A/N: Okay, guys, here's chapter 3 for you. I know some of you said you didn't want it, but I felt the need to end on a happier note. Also, Snow is only mentioned in this chapter, it's all about our girls in this one. I hope you enjoy it. :)

By the time Emma walks into the imposing white mansion on Mifflin Street, it's already dark outside and a chill has settled firmly in her bones. Whether from the unrelenting November wind or the events of the day, she doesn't know. If it weren't for the light coming out of Regina's study through the slightly ajar door, Emma would be positive the house is deserted. The silence that surrounds her is overwhelming and she makes a bee line to the study in an attempt to escape it.

Walking into the room, her eyes immediately lock on the back of Regina's head. Her lover is sitting comfortably on the sofa, the angle of her head indicating she's reading something. A generous fire is crackling in the fireplace to her right and Emma immediately feels warmth return to both her cold hands and her heart.

"Hey," she says softly as she sits next to Regina. Her eyes travel down to the book the brunette is holding and she realizes it isn't a novel, but a photo album. Henry's photo album.

"Whatcha doin'?" the Sheriff asks, trying hard to mask how nervous she is.

"Hello," Regina says in a barely audible voice, not looking up from the precious album in her hands. She's currently looking at a photo of an 8 year old Henry drawing a picture of a space ship. Emma can't help but smile at the utter look of concentration evident on his face, confirmed by the way his tongue is sticking out of the corner of his small mouth.

"Where is he?" the blonde asks once she realizes the former Mayor won't grace her question with a very obvious answer.

Regina looks up for the first time and locks her eyes with Emma's. Her brows scrunch in confusion.

"Henry," the Sheriff clarifies. "I didn't see the light in his room and I don't hear him stomping around.

Regina lets a small smile decorate her lips. "It's Timothy's birthday. There having a sleepover."

"Oh, right. I forgot about that."

The brunette nods and turns the page. She runs her fingers over several photos of Henry opening presents on a Christmas morning. His hair is ruffled, he's in his pajamas, but excitement is written all across his eyes as he sits in front of a big Christmas tree.

"You okay?" the blonde whispers.

"What do you mean?" Regina answers nonchalantly as she turns another page.

Emma sighs and puts her hand on Regina's, stopping her progress through the album and forcing her to look up and make eye contact.

"You know what I mean," the blonde pauses and looks down. "I'm sorry – I'm sorry she ambushed you like that."

"She didn't ambush me. I knew what it was about the moment I received a phone call from her this morning." Regina says matter-of-factly.

"Huh. I guess I was the only one who didn't see it coming then."

Regina smiles. "Don't tell me that surprises you, dear."

Emma can't help but smile back, relieved to see the other woman is willing to joke, even half-heartedly. "I don't know how she found out," she adds after a moment.

"Does it matter?"

"No, I guess not."

They spend a couple of minutes watching the fire in silence, Emma's hand still cradling Regina's.

"What took you so long?" the brunette asks softly, refusing to look away from the fire.

Emma immediately feels a pang of guilt as she sees the way Regina's shoulders tense. She should have called and told her she would be late. Typical Swan.

"I stayed at the apartment for some time after you left and then Leroy made some trouble at Granny's so I had to go get him," she pauses. "I'm sorry I didn't call you."

She should have known that, despite her confident performance earlier that day, Regina was fine from fine. Emma not calling her and coming home hours later only added to her worries. The Sheriff swears inwardly, realizing that her lover might have come to the conclusion she isn't coming at all.

"How is your mother?" Regina asks after another silent minute.

"She'll live," Emma says, not missing a beat.

And while Snow most certainly will live, the blonde knows it's not as simple as that. The two hours she spent talking – or better yet, trying to talk – to her mother were everything but a walk in the park. The call from Granny's definitely saved her because the blonde isn't sure how much more time she could have spent in the same room with the rattled woman. They didn't make any significant progress, mostly because her mother kept switching between crying and refusing to believe Regina's words. Emma realized she wouldn't be able to convince her so she didn't even try. She just stayed there, trying to soothe her former best friend the best she knew how. To make things better, on her way out of the apartment, she ran into David. She doesn't even want to think about the conversation her parents are having at this exact moment.

Regina can't help but chuckle as she turns to look at Emma. "My, my, if I didn't know better, I'd say my personality is rubbing off on you."

Emma laughs and pulls the other woman into her arms. Placing a chaste kiss on her olive forehead, the Sheriff can't help but sigh in satisfaction. She knows that, whatever happens, this right here isn't going anywhere and that's all that matters.

