Impermanence

Regina is startled awake by a knocking sound. She doesn't register what it is immediately, but when it comes a second time and abruptly stops, followed by voices carrying up the stairs, she abruptly jumps from her bed and runs in the direction of the voices.

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Emma had woken up earlier than she had in a long time. Despite the dull ache in her ribs she didn't feel too bad. The swelling in her face had gone down almost completely leaving behind pale green and yellow bruising, but there was no obvious pain today. It seems a day lounging in bed snuggled with two of her current favorite people having done her a world of good. It's still too early for Henry to have woken up, but she gets out of bed and ventures through the house she was still nowhere near familiar with. After a quick pit stop by the bathroom she takes the stairs with much more ease than she did the day before. She stops to really take in her surroundings. The home of the mayor of Storybrooke. A simple elegant design is a stark contrast of elegance and something...cold. Almost barren. As she makes her way into the living room her sight is captured by the light streaming in through large french doors she hadn't noticed before. It is amazing what details you miss when your only focus is pain. She slowly makes her way to the source of brightness and looks out over the well manicured yard. Donned in a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, the cold is abrupt and punishing as she opens the door. Only craning her neck out in hopes of holding some warmth, she takes in a luscious herb garden just off the porch and several apple trees to her left. That explains the apple smell always surrounding the mysterious woman upstairs. Beautiful flowers shape the right side of the yard, and the quaint table and chairs settled in between the foliage is inviting. If it was warmer she would take her morning coffee out there and enjoy the fragrant surroundings. Coffee...yes, that is exactly what she wants!

Who the hell even has a coffee maker this complex? Why are there so many damn buttons? Does this woman own instant coffee? The questions running through Emma Swan's mind as she stares in utter confusion at the array of knobs and buttons on Regina's coffee maker. Finding the water reservoir was simple enough, and it was only minimally confusing when there was a place for a pod thingy and a different one for grounds but she figured it out. Now there are too many buttons! Her coffee maker at home has just one...the go button. Suddenly there is a knock at the door so she pushes a random button and hopes that the dark liquid will be waiting for her. She isn't entirely sure she should be answering Roni's door, but the woman is still sleeping and gods know does she need the rest. She reaches the door as the knock comes a second time.

Hesitantly she pulls the door open a crack "can I help you?" The woman behind the door, a fair skinned woman with a pixie cut and doe eyes stands with her mouth agape. Moments pass without a word from the smaller woman, but her eyes glass over as tears begin to pool there. "Can I help you miss?" Emma asks again hoping to jar the woman from her trance.

"Emma...?" The woman's voice comes out as a near whisper. "Wh-what are you...when..." The woman's attempt is interrupted by footfalls coming down the stairs.

Regina hadn't bothered to change in her haste. She knew this could not be good. Emma turns and her mouth promptly falls open at the sight of the brunette in a silk nightgown that fell over perfect curves and covered very little real estate. As the familiar scent of the other woman fills her nostrils she sputters "I-I'm sorry Roni I didn't mean to. How does she?" Warm hands cup her shoulders stopping her.

"Emma, I got this. Thank you, dear. Smells like your coffee is done, why don't you go have a cup while I speak with my guest." She ushers the blonde away making sure she is out of ear shot before turning on the bewildered woman. "Snow, how lovely for you to show up at my home so early this morning. Surely a phone call would have sufficed."

"Roni?" The small woman tilts her head in question, which always reminds Regina of a confused pup.

"Oh gods, Snow, it's such a long story." She brings her hand to her temple and rubs as if her head were pounding. "I don't have time to explain it all but I met, well re-met Emma outside of Storybrooke and I didn't know what to say when she asked my name, Roni just came out. She still has no memory, of any of it. Neither does Henry." She squeezes her eyes shut.

"Henry...he's here too?" Regina nods woefully. "I-I. And they don't know who you are?" Regina switches to shaking her head fighting to keep the tears at bay. "That must be horrible for you, I'm so sorry Regina." A small hand comes to rest on her forearm. Of course, no matter how much disdain she holds for Snow freaking White the woman insists on being kind and caring to her. "I came to tell you that Hook's ship showed up sometime during the night. David saw it on his way to the station."

