A/N: Apologies for my absence as many of you who follow me know, I've been dealing with a loss in my family. But, I am back to finishing this story, which there is still plenty of chapters for that to happen lol, but it will be finished. For now, I hope you enjoy this update in Regina's POV, and the rest to come. You all know they will be filled with a lot of love for both our ladies from here on out. ;) And a little drama lol but every good story has that. Happy reading!

Just so we're clear, before anyone else asks, I kindly ask that you please DO NOT ask to translate this story or any of my other stories. I don't want them used outside of the SQ fandom, nor by anyone else that isn't myself. Thank you.

Chapter 35: Regina

This evening didn't turn out how I expected at all. Neither did Emma expect to be proposed to in front of all the guests. I especially didn't expect it, nor that Emma would reject Audrey's proposal. Witnessing the proposal, that sparkle of hope in Audrey's eye, followed by the surprise gaze and panic as Emma looked at me. Followed by Audrey's disappointment and tears once Emma said she could not marry her. Having to comfort my daughter and make her understand that Emma just wasn't ready for marriage yet, sugar coating every word I used. I'm not sure how much more of this I could handle.

I wanted Audrey to be happy. As any mother would want for her daughter. But, I desperately hated myself for not wanting her to be happy with Emma. To hear Emma reject my daughter's proposal broke my heart for Audrey, but as much as I hated to admit- it also made me happy. Happy because that meant that Emma wanted to be with me. So happy that I couldn't help myself to kiss her outside the house where we could have been caught at any moment.

It had been careless on my part, but Emma didn't seem to mind how brazen I had become at that moment. But looking into Emma's eyes as she apologized to me repeatedly for breaking my daughter's heart, and seeing all of her feelings spring out of her mouth, telling me that she wanted to be with me. That she constantly thought about me like I constantly found myself thinking about her. I had to kiss her again. I had to let her know, to feel that everything was alright. That she made the right choice, even if it pained Audrey in the moment. Because no one should get married against their will, and Emma did not want to marry Audrey.

After talking to Audrey, she decided to spend the night with her friends, which I encouraged not only because it was the best for all of us, but mainly for her to clear her head for the remainder of the evening. She needed to be away from Emma for now, and I needed to figure out what was going to happen next. Digest that I did want to be with Emma as much as she seemed to want to be with me.

I often find myself wondering how on earth did Emma and I get to this point in our friendship, where we no longer saw each other as friends but something more. And the fact that we had to hide it from the one person we both loved the most.

I also find myself wondering as I stay behind and clean up, what if Emma and I ever were together? Would she tell her family? What would they say? What would her mother say to know that her daughter was dating not just an older woman but Audrey's mother? I try not to torment myself with those questions too much, but sometimes it proved to be impossible.

I wasn't proud to be the reason behind Emma's rejection toward Audrey. That is something I most likely will never forgive myself for.

I pick up a few abandoned cups from the party and toss them into the trash bag that I hold in my other hand when Sidney walks into the kitchen. "Good evening, ma'am." He says to me.

"Good evening, Sidney." I smile at him.

"Allow me." Sidney quickly takes the trash bag from me, taking over the chore of cleaning up the mess.

"Thank you." While Sidney takes over picking up the trash, I immediately give myself the chore of using the same rag I used to clean the stove to wipe down the counter tops. "I suppose you heard the commotion earlier regarding Emma and Audrey." I said.

"No, ma'am. I didn't hear a thing." Said Sidney.

I chuckle, because if I know Sidney as well as I do, "Sidney." My eyes are trained on him as we stand inside the kitchen. "I've known you a long time. And I know you hear everything that happens in this house." I watch his face fall before me. "You have the ears of an owl."

"What I hear is for my ears only. I'm nothing but another piece of this house." Said Sidney, ever the loyal man that he was.

I frown. "Poor Audrey." I toss the rag aside on the counter top before moving to sit along the breakfast table, where I am quickly joined by Sidney.

"It was a shame, but I don't judge Ms. Emma for turning her down. As bad as I feel for Ms. Audrey." He said.

My brows furrow. "You shouldn't doubt her. Emma's just not ready for marriage. There's no crime in that. Audrey will understand."

A small, private smirk settles along the corner of Sidney's lip. As if he knows something I don't.

"What's that smirk about?" I find myself asking him.

"Can I be honest, ma'am?" He asks me, keeping his eyes trained on mine.

"Of course."

"If you ask me, Ms. Emma didn't turn down Ms. Audrey's proposal for lack of desire of wanting to be engaged. She turned down Ms. Audrey for you."

