AN: This is the last chapter, and WOW. You guys are so wonderful and amazing for all of your feedback. I'm so glad that so many people could enjoy this story, and it's a great compliment for all the people I converted over to the Snow Queen ship lol. I adore every single one of you guys. Thank you so much! I would like to start out this chapter saying that I suck at ending stories. I'm pretty sure I mentioned that somewhere in a previous chapter. But they end abruptly because I don't know how to end things(my exes can attest to that), so just fair warning on that. It is one of the only constant criticisms that I have gotten with almost all of my older stories. So, now that we're all aware of my faults, enjoy the chapter! :)

It's been a little over a week and she still hasn't come back. I try not to worry about too much about it, trying to stay distracted with healing myself, and going back to work—despite Emma's protests that it was too soon. I try not to think about the lack of magic that I'm still feeling, and the uncertainty that it brings.

There's a million reasons why Snow would still be needed in our old land, and I go over each and every one of them, but an uneasiness still fills me. And I'm going over them again as I sit at the diner midday, nursing my third cup of coffee. There's only a few other customers here, keeping the place occupied between the lunch and dinner rushes. Suddenly, Ruby's voice breaks me out of my thoughts as I stare absently at the entrance to the restaurant.

"You know, it doesn't matter how hard you stare at that door." I jump a little at the voice and look over to see the waitress standing next to my table with a hand on her hip. "It won't make her magically show up."

After a pause, my surprise wears off as my eyes narrow.

"I don't know what you're talking about." My voice has a cool professional sound to it and I straighten my back under her knowing gaze.

"You've come here every day since Snow left, at the same time, barely ordered anything but stayed for way too long." She lists off my routine, and I don't appreciate the fact that she's noticed, while she gestures toward the entrance with a wave of her hand. "Staring at that door and tipping badly."

There's a rush of offense at that, as I take another sip of my coffee.

"I tip the appropriate amount." I say, my eyes stray from her now, hoping to deter this conversation away from something she apparently knows far too much about. My mind filters to those long months when Ruby was the only companion Snow had, running away from me with the wolf's help. Snow never was good at keeping secrets.

"She'll be back." The waitress says in the most understanding and comforting tone that I've ever heard her use for me, and it makes me immensely uncomfortable. So, I'm gathering my things and standing.

"Either way, it's not your business." I give her a smile at that, one that has warning to it, and it only makes her smirk.

"Tip better and I'll deter the gossip until you two are ready to announce it to the town." She gives me a playful wolf's grin and I roll my eyes at her, despite the sudden realization that gossiping was already starting, or that sooner or later this would be something that we would have to be open about with other people. That is, if Snow ever comes back. I mentally shake away the thoughts and reach into my purse, handing her a twenty dollar bill with a fake politician's smile to go with it.

Her face flashes with mock surprise at the offer.

"Gee, Madame Mayor, this is so unexpected and generous of you."

She pockets the money and I'm almost about to walk away, until I hesitate, turning to look at her with a sudden seriousness and an unwanted vulnerability.

"You'll call me if she shows up?" Ruby's face falls at that, studying me for a moment, before she smiles softly.

"Of course."

The next afternoon is when I get a knock on my door, as I'm sitting in my study reading a book. I glance at my phone and see no missed messages, so it makes a nervous feeling start to form in the pit of my stomach. Regardless, I'm standing and straightening out the creases in my skirt, making my way to the front door calmly. Steady and calm, it could be anything—anyone, and there was no reason to prematurely panic.

Another knock, harder this time and my steps gain speed as I grab the door handle and swing it open.

And there stands Snow, with a small bag slung over her shoulder, taking just a quick second to watch me for a reaction before I see her smile wide at me. It's not enough time for me to react, but my sight scans her quickly looking for any injury or maybe just to make sure she's actually here. I vaguely take in the jeans and button up flannel shirt that looks more like it's Emma's than hers, before she's moving inside and past the threshold, tossing her bag to the floor next to us and pulling me in for a crushing and breath taking kiss.

A small sound of surprise escapes my throat before I'm kissing her back.

I hear the door shut behind us and her arms wrap around my waist and up my back. She smells like fresh soap, her mouth tasting slightly of mint, and as my arms go around her neck and fingers wrap themselves in her hair, it feels slightly damp to the touch. She came back, showered, and apparently brought an overnight bag. It seems she plans to stay for a while. I smile against her lips. Presumptuous girl.

I pull away from the kiss with small laugh.

