While she waited, Emma sat nervously on her couch, staring at the door to her apartment as she wiggled her foot anxiously. When she finally heard the knock, she grabbed her braces and moved as quickly as she could to open the door. Seeing the beautiful brunette standing before her made her stomach drop and her heart skip three beats.

"Regina," she breathed. "You look amazing."

"You look pretty damn good yourself," Regina replied, reaching out to tuck some of Emma's blonde hair behind her ear. Then, she said, "Wow. Your hair is really soft."

Blushing, the other woman replied, "Th-Thank you. Yours looks pretty soft too…"

"I don't know. I guess it's okay. Sit down, and I'll let you see for yourself, and then you can tell me what you think while we eat," the brunette suggested.

"Regina, I…"

"It's okay. I'm sorry. That was too forward. I shouldn't-"

But Emma turned away from her and limped to the couch, then sat down slowly. When she finally looked back up at Regina, the woman was frozen in place.

"Put the food on the coffee table and come here," the blonde beckoned her.

Regina obeyed, then sat next to the woman on the couch. It took Emma a few moments to brave reaching out and touching the nurse's cheek with a shaking hand.

"It's okay," the brunette told her, reaching up and covering the woman's hand with her own. "Run your fingers through my hair."

"But, I…"

"You're scared."

"Of c-course I'm scared!"

"Hey. Relax. It's alright. If you don't want to-"

But Emma did move her hand and slip her fingers through Regina's long, dark hair, causing the brunette to close her eyes and expel a breathy sigh.

"It is soft," the blonde told her quietly, not moving her hand away. "It feels good."

"Good."

Emma slid her fingers through the woman's hair a few times, then lowered her hands to cup Regina's face as she finally mustered the bravery to look into her eyes.

"Emma…" the nurse started, then trailed off.

"I'm sorry," the blonde said quickly, pulling away abruptly and dropping her still shaking hands to her sides.

"No… Emma, don't."

"Don't what?"

"Don't stop touching me."

So the woman's former patient reached up once again and repeated her actions as Regina's eyes fell closed again. The moment seemed to last forever, and Emma felt the need to fall into it, to be engrossed by it, to drown in it, and to never escape its iron grip. When Regina's eyes opened again, slowly, and Emma looked into them, they both felt their stomachs flutter.

"Emma…" Regina breathed again, savoring the taste of the woman's name on her lips and tongue.

"Yeah?"

"Em…" she tried again, but instantly felt the pang of nervousness when the name had fallen from her mouth. At last, she managed to meet the woman's gaze and asked, "Can I please kiss you?"

The blonde's breath caught in her lungs, and before she could let it out, she decided to fight the urge to run and lean in even further. When their lips slid together – the movements slow and unrushed – their hearts raced but beat in time.

"Oh, Emma," Regina sighed against the woman's lips.

"W-What?"

"You are so beautiful. And your lips are sosoft..."

"As are you, and as are yours, darling," Emma told her. "I never want to stop feeling this."

"Neither do I," the brunette replied, her hands moving to the woman's sides. Suddenly realizing how intimate the gesture was, she asked, "Is this okay?"

When Emma nodded, she slid her hands up and down a few times, enticed by the new sensation of Emma's toned muscles beneath her touch. Even though her body had grown much weaker and she had far less control over it, Emma was still incredibly fit. The muscles she'd earned through training and continued to earn through war still supported her body and only grew stronger with every day that passed and with every physical therapy session she pushed through. The feeling of the ripples under Regina's fingers was intoxicating.

The brunette sighed again, whispering, "Em…"

"Regina."

"I'm so sorry. For everything. For abandoning you. For-"

"No, don't," Emma pleaded. "Please don't. I…"

But Regina ignored her, moving her hands away and saying, "I'm such a horrible person. How could I just leave you alone like that?"

"Gina, it's alright. I… I was okay. I mean, it sucked, but I was okay."

"I'm glad you got through it, but it was still wrong to leave you like that. I was just so scared."

"Are you still?"

"Yes, of course. It's you."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that I care what you think about me, I already feel guilty for what I've done, and I don't want to mess this up again."

"Don't feel guilty. You won't mess this up. J-Just… Just don't leave me again…"

"I don't plan on it," the beautiful brunette told her. "You mean too much to me."

"R-Really?" the blonde stuttered.

"Yes, Emma! I've always been invested in you and your recovery."

"That's not the same thing as meaning something to you."

"You do mean something to me... You mean a lot to me. I care about you, and I…"

"You what?"

