Final chapter! Again, sorry to those of you who had to wait. I was at the point of just deleting the whole thing because i had no idea what to do with it/had no time to write but i think i have concluded it satisfactorily. As always though, my fics could be extended lol. Who knows.

"What is for breakfast and when is Henry coming home?" A wet haired Regina padded into the kitchen.

Emma motioned to the coffee machine and pan of eggs before taking a sip of her own beverage. "Scrambled eggs. I'll go get him after work. How do you feel?" She narrowed her eyes critically at the brunette, searching for signs of shakiness, breathlessness and snot.

The other woman sat at the breakfast bar opposite Emma and started to pick at her food, judging if it was edible. Emma smiled triumphantly as Regina took a second forkful.

"Better..." She took a sip of her coffee, setting the mug down gently, before casting her eyes around the kitchen as though realizing where she was. "You've been keeping it tidy down here?"

Emma nodded before adding "Well, I thought that I had better, couldn't give you any more reasons to throw a fireball at me now could we?"

The blonde suppressed the urge to shout with glee as Regina hurriedly hide a small smile behind her coffee. A short "hmmm" was the brunettes official reply.

Emma stood and set about washing her breakfast dishes before shrugging on her leather jacket and fishing out her car keys. "I'll be back with Henry after work, and i'll bring some food?" She trailed off into a question, deciding that she should stop bossing the other woman about now that she seemed to be faring a bit better.

Regina contemplated the plate of eggs. "I would like to make the meal..." she ventured slowly. "Will you be-"

"I'll be there, Regina." Emma confirmed the unfinished question.

"As a thank you, of course."

"Of course," The blonde offered with a smile that was met tentatively. "Take it easy today."

Henry had barreled into his Mom as soon as he was through the door, the smile on Regina's face radiant as her son clung to her. He peppered her with questions; How are you? Do you feel better? Has Emma's cooking improved? Did she take care of you? The brunette patiently answered his questions, a small smile gracing her lips as she advised that Emma had indeed taken very good care of her and would be staying for tea.

"Great," Henry had declared before deciding that she should stay for a movie too.

Both women were just fine with this arrangement.

The credits rolled on the superhero film Henry had chosen and the boy suppressed a large yawn with his hand. "Mom i'm glad you are better, and i'm glad I'm home, Neal is... loud. " he said before shyly kissing her cheek and saying goodnight to them both.

He left the two women sitting at opposite ends of the sofa looking anywhere other than each other. Emma grabbed the remote and flicked through the late night TV. Regina picked up a book that she had been attempting to read over the last few days.

"Robin came to see me today."

Ahhh, thought Emma. An inward feeling of tension creeping in. She nodded, indicating she had heard the other woman, but continued to watch the TV.

"He told me that he was staying with Marion, because she is his wife."

Emma took a deep breath, anticipating some form of negativity from the brunette. Her eyebrows shot up as a pair of dainty socked feet were dumped unceremoniously in her lap with no comment. She twisted her neck to look at the other woman who turned a page in her book, lips pursed in thought, eyes trained on the paper.

"Stop looking at me or at least close your mouth, you will catch a fly." The blonde snapped her jaw shut, looking appraisingly at the older woman before turning back to the TV. She brought her hands to the feet on her lap and started massaging the one closest to her, unable to stop herself grinning at the hum of approval from her right.

Emma slid her arms under the sleeping woman once more, gently lifting her and thanking all higher powers that she had good upper body strength. She cradled the brunette against her chest and made her way upstairs. Regina had already changed the bedsheets which was good as Emma had completely forgotten. She set the other woman's feet down gently and took her weight against her body whilst she reached to throw back the covers.

The blonde stood back once the older woman was in bed, unconsciously snuggling into the pillows. Time to go home, she guessed, suddenly glum. She didn't want to move. She didn't want to leave this world she had found herself in over the past few days. Her heart clenched at the thought of not coming into this home she had found herself in, not being able to just be Emma instead of daughter, saviour, orphan.

"Are you getting in or are you just going to watch me sleep all night, Emma?"

Emma smiled at the dry tone muttered from the figure in the bed, breaking her out of her thoughts. Not having to be asked twice she switched the lights out and took her jeans off before sliding under the sheets. She stared at the ceiling for a long time, questioning her choice, questioning whether this was a bad idea before she realized a warm hand had grasped her own.

"You were here, Emma." The hand squeezed her own, "That means a lot to me."

Emma squeezed back before starting "Regina, I..."

"Shhh," a quiet hiss from the other woman before she slid over and pulled Emma's arm around her matter of factly, resting her head on the blondes shoulder. "I know."

Emma's heart was in her throat as she wrapped her arm tightly around the brunette, pulling her tightly against her. Unable to say anything she just nodded and closed her eyes, soaking inthis.

"Just be here," she heard whispered before she slipped off into sleep. Always.