AN: Another long hiatus, I know, I'm sorry! I'm going back to classes tomorrow as well, so the updates might not be increasing in frequency. But I'm grateful to those of you who are still with me and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

The drive had been a little ways from their hotel, close to an hour. Henry was navigating from his phone while Emma drove, but refusing to tell them where they were going. Emma had been content to let Henry have his surprise, but she could see Regina was growing anxious with the uncertainty. She had reached over and taken Regina's hand, feeling compelled to do something to soothe her. Regina had jumped a little, and Emma wasn't sure if she had made a mistake. But then Regina had given her a shy smile and twined her fingers with Emma's.

Regina's chest and face felt pleasantly warm at Emma showing her affection, simple as it was. And though she still felt uneasy not knowing what Henry was planning, she felt some of her anxiety relent with Emma's gentle touch. She looked out the window, watching the trees and beaches fly past as they drove along the stretch of the two lane highway. When she felt Emma's thumb caressing the back of her hand, she tried so hard to tamp down the grin spreading across her face. But it was in vain, and even though she was a little annoyed with herself for acting like an infatuated foal, she couldn't really bring herself to care that much about it. For once, she was going to just let herself be content, and try to ignore the niggling fears and doubts in her mind.

As it turned out, Henry did have something mischievous planned, because where they ended up spending their day was in Provincetown. In June. During a pride parade.

When they arrived, Emma had grinned at the plethora of rainbow flags, as well as many other pride flags, and the massive crowd of people. She was instantly aware of what must be happening in town that day, especially when they had to take a ten minute detour around side streets as the main roads were blocked off. Parking was a nightmare as well, and they ended up claiming one of the last few spaces in a tiny lot almost over a mile from the center of town.

They walked towards the crowds of people and they could feel the excitement coming from the masses. Regina smiled, enjoying the vibrant and positive energy surrounding them. She gently touched Emma's elbow to ask her attention, and when Emma turned to her she said, "Is this what I think it is?"

"A pride parade? It looks like one to me." Emma responded before calling to Henry who was a few steps ahead of them. When he looked back to her, shit eating grin spread firmly on his face, Emma asked, "Kid, how long have you been planning this?"

He shrugged, and said, "Honestly? Since you told me we'd be coming to Cape Cod. I was hoping a pride parade would hit the both of you over the head with enough gayness to make you realize you had feelings for each other."

Regina's eyebrows shot up at that, and Emma spluttered a little. Henry continued with his cheeky grin to say, "But you figured it out on your own. Which honestly is better, because now I don't have to spend the day giving you heavy handed hints and we can just enjoy the parade." Henry turned back around to jog a little with excitement toward the denser crowds that they were nearing.

"I suppose I should be relieved. I've been suspicious that he'd been up to something for a while now, but it could have been much more embarrassing than this." Regina said to Emma, taking in everything around them.

"And he's right," Emma added, "we can definitely enjoy the parade." As she spoke, she wound her arm around Regina's waist and snuggled against her side a little despite the heat of the summer.

Regina felt the increasingly familiar flush of warmth in her system, and reciprocated the touch, taking the opportunity to enjoy being able to do so. Raising her voice a little to be heard over the multitude of people and noises, she asked, "Have you been to one of these before?"

"Yeah, I went to Boston pride a couple of times when I was living there." Emma said, smiling as she observed the scene around them. "This looks like it'll be a good one."

"I'm excited." Regina said, "I've always wanted to go to a pride event. I've seen them on TV, read about them before."

Emma nodded, then added with a laugh, "Never thought to bring a parade to Storybrooke?"

Regina shrugged demurely. "I know I would have been in the perfect position to do so as the mayor. For a long time, even some time after the curse was broken, I was too consumed with my own hate and darkness to plan a celebration of love like this. And all these years later, I suppose I never felt comfortable revealing that side of myself to the townspeople."

"Oh. Yeah, I get that." Emma said, but she grew quieter.