"Miss me?" I whisper, my voice light. She practically growls in response, a small smile gracing her lips.

"Ten days." Snow responds, before moving her lips against my neck, placing slow open mouth kisses to the skin she finds. My eyes catch on the wall clock behind her, doing some quick math in my head

"And 4 hours."

Her hands raise to start their work on the buttons of my blouse.

"It was like torture," The whisper tickles against my collarbone. "I was worried about you," Snow gets distracted from the task of undoing my shirt to run her fingers along the swell of my breasts, the sensation too light and causing me to arch slightly into the touch. Her eyes meet mine and they grow darker in an instant. "I wanted you." She grips my sides pulling me into her again, kissing me fiercely.

And I know we should talk. There are things that need to be discussed, about her trip back. Important things.

Things we most definitely need to talk about.

Later.

Most definitely later.

Because now she's leading us to the stairs, breaking away from me to take my hand and we're moving up the steps two at a time, and I'm lightheaded from the passion she's had since the moment I saw her again. I'm weakened as always, following where ever she takes me, running after her as if I was made for nothing else.

Apparently I wasn't.

When we get into my bedroom, she quickly finishes off the buttons of my shirt, and I pull her face up to look at me with gentle hands on her cheeks. I keep her here, stilling her for a moment, looking at her fully for the first time, at every familiar part of a face that's burned into my memory. She lets me look for whatever it is that I'm looking for, as my thumb brushes over the small scar on her jaw.

"It is you, isn't it?" I barely ask, the whisper so low that I'm surprised she hears it. Her features softening into a small smile.

"Yes, my queen." She whispers back, in the same way she always has, in the same tone of insane dedication and idiotic bravery. My dear Snow white.

When we kiss again, it's slow and soft, pulling out emotions and feelings that are still new and terrifying. But it doesn't hurt, not like it used to. Soon enough though, our lips push harder in lieu of our need, deepening with a building tension.

She leads us to the edge of the bed, I'm pulling off my blouse as she pushes it off my shoulders, the back of my knees pressing into the mattress. She moves her mouth away from its brief location of my neck, looking me up and down with admiration before meeting my eyes again.

"Are you all healed up?" Snow asks with a rasp in her voice.

"Fit as a fiddle." She grins at me and I smile back, but it quickly gets replaced by shock as she leans down and grabs the back of my thighs, tossing me onto the mattress like I weighed practically nothing. She's more than eager. She's undone. I feel its effect on my body as I watch her crawl on the bed after me, settling between my legs. "…You got strong." I practically whisper, as Snow settles on her knees in front of me.

"You got soft." My eyes narrow at the playful insult as she smirks at me, her hands moving up the outside of my thighs and just under my skirt. "A Queen with nothing to occupy her hands but city council reports." My legs tighten around her hips and in a quick moment, I grab her wrists and flip her on her back. She wants her Queen? Well, I'm more than happy to oblige. Once she's settled under me, with wrists pinned to the bed next to her head, I sneer down at her. The fast action and shift of dominance doesn't startle her, it excites her. And I'm not surprised in the least.

"How do you know what has been occupying my hands?" She arches her body against the hold I have, but not as a way to escape, but as a way to bring us closer. "Do you think I just spent these days waiting around for you?" The smirk on her face falls away at my slightly cruel tone, but lust still shines bright in her eyes. My body leans down over hers, bringing our faces close as my voice turns thick. "Thinking of nothing but you?" Teeth nip at her jaw, and then quickly soothed with a soft kiss. "Staying up at night and imagining you as I touch myself."

"God—" The gasp of a word sounds ripped from Snow's lungs as she pushes her body against mine like a rolling wave. Growling slightly from the action, I'm pulling away just enough to look in her eyes.

"Is that what you think?" I sneer at her with a dark look that makes her shake, before letting go of her wrists and sitting up, my hands grabbing fists full of material from her shirt, right above her breasts. With a quick and strong tug, the buttons that run down the flannel shirt pop off and snap, one by one, opening herself up to me. Snow arches against the rough act, moaning out a loud; 'Yes', and I'm not sure if it's an answer to my question, and I don't care.

All I can focus on is the blood red bra that she's wearing, bright and beautiful, made from thin enough silk that I can see the curves and peaks of her breasts clearly. I feel her smirk as I'm struck by the sight, and I really can't stand her sometimes.

But I let her revel in her effect on me, long enough to move my hands slowly along the swell of her breasts, cupping them and moving my thumbs over her hardened nipples, then my eyes are on hers with a hard look.

