AN: I actually wrote this a few months ago but after watching Tiny, I figured I'd finally post this.

Disclaimer: Don't own them but I sure wish I did.

Emma, Regina, and Henry all slumped down in their seats before clasping the cloth seat belt around their waists. Henry demanded to sit by the window which left Regina in the middle and Emma by the aisle. Even though she appeared cool and collected, the blonde knew that Regina was anything but.

"Hey, are you alright?" Emma murmured softly to the brunette so only she could hear her.

"Of course I'm alright. I'm just not accustomed to this mode of transportation but I have no doubt that once we are in the air I will feel more at ease," Regina clipped with an icy tone.

"It's okay to be scared of flying, a lot of people are. You know you could always hold my hand if it becomes too much," Emma offered with a flash of her eyebrows.

Regina scoffed as she sat up straighter in her seat. "I assure you Miss Swan, I am not afraid of anything."

Emma shrugged. "Suit yourself…Your Majesty."

"Can you guys stop bickering for like five minutes," Henry pleaded before he pointed out the window. "We're about to pull out."

As soon as the words left their son's mouth, they felt the jolt of the plane moving backwards. Henry remained transfixed with the view outside his window as Regina slowly squeezed the armrests a little tighter. The pilot came over the loud speaker and explained they were on time and the stewardesses took their seats as the warning lights flashed above.

"Sit back in your seat kid," Emma lectured. "I don't want you to get whiplash from the force of takeoff."

The boy reluctantly obeyed his mother and Emma returned her attention to the brunette, whose eyes suddenly widened when the engines roared to life. Her knuckles turned white from the death grip she held and the savior could see the color slowly drain from her face. Taking a chance, Emma risked losing a vital body part when she reached over and pried the terrified woman's hand from the armrest between them and clasped it into her own. The plane shot forward and Emma winced as she felt the former evil queen crush her fingers together with inhuman strength.

The plane soared down the runway and it's nose lifted into the air before gravity slammed down hard, pressing them down into their seats. When the aircraft leveled out and the warning lights flicked off, Regina finally released the blonde's mangled hand.

"Not afraid of flying, huh?" Emma quipped as she shook her ruined appendage to get feeling back. "You could've fooled me."

Regina glared at her as she remained rigid in her seat. "That's enough out of you, Miss Swan."

"Look how high we are!" Henry cheered as he pressed his face tightly up against the window. "Mom you gotta see this!"

Emma snorted at Regina's horrified expression before a menacing look from the brunette shut her up. The older woman was able to school her features and paste on a smile before her son whipped around to look at her.

"Mom, don't be scared. If you looked at the sun setting from this point of view you would see how cool it is to be this high up," Henry encouraged.

Never one to displease her son, Regina leaned towards him and looked over his head. It was beautiful the way the fiery colors danced over the land far below and she felt herself relax just a tiny bit. A stewardess asked Emma if they'd like anything and she ordered two gin and tonics for her and Regina and a soda for Henry. When she dropped off the items a few minutes later, Emma passed the drinks out and raised her cup.

"Cheers to our first trip away from Storybrooke," Emma said as she clanked her plastic cup against theirs.

Regina polished her drink off in an almost unladylike fashion and the blonde couldn't help but quirk an eyebrow at her.

"Thirsty Madame Mayor?" Emma teased.

"If you recall Sheriff Swan, I am no longer mayor of our quaint little town," the brunette replied with disdain as she waved to the stewardess for another drink.

Within a few minutes Regina had finished her second alcoholic beverage just as quickly as the first one before she settled back into her seat and shut her eyes. Emma observed her warily, noting the brunette's physical reaction every time the plane hit turbulence or shifted too far in any direction. For the most part though, Regina remained surprisingly calm for the next few hours…until the aircraft flew right into the brunt of a thunderstorm.

Regina's eyes flew open and she realized she must've dozed off at some point because the sky outside was pitch black and the cabin was darker as most people were slumped in their chairs sleeping, including her two fly mates. Emma had chosen a night flight for them so they could sleep through their flight and make the time spent flying seem less than it was. What Emma failed to mention was that the chances of flying into a storm during the month of April were pretty high.

Lightning flashed outside the oval window and Regina jumped with fright. The plane roughly tittered as it hit turbulence in a higher frequency and it took everything in the former mayor not to scream out.

Emma was startled awake when she heard a soft whimpering noise from someone close by. She rubbed her tired eyes as she turned her head, only to frown as she saw the sheer terror emanating from the woman beside her. Regina's eyes were squeezed tightly shut as her hands clenched the armrests in a death grip once more. She was three sheets whiter than when they had taken off and perspiration started to bead across her forehead.

Quickly looking past the frightened woman to ensure their son was okay, Emma was relieved to see that he was sound asleep.

"Regina?" Emma whispered and she watched the brunette crack her eyes open.

Chocolate orbs focused on Emma and she saw the moisture threatening to spill from those beautiful dark eyes.

"Hey, it's okay; it's just a storm," Emma softly reassured.

The plane jerked to the right as another flash of lightning lit the sky and Regina slammed her eyes closed once again.

"To hell with it," the sheriff muttered before she yanked Regina's hand off of the armrest between them. The older woman's eyes sprang open at Emma's touch and she watched the blonde fold the armrest back into the seat before forcing Regina to lie down against her chest. The savior felt her resist at first until the airplane shook again, causing the brunette's pride to immediately dissolve before she buried her face into Emma's lap as the tears started to slip out.

"I got you baby," Emma murmured as she ran her fingers soothingly through ebony locks.

A stewardess smiled in sympathy as she handed over a pillow and Emma slipped it under Regina's head to make her half bent frame more comfortable.

"There that's much better," Emma answered for her before she went back to stroking the smaller woman's hair.

As the storm raged outside, Regina allowed herself to silently cry in Emma's arms for a few minutes before the tears slowly came to a stop.

"Thank you," Regina whispered before she locked eyes with the woman above her.

"Never be afraid to let your walls down with me. That's what I'm here for," Emma explained.

"I know," Regina confessed.

The younger woman leaned over and brushed a kiss against Regina's temple before sitting up again. "I told you I would wait for however long it takes you to accept my love and commitment to you."

Regina closed her eyes and nodded as fresh tears seeped out. She didn't deserve this woman and yet push, pull, or shove; Emma has remained by her side.

"I'm sorry I was rude earlier. I tend to lash out when I'm afraid," Regina confessed.

Emma softly chuckled. "I think the continuous use of Miss Swan gave that away."

"I do care about you Emma, I hope you know that."

"I do."

The brunette grinned before she tensed up again as thunder rolled angrily outside. Emma returned to running her fingers through soft, dark hair until she saw Regina's eyelids grow heavy. It didn't take long before the queen was fast asleep in Emma's lap.

"I love you Regina," Emma admitted softly before she closed her own eyes and succumbed to slumber.

The End