A/N-I don't own the lyrics, the song is Secondhand Serenade's Fall For You. Please enjoy! Reviews fuel me, so please feel free to leave me some verbal love! this is a pretty long one, definitely the longest of this story! You are all so amazing for the reviews, faves and follows and I truly appreciate them!
To say that Emma woke up before Regina would be lying, because Emma hardly even went to sleep, except for nearly half an hour when she first entered the room. Her stomach was fluttering, not a sweet or romantic fluttering, a nervous and scared one. She wasn't even tired if she was being completely honest. Adrenaline was pumping through her system like it never had before and she was watching every movement and listening to every noise that her wife made in the night. It was a habit that Emma had, though usually it happened when she fell asleep after Regina, or woke up before her. She would watch the brunette dream, watch her have the occasional nightmare and wake her up from it to take the woman into her arms and comfort her. Still, it was a long night. Something about Regina's pain had Emma on edge. She thought maybe she was overthinking it, Regina would never put their child's health in danger, nor would she do it to herself because she wanted to be around for Henry. But still, Emma didn't sleep. Sneaking out of the room shortly before she knew Regina would be up, Emma went to shower and dress in the guest room.
She went downstairs to get a bowl of cereal, changing her mind at the last minute and deciding to make oatmeal with apples and a nut medley for herself and Regina. After eating her bowl, she put Regina's on a bed tray with a mug of herbal tea and headed up to bring it to her wife. When she got to the bedroom door, she knocked and listened for a response. Finally, after a minute passed and a second knock was given, she heard a moan followed by permission to enter.
Regina was sitting up against her pillows when Emma brought the breakfast in. Giving a wide smile and a thank you as she set the tray down over the brunette's duvet covered lap, she sat at Regina's feet and watched as the brunette smiled at her in return.
"I have to work a few hours today. What are you going to be up to?" Emma said.
"I think I may go to work a few hours as well. I just have a few more things to catch up on and I have that appointment Monday during work hours, so I need to get a few things done today. I just read my messages and Ruby asked if I wanted to have lunch with her, so I may do that as well."
"Good. How are you feeling? Any pain today?"
"Nope, fit and healthy." Another blindingly beautiful smile was given to the blonde.
"You're in a good mood today."
"I am. Yes. We still have some talking to do, but I have a good feeling."
"Me too," Emma responded, nearly crying out of the happiness she felt in that moment.
"I'll be home by 3, what about you?"
"Same time, probably. I've got Jack working tonight."
"Mmm, ok. I'll see you later." Regina looked up at Emma, her mouth closed, but the corners turned slightly upward as though she couldn't keep the smile away. Emma ran one hand down from a dark eyebrow to a tan chin, lifting it slightly and placing a soft kiss on the brunette's forehead.
"I love you, Regina."
"I love you too, Emma. Have a good day."
"You too." Emma nodded and left for work. She was surprised Regina was in such a good mood, and the moment had seemed strange, but whatever Regina was feeling wasn't negative enough to bother Emma's gut so she shrugged it off.
When she arrived at the station, David was sitting at his desk ruffling through paperwork.
"Hmm, what are you doing?" she asked him curiously.
"We just received several complaints."
"About what?"
"About you and Regina."
"What?"
"Noise complaints, indecency complaints and child neglect complaints."
"What?" Emma said breathlessly. "Let me see those." He handed her the complaints and she went through them. All of the reports said almost the exact same thing, and mostly they were about Regina. She looked at David and his eyes clouded. "Where did these come from?"
"I don't know. I wasn't even supposed to work today but Jack called me this morning saying they came in overnight and thought I would want to see them before you did so that I could try to figure out what was going on."
"I don't understand. If it was just one thing, I could easily figure it out, but none of those things are true!" Emma yelled defensively.
"Emma, I know they're not true. You guys hardly even yell when you're arguing with each other because neither of you like raised voices. And the indecency thing, I mean, maybe when you first started dating and half the town found you scattered all over in scandalous situations, but not recently. The reports about Henry, those are what really get me."
"What do you mean?"
"Neglect? He's 15 and very spoiled. He doesn't want for anything, and he has more attention than a 15 year old wants from his parents…I just don't get…"
"What? Finish your sentence! WHAT?" Emma was shouting and looked back at the paper. "No, dad…you don't think…mom wouldn't do this, would she?"
"I… I don't think so, but I also know that your mom wants to have her family back and to her, her family doesn't include Regina. I'll look into it, kiddo."