"I shouldn't have – I shouldn't have done that," the former Mayor says as she pulls back.

"What?" the blonde's brows meet as she looks at the other woman.

"I shouldn't have said those things."

"Hey," Emma says softly. "Hey," she repeats as she touches Regina's chin with her finger, making her look her way. "That's nonsense. It was the right thing to do."

After seeing how Snow reacted today, Emma is absolutely positive she needed to hear all those things. It's mind boggling how a woman who's been through so much in her life, who knows how the world – this or any other – works, would be so blind to things that were happening around her. The Sheriff can't imagine herself living with Regina and Leopold and not noticing what was going on. However, Emma grew up in the real world, one with no fairy godmothers and guaranteed happy endings. This wake up call, while painful, was very much needed and long overdue.

"You know, if you had done this a long time ago, maybe-"

"Maybe I wouldn't have become the Evil Queen?" Regina jumps in and Emma flinches at the way her deep brown eyes are rapidly filling with tears.

"No, no, no!" the blonde hurries. "That's not – that's not what I meant." Once again, typical Swan.

A tear rolls down Regina's cheek and Emma's heart feels like it's going to burst. "I know why you didn't do it. You wanted to protect her," she supplies, putting the photo album away and cradling both Regina's hands in her own.

"Don't make this –" the brunette pauses and shakes her head. "It doesn't erase everything I've done."

"I know it doesn't, Regina," the blonde says softly, wiping away a tear that's rushing towards the former Queen's chin. "But it helps understand."

"You think she'll understand?" Regina chuckles mockingly. "Oh, dear-"

"She doesn't need to," the blonde says. "It doesn't matter. You said it yourself – it's about us, not her," she adds in a steady and sure voice.

"You really think so?"

"I know so," Emma corrects. "I don't wanna talk about her anymore and I don't want you to think about her, either. It just doesn't matter."

When Regina looks at her, her eyes are filling with new tears. She looks so small and yet there's hope in her eyes and the sight gives Emma chills. She's positive she doesn't want to see the former Mayor unsure of herself ever again.

"How can you be – how can you just understand?" the brunette's voice breaks as the last word leaves her mouth.

At this, Emma smiles. Really smiles. She takes Regina's face in her hands and looks deeply into her bottomless brown eyes. "Because I love you."

With that, she brings her lips to the other woman's and kisses her, softly, slowly. The world around her stops and all she wants to do is show Regina that she's here and she's not going anywhere. Regardless of what anyone else thinks or says, she understands and that's the only thing that matters.

The brunette is the first one to pull back. Once she does, she locks her eyes with Emma's and looks at her in wonder.

"Besides," the blonde starts. "We've been over this a thousand times. What makes you think I'd run away now?"

Even though it's an obvious exaggeration, the blonde is right – this is definitely a conversation they've had many times. It always goes the same; Regina can't believe that Emma truly loves her despite all her flaws and Emma does her best to make her believe it because it is the absolute truth. Looking at her now, the blonde is sure she will be doing the same thing for as long as it needs for her lover to actually accept it.

"I don't know how I deserved this. Actually, I don't think I do," Regina says in a soft voice.

Before her eyes manage to drop to her lap, Emma takes her chin and looks at her with a goofy grin on her lips. "You deserve a lot more, but you're just gonna have to settle with me. What can I say, tough luck."

They just look at each other in silence for a couple of moments, the grin that's still on Emma's face starting to make her feel stupid. Just when she's about to try and change the subject, Regina's face lights up in the most radiant of smiles.

"Yes, indeed," Regina says with a twinkle in her eyes and the blonde lets out a sigh of relief.

She knows this is far from over – there will be more explaining to do, there will be more fights and raised voices, but they'll deal with it together. As she lets her eyes run over the beautiful woman now straddling her lap, she's sure they'll be fine as long as they don't leave each other's side. When Regina's teeth graze a path down the column of her neck, a strangled moan escapes the blonde and she makes a silent promise never to let go. She'll make it a mission to tell this amazing woman just how amazing she is each and every day.

"Where to, my Queen?" Emma says mischievously as she gets up from the sofa, Regina still in her arms.

"My, my, what a strong Knight," Regina teases as she cradles the blonde's face and presses a kiss to her lips. "How about your mother's place?" she says as her eyes gleam with satisfaction.

Emma's laughter fills the room and reverberates all through the large, empty house. Yes, this truly is all that matters and, yes, it's all about them.

A/N: Any final reviews will be much appreciated. :) Till next time!