Regina squeezed Emma's hand that was still on her hip, a questioning look on her face as she watched Emma chew her lip as she concentrated on something. Whatever it was, it was only a fleeting moment for Emma, because she turned an easy smile to Regina again in the next moment and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"Are you okay, Emma?" Regina said, now sporting her own slightly dopey smile from the kiss, but her concern still shown through. Perhaps she had said too much about her former self. Though it was only a small reference, it still could have served to remind Emma of the things she'd done and who she'd been.

While Regina worried about that, Emma thought about the best way to answer her. She understood very well Regina's reluctance to share her sexuality with the public. Emma had spent her own time in the closet. She had even receded somewhat into the closet when she moved back to Storybrooke. She'd mentioned her attraction to women a few times here and there to Ruby, and to Snow before she knew she was her mother. She'd rarely discussed it outside of those circles though. She understood a desire for privacy.

But she didn't want Regina to be ashamed of them. Or herself. She blew out a puff of air and said, "Yeah I'm okay. Hey, that stuff is behind us, right? We can enjoy today and just be happy we're here together." Then with a grin that let Regina know something truly corny was about to come out of Emma's mouth, she said, "We can just be proud of who we are and how far we've come."

Regina rolled her eyes, and she let out a put upon huff of a sigh when Emma tugged her closer and pressed several exuberant kisses to the side of her face. She couldn't stop herself from laughing, and she knew she was grinning ear to ear when Emma stopped kissing her and instead rested her chin on her shoulder. Normally she wouldn't be so fond of such public displays of affection, but something about the air around them, the crowd around them, Regina found she didn't mind much.

She tried to take Emma's attitude, and leave the past behind them. She wanted to have fun with her family. So, the three of them weaved their way through the mass of people slowly, enjoying the atmosphere and taking in everything there was to see.

They all ended up having a wonderful time. They found plenty of good food and even met some great people. Henry bought a shirt that said "I Love My Moms" and worn it for the entire rest of the event with a smile on his face that was only slightly smug.

The shirt had made Regina's cheeks heat up a little in embarrassment at having such attention drawn to her, but she couldn't deny the swell of joy in her heart at Henry loving her so freely and openly. Emma must have appreciated the sentiment as well because she had thrown her arm around Henry and insisted they all squish in together and take a selfie.

By the end of the day they were all exhausted, but content. When they finally made it back to their hotel later that night, everyone was ready to get into their pajamas. Henry excused himself to his room to read and relax, leaving Emma and Regina alone once more.

Regina had just emerged from the bathroom, dressed in a black, silk camisole and matching shorts. Her face was scrubbed clean of make up, and her feet were bare. She felt a blush creeping up her chest as she realized that once again, Emma's eyes were on her. But unlike the other morning when she had dismissed it, tonight she decided to embrace it.

She flicked her hair over her shoulder, placed one hand on her hip and smirked. Then she looked in Emma's eyes and she was met with the woman's bashful but steady gaze. Emma had changed into her own pajamas, and her blonde hair was tied up in a long ponytail. Regina watched as Emma ran her palms up and down the fabric of her cotton sweat pants along her thighs as she swallowed.

Emma bit her lip and looked down at her lap finally able to tear her gaze away from Regina. "Sorry." She mumbled.

"Why are you sorry, dear?" Regina asked, voice tinged with amusement.

"For staring?" Emma said with a little shrug.

Regina walked across the small room and sat next to Emma. She took her hand and said, "I don't mind. Especially now that I know I'm not losing my mind."

Emma turned her head to present Regina with a look of confusion, so Regina continued to explain, "Earlier this week, a couple of times, I could have sworn I caught you checking me out. It was maddening when I still believed that there was no chance you could return any of my affections. I wasn't sure if I was simply imagining things."

It was Emma's turn to blush. She rubbed the back of her neck with the hand Regina didn't still hold and said, "Yeah. You weren't imagining anything."