"Ok. Do that and let me know. Other than that, these reports stay between you, Jack and me, got it? I'll discuss it with him when he comes back for his afternoon shift."
"Understood."
"And by the way…we were never found in scandalous situations," she insisted and when he gave her a skeptical look she continued, "just…compromising ones, maybe."
Chuckling, David shook his head, looking down to set himself at scouring the forms, poring over them, trying to figure out the slightest clue that would tell him who had sent them in. He didn't want to believe it was Snow, it would be too far below her. Looking at Emma as she sat down in her office, he realized that he was proud of her. For her job, her position among the people, for trying to work things out with her wife; all of these great morals she held her standards to, aside from her recent misstep, were things that normally would have been instilled by parents, but she had gotten there herself, and that made his heart swell with pride.
Regina had been running papers through the fax machine all day. That was when she wasn't printing forms and filling them out and correcting budgets. She was exhausted and she was meeting Ruby for a late lunch at 1:30. Looking at the clock to find it was only just after 12, she decided to head to the station to see Emma for a few minutes. She found that after last night's conversation, everything seemed like it was going to be repairable. She had hoped so, before yesterday, but the emotional rollercoaster they rode the previous day had her even more certain that they would make it through. She was in no way going to let the blonde off the hook, and it would take time, but Regina knew that both of them would do everything they could to fix their relationship.
When she walked into the station she was pleased to see David sitting at his desk and Emma sitting at hers. She walked behind her father-in-law, noticing he was concentrating very hard on a packet of papers. She tapped him on the shoulder and he offered her a smile, turning in his chair and standing to take her into a hug, while rushing to cover the documents on his desk.
"How are you doing, Regina?"
Humming, she answered him easily, "I'm doing fine. How are you?"
"Things are…tense, but ok." He offered a weak smile knowing that he didn't sound convinced on the classification of his marriage as ok. Emma heard them talking and walked out, dropping a quick kiss on Regina's temple. The blonde then pulled a chair over for the brunette to sit in next to David. Taking it, she tilted her head back to look up at Emma who had started speaking.
"What are you doing here? I thought you were working."
"I was. My eyes got tired and my brain got bored. I have some time until lunch with Ruby so I thought I would drop in and see you for a few minutes."
"Ok. I'm glad you did. I was about to take a quick lunch myself, maybe half an hour or so…I'll probably just be outside the station," Emma said.
"Oh. Let me join you," Regina offered, standing.
"No, no. Why don't you keep David company? I'll be at the doors…outside…so I'll be watching…for other visitors." The blonde turned and walked outside with a cup of coffee in her hand, leaving the two alone in the station.
David chuckled and when Regina gave him a quizzical look, he laughed harder.
"David," Regina started, indignation in her voice and a glare in her eyes. "What is so funny?"
"She was telling us she would be guarding the station for Snow so we could hang out."
"That was why she was being so weird?"
"Yes."
"Oh."
"So how are things going with you two?"
"They are a work in progress. We saw Archie yesterday and Henry went to a friend's for the night, so we talked. It was good."
"I'm glad. I knew you two would be able to work it out. You're just both too stubborn to make it easy."
"Oh, shush. So, tell me, tense…"
"Yeah. I literally feel like she monitors every move I make. I think the only reason she hasn't dropped in for lunch today is because she's cleaning for Henry's visit tonight. She has been here every other day at lunch or dinner, depending which shift I work. She calls the station frequently to find out what I'm doing. It's driving me crazy."
"She doesn't want you to spend time with me."
"I think that…that is the reason, yes."
"Should I go?"
"No, I don't think you should. I'll tell her you visited today, and she'll get mad, but as much as I love Snow, and she's my wife, my partner…I've never been the guy to be told who I could be with or who I had to go without, and that goes for friendships, too. If she doesn't trust that you and I are friends and nothing more…then she doesn't trust me and maybe that means that there's nothing left to our relationship."
Regina nodded. "I can…understand that. And I appreciate it. It's been a strange week not having you around after you stayed with us for that week or so. Henry misses you."
"I miss him, too."
Before they knew it, half an hour had flown by and Emma was walking back into the station. Letting David resume his paperwork, Regina sat in Emma's office with her for a short time, chatting about what their respective mornings had held for them. After Regina checked the time, she stood up to head to Granny's. Looking over Emma, she walked to her wife and cupped the pale face in her hands, lowering her full, red painted lips to pretty pink ones, brushing over them just lightly before pulling back. She then used one finger to tuck a stray hair behind Emma's ear.