"I don't just want to see you better yourself and live a happier life. I want… I want to be a part of that life."

"You already are. You have been for a long, long time. You've always been special to me. You kept me going when I wanted to give up."

"What is it about me that made you push so hard?"

"Your smile. Your confidence. Your faith in me."

"I was only confident in you," Regina told her. "I've never been confident in myself."

"You should be confident in yourself. You're the reason I got better. If it hadn't been for you, I would've rolled over like a sick dog and never gotten back up again."

"Oh, come on, Emma," the brunette sighed. "That's not true. You worked hard of your own volition. I had nothing to-"

"You had everything to do with it. You kept me going."

"Well, then why did you keep working so hard after I left?"

"I guess I wanted you to hear a good report if you ever decided to check up on me. I also… I w-wanted to get better in case… in case you changed your mind."

"And I have."

"I'm glad you have. I would've waited forever for you."

"Oh, Emma…"

"Kiss me again," the blonde suggested, her voice soft and slow.

Of course, Regina did this willingly, leaning in and pressing their lips together over and over, as if she couldn't break free.

To Emma's horror and embarrassment, the moment was interrupted by the sound of her stomach growling from hunger, and as she blushed and looked away, Regina let out a light, soft laugh.

"S-Sorry," the soldier stammered.

"No, it's fine!" Regina said brightly. "You should eat something."

"I… I'm fine. I don't…"

"I'm not gonna leave. We have as much time together as you want. Let's eat something."

With a weak nod, Emma agreed, and Regina stood quickly, grabbing her container of grilled chicken salad and Emma's steak and cheese sub. When she handed it to the blonde, the woman took it carefully and unwrapped it, keeping the large wrapper on her lap as she looked up at the brunette, who was sitting down beside her.

"Salad, huh?" Emma laughed. "I probably should've gone with that too, but I've got a real tooth for junk food."

"Is that so?"

"Mhmm. It's pretty bad. I used to work out all the time, though, so it was never an issue before. N-Now, with me having lost so much muscle mass…"

"You are still absolutely ripped."

"I'm gaining weight."

"You're gaining it in muscle!"

"No, I'm not. It's-"

"Stop it, Em. You're gaining muscle. I… I can feel it…"

"W-What?"

Regina sat the closed container beside her on the couch and reached out once more, pressing her hands against Emma's abdomen.

"Your muscles have gotten bigger since I saw you last. They're… tighter…"

"I…"

"It feels good," the brunette confessed, rubbing her thumbs over the fabric of the woman's tight-fitting shirt.

"It doesn't feel good to me," Emma sighed. "I feel so fucking weak."

"Just because you're not quite as strong as you were when you were on active duty doesn't mean that you're weak, Emma. You're basically a rock. You're just having trouble controlling your muscles is all. It's not that they're not there. They're just… a little… defiant, right now."

"Yeah, well…"

"Shh," Regina whispered, pressing her finger to the woman's lips. "Eat."

With a nod, Emma took her first bite of the sub, carefully, and with as much grace as she could manage, trying not to spill its contents down her front. Luckily, this didn't happen, and the next few bites were just as successful. Regina, of course, ate just as carefully, and spilled nothing. Once they were done eating, Emma leaned back against the couch and sighed happily, shutting her eyes.

"Damn, that hit the spot," she announced. "But now I'm in a food coma."

"Tired?"

"Yeah. It's been a long day."

"Why don't you nap while I unpack?"

"What?" Emma asked, her eyes snapping open. "No way! I didn't want you to come over so that you could work for me!"

"Helping someone I care about isn't work. I'm happy to be here to lend a hand, and you're obviously exhausted, so why don't you just-"

"F-Fine. I'll nap."

"Really?"

"If you nap with me."

"What? But you… There's so much to do, and-"

"C'mon. A nap never hurt anyone, and I'm unwilling to take one without you."

"Emma…"

"Are you so s-scared to be close to me?"

"No! If that was true, I wouldn't have kissed you. I wouldn't-"

"Then what are you afraid of?"

"I just feel bad. I want to help you, and I'll feel useless if I just lay there and sleep."

"Just for a little while. Twenty, thirty minutes. I just want…"

"Alright. Let's go," Regina finally agreed with a smile, holding out her hand to help the woman off the couch.

Emma took it hesitantly, then allowed the brunette to pull her to her feet. When Regina took a slow step forward, the soldier hesitated, looking around the room.

"Wait," she said. "My braces."

