It's been three months since they returned, and things seem to have returned to normal - or as normal as they can be in Storybrooke. There's a magical emergency here or there, but mostly, it's been quiet.
Usually, Emma dreads the quiet time, but this has been nice. This has given her and Regina an opportunity to just be.
Yes, they're friends. But Emma has been moving the line, inch by inch, and Regina hasn't pushed back. That has to mean something. She's not going to cross it - she won't let herself cross it. That's for the woman who set it in the first place. But Emma can feel the shift between them, subtle but undeniable.
There were bumps at the start, though.
Emma recalls how happy she felt when they first came back. Regina, Henry, and her, sitting together in the mansion, talking and laughing like a real family. For a brief moment, everything had felt perfect, like the world had finally aligned in their favor. But then Snow's text arrived, shattering the fragile peace.
They headed to Granny's, and as soon as they crossed the threshold, Hook was there, sweeping her into a hug. He held onto her like she might disappear if he let go, but all Emma could do was watch Regina. She saw the color drain from Regina's face, the way her jaw tightened and her eyes flickered with something Emma recognized all too well - hurt, masked by that familiar wall of composure. Emma wanted to push Hook away immediately, to cross the room and reassure Regina that nothing had changed. But they'd made a deal: no conspicuous moves, no risks. So she stayed put, forcing a smile as she wiggled out of Hook's arms and went to hug David instead.
But the damage was done.
After they shared their story, they listened as everyone recounted the chaos that had erupted when they realized Emma and Regina were missing. How everyone had tried to find a way to locate them, to bring them back, but kept hitting a wall. Emma could see Regina flinch as they described how Henry had barely slept for seven days, consumed by worry. The guilt in Regina's eyes was unmistakable, and Emma felt it too, a heavy weight settling in her chest.
When the stories finally wound down, Emma and Regina exchanged a glance, a silent agreement passing between them. They moved to Henry's side, each wrapping an arm around him in a tight, reassuring hug.
"We're here now," Regina said softly, her voice steady but filled with emotion. "And we're not going anywhere."
Emma nodded, her hand resting on Henry's shoulder. "You're stuck with us, kid," she added, her tone light but her eyes serious.
Henry leaned into their embrace, his relief palpable, and the three of them stayed close to each other for the rest of the day.
Emma broke up with Hook that evening, and it was one of the hardest things she'd ever done. Not because she loved him - she didn't - but because he genuinely loved her and hadn't seen it coming. She couldn't give him a real reason, not without revealing too much, so she stuck to the truth as far as she could: she didn't love him, and he deserved better.
He didn't take it well. He was convinced it had something to do with his counterpart - even though they'd given a watered-down version of him in their story - and vowed to prove he was nothing like the man they'd described. He'd been trying ever since, showing up at her door with flowers, lingering at the station when she was on duty, and even enlisting Henry to put in a good word for him. It was frustrating, exhausting, and the last thing Emma needed or wanted.
All Emma could think about was Regina. Emma had told her about breaking up with Hook almost immediately, but Regina had barely acknowledged it, her expression carefully neutral as she nodded and changed the subject.
Still, they had kept their word, slipping back into their old dynamic as if nothing had changed. They were friendly, sharing the occasional drink or movie night with Henry. And every moment left Emma craving more. The way Regina's laughter filled the room, the way her eyes softened when she looked at Henry, the way her presence alone made Emma feel grounded… Emma wanted more. So she slowly started taking more.
At first, Emma started walking Regina home whenever an opportunity presented itself. Regina protested the first few times, her tone sharp but her eyes betraying something softer. But then she stopped. Instead, they both started using their cars less and less, and soon, Regina was the one turning to Emma at the end of a meeting or a night out, tilting her head toward the door and saying, "Shall we?"
After a few weeks of that, Emma started inviting herself in for a drink. The first time, Regina had given her a pointed look, exasperation clear in her voice when she sighed, "Emma…" But Emma had grinned and sworn it was just as friends. And she'd meant it. She just wanted to spend more time with Regina.
That, too, became a habit.
Some nights, she stayed over. Not every time, but enough that it started to feel natural. At first, she made excuses. It was late. She was too tired to walk home. Regina, to her credit, never argued. She'd just roll her eyes, summon an extra blanket, and remind Emma where the guest room was. After a while, it just became a part of their ritual.
Those nights were both a blessing and torture. Being this close to Regina filled Emma with hope. But lying awake in the dark, knowing Regina was just across the hall and not being able to reach for her, was hell.
But mornings made it worth it.
The quiet shuffle of Regina moving around the kitchen, the smell of fresh coffee drifting through the house, the way Henry would mumble sleepily before giving each of them a quick hug - these moments were perfect.
They moved like a family. They had their own rhythm, their own inside jokes.