Regina quirked a brow. She knew now that Emma must have been eyeing her before, but she hadn't been sure if Emma had even been aware she'd been doing it.

Emma, seeming to read her mind supplied, "Well, I've always been attracted to you, Regina. I mean, Christ you're beautiful." Regina preened a little under the comment, not bothering to pretend she didn't know she was an attractive woman. Emma snorted as she seemed to recall something, then said, "God, do you remember how much eye sex we had when I first came to town? How anyone could think I'm not attracted to you, I don't know. How I ever pretended I wasn't attracted to you, I'll never have any idea either."

Regina resisted just barely the urge to beam with an arrogant pride at her ego being stroked even more. Instead she asked, "And what, pray tell, is eye sex?"

"You know. Like when people are essentially fucking each other with just a look. Like think back to all the times we got heated and up in each other's faces. Did you never think about what we'd be like together in those moments? I used to imagine just ripping your clothes off right there." Emma admitted.

"Really?" Regina purred, feeling heat spike in her body, pooling low in her abdomen. "Well, Emma, I can't say the thought never crossed my mind either."

Regina bit down on her lip and raked her eyes up and down Emma's form. The air between them was becoming heady and Emma's hand in hers started to take on a certain new significance. Regina let her eyes fall half shut, and her smirk grow a little more teasing as she thought about all the possibilities.

Emma squeezed her hand, and she leaned forward a little so that the space between their lips was smaller. Regina closed her eyes, thinking of all the times she had wanted so badly to be in this position with Emma Swan. She felt Emma sliding her hand to cup Regina's cheek.

"It's different now though." Emma said.

And, well, oh. It was as effective as dumping a bucket of ice water on her head, Regina mused. She pulled her head back and let go of Emma's hand. "I see." She whispered.

But Emma didn't stop there. She reached for Regina's hand once again and twined their fingers. "It's better, Regina. I mean if we had done anything back then, it would have been all about lust and screwing each other over as much as it would have been about just screwing each other. This is better, because as much as I still want to rip your clothes off, I also want to love you."

Regina drew in a sharp breath. And maybe it wasn't the same thing as hearing that Emma did love her, but it wasn't nothing either.

"I just, I need time." Emma continued to say. With a wry chuckle she added, "I know it's already been six years. But I got so lost. And everything got so twisted and wrong. And now I'm just starting to find out what right looks like, and I'm still not having the easiest time with it. I know it's probably the least romantic pitch ever, but, can you stay with me, while I find it?"

"Yes." Regina breathed out on a long sigh, and she thought nothing had ever sounded more romantic in her life. It was for the best anyway that they stop there tonight, Henry was still only just a door away. And Regina fully intended on keeping her promise.

Emma kissed her then. Regina responded enthusiastically, bringing their joined hands to rest over her heart as they continued to kiss, but they kept it mostly innocent. They pulled apart after a while, flushed and smiling at each other tentatively.

"Let's go out, on a date. Tomorrow night." Regina said, still breathing the same air as Emma where they stayed close together.

Emma chuckled a little, smile brightening, and she agreed readily.

The hour of their date arrived both surprisingly quickly, yet agonizingly slowly. Regina had wished she had given herself more time to plan, her nerves drawing her to find comfort in details and plans and schedules. But her excitement caused the day to drag.

After Emma had agreed to go out with her the night before, they had shared a few more sweet kisses, then retired to bed. Though Regina had only held Emma through the night once before, she found herself craving the feeling of her in her arms once again that night. She realized Emma was quickly becoming an addiction, and the few kisses and touches they'd shared already were chugging through her veins like a drug.

Still, as she slipped under the sheets of her own bed, and Emma did the same in hers, Regina knew this was the best decision. Emma was still figuring out what she wanted, who she wanted to be, and Regina wanted to give her all the space to do that. Literally and figuratively. Though Emma was choosing Regina now, and for all she hoped that Emma would continue to do so, she knew she was going to have to let this relationship grow at its own pace.

