I love you.
Salted grief chokes her as all barriers come crashing down, and the brunette clenches her teeth angrily.
Why must this always be the way?
The same with Daniel. With her father. Even her mother... And now... The dumb Sheriff she never even liked in the first place. Letting out a hoarse wail that forces her back to adolescence, she presses her mouth as firmly as she can to the blonde's; her teeth digging painfully into her lips but not caring.
"I-... I lo-... Fuck!"
She sobs clumsily, her breath catching desperately in her throat before burying her face into the hollow at the blonde's shoulder, her fingers plunged into the hidden depths of damp tresses.
"...-'Gina?"
Cold hands twitch as the blonde feels herself pulled nauseatingly back to the present. At first, all she's aware of is the biting chill coursing through her limbs, aided only by a comfortable warmth pressing down on her from above. Fighting against the stagnant paralysis in her chest, she gasps desperately for breath.
Regina cries out as she feels the younger woman shift beneath her weight; whether in confusion, fear, or joy she isn't quite sure. Staring raptly down into dazed features, she lets out another small exclamation as her fingers find the Sheriff's face urgently; her thumbs stroking feverishly over the warming skin of pale cheeks.
"Emma?!"
Heavy lashes flutter as Emma lets out a low groan and rolls her head to the side; her brow creasing as her insides revolt against the poison so recently plaguing her system. The brunette laughs in giddy disbelief, dark eyes darting over the younger woman's chalky features feverishly before she grabs the Sheriff's jaw in her hand and presses her lips fervently against the blonde's; ignoring the tears that stream uncontrollably down her cheeks to bitter the sweetness she finds there.
"You-... You're-..."
Realising she doesn't quite know what to say, the Mayor suffices to simply find the younger woman's mouth once more and closes her eyes.
"Regina... You're squishing me..."
The Sheriff looks up at the brunette in a way that's almost irritable and thus sublimely familiar, causing the older woman to let out an irked sigh in spite of her lips forming a small smile as she keeps them in place for just a moment longer. Feeling cold fingers pushing weakly against her chest, she gets off the younger woman obediently - careful this time of the remnants of the glass the blonde had been holding when she fell - and kneels back at her side, fluffing her hair distractedly with shaking hands.
"Wha-... W'happ'nd?"
Emma slurs as she blinks at her surroundings; careful not to move her head lest her brains fall out onto the floor, as, with the way her mind thrums sickeningly inside her skull, she feels this is a genuine concern.
"I-... You-... You were on the floor when I came in. You must have fainted."
"Huh... I've never fainted before."
"Well, that's hardly surprising given the amount of sugary garbage you consume on a daily basis."
Regina scolds breathlessly. The blonde rolls her eyes, and the brunette lets out a small laugh that carries none of her characteristic authoritative scorn, but only shocked relief.
"I have no idea what happened... I just remember coming in here to have lunch and thinking I should wash up the crap in the sink, and-... Maybe I slipped, or something?"
"Maybe."
"Regina... Are you-... Are you crying?!"
The Sheriff pushes herself up onto her elbows - ignoring the lurch her stomach gives at the movement - and stares at the brunette in pure amazement. The Mayor scowls at her, wiping away the tear tracks which stain her cheeks, before growling when she's powerless to stop fresh droplets spilling down from wet lashes. Glaring down at Emma accusingly, she sniffs, before taking the younger woman's hand in hers and checking fussily for any injuries from the shattered glass.
"I was worried."
She admits hoarsely.
"Really?"
Emma asks, and Regina looks up into wide green eyes which study her with open surprise, before adopting her most patronising tone and smirking at the Sheriff.
"Yes, Miss Swan, really!"
She confirms with an exasperated shake of her head, and Emma offers her a tentative grin which breaks into a hiss as the brunette plucks a sliver of glass from her thumb.
"Aww, that's sweet."
"And yet your sarcasm has me itching to knock you out again."
"That wouldn't be so hard, I still feel majorly dizzy..."
"Well, lying around in a dirty puddle probably doesn't help. Come on, get up, I'll get you some water."
The Mayor holds out her hands expectantly to the blonde who takes them gingerly and allows herself to be pulled up onto her feet. Once standing, the Sheriff whimpers as everything blurs and doubles - panicking as her knees give way - but Regina catches her easily and places an arm around her waist; holding her steady until her wooziness passes.
Well, this is certainly a lot less graceful than back home...
She welcomes the thought gladly as it serves to push out any others, like how the Sheriff is able to stand up at all after just a simple kiss.
It can't have been...
No. She won't go there right now.
"Ugh, you're soaking!"
She wrinkles her nose.
