Sorry this has taken so long! I had an issue with my computer and ended up losing half of what I'd worked on for this and then when I was trying to put it back together ended up with writer's block! Still, forging ahead now - with no end in sight, I must admit! Still, hope you're all still enjoying the journey! ****************************************************************************Emma appeared down the stairs first, purposely avoiding Mary Margaret's gaze as she walked Regina to the door, leaning on the door frame as the brunette disappeared down the path. "A good weekend then?" Finally closing the front door, Emma shuffled towards the dining table. "Yeah, it was great actually. The girls are really nice." "I always thought they were," said the pixie haired woman as she placed Emma's plate in front of her. She smiled as Emma tucked in like she hadn't eaten in a week, as was her habit. "You seem to get on very well with Regina." She raised an eyebrow when the blonde blushed fiercely coughing harshly as she choked on a bite of her food. "Something wrong?" Emma shook her head. "No. Nothing." "Really? You just seemed a little jumpy when I mentioned Regina." Mary Margaret knew she was pushing, but she only wanted to reassure the blonde. In the month she had had the girl living with her, having had her living with her for the fortnight prior to her starting school, they had talked, and had built a tentative trust. She had found, however, the Emma was still very reluctant to speak about herself, and personal matters and while she had been trying not to push her, she felt that on this matter at least, there was still a little further she could push. "Just a bit of food stuck," muttered the blonde. "Emma, you know it's okay if you like her," she said softly. She watched as Emma clumsily dropped her fork. "What?" "I may not have been in this role very long, but I've been teaching for years. You learn to notice things..." She reached across and took Emma's hand. "I'm not going to judge you." "Really?" asked Emma in a whisper. She suddenly realised just how much she didn't understand just how hard it was to be honest in these conversations, even when you were sure you would be accepted. Suddenly her understanding of Regina's situation was magnified. If she was scared now, Regina must be terrified of her mother knowing. "Emma, it makes no difference to me whatsoever," she smiled. "I just want to see you as happy as you deserve to be. I didn't bring you out here because I wanted to judge you, or to change you. I brought you here because when we met, and I asked you what you wanted, you said a chance. You wanted a real chance for a new start." Emma nodded, remembering the conversation well. "I wanted to be miles away from anything I was before, so I could have a chance at being something other than the girl no one wanted." She sniffled, hating the tears gathering in her eyes. "You're not the girl no one wanted here. Since coming here, yes, we've had our problems, but we've made huge progress too. You're an amazing young woman, and I'm glad that other people here see that too. That perhaps Regina sees that?" Emma offered her a watery smile. "Thank you." "Is this you telling me you do like her?" She grinned at the bashful nod she received. She paused, wondering how much further she could go with this, not wanted to spoil the moment. "Regina seems very happy too. Happier than she's seemed in some time." "Can we maybe leave it to one revelation per meal?" asked Emma, still not quite comfortable speaking about she and Regina's fledgling relationship. "Breakfast tomorrow for the next one then?"