a/n: To my readers, thank you for always sticking by me & sending me wonderful reviews. I know the updates have been coming farther apart but please know I adore this story & these characters and want to to them justice. So I take my time letting the characters lead the way & unfortunately sometimes they are simply stubborn & don't want to work with me. But looks like they finally sorted themselves long enough to give me this chapter to write for you guys. :) Hope you enjoy. Much love to you all. Means a lot that you're taking time out to read this story. Already working on next chapter. **mwah**

Chapter 40

Back At the Manor

Returning from the cemetery, Emma hopped out of the car and ran around to open the door for Regina.

Regina rolled her eyes. "I'm not an invalid, dear. I think I can manage to open the door."

"Yeah I know but I'm trying to be chivalrous here. You know, after finding my damsel in distress and all." Emma fixed Regina with a cheeky smile and held out her hand.

"You did not just call me a damsel in distress." Regina scoffed at her as she took her hand and got out of the car.

"And what if I did? You gonna toss me down the walkway like you did that one time?" Emma arched her brow in challenge.

"No, you might like it." Regina smirked and walked off toward the manor while Emma just snorted out a laugh and followed her. "I'm going to head upstairs and take a shower then lay down for a bit."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Emma inquired, still wondering how many of those failed potions Regina took before she found her.

Regina turned around and touched Emma's cheek. "I'm fine, dear. Just a little tired."

"You'd tell me if something was wrong, right?"

Regina leaned in and kissed her forehead. "You'll be the first to know." She placed a ghost kiss upon Emma's lips then ascended the stairs.

Emma watched her until she disappeared around the corner then pulled out her cell phone from her pocket and made a quick call to her mother. She's probably still sitting there worrying. She glanced up the stairs again while she waited for her mother to pick up.

"Is everything alright?" Snow immediately questioned when the she picked up on the other end.

"Hello to you too." Emma chuckled as she made her way into the living room and took a seat to relax.

"Sorry, sweetheart. I saw your name on the caller ID and-"

"I know," Emma interrupted. Her mother had been worrying. "And yes we're both fine. We just got home actually." Emma heard the audible relieved sigh on the other end. It made her smile, if only a little, to know that her mother indeed cared for Regina's safety too.

"Thank goodness. Would you like me to bring your lunch over that you ordered before you left? I can order something to bring for Regina too, if she'd like."

"Sure, that'd be great. Thanks," Emma eyed the decanter over on the small stand. Not taking too long to decide, she got up and walked over to it, putting her phone between her cheek and shoulder to hold it in place as she flipped over a glass.

"Great, what does she want?"

"Oh, um...I'd ask but she went to take a shower. Just, get her a burger, toppings on the side." Emma unwedged the top of the decanter and poured a generous amount into her glass. Making her way back to the couch she sat down, careful not to spill her drink and took a sip.

Emma sounded distracted and caused a tinge of concern as Snow creased her brow. "Okay," she drew out, "but are you certain everything is alright over there?"

"Yes. Why wouldn't it be?" Emma tried to brush it off. "Just an emotional day and everything. You know, visiting her father's grave and all." Not to mention Regina trying to cure herself of a curse. She let her head fall back against the couch and closed her eyes.

Snow didn't believe Emma for a minute. "Right. Well, I'll be there soon and we can talk about it."

Emma let out a groan when she ended the call with her mother. Great. Talk. "Not really what I want right now." She lifted her head and held up her glass with the brown amber liquid, staring at it. Her mind wandered back to the vault where she had found Regina laying there not responding. Her heart lurched and constricted painfully again at the complete loss she felt in that brief moment. She brought the glass to her lips and finished the rest of her drink in one large gulp then leaned over placing the glass on the table. Maybe this town is toxic after all, she briefly thought before shaking her head and getting up from the couch to head upstairs and check on her wife.

Slow and quiet, Emma opened the door to peer in on Regina. The brunette was turned away from her as she slipped into the room. Emma went over to the bed and gingerly sat down behind her so as not to disturb her rest.

"God, Regina. You gave me the scare of my life today, I hope you know," Emma confessed softly in the silent room. "I can't believe you tried… you could have…" Still not able to truly fathom what could have happened or picture her life without the other woman, she sighed deeply and reached out in a feather light caress of Regina's hair. She let out a soft huff of laughter. "And you call me an idiot. I don't think you realize you can be one yourself sometimes."

"I'm not asleep, dear." Regina rolled over, a tiny smirk playing upon her lips as her brow arched. Maybe it was cruel to let Emma go on as she did but Regina wanted to hear what she had to say while unguarded.

