AN: There's some Snow/Regina insinuation in this chapter, but more in a joking way than anything. Hope you guys enjoy, and sorry for huge delay in updating :)

With a crushing kiss, Emma fell back onto the mattress of Regina's bed. The other woman followed quickly after, straddling one of her thighs.

"Are you going to spend the night tonight?" Regina asked, as she worked on pulling Emma's shirt over her head. The blonde could have giggled from the question, but her movements to get undressed hindered the noise.

"You ask that, like I've never done it before." And of course Emma had a make a 'thing' out of it. Because god forbid she just answer a simple question, without trying to fill it with insinuation.

"I asked that, because I wanted a yes or no answer." She snapped, knowing full well that the younger woman had slept over, but it was only once, the first night that they were both drunk. So, it was perfectly understandable that she wouldn't know if there were plans to stay. Regina sat up, moving to undo the buttons of her blouse a little too slowly for the Sherriff's tastes, so Regina had to smack wandering hands away that attempted to take over her task.

"Maybe." Emma finally said, gaining a fierce eye roll.

"You're a child." The brunette retorted, finally pulling her shirt off of her shoulders and tossing it to their growing pile. Emma sat up quickly, flexing the thigh that was between the other woman's legs, causing a small subconscious noise to escape Regina's throat. Her hands gripped at the former mayor's hips, rocking her body and urging the other woman to do the same, hips rolling against her, watching each other's eyes.

"Do you want me to stay?" She asked, with an almost convincing hesitant tone. Regina was almost pulled into the vulnerability on her face, and the soft and glazed eyes, until she remembered that Emma wasn't an abandoned puppy, not anymore. And the fact that the blonde apparently didn't know that, didn't change the fact that it wasn't true. She was wanted and loved by the entire town. A royal celebrity, with perfect adoring parents, the unconditional love of a brother and child, and her 'bad boy' boyfriend that was just all wide eyed for her. Emma had everything, just as her family always did, Regina thought bitterly, as her face grew stern, glaring at the sheriff.

"Don't play your 'poor Emma' games with me. I'm not your toy to bat around when you're bored." It was very much so the other way around, Regina only wanted something warm to get her through the cold that was always on her peripheral. Always like a shadow over her, whispering its darkness. She got along well enough with Emma, and that was a plus, but there was nothing more to this than that. The possibility of more had long since been destroyed. Still, Regina refused to be manipulated, so in an angry huff, she moved off of the other woman, but she didn't get far because Emma was grabbing her hips again and flipping their positions, the blonde suddenly kneeling between her legs, Regina's back on the bed. The speed of her movements were quick and unexpected, so was the kiss that came right after, harsh and demanding. Regina knew that if she wanted to stop her, she could—because she had a few times before, when her mood didn't meet Emma's, her dark thoughts too full of a self-loathing that an affair just added to. Those moods never did last long though.

And today wasn't one of those times, so she kissed the other woman back with the same velocity, and it lasted until their bodies rocked together in the same rhythm, any hurt or insult Regina may have felt a minute ago seemed like hours away.

When they broke away, Emma quickly moved her lips down, roaming over the woman's collar bone, nipping at the skin and sucking gently at the tops of her breasts, and Regina's breathing turned shallow and breathless.

"I'll stay." The sheriff murmured against her abdomen, hands cupping her breasts for a moment, too distracted by the woman's body to stay in one place too long, the touch skirting and skidding past lace and along skin, teeth gently nipping at her hip bone. "We can have a sleep over." Emma said with a smile, undoing Regina's pants quickly, and as she was pulling them down her legs, the blonde went on to say, "Like friends do."

Regina scoffed in disbelief, and Emma tossed her pants onto the growing pile.

"Really, dear…" The older woman started, but the words were cut short, her throat tightening to make a high moan when Emma's head went back down between her legs. Her mouth open, tongue pressing against the already damp material of her underwear, pressing against her clit as Regina pushed her hips against the blonde. "What—what kind of friends did you have?" Regina finally finished her sentence, more breathless, and less caring of their conversation.

Emma started to pull the thin silk down her legs, and their eyes met, as the blonde grinned like a Cheshire cat.