He knew? My mouth went dry, and I had lost taste in my mouth. I think my complexion turned pale before Sidney. Sidney's realization regarding Emma and myself shouldn't surprise me as much as it just had, but it did. I was shocked.

"Please," he quickly reaches for my hand as if he knows that I wanted to stand up from this chair and make a run for it. Sidney knew me just as well as I knew him. "Do not be alarmed. Mr White has no idea. Like you said, I hear everything that happens in this house." He chuckles. "But rest assured, I would never betray you by speaking a word of it. Whatever you and Ms. Emma have-"

"No," I quickly shake my head, my eyes wide as I am still not over my shock. "We don't, we haven't-"

"It's okay, ma'am." He quickly assures me, giving my hand a gentle squeeze.

How was this okay? How was any of this okay? Here I was going into shock by Sidney's confession, and terrified to think that Emma's and mine's attraction for one another was more obvious than I thought it was.

"How… Is it that obvious?" I whisper my question as if anyone was near earshot to hear our conversation.

A tiny smile erupts from the corner of Sidney's lip. "I'm not here to judge, ma'am. To be honest, I was hoping someday, someone would come into this house like a white in shining armor and sweep you off your feet. Someone who can love you the way you deserve to be loved."

"Sidney," my heart swells inside of my chest at Sidney's words. I'm on the verge of tears.

He should be judging me, not encouraging this crazy thought that Emma and I could possibly have a relationship. But, I was surprised beyond words.

"It's wrong to cheat, I know." Sidney says, as if reading my mind. "But when you've been treated like you have for years on end, what's wrong with deserving a little happiness?"

I wipe away a fallen tear as I shake my head. Nothing was wrong with a little happiness. Except I didn't think I deserved it.

"Or don't you think Ms. Emma could provide that for you?" Sidney asks.

Could Emma provide that for me? There was no doubt in my mind that she could. Emma could do it all, be what I needed her to be. Emma would go the distance to make anyone happy from what very little I have seen of her.

"I have no doubt," my voice breaks with emotion at the thought of Emma and I together. I clear my throat to clear my voice. "That Emma could make me happy. She could make any woman happy." I chuckle and it pains my heart a little. I see a sad smile spring from Sidney's lips. "But there's one problem. Two, actually."

"Ms. Emma already broke off Ms. Audrey's attempt at an engagement. That means she clearly feels something for you."

"And you saw how it affected her. If Emma and I could ever get anywhere with our feelings, how am I supposed to ever feel happy knowing that I'm the only one responsible for my daughter's broken heart?" I ask out loud what I've been wondering about a lot lately.

Sidney's gaze falls from me before he looks into my eyes again. "No one ever said it was supposed to be easy. Ms. Emma didn't plan to develop feelings for you as she walked into this house, just like you didn't either. But it happened. It's called life."

I chuckle, "Well, my life has been nothing but a living nightmare, Sidney. You have been a key witness to that."

"I have." He nods. I can hear the pain and anger in his voice.

"My daughter is one thing. But, knowing Leopold as well as you do, what he's capable of." I take a pause. The thought of Leopold ever harming Emma scared me senseless. "How do you think he's going to react if he ever were to find out that my daughter's girlfriend and I-" My voice breaks. I put my face inside the palm of my hands. My eyes shut so tight as I fought back a sob. Eventually, I dare to look at Sidney again. "Why? Out of everyone in this world, did it have to be Emma?"

Sidney places his hand along my shoulder, squeezing it gently.

A while passed, and Sidney and I turned to the sound of footsteps entering the kitchen. It was Emma.

"Oh," Emma breathes. "Sorry, I," her voice catches in the back of her throat.

I'm quick to wipe away my tears and stand from my seat. Sidney stands with me.

"I'll come back." Emma rotates on the balls of her feet, ready to exit the kitchen.

"No, Emma," I called out, preventing her from leaving. "It's okay." I said.

"I'll just leave you two to talk." Said Sidney, giving me a nod. He pats Emma's shoulder as he walks past her.

"Sidney," I called out, waiting for him to turn in my direction again before I ask, "You won't… Say anything?"

"You have my word. Regina." The corner of Sidney's lip tilts into a knowing, small smile. It lets me know that I can fully trust him.

Emma's head turns as she follows Sidney's steps. She doesn't turn back to look at me until he is completely out of sight.

"Audrey left." I inform her, quickly speaking up as I see the alarm in Emma's face. "Don't be alarmed, she went to spend the night with her friends."

"You've been crying." Said Emma. Of course she notices I've been crying. All the more reason to like her more and more.

"Well, I can't exactly be happy about my daughter's broken heart, can I?" I scoff, walking back toward the counter top I was wiping earlier. I reach for the rag I had used and continue to wipe it again, quite aggressively.