And then there were the touches. Subtle things. A brush of fingers when their hands met reaching for the same coffee mug. The way Emma would walk up behind Regina, placing a steadying hand on her waist as she reached over to grab something from a high shelf. The way neither of them ever moved away too quickly, letting the moment linger just a second too long.
Emma knew what it meant. Regina did, too, she was certain. And yet, the line remained.
Now, three months later, Emma can feel how close they are. How much Regina has let her in. How, maybe, Regina has finally accepted that this thing between them isn't some catastrophic mistake waiting to happen. Maybe, just maybe, they're almost there.
She's about to leave for lunch with David when the station door opens. She hears the familiar click of heels against the floor, and her lips curve before she even realizes it. "Regina."
Her voice is warm, welcoming in a way that's impossible to hide.
Regina returns her smile, but it's fleeting, her gaze dropping to her hands. The hesitation in her posture makes Emma's stomach twist with worry.
"Did something happen?" Emma asks, concern creeping into her voice.
Regina looks almost apprehensive. Her fingers fidget with the edge of her blazer, something Emma rarely sees her do. When she finally speaks, her tone is softer than usual. "I need your help."
Emma doesn't hesitate. "Anything."
Regina takes a breath, as if steadying herself. "I've heard from Gold."
"Gold?" Emma's brows lift. He's been missing for months.
Regina nods. "He told me something I can't ignore." She takes a beat before she continues, her voice steadier. "The woman you saved months ago … it wasn't Marian."
Emma stiffens at the mention of the name.
"It was Zelena. She killed Marian and took her place. All to ruin my happiness with Robin."
The words land like a punch to Emma's gut. Her mind races, but nothing sticks. She waits for Regina to go on, chest tightening with every syllable.
"I need to go and warn Robin," Regina says, her voice firm now, although her eyes betray her unease. "And I could use your help."
Emma's world feels like it's crashing down around her. This can't be happening. Regina wants her help to reunite with Robin? To watch the woman she loves walk away for good? Has she really misjudged things so badly? She really thought they were moving forward, but was it all just in her head?
"Look, Emma," Regina says, quieter now, like she can sense the storm brewing inside her. "I can't just let her hurt him and Roland just to get back at me. I can bring them back here. I know I can. I never lost my knowledge of the other magic, and it's easy to override the rules here using it." Her gaze searches Emma's face. "And … it's a long ride. I don't know if it's safe for me to drive there and back alone. I could really use—"
"Okay."
The word slips out before Emma can stop it. She has no idea why she says it. A minute ago, she was sure the tide was turning in her favor. Now she's about to swim against it - hard. Maybe she's a masochist after all, because taking the love of her life straight to the man she once called her soulmate is definitely a masochistic move. Or maybe, deep down, she just wants to see Regina happy. Even if it costs her everything.
"Okay?" Regina repeats, disbelief laced in her voice.
"Yes," Emma says, forcing a small smile as she grabs her jacket. "You want to leave as soon as possible? Did you tell Henry?"
Regina nods. "He'll be staying with Snow and David."
Emma raises an eyebrow, though there's no real bite to her voice. "You were that sure I'd say yes?"
Regina hesitates, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. "I … I hoped."
Emma exhales through her nose, heart aching despite her resolve. "Then let's get moving. Your car or mine?"
Regina gives her a look, as if the very thought of spending that many hours in the Bug is offensive.
"What do you think?"
Even with everything, Emma can't help but smile. "Your car it is."
They're both unusually quiet for the first few hours of the drive. There are a few stilted conversations about Henry, about town business, but mostly it's just silence.
Suddenly, Emma feels Regina's gaze fully focus on her, intense and unwavering. "Emma … this changes nothing," Regina says, her voice firm but tinged with something softer, something Emma can't quite place.
Emma is quiet for a few seconds, her grip tightening on the steering wheel. "You're right," she finally replies, her voice steady but laced with hurt she can't quite hide. "It changes nothing. No matter what happens, we'll continue being friends."
Regina lets out an exasperated sigh, her frustration palpable. "That's not what I meant, and you know it," she says, her tone sharper now. "I'm not going there with the goal of reuniting with—"
"Regina, I need you to stop, please," Emma interrupts, her voice breaking slightly. She takes her eyes off the road for a split second, her gaze locking with Regina's to convey how serious she is. "I agreed to do this, but we do need to set some bounda—"
"Emma!" Regina shouts, her voice sharp with panic.
Regina's scream snaps Emma's attention back to the road. Her heart leaps into her throat as she sees it - a deer, frozen in the middle of the lane.
Emma reacts instinctively, wrenching the steering wheel to the right. The tires screech against the asphalt as the car veers sharply, narrowly missing the deer but hurtling toward the roadside. Time seems to slow as the car plows through a wooden fence, the impact jolting them violently. The sound of splintering wood and crunching metal fills the air, and for a moment, everything is chaos.