Emma jumped and flinched back, heat immediately rising in her cheeks. "Eh… uh… so I guess you heard that last part then?" She inquired meekly. "I um… love you?" She tried to play coy, running her index finger along Regina's arm.

"Mmm… you're lucky I adore you, or there would be serious consequences to what you just said of me."

"Yeah, I am pretty lucky." Emma relaxed at the banter, smiling as she leaned over as though she were going to kiss Regina but instead whispered in her ear, "But I'm sorry if the truth hurts." She let out a soft chuckle when Regina slapped her on the arm. Emma moved and captured Regina's lips in a tender kiss as Regina wrapped her arms around her and brought her down on top of her. "You really did scare me today, though." Emma admitted when they broke from the kiss. She pushed up enough to look into Regina's eyes, reaching up to brush a stray strand of hair from her wife's face. Emma planted soft kisses along her jawline. "I know I said I wanted a little Regina, but not at the risk of losing the Regina I fell in love with."

"I know," Regina answered back softly.

"I mean, I really am totally okay with another mini me to drive you crazy." Emma playfully grinned and nipped at her. She felt Regina chuckle beneath her and did it again. Emma kissed the corner of her mouth. "But I'm also okay with just us," she said with sincerity. "I meant it when I said that earlier."

"Maybe I'm not," Regina answered truthfully.

Emma was pretty sure she stopped breathing in that moment. "Wha...y-you're not? But I thought-"

Regina's lip curled into a half smile. She cupped Emma's cheek with her hand. "Relax. I just mean, while I may have started doing what I did today for you," she paused as she searched Emma's eyes, "I started to realize I wanted it for myself too."

A tiny smile slowly creeped on to Emma's face. "Oh, yeah?"

"Don't look so smug." Regina smiled back warmly while poking Emma in the side.

"Wha… I'm not!"

"It's your fault for making me think of these things again." Regina mumbled and Emma snickered as she collapsed atop Regina and snuggled against her, letting out a contented hum. Regina enveloped her in her arms, her chin resting atop Emma's head. "While technically, as I said before, I'm already a mother and I love Henry with all of my heart, being down in the vault with just myself gave me time to think."

"And your thoughts said, I want to have a baby with my amazing, adorable wife?" Emma teased lightly.

Regina chuckled again. "Perhaps something like that." Emma nestled more at those words. "I want someone that is a part of me. Maybe it's a little selfish but…"

Emma tilted her head up to look at her wife when she didn't continue. "What is it?"

Regina grew somber. "I want to know that good can come from me." She felt her wife stir and knew there was about to be a protest in why she was already good, but she held her firmly so she couldn't get up to do such. "I know what you're going to say. Look, I know that I have changed. It's just…"

Emma managed to break away a little from their embrace to look at her wife. "Actually you don't know what was going to say." She moved her legs to straddle Regina and sat up. "Look, I get it. I do. I'm the poster child for the foster care system, remember? Always wondering why my parents just left me on the side of the road. I got locked up while knocked up. My life was kinda shit, and then I held my baby in my arms and even though I had to give him up, I knew I made something good."

Regina reached out to rest a hand over Emma's heart, her fingers stroking softly. "I love you. I honestly don't know where I would be if you would have left Storybrooke for good."

"Probably still torturing the locals." Emma cocked her head to the side and smiled as she brought her hand up to place over Regina's. "Good thing I'm pretty stubborn and don't listen to gorgeous mayors who tell me to get out of their town." She brought Regina's hand up and kissed her palm.

Regina's brow arched. "Oh? Do you make it a habit of going into towns and seducing mayors?"

There was a mischievous twinkle in Emma's eyes as she grinned and leaned over, planting her hands on the mattress on either side of Regina's head. "There's only one that has ever caught my eye and turned my world upside down."

"Good answer." Regina chuckled as she let her hands wander along Emma's sides and up under her shirt.

"I do aim to please." Emma smirked as she descended and their lips met in a crashing, intense kiss.

Regina brought her hands around raking her nails lightly over Emma's back eliciting a purr from her wife. She expertly unhooked Emma's bra in a flash then tugged at her shirt wishing to remove the garment. Emma broke the kiss long enough to help her, tossing it and her bra behind them, then fell forward to find Regina's lips again.

Emma's hand went to the waistline of Regina's pants, her fingers making quick of the button. Just as her hand began to slip between lacy material and skin the doorbell went off downstairs. Emma groaned and made a move to break the kiss and get up but Regina wasn't having it.

"Ignore it."

