What I'd Give, an once upon a time fanfic

All the threats were gone, Emma was still the dark one, but no one really gave a crap about that, everyone would come up to her as if her were the Savior and sheriff and talk to her as if nothing happened.

She was enjoying coffee and pancakes in the diner with Regina and Henry when Robin came in, a bunch of wild flowers, that looked more like weeds to Emma then anything else, but seeing Regina's face light up at the sight of her boyfriend, made her appetite go away.

Standing slowly, she fished some bills from her pocket, covering their meals and she nodded politely at them all, except Robin, before poofing away.

Emma sighed to herself as she sat at the dock on 'their' bench.

Stepping up to the door of Regina's mansion, she rang the doorbell and waited, typical movie night with Regina, Henry, and herself.

Henry opened the door far enough for Emma to see Regina and Robin talking closely, their lips almost touching.

She coughed and handed Henry the tin-case that held the Buffy series. "Here, Kid." She said playing on her best sick sounding voice. "Not feeling so good, you and your mum will have to watch it without me." She said with a soft smile before turning away, poofing before Henry could say anything, he turned and glared at Robin, knowing exactly why his blonde mother was acting weird, slamming the door behind him, he ran up the stairs as he saw Robin and Regina jump apart.

Emma thought as she replayed Regina's faces in her mind, her heart crumpled as she remembered seeing how happy the brunette was every time Robin was around.

She thought about the time they were both caught up in drinking and talking that neither could drive home and using magic was just too risky with the alcohol in her system, by the time they mentioned about parting ways for the night, Emma sighed when she saw that Regina already had her phone out, dialing Robin's number. What I'd give to take you home. Emma downed another shot, thankful she was already in her own home. But Regina had to get home to Henry. She offered Regina a coffee, but the woman declined it, saying that she'd get Robin to make her one with a breakfast of eggs in the morning after a long night of cuddling.

She thought back to the time they were in Camelot, the way Regina tried so hard to keep the darkness from taking over her.

The way she watched Robin and Regina dance. The way she wished she could cut in and pull her away from Robin like two teens who were on a sugar high and wanted to dance together.

She wanted to make Regina hers, so desperately wanted to make her smile, help her feel better when she was sick, give her all the blankets when she was cold.

Emma kicked a rock up the street, her hands tucked deep into her jacket pockets as she watched the ground, a sigh pushing air out, making her see her own breath in the cold air billowing around her.

She looked up as she cleared her throat and her eyes zeroed in on a flyer on the bulletin board outside The Rabbit Hole.

Open Mic Night/Karaoke Night.
At The Rabbit Hole.
Friday and Saturday.
30th and 31st of October.
Dress Up For Halloween

Kids Allowed (Downstairs) Before 9pm.
Haunted House Upstairs To Keep Them Entertained.

Emma smiled and knew exactly what she'd be doing to confess her crush on her son's other mother.

She took a photo on her phone, adding it to a new message.

Henry, you should get your mother out of the house. Make her dress up.

A reply came back almost instantly, making her smile.

Totally in on this idea, see what I can do :)

Can you drop your book off at my house?

Of course, I can be there in 10, see you then?

I'll be there.

Emma spent the whole afternoon looking at The Book. The one that changed her life. The one that helped her find her parents, her son.

Smiling, she found the perfect thing to wear, waving a hand, she transformed her outfit and her looks.

Grabbing the guitar off the rack, she was glad she taught herself how to play during her time at one of her decent foster homes, as she was announced under anonymous name, and she stepped up onto the stage, unnoticeable without her blonde hair and the mask on. She searched the audience, her eyes locking onto Regina who was looking up at the stage, an arm over Henry's shoulder, Regina looked breathtaking in her white dress, it reminded Emma of the one she wore when Hook took her horse riding why they were in Camelot.

"Uh, I'm new at performing infront of people, so I apologize if I sound like a dying cat." She chuckled, as did a few people.. That was the only way anyone could tell who it was, her voice.

Without much of a pause, she threw the guitar strap over her head and cleared her throat before her fingers slid over the frets and chords with ease, not long before she started singing, her voice making everyone stop their conversations and stare.

"What I'd give to bring you flowers.
What I'd give to get you alone.
What I'd give to bring a smile across your face.
What I'd give to take you home.
What I'd give to make you coffee.
Find out how you like your eggs.
Wrapped around you in the mornin'.
A tangled lace of arms and legs.

