A/N: I do not own the song mentioned in this chapter. They belong to their repectful owners.

In the morning a knock at the door woke Emma.

"Comin'" She said as she literally rolled out of bed. She stood with a groan then went to the door.

She opened it and was surprised to see Regina standing there.

"I'm getting this strange feeling that you're lying to me. That maybe you are in some kind of trouble and that's why you really came back." Regina said to her.

Emma rubbed her eyes and blinked a few times. She let Regina in and closed the door behind her.

"Careful, it almost sounds like you care." Emma said to her.

"I care about this town and I don't whatever crap you're in coming here." Regina told her, "That's it."

"I told you why I'm here." Emma said, "But if you must know the guy I was living with was skimming money off his boss who was using the bar he owned as a front to launder money. I didn't want to get caught up in anything and it gave me the perfect reason to get the hell out of there."

Emma paused and looked around, then sniffed, "What is that smell?"

Regina looked at her, "What smell?"

Emma took a step closer to her, "It smells like …"

Her stomach lurched and she ran to the bathroom and slammed the door behind her.

Moments later Regina heard the faucet turn on and she went to the bathroom door, "Are you okay?"

"Just peachy." Emma groaned then opened the door.

"You look like hell." Regina said to her.

Emma chuckled, "Thanks."

"So are you sure this thing with your ex isn't making its way to Storybrooke?" Regina asked.

"He's not my ex." Emma insisted as she sat down on her bed, "And yeah I'm pretty sure."

"No one knows about Storybrooke but the University." Emma told her. She closed her eyes for a minute as that would help settle her stomach, "And I don't work for them anymore."

"Did you get fired?" Regina asked.

"No after the school year was over I told them I wasn't coming back." Emma told her, "I … I just needed to be here."

Emma felt Regina sit next to her on the bed then a hand rested on her back.

"You're hot."

"Um, thank you?" Emma said to her.

"No, I mean I think you're running a fever." Regina said as she brushed the hair from Emma's forehand and placed her hand there.

"Could be." Emma mumbled.

"How long have you been feeling like this?" Regina asked and Emma shrugged her shoulders.

"On and off for about a week, maybe more."

"Get back in bed and I'll have Ruby bring you some soup." Regina said as she stood up, "I'll come by later to check on you."

"Are you going to nurse me back to health?" Emma asked as she laid down not bothering to get under the covers.

"It's just soup and to make sure you're still breathing." Regina said as she went to the door, "Don't put too much thought into it."

Later when Regina came to check on Emma she was completely knocked out. Two empty bowls sat on the side table so at least Regina knew that Emma had eaten something.

She leaned in close to see if Emma was still breathing and a loud snore escaped Emma's lips and startled Regina so much that she yelped.

She clutched at her chest and took in a calming breath, "Stupid ass." She whispered quietly though she wasn't sure if she was talking to Emma or herself.

Regina opened the door quietly.

"You're leaving?"

Regina turned around to see Emma looking at her. The light from the hallway shined a strip of light across her face.

"Go back to bed." Regina told her, "It's just a little bug. I'm sure you'll be better in a day or two."

"Thank God." Emma said as she rolled over and turned on the side table lamp. She groaned when the light pierced her eyes.

She tossed the covers off of her and slowly sat up.

"You should really stay in bed." Regina said, her hand still resting on the open door.

"I can't." Emma said, "I'm icky and sweaty and I'm tired of being in bed."

She stood up and made sure she was steady on her feet, "I'm going to go take a shower."

She trudged slowly towards the bathroom then looked back at Regina, "Will you stay here? Just to make sure I don't pass out and die in the shower?"

Regina sighed then shut the door, "I'll stay." She went and sat down in one of the arm chairs, "But only to make sure you don't die."

"Thanks." Emma said then went into the bathroom and shut the door.

She spent as long as she could in the shower hoping the hot water would wash away how crappy she felt.

She got out, toweled off then got dressed in a faded red t-shirt and a pair of shorts. She opened the door to the bathroom and the steam billowed out.

Emma saw that Regina was still sitting in the arm chair.

"All better?" Regina asked looked at her.

Emma shrugged her shoulders then sat down on her bed, "I guess. I mean I feel less icky."

"Good." Regina got up and headed for the door. She opened it, "Get something to eat then get more rest."

Emma watched as Regina slipped out the door then closed it behind her.