Emma whimpered a little as Regina laid claim with kisses and nips along her neck. The doorbell rang again and Emma's head fell against Regina's shoulder in frustration. "Yeah um, about that…"

"What did you do?" Regina inquired accusingly, her kissing ending abruptly.

Emma looked up sheepishly. "My mom was coming over with food for us. That's probably her now."

Regina's eyes widened. "And you just now decide to tell me?"

"Hey!" Emma raised up to look at her. "This is your fault! You distracted me with," she flailed her hand in Regina's direction, "you!" That made Regina chuckle.

"Well then let me distract you a little more." Regina tugged at Emma's arm to bring her back down.

"Regina," Emma whined while trying to escape.

Regina let out a huff. "Fine. I see her timing is like yours. All wrong." She playfully pushed Emma away from her. "At least now I know where you get it from."

Emma laughed and managed to give her a quick peck on the cheek. "Shush. Besides," she rolled over and hopped off the bed, "you need sustenance if we are to continue this little moment we started." She winked and held out her hand for Regina to take.

Regina took Emma's hand but instead of getting up, she pulled her wife back down with her, earning a shriek from Emma. "Regina! You know my mother, if we don't answer soon she will start to think something is up and call the cavalry to take down the door." Regina just chuckled and continued to tease her wife with her hands. "Are you seriously trying to tempt our luck this way?"

Regina stopped her advances and sighed. "Fine. Fine." She flicked her wrist and poofed into the bathroom, making Emma fall with a soft thud face first onto the mattress.

Emma groaned into the pillow before raising up. "Not cool, Regina!"

"Well you said I was distracting you so I took myself out of the equation, dear. Would you rather I go down and answer the door looking ravished by you in front of your mother?" Regina called out from the cracked bathroom door.

"Oh and you think I look any better?" Emma retorted back as she got up and quickly grabbed her bra and shirt trying to get them on. "Why can't you just magic yourself all put together?"

"Magic comes with a price."

"Oh that excuse, after you just magicked yourself out of the room just to freshen up?" Emma came to the open bathroom door and leaned against the frame. "I'm beginning to think that is a load of bs."

"Guess you're the one that paid the price on that one, dear." Regina laughed making Emma roll her eyes. She turned away from the mirror to look Emma over. "See, you're fine." She moved to plant a quick kiss on Emma's cheek. "Go let your mother in before she calls in that cavalry of hers, aka David and the dwarves, while I finish up." She actually snorted out a laugh as the image flashed across her mind and closed the door fully this time causing Emma to step out of the way.

"I'm going! I'm going!" Emma bounded down the stairs. "Getting me all worked up only to throw me to the wolves. Ugh," she grumbled all the way down. Another push of the doorbell rang out as she made it to the door. "Hold on!" She called out and took a few steps back to look in the mirror quick. She saw the red mark right by her collarbone and groaned. "Fuck. How am I going to cover that up?" She tried to fix her shirt to hide it but it still peaked out. I'm going to kill you, Regina. She ran her fingers through her hair then brought some of it over her shoulder to help hide the rest. "That'll have to do."

"Sorry about that," Emma stated as she opened the front door, stepping out of the way to let her mother in.

"No worries." Snow gave her daughter a smile and stepped inside. "I hope I didn't interrupt any important discussions or anything."

"What? No, we were just-"

"I mean you are technically on your honeymoon afterall." Emma's face turned beet red. She whirled around quickly to make her way toward the kitchen. "It's nothing to be embarrassed about, Emma. After David and I got married…"

"Hello, Snow."

Emma turned to see Regina descending the stairs. Oh, thank God for that interruption. At least one of us has perfect timing.

"Hello," Snow greeted with a smile. "I brought you and Emma some food. She mentioned you were tired so I didn't want you having to cook." She lifted the bags in her hand in show.

"She's not the only adult in this place you know. I could have cooked something for us." Emma interjected, turning to take the bags from her mother. Both Snow and Regina looked to one another and then to Emma. "What?! I'm a good cook now. Tell her, Regina."

Regina raised her brow at her wife then turned to Snow with a thankful smile. "I'm fine. Thank you for bringing this for us." She took the bags from Emma then proceeded into the kitchen.

"Regina! You're supposed to stick up for your wife!" Emma whined and made a light stomp of her foot. "Ugh," she softly grunted before going after her.

Snow covered her mouth to stifle a laugh at her daughter's expense. She followed the two other women into the kitchen, already finding Regina setting out the containers.

"Would you like something to drink?" Emma inquired as she grabbed some glasses.

"Some water would be nice." Snow regarded the two other women in the room, trying to figure out the best way to get to the bottom of what was bothering Emma on the phone. While her daughter hadn't said anything exactly, she knew something was amiss.