What I'd give to let you love me.
Find out everything that brings you joy.
Wake up to your face above me.
I'd be that girl and you could be that boy.
Find out why that feelin' is...
Oh, what I'd give. What I'd give."

She never took her eyes off Regina, even when the brunette was distracted from watching her by grabbing her drink off Robin.

"What I'd give to take you dancin'.
What I'd give to make you mine.
If you got questions, I got answers.
And my answer's "yes" to you every time.
What I'd give for just one minute.
What I'd give to count all the ways
If your heart was dark with nothing in it.
I'd give you mine and take your place.

When she finished, people applauded, whistled and cheered, and she blushed at the attention and headed off stage as the emcee announced the next singer.

Walking over to the bar, she ordered a whiskey and downed the shot taking the mask off.

"Well done, Miss Swan." Regina smiled, setting her glass on the bar.

"Did you like it?" Emma asked nervously.

"Loved it." Regina winked and headed off again.

"Hey, Ma. You did amazing up there, I didn't know you could play." Henry beamed, sitting on the stool beside her, being the designated driver and also, two years under the legal age to drink, he showed his wrist band to the bartender and ordered a coke.

"Thanks, Kid. You getting up there?" She teased and nudged him.

"Ha, no way, I'll save the performing for you and Mum, she signed up, she's good too, you may just gave some competition." He teased.

Emma coughed, choking on the drink as she processed what Henry said. "Regina sings?"

"She's been singing for years, but, mostly just shower stuff and lullaby's, some in Spanish, it's really cool." He smiled. "I like when she gets happy and I come home to her singing as she cooks." He sipped his drink and turned on the stool as Regina was announced, she stared up at the stage.

Regina looked like a goddess, she reminded Emma of the episode of Charmed that they were Goddesses. With her hair out, hanging over her shoulders.

Regina looked AMAZING! Emma's breath caught in her throat as she stood, taking a few steps closer after sliding off her stool.

"I'm nothing compared to Emma's singing just then, but I will try." Regina smiled softly as a few chuckled.

When she started singing, it was like the song was made just from the summer they took Henry out of Storybrooke, he ended up falling asleep early after a movie, so they snuck out like they were afraid to get caught and laid out on the dock, talking, drinking, laughing, Emma had never felt so alive.

They had gotten drunk and made out like horny teenagers, and that's what made Emma know her feelings were just a silly lusting for Regina.

But when Emma tried to talk about it, Regina had said that it was a mistake, their night of passion was all just because they missed Hook and Hood.

When they'd gotten home, the first thing Emma had done was break up with the pirate. Whom was very understanding.

The lyrics hit Emma like a tonne of bricks.

We met down at the floatin' dock
She snuck out scared, she might get caught
We were nervous, but it was worth it

There was no such thing as consequence
With her in my arms it finally made sense
In that moonlight, I saw her tan lines

Every time my feet are danglin' in the water
I can't help but think about her
Lyin' there with her wet hair
Didn't know what we were doin' but we didn't care
That old wooden dock was warm on our backs
T-shirt for a pillow and just like that
She kissed me like she meant forever
We were too damn young to know any better

The fog rolled in, she said "I better go"
She took my t-shirt and wore it home
A memory, a souvenir she could keep

So I stayed and watched that sunrise
Like it was wakin' up my life
To what love was, I can still see us

They weren't young, but they felt it. Emma knew Regina felt it too as soon as she heard the words to the song Regina had picked. She looked at Henry as the song finished when he'd grabbed her arm, and he smiled softly. "She broke up with Robin the other day, he was just trying to be nice by buying her a drink earlier, go, see her." He said watching as his brunette mother headed off the stage as the whole bar was clapping.

"Regina." Emma said as she grabbed the brunette's wrist as she was just about to walk out of the bar, the night was ending for most of the parents cause the younger kids had to go home, which meant, Regina wanted to get Henry home and marathon Halloween themed movies, and The Addams Family. "Y-You.. That was.. Amazing."

"Thank you, Dear. But I can't say that I did any better then you did, you really connected with .. Everyone." Regina said with a soft smile and hugged herself, rubbing her biceps, feeling the night air cool her down quickly now she wasn't surrounded by people.

