"Thought you might need this," Ruby offered, holding out a greasy breakfast sandwich and a hot chocolate in a takeaway cup.

"You're a life saver," Emma muttered as she took the food from Ruby and placed the warm drink down on her desk at the office.

"David's out patrolling?" Ruby asked. Emma nodded, her mouth already full of bacon, egg, and cheese. "How are you feeling?

Emma groaned, knowing Ruby would nag her after the way she left things the previous night. "Well, let's just say I ended my night by puking into the bushes outside of the mayor's mansion and running home in tears. So… not my finest moment."

"Em, have you thought any more about talking to her?"

With a quick shake of her head, she indicated that she had no desire to discuss this any further. "God, my head is still killing me."

"We probably shouldn't have had that extra round of shots, huh?" Ruby laughed, unsure of how her own hangover had passed so soon.

David returned to the station minutes later, quickly saying hello before grabbing a stack of papers from his desk.

"What's that, Dad?"

"I forgot to drop these at the mayor's office. Regina is going to kill me."

"Emma can take them!" Ruby chimed in eagerly.

The glare that Emma shot over in Ruby's direction only made Ruby grin.

"That would be great, Emma. Would you mind?"

"Aren't you supposed to be patrolling today? Why do I have to go?" She groaned.

"Please, it would be a huge help."

"Fine, fine. I'm going," Emma muttered, pushing herself out of her chair and grabbing the papers from him. "But if I don't return, it's because Regina murdered me for delivering these a week late."

She tried to laugh to lift her own spirits, but all she felt was an overwhelming sense of dread. Not because she didn't want to see Regina – no, quite the opposite. It was because she knew she'd end up getting the same response as she got last time: sheer disregard.

She kicked the toe of her boot into the pavement, dragging her feet the whole way to the mayor's office, only changing her demeanor when she was down the corridor and she knew there was a chance Regina would hear her footsteps approaching.

Straightening her spine and strengthening her step, she marched up to Regina's assistant and waited for her presence to be noted.

"Good morning, Sheriff Swan. How can I help you today?" Regina's receptionist greeted her with a wide smile that caught Emma off guard.

"I just have this budget proposal from the sheriff department to drop off. Is Regina in her office?" She took a step in the direction of the office she had entered many times before, but the receptionist stopped her.

"She's actually out sick today, but I can take those for you and let her know you've dropped them off when she returns tomorrow morning."

"Oh, um. Sure, yeah," Emma stuttered, handing over the paperwork and watching as they were bound with a paperclip. "Do you know what's wrong with her?"

"I don't. I just got a call that she wouldn't be in today and that she can be reached on her cell if there's an emergency. Do you need any more assistance?"

"But… she's never missed a day of work. Not for as long as I can remember." The concern in her tone was evident, but she didn't care all that much.

"I was thinking the same thing," the receptionist laughed. "But everyone deserves a day off sometimes."

"Right, well," Emma replied slowly. Her temples were throbbing again. "I'll see you later. Thanks for the help."

She didn't wait for the woman to utter a goodbye before she sprinted out, a feeling in her stomach telling her that something wasn't right.

Her phone vibrated, and she immediately thought of Regina, hoping to see her name appear on the screen as she pulled it from her back pocket.

Instead, a text from Ruby appeared on the lit screen.

How are things going?

She quickly replied. She's not here – home sick apparently?

Within seconds, another text came through. She's never missed work. Maybe you should go over there.

Emma ignored the message, pushing her phone back into her back pocket before allowing her feet to carry her toward Regina's house.

When the house came into view, the memory of last night flashed back into her mind. She was certain she'd seen Regina at the bar. But why would she have been there? Why did it feel like she was avoiding Emma the same way Emma was avoiding her?

"Miss Swan, look who finally decided to come and have a chat with me," Regina said as she opened her front door.

Emma's hair was wild, and her eyes were wide. The sight of her nearly stopped Regina in her tracks.

"I didn't come here to chat, Regina."

"Then what did you come here for?" Her voice was filled with bewilderment and she couldn't help but notice that it seemed a bit shaky.

"You," Emma uttered, immediately pushing her way in and pinning Regina up against the living room wall. Before Regina could say another word, Emma was capturing her lips with her own.

Regina didn't even blink. Instead, her mouth eagerly returned the ferociousness of Emma's lips on hers. She parted her lips and moaned at the feel of Emma's silky tongue brushing against her own.

Regina could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she was dragged back to the way she felt all those years ago when Emma had kissed her for the first time.

"Emma," she moaned into her mouth as her hands wandered down the blonde's body, settling on her hips. "God, I've missed you."

Emma pulled her mouth away, but her hands were seeking out the bottom of Regina's shirt. She leaned in until her mouth was ghosting over Regina's earlobe.

"I've missed you, too," Emma whispered, her breath warm on Regina's neck. "But do you want to know what I've really missed, your majesty?"

Suddenly unable to focus on forming any real words, Regina just moaned a simple, "Hmm?"