At the diner Emma sat in a booth near the back and Ruby brought her a grilled cheese sandwich and a bowl of tomato soup.

"You looked like death earlier." Ruby said as she brought Emma a cup of hot tea, "Glad you're looking a bit better."

"Thanks for the soup before." Emma said to her.

Ruby hesitated at the table then looked around before she slid into the seat across from Emma, "Did you escape from prison or something? Is that why you're in town? To hide out?"

Emma almost shot soup out of her nose, "What? NO!" She said as she put her spoon down.

"Ruby, I'm here to make things right with Regina." Emma told her.

"What about everyone else?" Ruby asked her.

Emma looked up at her and saw sadness in her eyes.

"I didn't mean to hurt anyone when I left Ruby." Emma told her, "You were a good friend to me and I took you for granted and for that I am truly sorry."

"What are you two yapping about?" Granny asked as she came over to Emma's table.

"I was just telling Ruby how sorry I am for the way I left." Emma said then stood up, "And I want you to know that I'm sorry if I hurt you too Granny."

Emma leaned in to hug her and Granny put a hand up stopping her, "Don't even think about it."

Emma gave her a questioning look.

"Thank you for the apology that's all I needed." Granny said, "But if you still feel compelled to hug someone …" She said then pushed Ruby closer to her before she walked away.

Emma chuckled and gave Ruby a hug.

After Emma's dinner she took a walk and ended up at Henry's bench. She sat down and stared at the fountain and smiled.

"You know, I think one of the reasons I liked you so much was because you reminded me of my dad." Emma said out loud, "He was kind, goofy and serious all in one and he was always so supportive of me."

Emma sighed, "I'm sorry I broke my promise to you about not hurting Regina."

"But people can change. They can learn from the bad decisions they've made." Emma said, "They just need the chance to make things right."

"I know I don't deserve it Henry but please tell your daughter I need a second chance." Emma said as she closed her eyes, "Because I really do love her."

Despite the fact that Emma still wasn't feeling 100% she went to the bakery and sat at one of the tables. Regina brought her a cup of tea.

"I didn't order this." Emma said to her.

"Drink it anyway." Regina said as she walked back over to the counter.

"It's not poisoned is it?" Emma asked picking up the mug and giving it a sniff.

Regina didn't answer as she went into the kitchen.

Emma sat sipping her tea cautiously and watching as people came and went with their goodies.

She ducked her head and mumbled, "Shit." when she saw Mulan in her grey coveralls walk in.

"Well well well." She said as she sauntered over to Emma and sat down across from her, "You're in town for 4 days now and you can't bother to come and see your favorite Storybrooke mechanic?"

"You're the only Storybrooke mechanic." Emma said to her as she put down her empty cup.

"You know Regina never told us why you left." Mulan said as she leaned back in her chair, "People were coming up with some crazy ideas on why you left."

"Oh?" Emma asked, "And what idea did you have?"

"I thought you ran off and joined a nunnery." Mulan told her, "You know since you couldn't truly be with me you decided to run off with the nuns."

"Convent." Emma said to her.

"What?" Mulan asked.

"It's called a Convent, not a nunnery."

"I knew it!" Mulan said, "Mary Margaret owes me 20 bucks!"

Before Emma could correct her or say anything more Mulan got up and headed out the door.

People stopped trickling into the bakery and Emma got up and headed to the counter, "Can we talk?"

"No." Regina said as she moved a tub of dirty dishes onto a cart.

"You weren't this stubborn before." Emma said to her.

"I wasn't as hurt before either." Regina told her as she pushed the cart towards the kitchen.

Emma started to follow her but Regina turned around, "Don't." then she disappeared into the kitchen.

In the morning Emma stood outside the flower shop, Tiptoe Through the Tulips and waited for Leroy to open up.

She liked Leroy he was a shorter man with a scratching looking beard, a gruff voice and a scowl on his face but damned if he didn't make up the best flower arrangements.

"What do you want?" He asked Emma as he opened the door.

"Flowers." Emma told him as she stepped in behind him.

"No shit Sherlock." He said as he went behind the counter, "I'm guessing you have something in mind though, perhaps an "I'm sorry I ran out on you and broke your heart' arrangement or maybe a, 'Sorry I was an asshole please take me back' bouquet?"

"Yeah a mixture of those two." Emma said to him as she filled out a card to go with the flowers.

He told her he'd deliver them as soon as the arrangement was ready.

She paid then left, a smile on her face.