"Thank you for that…for trusting me. I appreciated that time and I needed it."
Emma offered a small smile and nodded. "Just to see you smile, babe, I'd do anything."
Regina left the station with a nod to both people and headed to Granny's in a really good mood.
Ruby wasn't her usual hyper and vibrant self, creating a curiosity in the older brunette as to what had her friend tamed for the moment, but she didn't ask. They sat together while a girl, Amanda, took their orders and brought them their drinks. Regina ordered a strawberry milkshake and nachos, gaining herself a wide-eyed and surprised look from the waitress sitting across from her.
"Shush, I'm having cravings," Regina explained.
Ruby chuckled lightly and appeared deep in thought for a moment. "Regina…can I ask you?"
"Hmm? About Emma?" Ruby nodded. "Sure."
"Are you guys going to be ok?"
"Yes, I believe we are. Part of me is amazed that it's only been a week since she did it because it feels like forever…but another part of me feels my resolve slipping since we talked yesterday and I'm worried I'll forgive her completely, too quickly."
"I don't think there's a time table on forgiveness, Regina. When you're ready it's your place to decide that, and it is no one else's business on whether it's soon or if it takes forever. You're the person choosing to work it out and you are the person who decides when you're ready."
Regina nodded and offered her friend a smile. "When did you become so wise?"
"Hmm…" the younger woman said, pretending to be deep in thought. "I've always been this way, but nobody sees it beyond the appearance." Something in the woman's tone told Regina exactly what was going on, and though she was hesitant to do so, she brought it up.
"Snow told you, didn't she?" Regina asked almost in a whisper.
"Uh…yeah. How did you know?"
"Because your tone is nervous, like you're uncomfortable with talking to me but you aren't sure why."
"You're good at reading people."
"Indeed I am." Regina's response was shorter than she had intended, but she moved to get out of the booth. "I'll just ask for my order to go." Ruby's hand shot out to grab her arm, causing Regina to look back to her.
"No. I'm not upset about it, or judging you in any way. Trust me…high horses want nothing to do with me."
"But you were mad about what Emma did."
"Yeah…and I was mad about what Mary Margaret and David did before the curse broke by being with each other while he was still giving Kathryn hope. They cheated. While I think it wasn't very cool of you since you knew who everyone was, David didn't and so he wasn't cheating at the time. I figured you'd explain it when you were ready, if you wanted to talk about it."
"I see. Well, while I don't want to detail anything, I will say that I hadn't intended to sleep with him, just to kiss him, maybe go on a date or two with him. But I missed being with someone and I think that he did, too. And it just happened."
"Ok. I can't blame you for the loneliness. I feel it very often."
"Because of Peter?"
"Because of Peter. Yes. It's another reason why I forgave you easier than the others. Because I knew what it was like to have people see you as a monster and want to kill you. I knew what losing a lover was like. It's the worst."
"It is."
"And now you have Emma and you get to start over. You'll work it out and in the future you'll appreciate what you have more because of the challenges you've overcome with each other."
Their food came and they ate while changing topics to a lighter conversation. They talked about the baby and Regina told her about her check up coming up. Finally, Regina checked the time, paid and told her she had to be going.
"Call me if you need to talk at anytime, Regina."
"You too, dear. This isn't a one-way friendship, you're welcome to talk anytime you need to, or stop by to see me. I come by to see you all the time!"
"You use me for tea, lady!" Regina shook her head and laughed lightly, looking at the floor as she walked out of the diner door and ran directly into Snow.
"Excuse me, I'm—" Regina's apology was cut short when she saw who it was. Luckily for her, before too much could happen, Emma rushed up the sidewalk and stood between them breathlessly.
"Mom…this isn't the place." Emma pleaded.
"No? I think it's the perfect place. Let everyone in town know that she never stopped being a manipulative bitch!"
"Snow!" Emma shouted, causing all of the people in the diner to turn their heads and stare. Regina was still in the door, the glass pressing against her shoulder blades, but Emma was too close in front of her that she wouldn't even have hopes of moving enough to shut the door before people overheard. "I swear to God, if you say one more bad word about my wife, I am done with you."
