Song: "Stay" by Sugarland

I know I haven't updated my other fic but I was listening this song and this idea popped into my head and wouldn't let me focus on 'Stay Strong', so hopefully now that this is written I can write a new chapter... As always I don't own OUAT or characters, story is no beta read all mistakes mine. Please leave a comment with your thoughts! Thanks!

"I've been sittin' here, starin' at the clock on the wall

And I've been layin' here, prayin'

Prayin' she won't call

It's just another call from home, and you'll get it

And be gone, and I'll be cryin' "

Emma has been sitting in the diner staring the clock waiting for Regina to finally show up. They had planned to have dinner together, just talk and spend some time together. Emma sighed and watched the minute hand on the clock move again. Emma heard her phone buzz on the table and checked the message.

Regina- "Em. I'm so sorry. Robin dragged me and Roland into the woods for one of the merry men's birthday celebration. I promise I'll make this up to you."

Emma didn't even bother responding. This is the third time that Regina has chosen Robin over her.

Emma wants to cry but knows it would draw too much attention. Regina refuses to admit that they are dating, were dating. Emma hates feeling like the other woman, knowing that Regina kisses, holds hands, and spends her time with Robin breaks her heart. She hates that Regina is giving Robin a chance because of some stupid fairy dust that pointed to a man with a tattoo almost 30 years ago. Emma hates that she practically needs to beg in order to spend time with Regina.

"And I'll be beggin' you, baby

Beg you not to leave

But I'll be left here waitin'

My heart on my sleeve

Oh, for the next time we'll be here

Seems like a million years, and I think I'm dyin'"

Emma leaves the diner after paying for her hot chocolate and goes back to her apartment, alone. With Henry living back at the manor almost full time Emma only really sees Henry on weekends and when she picks him up every other day from school.

Emma forgoes dinner again tonight and lays in bed wondering what more can she do, what can she do to make Regina see that she loves her, that she is there for her?

What do I have to do to make you see
She can't love you like me?

Regina knows that she is hurting Emma. She can see it in her eyes when she walks into Granny's holding Robin's hand, she sees it when Emma drops Henry off at the mansion and hears Robin's voice in the background, she sees it when someone mentions how good of friends she and Regina are, or when someone discusses Regina's relationship with Robin; she hears it in her voice when she pretends not to care that Regina's canceled on her yet again. Regina knows she's hurting Emma, but she can't bare the thought of losing her. Robin is supposed to be her soul mate, she never anticipated Emma would be anything more than a friend and her sons other mother. Regina knows that Emma is hurting, she knows that Emma wants more, she knows she's hurting Emma.

Why don't you stay?
I'm down on my knees
I'm so tired of bein' lonely
Don't I give you what you need?
When she calls you to go
There is one thing you should know
We don't have to live this way
Baby, why don't you stay?

Emma is sitting on her couch after work and is drinking a glass, bottle, of whiskey, when she hears the sound of knocking at her front door. Emma sighs and puts the glass down and makes her way towards the door.

Emma opens the door and sees Regina there smiling holding a pan of her famous lasagna. Emma opens the door and lets Regina in. Emma knows this is a bad idea but can't stop herself.

Regina sets the pan on the table and grabs two plates and utensils for the two of them. Emma grabs the bottle of wine that she keeps just for Regina and pours her a glass while she grabs her glass of whiskey from before.

Emma sits at the table and watches Regina move around her kitchen with practiced ease and her heart constricts. Regina smiles at Emma and brings the plates over, seating herself next to Emma.
They eat and talk about everything but the elephant in the room. When they finish eating Regina and Emma clean up the dishes.

Emma is standing at the sink washing while Regina dries. Emma hands Regina the last plate and is rinsing her hands when she feels arms wrap around her waist.
Emma sighs and leans back into the embrace. Regina moves Emma's blonde hair to the side and kisses her neck. Emma slowly turns and faces Regina, Regina gently strokes Emma's cheek and kisses her oh so gently. They stay like this for a few moments enjoying the unhurried kiss. Regina traces her tongue along Emma's lips asking for entrance which is quickly granted.
Regina moves Emma over to the counter and lifts her up, while Emma wraps her legs around Regina's waist. The kiss is getting more and more, but the fire that is burning in Emma's belly and between her legs is quickly extinguished when Regina's phone sounds.

