It’s been… Emma’s not sure how many days it’s been. She lost count around day twenty, or maybe she just stopped counting altogether. Either way, it’s been a long ass time since they came back from the Underworld.
Henry had been keeping her updated on Regina as much as he could, and it took all of the energy Emma had to get him to school. She wanted to do more, but she wasn’t sure what she could do. Regina was still going to work, still going to the store and to family dinners at Snows.
Until she wasn’t.
And that’s when Emma really became worried.
Well, she always worried about Regina. Had worried more since they came back, but Regina had seemed fine. She was a pro at masking her emotions.
The first day Regina didn’t show up at work, Emma had found out when she had stopped by the Mayor's Office to bring the other woman a coffee and bagel. Her assistant, Emma didn’t remember her name, had said Regina called in and was working from home.
She decided to drive over to Mifflin Street, partially to give Regina the coffee and bagel, but also to make sure was doing okay. Emma knocked on the door a few times before it finally opened, just a crack. Regina looked back at her with sad puffy eyes.
“Hey,” Emma said quietly. “I brought some breakfast.” She held up the paperbag from Granny’s and a coffee. “Can I come in?” She was worried she would be turned down, that Regina would break out the Evil Queen persona, but instead, Regina stepped back, just enough for Emma to get through the door.
Emma took in the mess of shoes on the floor, the coats and jackets that weren’t in their rightful place. Regina didn’t say anything as she locked the door and walked into the kitchen, taking a seat at the table. Emma followed behind her, noticing that the house was messy compared to how Regina usually kept it. She wouldn’t depend on Henry, who was just a kid, to keep the entire house clean, afterall.
There were plates, mugs and cups in the sink and a few skillets on the stove. It looked like Henry had been taking the trash out, though. Why hadn’t he asked Emma for help? Why hadn’t Regina?
Emma pulled a small plate from a cabinet and set it in front of Regina with the bagel. She went to the fridge that was nearly empty and found a container of cream cheese, and then a knife from a drawer. She spread the cream cheese on the bagel, as Regina hadn’t moved or even touched her coffee. And then she sat down across from her, hoping that Regina would talk. Would say something.
They were like this for a good twenty minutes before Regina finally reached for the bagel and took a few bites, washing it down with the coffee that was surely cold by now. Emma’s eyes were on her, while Regina’s were on the table. She was waiting… waiting for anything.
“I think you should go,” Regina finally whispered.
If Emma hadn’t been watching her, hadn’t seen her lips move, she’s not sure she would have actually heard anything. “I want to stay,” she said just as quietly to not scare the brunette.
“I’m fine, Miss Swan. I just took a day off work. That’s nothing to write home about. Now, please leave.”
She wouldn’t even look at Emma as she spoke, and now they were back to Miss Swan. Emma sighed and finally stood from the chair and pushed it in, just like Regina preferred. But before leaving, Emma gently gripped her shoulder in a reassuring gesture. A way for Regina to know that Emma was there for her.
She felt Regina take in a breath at the contact, and then Emma was gone.
That was a week ago, and Emma hasn’t stopped thinking about it since. She checked in with Regina’s assistant Michelle, who’s name she had finally learned, and Regina hadn’t been at work all week.
Emma bit into her grilled cheese, wondering what the hell to do next. She had already gotten a hold of Snow to take over mayoral duties and the buttload of paperwork that Emma knows comes with the job.
“Hey, Em.” Emma looked at the man sitting across from her as she chewed her food. “What’s on your mind?”
She took another bite, washing it down with her coffee. “...Regina.”
“Em, you’ve got to let it go. She’ll be fine. Henry’s with her.”
The anger was boiling deep down in her stomach. She was tired of everyone telling her to let it go. This wasn’t something you just let go. Regina wasn’t someone to just let go. “You don’t get it, Neal. She… she lost her soulmate. None of us know what that’s like. Robin is dead, Hades killed him, and there’s nothing that anyone can do about it. She needs help, and no one is helping her.”
“Do you blame them for not helping? She terrorized and killed people for decades, Emma. She cast a curse that had this town on lockdown for 28 years, with people living day in and day out exactly the same with no idea.”
“You don’t think I’m aware of that? You should know better than anyone, Neal.”
Neal sat back in his seat, rubbing his hands across his face. “Why worry about her so much, Emma? You lost someone back in the Underworld, too.” Emma’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Hook. He left you for…for my mother.”
