Emma has been awake for the last few hours now. She is laying on her side watching as Regina's chest rises and falls as she sleeps peacefully. Waking up next to the beautiful brunette is something that Emma has grown quite fond of over the last few months.

Emma recalls when she first met Regina. It was through her best friend Ruby. One of Ruby's first jobs after college was working for Regina as her executive assistant. She eventually took another position within the company but stayed very close to her former boss. When Ruby got married a few years ago, both Regina and Emma were in the wedding party. Emma hated Regina at first. The two of them were like oil and water, never really able to get along with one another, and had it not been for their mutual love of their dear friend, they would not have willingly stayed in the same hotel for the week prior to the wedding, let alone the same island.

Regina's date to the wedding, her then boyfriend of too many years for Emma to remember, was very handsome and debonair. It made Emma sick to her stomach to watch the two of them together. She had decided almost right away on not bringing a plus-one because it was too much of a hassle. After all, there was just too much commitment involved with bringing a date to a destination wedding.

Emma thinks back to the night when everything changed between her and Regina. It was during the reception when Emma walked away from the dance floor to get another drink. As she walked towards the gazebo on the beach where the bar was set up, she looked out at the ocean. She remembers how the warm breeze and the smell of the ocean made her feel so relaxed. In the distance, she could see someone walking along the beach carrying their shoes, and it was not until she recognized the dress, the same one that she is wearing, that she realizes that it is Regina. Had she just walked back to the dance floor that night, she may never be where she is now. But Emma remembers that she had an inkling that something was wrong which is why she turned and headed towards the other woman instead.

"Hey!" Emma called out. "The party is actually back here."

Regina turns when she hears Emma's voice. Startled and clearly not wanting any company, she replies. "You should probably get back to it, then."

Emma rolls her eyes in irritation. This woman has been nothing but unpleasant and unkind the whole time they have been here and Emma has had enough of it. She stops following Regina. "You know what? You don't actually have to be such a bitch all the time. I don't understand why Rubes always idolizes you when you are constantly so nasty to everyone around you." She starts to walk away but stops again because she hears Regina laughing. Or crying?

"Yes, that's just who I am. Nasty and a horrible bitch." Regina says dryly as she stops walking as well, and finds a dry spot on the beach so that she can sit down.

Emma turns back. "UGH Just walk away…" She mutters to herself however, her curiosity gets the best of her. She removes her shoes and slowly walks over so that she can sit down next to Regina. They sit in silence for what seems like a long while just listening to the waves of the ocean and the distant music and laughter from the party that is still going on behind them. "So, where's tall, muscular, and handsome at? He hasn't left your side since he got here and now, I don't see him anywhere." When Regina turns, she can see that the woman has clearly been crying. Emma suddenly feels very guilty for the things that she said just earlier. "Hey, is everything alright?"

"Do you really care?" Regina asks, her voice cracking.

Emma bites the inside of her cheek to keep from saying the first thing that came to her mind. "If I didn't, I wouldn't have asked." She says instead.

"He left." Regina says after another minute or so.

Emma's eyes widen in shock. "What? I just saw you two together at the rehearsal dinner last night."

"He left early this morning." Regina replies, not really in the mood for the retelling of the dramatic event.

"Like for work, or something?" Emma tries not really wanting to push but also really curious to know what happened.

Regina shakes her head in annoyance. "Geezus! He left me, Emma."

"I…" Emma trails off not sure of what to say.

Regina just stares out into the darkness as she tries to gather her thoughts. She has to admit that this was how it was always going to end. It was always going to come to this. She takes a deep breath before telling Emma what happened. "After the rehearsal dinner last night we got back to the room and then proceeded to spend the rest of the night fighting. The same fight we always have. About how I want to get married and how he isn't ready. We've been together for nine years. I've giving nine years of my life to him. At first, he wasn't ready because he wanted to finish law school. And then he wasn't ready because he hadn't been made partner yet. Last night, he wasn't ready because it has only been two years since he's been a partner of his firm and that's not enough time. Goddammit!" Regina runs her hands through her hair as she tries to keep the angry tears from falling. "How long has Ruby known Jackson? A year?" Regina asks as she turns to face Emma.

"Uh...yeah. Something like that." Emma says hesitantly.

Regina scoffs and shakes her head.