"Take off your shirt."

Snow follows the order quickly, as I move to work on her jeans, pulling them down strong thighs and tossing it into our growing pile on the floor. Then I'm back on her in an instant, leaning down as my lips suck and bite at her neck, teeth pulling at the skin as mine heats up against hers, one hand trailing behind her back to unsnap her bra. She arches to help me pull it off, as I toss it aside without another look, in spite of it all together.

"You, Snow…" The words vibrate against her collarbone as I move my mouth lower. "You'll be the death of me, I swear it." I whisper, and she moans instead of responding as my lips cover the peak of her breast, pulling a hard nipple into my mouth. The attention I give her breasts is short lived, moving lower to her stomach, feeling its rapid rise and fall from her shallow breathing. Snow's hips push up into me, her body pleading in its own way for the release she's been waiting for. I pull away once my teeth nip at her navel, sitting up between her legs and moving them only to get her underwear off, leaving her bare before me.

And I take my time looking over her body, something so familiar to me, yet I act as if I'm seeing it for the first time, until she whispers;

"Please, I need you."

It makes me smirk.

"So eager, dear." My fingers trail lightly down her stomach, making muscles twitch and shake as nails catch on the milky white of her thighs. "Should we have a lesson in patience?" I look at her then, my voice shifting to its more natural dialect. Her eyes spark with a fire behind the memory that my words illicit. Lust and stubborn attributes blurring together to make for such a seductive glare.

"Not tonight."

The lightly trailing fingers of my hands on her legs shift with a quick snap of my wrists, slapping the inside of her thighs sharply but not very hard. A warning and punishment. Despite the lack of force, she whimpers regardless, her hips jerking with the movement. I hum a bit at the reaction, gripping the soft skin firmly between my fingers, spreading her legs wider for me. Lost in thought and mesmerized by the sight, one hand trailing a single finger lightly against her wet folds, causing Snow to gasp.

"I kept you on the edge for hours once, do you remember?" She does without saying so, I can see it in her eyes when I look up, her teeth catching on her bottom lip for a moment.

"Please."

I click my tongue a few times at the her plea.

"You can do better than that." With a quick move, I'm shifting down on the bed, moving my head between her legs. She cries out softly as my tongue trails along her folds quick and fleeting. Just to tease. "Do you remember?" I whisper between the open mouthed kisses that I place on the inside of her thighs. "How you begged and pleaded…" Her scent is making me light headed, her shifting hips and whispers made me hungry for her, wrapping my lips around her clit and sucking gently as she tenses at the sudden feeling. Then I'm gone again, sitting up and spreading my fingers against her hips. "You would have done anything I asked…" My eyes meet hers, and she still would. Absolutely anything, if only I ask. A smirk takes its place on my lips. "Desperate for some kind of release." I push two fingers inside her quick and without resistance, sliding against the wet heat and feeling her clench around me. My thumb moves to rub light circles against her, pushing and stroking, as my body moves down on her. Back and forth, in and out. She's cries out and moans, her sounds blending together as I feel her body arch against mine. And it doesn't take long, not nearly long enough before she's gasping and pushing her hips in rhythm with my hand, her eyes meeting mine.

"My Queen,"

"My Princess…" I whisper back, kissing her as she tenses and crashes against me.

She finds me in the kitchen by the time early morning rolls around, wearing my robe and a wide smile, and her bad timing annoys me immediately.

"Did I not properly wear you out, dear?" Because I had really thought that I did, at least enough so that this bandit would sleep more than five hours. She has too much energy, she always has.

"You weren't in bed, I missed you." Snow makes her way over to the kitchen island where I'm standing, smile still wide and even as I look away from her and back down to the counter, I feel a smile tug at my own lips.

"So clingy." I mumble and lean a little into her lips that find their way along my neck.

"Watcha doing?" She asks, even though she can see very well what I'm doing, but her whisper in my ear sounds like sex and literally nothing else, causing my eyes to close and hold in the small sounds threatening to escape as her teeth nip at my earlobe.

"I'm doing exactly what it looks like." My shoulder finally shrugs her away as I push a plate full of food towards her, and I smirk despite the insecure blush that's running up my neck. "I made you waffles." The smile she gives is brighter than I think I've ever seen her give me, and I suppose it's not horrible. Being with her like this—it feels good, it feels like it could be enough.

And eventually she stops kissing me long enough to actually eat.

The End