"Emma, she—"
"One. More. Word," she growled through her teeth. "I don't care what happened in the past. She is the most loyal person I have ever known, the most beautiful and loving, and so help me god, I will leave you here and never look at you again if you say anything more to her or about her to anyone. You will never see Henry again; you will never be a part of our daughter's life. Say it, say something, I dare you." Emma waited, while Snow was sobbing and Regina was staring in shock at the scene that had just unfolded in front of her. Everyone in the diner had heard. She saw David running up the sidewalk, several moments too late and walk up to stand beside Emma, who didn't say a word. He rubbed Snow's back for a moment before looking to Regina for an explanation. She gently tapped Emma on the shoulder so she could pass, and the blonde took a small step to the side and Regina brushed past her to stand next to David, explaining to him what just happened.
"Alright ladies, time to drop it," David interjected after he received the cliff's notes version of the story.
"I'm sorry, but if I recall, I've been keeping myself out of her way," Regina started while looking at David, but she looked to Emma for an answer as she finished her question, "what could I have possibly done now to warrant yet another verbal attack?"
"I told her you came to the station to see Emma and me for lunch," David replied.
"Mmm, I see. Well, dear Snow, the day you tell me where I am allowed to go and where I am not allowed to go will be a cold day in hell. Do go on though, with your rant from earlier. You have no idea how nice it would be to never have the precious Snow White interfering in my life again."
"Regina, not now," Emma pleaded gently. She knew she would stand here and defend Regina until her throat was raw, but that didn't mean she needed her mother to be taunted. "For now we need to figure out if you still want to see Henry today?" she asked, looking to Snow.
"I don't want our son over there!" Regina huffed. Her eyes flickered to David whose expression was filled with pain. She knew he wanted to see Henry, and Henry was also missing his grandfather desperately. Regina roared a gravelly noise before giving in and nodding to Emma and David. The brunette raised one slender finger to point at Snow and spoke to the blonde, "you take care of this, dear. I'll see you at home."
After Regina was gone, Emma looked to Snow. "Are you sure you want to take Henry?"
"Yes! Of course!" she replied, wiping her tears and trying to compose herself.
"Snow…you need to get used to the fact that dad is going to see Regina around town. It's been a long time since it happened, can't you just let it go?"
"She's destroyed everything of mine, Emma. She took my father! My daughter and husband for 28 years! Then she slept with my husband while he was still cursed and didn't know any better, and now she has him walking around like a sad child who lost his puppy!"
"Snow, I know it's a complicated situation, but they're friends. Do you know how much it sucks to work with one person and live with the other when they just unwillingly lost their best friend? I know that you don't trust Regina, but shouldn't you trust dad enough?"
"He lied to me! For 5 years!"
"I know." During the whole conversation David was just shifting uncomfortable away from the fire of these two headstrong women arguing it out. "But if you're going to see Henry, you need to deal with it. It's not going to work any other way except to have David come and pick him up and drop him off."
"Why not?"
"Regina doesn't want you near our house, and quite frankly, right now, neither do I, which is also the reason I'm not going to be bringing him over."
"So I only get to see Henry if your father sees Regina."
"It takes ten minutes to pick a kid up, I think you can trust dad and Regina to not plot an elaborate affair on their wives in ten minutes time," Emma quipped.
"Emma, why are you being so disrespectful?"
"Snow, listen, I'm not going to blame you for being upset with dad, I get it, I had my fair share of upset at Regina. …But there comes a time when you drop it and move on, or you get out of the relationship, it's your choice, and I'm not telling you that you can't still be upset, but you need to do it in a more respectful way. All these people in the diner today, they heard parts of our conversation because you couldn't choose a more appropriate place to do this."
Snow nodded and stormed off. David looked to Emma and offered a weak smile, "I'll see you around 5. Have a good couple hours, Emma." Emma rolled her eyes and headed home.
When she walked in the front door and headed upstairs she heard the shower running in the master bathroom so she took the opportunity to jump into the other shower. She set her hair into curls and changed into a pair of black jeans and her favorite green button-up shirt, then headed downstairs. She was surprised not to find Regina on the main floor, taking it as information that Regina must have still been dressing.
She set some coffee to brew, intending to stay up as late as her wife could so they could keep talking. After the pot was done she poured herself a mug and wrapped her hands around it, bending her knees and stretching her arms so her triceps and forearms laid flat on the counter, her forehead pressing against the cold marble between her arms.
"Long day?" Regina asked with a smirk as she walked into the kitchen. Emma lifted her head to offer a smile, only to be stunned into complete silence. Regina was wearing a black sleeveless dress that landed 3 or 4 inches above her knee. The dress hugged her hips and behind, while it also allowed a slight tug around the center of her stomach, which made Emma smile.