Emma tells Regina to ignore it, she does, but the caller calls back. Regina then sighs and untangles herself from Emma's embrace and answers the call.

"Robin.. yeah I know I couldn't get to the phone in time… yes I will be home soon… ok, well tell Roland I will be in shortly and will make sure he's tucked in… of course.. I — I love you too. Bye."

Regina barely wants to look at Emma knowing that she's heard enough of her phone conversation.

Regina turns and sees Emma slide off the counter and go back to the living room, when she re-emerges she's holding the half empty bottle of Jack Daniels and fills her glass.

You keep tellin' me, baby
There will come a time
When you will leave her arms
And forever be in mine
But I don't think that's the truth
And I don't like bein' used, and I'm tired of waitin'

Regina watches as she downs half the glass in a few large gulps. Regina hates that Emma is drinking her pain, but hates herself more for being the cause of Emma's pain.

It's too much pain to have to bear
To love a man you have to share

Emma then sits on the edge of the couch and hangs her head, "This is it isn't it? A stolen meal, tucked away from everyone. Hiding and telling lies. Regina… I can't do this anymore."

Regina knows what Emma is doing but doesn't want it to be true, "Emma, no. I know it's hard. I know. But I can't lose you. I lo.."

But Emma sharply cuts her off, "Stop Regina. I heard you, you said those same words to Robin not five minutes ago. What is this, huh? What am I to you? You're fuck buddy when Robin doesn't satisfy you? Your girlfriend when Robin is camping in the woods? Your friend and babysitter when you want a night out with Robin without Henry?"

Regina cuts in before Emma can ask any more questions, "No, you know that's not how I see you."

"No Regina, I need you to tell me." Emma no longer cares to hold the tears at bay, "Because from where I'm standing I'm the dirty little secret. I'm the one that goes home to a empty house, I'm the one that gets left behind, again. I need to know, are you ever going to pick me? Am I ever going to be your pick? Are you ever going to be mine?"

Regina opened her mouth to answer but no answer could come out. Emma just nodded and stood, "You need to leave."

Regina protested, "No Emma please."

Emma just shook her head. She walked into the kitchen to grab the dish that Regina had brought over and handed it to her. Regina shakily took the dish and slowly made her way towards the door, "Emma please."

Emma opened the door and waited for Regina to exit into the hallway, "I hope he makes you happy. You deserve to be happy."

Regina lets the tears fall, she's about to take a step towards Emma but is met with Emma's front door in her face and the sound of the locks clicking. She waits a second hoping Emma changes her mind but all she can hear is a soul shattering wail come from behind the door and what sounded like a glass being thrown. Regina drops her head onto the door and cries, "You make me happy."

Regina drags herself from Emma's door and go home, even though when she arrives she feels like a tourist. Nothing about the manor feels like home anymore.

I can't take it any longer, but my will is gettin' stronger
And I think I know just what I have to do
I can't waste another minute
After all that I've put in it
I've given you my best
Why does she get the best of you?

Regina sits in her study and thinks about all the questions Emma asked her, she can see herself with Emma, she can see the laughs and the smiles, she can see the love. And as hard as she tries to replace Emma with Robin she can't, she keeps closing her eyes and seeing Emma's blonde hair and her emerald green eyes.

Regina knows that Robin is supposed to be her soul mate but what it, what if, the fairy dust was wrong? What if she missed the moment and Robin is no longer her soul mate? What if Emma is?

Regina sighed and took another sip of her cider. She laid her head back against the couch cushions and sighed.

Regina was lost in thought when Robin knocked and opened the door to her study. He smiled shyly and entered. He sat next to her and watched her face for a few seconds, and that all it took for Regina's walls to come crumbling down. Regina couldn't hold back the tears. The way Robin looked at her it was like he knew.

Robin sat back and sighed, "There is another, isn't there? It's not just my mind? It's not just me not understanding all of the things and customs of this world?"

Regina shook her head, "I am so sorry. I NEVER meant for this to happen. I… I.. This is all me and I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am."

Robin sighed again and stood, "I'll move myself and Roland back into the woods with the merry men. I will be back for our things tomorrow." Robin then turned to walk away, "For what it's worth I do love you, and I hope that whoever this other person is, they realize how special you truly are."

Regina smiles and watches him go. She can hear him go upstairs and go into the room that was turned into Roland's room, she then hears him descend the stairs once more and then lastly the sound of the front door closing.

