Just a one shot that wouldn't leave me alone. I have updates for High School Drama that should be up soon, and I'm working on a few other things, too but in the mean time I'd love to know what you think!


Emma aimed her best fake smile at her parents, while silently cursing them for bringing her tonight. She knew they had been pushing her towards getting out more, but seriously, Mr and Mrs night at Grannies? Even Henry, who had taken to on occasion physically dragging her from the apartment wouldn't stoop that low.

She rolled her eyes at the number of happy couples in the room, glad only that one particular couple hadn't joined them that evening. It was bad enough seeing them hand in hand in the street. Or listening to Henry go on about how fun it was to be somewhat like a big brother to Roland. She even preferred it when he went on about Grace, trying to pretend he didn't have the biggest crush on her. That was where he was tonight, living the dreams of young love, and opening her night up for a whole lot of self pity.

With a sigh, she raised her nearly empty glass to her lips, downing the rest of the contents. At least if she got wasted tonight she would have David to carry her home, give him another one of those father-daughter moments he often complained about missing.

She put her glass down just as Regina walked in the door, complete with Robin's hand possessively on her waist as he appeared behind her. Brown eyes found hers across the room, but she was quick to break the shared glaze, pushing herself up from her seat and heading to the bar. She was met by her mother, who placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Emma, you have to get used to seeing them. You can't run away every time you're in the same room. This town isn't big enough."

The blonde let her head fall. "Let's see if the bar is big enough then," she mumbled.

"Why don't you come and sit with me and your father?" asked Snow.

Emma shook her head. "I'm just gonna set up at the end of the bar. I'll be able to chat to Granny between rounds."

With a sad smile, Snow nodded and left her daughter be. She knew by now that there was no talking to her on this. She simply had to be there for her.

Hook grinned as Emma took up the stool next to his.

"Don't" she growled before he could even speak. "I'm here because it's either this, or sitting next to my parents, and they only want me to do that so they can watch what I drink."

The rugged pirate gave her a shrug. "So you're choosing to sit next to someone who'll watch you as you drink rather than what you drink."

"Something like that," said Emma, gesturing to Ruby for another drink.

"Hey Ems, I'm playing along tonight with Belle, so I'll only be serving between rounds," said the waitress with an apologetic smile as she approached.

"Maybe Miss Swan and I can look after the bottle between rounds, then," added Hook.

Ruby cast a glance over towards Snow and Charming, who sat with concerned looks on their faces.

"It's this or I head back to the Rabbit Hole," said Emma with a shrug. "Since they don't seem to think I have a drinking problem."

Ruby reluctantly placed the bottle of rum between the pair. Hook expertly filled both their glasses, topping them off with a splash of coke.

"Look at her face," sighed Emma, as Robin got yet another question wrong. "And he doesn't even care!" She turned to Hook. "You know her better than he does!"

Through his rum filled haze, Hook couldn't help but agree. He had taken to pouring a double for every single Emma drank, seeing as he had to put up with her Regina based rants for the night.

"I can't do this anymore," said Emma, pushing herself to her feet. "I this is torture!" She stood, taking the few steps towards Regina and Robin's table. "You don't know a damn thing about her!" she said, facing the former thief.

"I'll ask that you don't pass judgement on my relationship with Regina, Swan," he scowled, pushing himself to his feet, his hands resting on the table as he leant into her personal space. "It's a few stupid questions," he shrugged. "You can't judge someone's relationship based on that! And what sort of position are you in to judge anyone's relationship?"

"Emma!" came her mother's scolding voice, even as Regina hissed at Robin in a very similar tone, her dark eyes flashing between the two.

The blonde gave a snort of laughter. "Yeah, it is trivial to judge someone's relationship based on a few 'stupid' questions, but you know what isn't trivial?" she demanded, not backing down a single inch. She pointed a single finger at the woman still seated silently at the table, whose cheeks we flushed red with embarrassment. "The look on her face every time you get one wrong." Emma pushed off of the table, running her hands through her hair as she continued. "How can you be lucky enough to have a chance with her, and not want to soak up every little bit of her existence?"

"I don't think I like what you're implying, Swan!" growled Robin.

"Oh, I'm not implying anything! I'm saying it loud and clear!" shouted Emma. "You don't know that woman sitting across the table from you for more than that she's an amazing mother to your son, and damn fine piece of ass!"

Robin let out a snarl, squaring up to her.

Over his shoulder, Emma could see David and even Hook jump to their feet, ready to come to her aid. She sincerely hoped they stayed precisely where they were, even if Robin decided to take a swing at her. At least then she'd have a reason to be in pain. She shook her head, lowering her voice as she stole a glance at Regina, who sat with tears gathering in her eyes. "If you really gave a damn, you'd know that the little things matter to her…that it matters to her that you know all the little things that make her who she is, and you love even more for them, not that you forget about them ten minutes after she's told you!" Emma found she was forced to stop and wipe tears from her own eyes and take a breath before continuing, now in a much quieter, more broken tone. "Because that," she sniffled. "That's how you'll break her. If you really knew her, you'd know what it takes for her to share those little pieces of herself with you, so for you to think that it doesn't matter that you can't remember the answers to a few 'stupid' questions…." She turned slamming her fist on the table, causing Regina to jump. "Granny, say the questions again."