I can see Emma stand by me out of the corner of my eye as I continue to wipe down the counter. It was clean and there was nothing to wipe down anymore, but I needed the distraction. Emma however, had a different plan.

"I'm not happy about it either." Said Emma, her eyes trained on me, watching me carefully. "But Regina, we both knew that this was only a matter of time."

"Not like this, Emma!" I snap, tossing the rag aside again. I didn't mean to shout, but I did and instantly regretted it with a sigh. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I- I don't mean to yell at you. You did nothing wrong. It's all me. It's all on me."

"What?" Emma's brow creases quizzically. "How is it all on you?" She asks.

"Had I not allowed this to happen, we wouldn't be stuck in this mess of a situation." I shake my head, hating myself more by the minute.

"Allowed this to happen? Regina," Emma walks a little closer to me. "You didn't allow anything. This was beyond your control. It was beyond my control. Or do you honestly think that I woke up the morning before our trip here, and said to myself, 'gee, I think today I'll have the hots for Audrey's mom?'"

I scoff and bend down along the counter top, I prop my elbows on top to support me, my face in my hands in frustration.

Emma sighs. She's silent for a minute before I hear her say, "Regina, I know what's at steak here."

"Do you?" I stand up straight, my eyes locking into Emma's.

"Yes. I know you're scared, just like I am."

My frown deepens as anger takes over me. "Don't try to tell me what I'm afraid of, Ms. Swan."

"You're scared that if this, between us, doesn't work, that your feelings will only get hurt. That you will get hurt again." Said Emma, hitting the nail right on the head, which angered me and frustrated me all the more because, how in the hell could she always read me so damn well?

Was I really that transparent?

"This isn't about my feelings, Emma. It's about my daughter's!" Tears roll down my face as my voice breaks.

Emma walks closer to me, her hand gently coming up to place itself against my cheek, her thumb wipes away that fallen tear. Her eyes looked so gently as they stared into mine. "I want to be with you, too, Regina." Her voice is as gentle as her sea-green eyes, it makes my heart explode with its last beat. "More than I've ever wanted anything, ever in my life."

"Emma, don't say things like that," I move Emma's hand away, feeling the string of absence from her touch, and I force my body to move further away from Emma.

"Why don't you just admit that you want to be with me just as much as I want to be with you? And that's the main reason why you are so afraid." Said Emma, once again hitting the nail of my fears, my feelings, right on the head.

"Fine then, I'm afraid!" I turn abruptly to face her. My voice breaks, and once again I am on the verge of tears. "I'm afraid for Audrey, I'm afraid of what would happen if she were to ever find out that you and I- if my husband finds out. He would kill you. And I can't have that happen. Not to you. If anything were to ever happen to you because of me, I would never forgive myself, Emma. Never."

Emma moves forward and without warning, pulls me into the tightest hug. And I lose it. I sob as my hands cling to Emma's form. My feelings for her were only becoming stronger and it frightened me. As much as I should do the right thing and step aside- push Emma away- so that her and Audrey could have happiness, I couldn't do it. As much as I feared what Leopold would do if he ever found out that Emma and I had shared a kiss, I wanted Emma more than anything I ever wanted in my life as well. Being in Emma's arms always made me feel safe, so safe I didn't want to part from the embrace we found ourselves in.

"Gina," Emma breathed, parting from our embrace just enough so that she could look into my eyes. "You don't have to worry about me."

Not worry about her? I shake my head, "Emma. You don't know Leopold like I do. He nearly choked me to death when he found out about the first note you ever left me inside of The Odyssey. Imagine what he would do to me, then to you, if you and I ever went behind his back."

"He did what?" Asked Emma, her voice low with anger. The same anger that radiated off of her beautiful eyes, which had turned darker.

"Audrey doesn't deserve this." I murmur.

"On that we agree." Emma's voice is stone cold. "Audrey doesn't deserve this. Which is why I plan to talk to her first thing in the morning-"

"What?" My heart stops.

"I won't name you. I'll simply tell her that I met someone else, and-"

"No, no, no, you can't do that, Emma." I shake my head in panic, my eyes wide with fear.

"Yes, I can."

She couldn't talk to Audrey and tell her that her reason for her rejection was because of me. Or someone else, but it was still me. It would only make Emma's return back home come quicker than it was meant to. And who knew if I would ever see her again. Not to mention, Leopold's arrival was getting closer and closer. The last thing he needed to come home to was the drama that Emma's confession would unleash inside this house. Above all, I didn't want Emma to become hurt.

