if this blows up in our faces, at least we tried. But we're trying with all of this history on our side. This is the next step, and seeing if we can work as just us in a girlfriend kind of way. We work as friends, and as parents. Don't ever be nervous about talking to me."

Regina looked into her eyes as they made the halfway point on the path, and didn't hold back from kissing the younger woman at her side. Only this time it wasn't rushed, or nervous, or needy. This time it was slow and deliberate. Their lips met in the happy medium between excitement and reassurance, and they both sighed into the contact.

"I like the way you said girlfriend." Regina grinned. "And I wouldn't have kissed you if I didn't think we would be good together, like this."

Emma let her nose tap Regina's a few times before answering. "I have more planned – don't go getting mushy on me, now."

"More?" The brunette's eyebrows rose again.


Emma didn't hint at anything.

An hours ride back to town and they just chatted about how Cora would lecture the both of them separately and together as soon as she got wind of anything happening, and when Henry would face up and tell them that Ava was his actual girlfriend. If ever.

Emma parked at her apartment, but walked Regina down to the docks without explaining a thing, even when they got there. The boats knocked gently against the wood beside them and soft sloshing noises punctuated each step they took.

"I'm very curious."

Emma nodded, and said nothing.

Before long, they went out onto one of the isolated docks, where Leroy waited for them. He owed Emma a favor after she hadn't written up his last drunk and disorderly in front of the convent. The pudgy man stood over a fire pit with a tote bag full of wood and kindling over his shoulder and two folding chairs, along with a basket full of graham crackers, marshmallows, and Hershey's.

Emma shook his hand before he did a strange sort of bow toward the Mayor. "Enjoy, your Highnesses." He set the bag of wood down and went on his way.

The blonde yelled her thanks after him, and all she got in return was a wave without a look back at all.

"I was impressed with my decision of dress until just now." Regina laughed at herself.

They sat down and Emma scooted her chair closer to Regina's. "There are blankets in Leroy's boat if we need them." She pointed to the little, white boat to their left as they walked up.

"The fire's doing its job for now. But thank you." She smiled. "I was more so thinking of my heels."

"If you break one of them, I'll carry you." Emma winked and dunked her hand into the marshmallows before any of the other items were opened, without looking at the dinky little roasting sticks.

Regina just grinned at her before looking out over the water, a clear white line reached out toward them on the water from the moon. "You certainly pulled out all the stops."

The blonde sighed and sat back a little more, putting a lazy hand on Regina's thigh and letting her heart race as she did so. "Didn't even scratch the surface."

"Really?" Always the mom, she pulled out the fixings and set them out before loading marshmallows on each of their respective roasting sticks. "I couldn't imagine what else you'd have planned."

"Not tonight."

"How on Earth would you top this date?" Regina put a stick in Emma's free hand and covered the one on her thigh with her own fingers. "I'm genuinely curious."

Emma stared into the fire. "I've been dreaming of taking you out for years. I have plenty of things cooked up in my head."

"How many do I get to see?"

She shrugged. "How many do you want to see?"

There was a pause and Emma had to look over at her to make sure everything was still okay, and when she did, Regina was chewing on her lower lip and staring, the same sort of way she imagined she, herself would have looked countless times staring at Regina.

Her fingers scooped Emma's up off of her thigh and squeezed. "All of them."

Emma leaned forward on the arm of her chair, inches from Regina's face. "Does that mean I get a second date?"

Regina nodded.

"What are you thinking about?"

Their voices had faded to just above a whisper and melded with the soft splashing sounds around them. "How easy this has been." She glanced at the air around them. "Today. Since we've talked things over… And how much time's been wasted, stumbling on our way here."

"We didn't waste any time. If this would have happened a year ago, or two, or before, it probably would have been way too much. Us – right now – with everything we've coached each other through, we have a way better chance." Emma ran her thumb over Regina's knuckles and looked down at their hands, glowing red in the fire light. "I'm ready now. I don't know if I would have been before."

"You're probably right." Regina inched closer and did a dramatic whisper. "But I have to tell you something."

"What?"