"Hey." Emma said as she walked into Mulan's shop and found her under a car tinkering with something.

Mulan rolled out from underneath the car and looked up at Emma, "Finally got me where you want me huh? Flat on my back with nowhere to run?"

"You know I love Regina right?" Emma asked as Mulan slowly got up, "That she's the only one I want?"

"A girl can flirt can't she?" Mulan said, "No harm in that."

She wiped her hands off, "So what's up?"

"First I need to say something and I need you to just listen to me without making a joke or turning it into something sexual." Emma told her.

"I will do my best."

"When I lived here you were a good friend to me. Maybe one of the best I'd had in a while." Emma said then cleared her throat, "I know the way I left was pretty shitty and that I may have hurt you when I did."

Mulan stuck her hands into the pockets of her coveralls.

"I want you to know that I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry for not telling my best friend goodbye and for not contacting you while I was gone."

"So, what am I supposed to say to that?" Mulan asked as she took a step closer to Emma, "Am I supposed to throw my arms around you and cry and be happy you're home now?"

Emma was confused by Mulan's reaction.

Mulan broke into a smile and punched Emma in the arm, "Stop being such a wimp."

"Ow." Emma said as she rubbed her arm.

"Look, I'm not going to get hung up on that." Mulan told her, "You're here now and that's what matters."

Mulan turned around to go back to the car she was working on, "Just try sticking around this time. Because despite this tough exterior and the awesomeness I exude I'm really kind of sensitive and I tend to miss my best friend when she's gone."

"You want to hug it out?" Emma asked her arms outstretched as she stepped to Mulan.

"What did I tell you about being a wimp?" Mulan asked putting her fists up to fend off Emma's approaching hug.

"Okay, okay." Emma said dropping her hands, "I won't hug you."

"Thank God." Mulan said to her. She leaned back against the car, "So what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to get Regina to forgive me so we can be together again."

Mulan rolled her eyes, "I meant at my garage Emma. Can you get your head out of Regina's ass for a minute please?"

"Oh well I need a car, a loaner." Emma told her.

"What happened to the Bug?" Mulan asked.

"It died somewhere near Chicago." Emma told her.

"And you just left it there?" Mulan asked, horrified.

"Well I couldn't bring it on the train with me." Emma told her, "I left it at a shop and they'll keep an eye on it till I can send them money to fix it."

Mulan sighed in disappointment, "Follow me." She said and waved Emma to follow.

Emma followed Mulan out to the back of the garage, "Just fixed it up."

She handed Emma the keys and Emma looked for the car, "Fixed what up?"

"The car right there." Mulan said pointing at a small red two door car.

"That's not a car, that's a teacup." Emma said as she went over to it.

"It's a Fortwo, it's a smart car." Mulan told her.

"Obviously not smart enough to be a real car." Emma mumbled.

"It's all I got." Mulan told her.

Emma unlocked the car door and opened it, "I'm sorry. Thank you."

She parked the car out in front of the bakery and got out. She was just about to head inside when she saw Granny coming out of the bakery with a bouquet of flowers. In fact it was the same bouquet that she had just picked out earlier this morning with Leroy.

"Hey what are you doing with Regina's flowers?" Emma asked her.

"Regina just gave them to me." Granny told her

"But I bought those."

"Well then I guess I should thank you for them." Granny said then continued down the sidewalk.

Emma went into the bakery and right up to the counter, "You gave away the flowers I sent you?"

"Oh, I'm sorry were those from you?" Regina asked as she moved down the counter.

"There was a card Regina." Emma said, "It said, 'With all my love, Emma'."

"It did?" Regina asked, "Hmm, well….I don't know. Those flowers just seemed too pretty to sit in my small little bakery."

"But they aren't too pretty to sit at some greasy spoon diner!?" Emma asked annoyed.

"I'll be sure to tell Granny how highly you think of her diner." Regina said as she stepped to the cash register to take money from a customer.

"As you can see, I'm a little busy right now so I can't really talk to you about flowers." She said to Emma as another customer came up.

Emma stood for a moment a little bewildered then turned on her heels and headed out the door.

Two days passed and Emma hadn't been in the bakery and Regina was relieved. She'd thought that Emma had given up.

She was wrong.

Regina was on her lunch break and decided to get an ice cream cone and sit out on the park bench.

She walked down to Your Sundae Best and went inside.

"Hi, can I get a double scoop of Maple Walnut in a waffle cone please?" She asked the worker behind the counter, whose back was to her.