Emma let out a loud laugh before remembering that they were in public at Granny’s during the busy lunch hour. She quickly quieted down and shook her head in disbelief. “Hook and I weren’t anything.” Now it was Neal’s turn to look at her in confusion. “Look,” Emma chuckled. “He kissed me in Neverland and I pushed him back because-” She hasn’t told anyone in Storybrooke this, but she may as well come clean. It was Neal, after all.
“Because what?”
She leaned in a little further, Neal doing the same. “Because I’m gay, Neal.”
“What?” Neal laughed. “No, you’re not, Emma. I would know if you were gay.” There’s that boyish yet smug smile on his face.
Emma bit her bottom lip. “We were together…” she motions between them. “I had to survive, Neal. Sure, I thought I was bisexual for a while, but I’m definitely gay. I’m a lesbian, and I’m tired of hiding it.”
Neal scoffs. “You can’t be serious. So, what? Everything we had was a lie?”
“I loved you, just… not in that way.”
“So-” Neal sucks his teeth and it’s like clarity suddenly hits him, and maybe it hits Emma at the same time. It’s like a hurricane comes crashing down on her heart and her chest feels heavy. “You’re in love with her.” Neal’s laughing suddenly and Emma can’t breathe.
She stands to leave and as soon as she’s out of the diner, she sprints. Emma has no idea where she’s going, doesn’t realize the direction or how long it takes her until she’s in the woods on the edge of a cliff. The cliff where Regina taught her magic. Where Cruella-
Fucking Christ.
Emma paces back and forth for a while, as she catches her breath. Her hands are in her hair when she lets out a loud scream over and over again. Tears are running down her face, and she’s thankful she isn’t wearing any makeup today.
God, she is such a mess. She needs to- She doesn’t know what she needs to do. Emma thinks of her conversation with Neal, how much of an ass he was. Maybe one day he’ll understand that Emma was with him for survival; plus he was in the car that she stole. They were friends in the beginning, helping each other actually survive. Stealing food and clothing, begging people for money; being con artists.
It was so easy back then. Easy to pretend. She remembers getting drunk with Neal, feeling flirty and a bit handsy. Neal was, too. They didn’t have sex that many times, really. Either when they’d both been drinking or when Emma would pretend that the person between her legs had a smooth face and a soft voice.
Her fist collided with a tree, a sob leaving her lips.
No matter what happened between her and Neal, they created Henry, and he was what mattered. Sometimes she still can’t believe that he came all the way to Boston to find her, and how great of a kid he is.
Another punch.
Another sob.
Fuck, she can’t do this. She’s never been good at expressing her feelings, deciding to hold them all in until she finally breaks.
She leans on the tree before finally sliding down it, pulling her knees to her chest and resting her forehead in the space her knees have created. How did she never know that she was in love with Regina? It was all so clear.
But then there was Robin, her soulmate. All because of some stupid tattoo.
The dark splotch of ink on her back burns at the thought. A stupid drunken dare.
How could she not love Regina? The woman was the mother of their son; she raised him and turned him into the beautiful person he was today.
She thinks back, knowing she's always had a crush on Regina, but wondering when it all changed.
It had to have been in Neverland. Did Emma really just push down all of her feelings? And of course when Greg and Tamara had kidnapped Regina, sucked the magic right out of her, just before they all went to the other realm. Fuck, Emma was terrified that day. So scared she had lost Regina. There's no way she could raise Henry alone. But then they had taken Henry, too.
And then there was Pan's curse. God, Emma could have kissed Regina right there at the town line, could have begged Regina to come with her and Henry, to raise him together this time.
But then she got in her bug, watching the magic take them all back to the Enchanted Forest. And she had lost her family again, but at least she had Henry. And Regina's happy memories.
Regina. Regina. Regina.
Emma smiled to herself, her head now resting against the tree.
—
Regina disappeared in a puff of purple smoke, reappearing in …the woods?
Her hand went to her head, suddenly having a slight headache from the sunlight. When was the last time she had been outside? She didn't even have shoes on.
She looks around at her surroundings; tall evergreen trees, a few fallen branches on the ground. The woods were beautiful, really. She needed to visit more. Maybe it would calm her racing mind and beating heart.