"You don't need them. I'll carry you."

"What the fuck? Are you joking? F-Fuck that!"

"Bridal style," the nurse replied slowly, looking nervously into the blonde's eyes. "I've always wanted to carry a girl to bed bridal style…"

"I… Um…" Emma blurted dumbly, completely shocked by this confession. "I guess… I guess that's okay then…"

Bursting into a smile, Regina – who was surprisingly strong for someone so petite – lifted the even stronger woman into her arms and carried her into the bedroom, laid her down on the bed, then crawled next to her and lay on her side. Surprised by the woman's strength, Emma's eyes went wide. It took her a moment to recover from the shock, but when she did, she found herself once again captivated by the nurse's unending beauty and grace.

"Gina," Emma whispered, her heart stopping as she stared into the woman's deep brown eyes.

"Kiss me."

"I thought you wanted to sleep," the blonde giggled. "That's not sl-"

But Regina cut her off with a slow, heated kiss that Emma was receptive to. Their lips stayed locked for some time, until Regina pressed her hand against the woman's abs again, rubbing her thumb over the ripples beneath her shirt.

"I… I like that," Emma confessed between kisses.

"Yeah?" Regina asked with a smirk, her voice suddenly breathy and seductive.

"It feels good."

But the soldier pressed her own hand against the top of Regina's, holding it still, then let her head fall to the pillow and shut her eyes.

"Em… Will you… Will you hold me?"

Without opening her eyes, Emma nodded, wrapping her muscular arm around the woman's back and pulling her closer until she was pressed against her side. Regina's head fell to the blonde's shoulder as her own eyes fluttered shut.

"Just f-forty minutes," Emma mumbled, absently rubbing the woman's back.

"You said thirty."

"Forty-five."

"One hour. That's my final offer."

"Mhmm. Just one…"

Five minutes later, Regina was breathing deeply, and Emma was snoring softly. An hour and a half after that, the brunette's eyes opened slowly to find complete darkness.

"Emma," she muttered, reaching over and flicking on the light on the bedside table. "Wake up."

"Nuh-uh."

"Babe, come on. It's late. We slept too long. I've gotta help you-"

"Nuh-uh," the blonde repeated softly, using all of her strength and control to pull the nurse back down until she was once again pressed against her side.

Regina's arm draped over the soldier's solid torso, but when Emma didn't move, her hand wandered until it was slowly slipping beneath her shirt. The blonde sucked in a sharp breath when she felt the coolness of the nurse's fingers against her warm skin.

"I love how soft your skin is," the brunette sighed. "How hard your muscles are…"

"I love how you feel pressed into my side, with your breath on my neck."

"I love how warm you are."

"I love the way you cling to me when you sleep."

"What?"

"You cling. And you whimper a little. But you don't sound…distressed. It's kind of… contented. Like a puppy."

"Excuse me? Did you just call me a puppy?"

"I said the way you whimper when you sleep is like a puppy," Emma teased, sticking her tongue out. With a scowl, Regina rolled away and crossed her arms, but the soldier quickly pulled her back in and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, whispering, "I like it. It's cute."

"It's not cute! It's-"

"It's adorable."

Sighing heavily, the nurse protested, "Well, you're cute when you sleep too."

"Oh, hush up. I am not."

"We should unpack."

"Ughhh. I don't want to."

"I know, hun, but you'll feel better once your stuff is all in its place and you can just relax. Let's just get it out of the way. You just sit and I'll bring stuff in and you tell me where it goes, yeah?"

"No way! I want to help!"

"Don't be stubborn, okay? Just let me help you and make this efficient."

"Yeah, alright. Fine. The first box is on the table. It's got shirts, pants, and shorts in it. They can just get put in the middle and bottom drawers of my dresser."

"Sounds good!" Regina exclaimed cheerfully, jumping out of the bed and nearly running to the dining room.

She returned with the large box quickly and unpacked it while Emma watched.

"Pants and shorts in the bottom, yeah?" the nurse confirmed, flashing Emma a bright smile before placing the items in their designated location.

This system went on for another two hours or so, until all the boxes were unpacked and left broken down by the door to be taken out for recycling. Everything now had a home in the small apartment, and the place looked a lot warmer than it had when Regina had arrived.

"It looks great in here," Emma told the woman with a grateful smile. "Thank you so much for helping me. I honestly don't think I could've done this by myself. It would have taken forever."