Emma quickly took her fake-fur, long coat off and put it around Regina's shoulders with a soft smile, subtly inhaling the apples and vanilla scent that Regina seemed to always have a slight smell off, more so when she did some magic.

Emma's heart skipped and she stepped back quickly, looking down. "The song, it kinda reminded me of-"

"The cabin out of town. I know. I was hoping it would." Regina stepped closer to Emma smiling softly, she leaned up, pressing a soft kiss to Emma's lips. "Goodnight, Dear." Regina said before she walked over to the car that Henry had idling, warming it up, leaving Emma to her shocked thoughts.

Emma woke the next morning, her head pounding, she shouldn't of stayed up all hours of the night tossing and turning, trying to figure out what everything meant, she wanted to ask Regina out. She was the dark one for fucks sake, how was this so hard to ask someone out when Internet Explorer was brave enough to ask if it could be her default browser.

Getting up and heading over to the bathroom, she stepped into the shower after stripping off and leaned upon the wall as she directed the shower head towards her, too exhausted to move at the moment.

What she'd give for a decent Starbucks Coffee right then.

Rolling her eyes, she waved a hand, clean, dressed in her old style of clothes, her hair falling around her shoulders, and two coffee's appearing on a take-away tray, grabbing them both, she sipped one as she poofed to Regina's office, not bothering with knocking, she cast a quick heating spell on the other coffee before setting it on Regina's desk, grabbing a post-it note.

"Meet me at our spot? xo -Em"

She stuck the note to the cup and poofed away again.

It was twenty minutes later as she was finishing off the last of her coffee that she sensed Regina's magic.

She looked up at smiled softly at the brunette, "I was beginning to think you weren't going to show." Emma said softly as Regina sat beside her.

"I debated it for a while, then took a sip of the coffee.. This isn't Granny's coffee. What is this?"

"Starbucks." Emma chuckled. "If it weren't for the fact this town was cursed, I'd say to get one here." Emma said as she ran a finger over the back of Emma's hand. "Why did you leave last night? We could of spoken." She asked, her voice soft, almost as if she were terrified of the outcome.

Regina looked at Emma shocked at how the blonde had changed. Showing her vulnerable side for once.

"I thought it was clear, the song, the kiss, breaking up with Robin.."

"Come away with me this weekend, please." Emma said, turning to face Regina, resting a hand on the back of the bench.

"And where are you going to take me?" Regina asked with a smile, shifting a little bit closer to the blonde.

"the cabin," Emma said simply.

"if you insist, Dear, I must say, I have been wanting to take you back there." Regina said with a slight blush tinting her cheeks.

"Then it's settled," Emma said with finality. "You, me, this weekend, no Henry, no magic, nothing stopping us from exploring... Us." She smiled.

That weekend, Emma parked her beat up yellow bug infront of Regina's mansion just as Regina's was stepping out of the house, turning to kiss Henry's cheek goodbye, Emma threw a wave to their son and smiled as she got out of the bug, opening the passenger door with her magic as she met Regina at the end of the footpath, grabbing the brunettes bag for her, loading it into the back seat next to her own.

"Bye, Moms!" Henry called and waved to them before heading back inside, already on the phone to his friends to plan some things.

"He's going to throw a party, isn't he?" Regina asked as she watched the blonde enter the car and start it, pulling away from the curb.

"No, cause Ruby is watching him, anything happens and she'll message us. Anything emergency related and that'll be the only phone call we shall receive," Emma smiled, holding her hand out towards Regina.

Getting the less then subtle hint, Regina slipped her hand into Emma's and linked their fingers, already starting to relax, knowing that Emma had put so much thought into this weekend away.

Emma parked the car in front of the cabin, watching put the window for a few seconds as a few birds took flight before she slowly pulled her hand away from Regina's.

"Do you want to unlock the cabin? I'll get the bags." Emma smiled, handing Regina the keys to the cabin, climbing out of the car, stretching and twisting, this being the only time she's stretched since putting Regina's bags in the beetle, five hours ago.

Regina had fallen asleep about an hour into the drive and Emma had a full tank of gas and a water and some snacks, so stopping wasn't needed. Twenty minutes before they got there, Regina had woken, taking the blondes hand once more, which made Emma jump a little cause Regina was so quiet.