"You look…wow…um, I thought we were staying in?"
"Well, we are, but I was sort of looking at this like a…date so I wanted to look nice."
"To be fair, you could wear rags and still look nice."
"Should I change?"
"No!" Emma nearly shouted and too quickly. "I'll…just…give me a sec." Emma walked away and Regina chuckled to herself. Yes, she had intended on surprising her wife with her appearance, but she hadn't expected such unguarded appreciation of her appearance. After fifteen minutes had passed she heard heels clicking on the stairs. She looked up to the kitchen doorway and waited. And she was not prepared for what she saw.
Emma wore a fire engine red dress. It was strapless and tight, hugging her curves and muscles like a second skin. Her creamy legs ended in black heels that rivaled Regina's. The brunette gasped and blushed at the thoughts that flooded her mind.
"Emma, you look…stunning."
"Thank you." The blonde returned to her cup of and took a sip. Her hip brushed Regina's in testament of their close proximity and after she swallowed the liquid in her mouth, she turned to smile at the other woman, instead finding Regina leaning in and capturing Emma's lips, running her tongue along the inside of her bottom lip before pulling away. The blonde blushed and gave a questioning look to her wife, who just shrugged.
"I miss the taste of coffee," she eventually offered with a wink. Emma wanted to grab the other woman's face and kiss her deeper, but as their life seemed to go that was the moment Henry walked in.
"So…" Henry started when he saw both of his moms in the kitchen, dressed up.
"So… what's up kid?" Emma asked.
"I heard there was a big scene at Granny's a little bit ago."
"Seriously? That just happened."
Henry shrugged. "So? What happened?"
"Nothing, dear," Regina stepped in. "Your grandmother wasn't pleased and confronted me, your mom defended me and they argued a little. It really wasn't anything worth noting."
"Alright. I'm going to go shower and pack a bag before grandpa gets here."
Both women nodded and Emma stared at Regina while trying to form the words she wanted to speak.
"What is it, dear?" Regina asked.
"Was it really nothing worth noting?"
"No." Shaking her head, Regina continued, "No, it was everything. It was…absolutely everything. And thank you for it." Emma offered her a shy smile.
"Of course. This really attractive brunette explained to me recently how much of an ass I was being and the opportunity to right it some came up, so I took it." Regina rolled her eyes.
"Hopeless, dear."
"Hopelessly in love, yes, yes I am."
"You would be amazed at what I had for lunch."
"Oh yeah? What was it then?"
"Mmm" Regina moaned. "I had nachos and a milkshake, and my goodness, they were delicious."
"You did not!"
"I definitely did. But don't tell Henry. No sympathy eating from either of you is allowed."
"Scared I'm going to get fat?"
"Hardly," Regina snorted. "But I think you already eat enough for two, we don't need to add a third person's portions to that."
"And Henry?"
"Same reason."
"I'll do what I can then."
Emma answered the door when David arrived and noticed Snow sitting in the car in front of the sidewalk. She asked David to come in as Regina walked into the foyer.
"Henry, David's here," Regina called up the stairs.
"Be down in a minute!" was the muffled response.
"You both look great," David complimented, looking between Regina and Emma. "You going out or staying in?"
"We figured the kind of stuff we have to talk about is more like stay in type of conversation. So…I'm cooking and we're eating here," Emma supplied.
"Don't burn anything for dinner, Regina needs to actually be able to eat her dinner. Nutrition and whatever."
"Shut it, dad. Regina has taught me how to cook almost as well as her."
"I guess is was bound to happen sometime over the last three years."
"Mmhmm." Regina cocked her head to the side and looked between Emma and David, noticing a small…something…between them, but she couldn't place her finger on what it was. After Henry came down and kissed his mothers goodbye, they walked together into the kitchen.
"So…uh…how do you want to do this? Do you want to talk while I cook, or wait until we're eating? Or until after dinner?"
"Emma, breathe. You weren't this nervous yesterday."
"Yeah but we had Henry during dinner yesterday."
"We'll just talk, I guess. The earlier we start, the more we get through."
"Ok."
"Let me help with dinner. I can at least do some chopping or something. What are you making?"
"Chicken fajitas."
"Oh, that sounds amazing. Here, let me cut the peppers and onions while we talk." Regina held her hand out for Emma's knife while she pulled the cutting board covered in multiple colors of peppers and an onion toward her.