Regina closed her eyes and took a deep breath, smelling the pine and the earth around her. She opened her eyes once again and scanned her surroundings. Until her eyes landed on-
"Emma?" Bits of her blonde locks were appearing from behind a tree. Her voice was hoarse, and Regina realized she'd barely used it in…days? Weeks? She's not sure how long it's been since-
"Gina? What are you doing here?" Emma was standing in front of her now, a few feet away. Her sea green eyes were wide and Regina suddenly felt even more vulnerable.
And honestly, Regina isn't sure why she's here. The only thing that makes sense is- "I believe I was summoned…?" She doesn't mean for it to sound like a question, but she's not really not sure. She hasn't had this happen since the curse had been broken. As far as she remembers, it had only happened in the Enchanted Forest.
Emma's eyes are still wide when she asks, "Like Beetlejuice?" She then mumbles something under her breath, but Regina doesn't hear it. "Did I… did I Beetlejuice you?"
Regina narrows her eyes. She vaguely remembers watching the 80s classic movie, with the singing and dancing, and the ghosts. It was quite funny. She crosses her arms, feels her head pounding. "You really think that if you say my name three times, I just appear?"
"Well that's…" Emma sighs loudly. "I didn't say your name, exactly. But I…I thought it."
"Why?" Regina whispered.
It's Emma's turn to cross her arms over her chest, now. "I was thinking about Pan's curse. At the town line. And about all the bullshit that's happened."
"Emma, I'm sorry, but I really don't have time for this." She just wanted to go back home and lay in bed. Maybe take a nap, or magic herself a red velvet cake and eat most of it. Also in her bed.
And then Emma scoffs. Her hands are on her hips and Regina watches the blonde begin to pace. Did she offend her?
"You have all the time in the world, Regina. I know you haven't been at your office. You can't just-" She takes a deep breath as her voice becomes raised. And then softer, she says, "You can't sit around and feel sorry for yourself."
"You don't know a goddamn thing about me," Regina sneered. Fury was building inside of her, or maybe it was grief. She wasn't sure anymore.
"You're wrong. I know more about you than anyone else here."
Because Robin's dead.
Regina held her head higher and tightened her arms around herself as her so-called best friend continued on with her tantrum.
"I know how you act when you're sad or angry. And I know you when you're happy, Regina." Emma is flailing her arms around as she talks, and it's such an Emma thing to do. "You can't be pissed off all the time because someone died. People die all the time. You need to grieve, and then it becomes easier. But you can't just sit and wallow."
People die all the time.
"You don't think I know about death?!" Regina yelled. She could feel her face becoming hot, her heart beginning to pound. Her arms were at her side, as her body became rigid; defensive. She pointed a finger at Emma as she spoke. "I watched my mother rip out the heart of the man I loved, right in front of me. I watched my father die - twice! And then I had to watch Daniel die all over again, begging me to kill him." She could feel the tears streaming down her cheeks now. My mother died in my arms at your mother's hands, Miss Swan. And now!" She's shouting now, she knows she is. Her throat is raw and her voice is cracking. "Now my soulmate has been killed just to bring back Neal. He wasn't worth it. He wasn't worth my pain!"
She sees the hurt in Emma's face before she's done, but she doesn't care. Regina's heart has been hurting for decades and no one has cared.
"Regina, I'm truly sorry for everything you've been through," Emma says. Her voice is so soft, so contrasting to Regina's own. "But how can you say that bringing Neal back wasn't worth it? Henry will know his dad."
Her eyebrows shoot up and it feels like her eyes are popping out of their sockets. "What about Roland?! Now he's without a father." She takes a few strides, walking closer to Emma. "I don't give a damn about Neal. I didn't in the Enchanted Forest, and I don't now. I don't care if he's Henry's father. He wasn't worth bringing back."
"How can you say that?" Emma asks. Her voice is still unbelievably soft. "I'm sorry about Roland, but he has a family. He has the merrymen, and I know you'll always be there for him."
Regina sucks her teeth and laughs. She crosses her arms back over her chest. "I don't know why you keep thinking you know so much about me."
"Why do you hate Neal so much?"
"Why don't you?" She counters.
Emma rolls her eyes. "Listen, Gina. I know what he did was fucked up. But it's in the past and he's here now. He can be a dad to Henry."
"And be what to you?"
"Excuse me?"
Regina begins to pace. "He comes back here and tries to be father of the year. My son who has never needed a father suddenly has one. One who never gave a damn about him."