"I'm sorry, Regina…"

"This has nothing to do with you-"

"No, I know. I mean, I'm sorry for what I said earlier. I was just upset. Although that just sounds so incredibly dumb considering what you've been through today." Emma says with a sad smile. "You held it together really well. Through the entire ceremony and dinner."

Regina chuckles. "It's always been my job to hold it together, dear. I know nothing else." She says sadly.

Emma is looking into the the distance but frowns when she hears the desolation in Regina's voice. "Well, just know that you don't have to do that in front of me. Not here."

And that is the precise moment when everything changed. They spent the next few hours just sitting on the beach. Regina cried until she had no more tears and Emma just sat there staring into the ocean, silently listening until they could hear nothing but the waves.

The next morning, they all have breakfast together. Neither one of them mentioning the night before and when it is time for them to say their goodbyes and send Ruby and Jackson off on their honeymoon, they do so happily.

It was not until months later when Ruby got the gang together that Emma even saw Regina again.

By that time, Regina was single and feeling much happier than she had in years. She thought that seeing Emma again would trigger all the negative feelings from the night they shared on the beach, but instead, she found it very comforting to have the blonde in the same room again.

The two of them exchanged phone numbers that night and begin to talk to each other a lot more often. They even starting seeing each other without Ruby's presence. Lunches and afternoon shopping trips turned into dinners and movie nights, and at a birthday shindig that they threw for Jackson, almost two years after they first met in the Bahamas for Ruby's wedding, Regina worked up the courage to pull Emma into a dark corner of the bar and kiss her.

Presently, it has been six months since that night in the bar and while they both are really enjoying each other's company, they have not spoken to a single person about what is going on between the two of them. Neither of them had ever been with another woman before. Everything about their relationship has been new and while it should have been awkward and probably clumsy at times, it has been the complete opposite. Everything felt so natural and comfortable for the get go and Emma could not remember the last time she was this happy. When she feels that Regina is slowing waking up, it breaks her from her thoughts.

Emma smiles. "Hi…" She says as she reaches out to gently brush the hair from Regina's face.

Regina smiles at her lazily. "Hello, my pretty girl." She says as she moves herself closer to her girlfriend.

Emma instinctively wraps her arm around Regina's waist pulling her in. "Mmm…" She says as she takes in the scent of Regina's hair that is now in her face as the brunette burrows into the crook of her neck. "You always smell so good." She says.

Regina kisses along Emma's collarbone. Then she takes a mouthful of Emma's neck, sucking and licking lightly on what she knows to be a particular sensitive spot. "And you always taste so good." She says, her voice still hoarse from sleep.

Emma chuckles and then tilts her head down so that she can see Regina's face. She manages a small tight smile. "Are you sure you want to do this today? We don't have to, you know?"

"Emma, I love you. And I want to tell everyone that will listen. I don't want to hide it anymore." Regina says, her eyes filled with emotion and her heart feeling as if it could burst.

Emma smiles. "I love you, too." Then she leans in and captures Regina's mouth with hers. The kiss is slow but sure and they stay that way, tangled up in each other, until they have to get out of bed and get ready for the day.

"Hey!" Ruby shouts as she waves them over. "You're both late. Did you ride together?" Ruby asks a little confused because she knows that Emma lives clear across town from where Regina lives.

"We-" Emma starts.

"We ran into each other coming in." Regina says. She looks over at Emma and smiles.

"Yeah." Emma nods. "In the parking lot."

"Oh, okay. Well, sit! How have you been, Em?" Ruby asks.

"I've been good. It's been pretty busy. But, you know, living the dream." Emma says with a smile.

"That's good to hear. I see Regina almost everyday at the office but she's always too busy to do anything after work." Ruby says shaking her head. "I think she is seeing someone, but she has been like Fort Knox I can't get anything out of her."

"Oh yeah?" Emma says as she turns towards Regina with a grin.

Regina rolls her eyes. "Ruby, today is supposed to be about you. Now, what is it that you need to tell us that is so important?"

"Oh, well…" Ruby says shyly.

"Is everything alright, Rubes?" Emma asks as the tone in Ruby's voice is starting to worry her.

"Oh, yes. Everything is fine." Ruby says. She takes a deep breath before biting down on her lower lips and smiling. "You guys, I'm going to have a baby!"

Emma and Regina both squeal happily.

"Oh my god, Ruby. That's so great!" Regina says. "How far along are you?"