"No, you still need to stay here for the rest of the summer. If you go and tell her now that the reason why you turned her down was because you met someone else, she will leave and then you'll have to leave, and everything will become so complicated." I told her.

"Regina, I'm not leaving you here alone. Not anymore. Not with him." I see the determination in Emma's eyes. I knew she saw my point, but I could also see that she was as frustrated as I felt. "Look," she sighs after a minute. "I give you my word, I won't tell her. Not yet. But as soon as we go back to school, I am breaking up with her."

Call me selfish. But I wanted to keep Emma here until it was time for her to leave- which I didn't want to think about happening. And her breaking up with Audrey? As hard as I know that will fall on Audrey- as much as dreaded having my daughter's heart broken again- I preferred it that way. Emma was a capable adult, free to make her own decisions. And if her decision was to not be with Audrey anymore, who could force her? I certainly wouldn't.

As Audrey's mother, I would be there to pick up the pieces of her broken heart. Even if I was the cause of it.

"Fair enough." I nod, seeing reason behind Emma's choice. "After all, you are an adult, capable of making your own decisions."

"So kind of you to notice. At least I know you don't always see me as a child." The corner of Emma's lip tilts into a smile that she is clearly holding back.

I scoff, "Don't joke now, Ms. Swan."

Emma's smirk grows a little, but not wide. "So, do you need any help cleaning up?" She asks.

I hand Emma the kitchen rag so she can busy herself wiping away another counter top while I finish disposing of the trash bag that had been neglected along the floor.

Emma and I were alone once again. Sidney had bid us good night, and once we were done in the kitchen, Emma and I decided that since we couldn't sleep, we would retrieve into the living room to continue talking. It was clear that we both had too much going on inside of our minds. And as gallant as Emma was, she helped me set up a fire in the fireplace.

"You know, under different circumstances, I'd say you were trying to seduce me by setting up this fire for just the two of us." And of course, to lighten the mood around us from earlier, Emma's humor makes its presence known. I glare at her as she sits along the couch. "It's a joke." She clarifies, even if I know it.

I welcome myself to join Emma along the couch, raking my hands through my hair. I can feel Emma staring but I say nothing. But as soon as I turn in her direction, Emma is quick to look away, as if she had been caught red handed, like a child stealing from a cookie jar. She clears her throat, and that makes me want to smile.

I turn away for a moment to hide the smile that erupts from my lips, and as I turn back, I catch sight of Emma from the corner of my eye, her eyes looking hypnotically at the dancing flames of the fireplace. Silence lingers around us for a moment, where only the crackling of the fire is heard.

Unable to help myself, I turn to Emma, and I can't look away from her beautiful profile. Her delicate yet strong features. The way the light of the flames alights her face and the green in her eyes. "When you end things with my daughter…" My voice captures Emma's attention, causing her eyes to look away from the dancing flames and into my own eyes. "What will you do then?"

"That day," Emma's voice is calm and collected. "I'll be sending you a message that tells you to look out your window. And when you do, I promise to be standing right before your doorway, asking you to officially be with me."

Have you ever felt your heart melt away right inside of your chest before? I have. It was happening right now just by the things Emma always thought of to say to me. How did she come up with such sweet and promising things to say? I would never know.

"Emma," I shake my head, not knowing what to say that could possibly beat that.

In fact, that's how Emma always left me. Speechless to no end.

Emma reaches across the couch for my arm, her thumb softly caressing the skin along my forearm, and that alone sends goosebumps down my spine. Especially the way her eyes never part from mine. She does that every time she wants me to know how serious she is about what she tells me.

"You know that Leopold would never-"

"Fuck Leopold." Emma blurted out with a bite in her voice, and it frightened me a little. But not more than take me by surprise.

"You don't know what you're saying, Emma-" I shake my head.

"I do know." Emma nods. "You told me I have no idea what kind of man he is, but I know it perfectly well, Regina. I've met people like him before. My father being one of them." She pauses for a minute or two. Her eyes and voice are more focused than before. "And I give you my word. I promise you, here and now, that he will never hurt you again. He will never touch you again."

If only that were true. Leopold couldn't be stopped. And as sure as Emma sounded and as much as I wanted to believe it, I didn't believe it entirely.

"And if he does," Emma swallows down hard. "Well, then nothing will stop me from driving over here and doing to him what I did to my father years ago. And I swear to you, you are coming with me. Because there is no way I'm leaving you here."

I wondered at that moment what could Emma have done to her father to stop him, but I didn't dare ask. If she wanted to share that piece of history with me, she would. In due time. In the moment, I hear Sidney's words play in my head of how he wished someone would come along and put me in the back of their horse after rescuing me, and take me away to live our happily ever after. Truth of it was I wished for it, too. Many, many times, in fact. I just never imagined that that person would be Emma.