When the car finally comes to a stop, the engine sputters and dies, leaving an eerie silence in its wake. Emma's hands are still clenched tightly around the wheel. She takes a shaky breath, her heart pounding in her chest. She is shocked but grateful that airbags didn't deploy.
"Are you okay?" she asks, turning to Regina, her voice trembling.
Regina nods, though her face is pale and her breathing uneven. "I'm fine," she says, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. "Just a scratch or two." She glances down at her arm, where a small cut is already blooming with a faint trace of blood.
Emma reaches out instinctively, her fingers brushing against Regina's arm. "You're bleeding."
"It's nothing," Regina says quickly, but her voice is softer now. She meets Emma's gaze, and for a moment, neither of them speaks. The adrenaline is still coursing through them, their hearts racing in unison.
Emma finally breaks the silence, her voice steadier now. "The car, on the other hand, might need some work."
Regina lets out a shaky laugh, the sound a mix of relief and frustration. "Of course it does."
It's a side road in a sparsely populated area, so waiting for help seems like a bad idea. "Stay here," Emma says as she reaches for her phone, her voice steady. "I'll call for help."
The next hour passes in a blur. A tow truck arrives surprisingly quickly, and they're taken to a local shop. The mechanic informs them he can get their car running, but not before morning. Shaken from the accident and exhausted from the emotional toll of the day, they decide against finding another mode of transportation. Instead, they opt to head to a local motel and rest for a bit before grabbing dinner.
As Emma's luck would have it, the small town is home to a festival that week, and there's only one room available.
As they enter the room - a surprisingly clean but modest space - they both pause, their eyes landing on the big bed. Emma feels her stomach twist, a mix of longing and dread settling in her chest.
Emma sighs and makes a beeline for the bathroom, needing a moment to collect herself. They've already taken care of their small cuts, but she still feels dirty, both physically and emotionally. Putting back on the same clothes won't be ideal, but it is what it is.
By the time she's done, Regina is already in bed, lying on her side under the covers. Her blazer, skirt, and shirt are neatly folded on the chair, and her breathing is slow and even, as if she's already asleep. Probably still shaken from the accident, Emma thinks, her heart aching with a protective instinct. She wants to crawl into bed beside Regina, to wrap her arms around her and promise her that everything will be okay. But she stops herself.
Regina's not hers to protect. She's her friend. And soon, she'll have Robin back to fill that role. The pain that thought brings is nearly unbearable.
Instead of lying down, Emma moves Regina's things to the nightstand and drags the chair to the foot of the bed. She tries to get comfortable, propping her feet on the edge of the bed, but it's a lost cause. The chair is stiff and unforgiving, and her body aches from the crash.
The movement wakes Regina, who turns over, her brow furrowed in confusion.
"Emma?" she asks, her voice soft and sleep-roughened. "What are you doing?"
"Trying to get some rest," Emma replies, her tone clipped.
Regina sits up slightly, pulling the blanket with her. "Emma, please come and lie down. This bed is more than big enough for both of us."
"Please go back to sleep, Regina," Emma says, her voice tight. "I'm good."
Regina is fully awake now, her exasperation evident. "You are not 'good!' That doesn't look comfortable in the least, and I can't understand wh—"
"Yes, Regina, you can't understand!" Emma snaps, her voice breaking as all the emotions she's been holding back come rushing to the surface. "You can't understand because you're excited! You're going to see your soulmate! You're making your way to your happy ending! Lying in bed with me is not a big deal in the grand scheme of things."
"Emma—" Regina tries to interject softly, but Emma is having none of it.
"I, on the other hand, can't even look at you without my heart breaking!" Emma's voice trembles, raw and aching. "All I want to do is take you in my arms and kiss you, and for a few hours, make you forget about soulmates and magic and just … just feel my love. But since I know I can't have that, I decided to get some rest in this damn chair."
Emma swallows hard, her breathing uneven. "So can you please just let me have that? Let me have this one thing?"
The silence that follows is suffocating. Emma knows she's just shattered something irreparable. That she wasn't supposed to say any of that. That she should have buried it deeper, pretended longer.
But she's exhausted. She's done pretending.
Then, slowly, Regina lifts the blanket, exposing smooth skin and curves wrapped in nothing but a delicate, lacy bra and matching underwear.
Emma stops breathing.
Regina's voice is steady but soft when she speaks. "Come to bed, Emma."
It's both an invitation and a command, wrapped in unmistakable certainty.
Emma's heart slams against her ribs. This isn't a misunderstanding. This isn't some sleepy, innocent offer. This is Regina saying, I heard you. I want you too. I'm right here.
Emma's brain screams at her to think, to be careful, to protect herself. But her heart - the part of her that has been breaking and wanting - seems to have already made its choice.