"Neal didn't know about Henry. You know that."
She blocks Emma out and continues. "Neal never cared about anyone but himself. He's a coward, just like his own father. Look what he did to you!" She's talking with her hands now and gesturing to the woman in front of her. "How can you ever forgive him? He left you, Emma. And you just act all willy-nilly about it and forgive him."
"Is that what this is about?" Emma asks. Regina is still pacing. "You're pissed because Robin left you? He was killed. He would have stayed if he could. If it was up to him, you know Robin would have stayed."
"And what good would that have done?!" She can feel herself spiraling, now. This is why she's been avoiding Emma, the one person that can make her talk. "He would have left me anyway, just like everyone else! I'm of no use to anyone, once they get what they want." That's why she's stayed so far away from everyone, has never started friendships she so dearly wanted.
"You're wrong," Emma tells her. "You are so much more, Regina. And you mean the world…no, the universe…to so many people here."
Regina scoffs. Tears have started falling down her cheeks and she continues to pace, wearing holes into the dirt with her apparent bare feet. "No one cares about me, and they never will. I'll die alone in my house, and Henry won't even be there because he hates me, just like he always has."
Emma doesn't say anything this time, she just stands there and watches Regina. Listens to all of the nonsense coming out of her mouth as she starts to sob.
"I was supposed to get my happy ending. Robin was supposed to live so that we could be together, and be happy. And then we had to go to the fucking Underworld and follow the stupid pirate, just for you! Just for Robin to die!" She knows she's screaming, but she can't stop herself.
"Because you're Emma the Savior." Regina knows she has to be sounding delirious now. "The savior who everyone falls in love with. You have people following your every move, your every word. You could tell them all to jump and they'd ask how high? It's not fair!"
—
Emma's brow is furrowed and her face is beginning to hurt from the look of confusion she's sure is on her face. She knew that Regina needed to grieve, but she wasn't expecting this.
Whatever this was.
It seems that Regina is spiraling. Emma has never seen her like this in their years of co-parenting together and walking on eggshells around each other.
But she's seen it before. In a few of the foster parents she had - Usually mothers, sometimes fathers or the other kids. But for some reason it was usually the mom's.
This wasn't just grief. Emma believed this was a manic episode. And… maybe jealousy?
She continued to watch with wide eyes as Regina walked back and forth in front of her. The brunette was screaming, sobbing, and accusing everyone of never really loving her. It was all just a sick game, she said.
There was so much space between their hearts at this moment. Emma could feel it. Regina's was broken, scarred and bleeding while Emma's was trying to reach out and grasp onto love.
"How are you perfectly fine?" Regina suddenly asks. She was standing directly in front of Emma now. "Everyone you've loved has left you, too."
Emma furrowed her brows. Sure, she supposed that was true, but everyone came back.
And then Regina begins to pace again, listing off names and counting them on her fingers. "Your mother and father gave you away to save their Kingdom."
Emma takes in a breath. She thought they were past this. "They did what they thought was best." She's mostly forgiven them over the years, but it's still a touchy, weird subject.
"Then there was Lily."
"She didn't leave. My foster family gave me back." Tears are in her eyes now.
"And then Neal, who left you in prison while you were with child."
"He didn't know. He's here now." She really shouldn't be making up excuses for Neal.
"And now the pirate, who left you for a dead woman."
Emma shook her head, mostly in confusion. "Milah is Hook's true love. Of course he stayed." And then it dawns on Emma the second Regina gives her a curious look. "Wait…you think I love Hook?" Emma lets out a small laugh.
Regina didn't think it was funny.
"Of course. He was all over you, like some sort of lovesick teenager."
"Regina," Emma's really laughing now. "There was nothing going on between Hook and I. Sure, we hung out, and he kissed me in Neverland, but it was nothing. Hook and I were nothing. He doesn’t mean anything to me.”
Regina walks closer to her again, power behind her steps. She crosses her arms over her chest. "But your mother said that you were true lov-"
She reaches out and puts her hands on the other woman's shoulders. "And sometimes she's wrong. Plus…" she shrugs. "I don't know if I really believe in true love. I think it's already screwed me over."
"Of course it exists!" Regina threw her hands in the air, knocking pale hands from her shoulders, and began to pace again. She wanted to reach out and hug Regina.
Regina was a few strides from Emma, but the blonde could hear her mumbling. Regina began chewing on her nails, something Emma had never seen her do before.