Regina cries for both what she's done to Robin and Emma and for what she has allowed to slip through her fingers.

She wakes to the sound of the front door opening and closing and the sound of Henry calling to her, "Mom."

She clears her throat, "In here Henry."

Henry opens the door and sits next to his mom, "You ok, I saw Robin and Roland leave to the woods on my walk home."

Regina nods, "Robin and I have decided to go our separate ways."

Henry nodded, "I'm sorry I know you really wanted this to work."

Regina waved the apology off and said, "It might have been meant to be 30 years ago but now, I think we are better off separated."

Regina then looked down and saw a drawing slipping out of Henry's notebook. She smiled and grabbed the drawing, "A new piece? I like this."

Henry smiled, "Yeah, Emma helped me with the design. I wanted something that represents us, you know me, you and Emma. So the book is for me as author, the sword for Emma being the savior and all, and scales are you fighting good and evil."

Regina loved the design, "I love it. What about the flowers? What are those for?"

"Oh, well they don't really mean much but its the flower that Emma has tattooed on her wrist. The clematis Ville de Lyon, she said she got it as a teenager cause she thought the flower was pretty. So I put it there kinda as a tribute since this is going to be a tattoo and stuff."

Regina froze when she heard the name of the flower. Of course magic would be less than obvious. Emma has a lion tattoo, just not the kind Regina was looking for. Regina jumped up and grabbed her phone, startling Henry in the process, and tried calling Emma. The line rang and rang but she never answered. Regina looked at Henry, "You talk to Emma?"

Henry shook his head, "No, but she's supposed to be hanging with me tomorrow. She might be sleeping now, I mean it is getting late and she had the night shift yesterday."

Regina nodded. She'd just go with Henry in the morning to see Emma.

So next time you find you wanna leave her bed for mine

Regina went with Henry to Emma's apartment the next morning, they stood outside the door for 10 minutes before both Henry and Regina began to worry. Regina magiced the door open and they called out, "Emma." "Ma"

Regina looked around the apartment but it felt wrong. "MOM!" Regina came running at the sound of Henry's worried voice. When she got to Henry where he was standing in Emma's bedroom, or what used to be her bedroom. The drawer were open and all the clothes were gone, her shoes were gone. Everything was gone. All but two envelopes marked Henry and Regina.

Regina opened hers, in the center of the page in Emma's messy scrawl were the words 'I love you." Regina cried and looked towards Henry. Henry had a full letter two full pages front and back at least. Regina decided to leave Henry to his letter and give him some privacy. She wanted to be angry at Emma for leaving without giving them notice, but she also knew she had no one to blame but herself.

Why don't you stay?
I'm up off my knees
I'm so tired of bein' lonely
You can't give me what I need
When she begs you not to go
There is one thing you should know
I don't have to live this way

When Henry emerged her held the letter and sighed, "She's why you dumped Robin. You love her. Why didn't you tell her, why didn't you fight for her. No one ever fights for her!"

Regina could feel the tears, "I'm sorry. I-I thought Robin was my soul mate. I didn't want to give up my chance at being happy."

Henry rolled his eyes, "Emma is your true love and you just let her go. You… You need to fix this you need to get Emma back. You need to go find her and fix this!"

Regina let the tears fall, "How, I don't even know where she's gone."

Henry frowned, "I found her in Boston at 10, I think you can figure something out. Please mom, bring Ma home."

Baby, why don't you stay?

Regina smoothed out her dress as she got out of the car, it's been 4 months and 6 different states. Every time she thinks she's got a lead on Emma, by the time she gets there it's too late. Regina is now standing outside of an apartment complex in Chicago. Regina looked up at the high rise apartment building and hoped against all hope that she wasn't too late. Regina entered the building at rode the elevator to the 25th floor. She got out and found the door she was looking for.

Regina took a breath and knocked.

The door opened and her eyes immediately met forest green. Regina bit her lip and hoped Emma would open the door. Regina then cleared her throat, "I know I'm the last person you hoped to see but can we please talk?"

Emma sighed but opened the door. Regina entered and looked at the luxury apartment. Emma closed the door and looked at Regina.

Regina then turned to Emma and said, "Please. I want you. I want to stay, I want to stay with you, only you. I'll beg if I have to, but please don't make me go. Let me stay."