"Regina—" Her voice is barely a whisper, hesitant and unraveling.
"Come to bed." Regina repeats, her tone leaving no room for argument.
And Emma's done resisting.
She reaches for the hem of her shirt, pulling it over her head. Her pants follow, crumpled on the floor and forgotten.
She catches the way Regina looks at her - appreciative and hungry - and she suddenly doesn't care that this will end in heartbreak.
For today, for this moment, she's going to pretend that this is real. That this is theirs. That this is forever.
Once she's made up her mind, all hesitation is gone. Emma climbs onto the bed, her movements deliberate but unhurried, and immediately straddles Regina, who falls back onto the mattress with a soft, expectant sigh.
Emma has imagined this moment so many times in the last three months. There were so many things she wanted to do, so many places she wanted to kiss, but first, she focuses on Regina's lips.
She's tasted them twice before, but now she wants to drown in them. She wants to explore them until they're both breathless, until the world outside this room ceases to exist.
Emma starts by leaving small, tender kisses along Regina's scar, her lips brushing against the faint line with a reverence that makes Regina shiver. She feels Regina's breath hitch, her hands coming up to rest lightly on Emma's hips, as if anchoring herself to the moment.
Then, slowly, Emma focuses on Regina's lips, covering them with her own in a kiss that's soft but insistent. The movements are leisurely, exploratory, with no rush. Emma wants to savor this moment, to memorize the way Regina's lips feel against hers, the way her breath mingles with Emma's, the way her hands tighten ever so slightly on Emma's hips.
The kiss deepens naturally, their bodies pressing closer. Emma's hands slide up to cradle Regina's face, her thumbs brushing against her cheeks as she pours every ounce of love and longing into the kiss. Regina responds in kind, her lips moving against Emma's with a hunger that matches her own.
For a moment, the world narrows to just the two of them - the soft sound of their breathing, the warmth of Regina's skin beneath her hands, the way their hearts beat in unison. Emma wants to stay like this forever, lost in the taste and feel of Regina, in the way she makes her feel whole as nothing else ever has.
Never letting go of Regina's lips, Emma slides her hand under Regina's back, her fingers deftly finding the clasp of her bra. In one smooth move, she unhooks it and pulls it free, tossing it aside without breaking their kiss.
She feels a small, approving smile form on Regina's lips against her own, a silent acknowledgment that sends a thrill through Emma. Lowering her hand, Emma cups Regina's breast, her touch gentle but deliberate, her thumb brushing over the sensitive nipple.
Regina breaks the contact of their kiss with a gasp, her back arching into Emma's touch as an unrestrained moan escapes her lips. The sound sends a jolt of heat straight through Emma. Regina's hands tighten on Emma's hips, her nails digging in enough to make Emma's breath hitch.
For a moment, they're both still, the air around them crackling with electricity. Then Regina's eyes flutter open, dark and full of need, and Emma knows there's no turning back.
Regina pulls her back down into a crushing kiss, and Emma goes willingly, her body now fully sprawled on top of the other woman, responding instinctively to the urgency in Regina's touch. She can feel Regina's hips writhing beneath her, a desperate, unspoken plea that Emma can't ignore. There will be time for slow exploration later - time to savor every inch of Regina, to learn what makes her sigh and tremble. But right now, Regina needs release, and Emma wants nothing more than to give it to her.
Emma lets go of Regina's breast, her hand trailing down Regina's stomach with deliberate slowness, savoring the way Regina's breath hitches at the touch. She slides her hand under the band of Regina's panties, her fingers brushing against the wetness that welcomes her. The sound that escapes Regina is almost guttural, a raw, unfiltered moan that turns the simmering fire inside Emma into a full-blown flame.
This time, Regina doesn't let go of Emma's lips. Instead, her hands pull her closer with a desperation that makes Emma's heart ache. Regina's kiss is fierce, almost bruising, as if she's trying to close any remaining distance between them, to fuse them together in a way that words never could.
Emma responds in kind, her fingers moving with purpose, focusing on Regina's center. Her touch is firm but tender, a perfect balance of control and care as she gives the woman she loves exactly what she needs. She can feel Regina's body tightening beneath her, her breaths coming in short, ragged gasps against Emma's lips.
Emma brings her hand lower, entering Regina slowly, her thumb continuing her previous gentle, deliberate ministrations. Regina's body responds instantly, her hips lifting to meet Emma's touch, her hands clutching at Emma's shoulders as if she's afraid she might float away.
"Emma," Regina gasps, her voice trembling with need, "please…"
It only takes a few strokes before Regina's head falls back against the pillow, her back arching as she reaches her peak. Emma holds her through it, her own breath catching at the sheer beauty of the moment. As Regina's body trembles and then stills, Emma knows she's exactly where she's meant to be.