So Regina had snuggled into the covers and pillows of her bed feeling a lot more optimistic than she had in a while. When she'd woken up the next morning to another melody of quacking she had smiled brightly and felt that optimism still burning inside her.

She and Emma had spent their day exchanging shy smiles and gentle, subtle touches. Henry had rolled his eyes at them when looking at their "goofy, googly eyes" as he put it. Both women, still unsure of themselves, had consciously tried to tone it down a little after that.

When they had returned to their hotel in the evening after their afternoon of riding rented bikes down a scenic trail, Henry had asked them if he could go down to the hotel pool. With his permission granted, he grabbed a towel, his swim trunks, and made his way down to the pool.

Emma stood awkwardly in the middle of their shared room, one sneakered foot kicking the carpet occasionally. "So, do you still want to leave at 6:30?"

"Yes, I think that'll give us enough time to get ready, and enough time to get to the restaurant for our reservations." Regina answered as she sat down on her bed and began removing her own sneakers from her tired feet. She stretched her toes and flexed her foot a few times trying to work the soreness out of them. It had been a long time since she'd ridden a bike, and they'd done a lot of walking earlier in the day as well.

Emma watched the motions and was suddenly met with a wave of endearment as she did so. She knelt down on the floor by Regina's bed, just in front of the other woman, and gently grasped Regina's left foot. She peeled the sock off, Regina watching with curious eyes, and began kneading the sore muscles of Regina's foot.

"Oh" Regina made the sound without thinking, elongating the 'o' as she felt her shoulders sag and release some of the tension she had been carrying. Emma was skillful in her massage, and Regina found herself placing her hands on Emma's shoulders where she knelt in front of her to brace herself a little. She rolled her own shoulders and tipped her head back, as she let out another satisfied groan.

Emma's own head was dipped to focus on what she was doing, but she was smirking a little. She had wanted to make Regina feel good, to alleviate some of her soreness. She hadn't realized Regina would make sounds like that though. Emma knew she gave an amazing foot massage, but now she felt heat rising in her cheeks and pooling low in her stomach as she listened to Regina.

Regina for her part, was lost in the bliss of the foot rub, but not so lost that she couldn't identify the traces of arousal spiking through her system. She gripped Emma's shoulders a little tighter as she tried not to shift around too obviously at the throbbing that was starting at the apex of her thighs. She wasn't sure how long Emma had been rubbing her left foot, but the muscles felt pliant and relaxed when she switched to the right foot and continued the same treatment for that one as well.

Emma was trying her best to concentrate, but her focus was shifting. She still massaged Regina's foot, but she looked up a little, and pressed her lips to the inside of Regina's knee. Another kiss, and one more to the other knee, and Regina felt like she was on fire. She cupped Emma's cheeks and pulled her up a little straighter so that she could kiss her lips.

Emma brought her hands from Regina's foot to slide up the outsides of her thighs. She leaned into the kiss, and felt the heady sensation of tasting Regina's tongue. Emma whimpered a little when Regina pulled away, both women breathing hard.

"We have to stop." Regina said in a husky voice.

Emma, sounding a bit breathless herself, replied, "No fair. You started it." She turned where Regina was still cupping her cheeks and pressed a delicate kiss to her palm.

Regina chuckled a little, low but light, and said, "You started it. By touching me so wonderfully."

"That started out totally innocent. You made it dirty with all those lusty moans." Emma said with a grin that let Regina know she was being teased.

Regina laughed and didn't bother to deny it, but she was sure to tell Emma, "Lusty moans is a ridiculous phrase."

"Whatever. Besides, if you think that was wonderful, wait til I touch you in some other ways." Emma said as she waggled her eyebrows. But she removed her hands from Regina's legs, and stood from where she had been kneeling so she could sit on her bed and face Regina. Regina had said stop, and Emma had meant it the other day when she had said she needed more time. But she was finding she couldn't help her body's natural response to Regina.

