A/N: Sorry I had to take down and repost this because everything came up in code... like WTF!? So... This is the new chapter. Hope you enjoy it. I swear I don't mean to drag this out and it's not supposed to be a slow burn, but I'm trying to figure out the right time to shove Regina's heart back in her chest without it feeling forced. Soon I promise... there will be better times, sexy times, happy times. Less sad times. Enjoy!
Regina found herself surrounded by large fluffy pillows. She was well rested and so comfortable, she almost didn't want to get out of bed but she knew she should be a good guest and spend time with the host. What decided it for her was the sound of music coming up the stairs from the kitchen, as well as the smell of bacon invading her sense. She got up, throwing on a large sleep shirt and her shorts before making her way downstairs.
The sight that greeted her was breathtaking. Emma was moving so freely around her kitchen, pans on the stove with eggs and bacon cooking. As they cooked, the blonde was making waffles and dancing to Mambo No. 5.
Regina stared at the woman; legs for days, disappearing beneath barely there shorts and a long tank top. Emma was dancing and singing to the song and it was the cutest and sexiest thing Regina had ever seen.
"So cute." Regina covered her mouth, she meant to only think those words. Emma turned around blushing.
"Good morning Gina."
"Good morning."
Emma took her phone, turning the music down a little. "How did you sleep?"
"Like a baby to be honest." Regina sat on the kitchen island, getting closer to the blonde as she continued to make breakfast.
"That's great! You deserve it." Emma put her hand on the older woman's shoulder. "Henry should be up in a few." She noticed that Regina was looking around nervously, fidgeting as she tried to distract herself. "You wanna help me?"
Regina smiled and nodded in relief. "Thank you Emma."
The two women worked around each other seamlessly, preparing the rest of breakfast together. It felt so natural, so domestic and just right.
The savior turned the music back up; Kiss by Prince came on and she couldn't help but move to the music. "Hey Gina?"
Regina turned away from making fresh orange juice. "Yes Emma?"
"Put down the orange and dance with me. Please."
"Emma I don't um…" Before she could refuse, she was pulled into a loose embrace, swaying her hips in time with the blondes as their bodies pressed closer together.
"I'm your true love, you can't say no to me." Emma chuckled in such a cute way that Regina almost melted in her grasp. Now the blonde laughed, noticing the blush on the other woman's neck. "You have amazing curves, a beautiful body and I can also tell from the last 30 seconds that you have absolutely no problem doing this." Emma leaned forward, ending her small speech with a light peck on those lips before her. Regina's hands tightened instinctively around toned arms.
"Emma." The Mayor breathed against the woman's lips. She leaned in, pressing her lips harder against Emma's. They stayed that way, deepening the kiss. Emma felt Regina's tongue lightly grazing her bottom lip, encouraging them to part for her and so she did. The clash of teeth and tongues sent shivers through their bodies, hitting both women low in their gut.
Emma pressed Regina against the counter, her hands moving down over the brunettes hips till cool fingertips ran down the back of Regina's bare thighs. In a second, the Mayor found herself being lifted onto the counter, gasping in surprise, but never once breaking their kiss.
"Moms!" Henry called from upstairs. The sound of their son's voice, tore the women away from each other almost violently, as though a bucket of cold water had been thrown on them. Emma quickly backed off, helping a panting Regina off the counter. Before Henry got to the kitchen, Emma leaned in and stole one more quick kiss.
"Hey!" He walked in smiling, beyond happy to see his mother there. "Mom!" He hugged her tight. "What's for breakfast?"
Regina wrapped her arms around Henry and although it was warm and real, it wasn't full of all the love she had inside her. She looked at Emma, trying to draw the right emotions from her true love. She tried so hard but she knew Henry would be able to tell. He always knew when something wasn't quite right.
Emma put her hand on Henry's shoulder. "Set the table kid. We're having a big breakfast today."
"Yum! Do you need help in here?"
"We got it kid."
"Really?" He eyed both women who looked back at him confused. "Looked like you were just sitting on the counter which… when did you start doing that?" He turned to Emma. "Don't even get me started on you."
