A/N: I just realized there's a story by CarrotLucky13 called 'Difficuly Breathing' and our stories are incredibly similar. CarroyLucky13 posted before I did. I didn't intend to post something so similar - it is purely coincidence. I read 'Difficulty Breathing' and it's a great one-shot. I recommend you read it if you haven't. Please read below for info on what inspired me to write this story.

A few weeks ago, I had a dream about a stranger from my past who I loved a lot. When I woke up, I remembered every gritty detail of the dream so vividly - the touches, the tastes, the smells - so I decided to write it down. But because I don't like wallowing in my own messed up past love life, I decided to have some fun with the dream and turned it into a Swan Queen story. Which means all I did was change the names lol. I could possibly continue and make this a multi-chapter, but only if I get enough feedback. So let's say 20 or more reviews and I'll continue. Otherwise, it will remain a one-shot.

Enjoy!

All the doors and windows were open in Regina's new house. The smell of fresh paint was driving her insane. It wasn't a huge house; but it was open and light. And it was hers.

The backyard was the first project she'd completed. It had a pool, a waterfall feature along the side of the yard, and hot tub near the back with a patio and fire pit. Being big on entertaining and throwing random mid-week parties just for the sake of cooking for her friends and family, it was absolutely a must to have the outdoor space completed first.

She'd been diligently working all morning in the master bathroom, removing old floor grout as the dust kicked up at her dust mask, when the doorbell alerted her to a visitor.

When she answered, she wasn't expecting to see the stranger from her past – Emma.

"Hi," the taller blonde said casually. She made no move to enter the house, sensing Regina's rising hostility levels.

"What are you doing here?"

"I got your address from Ruby – well I got it from her phone…"

"So after three years you decided to come pay me a friendly visit to what, say hi?" she asked incredulously.

Emma took a step closer, causing the other woman to defensively take a step back. "I missed you."

Letting her anger take control (because the bane of her existence was finally within arm's reach) Regina slapped her across the face. Actually it could be considered more a punch than a slap. She started out intending to slap her, but at the last second, her hand acted on its own and formed a fist.

"You have no right to miss me! You left – no explanation, no apology, not even a note. Just one day we're vacationing having a great time, and the next day you're changing your flight and leaving me to fly back home without you. What the hell could I have possibly done to make you that angry where you couldn't even stand to be near me anymore? What did I do?!"

"Will you let me come in? I have an explanation."

"What possible reason could you have for humiliating me the way you did?" She paused to consider letting the woman in. "I want to hear this," she said as she let Emma pass into the house.

Regina led Emma into the bedroom. "It's the only room with furniture right now," she explained. She sat on the bed, tucked a pillow to her chest, and motioned for Emma to take the vanity chair. It was quiet for a few moments as they sat analyzing each other.

"You look really good…"

"But that's not why you're here, Emma. I let you in to hear the explanation I've been waiting three years for. So please do that."

Emma sighed and removed her jacket. It was weird hearing Regina call her 'Emma.' Normally it would just be 'Em' or 'love.' She'd only used 'Emma' when they'd first met or when she would try to push the blonde away.

"Remember that last day we were in Vegas?" Emma began. "While you were getting dressed to go out Robin sent me a text, just to say hi. We hadn't spoken in a while so we were just catching up."

"And?" Regina asked impatiently for her to get to the point.

"I knew you guys kept in contact so I was telling him about our trip then he started mentioning some things I guess he assumed I already knew –"

"Like what?" Regina interrupted.

"He mentioned the guy you were talking to for a little while – Jeremy – and asked me how you were doing with the pregnancy…"

In a total fit of exasperation, the brunette yelled out, "Who the fuck is Jeremy?! And what the hell does Robin know about my life? He hasn't spoken to me – not once – since he moved to California and that was before you and I went on that trip. He knows nothing! So you're telling me that because Robin," she spat his name out disdainfully, "told you some random information about me you believed it – no questions asked?"

Emma didn't answer immediately, Regina noticed; she just looked on as Regina completely lost her shit. She seemed almost too calm and it begged the question: why? Had Emma come to terms with her own stupidity in the situation? Did she realize how idiotic it all was but couldn't really bring herself to be upset about it anymore? Or did she actually believe the lies perpetrated by one Robin Locksley? I mean, who did he think he was?! Who do they think they are?! Granted, at the time, she and Emma weren't officially a couple but they were best friends and they were in love with each other and she'd thought they were on their way to making things more official. How could Emma have believed she'd take up with some random Jeremy behind the blonde's back? The fact that a pregnancy was mentioned – well Regina wasn't even about to let herself think about that. It was just too ridiculous.

She jumped off the bed and headed into the bathroom where she'd left her phone. When she returned, her fingers were wildly scrolling and searching through the device.

"What are you doing?" Emma asked.

"Calling Robin. I want to hear what he has to say about this…" She began dialing but the phone was taken from her hand by the eerily calm Emma.

