Three Words

by Erin Griffin

Fandom: Once Upon A Time

Pairing: Emma/Regina (Swan Queen/Remma)

Summary: Sometimes it is just that easy.

Disclaimer: ABC owns these characters. I am just borrowing them for a little bit and making no money from them.

A/N: Partially inspired by D.E.B.S when Scud said 'War is easy. Love is hard."

"Mom- MOM!" Henry called, stopping Regina's almost frantic pacing. He turned off his video game, cringing because he didn't have time to save his place. The fact that his mother looked so undone was really wigging him out. "What happened?"

"Emma- I think we're over. We fought-"

"What else is new?"

"No Henry, I think it's over."

"What? Why? What happened?" Henry asked again, this time in alarm.

"I..." Regina hesitated, unsure it it was appropriate to speak of such matters with a child.

"Mom!" Henry protested. "What did you do now?"

"Don't take that tone with me, and it's probably what I didn't do." Henry frowned in thought, showing his confusion. Regina sighed and rolled her eyes. "I can't seem to say it."

"Say-?"

" 'I love you'."

"I love you too, Mom, but-"

"No- I mean, of course I love YOU Sweetheart, but I mean I can't seem to say 'I love you' to Emma. I think it hurt her too many times."

"She's gotta know that you love her. Your kiss broke the curse that kept everyone in Storybrook against their will. Your love was what made it so that people could chose to stay here or go back to that world," the boy argued.

"I think she knows that I love her, but sometimes people just need to hear it too."

"So..." Henry said slowly, "tell her."

"It's not that easy, Henry."

"What's so difficult about 'I love you' after everything you've both been through?" Henry asked.

Regina paused. Then the mayor walked towards the door, turned back long enough to kiss hyer son on the forehead, and then hurried from the room. Henry watched the door for a moment longer before he flopped back on his bed and reached for his videogame as he settled in.

Emma was almost seven blocks away from the mansion when Regina caught up to her in her car. "Emma!" Regina called from the driver's side. "Emma please wait." The blonde kept walking. Regina stopped the car and climbed out, even though it was in the middled of the street with a car right behind her. "I don't know how to do this," she called out to her lover. "Hate and revenge I know all to well, but love... love is hard."

Emma stopped walking and turned to face the mayor. "It's supposed to be. That's part of what makes it all worth it."

"I know," Regina said softly. "You've got to know that I do, I do love you Emma." Regina's eyes were sad but determined. "I do," she repeated, a tear falling down her cheek.

Emma stared for a second before she said, "I know."

So please... don't leave."

"I wasn't going to leave. How could I-?" Emma hurried to stand before Regina. "Listen to me. You're NOT getting rid of me so easily." Emma placed a hand on Regina's shoulder, and then on her cheek. "I guess with all of this savior-turned-princess thing, I let it all get to my head and I thought- I don't know, that Happily ever after was going to be a breeze, but as you said, love is hard. It is worth it, though. You're worth it." Emma kissed Regina then. "I love you."

"I love YOU," Regina said back right away.

When his mothers returned home almost three hours later with a styrophome box from Granny's (now under new management), Henry smiled to himself. "I'm that good."

End