"Hmm," Regina hummed as she reached across the small gap between their beds and took Emma's hands, "While I look forward to that, I think you were right yesterday. Also, if we start exploring some other ways right now, we'll never make dinner. And I want to take you out."

"Fair point." Emma conceded, swinging their joined hands a little out to the sides.

Reluctantly, Regina took her hands back and stood. She smoothed down her slightly rumpled athletic shirt, and ran her hand through her hair. "We have to leave in forty five minutes. I need to get ready."

Regina looked at Emma expectantly, and Emma raised her eyebrows in question. "What? You want me to leave?"

"Yes. I want to look nice for our date, Emma." Regina said coolly.

"You always look nice." Emma said, then looked away shyly when she realized what she'd said.

"Thank you," Regina said softly, feeling her heart beat a little faster at the compliment, "But still."

"Well I have to get dressed too, do you want me to hide in the bathroom for the next forty five minutes?"

"Don't be silly. Henry is down at the pool. You can get ready in his room." Regina said as she started rummaging through her bags to find everything she needed to get ready.

Emma watched her for a moment before deciding she didn't care that much. She stood, picked up her duffel, pecked Regina on the cheek, and went into Henry's room. Regina didn't bother to fight the grin spreading across her lips.

The easy, open affection felt like a balm on Regina's love weary soul. And the sweet words made it easier to chase away her mother's voice in her head, telling her that Emma could never love her, though it still came to her. And maybe Emma didn't love her yet, she hadn't said the words back to Regina, but Regina was starting to hope Emma could fall in love with her too. She had told Regina that's what she wanted after all.

Regina slipped into the shower and washed the sweat of the bike ride off of her as quickly as she could. She'd hoped she'd have more time to get ready, but the massage and the kisses had been too intimately delightful for her to regret.

In the adjoining room, Emma had also stepped into the shower stall in Henry's bathroom. She had tied her long curls up on top of her head in the hopes of keeping them from getting wet. They would never be dry in time for their date otherwise.

As she scrubbed at her skin, she felt like she was sloughing off a few layers of baggage. She would have to make sure to thank Ruby when they returned home to Storybrooke. This trip had been good for her. It gave her a chance to breathe again.

She let her mind wander, and it began to turn to Regina. She felt a little lighter still, thinking of the other woman, particularly in the moment they had just shared. It turned into slight frustration though, as she tried to sort through her brain to figure out how she felt. She knew she cared deeply for Regina. She knew she loved her as her family. She knew she had meant it the other night when she had said that Regina was her favorite person aside from Henry, and again last night when she had said she wanted to love her. So why did she still feel so mixed up and confused?

It made her question, not for the first time, how it took her so long to realize that maybe she and Regina could be something more. Every time she came back to the same answer. It had been six years of hell, sometimes literally; six years of trying to stay alive and save everyone around her. She'd had no time to ponder why Regina had always made her heart pound a little in her ears.

The further down this path of thought that Emma went, the more she realized there had been little signs that she might have seen before Regina confessed her love, had she paid them any mind. She'd already mentioned to Regina the instant attraction she'd felt for her when she'd met her the first time. She had spent a year wrangling in the intensity of it, but she supposed it never truly went away. There were also the prickling spikes of jealousy she'd felt when seeing Regina with Robin Hood. And her constant need to protect Regina. Her desire, both recent and past, to make Regina smile, to make her happy.

Emma leaned back against the shower wall and let the warm water wash over her. She was baffled by how clueless she'd been to her own heart. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. She was feeling the itch in her legs again, the itch to run. She cursed at herself, hating this age old instinct of hers.

She decided shutting the now almost hypnotizing shower spray off was the best idea. She stepped out of the shower stall, and grabbed one of the hotel's fluffy towels. She looked at herself in the mirror and she noticed something. The worry deep crinkle that had seemed to have taken up permanent residence between her eyebrows was gone.

