A/N: Hello, everyone! I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for your comments and kudos. It's nice that you are on this journey with me.

Furthermore I want to announce that from now on I will publish on Saturdays again. There's no deeper meaning to this, I'm just used to posting my longer stories always on Saturdays and currently get confused every week.

Well, have fun with the fanfiction and especially with the new chapter now!

Chapter 7

Emma's alarm clock rang relentlessly the next morning, and as soon as she turned it off, she rolled onto her side and got up.

Sleepily, Regina blinked over at her. "Hey, what time is it?" she wanted to know quietly, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, only to find that it was still pitch black outside.

"Six-thirty," Emma replied, slipping into her sportswear.

"I thought the appointment wasn't until ten o'clock! Since when are you such an early riser?" Regina sat up and eyed her friend. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm going for a jog and getting our coffee, like always."

Regina flipped back the covers and all tiredness disappeared from her gaze. "Jogging? Emma, you fainted yesterday afternoon!" she reminded her.

"Yeah, and I'm fine today," the blonde nodded, pulling the zipper of her sweat jacket up to her chin. "I'll take the small round, okay?" she tried to accommodate her a bit.

Regina stood up and in no time had circled the bed to wrap her hands around Emma's forearms and look her firmly in the eyes. "Please don't go," she whispered.

Emma leaned in and kissed her softly, wrapping one arm around her waist and sliding the other hand into her hair. "I'm sorry, I need this."

Regina backed away from her slightly, as if she had hit her.

"You can come with me if you want," Emma suggested instead.

Frowning, her friend stared at her.

"I wasn't kidding about that. Come with me and make sure I'm okay yourself."

"You want me to go jogging with you? You know I don't jog." But she struggled with herself. She knew she couldn't stop Emma if she actually intended to go. She was an adult and could do whatever she wanted, as unreasonable as it might be. Clenching her teeth tightly, Regina went to the closet and pulled out a sports bra, running shorts, and a tight-fitting neoprene shirt.

While Regina dressed wordlessly, Emma eyed her with mild amusement, leaning against the closed door. "You're so sexy in sportswear. I clearly need to convince you to come more often."

"Shut up and enjoy the view, because you won't be seeing it again anytime soon," she grumbled, grabbing her sweat jackets on her way out.

"We'll see about that," Emma laughed, and the two descended the stairs, where they greeted their son, who was sitting in the kitchen spooning his cereal.

"Where are you going that early?" he asked, eyeing Regina's outfit in wonder.

"Jogging." Seeing Henry about to launch into a confused question, she cut him off. "Just don't ask. Have a good day at school."

"Jogging?" it still came from Henry, who couldn't imagine his mom jogging, nor how Emma was going to do it after her breakdown.

"I can't help it, and your mom wants to make sure I don't get stuck somewhere along the way," Emma summarized, ruffling his hair. "Have a great day, kid! I'll see you this afternoon then?"

He nodded and gave her a quick but firm hug. "See you then!"


As they reached the sidewalk, they stretched their and Regina's face darkened more by the minute.

"You don't have to come," Emma, who couldn't have missed her friend's mood even if she had tried hard, said after a while.

"I won't let you go alone. Unreasonable as you are, you'll still run your usual route toward the woods, where no one will even find you if you fall," she countered. "Out of the question at all. But since you sometimes act like a child, you have to realize yourself that you're not in shape," she said in a reprimanding tone.

Emma could only laugh and refrained from commenting. Instead, she began her run at a slow walking pace before dropping into a light jog that Regina could easily follow. As always, when she wasn't listening to music, she enjoyed the peace that still lingered over the town at this hour, watching the little clouds that her breath formed. Running gave her a feeling of freedom and lightheartedness and she wanted to enjoy it while she could. Quite automatically, she increased her pace to her usual rhythm and blanked out everything around her.

After just five minutes, Regina fell back, panting like a steam engine moving uphill while holding her stinging side. "Emma!" she brought out before stopping and bracing her hands on her thighs to somehow get enough oxygen into her body.

Emma turned and jogged in place. She tried to remain serious, but she couldn't hold back the smirk that stole onto her lips. "What was that about being in shape?" she asked, chuckling.

Regina's look was murder as she looked up at her and thrust her jaw forward. "Don't say a word!" she demanded, still trying to get her much too rapid breaths under control.

"Come on, let's keep moving. It's more pleasant to slowly settle down and not just stop so abruptly," she said, putting an arm around her shoulders and gently pulling her along.

Since they had already reached the forest, it was only a short distance before they would have arrived back at the main road anyway.

"You put up a good fight, respect. I was expecting a surrender before we even reached the edge of the forest," she confessed, giving Regina a kiss on the cheek. "My heroine," she smiled.