Regina's head pops up and her eyes meet the small woman. Anger courses through her veins and she can feel the hate bubbling over. Through clenched teeth she dismisses Snow. "Thank you, I'll call David later." She moves to close the door but it is abruptly stopped.

"Can you call me later, too. I know- I just want to know that Emma is okay." The pleading in the woman's eyes makes bile creep up Regina's throat.

"Fine. Goodbye Snow." Finally she is able to shut the door. She looks down at her appearance and rolls her eyes. As much as she wants coffee, she will need proper clothes first.

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Henry greets her at the top of the stairs with his typical fashion of bedhead and sleepy eyes. She escorts the fumbling boy down the stairs, and wonders if she needs coffee more or him. Emma only has one extra cup made so that settled that argument as surely Regina was taking it for herself. But the hot chocolate in front of the young man should suffice to give him the boost he needs.

There is a thick tension sitting in the room as the two women both yearn to discuss earlier events, but its an unspoken agreement that they wouldn't in front of the boy. It doesn't take long for the boy to perk up full of warm chocolate goodness and excuse himself to get a shower. He barely makes it out of the room when Emma jumps on Regina. "How did that woman know my name?"

Regina takes her time drinking her coffee in a long pull. "I...I told her about you."

Emma scoffs "do you usually tell your friends about random women that you meet in a bar?"

Regina can feel the heat rising to her face, "No- just...you know, the really pretty ones."

Emma stops and turns to the brunette, a pink tinge taking over her own cheeks. After a long moment of her staring wordlessly at the other woman she turns back to the stove where scrambled eggs are nearing done.

"Wow, never known you to be speechless." Regina grins like a chestershire cat. Emma finishes the eggs and separates them onto the plates. Regina excuses herself to make a call while Emma whips up a few pancakes and Henry finishes his shower.

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"Hey, David. Snow came to see me this morning. She said Hook's ship is here, and I don't have long. Have you talked to Snow?"

"No."

"Okay, well you will, soon. Emma is at my house, but she doesn't have her memories so please do not stop by uninvited. I already had to lie about why Snow knew her name."

"Wh-what did you tell her."

"Oh, never mind that David! Hook cannot find out Emma's here! And you should find something he has done and lock his ass up until we know why he's back."

"Uh, okay Regina- I feel like I'm missing a whole lot right now."

"You are, and I'll explain it all later, but keep that pirate away from here!"

She slams the end button and takes a deep breath, turning to where breakfast smells to die for.

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Henry has turned out to be overly grumpy today. He has made it well known that he doesn't want to leave. Emma had turned gown Roni's offer to help her pack so she doesn't strain herself. Instead she helps the boy pack his things, and offers to let him take a few of the books he has become entranced with, including the large storybook that was the cause of so much in the beginning.

Henry has tears falling from his eyes and is looking through the pages of the book. Regina longs to grab the boy and wrap him in her arms. She wants to cry too, for losing her son yet again. But instead she sits behind him and gently strokes his hair.

"Hey Roni. I noticed something about this book." His thick wet voice comes lowly. She hums in response and the boy turns several pages, landing on a familiar passage. "this woman" he points to the evil queen standing in her tower, "she looks kinda like you."

Dread fills Regina's chest "mm yes, I suppose she does a little, but if I remember correctly she is evil." She clears her throat.

"Yeah, but you don't act like her, you look like her! She may be mean, but she sure is pretty!" He smiles back at her.

She can't help but throw her arm around the boy's shoulders and pull him close. "Thank you Henry, that's very sweet of you to say." She holds on for a while longer. Maybe too long. She sniffs his hair one last time and releases the boy. Standing and straightening her clothing "Me and your mom still have to get ready to go, you can play some video games or whatever you want in the meantime." She turns to leave before the hot salty drops make their way past her lashes.

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Next, she goes to look in on Emma who is sitting on the end of her bed with her packed bag by her feet, tears falling into her lap. "i'm sorry, do you want me to-"

"Stay"

Regina pushes the door closed behind her and steps into the room. "Do you want to shower before you go?"

Emma's red-rimmed eyes meet dark pools, "Roni, you and I both know that would just be an attempt to buy more time here."

"Maybe, but can you really blame me for wanting you and Henry to stay just a bit longer?" Regina breaks the gaze and shifts her eyes to the overstuffed bag laying on the floor.