Emma hung up the phone call and moved to site next to Regina on the bed. As she got closer – a little too close – Regina shrugged her off.

"Stop, Emma. Why are you even here? I f you believed all that stuff so much that it made you leave me, why are you here now?"

"I wanted to see you. I miss you."

"You still believe it, don't you?"

There was a pause before Emma answered, and the pause kind of says enough. "Was there someone else?" the creepy calm woman asked.

"I don't know any Jeremy! How could you believe I would do that?"

"I wasn't thinking clearly. At that time in my life, I had a lot of issues to work on – you know I did."

"And did you?"

"Mostly."

"You thought I was pregnant from some guy named Jeremy and I was hiding it from you; and you left…"

"I'm sorry." She pushed closer and sidled up to Regina, kissing her cheek, holding her close. "I made a mistake; I'm sorry."

Trying to get out of Emma's hold, the slightly smaller woman struggled but couldn't seem to put up much of a fight. She had honestly missed this – longed for it even; the opportunity to see the blonde heartbreaker grovel at her feet and beg to be taken back was the thing she's wished for most over the years. So unable to escape, she allowed her body to surrender. She lay down on a pillow, facing away from the toxic blonde – she couldn't quite bring herself to look at her.

Tears ran down her cheeks when Emma pressed her lips against Regina's ear and whispered, "I think about this – how you used to whisper in my ear and bite my ear really softly." She nibbled on her ear to demonstrate.

"Is that the real reason you left?" Regina questioned. "Did it get too real for you?"

Hands bigger and stronger than her own made their way up the side of Regina's torso and brushed against her breast. She hadn't been feeling very beautiful lately, but the way that familiar touch caressed her so lovingly made her body shiver.

"I missed you," Emma whispered again as she kissed her way up and down a tear-stained face. She brought herself atop the brunette, opening Regina's thighs to settle her own body between them. She clasped their hands together and leaned into those lips, now salty with tears.

However Regina turned her cheek to Emma, not allowing the kiss. "So what, your plan is to fuck me into submission? It won't make me forget what you did – how you treated me like I wasn't worth even a second glance." Her words were scornful, voice gravelly. She was plenty angry and wanted Emma to not only know it, but to feel it. "I hate you," Regina hissed.

"I know." The woman on top made quick work of removing Regina's boots and jeans. It was like well-rehearsed choreography.

"You deserve nothing from me! Why are you here?"

"I told you – I miss you." Emma pushed herself upright, remaining between Regina's legs. "I love you," she declared as she pulled Regina by the ankles, lifting the woman's legs to rest on her shoulders. "And I want to show you how much…"

The brunette's head involuntarily fell back into the pillows once a hungry mouth made contact with her center.

"Can I show you?" Emma asked, pausing to listen for Regina's response; the response was nothing more than a grunt and head nod, so she went back to work.

The euphoria Regina was in mingled with old resentments and new anger and she was so frustrated, but it felt so damn good – so good to be vindicated and know that she hadn't actually done anything wrong, but it all was the calamitous mix between a jealous ex-friend and an idiot semi-girlfriend. It was so good to be eaten out so vigorously, and so good to hear the words 'I love you' right before. But so, so frustrating.

She couldn't handle it all and decided to stop fighting the onslaught of fear and love and loathing and tongue, and let it all go. She came so hard in that moment, tears streaming down her face as her body uncontrollably spasmed.

Emma kissed her way back up her ex's body, and covered her with herself. She kissed away the tears that fell for her, but not fast enough because new ones rapidly fell.

"I hate you," Regina choked out.

Emma simply nodded and continued kissing as if it were her only job.

"I blamed myself. I thought I did something and you didn't love me anymore…"

"It wasn't you; it was me. I'm sorry." She never let up on the kisses to the other woman's neck, jaw, chest, even though they weren't returned.

When the blonde nuzzled into the crook of Regina's neck, Regina wrapped her arms around Emma and held on. "I don't want to be with you again. You left me," she cried.

And for the first time in this whole ordeal, Emma showed some sign of being affected by it all – her tears fell into the space between Regina's breasts.

"Everyone always assumes I'm this ice queen, above-it-all bitch but you knew me. You were supposed to believe in me."

"I know you're not."

"You acted like I was just some common street whore!"

Emma pushed up to fully look at Regina. "I don't think you're some 'common street whore.' I love you…"

Shaking her head, Regina didn't respond. How could she even begin?

"Can I stay? I can make it up to you."

She continued shaking her head even as Emma kissed her lips, gently pleading for forgiveness.

"Do you love me still?" Emma asked.

"I don't know. I can't –"

"Okay, it's okay. You don't have to. But please? I want to stay with you. Please let me stay?"

Regina hesitated. She wanted to run far, far away. But this time when Emma kissed her lips, she didn't fight it. She allowed it. She even kissed back a little.

"Let me stay, baby."

She didn't answer Emma. She didn't say yes or no. She rolled onto her side and allowed Emma to take her as the little spoon – and that kind of said enough.