She dug through her pocket and pulled out the money then looked up and just about fainted.

In front of her there stood Emma with an ice cream scoop in one hand. She was wearing a white apron, a hairnet and a white paper overseas hat.

"What the hell are you doing?" Regina finally managed to ask.

"I work here." Emma said then grabbed a waffle cone.

"No you don't." Regina said.

"Yes I do." Emma told her as she scooped a generous amount of Maple Walnut and put it on the cone.

"Been here for two days now." Emma told her as she went in for a second scoop.

"Why?" Regina asked.

"Because that's the schedule. Duh." Emma said as she put the second scoop onto the waffle cone, "I'm off tomorrow though."

"That will be $5.56 please." Emma said as she handed Regina her cone then went down to the register.

Regina handed her the money and Emma handed her back her change, "Thank you and you have a wonderful day, Regina."

Regina took a lick of her ice cream and stared at Emma for a second.

"You look stupid in that hat." She said then turned and went out the door.

Late that evening Emma stood outside the bakery around 10pm with a guitar strapped around her.

She strummed and made sure her fingers were in place before she cleared her throat and began to sing.

And even as I wander
I'm keeping you in sight
You're a candle in the window
On a cold, dark winter's night
And I'm getting closer than I ever thought I might

She looked up at Regina's darkened window as she continued.

And I can't fight this feeling anymore
I've forgotten what I started fighting for
It's time to bring this ship into the shore
And throw away the oars, forever….

A dog started to howl and Regina's light turned on. She opened the window and looked down.

Emma smiled up at her as she continued to sing off key.

Cause I can't fight this feeling anymore
I've forgotten what I started fighting for
And if I have to crawl upon the floor
Come crashing through your door
Baby, I can't fight this feeling anymore…

Regina ducked back into the window for a moment and Emma could see her on the phone.

My life has been such a whirlwind since I saw you
I've been running round in circles in my mind
And it always seems that I'm following you, girl
Cause you take me to the places that alone I'd never find

'Cause I can't fight this feeling anymore
I've forgotten what I started fighting for
And if I have to crawl upon the floor
Come crashing through your door
Baby, I can't fight this feeling anymoooooreeeee.

Emma held on to that last note for as long as she could before finally losing breath and stopping. She looked up at Regina and smiled.

Regina gave Emma a small wave then shut the window and turned off the light.

Moments later David drove up in his police car and put the spotlight on her. He stepped out of the car and went over to her.

"I'm going to have to arrest you." He said to her and she thought he was joking till he pulled his handcuffs out.

"For what?" Emma asked as David put the handcuffs on her.

"Disturbing the peace and possible feline strangulation at least that's what the report said." He told her, "But I'd have to speak to the cat first."

"What?" Emma asked confused.

David just chuckled as he put her into the back of his police car.

He took her to the station and after filing paperwork and making her promise to NEVER sing in public again she was released.

The next morning Mulan walked into the Inn and found Emma sitting low on one of the couches in the living room area, sulking.

"What's wrong?" Mulan asked as she sat down next to her.

"You know, I get it. I'm an asshole. But how can I make her see that I've changed if she won't even talk to me?" Emma asked her.

"Have you changed though?" Mulan asked, "I mean what's to say you won't just take off again?"

"I say it." Emma said offended.

"You said it before and yet you were gone for almost a year." Mulan told her.

"You're not helping."

"Don't get mad at me for telling you the truth, for telling you what you already know." Mulan told her.

"So help me figure out what to do." Emma said, "Please."

"Because I've sent her flowers. I even serenaded her with a song and she had me arrested. She still won't talk me, to let me explain."

"Flowers die and songs fade." Mulan told her, "Do something permanent."

"What are you talking about? Like a tattoo?" Emma asked with a laugh then looked at Mulan who wasn't laughing.

"You're not serious are you?"

"No." Mulan said, "Trust me, never get the name of someone you're dating tatted on you."

Emma looked at her.

"Never." She whispered.

Emma sighed, "Help me damn it!"

"Move out of the inn and get a place of your own. Find a job that's more than something a teenager can get during the summer. Get involved with the town, with the community." Mulan told her.

"How do I get involved?" Emma asked.

"I hear the nuns need a little help with the street fair this year." Mulan told her, "You remember the street fair right?"

Emma smiled. It was the first bit of hope she had at trying to win Regina back.