"Um…" Regina wanted to run and hide. She really had no idea what to say. "We… um…"
"Look mom, let me help you out here; I came downstairs quietly and saw you two… yeah. I went back upstairs and called out giving you enough time to wrap it up. So you're together now?"
"Maybe we should talk about it after breakfast sweetie."
"How about over breakfast mom?"
Regina let out a breath she had been holding way too long. "Okay. Let's eat then."
Emma finished up breakfast while Henry and Regina awkwardly set the table in silence.
"Mom?"
Regina was stuck in her head; every insecurity and fear eating away at her. "I'm sorry Henry did you say something?"
"Just checking that you're okay. Kind of zoning out there."
"I'm okay sweetheart. A little embarrassed, but I'm fine. Thank you."
As if on cue, Emma came in with a big plate of eggs and bacon and a plate of waffles. "Time to eat!"
"Thank God." Regina mumbled under her breath.
The way Regina's fingers brushed along Emma's back as she walked past her didn't go unnoticed by their son.
"So you're kissing now?" Henry at least had the decency to wait till they were all seated; it didn't stop Emma from almost choking on her eggs. "Yeah I guess we are."
Regina kicked her shin. "Henry… we need to talk to you about something pretty important." She tried to draw as much strength from Emma who sat there holding her hand. "I don't have my heart right now. Inside my chest I mean." Regina looked away, almost in shame. She didn't expect Henry to get up and walk around to her. He pulled her so she was standing and hugged her like he had when he was ten. He had to crane his neck awkwardly since he was now much taller than her. "Henry." Tears fell steadily when she realized what her prince was doing. He put his ear over her heart, or where it should have been.
"I knew it." He wasn't mad or pushing her away like she thought he might; flashes of a ten year old boy running off to Boston still fresh in her memory. Emma knew. She had seen it when Regina shared her memories. "I knew something was different." Then he looked at Emma. "Wait, still doesn't explain why you two were kissing."
Regina conjured up the box that held her heart, handing it to Emma. As soon as the blonde took the organ out of the box, Regina sighed happily. Emma touched it and it glowed, pulsating light emanating from it.
"Henry, Emma and I are"
"True loves." He finished for her.
"Yeah we found out the other night at Granny's." Emma put the heart back carefully.
"Why don't you put your heart back?" He wondered why she wouldn't, he didn't understand. His mother finally had another chance. Why wouldn't she take it?
"It's complicated Henry. I just need a little more time."
"Kid, your mom just needs to figure some things out and her heart carries a little too much pain for her to deal with it right now, so soon after everything with Robin. You understand?" Two sets of deep brown eyes looked at Emma.
"To be completely honest, I don't." He turned to Regina, taking her hands in his. "You are seriously the strongest woman I've ever known. I really don't understand but I'll be here for you. I'll always support you and I'll always believe in you mom."
"Henry." She pulled him into the tightest hug she could manage, reaching for Emma who in turn wrapped her arms around the pair. Feeling Emma surrounding them made Regina feel like her heart wasn't just in her chest again, but filled with more love than ever.
Emma's stomach grumbling quickly reminded the family that they still needed to eat.
when they finally started eating their food, Emma looked to Henry. "So do you have any questions for your mom and I?"
Henry swallowed the large bite of food in his mouth. "Are you moving in together? Are you gonna date? IS this gonna be public knowledge? Am I gonna have a baby brother or sister? Do you love each other now or is that something that'll come later?"
"That's a lot of questions dude."
"You asked me if I had questions and those aren't even all of them."
Regina cleared her throat. "I love Emma."
Green eyes snapped up to meet Regina's. "You do?" Emma knew this but it was something else to actually hear the words come out of the Queen's mouth.
"It's the truth Emma. I do love you." Regina tried to will the furious blush from her cheeks. Then she looked back at Henry. "I want to date Emma. I want to see what happens when we give ourselves a chance at happiness. You do need to understand though… how scary it is for me. I… I really don't know what I would do if anything happened to her." She practically choked on the tail end of her sentence, emotions taking over.
"Hey." Emma put her hand over Regina's. "Nothing is gonna happen to me Regina."