That lead to Regina teasing Emma about how the dark one was scare by a simple hand holding, making Emma act like a kicked puppy and sulk for a minute until Regina had leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"Emma," Regina called from inside the cabin, pulling the blonde from her thoughts, making her grab the bags and kick the door shut, putting a little more speed into her step to get to Regina quicker.

"Yes?" Emma smiled innocently.

"We just got here, how on earth is the cabin fully stocked?" Regina questioned.

"Ah, well, I wasn't actually sick the other day." Emma chuckled nervously. "I came out here and checked on what was needed, I had to make sure we wouldn't starve," she blushed a little.

"Don't worry, it's all healthy food, I promise, there's fruit, vegetables, soup, actual cooking stuff..." Emma's shrugged.

"That's... Really thoughtful, Emma." Regina smiled, leaning up for a kiss.

Emma set the bags down and bent down an inch to meet Regina's lips with her own, and her heart rate picked up as their lips connected.

Regina smiled against Emma's lips and bought her arms up, draping them over Emma's shoulders.

Emma wrapped her arms around Regina's waist, lifting her up of the ground, setting her on the kitchen island, stepping between the brunettes legs.

Regina wrapped her legs around Emma's waist, pulling the blonde against her,not breaking the kiss as she tugged at Emma's jacket's belt.

Emma undid her jacket quickly, the item slipping off her muscular arms, she brought her hands to Regina's shirt, the kiss breaking long enough for it to be yanked lightly over her head, the brunette locks flipping down into place around her shoulders.

Emma took a breath, her heart slamming hard within her chest as she looked at Regina's body, finding the slight roll of body fat absolutely adorable, she poked it.

Regina rose an eyebrow, looking down at her stomach as she saw Emma's smile and felt the prodding of her long finger jabbing her stomach. "That's entirely the wrong spot to be poking, Miss Swan." Regina said in a warning tone.

"Oh?" Emma asked, her tone slightly challenging. "There's no magic here, Regina, what're you going to do?"

"This." Regina said and pounced on Emma, making her fall over the back of the couch which she was suddenly thankful for, a slight roll made her somehow land on top of Regina.

grinning, Emma straddled Regina's waist and pulled her own shirt off, them both equally clothed in just a bra, their pants, and shoes.

"I poked you," Emma started, as she pinned Regina's arms above her head. "Because the way you were sitting made you have a belly roll, and I found it beautiful," Emma admitted and leaned down, kissing Regina slowly. "Like the rest of you, you're so beautiful, and flawless, and... I like you a lot."

"I like you a lot too, Emma." Regina smiled, her hands shifting to link into Emma's own, staying above her head.

"Regina, that night we were here, when we were down by the water, I felt something, and I couldn't really explain it, not until I realised what it was. It wasn't some drunken night we'd hardly remember, cause I remember every detail, I remember kissing your freckle on your hip, and watching the stars as you mapped out my body and made me shiver in ways that I'd never thought possible, and the way you smiled after our first kiss, it made my heart skip, and made me realise... I'm in love with you. The way that Romeo loved Juliet, or Marge loves Homer, I love you." She took a breath, watching the way Regina smiled even as her eyes watered.

"Regina Mills, I, Emma Swan. Am in love with you." Emma grinned like a fool, leaning down to meet Regina halfway for a kiss.

"I love you too, Emma, somehow," she chuckled watching the playful look of hurt cross Emma's features. "Since that night, there's only been one constant thing on my mind. You. I want to wake up beside you, taking in your beauty as the mornings sun is peaking through the curtains, the light streaming across your body. I want to look at you when I wake, cause when we laid down on that dock, my soul saw yours and I knew.. You were.. You are the one, Emma." She took a shaky breath before continuing. "I want to hold you when we sleep, Emma. I want to let your parents know that I'm here for you, I want them to know I'm good enough for you- Don't interrupt me, Miss Swan." Regina said as she saw Emma was about to say something, but the blondes jaw snapped shut once more, "I want to become friends with your brother, and joke about things, other then the obvious, with your parents, I want to make you smile, and laugh. And I want to be your strength, when you're feeling weak, and your shoulder to cry and lean on to keep you up when you're feeling down. I want to be the one you can come to with your problems, I want to help you through them, like you help me, regardless of what's going on, you're always there for me."