Regina couldn't laugh at that yet, but slowly breathed a little easier again and in turn put her arm around Emma. "I'll never understand how anyone can voluntarily do that to themselves every day," it came grimly from her.

"And I'll never understand how you can do a desk-only job," Emma nodded. "So we complement each other splendidly."

Regina eyed her from the side as she walked, noticing that Emma finally had some color, her eyes were shining, and she didn't look a bit drained. "Where do you get this energy?"

She shrugged as they continued past Mr. Gold's store toward the diner. "I only have two choices: Either I wallow in my misery, or I enjoy what's left."

Regina wondered how she could always be so pragmatic. Of course, as mayor, she needed that quality as well, but that usually involved decisions that affected the town, not individuals. And she certainly didn't know how to make decisions for herself or Emma.

"Do you want to have your coffee right here today?" Emma asked.

Regina hadn't noticed at all that they had already arrived at Granny's until the question, so absorbed had she been in her thoughts. "Yes, why not?" she nodded quickly to cover her surprise and entered the diner with her.

To Emma's chagrin, as soon as they entered, she saw Killian sitting in the corner eating a croissant. At his wry grin, she raised her hand briefly in greeting and then joined Regina at the counter. "Morning Granny, as usual, please, but not to-go today," she greeted the diner's owner in a friendly manner.

"Good morning, Emma! Regina." She nodded politely to the mayor, who had risen in her favor, but was not exactly among her close circle of friends.

"Good morning, Granny," Regina returned politely.

While Granny was busy with the coffees, Emma put a hand on Regina's shoulder. "Hey, can you take the coffees and pick us out a table? I want to talk to Hook for a minute."

Regina nodded in amazement and watched her for a moment as Emma made her way over to the pirate.

Even though Emma had been anything but thrilled to see him here at first, it saved her a trip and she had to get it over with either way. "Hi, Killian," she greeted him as she arrived at his table. "Do you mind if I sit down for a minute?"

"Swan. Always happy to have you around." He didn't let his curiosity show, but he was eager to hear what she had to discuss with him.

"I'm going to take some time off. Call it an extended vacation," she got right to the point. "Could you see yourself working as a deputy sheriff while you're there, supporting my dad?"

Killian raised an eyebrow and took a sip of the coffee, which Emma wondered if it was spiked with rum. "What makes you think it's me?"

She shrugged. "Believe it or not, I trust you. And you definitely have charisma, if you want it, you can make yourself heard. Plus, you're not afraid of physical work and scuffles. Just think about it, okay?"

"I don't have to," it came from him immediately. "I want the job. So, when is your so-called vacation supposed to start?"

Emma thought for a moment. Today was Friday and Heart had already announced to her that she wanted to start treatments as soon as possible. Her heart grew heavy as she realized that yesterday might have been the last time she worked as sheriff. "Monday. But if that's too short notice for you, we can postpone it."

"Monday it is. So be it then," he nodded, not asking any more questions.

Grateful to be spared them, at least for the moment, she nodded. "Deal. I'll let my dad know, then you can come by the office this afternoon and sign the necessary paperwork." She rose and smiled briefly at him. "Thanks for your input. See you around."

"Always for you, Swan," he nodded and watched her go as she slid a few rows away into the booth where Regina was already waiting for her.

"Thanks for the coffee," she said, immediately sipping the warm beverage.

Regina eyed her curiously and expectantly, and felt compelled to ask the inevitable question when Emma didn't answer it on her own. "What were you talking about?"

"I gave him my job."

Regina's mouth literally dropped open.

"My dad's, when you get right down to it. David, of course, will take over as sheriff when I'm not around," she specified, drinking her coffee as if she'd been talking only about the weather.

Regina's hand slid across the table toward her, enclosing her fingers as she maintained eye contact. "I'm sorry you had to do that. But it's a good decision," it came from her honestly.

Nodding, Emma squeezed Regina's fingers briefly and then withdrew her hand. She didn't want to think about it any longer at that moment. It had been hard enough to give up her beloved job to someone else. "Everyone looks at you like you're an alien," she noted instead, and the smirk returned to her lips. "You really should exercise more often to change that."

"You won't get me to do that, get it out of your head." Her voice wasn't angry, she smiled at the words as well, savoring the bitter coffee whose warmth triggered a comforting feeling in her belly.

"Then maybe at least sportswear? Just for me? Although it probably won't be worth putting them on." She grinned mischievously at her.

Regina rolled her eyes and her gaze briefly darted to the side and behind her to make sure no one was listening in on their conversation. "You and your dirty thoughts," she whispered back, hiding her lips behind her coffee cup.

Emma quivered with laughter and did the same.


Finally, the couple left the diner and slowly made their way home, strolling side by side. With coffee in her stomach, even Emma wouldn't have wanted to run, so it took no persuasion on Regina's part to take it easy this time.

