Disclaimer: In chapter 1.

Author's Notes: Happy 19th Anniversary Xena: Warrior Princess! Thank you to everyone reading, reviewing, favouriting and following "Hero".

Also: If you want a Xena or a SwanQueen magnet go to Shipper Haven on Facebook and follow the link to their eBay page. Mine are on my fridge already. They have quite a good selection.

Emma sighed heavily and rested her chin in her hand. Her arm was propped up on the table she sat at with Regina, Xena, Gabrielle, and Joxer. Her other hand gripped the nearly empty mug in front of her. She lifted it to her lips and drained the last of the cider. She'd never admit it, but she now preferred cider over other forms of alcohol, even if it wasn't as good as Regina's. Damn that women being so talented. She frowned at herself, and damn me for continually noticing.

Xena raised her eyebrow at Regina in a silent question, and twitched her head in Emma's direction. Regina lifted her shoulders minutely in answer.

Regina cleared her throat softly and then asked, "Is something the matter Miss Swan?"

"It was too easy," Emma huffed.

"What was?"

"Catching the bad guy, solving the mystery. Just… boom, it's done."

Regina shared a raised eyebrow with the others before turning back to Emma when she spoke again.

"This just doesn't feel right. It's like it was an incomplete episode," Emma whined. "Like the TV show had a secondary storyline and they rushed the main one to fit it in."

"We're not on TV Miss Swan."

"Easy for you to say…" Emma muttered.

"I don't know what a tee vee is," Gabrielle begun, "but I am a writer and I do know stories. Maybe this story wasn't about Priestess Leah? Maybe you two are the other storyline."

"Don't be ridiculous!" Regina snapped at the same time Emma shook her head with denial, "No way!"

Gabrielle and Xena glanced at each other and then shrugged in unison.

"I will not sit here and be subjected to this nonsense." Regina stood. "I shall return shortly and this subject will not be mentioned again."

They watched her storm off. An awkward silence settled over the table before Joxer started to talk animatedly about his evening guarding the Temple of Hestia. None of the women paid too much attention but Joxer didn't realise. It was a while later when Emma noticed Regina at the bar after the brunette's bathroom trip. Her legs twitched. "Do you guys want another drink?" She was up before they answered in the affirmative.

She sidled up to Regina and leant casually on the bar, "Do you come here often?"

Regina glanced up, and upon seeing Emma's goofy smile she laughed before she could stop herself. "As often as I choose.'

Emma inclined her head, "Touché."

Regina gave her a wry smile.

"Seriously though, what's up?" Emma asked. "You're less 'grrr' than usual."

"Less 'grrr'?" The older woman questioned. "Despite your lack of vocabulary, I am fine Miss Swan."

Emma raised her eyebrows and waited.

Regina sighed as a bone deep weariness swept down her body. "I forgot how simple life here was, how peaceful it is."

"You call tagging along with Xena and Gabrielle peaceful?" Emma asked incredulously. "We haven't stopped knocking heads since we got here."

"I thought you were enjoying the quality time with your hero."

"I am, but I wouldn't describe it as peaceful."

Regina sighed again. "It doesn't matter. You wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

Regina snapped her head around with a snide remark on the tip of her tongue. The open look on Emma's face made her pause. She turned back and stared into her drink. She shrugged slightly, and said, "This place is different than Storybrook, different than the Enchanted Forest. Not everybody hates me here. Most wouldn't even know who I am."

"Not everyone hates you. I…" Emma began.

Regina scoffed, "And that crowd wanting me dead outside my house gives that impression? I thought you were smarter than that."

"Hey, I am," the blonde puffed out her chest indignantly.

"I could disappear here, live without fear or hate, anonymously" Regina admittedly quietly, "If it weren't for Henry I would just stay…"

Emma blinked. She swallowed the lump that suddenly appeared in her throat. "What about me?"

"What about you?" Regina asked bitterly.

"Is," Emma cleared her throat when her voice broke, "is Henry the only reason you'd do back?"

"Yes."

"Liar."

The brunette shook her head in denial, "I am not…"

"Superpower," Emma wiggled her fingers. "I can tell if you're lying."

"Fine. I would need to make sure you're feeding Henry properly."

Emma raised an eyebrow, "Really?"

"Oh, shut up Miss Swan," Regina did her best to hide the smile threatening to appear. "You're ruining my drink."

Emma chuckled, and she lifted both her and Regina's drinks. "Come on, Madame Mayor. We wouldn't want the others to think we're actually having a conversation of anything. They might start to get ideas."

Regina's jaw hung open as she watched Emma saunter away. That woman! She's making it harder to deny these annoying feelings…

Emma held her mug in both hands. She watched the froth of the mead slowly disappear. The cider wasn't helping her to stop thinking about a certain brunette so she switched brews. The others had left a little while ago, but she felt she needed a bit of space to clear her head. The vision of Regina draped over her body was still blissfully and painfully clear in her mind. She jumped when Gabrielle sat on the chair opposite her.

"Dinar for your thoughts?"

Emma stared for a heartbeat and then cracked up. It took a moment for her to calm down, and Gabrielle just waited. "Sorry," Emma chuckled, "It's just…" she waved a hand, "never mind."

Gabrielle still waited. She was experienced in the technique of being patient for an answer. With enough silence she usually got some kind of response from Xena. Emma was far easier.

"How do you know if you like someone?"

Gabrielle raised in eyebrow, too easy. She cleared her throat. "I believe it's different for everyone. I suppose the common signs would be wanting to spend time with them, caring about their wellbeing, wanting them to be happy…"

Emma nodded absently, "Huh…"

"…sometimes fighting with them, or trying to be like them…"

Emma frowned.

"There is nothing wrong with being in love with a strong willed brunette."

"Whoa! I'm not in love with Xena!" Emma rushed to say. "I just hero-worship her a little…"

Gabrielle chuckled, "Wrong brunette."

"Huh?" Emma frowned. In the thick silence her cheeks flushed red. "Oh…" She shook her head. "I don't… I'm not in… I can't love R…" she caught her head in her hands. She couldn't even say the word and the name in the same sentence.

Gabrielle gently shook her head. "Emma," she cooed, "you'll only be able to deny it for so long, but if you don't realise it until it's too late then….." she sighed softly, "….then it will be too late."

"But it's Regina." Emma lifted her head and stated, as if that would explain everything.

Gabrielle raised her eyebrows. "So?"

"She was…. The Evil Queen…" Emma said unconvincingly.

"Was."

"She's done terrible things."

"So has Xena." Gabrielle cringed slightly, "We all have."

"She's straight."

"No, she has curves."

Emma groaned, "She's not into women."

"How does that make her too thin?"

"No," Emma huffed, "being straight means you don't like women, at least not that way."

"Oh," Gabrielle nodded in understanding. "Well Regina is not straight then."

"How the hell do you know?" Emma demanded.

"How do you?" Gabrielle countered.

Emma paused, "Um, she was sleeping with Graham." He face contorted as if she had a sour taste in her mouth.

"I married Perdicus. What's your point?"

Emma opened and closed her mouth several times. She couldn't argue with that. She had been with Neal but that didn't make her entirely straight.

Gabrielle reached across the table and gave Emma's hand a gentle squeeze. "Think about it. Keep your eyes, mind and heart open."