She scoffed. "You can't know that. Life has a way of taking everything I love from me. Emma I can't lose you. I can't raise Henry alone. I can't do that."
At this point, Emma had pressed her forehead against the older woman's, her hands gently cupping the sides of her face. "I love you Gina. I can't promise you what you want because I know things happen. But I can promise you that I'll always fight to make sure I find you no matter what." Regina's soft exhale tickled Emma's lips. "We've been to hell and back Mills. You think I won't keep coming back to you? I'll always find a way."
Regina sniffled, fearing the tears that were slowly creeping down her cheeks. She hated crying in front of people. Emma must have read her mind because she rubbed the offending tears from Regina's face. "First off it was technically the underworld, not hell. Second… please stop quoting the two idiots."
"Shut up." Emma said playfully. Regina did as she was told, moving forward to press her lips against the Sheriff's. The brunette pulled Emma closer, moving her lips like a familiar dance that she could never forget, tasting cinnamon and chocolate on those lips.
"Um… moms?"
The women almost forgot that their son was sitting there. They didn't even hear him so he did what he knew would work, throwing a handful of eggs at the couple who instantly sprang apart.
"Henry Daniel Mills!" Regina looked at her son in shock. She had no words. "We don't throw food in this…" She was cut off by a piece of waffle hitting her. Only this time it came from the woman next to her.
"House?" Emma finished, looking as innocent as possible. "Technically, your Majesty, this is my house. Different rules here."
Henry doubled over in laughter until Regina stood, walking off and disappearing around the corner.
"So do you think that may have been too much?"
Henry shook his head, seeing his other mother returning with a devious grin on her face.
"No dear." Regina whispered against the Sheriff's ear. "Definitely not too much." Before Emma could say anything, Regina emptied a can of whipped cream on the mother son duo. When the can was empty, Regina laughed, a full belly laugh that lit up the room.
"You're so beautiful."
At this remark, Regina quickly sobered up. "You've looked better." She smiled, reaching her hand out to wipe a bit of cream off Emma's chin then licking her finger.
Emma took the glass of orange juice to her left and smiled sweetly in Regina's direction; but instead of doing what Regina thought she would, Emma poured the freshly squeezed juice over her son's head.
"Ma!" He shrieked, his voice cracking as he ran to the kitchen for more supplies.
Thirty minutes later, the family had definitely ruined Emma's entire kitchen. Luckily Regina was kind enough to help magic it back to the way it was. Now Henry was in his room while Regina and Emma found themselves in the blondes large bathroom.
"So.. bath or shower?" Emma wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.
"You trying to get me naked Emma?"
"Since I've met you Madam Mayor. Except now I know you wanna have me naked too." She wrapped her arms around Regina who smiled from ear to ear.
"How about I shower in the guest bathroom?" It almost seemed like she was retreating out of fear and that really made Emma nervous.
"We can use my bathroom Regina. We'll just take turns. It's okay I promise." Emma ran her fingers through dark, short hair.
"You're sure? I'm sorry… I'm just not ready for…"
"To be with anyone like that?" Emma was clearly insecure. The last person Regina was with was Robin and he just died. Maybe Regina blamed Emma a little.
"No Emma. I um… I want to have my heart when you and I… you know. I've been with people without my heart, I've been with people who didn't have theirs." She frowned, remembering Graham; another reason she didn't deserve the beautiful woman in front of her. "It's not something I want for you Emma. You deserve all of me, not just part of me. I want to give you everything but I'm not ready. Okay?"
Emma smiled and kissed Regina, pouring her heart into the kiss in hopes that Regina would feel her love. "I love you Regina Mills. I'd wait forever you."
"You promise."
"With all my heart."
Thank you so so much for reading this story. I promise it'll start picking up soon. I'm working on getting Regina's heart back where it belongs. Like… OMGEEEEE what was I thinking? I didn't and don't intend for this to be a slow burn, but I think the "drama" is necessary to move forward. Any who, let me know what you think, but reviews are not necessary. Also feel free to find me on IG! shelbelle1001 I post personal stuff, not really OUAT stuff, but I'm down to make new friends. lol.