She hadn't seen her face without it in so long, she had forgotten what it was like without it. She tried to remember the last time she'd seen her face looking so at peace, even with the confusion about her own feelings still churning inside her. She smiled at herself in the mirror, to see what that looked like as well. It felt, almost normal.

Henry's watch beeped on the counter top of the sink. He must have left it there, not wanting it to get wet in the pool. Emma picked it up and checked the time. 6:04

She set the watch back down and started rushing towards her clothes, and it dawned on her that she wanted very much to go on this date with Regina. She had wanted to when Regina asked her, but after her momentary panic in the shower, she had forgotten that detail. That she wanted this, wanted Regina, even if she knew she needed more time to unravel the knots in her thoughts. She just hoped Regina would continue to show her patience.

Chewing her lip a little, she picked her duffel bag up to find something to wear. She hadn't packed much that would be fitting for a date, but she was confident she could come up with something. She pulled one of her favorite dresses from the bag and smiled. It would be perfect.

Twenty minutes later, she had slipped into her dress, and was putting the finishing touches on her make up. She had opted for a subtle, yet slightly shimmery, gold color eye shadow, a touch of mascara, and a light strawberry colored lip balm.

Her hair she let fall in gentle, natural curls, and her dress fit comfortably snug. It was a lightweight cotton material. The top had a high neck, no sleeves, and black fabric covered her chest and shoulders. Just a little under her breasts the fabric became a deep, emerald green. The skirt of it was tight to her hips and landed about midway down her thighs.

She'd snuck into a pharmacy earlier that day and bought a pair of opaque black tights to throw under the dress. She was grateful she'd thought to pack the dress at all, having been unsure if Regina would want to go anywhere nice for dinner. She laughed at herself as she realized she couldn't have predicted Regina would have wanted that dinner to be a date.

She stepped out of the bathroom after giving herself a final once over. As she was sitting on the edge of Henry's bed, pulling her black suede heels on, the lock outside the room beeped, and seconds after the door handle turned open. Henry stepped into the room, his hair still wet from the pool, and a towel draped around his shoulders.

He startled a little bit at seeing Emma in his room, but a smile overtook him soon after.

"Hey Ma, you look really pretty." He said and he plopped down in one of the chairs facing his bed.

"You're such a sweet kid, Henry. How you came from me I'll never know." Emma gave him a look of pure affection, and Henry squirmed under it for just a second. He shrugged, but his smile only grew, and he grabbed his towel and used it to dry his hair some more.

Feeling insecurity overtake her again, the question was past Emma's lips before she could stop it. "Do you think I can do this, Henry?"

Henry looked back at her, his smile still easy, and he said, "What, a date with Mom? Of course you can. She loves you, like so much. You could probably show up in a lobster costume and she'd still have a great time. Besides, you love her too."

Emma's eyes went wide, but she didn't bother to correct him. She wasn't sure if she honestly could, but there was no point in bringing him into the whirling confusion in her mind. Instead she said, "It's that easy, is it?"

Henry shrugged at her again, and said, "It is if you let it be."

Emma smiled at her baby boy, so grown up but still so young. She knew it wouldn't be right to tell Henry she wasn't just questioning her ability to go on a date with Regina, he didn't need her doubts dumped on his shoulders.

She stood from the bed, and placed a kiss on his head. She laughed as he wiped strawberry lip balm off his forehead immediately after.

"You can call room service for dinner, okay, kid? It'll just go on our tab for the room so don't worry about it. Feel free to get yourself some dessert too, okay?"

"Thanks, Ma." Henry said and he dropped himself butt first on his bed and picked up the TV remote.

Planning on grabbing her brown leather jacket in case it got a little chilly after the sun went down, Emma decided she was ready. And it was already one minute past 6:30.

She took a deep breath, and knocked on the door between her and Regina.