"Being slightly afraid of what you might do to me as you have me at your mercy," Emma confessed, causing Regina to smirk and stand up straighter, rolling her shoulders back to regain her regal composure.

"Oh, darling," she began, her voice airy as she flipped their bodies so that Emma was now pinned against the wall. "If you don't think I'm just as capable of making you beg and cry as the Evil Queen was, you've vastly underestimated me."

"I've brought you some soup."

Robin's voice jolted Regina awake. He was pushing open the door to her bedroom. "It's in the kitchen downstairs, I didn't think you'd want it up in the bedroom. How are you feeling?"

Regina felt drunk and exceedingly aroused. Her dream was still coiled around her like it was Emma pressing her up against the wall.

Her eyes opened slowly, taking in the blinding sunlight that was peeking in through the blinds, reminding her that it was the middle of the day and she'd fallen asleep longing for Emma and not the man in front of her.

Enough was enough.

"Robin, could you come sit? There's something I need to talk to you about."

Robin's face fell, but he approached the bed slowly and sat at the edge. Regina forced herself into an upright position, her hand clutching her head quickly as the pain hit her like a speeding truck on an interstate.

"You know how happy you make me, right?" she began, unsure where she'd take this conversation. "And how much I care for you."

"You're worrying me, Regina. What's going on?"

"There's—there's something I need to tell you. I owe it to you to be honest."

"Okay…"

"I never believed in true love. Or in happy endings. I'm a villain, and villains don't get happy endings."

He tried to cut her off, but she continued.

"But I recently learned something about my past – something I've been struggling to come to terms with. And I realize now that I'll never be able to give you the happiness you deserve. Not when my happiness has been lying with someone else all this time."

"There's somebody else?" Robin blinked.

"I think you always knew it, and this might not come as a surprise to you. But Emma and I—" she trailed off for a moment, suddenly wondering if she was making a mistake. For all she knew, Emma didn't feel the same way she did.

But then she remembered all the days she had spent alone in her castle after Emma had disappeared through the portal. How she craved the princess's return more than she ever thought she was capable of. How content she felt in her presence. How the night they shared, and all the memories of them in Storybrooke, had always meant more than either of them cared to admit.

"Emma and I have a complicated history together, to say the least," she continued. Robin suddenly looked at her with understanding, and she froze. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I think I always knew this day would come," he admitted. "I've seen you two together. I thought I was being foolish, but it turns out I should have trusted my gut."

"You— you knew?" She blinked. "How?"

"The two of you have a fire that I've never witnessed before. The darkness and the light. She brings out something in you that nobody else could ever do."

Regina smiled tentatively, realizing how considerate he was being. "I never wanted to hurt you, and you mean the world to me. But I'd never be able to live with myself if I stayed with you and didn't confront Emma about all of this."

He nodded once, then leaned in and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Is this why you've been distant?"

"Well, yes. I had a memory taken from me that I recently got back, and it has thrown me into a bit of a downward spiral because I'm not sure how to handle it."

"You'll figure it out — the two of you. I know you will."

Emma made it to the front door, but for several minutes she just stood on the porch as she contemplated knocking.

She didn't have a reason to be there – not even an excuse she could quickly think of if things didn't go as planned – but she reached out nonetheless. Her knuckle froze an inch away from the door when she heard Robin's voice inside.

"You need to talk to her," he was saying.

Emma didn't want to eavesdrop, but the curiosity dwelling inside her was too much for her to resist. She tried to listen carefully for Regina's voice, but it was no use.

Either Regina's voice was too high compared to Robin's, or she was speaking softly, because she didn't hear the response coming from her mouth – only a mumble. Emma could've sworn it sounded like she was crying.

"What the hell am I doing here?" she muttered under her breath, slowly backing off. She headed down the path before pushing open the gate and walking back toward her house instead.

When Robin left, Regina finally mustered the energy to shower and dress properly. She debated calling Emma and asking if she could come over, but given that they hadn't spoken in days, and the way Emma had reacted last time they were face to face, she decided it wouldn't be appropriate.

Instead, she sent her a simple text message, figuring that would be a safer approach in case Emma wasn't ready to speak to her just yet.

Emma, I know you've been ignoring me. I'd like to talk to you about what's going on. Dinner tonight at my place? Maybe we can work things out?

She waited nearly an hour, picking up her phone every five minutes to see if she received a new text and just hadn't heard the chime of the incoming message. But the screen stared sullenly back at her, blank.

She paced her foyer hours later, wondering if she should go to Emma's house. But she didn't want to make her feel trapped – she wanted Emma to come to her willingly.

Part of her hoped Emma would show, and she wondered if she should start making dinner just in case. She decided on a baked ziti, figuring that if she made enough for two and Emma didn't turn up, it would reheat well for her lunch the next day.

Cooking helped the time pass, but she found herself opening a bottle of Cabernet and taking a few sips to ease her increasing nerves.