"If you insist." Emma offered a smile, and then went to the fridge to get a soda. "Do you want a water?"
"Please, that would be wonderful." After taking the water from Emma, Regina began chopping the peppers and watching as Emma sliced the chicken and oiled the pan to cook it. They didn't talk for several minutes, but Regina finally cleared her throat and whispered.
"I think I almost forgot about tomorrow."
"You think?" Emma asked with her eyebrows furrowed.
"Well, I guess I have been thinking too much about everything else."
"I wanted to do our dinner tomorrow, kind of make it special."
"Why didn't you ask?"
Emma shrugged. "I didn't want to pressure you or make you think that I wanted more from you than you're ready to give right now."
"Oh, Emma," Regina cooed. She appreciated the thought, Emma was really trying and the brunette could see that and it pleased her.
They didn't really talk until they were halfway through eating dinner. Nervous setting them on edge, their voices were timid whenever they did speak. Finally, Emma decided to bring up something she had always been curious about.
"Do you have a count of how many people you've been with?"
Regina looked taken aback, but not entirely surprised at the blonde's question. "Honestly? No, I was never one to keep track. I suppose if I really thought about it, I could tell you. And if you asked me to, I would, but I don't like thinking about that time of my life very much."
"Ok, let me change the question. How many people have you been with in the heat of the moment, out of desire more than manipulation?"
"I suppose…" the brunette worried her bottom lip in her teeth while she thought. "Maybe 6."
"That's a number I can appreciate." Regina smiled shyly. "Were they all in the Enchanted Forest?"
"No, my dear. Half here and half there."
"But you've only been with Graham and me and dad here…Oh."
"There were two guards I had that I was quite fond of and one man was someone I had seen in a village and he was the most beautiful man I had ever seen, and I wanted to have him."
"I thought with Graham it was always about manipulation."
"Graham was missing his heart, and while one can't feel emotions properly without their heart, they can still feel physical attraction. Graham was just a bed mate, but every once in a while one of us would have a bad day or we would go a few days without seeing each other and it was always extremely heated after that."
"What about my dad? I thought that was manipulation."
"You must have misunderstood me. When I got him here, and when I tried to kiss him, it was. When he initially denied my kiss I felt actual rejection and it didn't feel good. If I couldn't even make someone as sweet and simple as David Nolan want to kiss me, what was redeeming about me that an actual relationship with anyone would ever be able to happen? But I think he saw that and I think in his kindness he wanted to make me feel better."
"Mmhmm. Ok, we can stop talking about that one."
"Ok."
"Anything you want to ask me?"
"You didn't ask me about my favorite one."
Emma smiled knowingly. "Tell me about that super attractive blonde."
Rolling her eyes playfully, Regina smiled. "Well, even though I didn't start having feelings for her until after the curse broke, she was this irritatingly attractive little fly that wouldn't buzz off," the brunette teased. "But somehow, I laid a beautifully intricate web and she got caught in it and stuck."
"Are you referring to yourself as a spider?"
"Well…am I not venomous?" she sobered.
"No. No, you're not at all," Emma answered seriously.
They quieted again for a minute before Emma growled through her teeth and began pacing.
"I wish I'd never made that stupid mistake!" she yelled, mostly to herself.
"Emma, can I ask you a favor?"
"Uh...yeah, go ahead."
"We keep referring to is as a mistake, but it was a decision. I need you to call it a decision." Emma's eyes watered, but she nodded.
"I need something from you, too, then."
"What's that?"
"I need you to admit that you did lie to me."
"I…?" Regina thought back to all the conversations her mind could access quickly and found a lie nowhere in them. "When?"
"When you told me you were pregnant. You mentioned that Graham and I were the only ones you had been with in this world."
Regina stared for a moment, then her eyes dropped and her perfect red lips formed an "oh". "Gods, Emma. You're right. I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry. I think maybe at that point I was lying to myself, too. You know how they say if you say something enough, you may even begin to believe it is true? I think maybe that's what I was doing. Not that I'm excusing my lie. I'm truly sorry, Emma."
"Thanks. It's not a big deal, I just…I guess I just needed to hear it."
"Of course."