"No, but there is no reason to prolong the inevitable." Emma flops back onto the bed, her hair fanning around behind her.

"Is that why you are crying, dear?" Regina takes a small step in the direction of the other woman.

Emma sits back up, "I don't want to talk about it, Roni." She stands "I want to wash my puffy face in some warm water, I probably look disgusting."

"You don't. But I will leave you to clean up. I need to shower, anyway." She turns to exit and stops when her hand wraps around the knob. "Emma, if you need to talk, I'm here." The blonde nods and she leaves the room.

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Making her way back to her own room and into the shower Regina lets the steaming hot water pour over her as she allows her heart to shatter and her tears to flow. She is going to lose them all over again. She may get to be some part of their lives at a distance, but Henry will never remember that she raised him, and Emma will never remember all that they have been through. At least they don't know her as the evil queen anymore. Which, seems such a small price to pay right now when all she wants is to keep them here and safe. Safe- Going back to her own world that is one thing Emma will not be, at least not if Hook makes it out of here before Regina can get her hands on him. But, with them being gone she will be able to channel her energy into finding the drunken pirate and making sure his days of terror come to a swift end. The tears slow to a stop and her exhausted brain quiets. She shifts her focus to cleaning her body instead of her soul.

Face cream, blow drying, clean teeth, light make-up, red lipstick and an outfit that fits oh so well later and she is ready to do what she has to do. She takes a good look in the mirror and a deep breath and exits the bathroom to tackle this task head-on. She is startled when she exits and finds a fresh faced blonde sitting on the end of her bed. "Shit, Emma, you scared me! What if I wasn't dressed?"

A half smile takes over pale lips "would that really be so bad?" Now it is Regina's turn to be speechless. "Sorry, um- I...I wanted to ask you something, before we are in front of Henry."

Curiosity gets the better of the well poised woman and she lifts an eyebrow quizzically. "Go on..."

"Well you told Henry...all those songs. Would you tell me about the woman. The one that left?" She stands and lifts her hands almost defensively "I understand if you don't want to or can't. I just- the music you make has always captivated me and now that I know a little bit of the story I just, I want to know more."

Regina remains rooted in her spot while her stomach makes its home in her throat. "Emma it's..." She takes a deep breath and dabs away the few tears she can't keep contained."Okay. So...shit I hardly know where to start." She walks to sit on the edge of her bed. "There was a woman, as you know. I- I hated her when I first met her. Well kind of, it's complicated. Not when I first saw her I was scared because I had lost something important. The most important thing, and she had it and brought it back to me and I was scared, and angry and she was beautiful and it was so confusing." She places her hand over her stomach as she does sometimes when she is upset or nervous. "I was scared she was going to take the thing I loved most and so I tried so hard for so long to push her away. I treated her terribly, and no matter what I did she was always there for me. She saved my ass more times than I deserved." She sniffles and pushes the tears back. "She was strong, and brave, and beautiful, and fierce, and a pain in the ass, and before I even knew what happened, through all our bickering and fighting I fell for her. And we finally were making a little headway with getting along when things beyond our control happened and she had to leave. And she had to take the thing I love most with her." She wipes a rouge tear. "It was when I had to let her go that I realized I didn't want to have to live without her. She made me better in more ways than I will be able to tell you."

Regina hadn't registered when Emma came to sit beside her on the bed or that her hand was splayed over her back. But when she looks up, she sees the other woman looking back at her with tears threatening to pool over as well. "Roni I'm so, so sorry."

Oceans of forest green get lost in deep pools of chestnut. The pull between them is magnetic and neither of them knows who leans in first. They don't hear Henry approach the doorway and he doesn't call out for either of them, just stands awkwardly watching as they slowly drift together. Warm, smooth, soft flesh mingles with pouty, slightly sticky, full lips in an instant. All they feel is the overwhelming hunger for one another taking over. Henry is the only witness to the burst of colorful light that explodes from the two women as Emma intertwines her fingers in silky strands. As fast as Regina relishes in the sensation the hand drops and an intake of air fills her ears. She opens her eyes to a wide stare and mouth fallen open looking back at her. She turns her head to see the same expression from the bouncy boy in the doorway. Both parties speak at once....

"Moms..."

"Regina!"