She decides to be brave and closes the spaces between them, but when their skin touches, Regina's arms go out and Emma is thrown against a tree.
Emma can take it, she knows she can. This isn't her Regina. This is a sad, lonely, and grieving Regina who thinks that no one loves her.
Emma wanted to be there for Regina. She wanted to be there in her most dire moments of need, just like Regina was for her. Like everyone was. Emma had never realized just how badly she needed a family until the night Henry had knocked on her door.
She understands that Regina is lonely; has been for decades. She wanted to take the soil from the ground and somehow replant the woman before her. Regina needs to be rooted and shown unconditional love. And Emma will be the one to do it. She has to. Not only because she's the Savior, but because Regina is her best friend, and she- "I love you, Regina."
It comes out quietly, but Regina stops dead in her tracks, mid nail bite. Emma means her words in so many ways, she couldn't count them on all of her fingers and toes.
"What did you say?"
Emma moves closer. Slowly. Her hands are outstretched so that she doesn't scare the other woman. "I love you." She tries to push all of her feelings out so that Regina knows she's sincere.
Their hands meet.
"And Henry loves you so much. I'm pretty sure you're the favorite mom," she smiles.
Their fingers intertwine.
"And you know my mom loves you. She probably thinks you're besties, or something," Emma laughs.
It's quiet for a moment, and Regina is shaking, trembling. But she manages to whisper, "Say it again."
Emma smiles. "I love you, Gina. I love you for you, in any way that you will let me." She wants to tell Regina more. Tell her how beautiful she is, how amazing of a cook she is, but she doesn't want to overwhelm her.
Baby steps.
And then Regina is sobbing and falling into Emma's arms. Regina's hands are held in between their bodies and Emma's arms are wrapped around her friend, completely engulfing Regina.
At some point, many minutes later, they collapse onto the ground. Emma wants to make a joke about the Queen herself sitting on the ground like a filthy peasant, but she refrains.
She holds Regina tighter and thinks of home.
A bright light surrounds them both, and then they are gone, leaving the trees and roots and earth behind them.
—
Regina wakes up in her bed wearing fresh clothes. She realizes that both her hair and teeth have been brushed, and she gets a whiff of deodorant. Did she change before she went back to bed?
She rubs the sleep from her eyes and sits up to stretch. Her room is empty, but the pile of dirty laundry that was covering the chair in the corner is no longer there. And the basket of clean laundry is also gone.
Once she's standing, Regina finds her robe where it usually lays - on the vanity chair. She knows she's been throwing it on the floor recently. Not caring enough to do anything with it. She decides not to put it on, the clothes she's in will do. After using the restroom and finding it spotless, she pads to her bedroom door and opens it quietly.
Regina doesn't hear anything, but still quietly makes her way down the stairs and into the kitchen, which also appears to be spotless and more clean than it's been in…well, months.
She knows she has Emma to thank for this. No one else would care enough.
And then she finds a yellow post-it note on the fridge.
Gina,
Henry is staying with my parents for a few days, thought we could have a girls night. Just us.
xoxo Emma
She smiles at Emma's sloppy handwriting and wonders where the blonde could be. Maybe she ran to get food or a change of clothes. Regina is sure she put Emma through hell. Though, she doesn't remember much, other than being in the woods on the outskirts of town.
Her dirty feet that were now clean.
Breaking down in strong arms.
Regina makes her way to the living room, still no sign of Emma. She sighs and decides to check up stairs in the guest room, not sure why she hadn't looked there to begin with.
The door is cracked just enough that she can see sunlight from the window peering through. She gently pushes it open and finds blonde curls on a pillow and a snoring Emma. A soft smile is on Regina's lips.
She's found Emma like this many times, whenever she stays the night after family dinner, because they stay up too late drinking cider. Something Robin was never fond of - both Emma and the alcohol. Though it never made sense to her, considering she had seen Robin in a pub all those years ago.
Regina leaves the door open behind her and makes her way over to the bed. She lifts the covers and slides in next to her friend. They've cuddled before, whenever one of them needed extra support or they were just having a bad day. Regina could always count on Emma.
The movement wakes the blonde and her eyes flutter open, the sun hitting them just right. Regina always loved those sea green ocean eyes.
"Hey you," Emma whispers, voice filled with sleep. She's laying on her back and moves her left arm up, gesturing for Regina to move closer.