"Here you go." Emma set the glass of water down in front of Snow then went to get her food. "Mmm. I've missed Granny's cooking." She bit into her grilled cheese with a delighted moan. Emma caught the look she was getting from Regina, her brow quirked in challenge. "Not that I don't absolutely adore yours, my sweet understanding wife." She gave a tiny crooked smile, her cheek puffing out just the slightest from the bite of sandwich still there.

"Mmm. Good to know my cooking is in competition with a grilled cheese sandwich." Regina narrowed her eyes and went back to fixing her burger. Emma chuckled as she leaned over and placed a chaste kiss on her wife's cheek. Regina's mouth twitched on one side as she tried to suppress a small smile.

'Fucked up World' began blasting from Emma's pocket. Chuckling, she pulled out her phone and answered. "Hey, Ruby."

"Hey. I was just calling to check in on you. Make sure your mom paid your bail money."

"What?" Emma laughed as she glanced over at her mother.

"Well she said you didn't sound yourself, so I worried. After you bolted out of the diner earlier, I figured somebody did something to Regina and you went off to kill them and now needed bail."

"Wow, so that is what you think of me, huh? You know you'd be the first person I would call to bail me out." Snow and Regina both fixed her with a furrowed look trying to figure out what was going on but Emma just shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"I would hope so," Ruby laughed. "But seriously, is everything okay? Regina okay?"

"One sec." Emma pulled the phone away and covered it with her hand to muffle it. "Sorry, I'm just going to take this in the other room," she informed Snow and Regina.

"What was that about bailing you out?" Regina inquired and Snow nodded, wanting to know the same, as they both stared at her.

"It was a joke. Ruby was just kidding me because of how I left the diner." Emma moved to kiss Regina. "Behave." She winked then headed out of the room leaving Regina and Snow staring at her retreating figure before looking back at each other.

"Emma? Hellooo?"

"Sorry, Ruby." Emma brought the phone back up as she made her way into Regina's office and shut the door.

"Okay so what is going on? You're definitely being weird, even for you."

"Gee, thanks!" Emma snorted while plopping down in Regina's desk chair.

"So is everything really okay then? You didn't kill Killian did you? Because you can't spring something like that on me without time to figure out how to hide the body." Ruby teased.

"No, no." Emma waved her hand dismissing the notion even if Ruby couldn't see her doing it. "I think we're on good terms so I don't think he'll cause us any trouble. At least I hope not."

"Alright, my bad." Ruby chuckled. "So what's up? I was hoping we could hang out tonight but if something is wrong I want to help."

Emma leaned back in the desk chair and bit her lip, wondering if she should tell her what happened. She looked toward the shut office door. Regina would kill her if she found out.

"Em? You there?"

"Yeah, sorry." Emma shook her head to clear her thoughts. "If I tell you something, you have to swear not to say anything about it. I will hurt you if you do, especially to my mother."

"Threatening a wolf? This must be serious."

"Ruby! I am serious."

"Okay! Okay! Geez, now you are worrying me." Ruby let out in defeat. "What has you so worked up?"

xxxxxxxxxx

After Emma had left the room, Snow and Regina fell into a comfortable silence, Regina busy finishing up her lunch while Snow answered some texts from Henry and David. It wasn't until Snow was helping Regina put away and clean up that Snow dropped the question. "Is everything really alright with Emma?"

"Yes, why would you ask?" Regina wondered what Emma had said or done that she would have to cover for now. And she goes and leaves me alone with this one.

Snow shrugged, trying to act as though it was nothing terribly important. "I just sensed something was off when she called me earlier, so I just thought I would ask."

Regina quirked her brow, not at all buying the pixie haired woman's horrible acting. "Well if you are concerned in regards to your daughter, why don't you ask her instead of me?"

Snow let out a small laugh. "You think she would give me a straight answer? It's Emma."

"And you think I would?" Regina inquired in amusement.

Snow regarded her with a sincere gaze. "When it comes to something about Emma, yes, I think you would."

Regina grew serious but gave her a simple reassuring smile. "She's fine, Snow, I promise. I think I simply scared her when I didn't answer and I'm sure her nerves were still playing a part when she called you."

Snow's shoulders relaxed as she let out a relieved sigh. "I guess you're probably right." She then tilted her head to the side. "And what about you? I know we're just starting to get on the right foot, but I would hope that you'd confide in me if something was wrong."

Regina just smirked. "I think we both know it will be sometime before we get to that point, dear."

Snow snickered. "Yes, well, I hope we do though."

