Regina rested her head on top of Emma's for a while, until the woman started to pull away. She was exhausted from the exertion, and it was close to four o'clock. Her eyes were dark with lack of sleep, and when Emma looked up, Regina noticed.

"I should go home," Emma said reluctantly, straightening up.

"No, please don't go."

Emma looked deeply into Regina's eyes, trying to read her expression, but again, she found it impossible. Regina's feelings were simply too hard to decipher. Emma doubted if Regina even knew what she was feeling, or how to articulate it. On the other hand, what was Emma feeling, anyway? She'd gone from casual sex to compulsive masturbation in what seemed like less than a heartbeat, and now she was suddenly in the woman's arms, holding her like they were more than lovers. It wasn't until Emma felt Regina's open palm stinging her face that she realized just how much the moment hurt her emotionally - just how much she really cared. How long had she felt this way and just not recognized it? Emma thought about the way she'd come to picture Regina's face rather than her body.

"Come to bed with me," Regina pleaded.

Emma couldn't say no. Seeing the pain in Regina's face - that was what it was, she decided - was too difficult for her to ignore. Her heart was still racing from the altercation, but she assured herself that Regina had calmed down and that it wouldn't happen again. Regina had just gotten... what? Jealous? Was that really what it was? She wasn't sure, but she could tell Regina was hurting, and that broke her heart. For someone who seemed so heartless, the tears on the queen's cheeks told a different story - one that Emma sympathized with and understood all too well. She'd built her own walls, too, but she knew what that pain felt like, and she wasn't eager to feel it again.

Silently, Emma followed Regina to the bed and let the woman undress her - this time, slowly, with Regina paying special attention to each button and zipper. Once Emma was undressed, she slipped under the covers with the woman and started to roll over to face the wall.

"Wait. Emma," Regina whispered.

She wrapped her arms around the woman from behind, pulling her closer until their bodies were pressed together.

"Can I kiss you goodnight?" Regina asked softly, touching the woman's shoulder with gentle fingers.

Emma, still aching, rolled over slowly to face her and leaned her face in closer to Regina's. They looked at each other, and Emma thought she saw Regina smile, but she wasn't sure. She pressed her lips against Regina's and even smiled a little herself. It seemed like a long while before Emma pulled away, but when she did, Regina slowly cupped her face again and leaned back in, catching her lips once more.

"Don't stop."

Emma obeyed and kept going, their lips moving painfully slowly together until her heart was beating quickly. When Regina pressed herself against Emma, she could feel that her heart was racing, too. They could barely catch their breath between kisses, and Regina suddenly found herself hungry for more, unable to stop. But the pace stayed slow, unlike anything they'd ever done before, filled with a tenderness that Regina had never known before. Emma savored the gentle moment, hoping it would last. And it did. For what seemed like hours, this continued, until Regina finally couldn't stand it anymore.

"Will you make love to me?"

Emma blushed in the darkness. Being asked was something far more flattering than simply being taken in a wave of passion (which was all well and good, but very different). It caught her by surprise, so much so that her face turned hot with anticipation. The slower Regina went, the more it burned between her legs, and she became insatiable. Part of her, ravenous, wanted to be taken rough and hard, but the way Regina seemed to be insistent on moving slowly, gently, savoring each and every caress, made her ache with desire.

"Yes," Emma whispered against her lips, kissing her slowly and slipping her hand between Regina's legs.

That's it for this one, guys. I hope you enjoyed it! I tried really hard to make it entertaining for you all. Definitely let me know what you thought!