Her lips were right next to Emma's ear, so her breath brushed hot against the chill of the late fall evening.

"Our marshmallows are on fire."


It was just past midnight when they crept back in the house. Everything was as spotless as Regina would have kept it on a regular night, other than the play pen Beth was sleeping in and her mother passed out over her book on the sofa next to her.

"Poor Kat." Emma whispered. "Shit, I didn't even think about being out this late."

Regina shook her head. "She offered to stay the night if… I happened not to come home."

Emma's mouth fell open and Regina glared at her.

"Oh, please. You're charming, but not even you could keep me away from my children for a whole night without about a month's notice and nanny cams everywhere." She rolled her eyes.

Regina ditched her heels, ran up the stairs for a moment, and came back down to wake Katherine up gently.

She opened her eyes in shock before blinking and looking around.

"Sorry! The guest room is ready for you." Regina grinned.

Katherine looked at Emma and gave as much of a smile as she could before yawning and shaking her head. "We can head home. It's okay."

Regina put her hands on her hips. "David is asleep, you're exhausted, and Beth will absolutely wake up if you try to put her in the car. Just sleep here, and we'll send you home with breakfast in the morning."

The older blonde looked to Emma again and wagged her eyebrows. "We?"

Emma laughed but Regina didn't leave any more room for argument as she picked Beth up herself and started for the stairs. She whispered that there were extra clothes laid out for her when she got upstairs before handing the baby over.

When she came back down to the entry way, Emma just stood there staring at her with an easy grin.

"What's the smile for, Sheriff?" Regina crossed her arms.

Emma stepped forward and put her thumbs through Regina's belt loops. "We…."

"If I didn't let Katherine drive home, why would I let you?"

"I drove you home just now."

Regina put her hands on Emma's biceps. "You'd just have to drive back in the morning for breakfast anyway… and you would lose sleep trying to be on time-"

Emma kissed her soundly, but not lighting any spark they couldn't stamp out if they wanted to. "You're making excuses to keep me here."

The brunette just nodded and sighed, her arms coming up to completely encircle Emma's neck.

"I mean... I've already slept in your bed quite a few times."

"I'm also tired, Emma. I would like to head up now." She huffed, but couldn't help the tugging at the ends of her lips as she pecked at the lips in front of her again. "Just sleep. I will not have sex with you for the first time in a house full of people."

"Who said I was expecting you to?!" Emma tried to push her away playfully, but Regina just caught her hand and pulled her up the stairs.

Quietly, like they'd done this a million times, Regina got sleepwear out for both of them – pants and tops, nothing revealing. Emma changed in the bathroom and by the time she came out Regina was dressed and already pulling the covers back. She stopped at the vanity after she set her clothes down in the hapless ball they would have been in back at her apartment, and stared as the woman of her literal and figurative dreams put her hair up in a claw-clip and climbed in her bed.

Regina caught her as she was reaching over to adjust pillows. "What?"

Emma shook her head. "You're just pretty."

She saw the fight die in Regina's eyes as the smile grew on her lips, honest and somehow bashful at the same time. She wondered if that meant she knew exactly how much she meant it.

The older woman just hit the pillow next to her gently. "Are you going to lie down or not?" She said quietly.

Emma didn't buy into their teasing for once, and climbed under the covers as Regina shut lamp off.

In the dark, they shifted down, sheets up and over their shoulders and the smallest dash of blue light splashing through the windows, and rolled over to face each other, not quite touching. They stayed like that for a while, looking at one another in the dark as the minutes passed.

Under the sheets, Regina's hand found Emma's elbow and wrapped her fingers in the crease of her arm before she kissed her again. Emma closed her eyes puckered her mouth to match the slow, chaste kiss Regina gave her, rinsed, and repeated before she scooted closer, wrapping an arm around the older woman's waist, and abruptly pulling her lips away to kiss Regina's forehead.

Her lips stayed there, and she felt Regina settle into the contact.

"Goodnight." Emma whispered.

"Good morning, dear."

Neither could feel the somersaults the others stomachs were doing before they fell asleep.