Regina reached up, wiping a tear off Emma's cheek before continuing.

"Emma, if we're fighting, I don't want you or I to walk away, unless we're going to the room to calm down, I want us to work through whatever our problem is, pretending to forget what happened the second we woke up, was a mistake, but getting you back, has given me a second chance, to prove I'm worthy, to prove I'm good enough, to be there for you, and one day get down on bended knee for you, and ask you to be mine for all eternity. But for now, all I ask, is to be yours, for as long as you'll have me, I don't want to lose you."

"I'm yours." Emma answered with a crack in her voice before she surged down, kissing Regina passionately.

Regina pulled herself up out of the water onto the jetti, smiling when she saw Emma standing with the towel open for her, she stood, stepping closer to the blonde. "I didn't want to wake you," she said with an apologetic tone.

"My stomach did," Emma shrugged and smiled. "And also, my arms were missing you,"

"Next time, we move to the bedroom before falling asleep, that lounge isn't the best for comfort."

"I didn't notice." Emma winked, wrapping an arm around Regina's waist. "I was too caught up in the beauty of you in orgasm."

Regina blushed, watching Emma for a second before she shook her head. "You're a charming, that's for sure."

Emma laughed, a hand coming down to hold her stomach as she doubled over. "Not even a day into us and you already mentioned my genetics. I owe Henry fifty bucks."

"How long did he say?"

"He said the first twenty four hours. I guess the weekend," Emma smiled, holding the door open so Regina could enter the cabin first, "I'll make us a salad, why don't you have a shower and then, when you're done, you can cook some steak, and I'll shower, and then-" she trailed off as Regina dropped the towel and her swimsuit barely three steps into the back door. "I-I.. Food."

"Problem?" Regina asked with a smirk, "Cat got your tongue?"

"Hm?" Emma blushed, her eyes taking over Regina's body. "Pussy on my tongue?" Emma asked confused.

"Would you like to shower with new, Emma? Save some water."

"Will it be cold? Cause I don't think I'll be able to resist you," she said truthfully.

"Who said you had to resist me? I'm yours, dear." Regina smiled softly and pulled Emma's hoodie off, kissing her as she palmed the bare breast.

Emma moaned against her lips and kicked the door shut, picking Regina up as she pushed her sweat pants off, pulling her feet from them as she carried Regina towards the bathroom that was connected to the room they were supposed to be staying in, she could already feel her arousal growing. With Regina being there, kissing her, the nakedness wasn't even a thought in that time, Emma was already ready for Regina from the second she woke from the nap after their afternoon sexcapades on the lounge.

Regina pulled the pan off the heat and carried it to the kitchen island where Emma was waiting with the two plates. both of them in the most minimal clothing they had, a shirt and their underwear.

Putting the steak onto a plate, Regina set the pan into the sink as Emma cut the large piece of meat in half and put it on the second plate before putting salad onto her own plate, sliding the bowl closer to Regina's plate so she could dish up her own salad.

Emma started cutting up her steak as she waited for Regina to sit and serve herself, she took a small bite coupled with some salad, she chewed as she turned in her seat to look at Regina.

Swallowing hard, Emma realized the domesticity of it all and she covered her mouth as she coughed, half choking on her bite, she got up, grabbing a water from the fridge, downing half the bottle in one go before she grabbed a second bottle, putting it in front of Regina's plate as she sat back down.

"Are you alright, Dear?" Regina asked softly and leaned over, rubbing Emma's back.

"Yeah, I uhm.. I just realized something."

"Oh? What's that?" Regina smiled softly.

"The whole.. preparing dinner, me bringing you your towel, willing to ignore all my commitment issues.. for you.. I love you." She smiled, leaning in to kiss Regina's cheek.

"Running has crossed your mind, hasn't it?" Regina asked nervously.

"Actually, no, this is the first time I've noticed, that when I'm with you, running doesn't even come into my thoughts, I like it here. I like Storybrooke, I like our movie nights with Henry, I feel... Like I'm At Home." Emma admitted and watched as Regina's shoulders sagged in relief.

"I was about ready to murder you if you were thinking of running." Regina chuckled.

Emma laughed and shook her head. "I'm good, here. With you." She said softly and leaned over, kissing Regina once more before they continued to eat their meal in a comfortable silence.