Regina could tell that she meant it as they both shared a smile.

"So what did I miss?" Emma walked into the room and came to a halt as she looked between her wife and her mother. "Um, are you two plotting something?" She raised her brow as both women turned to her.

"Should we have reason to plot?" Regina fixed her wife with one of her signature smirks.

Emma's eyes widened. "Depends on if it is about me."

"Well if it was, darling, we couldn't tell you." Snow decided to join in.

Emma kept her eyes on the two of them as she walked over to grab her drink. "You two are scary when you team up." She pointed back and forth between them, only half joking. "Anyway, I got a text from Henry after I got off the phone with Ruby. He wanted to know if it would be okay if he stayed with them again tonight."

"I guess that would be alright." Regina then turned to Snow. "I can give you some of his clothes to take back with you."

Snow nodded. "Of course." Regina left the room and headed upstairs to gather Henry's things.

Snow chuckled. "Well on that note, I guess I will head out once Regina gets back with stuff for Henry. He and David should be on their way back soon and I need to stop by the store to grab a few things for your reception and-"

Emma groaned as she interrupted her mother. "Please don't make a huge deal over that party. I know you. You'll go overboard and then-"

"You're right, I would," Snow cut her daughter off as she walked over to her. "But Henry has kept me from doing that. He had some wonderful ideas and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with the result." She hugged Emma and placed a kiss on her cheek. "We'll make it perfect for you, for both of you. I promise."

"Here you are, Snow." Regina had returned with a small bag of Henry's. "And what exactly are you promising?"

Snow took the offered bag. "I was simply promising a reception you both will be proud of."

"No birds then?"

Snow huffed. "Why is everyone so against birds?"

"I'm not against birds, just don't want decor plastered everywhere of them. I just prefer something more elegant than that."

"Because she's a queen and a bit more refined, didn't you know that?" Emma playfully put on airs.

"I know you are not mocking me." Regina turned and jabbed her wife.

"Never." Emma chortled as she tried to move out of her reach.

"Liar." Regina managed to pinch Emma's side before she was able to escape causing her to let out a sharp shriek.

"Well I will leave you two children to your crazy and I will drop Henry off tomorrow morning," Snow announced but Emma had already taken off into the other room to get away from Regina.

"We'll see you tomorrow, Snow." Regina answered before leisurely walking into the other room where Emma was.

"NoO!" Snow heard Emma squeal in the distance. She shook her head and made her way to the door to let herself out.

Instead of chasing after Emma, Regina had simply poofed in front of her causing Emma to run into her. Regina stood there with a big smirk on her face.

"Cheater," Emma pouted and folded her arms.

Regina just chuckled and placed her finger under Emma's chin. "I always catch my prey, dear," her words coming out in a purr before she claimed Emma's lips with a kiss.

Emma whimpered and her eyes fluttered back open when the kiss ended. "Mmm, okay, you win."

"Of course I did." Regina winked. "So, what was so secretive that you had to take your call in the other room?" She fixed Emma with challenging stare.

"Oh, uh nothing. Ruby just wanted to take me out to find an outfit for the party."

"And?" Regina narrowed her eyes and waited.

Emma suddenly found it hard to swallow. "Well… Okay look, don't get mad."

"You starting this off with 'don't get mad' makes it very likely that it is something I will be doing momentarily once you decide to spit it out."

Emma tried to make a puppy face and reached out, pawing a little before taking hold of Regina and tug her closer. "Remember that you love me, okay? So, I may or may not have told Ruby about what happened today."

"You what?" Regina gritted her teeth.

"Not all of it, just… some." Emma bit her bottom lip.

"You're just like your mother." Regina turned her head away, not wanting to look at her right at that moment.

"Whoa! Okay that's going a bit far." Emma let go and stepped back when Regina whipped her head back around to glare at her. "Okay, or not." Emma held up out in front of her in surrender. She knew this was going to happen. Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, she reached out again and took Regina's hands in her own. "Okay so that might have been a stupid move on my part without asking first. But, Ruby is not a Charming and can keep a secret better than anyone I know. If you don't trust her, trust me. Okay?"

Regina clenched her jaw a few times as she thought it over before finally relaxing enough that Emma felt she had gotten her point through.

"Are we alright?" Emma inquired, giving a small squeeze to her hands. Regina took a few moments then finally gave a small nod in affirmation. Emma blew out a relieved sigh and took the few steps to close the gap between them to envelope her in her arms. Emma nuzzled into Regina's neck when she finally hugged her back.

"You are such an idiot."

"I know but you're stuck with me," Emma mumbled.