"It's been fourteen weeks." Ruby beams.

"I'm going to be an auntie!?" Emma asks excitedly. "I can't believe that I'm going to be Auntie Emma." She laughs as she reaches over to hug Ruby.

"Ruby, I'm so happy for you." Regina says genuinely before getting up out of her seat to walk around to hug her friend.

Ruby pulls her in tightly and refuses to let go. "Okay, so I'm told you my big secret. You need to tell me yours. Are you seeing someone?!"

Emma swallows the lump in her throat and waits for Regina to answer as her mouth goes dry.

"Ruby, let go of me first or I won't have enough air in my lungs to tell you anything." Regina says in a muffled cry.

Ruby laughs. "Only if you promise you will tell me and you won't run away."

"Fine." Regina says.

Ruby squeezes her harder. "Say it, Regina. Say that you promise." She laughs.

"FINE. I promise." Regina says.

Ruby lets go of Regina and then winks at Emma.

Emma rubs at the back of her neck and chuckles nervously. Oh god, this is really going to happen.

Regina walks back to her chair and sits back down. She can feel her face start to get warm and her heart is now racing. It is almost comical to her how nervous she is feeling. She, Regina Mills, has given presentations and business proposals in front of hundreds of powerful executives and she has not once wavered. But right now, just the thought of telling one of her best friends that she is in love with Emma, who just happens to be a woman, makes her feel like the floor is about to fall away beneath her.

"So?" Ruby urges Regina to speak when nearly a minute has passed and no one has said anything.

Regina sighs and finally confesses. "Ruby, I have been seeing someone."

"I KNEW IT!" Ruby says, obviously quite proud of herself. "So, who is he? Does he work with us? Is that why you haven't told me until now?"

"Not exactly." Regina says as she takes another deep breath.

Ruby frowns. "No? So why has it been this big secret?"

"Ruby. I am in love." Regina says as she turns slightly to look at Emma before is looking at Ruby again.

Ruby looks at Regina and then over at Emma. And then back at Regina. "What? Does Emma know?" Ruby throws her arms up in the air. "She does, doesn't she? You told Emma and you didn't tell me?" She frowns.

"Ruby….no. That's not it. I didn't tell Emma." Regina says as she is shaking her head.

Ruby frowns again. "I am so confused right now..."

"Rubes…" Emma starts but she stops when she feels Regina's hand on her knee.

Regina looks down at her lap, as she is finding that it is getting more and more difficult to look Ruby in the eye. "Ruby, what I'm trying to say is that I'm in love… with Emma." When she does not hear any sort of reaction at all, she looks up to see that Ruby has her eyes and her mouth wide open. "Ruby?"

"Oh. My. Fucking. God." Ruby says.

"Rubes, listen-" Emma starts but is interrupted.

Ruby smiles widely. "You two have been dating this whole time and you never told me? What the hell! You two are my best friends! Why wouldn't you tell me?" She asks.

"Rubes, neither one of us really knew where it was going in the beginning. We didn't want to get anyone's hopes up, especially yours." Emma says finally. "But, I love Regina. We love each other and we both really love you and the second we realized that it was time to say something, we knew we had to tell you first."

"Aww, you guys. This is so great." Ruby says as she gets up to move in between her two friends wrapping an arm around each of them. "I love you guys, too. So, how long has this been going on?"

Emma laughs. "Do you remember when we disappeared for a bit at Jackson's birthday thing?"

"Uh, yes…"

"Well, Regina pulled me into the stock room by the bathrooms, pushed me up against the wall, and kissed me until I was out of air." Emma laughs.

Regina shakes her head. "I was drunk."

"You were horny." Emma corrects her as she winks at her girlfriend.

Regina laughs. "That, too."

Ruby feigns disgust as she pulls away from both of them. "Okay, the baby is hungry and I think I will need food in my stomach before I can endure any more of your stories."

They all laugh as they pick up their menus. Regina reaches over and grabs Emma's hand as they intertwine their fingers. She pulls it up to her mouth and kisses it sweetly before she puts it down into her own lap squeezing it tightly.

Regina smiles and she takes another deep breath. The most difficult conversation she has ever had to have with anyone is finally over with, and it will probably be a little while longer before she has to tell her family, so she wholeheartedly intends to enjoy every second of anxiety-free bliss until that moment comes again. And she can honestly say that she has never felt so relieved in her life.