"Of course! Anything for you, darling." This brought a blush to Emma's cheeks, and she became too embarrassed to say anything else, so Regina continued with, "So, um… I should probably get going."

"I, uh…"

"It was absolutely wonderful to see you, Emma. I missed you so much…"

"D-Don't… Don't leave…" the blonde managed, voice shaking.

"What?"

"I mean… You could stay the night… if you wanted…"

"Actually, I…"

"It's okay. I understand. I just… I wanted to offer, just in case…"

"Do you really want me to stay?"

"Of course I do. After that nap, I never want to sleep without you…"

"Oh, Emma," the brunette sighed, walking over to her former patient and wrapping her arms around the woman and hugging her tightly. "I'll stay the night."

"Great!" Emma exclaimed happily. "That means you have a very important mission to accomplish."

"Oh, yeah? And what's that?"

"You get to make sure I don't sleep in tomorrow. I have a tendency to do that, and I don't want to be late for physical therapy."

"I might be able to handle that."

"Good. So, what do you say? You just did a lot of work. Are you ready to crash?"

"Mhmm. It's too bad I forgot my teddy bear."

Emma smiled at this and replied, "I still have my baby blanket. It's got my name on it."

She pulled it from beneath her pillow and held it out to the woman, who took it and examined it closely. She smiled too when she saw Emma's name embroidered on it.

"That's really cute, Em. I love it."

"It's all I've got left of my parents."

"I'm sorry…"

"Nah. Don't be. I've gotten on okay so far, minus having my leg blown off."

"Em… I wish you wouldn't say it like that. It doesn't change who you are. It doesn't change anything about you, except the struggle you now have to face every day."

"That struggle has changed me, Regina. I'm not who I was. I'm angry now. I'm bitter. I never thought I'd want to leave active duty. I was willing to give anything for this country. Anything. But honestly? I wish I'd died out there. Living like this is-"

"Emma!" Regina cried, swiftly taking the woman's hands and squeezing them. "Please don't say that. You were lucky to survive, and I am so glad that you did. I don't know what my life would be without you. I can't imagine it, now that I've met you."

Surprised at this response, Emma went quiet, but looked away, partly ashamed of her own confession.

Finally, she said, "The only thing about my life that makes all the days of pain worth it is you. When you left… I thought… I didn't want… I didn't want to do this anymore. I had no faith in myself. The only thing that kept me from p-putting my .45 to my head was the possibility of you changing your mind, even though I thought it was just a fantasy. I didn't think you actually would. I also never thought I'd have the courage to actually c-call you. I just couldn't stop myself."

"I'm glad you did, Emma. Honestly, I was dying to hear from you. I was just too scared to call."

"I don't know why you'd ever be s-scared of me. It's not like I'm some grumpy bitch who would snap at you at the drop of a hat," the blonde joked, referencing the way she'd treated the woman while she'd been her nurse.

"You were suffering. You're still suffering. I don't blame you for the way you responded to that."

"Don't make excuses for my behavior. All you ever wanted was to help me get better, and I t-treated you like complete and total shit for the first half of our time together."

"Emma…"

"What?"

"I never blamed you for that. Never." When the blonde said nothing in response, Regina sat down beside her on the bed and took her hand, adding, "I understand why you acted the way you did. I can imagine how hard it must be to rely on other people just to get through the day."

"Regina Mills, you are the m-most empathetic person I know."

"No. I just-"

"No, really. You understand me better than anyone ever has. Even b-before all this happened."

"Really?"

"No one's ever really cared before, either. I mean, half the guys in my unit died in battle, but the ones that survived… n-none of them have ever visited me. They couldn't even be bothered to write a fucking letter."

Biting her lip, the brunette looked into Emma's eyes. How could she express her own feelings without spilling too much? Without making the woman uncomfortable? What could she say?

What came out was, "I hate myself for abandoning you, Emma. I never gave up on you, though. I always knew you'd push through this. I'm just a coward."

"Being s-scared doesn't make you a coward."

"Leaving you does."

"But you came back. You came back to me."

"I know, but-"

"You're here now. That's all that matters."

"No, Emma. I-"

"Shh," the blonde whispered, raising a finger to Regina's lips to silence her. "I don't blame you for leaving. I was scared too. I still am. I have such a hard time believing that anyone could actually want me."

"I do want you, Emma," Regina sighed. "I want you so badly it makes me feel like throwing up. It literally hurts how badly I want you. Lying in your arms, I just feel… so… safe."

"I feel safe with you too. It's difficult for me to trust people, but for some reason… I trust you."