Emma looked down at her phone once more, reading the message again for the fourteenth time in the past two hours. What did Regina mean when she said she wanted to talk about what was going on?

Finally, she caved. Grabbing her jacket and climbing into her Bug, she drove over to Regina's house as quickly as physically possible.

She wished she had downed a quick drink before agreeing to this, but it was too late to turn back now. She needed answers like she needed air.

As Regina took the ziti out of the oven, she heard a knock at the door. Suddenly, she felt her chest tighten.

As soon as she opened the door, the words came whispering out. "You came."

Emma looked angry. Well, maybe angry wasn't the right word – more like irritated. Her eyes, though, told Regina that she desperately craved sleep and had spent hours crying.

"You invited me," Emma said simply, trying to remain calm and not let her emotions get the best of her.

"Well, you've been ignoring me all week, and the last time I saw you, you were yelling in my face and then running out the door. I haven't heard from you since."

"I haven't been ignoring you."

"Emma," Regina's voice softened. "Please don't lie to me. I want to be honest with you. Please."

The vulnerability in Regina's tone was alarming, and it made something inside of Emma yearn to reach out and grab her. Instead, she just nodded.

"Does your distance have anything to do with the night we spent together all those years ago?"

Regina didn't beat around the bush. Emma's mouth fell agape as soon as the words registered in her brain.

"You—? You remember?"

"I've been struggling all week to figure out how it was possible, but I know that princess was you. I could never forget."

"If that's true, then why didn't you say anything sooner? Why did you look at me like I was insane when I approached you at the diner?" Emma was getting defensive, her hands clenched into a tight fist. "You made me feel like an idiot, like I meant nothing to you."

"Emma, I didn't know right away. Rumple – he gave me a potion a few days after you went through that portal years ago."

"He—? He what?"

"He told me it was imperative to successfully casting my dark curse, and I didn't bother questioning him further. But he recently returned the memory to me. And I haven't been able to get you off of my mind since."

"You know where I live. You have my number. Why didn't you reach out?"

"I tried!" It was Regina's turn to get defensive. She stood up taller, hoping that fixing her posture would somehow make her feel bigger in such a vulnerable state. "I came to find you, and then I saw you at the Rabbit Hole. I… I panicked. I've been trying to deal with all of this myself. How is it even possible for that princess to have been you? It was nearly 30 years ago."

"I was pulled through a time portal that day the beaming light was spotted across town. I didn't see any use in telling anyone because when I returned, I assumed everything would be different. Between you and me, mainly. But then I realized barely any time had passed, and it wasn't. Nothing changed."

"Emma," Regina began. "Everything changed."

"It did?" Emma's voice was shrill, cutting through the air like ice.

"Having that piece of knowledge about the time portal would have been a tremendous help, considering I've been missing a giant piece of the puzzle all week as I've dealt with trying to understand this." She laughed, unable to contain her sarcastic tone.

After a beat, she reached out and placed her hand over Emma's, slowly dragging her thumb back and forth over her pale skin.

Emma looked hopefully back at her. "You really remember me, after all these years?"

"Emma," Regina's voice softened as she reached up to stroke her cheek. She felt a fire underneath her fingertips the second her skin met Emma's. "True love's kiss? How could I ever forget?"

"I guess that explained why our magic was always stronger together," Emma smiled, leaning in to Regina's delicate touch, only realizing then how desperately she needed it.

"I always knew there was something between us. I think both of us always knew. From the first day you arrived in Storybrooke, I felt it. I felt it when you touched me and you triggered my magic; I felt it in those times we had spent trying so hard to one-up the other. I felt it when we moved the moon, and I felt in in Neverland so many times. It just makes sense."

"It always made sense, Regina. We were just too stubborn to admit it."

Regina laughed, hating to admit that she was right. Emma's face lit up at her tone, and she automatically pushed her cheek more firmly into Emma's palm.

"In every realm, in every time period, no matter what we are up against – you are my happiness, Emma Swan."

Emma nodded. She desperately wanted to fall into this, letting her entire body go as Regina enveloped it, but there was one thing holding her back.

"And… Robin?"

For a terrible second, Regina almost replied, "Who?"

Instead, she shook her head with relief. "He knows. He's gone."

"He's gone?"

"He said he already suspected. He said… we had a fire."

Relief sunk through Emma's bones like water into earth. "A fire. We kind of do, don't we?"

Regina reached out to grab hold of her hand, feeling a stray tear trail down her cheek as she moved. The second she saw it, Emma reached up to brush it away with the pad of her thumb.

Before either of them could utter another word, Regina leaned forward, her hand seeking the back of Emma's neck before she kissed her for the first time in years. It still came so naturally to her.

Emma moaned at the feel of Regina's mouth on hers. For her, it had only been days, and yet she was only just realizing how badly she missed the way her body reacted to Regina's kiss.

When they broke apart, they both smiled. Chocolate-brown eyes locked on the forest of green that Regina wanted to spend the rest of her life getting lost in.

THE END