"Emma…" came her mother's voice once more, carrying that same warning tone.

"Just say them," shouted Emma, standing to face the older woman. "Please."

Granny met the blonde's gaze, giving her a sad smile before nodding. "Favourite colour?"

Emma closed her eyes as she spoke. "Powder blue," she sniffled once more. "The same colour as her favourite riding jacket and the first onesie she ever bought Henry."

Fresh tears gathered in Regina's eyes as she nodded, refusing to meet Robin's eyes.

Granny waited for silence before she spoke again. "The one modern convenience they could never do without?"

"Power shower," Emma answered without hesitation, hearing Robin question the answer, but know without opening her eyes that Regina would be nodding.

"Their guilty pleasure?" asked Granny.

Emma managed a water chuckle before speaking her answer. "80s dance music." A small smile remained on her lips as she remembered walking into Regina's kitchen one day to find the brunette dancing along to 'Girl's Just Wanna Have Fun' as she tended to the contents to various pots on the stove.

Smiling sadly at the heartbroken blonde in front of her, Granny kept the questions coming. "Their favourite thing to have someone else to for them?"

At this, Emma paused. It was between having her hair brushed, and her feet rubbed. Unbidden, a memory of Regina practically purring a she dragged the brush through her soft locks. "Brush her hair," she breathed, opening her eyes to look at Regina, watching as that glossy dark hair bobbed as the woman nodded. "100 strokes," Emma added, getting a watery smile. "No more, no less."

"One thing they'd never admit out loud?"

"How much those damn shoes hurt her feet," answered Emma, watching as Robin continued to frown at Regina as she once more nodded.

"And finally," came Granny's voice. "The most well thumbed book on their bookshelf."

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Emma spoke. "Christina Rossetti. The little red bound book." Waiting until brown eyes met her own, she continued in a much softer tone. "For verily love knows not 'mine' or 'thine;'/With separate 'I' and 'thou' free love has done,/For one is both and both are one in love:/Rich love knows nought of 'thine that is not mine;'/Both have the strength and both the length thereof,/Both of us, of the love which makes us one..."

Tears spilled freely down Regina's cheeks as she took in the words coming out of Emma's mouth. She let her gaze fall to her hands, which rested on the table, finding it easier than meeting the eyes of the heartbroken blonde or the furious brunette at her table.

Taking a deep breath, Emma wiped her eyes on her sleeve. She kept her eyes on Regina, her voice strangled as she fought sobs. "I'm so sorry. But I just couldn't sit there and watch without saying anything." She ran her hands through her hair, before turning on her heel and making a hurried break for the door.

"Regina?"

The brunette looked up at Robin, tears in her eyes.

"What the hell was that?"

She looked up at him, her face contorting with anguish. "I can't do this. I'm sorry. I am so sorry!" She stood, pushing her chair back, not even pausing when it fell to the floor with a clatter. She ran out of the diner, her breath coming in shallow gasps as she sobbed. On the sidewalk outside of the diner, her breath caught in her throat at the sight of the long figure walking down the street in the lamplight. "Emma," she breathed, her feet moving before she could even think it. Taking a deep breath, she called out to the blonde, her voice stronger this time.

Emma turned on hearing the familiar voice, but wasn't prepared for finding the woman it belonged to practically throwing herself into her arms as she crushed their lips together. She moaned into the kiss, not hesitating for a moment before responding. This was her happy ending, and she knew it. This frustrating, beautiful, maddening, wonderful woman in her arms.

"I'm so sorry," Regina breathed when they finally had to pull back for air.

Emma shook her head. "Don't be sorry," she whispered, placing a kiss to the older woman's forehead. "You had a whole year with him, a year when you gave me the most amazing memories, and a good life with Henry," breathed the blonde. "And I'm sorry for what I did tonight, but I couldn't just sit there and not say anything. When I remembered...I felt like I was going insane, having to watch you and him together..."

"I should never have let that continue," said Regina shaking her head. "But with Tink and everyone saying he was my chance, I felt like I had to try..." She cupped Emma's face in her hands. "Even when I knew in my heart I had shipped my chance off to New York in a yellow tin can with my son and a head full of false memories."

"And yet I just couldn't stay away," smiled Emma. "You know, when I remembered everything, when the curse, if I can even call it that, was broken, it wasn't my parents I remembered first. She let her hands slide into silky smooth hair. "It was you."

Regina leant in to the touch. "We can never just make it easy, can we?"

Emma chuckled. "Are you kidding? If it was easy, we wouldn't know what to do with ourselves."

"But maybe," started Regina. "Maybe we could try and make it easy for a while?"

"You think the world's going to let us?" asked Emma, even as she yearned for the idea.

"We've done the impossible before," smiled Regina.

Grinning back, Emma leant their foreheads together. "I think we're the impossible couple."

Regina shook her head. "No, we're making us possible. I'm not spending one more day without you."

"Finally, something we agree on," smiled Emma as she leant in to press their lips together once more.