As they entered the hallway and they both took off their shoes, Emma reached for Regina's jacket and gently slipped it off her shoulders. After briefly admiring her body in the tight-fitting shirt, she leaned in to kiss her.

Regina gave herself completely to the kiss and her eyes closed at the first light contact of their lips.

"Now comes the best part of jogging," Emma whispered, making Regina look at her again. "The shower." She grinned, infecting her girlfriend with it.

Since Henry was at school by now, the two didn't bother to be discreet and soon a trail of discarded clothing covered the stairs and the floor leading into the bathroom. Gently, but at the same time demanding, the hands of the two slid over their bodies, which were only covered by a little fabric, when they arrived at the shower cubicle.

Closely embraced, they covered each other with kisses and Emma unclasped Regina's bra, which then fell to the floor, exposing her erect nipples. The sight elicited a satisfied smile from her and shortly thereafter she enclosed one nipple with her lips while working the other with her fingers.

Regina's hands buried themselves in Emma's open hair and with her eyes closed, she arched her back and clawed further into her blonde mane. "Oh, damn!" it escaped her in the form of a moan as Emma also slid her thigh between her legs and pressed it against her.

Emma's hand remained on her breast as her lips traced upward over Regina's collarbone and finally found her mouth. Fiercely they pressed their lips against each other before Regina's tongue slipped exploratively into Emma's mouth. She shuddered as her hand stroked the thin fabric of her panties, touching her most sensitive spot. This time it was Emma whose back stiffened as she thrust against Regina's hand and moaned lustfully.

Somehow they managed to get rid of the rest of their clothes without breaking the contact of their lips and thus the fiery kiss, so that shortly after they found themselves under the warm rain of the shower.

Emma watched for a moment as the water beaded over Regina's hair, coloring it increasingly darker. Gently, she took her friend's face in her hands and reverently absorbed the sight of her. "You are so beautiful," she whispered just audibly over the sound of the water.

Regina smiled and pushed herself toward her again. She massaged Emma's clit in gentle circles, driving the blonde to the brink of insanity. Her forehead sank onto Regina's shoulder as her breathing quickened, but shortly after she jerked her head back up and put her hand on the back of Regina's neck, pulling her face closer to hers again. Meanwhile, the fingers of her free hand now also found their way between her partner's legs and entered her shortly after.

Regina slumped slightly and only the fact of how tightly they held each other ensured that they stayed upright together as first Emma and shortly after Regina climaxed.

Minutes later, still breathing heavily and tightly embraced, they stood under the running stream of water, while neither showed any ambition to ever let go of the other.

"I love you," it came from Emma after a while. The words alone made Regina search her gaze in some confusion, as she rarely heard her say them so directly. Adding to the confusion, tears ran down Emma's cheeks, mingling with the water.

"Hey," Regina whispered softly, stroking her cheeks with her thumbs. "Don't cry, it's going to be okay. I'm here." She didn't believe herself, but she didn't know how else to reassure Emma.

Emma nodded and leaned her head against Regina's chest again, where she listened to her wildly galloping heartbeat. "I too rarely tell you that I love you."

"I know you do. I don't need to hear the words all the time," she assured her, kissing her gently before brushing the wet strands of hair back from her forehead. "Come on, let me wash your hair," she asked, gently spinning her around by the shoulders so that her back was to her. Regina paused and froze slightly as she once again saw her fingermarks spread across Emma's back in the form of bruises.

Emma noticed her tension and reached over her shoulder to gently place her hand on Regina's. "Not your fault, remember," it came softly from her.

Regina consciously took deep, steady breaths and literally forced herself to close her eyes for a moment. Only when she was sure she would not fall victim to another panic attack did she open them again and let her fingertips glide gently over the dark marks. A thin thread of magic flowed from her hand, leaving flawless, pale skin where there had been bruises a moment ago.

"Thank you," was all that came from Emma, who knew from the sudden feeling of warmth what her girlfriend had done. Surely she should mention the bruises at the upcoming examination, but at least this way she saved herself embarrassing questions about their origin. She wasn't ashamed, but it was between her and Regina where and how they had touched each other. And the very last person Emma wanted anyone but them to know was Whale, and she wasn't sure Dr. Heart wouldn't pass it on to him. He knew what he was doing as a doctor, but he was unpleasant and sleazy as a person, not someone Emma would have willingly spent time with.

Emma's thoughts were interrupted when Regina placed her chin on her shoulder from behind and sent goose bumps all over her body with a kiss to the side of her neck.

Comfortably lolling, Emma enjoyed the massage of her scalp as Regina finally set to work the shampoo into her hair and pampered her body with the shower gel. When she was done, they switched places and Emma did the same.

Neither of them wanted this wonderful, intimate moment to end, so they remained in a tight embrace under the shower head until the water went cold and they moved to the sofa, wrapped in bathrobes.