Regina does and lays her head on Emma's chest, feels an arm land on her waist and hears a fast beating heart. Emma's heart always seemed to beat fast around her. It slowed down after a few minutes and Regina relished in the soft sound against her ear, mixed with Emma's breathing.
Her own arm was laying across Emma's stomach, fingers fiddling with the hem of the woman's shirt; something to distract her. A leg was thrown over Emma's to pull her closer. Cuddling with Emma Swan was possibly the best thing in the world, and some nights when she can't sleep, Regina wishes that Emma had been here all along.
"I'm sorry for earlier," she finally whispers. She thinks Emma may have fallen asleep. The hand on her waist had stopped moving a while ago, and Emma's breathing had slowed, becoming more steady and calm.
But then Emma squeezes her gently in some sort of awkward hug, given their position. "It's okay," Emma says quietly. "I understand lashing out and grieving. But…will you promise me something?"
Emma's hand is in her hair now, lightly scratching her scalp and it's so relaxing, so freeing to be able to be this vulnerable with someone. "Anything," she finally says.
Her head moves slightly and is now in the crook of Emma's neck. She's sure she hears Emma's sudden inhale, but thinks nothing of it at that moment. She just wants to be here and be close to Emma.
"Promise me that you'll see Archie. I can go with you if you want, but Regina…what happened today scared the hell out of me and I want you to be your best self."
Regina takes a shaky breath. No one, save for Henry, has ever cared about her the way that Emma does. She's so incredibly grateful. "Okay." It takes all of the energy she has to say it, and she squeezes Emma so the blonde knows she's serious.
Emma squeezes her back, and then a hand is back in her hair. "And promise me that you'll never shut me out."
She squeezes her eyes shut, feels the tears fall and knows Emma can feel them on her skin. She nods against her neck and whispers "I promise."
Regina almost finds it in herself to hate Emma Swan. The way she doesn't listen, doesn't leave. The way she says I'm here to stay. Through tidal waves and violent winds. Through curses and dark magic. I'll never let you feel alone.
They lay like that for a while. Steady breaths and beating hearts. Regina always feels calm around Emma; safe. She's known her feelings for years, but has always pushed them down, waiting for her soulmate and one true love to finally come around. And eventually he did, but he was too late.
What she had with Robin was good. It wasn't perfect, but it was good. It wasn't feeling like your heart will burst out of your chest love, but it was good.
But Emma…
Emma makes her feel like her heart will burst out of her chest. She has to hide the grin on her face that she's sure looks incredibly dumb, whenever she sees the other woman. She has to pretend she's annoyed and inconvenienced whenever Emma surprises her with coffee or lunch.
And really, she shouldn't be comparing Emma to past loves, but that's where she is. And Regina knows, she knows that she needs help. She knows the shit she's been through all of her life is incredibly unhealthy.
But truthfully, she never realized that until the Savior came to town and showed her what it was like to have a friend. To love and to be loved. She had Henry of course, but his love was different. A child's love, which is just as special, if not more so.
“Why were you thinking about Pan’s curse earlier?” she asked.
She felt more than heard Emma take in a deep breath. “Honestly?” Regina nodded. “I… was thinking about how we were all being separated again. Wishing that you could have come with us. I know it’s… it’s just wishful thinking, and I know you had to go back to the Enchanted Forest so that you could break the curse, or recast one, but…” Emma sighed. “I wish that we would have been able to raise Henry together this time.”
Regina gives her a squeeze. She wishes that, too. It had definitely crossed her mind. But she’s not sure that everyone else would have gotten back to Storybrooke without her. There was silence between them again, the sounds of a clock ticking by the minutes.
“For what it’s worth… I love you, too,” Regina finally whispers. She’ll take Emma however she can have her, for as long as she’ll have her. Best friends, co-parents, lovers, roommates. She’ll take it all, as long as Emma stays in her life.
She feels like Robin was an excuse, in a way. Regina just wanted someone to love her, but she was too afraid to fully commit, but Robin didn’t seem to mind. He would stay for dinner and then go back to the forest. Sometimes, when they were alone, they would make love and then he would leave. But if Regina’s being honest, she’s not sure if she would ever be able to sleep next to Robin, or next to anyone.
But Emma feels like home.
And maybe that is all it takes; feeling good enough for someone. Because of them. Their gentle touch. And the rest just falls into place.