"I'm sorry, next time I'll try to pass out somewhere more convenient for you."
The blonde grumbles, and the brunette sighs, hiding a smile, as she walks the younger woman slowly into her office and sits her on one of the jail cots.
"I'll be right back."
Regina kicks away the fork beneath her feet as she fetches a glass from the cabinet above the sink and fills it with water. Pulling the plug from the basin, she allows the sink to drain; watching the dirty water as it forms a small whirlpool and disappears.
Shaking herself from her pensive observation, she hurries over to the fridge and searches for the hateful culprit of all of this. A brief moment of utter panic sweeps over her when she finds the fridge empty save for milk and cream, but it passes when she spots a familiar pie dish resting on the far counter.
Of course she'd eat it straight from the dish. Of course she wouldn't plate it up like a normal person and just take a portion.
Reaching for the ceramic plate, she dispenses of it in its entirety, breathing a sigh of relief as it disappears into the black void of the trash bag.
Reentering the office, the Mayor rolls her eyes when she spots the blonde wrapped up in the coarse throw from the bed. She makes her way over and perches beside her, handing over the glass of water which the Sheriff sips at with ill-hidden distaste.
"All of it. It'll help you feel better. You can drown yourself in hot chocolate later."
Hell, I'll even make it for you myself, a whole damned saucer of it!
"And I hate to tell you this, dear, but wrapping yourself up like that, all you'll succeed in doing is becoming warm and damp."
"Right now, that sounds lovely. Emphasis on the warm part!"
"Get up."
The brunette pulls at the younger woman sternly, stealing away the woollen throw and tossing it onto the cot. With slow consideration, she begins to gently unbutton the blonde's shirt; sure that Emma is more than capable of doing this herself, but feeling a need to do it anyway.
"Jeez, you just can't help but get me naked, can you?!"
The blonde scoffs, and Regina narrows her eyes; scowling at the Sheriff who seems to have regained all colour to her cheeks and all sass to her tone.
"Well, dear, being so makes you much more tolerable."
"You just want me for my body."
"It's one of the key factors to my interest, it's true..."
The brunette smirks as Emma glowers at her; casually deciding to ignore the fact they're skating on thin ice as far as admitting the truth. She pulls off the blonde's shirt and tank top, leaving her in nothing but a simple black bra and a set of visible goosebumps courtesy of the cold. Unbuckling her jeans, Regina gestures for the Sheriff to sit back on the bed as she pulls them down, stopping to remove her boots, before pulling them clean away. She picks up Emma's discarded shirt and top and takes them to the corner where she hangs all of the sodden garments in her hand over the radiator. Turning back to face the blonde, she raises an eyebrow as the younger woman remains shivering and bare, as though waiting for further instructions.
"Apart from cold, how are you feeling?"
She asks as she takes a seat on the edge of the bed, draping the throw securely over the blonde's shoulders, and - in spite of her better judgement - pulling the Sheriff closer to her.
It's just for body heat...
She imagines this argument would hold up even less if she were to run her fingers through messy curls, but does so anyway.
"... Why are you being so nice to me?"
The younger woman asks her eventually, and the Mayor raises an eyebrow as the blonde nestles herself further into the crook of her arm; this display of affection and submission not one she's used to from Emma.
"I could ask you the same thing?... If you don't like it, I'll happily stop."
She mutters irritably, only to have the Sheriff grin up at her cattily.
"Nope, you're good... I was meaning to ask you, though... Is everything alright?"
"Hmm?"
The Mayor frowns distractedly; suddenly on edge as the Sheriff twists herself around to regard her properly.
"It's just, yesterday you seemed in a weird mood... Back at my place, too... I wondered if I'd done something to upset you?"
"No... No, dear, you didn't do anything."
"But-"
Emma starts, but the Mayor cuts her off swiftly; not wanting to discuss the matter any further. Her eyes widen when the blonde pushes roughly back into her kiss before toppling them so that she lies pinned beneath her.
So much for remaining weak and tired...
"Miss Swan, what-"
"-You're wearing too many clothes..."
Emma murmurs as she leans forward to taste the flesh at the brunette's throat; her fingers making fast work of the pearl clasps that line the front of her shirt. Regina sighs, her hands roaming over the blonde's back, desperate for the familiar feel of muscle and bone rippling beneath smooth skin; a sensation she has come to know intimately well. Pulling the younger woman down flush - ignoring the Sheriff's irritable grumbling and obvious desire to get down to business - she holds her that way, tightly, for as long as she's allowed; whispering into the blonde's ear as she breathes in the scent of her shampoo.
"It's always a competition with you, isn't it, dear?"