This earned a bright smile from Regina, who was greatly uplifted by the words. It made her feel good to know that Emma was skeptical but trusted her anyway. It made her feel like she actually had a chance, which was a feeling she'd never had before. Up until that day, in her mind, there was no way she could ever have a relationship with the beautiful, wounded soldier. No way to mend the internal scars she'd caused by abandoning her to the care of someone else. All she could do now was thank whatever gods there were that Emma had been brave enough to dial her number.

"Gina?" Emma asked, snapping the woman out of her trance.

"Yeah. Sorry. I… I was just thinking."

"What were you thinking about?"

"I was thinking about why you called me. About how lucky I am that you did. About how sorry I am for what I did to you."

"Regina, stop. You've gotta let it go. Like I said, you're here now, and that's what matters. Don't make me keep saying it, okay? Neither of us should live in the past. Let's just… Let's move f-forward from this, okay? Let's… start fresh? A blank slate?"

"Complete blank?"

"If that's what you want."

"Alright," Regina agreed, extending her hand with a smile. "Hello, beautiful. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Regina Mills. I'm a rehabilitation nurse, and I like long walks on the beach."

Emma laughed at this, her mood brightened by the woman's words, and replied, "My name is Emma Swan, and I'm a d-disabled war veteran. I hate the beach, but I love animals. Especially dogs."

"I'm more of a cat person," Regina countered, trying not to laugh.

"Ugh! Cats are horrible. Hellbeasts, the lot of them."

"I'm just kidding," the brunette chuckled. "I love dogs. I wish I had one. Or two… Or three…"

"I'll be honest with you here. I want an entire flock of corgis."

"OH MY GOD! CORGIS!"

"RIGHT?!"

"So right!"

"What would you name them?"

"I'd name one Smith and one Wesson," Emma said, then paused when the woman didn't laugh. "You know… like the gun manufacturer?"

Finally, Regina got the joke and laughed.

"What about the name Ruger?"

"Like the gun manufacturer?" the blonde teased. When Regina nodded with a smile, she added, "Actually, I love that. Smith, Wesson, and Ruger."

"Oh, so we're having dogs together now?" the nurse teased back.

When Emma blushed, she leaned in and rubbed their noses together, encouraging the woman to smile again as she began to feel slightly less embarrassed.

As Regina pulled away, Emma asked shyly, "So… Do you kiss on the first date?"

"Depends on who I'm going on the date with."

"Um… Me?"

"Hmm… I suppose you're cute enough," Regina joked playfully, rubbing their noses together again.

The soldier didn't make a move, though, so the brunette leaned in a little further, cupped her chin in her hands, and caught her lips. The kiss seemed to go on forever, until at last, Regina put gentle pressure on Emma's shoulders until she was lying on her back with her head on one of the pillows. As soon as the blonde was sill, the nurse positioned herself so that she was straddling Emma's left thigh and connected their lips again. Without really meaning to and purely out of instinct, Emma reached around and pressed her palms into Regina's back, causing the woman to move her body closer.

When she felt the unintentional pressure of the nurse's thigh pressing against the space between her legs, Emma whimpered softly into the kiss. Slightly shocked and certainly surprised by this, Regina broke the kiss and quickly pulled away, looking down at their position.

"I… I'm sorry," she stammered, moving back to remove the pressure she'd accidentally applied.

Of course, Emma had covered her mouth as soon as she'd heard the embarrassing noise escape, and was a deep shade of red as she scrambled to sit up.

"No, I…" she tried, but was unable to finish the sentence.

"I'm sorry."

"D-Don't be sorry. I…"

"I didn't mean… I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay. I was just… It surprised me, and I…"

"I honestly didn't mean to. I was just… caught up in the moment, and didn't even notice until I heard you-"

"Oh, God," Emma groaned. "I'm so embarrassed."

"What? Why?"

"Because! I… It…"

"What, Emma?"

"It felt good, okay? And I haven't felt anything like that in a really long time. Since before I was deployed."

"Did… Did you have a girlfriend?" Regina asked shyly, sitting up fully and looking into Emma's eyes.

"Um… I… Well, not really…"

"What… What does that mean, exactly?"

"It was just a summer thing, really. I mean… I thought it was more, but when I told her I was going to be deployed in the fall, she, uh… she pretty much peaced out. Said she'd write and never did. I got over it pretty quickly. It's been almost three years since I've heard from her."

"Wow."

"Wow, what?"