Several hours had passed and while they didn't touch on too many hard topics, they discussed everything else under the moon that they hadn't discussed before, from anecdotes of their lives before each other, stories of Henry, how they felt when they started dating and both women were smiling. They were sitting on the couch facing each other, each with one leg bent at the knee against the back of the couch and one leg hanging over the cushion. Emma talked animatedly about one of the foster kids she lived with when she was a preteen and how close they had become only to be torn apart.
"I still have remorse everyday that everything you went through in your childhood was because of me."
"Hey," the blonde coaxed, taking one of the other woman's slender hands into her own. "We've talked about this. I don't want you to feel bad. We have a good life. I know we have some things to fix, but would you really want to take away our life together to give me a better childhood? Because I'm telling you, I never would. You and Henry make me happy."
"It still feels pretty terrible to think about."
"Sometimes, yeah."
"Can I ask you something else, Emma?"
"Ask away."
"You say you're happy, and you seemed really happy when we got married, planning the wedding and the honeymoon and everything."
"Yes."
"Why didn't you ever ask me to marry you? Would you ever have, if I hadn't asked you?"
"No…I don't think I would have. I wasn't sure how you would feel about marriage. I didn't want to scare you away. Leopold was a dick and not at all what you would ever have deserved and I knew I could be better. But, I didn't know if you would ever want to feel contracted to someone. And I know that's not how we are, I'm yours and you're mine, though we aren't possessive, but I figured that I could live with you forever without getting married as long as I just got to be with you." Regina was crying, tears falling quickly down her cheeks as she realized that Emma truly does know her better than anyone in all the realms. Emma's pale hands wiped all the tears away and she cradled the brunette's face between her palms.
After several moments, Emma stood, holding her hand out for Regina to take.
"Dance with me," the blonde said.
"There's no music."
"I'll sing to you." Regina shook her head but let Emma help her up. They stepped behind the couch where there was the most floor space and the brunette let the blonde lead. An olive-toned right hand was held by a pale left hand, while Emma's right hand held firmly against the small of Regina's back, her own darker arm hooked around the back of Emma's shoulder. Regina felt as though her body set on fire holding Emma this close, she couldn't concentrate on it or she wouldn't be able to make it through the night without making a decision she would probably regret. Instead, she focused on the sound of Emma's voice, which was now singing a beautiful song.
The best thing about tonight's that we're not fighting
Could it be that we have been this way before
I know you don't think that I am trying
I know you're wearing thin down to the core
But hold your breath
Because tonight will be the night that I will fall for you
Over again
Don't make me change my mind
Or I won't live to see another day
I swear it's true
Because a girl like you is impossible to find
You're impossible to find
This is not what I intended
I always swore to you I'd never fall apart
You always thought that I was stronger
I may have failed
But I have loved you from the start
Oh
They swayed to the song slowly, Regina concentrating hard on every word that Emma sang to her, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. She bent her neck to lay her head on one of her wife's bare shoulders and nuzzled her nose into the creamy skin of her neck, placing a kiss on the soft skin against her mouth.
But hold your breath
Because tonight will be the night that I will fall for you
Over again
Don't make me change my mind
Or I won't live to see another day
I swear it's true
Because a girl like you is impossible to find
It's impossible
So breathe in so deep
Breathe me in
I'm yours to keep
And hold onto your words
'Cause talk is cheap
And remember me tonight
When you're asleep
Because tonight will be the night that I will fall for you
Over again
Don't make me change my mind
Or I won't live to see another day
I swear it's true
Because a girl like you is impossible to find
Tonight will be the night that I will fall for you
Over again
Don't make me change my mind
Or I won't live to see another day
I swear it's true
Because a girl like you is impossible to find
You're impossible to find
They separated and Emma cupped her wife's face, lowering hers to it and brushed her own pink lips to full red ones in a gentle way. The second brush of lips was stronger, open-mouthed and the lips below hers began to work with her. The third time, tongues met tentatively, feeling each other, pushing against each other, and moving slowly against each other. Regina pulled away first.
"I should…I should get to bed."
"What time is it?" Emma asked, as she checked her phone. "Oh, I didn't realize it was after midnight. Have a good sleep. I love you."
"I love you too, Emma."
"Oh, and uh…I guess I can say it now that it's tomorrow…Happy 3 year Anniversary."
Smiling before walking up the stairs, Regina called out a "you too," as she headed to bed.
Emma had been watching her wife the whole night and while she didn't seem to experience any pain like she had the night before, she seemed uncomfortable, almost like her stomach was cramping. So again, Emma waited until she knew Regina would be asleep and she slipped in to watch her from the chaise lounge.