"You're my favorite so far."

The former queen raised a single eyebrow.

"So far."

Then the words became more simplistic and farther apart between breathy moans and indiscernible praise, once the younger woman's head returned where she seemed to enjoy so much, moving between Regina's legs.

And when the two had exhausted all the energy they could afford, wrapped around each other in sheets and blankets, Regina had a random thought about sleepovers, and hair braiding, gossiping, and staying up late watching movies. Ridiculous and childish things that made her chuckle to herself, and purprosely knock her shoulder against the blonde, who's eye lids looked heavier by the moment.

"You better not snore."

"I don't." She replied simply, but Regina found that Emma really had no respect for the truth, because she was snoring as soon as her eyes closed.

She didn't mind though, not as much as she would presume to if asked.

She didn't mind this, not as much as she probably should have. Regina considered the Sherriff next to her, silently and discretely, a comfortable silence and calm settled between them, and that was rare. Still though, not particularly terrible.

Emma was half laying on the living room couch at the mansion, as Regina sat on the other end, feet tucked under her while she read a book. They both were waiting for Henry to get home from school, which would be any minute, and the sheriff was playing with her phone at an angle that Regina couldn't see. Not that she was looking, besides a few curious side glances, until she got angry at herself for even wondering what was pulling the blonde's attention.

After a quiet sigh, Emma put her phone back in her pocket, and Regina focused back on her book

"Snow was asking about you this morning." She said, surprising the former mayor slightly, not expecting the conversation topic.

"Checking up on me?" There was a skill in how disinterested she sounded, with an arch of her eyebrow.

"Just worried…" Emma mumbled, and then chuckled lightly, drawing brown eyes back on her, more obvious this time. "It's funny, I said the same thing when she asked." A small smile briefly flickered on the savior's face, until it became as distant as her stare.

"And?" Regina prodded, causing Emma to look down at her hands as her fingers fiddled with her shirt, and it brought the other woman's sight to narrow slightly.

"She's always so defensive when it comes to you."

"There's a lot of history between us." Regina stated seriously, and there was something about Emma's reaction that made her not like the woman's answer, so the former queen just shrugged and looked back at her book. "When she's not defensive, she's blaming me for everything."

"You guys kind of take turns doing that." The distant tone was still in the blonde's voice, and really, she only wanted to finish this chapter, so with a frustrated sigh, she looked over to her again.

"What's on your mind?" There was a bit of a snap in her tone, but Emma seemed unoffended, though their eyes did meet, and a serious weight settled between them.

"Did you two ever…" The strength in the blonde's words didn't last long, and it could have been because of the growing anger and shock on Regina's face that caused green eyes to cast downwards. "I mean, with the way Snow acts sometimes, I wonder—…"

"Are you asking if I had a sexual relationship with my step daughter?" Regina didn't know if she should laugh, or slap Emma across the face. Apparently the other woman was expecting one more than the other, what with the cringe from her sharp voice. "Don't be disgusting." She continued after a moment, with a sneer and shudder at the thought.

And then Emma was flat out pouting, her cheeks red, and the former mayor knew she was embarrassed, but she never once cared before, so she wasn't going to start now.

"You suggested that I did, and she's my mom." The sheriff mumbled like a child, and there was something else in her voice, and a bit of a shadow across her face. If Regina didn't know any better, she would've sworn it was a little jealousy. Dismissing it though, she rolled her eyes and looked back at her book.

"I don't recall ever saying any such thing." A small smirk inched its way across the brunette's face. "I must've been drunk."

A small smirk inched its way across the blonde's face, as she pressed send on her phone, and looked across the table towards Regina. Regina was glaring back at her, as Snow droned on about whatever she was droning on about during the city hall meeting,. Regina really wasn't listening, and most of that was Emma's fault, as the former mayor felt the phone in her hand buzz once more. She glanced down inconspicuously.

I fucked myself last night, thinking about you

Regina bit the inside of her cheeks to keep herself from reacting to the second message that had the same general theme to it. The first one wasn't responded to, but Emma was insistent, if not stubborn. Maybe even dense.