"She made a big mistake."

"What?"

"Letting you go."

"Oh, I don't know about that."

"Why?"

"Because here I am, with you."

It was Regina's turn to blush as she looked away, but braved taking Emma's hand as she replied, "I'm very lucky."

"Nah," the blonde laughed. "I'm nothing special. You could do a lot better than me. Plenty of soldiers out there with both legs, if that's what you're into."

"I do have a thing for uniforms," the nurse confessed. "But only on you."

"Regina…"

"Don't. Don't say anything negative about yourself, okay? Just… Just let me…"

Instead of finishing her sentence, Regina leaned in and pressed their lips together, lighting a slow-burning fire between them.

After a while, the brunette mumbled, "Lie back down," against the woman's lips.

Emma obliged the request when Regina moved over and lay down with her head on the pillow once more. Regina wasted no time lying down beside her and curling into her side before turning Emma's head and kissing her again.

"We should sleep," the nurse finally muttered. "You've gotta be up early." Emma frowned but offered a sleepy nod, to which Regina added, "I'll bring you, if you want."

"You don't have to do-"

"I want to. Please let me? I'm not working tomorrow. I'll pick you up too, if that's okay, and if you don't have any other plans…"

"I'd… I'd l-love that, actually. Any excuse to see you is one I want to use."

"Oh, Emma," the brunette sighed. "You're too sweet."

"That's a new development," the woman chuckled.

"I doubt that highly. I think you went through a period of pain that you're starting to come out of, but I believe that this is who you've always been."

"I…"

"Am I right? That you've always been sweet, polite, and caring?"

"I mean… I guess so, but I-"

"I thought so. Now, let's get some sleep, yeah?"

Emma nodded and pulled the covers down then struggled her way underneath them.

"Um… Em?" Regina said quietly.

"Huh?"

"Aren't… Aren't you going to… you know… take… off… your… um…"

"You can call it a leg," Emma laughed. "Even though that's not really what it is."

"Your leg," Regina corrected herself with a blush.

"I, um…"

"Emma, it's not like I haven't seen you without it. You don't have to be embarrassed."

"But… it's different now. I wasn't… I wasn't…"

"What?"

"I wasn't in bed with you."

"Emma, I don't care. It doesn't matter to me. It doesn't shock me or make me uncomfortable, and it certainly doesn't turn me off."

"That implies that you're you're turned on," Emma taunted playfully, finally cracking a smile.

"I might be."

Regina winked and slid off the bed, standing next to where Emma was lying down. Slowly, she pulled the covers down and slid her hands down Emma's thighs, until her left hand reached the brace on the blonde's right leg. With careful tenderness, she began to loosen the straps as the soldier's heart raced and sputtered with anxiety. Like she'd said, it wasn't as though Regina hadn't done this before, but doing it while she was lying in bed was quite another thing. It was far more intimate, and it made Emma far more vulnerable.

"Wait," she started to say, but her former nurse had already removed the device and was leaning it against the nightstand.

"It's okay, baby girl," she cooed softly, brushing some hair out of the woman's face before circling the bed and slipping under the covers on the other side. "Don't be shy. It's just me, alright?"

"But you're-" the blonde started, but was completely stunned and caught off guard by the intimate term of endearment.

"Shh. Just relax, okay? Trust me."

Though she was still blushing, Emma nodded her head and allowed the nurse to curl against her side once more and drape her arm over her torso.

"I really do love how this feels," Regina sighed.

"What?"

"Your abs. Your muscles. Your skin. You…"

"Regina…"

"Emma, hush," the brunette sighed, shutting her eyes and drawing circles over Emma's stomach with her fingertips. "Just let me love you."

After a long pause filled with painful silence, the woman asked, "L-Love?"

"I… Well… Yeah. I mean… It's not like I'm here after all this time just because I think you're cute. It's because I care for you, deeply."

"Yeah, but love is… different…"

"Not really. Love is caring about someone so much that you'd give them anything. That you'd do anything to stop them from hurting. That you'd-"

"Regina."

"What?"

"You're making my heart race."

"I know. I can feel it." After another long, less-painful pause, she added, "Sleep, darling. We can talk in the morning. I'm not going anywhere."

With a heavy sigh and a contented smile, Emma reached over, flicked off the lamp, and shut her eyes. As they slept, Regina's grip on her tightened, and she pressed her body closer throughout the night, leaving her head on the blonde's chest.

For once, Emma didn't feel disabled. She felt strong.