Now, Emma didn't have a horse to ride me away on. And she wasn't a prince but a princess. She didn't have a sword or shield to use in battle. But hearing the sincerity in her voice, in her spoken words, seeing the fight and anger behind her beautiful sea-green eyes, I could tell she was a fighter, and she fought for what she loved and held dear to her. Emma was more than just a simple knight in shining armor.

"You never learn, Ms. Swan." The corner of my lip tilts up into my own private smirk. "What have I told you about making promises you can't possibly keep?" My voice is soft.

"Well," Emma's thumb continues its soft trail along the skin of my forearm, I never want her to stop. "You have your saying. I have mine." She said.

"Which is?" I ask.

"Always lookout for those you love, until your heart stops beating." That's what I was afraid of, for Emma's heart to stop beating. But I allowed myself to continue to lighten the mood around us and smirked. "Actually, David said that to me, so it's kind of his saying." She said.

Emma erupts a chuckle out of me, "I don't think you're allowed to steal someone else's saying."

Emma shrugs, "I won't tell David, if you don't." She smiles a little, her eyes trained on my smile.

"Well, I won't tell David, if you give yourself the homework of finding your own saying." I said.

"It's a deal." Emma held out her hand for me to shake and I immediately shook it.

Our eyes locked in place, and for a moment I had forgotten how to breathe. Even more so after I feel Emma's fingers lace with my own intertwining. Holding Emma's hand always made me feel a wave of electricity run through my entire body that I couldn't even begin to explain.

How did she do that?

"What will you say to Audrey?" I whisper.

Emma frowns, and I regret asking my question, but I wanted to know. "I don't know yet. That's something I'll have to sleep on." She said, "Regina," she paused for a few seconds. "I hope you don't hate me for what I'm about to say, but…" Another pause. "I can't see things being the same with Audrey anymore after this."

"I know." I was afraid of that, but also knew it was possible for it to happen. "I was afraid you would say that. I don't hate you." I scoff out a chuckle, "I hate myself. What kind of mother am I to feel happy about gaining the attention of my daughter's girlfriend?"

"Soon to be ex." Emma says loud and clear. And it hits me.

"God, that sounds so horrible." I breathe out, feeling a pain along my chest. I shake my head, "I deserve this hell I'm going through with Leopold."

"No, you don't." Emma's voice is firm and cold.

"Yes, I do." I nod. My eyes are tearing up so much, my bottom lip trembles. "Put yourself in Audrey's shoes, just for a second. She's naive, too innocent for her own good. She has no idea the type of monster her father is, so much that I've had to hide it from her for years. Maybe she heard things as a child, but children forget with time. They tend to block bad memories out. She is the only good thing I have ever done in my entire life." I chuckle. "Leopold reminds me of that enough."

"Leopold is an asshole who doesn't deserve you, Regina." Emma's jaw tightens, but her eyes remain gentle and soft as they don't move away from my own. Her hand comes up, her thumb always there to wipe away my tears. "You are too good for him. Even Audrey is too good for him as a daughter. And I know that one day, she is going to see the light at the end of that dark tunnel that you have been kept in for years."

"Dare to dream, Ms. Swan." I sniff, chuckling away the pain that lingers inside of my swollen heart. A pain that subsides once I look into Emma's eyes once more. "Why you?" I whisper, desperately seeking the answer. "Why, out of all the homes in the world, did you have to walk into mine?"

It was cliche of me to quote the black and white film Emma and I had watched together at the Orchard, replacing a few words with my own- I know. But, that's what Emma did to me.

A smile stretches itself along Emma's lips, and I know from her smile that she understands. "Because this is where I was meant to be." She quotes back in an equal whisper, adding something of her own next, "And I know it might be wrong, but Regina, if I had a choice to choose the direction my life would take, instead of leaving it for God to decide. I would choose to meet you time and time again. No matter the fucking circumstances."

And just like that… My heart, once again, melts away, all the way down to a puddle below my feet.

And just like that… For the second time tonight, I allowed myself to be brazen enough to lean in, closing the very little space that was between us, until our lips pressed together in a shared and mutual kiss. The way Emma's lips moved in sync with mine as we kissed, the way neither of us hesitated to share it, express it between the two of us, how gentle Emma always was, made this kiss far better than the previous kiss we had shared in front of the house.

Kissing Emma made my heart beat faster and slower, it made my breathing stop completely. It made my body feel things that I never imagined ever feeling. Kissing Emma was beyond anything that could ever be described as beautiful.

If I were to die tonight after kissing Emma, I would happily accept it.