Finally, her thumb quickly brushed across her phone to send a reply.

Stop it

Emma rolled her eyes and replied back;

You suck at sexting

We're in a city hall meeting

Regina clarified, although she knew it wasn't necessary. Besides, 'sexting' wasn't an area of expertise for the former queen. If they were actually speaking to each other, then she could have whispered a few words to have Emma climbing off the walls. And she wasn't opposed to the idea in itself, but a time and place for all things.

I'm bored

The brunette glared again at Emma's childishness. It wasn't nearly as endearing as she thought it was.

I don't care

And her thumb was on the send button when she heard Snow's authoritative tone direct itself sharply towards her daughter.

"Emma, what is so important that you're checking your phone while the citizens of a town you're sworn to protect are voicing their concerns?"

Silence fell in the large space of this room like a quick and sudden weight, and every eye was now on Emma's wide greens.

A few sputtering 'um's' and 'uh's' had Regina thoroughly entertained and barely able to hide the smirk.

"Yes, please enlighten us. This is entirely unprofessional, and is only delaying a Mayor that has a town to run." The former mayor spoke, with a patronizing level to her authoritative tone, and Regina almost felt bad about encouraging Snow, because of the way the princess just beamed at her, and in the most annoying sort of way, all for the sake of the title of 'mayor'. She almost couldn't resist the urge to roll her eyes. So she distracted her sight back at the blonde, and oh how green her eyes looked. Jealousy. It was bold and sure this time, dark and piercing, and quite beautiful. She knew that was what it was, because Emma wasn't looking at the former queen with all that insecure anger. She was looking at her mother.

It was close to an hour later, the city hall meeting finally over, and citizens and local government alike had broken off in smaller groups, chatting idly about building permits or the new episode of whatever show was holding their interests these days. Regina had no patience for it today, as she gathered her purse and put her coat on, only pausing to see Snow along the far wall talking to Emma, and Emma looking like she'd rather be anywhere else. A smile flashed across her face at the sight. She made her way over, catching the tail end of Snow's whispered scolding.

"…I just think you could try to focus more during the meetings."

Emma gave a mumbled apology before her eyes caught on the other woman's approaching form, and instantly her face stoned itself suspiciously.

"I have to agree with your mother." She announced, with a slight humor in her voice that only the sheriff could pick up on. Snow on the other hand, jumped slightly at the sound of the older woman's sudden voice behind her—though she had a habit to do that most of the time, and Regina couldn't really blame her, but once the princess turned towards her she was all bright eyed and red cheeked.

"Really, Snow is trying her hardest," The former mayor gave a mock scolding, which was almost toned in a way that was too sarcastic to believe. "And doing a fine job, with the little help she gets as mayor."

"Thank you, Regina." Snow spoke, as if just given sainthood by the Pope. It did make a twinge of guilt settle in Regina's chest, feeding into her step-daughter's need for attention from her. It bordered on cruel, but the look of fire and brimstone coming from Emma was an enticing plus side. Perhaps Regina would always border on cruel at times.

"Okay, I get it." The blonde spoke through a clenched jaw, and a predatory and slightly cruel smile flashed on her face before looking back at Snow.

"I know how stressful it can be, dear." She spoke softly, before gently placing a hand on her shoulder. "How tense it makes you." Regina knew immediately that she pushed a bit too far, with the honey sweet sound of her voice, because suddenly the former bandit's eyes were narrowing, and suspicion started to overtake her abandonment issues. Sometimes she forgot how well the girl knew her at times.

Luckily Emma's irrational jealousy saved the ploy from dissolving completely.

"We're leaving." The sheriff announced, quite harshly, but when she gripped the older woman's arm, it was a gentle urging.

"What? Why?" Snow chimed in, utterly confused and still suspicious, as Emma led Regina away, and there was no answer given to her mother, which was probably for the best. Emma was good at lying, but not while she was angry.

As they walked briskly out of city hall, Regina smirked at her.

"Jealousy is your weakness, then?"

Emma glared at her.

"Not jealousy..." She mumbled absently, and Regina's smirk grew.